Throne of Tides Metagame Predictions

With the release of Throne of Tides, World of Warcraft TCG will see a radical shift. Not only are there 263 new cards to be played with, there is also the elimination of 1,500+ cards from the Core format. As detailed in Pete’s Changes to the Core Format article, this new set has an unquestionably massive effect on the game.

As it is with the release of any new expansion, the metagame shifts to reflect the new options and new deck builds that each of the classes now has available to them. With Throne of Tides we also have the addition of Monster heroes and allies, which have been represented in WoW TCG previously.

With all of this in mind, here is my take on how the metagame will change with the release of Throne of Tides and its later expansions.

Initial Reaction
There is no doubt in my mind that Monster heroes and allies will dominate the metagame with the release of Throne of Tides. The Monsters are not only new and exciting but also add another level to the game hasn’t really existed since the Demon heroes found in Hunt for Illidan were phased out of Core. For starters, Monster heroes effectively add a third faction to the game that neither Horde-specific nor Alliance-specific cards can affect. On top of that, the Monster allies printed with Thrones of Tides appear to be extremely strong in both the limited and constructed formats, and most players will likely be drawn to the allure of these cards.

Similar to the release of Worgen allies in the Worldbreaker expansion, I can see almost every competitive deck built after the release of Tides being filled primarily with Monster allies that will probably be led by a Monster hero. Worgens dominated the metagame immediately after the release of Worldbreaker and I have no doubt that the Monsters will do the same. The only difference I see, however, is that the Monsters are likely to have more staying power than the Worgens. As powerful as the Worgens seemed, their edge in the metagame faltered rather quickly in favor of Dragon based decks. Monsters, on the other hand, do not have any other new race to compete with, and I can see them being extremely strong throughout the entire period before the second set of the block is released.

The Second Set
The second set of the Tides block will likely see the addition of three or four new Monster heroes that will fill in some of the classes missing in Throne of Tides. I have a strong feeling that after the second set hits the shelves, these “missing classes” will see a big spike in play due to their fresh feeling. Whether or not these decks will be any good is undetermined, but I’m sure we’ll see a lot of different deck ideas and new strategies for these classes.

Once the excitement of these new classes wear down, however, I feel that the Horde and Alliance heroes will begin to make their comeback. After a four-five month period of players having to deal with Monsters at every turn, players will start to get fed up and learn how to counter those pesky creatures. As it stands, Monsters do not seem to have any way to deal with themselves, so players will be forced to return to their Horde and Alliance ways. The second set will also introduce a slew of new Horde and Alliance allies for people to play around with, many of which will probably be geared towards dealing with Monsters if the metagame for Tides is as Monster-heavy as I predict.

The Thrones Finale
The third and final set of the Tides block is likely to be the final moment in the sun for the Monster heroes and allies. Similar to the Twilight of the Dragons expansion, the final set of the Tides block will probably see a huge push in favor of the Monsters, a push that will start with the last of the heroes that are needed to fill out the set of 10. This will give the Monsters complete access to every class in the game, as well as the abilities and equipment that go along with them. Similar to the second set, these heroes will see a lot of play early in the metagame but will likely fall off as the decks become more fleshed out.

It is with this set, however, that I feel the fate of the Monsters will truly be seen. Similar to the Worgens, Goblins, and Dragons from the Worldbreaker block, Monsters are likely to be relegated to two strategies. The first, and most obvious of the two, is theme decks. Some players out there, myself included, absolutely love theme decks, and Monsters will always be an option for them. The other strategy, though, is the one that Worgens/Goblins/Dragons have fallen into as of late. It is very rare to see entirely Worgen/Goblin/Dragon decks, especially at the competitive level. Monsters, which share a similar role in the overall strategy and design of the World of Warcraft TCG, will fall into this same pattern. The third set of the block will definitely boost the power of Monster decks, but I feel they will only be used in a supporting manner to Horde and Alliance decks. There may be some Monster hero decks still prevalent in the competitive scene, but I really do not expect them to be very strong compared to the Horde/Monster and Alliance/Monster splash decks.

Lasting Impressions
For now, I feel most players are getting too worked up about the power of Monster heroes and allies. Are they new and exciting? Absolutely. Will they be strong in the metagame? Probably, but I do not think they will be for every long. Right now, I think Monsters are riding a huge tidal wave of hype that will crash into the shore once the second set of the block is released. If Monster heroes and allies seem overly powerful to you right now, my suggestion for you is to bide your time. They will definitely have their moment in the sun, but I do not think it will last as long as everyone tends to think it will. A year from now, when the first set of a new block is released, I really believe Monsters will have fallen to the wayside and be replaced by the always present and always strong presence of the Horde and the Alliance.