Hearthstone’s Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion card reveal season has started! We can expect to see multiple cards revealed on daily basis for the next couple of weeks leading up to the expansion itself.
In this post, I take an in-depth look at Coldwraith.
Coldwraith
Coldwraith is a common Mage class card from Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion. It is a three-mana 3/4 minion with a Battlecry to draw a card if an enemy is Frozen.
It is significant that the card specifies an enemy, not just an enemy minion. Therefore, the enemy Hero being frozen also counts for the purpose of the Battlecry.
So, how can Mage Freeze things? Here are the current cards:
- Freezing Potion
- Glacial Shard
- Frostbolt
- Frost Nova
- Water Elemental
- Cone of Cold
- Demented Frostcaller
- Blizzard
- Frost Elemental
Freezing something to draw with Coldwraith on curve is only possible with Freezing Potion, which costs zero mana. However, I do not expect Freezing Potion to suddenly see play: even if there were lots of freeze synergy cards, Mage has plenty of other ways to freeze things.
Glacial Shard offers a freezing option that is available for only one mana, and it is a card that has seen occasional play, especially in Elemental decks. I’m unconvinced about that one too though.
Water Elemental looks much better, even more so as its freeze effect is repeatable and does not cost any mana on the turn it is used after Water Elemental has been summoned.
Frostbolt, Frost Nova, and Blizzard are also cards that see a lot of play already, and can combo with Coldwraith a little later in the game.
Coldwraith also has a fairly good statline for a three-drop at 3/4. This makes it possible to also play it on curve against an aggressive opponent in order to start trading, it does not always have to draw a card.
OK, so the card is decent enough in isolation: the draw effect can be activated with cards that already see play and the body is fine even in cases where the draw effect cannot be activated.
What about the competition? Mage decks typically run these cards in the three-mana slot right now:
- Mage Secrets
- Arcane Intellect
- Frost Nova
- Volcanic Potion
- Acolyte of Pain
- Kabal Courier
- Kirin Tor Mage
Not that many minions, but a lot of utility. All Mage decks will run some freeze effects anyway, Frostbolt at the very least. Therefore, if a Mage deck needed a three-drop, Coldwraith could very well fill that role.
Secret Mage probably does not have room for it, and it is the only Mage deck with a full-statted minion (Kirin Tor Mage) in the three-mana slot anyway.
Freeze Mage likes card draw, but has little use for Coldwraith’s body. Not a match.
What about Control Mage? Coldwraith is not a bad fit, but I’m not sure if it is good enough either. If Control Mage wants a midrange minion, Coldwraith is a good candidate, as it retains value in the late game thanks to card draw. Control Mage may also choose to stall the game early instead of going for minions, so it is uncertain whether Coldwraith would fit in it.
Elemental Mage, on the other hand, could be very interested. Tar Creeper is the only good Elemental minion for three mana, and Coldwraith has some great synergy with Water Elemental. If the rumors about the Mage Hero card having Elemental synergies are correct, this could definitely become an archetype that could welcome Coldwraith in.
Coldwraith’s best chance to see play is to find a Mage deck that wants to play on curve. In such a deck, Coldwraith could act as a vanilla three-drop that can also draw a card a bit later in the game. Elemental Mage seems promising, or if some kind of non-Secret Tempo Mage or Aggro Freeze Mage becomes a thing, they might also find a spot for Coldwraith.