The misunderstood UNDEAD MINOTAUR 🐮

Hello there!

This week we will dive into the unexplored world of death splinter, discovering the power (?) of a controversial card: the UNDEAD MINOTAUR.

Some say that it is useful in some situations, other say that it is totally unusable and really weak. Actually, at a first glance I agree with the seconds, but let's give it a try!

Card analysis

Ok, so we have 3 melee damage, 4 speed, 8 health. Terrible stats for a 6 mana monster. What makes this card useful are abilities: Double Strike and Retaliate allow him to actively make 6 melee damages and passively (realistically) another 3 in one turn, then he will probably die (by thorns or other enemy attacks).

Card usage

This card can be profitably played against other melee monsters, as last card or as a risky tank, mostly playing the following rule sets:

I think Minotaur has to attack. I don't put 6 mana on my back waiting for a couple of sneakers and hoping in retaliate. He is not Hydra.

So he is ok in the back (or better last but one) on Melee Mayhem or Super Sneak, but in all other rule sets I would play him as a tank. He can be good against slower tanks, giving 6 damage (4 if shielded) and hoping for further 3 with retaliate. In any case he will die fast (by thorns or enemy attacks).

I think the Minotaur can be put in the extreme-reward cards category: cheap, really useful in some situations, potentially devastating with a little bit of luck and strategy. Actually he can be played in the same rule sets as ED, but he is not as extreme as also way less powerful (IMHO).

The Match ⚔️🛡️

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League: Diamond III 💎
Super sneak + Rise of Commons
Mana cap: 12

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In such a low mana game I did not expect magical monsters (too easy to kill by melee sneakers). And neither ranged ones (Except Pixies). So expecting a melee-game I decided to play our Minotaur summoned by Daria Dragonscale in the following lineup:

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Great low mana shielded tank

The chicken

Our guy

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Here the battle.

Actually a really hard beginning, with Minotaur having only 30% probability of hitting Cocatrice (so 75% on a round, considering also the retaliate 50% probability). But I were quite lucky to kill him in round 1. Then the match turned to an easy task, against a lv.1 Haunted Spirit.

Please note in particular the killing of both chicken and ooze in one round thanks to Double Strike (neither trample ability can do such a thing).

Lucky victory for me this time! ✌️

P.S. In my post I did not considered the usage of Mimosa. Minotaur with void ability opens up new interesting scenarios. But it's all for today :)

Cheers!

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