Splintergraft

Splintergraft Card

Splintergraft is a 8 Mana Cost Legendary Druid Minion card from the The Witchwood set!

Card Text

Battlecry: Choose a friendly minion. Add a 10/10 copy to your hand that costs (10).

Flavor Text

We're going to need some bigger tweezers.

Splintergraft Card Review

This is a classic “cool” Legendary. You play your big guy, you get another big guy in your hand and oh it has so much potential. You can copy a Charger and get a huge Stonetusk Boar running at your opponent, or you can copy a card that summons another copy of itself (Saronite Chain Gang) and get multiple copies with 10/10 stats, and oh you can copy another high value card, or another cool Deathrattle and so on.

But realistically, this card is incredibly slow. So slow that I don’t think it will really see play. When you drop it, it’s a vanilla 8 mana 8/8, which is obviously not great. But you can’t just drop it any time you want – you need to have another minion you want to copy on the board already. That’s the main problem with this card – while you can combo it with 1-2 mana minions immediately, it’s not that easy to get that Saronite Chain Gang – that’s usually a two turns combo (or two Innervates combo, which is just as unlikely) and the chances are that your Chain Gang will be dead already.

Yes, you can combo it with 1-2 mana minions, but why would you want to run those? You’re playing this in some slow Druid deck, like Big Druid – this kind of deck plays small minions only if they stall (like Doomsayer), or ramp (like Greedy Sprite).

On the other hand, if you want to copy something bigger that might stick – like something high value like Ysera, you can already play Faceless Manipulator to get an immediate on-board copy or Zola the Gorgon to get another one in your hand.

I mean, it’s okay good in slow matchups, as you’re getting two big bodies for one card, but it’s not flexible at all, it’s hard to get working and it’s slow even when you face another slow deck. And it can be pretty much unplayable in faster matchups unless you’re ahead, and then you’re either winning the game or you need to stabilize your life and not play a big slow guy.

Theoretically, if Druid would want to play Giants, for some of those Giants making them cost 10 wouldn’t matter or would make it an upside. For example, it would make Mountain Giant 2 mana cheaper, and Molten Giant 10 mana cheaper (but remember that it rotates out to Hall of Fame while getting the nerf reversed, so not in Standard).

You can also play it on Arcane Tyrant. It will become 0 mana after you play a 5+ mana spell anyway, and it will be a 10/10 now. But realistically, with 4/4 stats, Arcane Tyrant isn’t going to stick too often and you can’t play both on the same turn. Especially if Splintergraft would be played in some meta Druid deck – then everyone would kill Tyrants right away to play around it.

While there might be some niche combos revolving around this card, I can’t see it being too strong anyway.

Card rating: 3/10

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79 Comments

  1. Mill Armstrong
    May 14, 2018 at 6:59 PM

    Twig of the World Tree is your best friend Splintergraft
    and also Astral Tiger or Witching Hour

  2. Monky
    April 5, 2018 at 5:58 PM

    So…
    How about Feral Gibberer?
    You always get a 10/10 copy.. right?

    • dontfeedemu
      April 6, 2018 at 2:34 AM

      I think I have buffed that before it, and it doesn’t keep the buffs. The return to hand cards rarely if ever do. That is a real bummer, would have been crazy.

      • Monky
        April 6, 2018 at 2:42 AM

        I think it’d be same with jade golems returned to hand 1/1, 2/2, 3/3… 10/10

  3. dontfeedtheemu
    April 5, 2018 at 10:57 AM

    If you made a 10/10 Stonetusk boar. It died. Then you used Witching Hour. Would it resummon as a 10/10 or a 1/1?

  4. lul
    April 4, 2018 at 11:37 PM

    For everyone knocking this card no crying when Leeroy smacks your face with 10

    • Facepalm
      April 5, 2018 at 10:33 AM

      No one will be. Good luck having a 2 health minion stay on the board for a 8 mana minion to effect it. You’re only getting 4 damage more on the second leeroy. You’d almost always want a brew master or some other bounce effect instead of an 8 drop to play on leeroy, to then get a moderately buffed second copy.

  5. Bladeofsteel
    April 4, 2018 at 8:30 PM

    I’m gonna try out the ixlid into stonetusk boar into splintergraft, into a bm why didn’t you kill ixlid double 10/10 boar charging.

  6. Amethonys
    April 4, 2018 at 6:31 PM

    Zola the Gorgon says hi. Easier to combo with anything and isn’t a potential 18 mana do nothing since unless whatever you copy has taunt you are basically forfeiting your turn twice to get the most out of this card. Also, you only get value on this card by buffing something cheap since getting another Lich king or whatever is dumb since Zola costs 7 less overall for a 2 mana 2/2 smaller Lich king.

  7. Jed
    April 4, 2018 at 4:34 PM

    Although druids have been getting good cards in recent expansions, it’s looking like they got shite on in this one. I wish there would have been one good legendary though, sine the last good druid one was malfurian the pestilant.

  8. Perry Manson
    April 4, 2018 at 3:37 PM

    Is similar to Pyros but with the card that stands in hand for 2 turns instead of 4, in late game is also better because you skip the 2/2, Pyros is a strong card in slow decks I don’t see why this should be bad.

  9. Soup And Salad
    April 4, 2018 at 3:11 PM

    This is okay, slow but okay. In a control oriented metagame, this would be played to duplicate high value minions that managed to survive the turn they’re played. Outside of that niche situation though, this will never see play. Maybe if it was a 4 mana 4/4, it would be far more splash-able but still slow.

  10. Mugen
    April 4, 2018 at 12:42 PM

    Happy ghoul ye shits

    Suicide your 4/5 taunt or something, collect your free 10/10

  11. The weerp
    April 4, 2018 at 12:37 PM

    Yeah it’s probably mostly for fun.

    But in wild it could be played with Aviana, Kun, Pig, Splint, Ixlid, New Pig, Faceless
    xD

  12. HARAM--BE LIKE...
    April 4, 2018 at 12:32 PM

    I think “Treebeard” isn´t as bad as “Dusk-chicken Aviana”.

    That means: You sadly have to play minions with the “Reduce the cost to (0)-mechanic” or “summon a copy of this minion-mechanic”.

    But you´ll see it, guys!!! With this magnificant deck idea, you´ll reach Rank 19 very easy!

    But that´s it ….

    • HARAM--BE LIKE...
      April 4, 2018 at 12:33 PM

      magnificent (lol)….

    • Lucasato
      April 4, 2018 at 1:12 PM

      Druid is a class that can gain a big advantage with a single card:swipe,splending plague,malfurion dk,oaken summons,ULTIMATE WINFESTATION…so i bet you can have some slots to put cards to do both druid legendary work,for example the boar,the cube,”weat meagon”,happy ghoul,arcane tyrant,alarmbot(cards that are really good even as nothing combo pieces)and still keeping a decent deck

  13. Matt
    April 4, 2018 at 11:53 AM

    Zola saw a little play in spiteful druid. Doesn’t seem terrible if you are just throwing reload after reload.

    • DyingHawk
      April 4, 2018 at 12:15 PM

      But this is much worse than Zola on basically every card but sauranite chain-gang. If Zola only sometimes sees play this will never see play.

      • Matt
        April 4, 2018 at 12:44 PM

        It’s probably better than zola coming down the turn after a spiteful.

  14. Chillip
    April 4, 2018 at 11:36 AM

    Angry chicken meta

  15. Djbugib
    April 4, 2018 at 11:30 AM

    better than the first legendary

  16. syth911
    April 4, 2018 at 10:09 AM

    Ultimate combo:
    1.Voodoo doctor heal your face for 2
    2.Play Happy Ghoul for free
    3. Play SplinterGraft on your happy Ghoul
    4. Play the 0 cost 10/10
    5. ….?
    6. Profit.

    • Fred
      April 4, 2018 at 11:33 AM

      But that would mean playing 2 voodoo doctors and 2 happy Gouls in Druid, but I see what you mean, I think there will be a specific combo in which this card really shines. Maybe the Druid stuff that makes stuff cost 5. Pretty sure the card is underrated just because people can’t think of a combo.

      • Ur mom lol
        April 4, 2018 at 2:54 PM

        No you play both Gouls on the same turn.

  17. Doomsday luck
    April 4, 2018 at 9:50 AM

    I feel bad for Druid mains. But u did play jade so u get what u deserved. Hope priest gets trash next expansion

  18. UkuleleLover
    April 4, 2018 at 9:27 AM

    It would be better if it didn’t have to be a friendly minion.

  19. Spyda
    April 4, 2018 at 9:22 AM

    It could be fun in a meme deck using Dollmaster Dorian, Aviana, and Duskfallen Aviana. Now if only Druid had more reliable card draw…

  20. CocoAsticot
    April 4, 2018 at 9:19 AM

    I see value in Malygos Druid. With aviana and kun you can get a second malygos or second kun for mana or Armor.
    I see this include in this deck.

  21. sina
    April 4, 2018 at 9:14 AM

    this card is bad .zola is 3 mana and almost same effect.
    mb its good with saronite but mehh.

  22. mrB
    April 4, 2018 at 8:49 AM

    5/5
    Lol, this card is absolutely nice. Take it with the 4 mana taunt 2/3 which duplicates and play a taunt deck. The new spell “witching hour” resurrect your hadronox all the time. Cause of beast. This class possibilities are awesome. In wild with nzoth completly worth

  23. Miagamus
    April 4, 2018 at 8:49 AM

    Turn 10: Stone tusk and this guy to copy it, then use the last attack on twig and refresh mana. Drop giant stone tusk and face. 12 damage off the bat and 19 left on board opponent has to deal with.

    • Wywern
      April 4, 2018 at 10:18 AM

      Not to be a prick but you could just malygos and go ham, whether with faceless, double faceless or just a lot of spells. And that combo is available right now, but not played.

  24. Diamen
    April 4, 2018 at 8:46 AM

    Now imagine this with Voodoo Doll so much synergy! kappa

  25. name
    April 4, 2018 at 8:37 AM

    why on review no mention regarding to quest evaluated idk. it is awesome support after u complete your quest. think big

    • Grulog
      April 5, 2018 at 5:39 PM

      For real dude, either quest druid or otk decks with ixlid. 2 10/10 ixlids plus one maly = people adding you to talk shit then removing.

  26. GlosuuLang
    April 4, 2018 at 8:33 AM

    It looks like Druid got two bad legendaries this expo. It also looks like it will struggle this expo as a class, since I’m not seeing Hand Druid being a thing.

    The best thing as people are saying would be to copy a Mountain Giant, which you should have in your Hand Druid deck anyway. Saronite Chain Gang would be nice, but it’s difficult they’ll both survive in Turn 7, since they also have Taunt. It has the potential of doing interesting combos, but so far it looks it will mostly be for memes.

    2/5 stars.

  27. GalacticGoon
    April 4, 2018 at 8:03 AM

    Had a look through druid and neutral minions (from all expansions) and came up with the following cards as the most desirable for this effect:
    Saronite chain gang, acolyte of pain, any giant that you can play for (0), arcane tyrant, dirty rat, doppelgangster, echoing ooze, grim patron, happy goul, most things with charge and/or lifesteal.
    So far the options seem very limited and it seems too slow but I think this is certainly a card to keep an eye on as it can become a win condition given the right support.

  28. Morei
    April 4, 2018 at 7:59 AM

    I’m smelling memes

    Also this plus Duskfallen Aviana Kappa

  29. LunarBahamut
    April 4, 2018 at 7:58 AM

    This would be fun in a quest deck with Zola, not viable, but you’d be able to fill your board with a 2/2, 3 8/8s and 3 10/10s right. Unless it doesn’t keep the mana cost reduction, then this obv doesn’t work.

  30. AleT02
    April 4, 2018 at 7:55 AM

    Arcane tyrant, 0 cost 10 10 or maybe saronite
    That is a double 10 10 minion taunt for only 10 mana. I think that this can work

  31. OHYEAH
    April 4, 2018 at 7:45 AM

    SPLINTERGRAFT + STONETUSK BOAR-> easy combo easy legendary

  32. Sellin
    April 4, 2018 at 7:42 AM

    Dream combo – Nourish to 10 mana, innervate, arcane tyrant for free, splintergraft the tyrant, play another 10/10 tyrant for free. EZ.. ha

    • GlosuuLang
      April 4, 2018 at 8:34 AM

      That would actually be sick. I can’t see this happening more than 1% of the games though.

  33. SWEdosaur
    April 4, 2018 at 7:38 AM

    corridor creeper, arcane tyrant, happy ghoul…

    Well then

    • RinMathews
      April 4, 2018 at 7:41 AM

      Exactly. Most people are so short sighted with this card.

    • MarmotMurloc
      April 4, 2018 at 7:44 AM

      This could be epic synergies for druid! The only won that I don’t think could happen is happy ghoul, as it would mean running moonglade portal, but it might actually work with that 3/3 that heals for 3 (can’t remember his name)

    • Brady Lynch
      April 4, 2018 at 8:41 AM

      I don’t think any of these could work. Arcane tyrant will have to survive a turn since you wont be able to play it and Splintergraft on the same turn, and if your opponent knows what your trying to do he wont let that happen, plus you’d have to use a spell over 5 mana, which druid doesn’t use many of, except ultimate infestation and starfall, but you really want to be using those when necessary and not to get some clunky combo off. Happy Ghoul will also have to survive a turn unless you can also somehow heal yourself when you play the original copy, if you have to play it for 3 though and you don’t have coin/innervate they will most likely kill it between turns. if you do get the happy ghoul combo off though, is it really worth it? Filling your deck with happy ghoul and healing that wouldn’t otherwise be there? Finally corridor creeper may be the most plausible. If you get it down to 0 and copy it with Splintergraft the problem becomes that it is back to 10 mana so you have to kill a lot more minions to lower its cost again… In the end i don’t think any of these combos are remotely strong enough to include in a deck the only way I can see this played is with giants, maybe mountain giant in ‘hand druid’ if that turns out to be a thing.

  34. RinMathews
    April 4, 2018 at 7:36 AM

    Use this with a giant to get a discounted 10/10? Get an extra, slightly bigger, Mountain giant, arcane giant in hand?

    • Blazesoulshard
      April 4, 2018 at 7:45 AM

      Arcane giant is rotating, you can use it on a happy ghoul or an arcane tyrant for a 0 mana 10/10

  35. Hayabusatmn
    April 4, 2018 at 7:34 AM

    Doppelgangsters with Aviana, Brann and this card in Wild can be sick

  36. KLGamet
    April 4, 2018 at 7:34 AM

    In Kripp’s words: Druid got fukd with the Legendarys

  37. Crxne
    April 4, 2018 at 7:33 AM

    I don’t think it would see play unless Astral Tiger can be copied and goes back in the deck as a 10/10, this would be very interesting. That’s all I can see for this card because there are not that much minions you want to play again for 10 mana, maybe a cool card for Quest Druid, for the moment it looks good but is it really useful ? :/

    • WTH :'D
      April 4, 2018 at 8:03 AM

      Why would that be interesting? Putting an Arcane Tiger back into the deck as a 10/10 for 10 Mana would be dumb a f, since it’s overstatted before and that way will lose stats once drawn. Can you imagine paying 10 Mana for a 10/10 – x? I certainly can’t :’D
      Real combo possibilites are with cards that discount itself, such as some of the giants that don’t rotate out, Happy Ghoul, Corridor Creeper etc.

  38. MorbidArtist
    April 4, 2018 at 7:32 AM

    10 mana 10/10s have to be the hardest minions to play, cause it’s such an absolute commitment to a single thing, which is always susceptible to removal. I guess it’s more oriented towards empty-hand topdecking situations, to ensure you have something huge to play on the following turn but still, not something that happens to druid very often in constructed, with UI still being around.

    Aside from that, which minions would that card be combo’d with well?.. Maybe charge/rush?

  39. Moltar
    April 4, 2018 at 7:31 AM

    Dinosized version of Zola the Gorgon.

  40. Brady
    April 4, 2018 at 7:31 AM

    Why is Blizzard curbstomping Druid this expansion?

  41. RyHouYouDoin
    April 4, 2018 at 7:30 AM

    I can look at cards that can have their Mana cosy significantly reduced. Corridor creeper and arcane artificer would be strong targets. Corridor could be fairly easy to pull off, artificer not so much..

  42. Jimilinho
    April 4, 2018 at 7:27 AM

    Apparently in testing it added a golden copy but it was too OP so they had to nerf it

  43. Joeydungee
    April 4, 2018 at 7:26 AM

    Isn’t Zola the Gorgon just better, though? Sure this gives you a 10/10, but Zola doesn’t make you pay 10 for the copy.

    • John Pedersen
      April 4, 2018 at 7:30 AM

      Well the way I see it,

      Kun, get 10 mana
      play this, make a copy of kun

      you now for “only” 10 man
      get a 7/7, a 8/8 and a 10/10

    • True
      April 4, 2018 at 7:43 AM

      It’s true, but now you can have a charge 10/10 pig.
      Zola the Gorgon can’t do that.

      • Joeydungee
        April 4, 2018 at 7:51 AM

        I suppose. I’m still not super convinced though. You’d have the stonetusk boars (which are useless as 1/1’s) in your deck/hand waiting for the combo.
        Also, you have to totally commit to one card for an entire turn in the late game. A card that your opponent knows you have in your hand.

        • Joeydungee
          April 4, 2018 at 7:52 AM

          Not saying this is an unplayable card, but I’m not sure how well it will work in practice as opposed to theory

  44. Yeeet
    April 4, 2018 at 7:19 AM

    I can only imagine we are going to see some sort of combo here. Perhaps this can combo with Anivia, but that still requires 2 turns. I am going to have to agree and say this is kinda useless so far.

  45. Superbaas
    April 4, 2018 at 7:14 AM

    Honestly, this looks worse than it likely actually is. Given the control decks this is likely to go in, it means you have another threat to carry on work shortly after.

    This actually had great synergy with wisp (ability to drop a minion with the splinter to garentee a hit), wax rager/stonetusk boar (one cost minions who can make excellent use of the stats) and Zola (both can make huge threat copies of each other and apply huge board pressure until it is cleared completely)

  46. lul
    April 4, 2018 at 7:10 AM

    Goes into Quest druid thats all that matters.

  47. Nightfall
    April 4, 2018 at 7:08 AM

    I just can’t come up with a reason to make a 10/10 copy of a minion.
    also, just an 8/8 is bad tempo.
    I don’t see how it’s supposed to work

    2/5

    • Yeeet
      April 4, 2018 at 7:18 AM

      I can only imagine we are going to see some sort of combo here. Perhaps this can combo with Anivia, but that still requires 2 turns. I am going to have to agree and say this is kinda useless so far.

    • sek
      April 4, 2018 at 7:24 AM

      Obviously this is good for Rush and Charge minions – or give it to Saronite Chain Gang for example.

    • RinMathews
      April 4, 2018 at 7:39 AM

      It adds an extra arcane giant, sea giant, mountain giant, or molten giant to your hand. They’ll still get the discount so it’ll be like a 4 mana 10/10 mountain giant in hand Druid. This card only needs to be broken in one instance to see play, although this effect is shit with 990/1000 of the minions in this game.