Battlecry: Set a hero's remaining Health to 15.
Alexstrasza the Life-Binder brings life and hope to everyone. Except Deathwing. And Malygos. And Nekros.
How to get[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
- Directly alters the target hero's Health. As such it does not count as either a healing effect or damaging effect, and so does not synergise with effects such as Eye for an Eye or Auchenai Soulpriest.
- Bypasses any Armor. Any Armor possessed by the target hero will remain unaffected.
- If the Battlecry increases the hero's Health beyond its current maximum, it will set the hero's new maximum Health to 15. This means that is can be used on the Ragnaros hero summoned by Majordomo Executus to increase its maximum Health from 8 to 15.
Strategy[edit | edit source]
As a legendary 8/8 dragon for 9 mana, Alexstrasza is already a big body to deal with in anybody's deck, but her real power lies in her ability to set a hero's remaining Health to 15. Due to the nature of this card, it can be used in a variety of ways as a great utility minion. You can play her if you are in need of a comeback and you are below 15 Health - which can be a very effective way to make your way back into a close game - or you can use it to advance your lead and force your opponent down to half life while playing a devastating minion.
Alexstrasza is a key component in many control decks. After spending the early game stalling, the player can use the dragon's Battlecry to set the opponent's Health to 15, effortlessly compensating for minimal damage-dealing in earlier rounds, then use burst damage to quickly defeat the weakened opponent. Warriors are one of the best examples of this type of play, focusing on removal and Armor generation for the first half of the game.
Quotes[edit | edit source]
- I bring life and hope.
- I will mourn your death.
Lore[edit | edit source]
- Alexstrasza the Life-Binder, Aspect of the red dragonflight, is the guardian of all life in the world of Azeroth. She was one of five great dragons chosen by the titans to be empowered with a portion of the Pantheon's power and rule over her flight while they watched over Azeroth and its inhabitants. The titans also appointed her queen of all dragons. Alexstrasza loves all living creatures and protects them, and only those who menace the dragonflights or the world face her wrath.
- With the rise of Deathwing during World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Alexstrasza took a very active role in defending Azeroth against the Aspect of Death, eventually ordering her entire dragonflight to war against the Black Dragonflight. Alexstrasza, along with her fellow Aspects, gave their all to stop Deathwing once and for all, but lost much of their power in the process.
- "Life is my Aspect, Dark One, and I, like all mothers, know both the pain and wonders that entails!"
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- Alexstrasza is known to be very strong in the Heroic Mode bosses in the Curse of Naxxramas adventure due to her ability to nuke a boss with very high Health down to 15 in one turn. Because of this, she is prohibited in the Heroic Mode fight with Loatheb, Sapphiron and Kel'Thuzad. Likely for the same reason, Heroic bosses in the subsequent Blackrock Mountain adventure have substantial amounts of Armor instead of high Health, and many of them have cards that grant Armor, such as Flameheart.
Artist[edit | edit source]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Patch changes[edit | edit source]
- Patch 220.127.116.1117 (2013-12-10): Alexstrasza’s ability no longer counts as a healing effect when raising the target’s health to 15 and will not affect Armor when lowering health to 15.
- Unknown alpha patch: Name corrected from "Alexstraza" to "Alexstrasza". Trivia changed from "Alexstraza was enslaved by the orc, Nekros Skullcrusher, during the Second War. When she escaped, she swallowed him whole. Yum!" to "Alexstrasza the Life-Binder brings life and hope to everyone. Except Deathwing. And Malygos. And Nekros."
References[edit | edit source]
- Zeriyah on Twitter. (2015-03-30).
- Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft - Building the Fire (UK). (2013-03-19).