Smolderthorn Lancer

Smolderthorn Lancer is an epic warrior minion card, from the Rastakhan's Rumble set.

Strategy
Smolderthorn Lancer could be used as an Execute in Baku Warrior, where Execute wouldn't be able to be used because of Baku's requirement.

In Dragon decks, Smolderthorn Lancer is a good source of minion removal plus a 3/2 body, which typically would count as a 2 mana 3/2 and a 1 mana Execute, the only difference being the requirement of having a Dragon in your hand, which shouldn't be much of a problem with a deck with dragons and Dragon Roar to gain more dragons.

Lore

 * ''The of trolls are a tribe of s led by War Master Voone that belongs to the.


 * ''The Smolderthorn tribe of trolls are one of two tribes of forest trolls that belong to the Dark Horde, a renegade group of orcs, trolls, and ogres, who dwell in . Commanded by Rend Blackhand, the Dark Horde has not given up the battle to claim, although Rend's forces are significantly smaller than Thrall's . A group of warlocks drives the Dark Horde, which has not relinquished the original Horde's involvement in demonic magic. The Dark Horde is essentially still fighting the , but Rend and his group know that they stand little chance of success, despite their alliance with the.


 * ''The Dark Horde's numbers are dwindling, and it has no means of recruiting new members. Realistically, these evil individuals are well aware that their days are numbered. Such knowledge has given them a grim mindset: they are desperate, bitter, and completely ruthless in battle.


 * ''Smolderthorn trolls revere the memory of Zul'jin and consider the Firetree tribe acceptable allies, but despise all other forest trolls as deserters, particularly the, which is loosely affiliated with Thrall's Horde. Ironically the Revantusks consider the Smolderthorn trolls traitors for failing to leave Blackrock Spire and aid Thrall and his followers, for the Revantusks believe that Thrall leads the true Horde. In general, trolls outside the Dark Horde have long since decided that the Smolderthorn and Firetree trolls are insane for allying themselves with the black dragonflight and continuing to fight an unwinnable war (if, indeed, it can be called a war).

This particular Smolderthorn troll appears to be riding a.


 * ''Proto-dragons (also known as proto dragons, protodragons or proto-drakes) are the feral, long-forgotten forebears of the dragon species. The vrykul frequently use them as mounts.


 * ''The proto-dragons descend from elementals who avoided being imprisoned in the and instead remained on Azeroth, where some of them gradually transformed into creatures of flesh and blood. More specifically, Brann Bronzebeard recently uncovered evidence, corroborated by reports from adventurers in, that proto-dragons may have origins in elemental drakes such as  and . The inhabitants of Deepholm, the , the , and the  are less than talkative on these matters, however, and most of them were not around when the elemental prisons were created.


 * ''The proto-dragons are thus early version of dragons before they evolved into the sapient, beautiful majestic creatures they are known as today.


 * ''Galakrond, a massive proto-dragon, is known as the "progenitor of dragonkind" and long ago resorted to cannibalism. This act of consuming other proto-dragons gave Galakrond unbelievable strength and increased his size, but horribly mutated his body as well. His breath reanimated the dead proto-dragons around him into a form of undeath. It is said that from Galakrond the s created the, but this is a rumor the Aspects actively encouraged so as to keep the truth about Galakrond a secret from the dragonflights.


 * ''Proto-drakes are generally bestial and display none of the great intelligence and wisdom of true dragons, though those that would later become the Dragon Aspects proved otherwise when they fought alongside against Galakrond. Kalecgos noted in his visions of the past that this was extremely odd.


 * ''Proto-dragon whelps grow at an incredible rate and can devour nearly twice their weight in raw meat per day. Some proto-dragons have a wide array of strengths and abilities, with examples including incredible fortitude, massive size or the ability to unknowingly tap into latent elemental energies in order to breathe fire or frost at their enemies.

The concept of Dark Horde trolls riding dragons (proto-dragons or otherwise) is unique to Hearthstone.

Patch changes

 * Added.