Maiev Shadowsong (minion)

Maiev Shadowsong is a legendary neutral minion card, from the Ashes of Outland set.

Strategy
Maiev's primary use is for temporarily disabling an enemy minion, removing it from play for two turns and preventing it from attacking for the next three turns. Her effect also acts as a pseudo-Silence, letting the player get past Taunt minions or prevent dangerous Deathrattles, such as Convincing Infiltrator. While not quite hard removal, her fairly low cost and decent statline makes her an excellent card for stalling midrange threats, buying time to push damage needed to win the game or to set up combos.

If possible, be ready for when the target awakens and try to deal with it before it has a chance to be used again.

Since Maiev can also target friendly minions, some unorthodox methods of using Maiev include it on a friendly Dormant minion to reactivate its awakening effect or on minions with ongoing effects or other keywords like Charge to set up combos that require them once they wake up.

It is highly inadvisable to use Maiev on enemy Rush or Charge minions, or minions like Ragnaros the Firelord and Sethekk Veilweaver that can immediately use their abilities, unless you're specifically aiming to end the game before they awaken.

Lore

 * '' (pronounced MY-ehv) is a night elf and former . She grew up in the ancient  and eventually joined the esteemed, rising through its ranks to become a senior priestess. During the infamous , around 10,000 years before the events of the , Maiev, along with her younger brother, captain of the  Guard , played a major role in the fight against the , as part of the.


 * ''Shortly after the war's conclusion and the Resistance's victory, one of the night elves' most powerful champions, Illidan Stormrage, was arrested and put on trial for attempting to create a second, ultimately being imprisoned deep underground. Maiev personally volunteered to act the Betrayer's jailer, and took up the mantle of leader of the newly-formed Watchers, whose duty it was to guard the subterranean prison. For 10,000 years Maiev tirelessly guarded Illidan, until the day when one of the night elves' leaders, High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind, entered the prison and freed Illidan in the hope that he could aid his people in resisting the return of the Burning Legion.


 * ''After Illidan was exiled in the ensuing war, Maiev took it upon herself to hunt the Betrayer down and return him to his cell in the name of justice. Maiev's anger and lust for vengeance continued to grow as she and her followers pursued the Betrayer to the, where she barely escaped with her life. She sought the aid of the night elven leader Malfurion Stormrage (Illidan's brother) and together they chased and engaged Illidan in the ruins of . Although somewhat redeeming himself by working with Malfurion to save Tyrande, Illidan was still just as guilty in Maiev's eyes, and she continued to pursue him as he retreated to the shattered world of.


 * ''Capturing her prey but quickly losing him again to his allies — Prince and  — Maiev began a guerrilla war against Illidan's growing power in Outland, trapped and ever trying to recapture him with her depleted forces. Driven solely by revenge, the Warden eventually made allies, most notably the  leader, a close ally of Illidan (who was now Lord of Outland) but who secretly resented the Betrayer's actions. Ultimately, Illidan used Akama to lure his archenemy into a trap where Maiev was herself captured and imprisoned in  in.


 * ''Eventually, however, Akama revealed himself to still be working against Illidan and, as the and  arrived to depose the Betrayer, Akama released Maiev and together they took part in the assault on the Black Temple. They ultimately confronted Illidan at the temple's zenith, where they succeeded in defeating and slaying him, although Maiev claimed to have felt no fulfilment with his death. She eventually rejoined her people in, where she took on the role of a vigilante by attempting to slay resurgent  and even Malfurion Stormrage himself, though her plot failed due to the actions of her brother, and Maiev fled.


 * ''Ultimately, Maiev has relocated to the where she is leading more of her Wardens, becoming very involved in the battle surrounding the.

Trivia

 * The flavor text is a reference to the board game Monopoly, specifically the statement "Go directly to Jail. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200."

Patch changes

 * Added.