Reinforce

Reinforce is the paladin's basic Hero Power.

Strategy
This ability effectively provides paladins with an endless supply of 1/1 Recruits. This can offer paladins additional advantage from effects that increase the stats of multiple minions, such as Raid Leader and Stormwind Champion. They also provide an ever-present target for buffs such as Blessing of Might and Blessing of Kings.

Quartermaster is specifically able to buff Recruits with its Battlecry. Silver Hand Recruits can also be summoned through Lost in the Jungle, Muster for Battle, Stand Against Darkness, Silver Hand Regent, Air Raid and Vinecleaver.

Against other Hero Powers
Reinforce is the only starting Hero Power that allows a consistent build-up of sources of repeatable damage: most powers require re-use to have any effect, Totemic Call is random and can summon only a single Totem often with 0 Attack, and Life Tap is dependent on cards drawn. This means that if left un-countered for several turns, a paladin's Silver Hand Recruits may be able to do significant damage to the opponent, even if an opponent later starts using their own "deal 1 damage" power to try to cut down on the number of 1/1s hitting them.

Hero Powers can be compared "one on one" assuming a clear board state and no other cards involved. However, as stated above any build-up of Silver Hand Recruits beforehand can be a threat even if an opponent's power is theoretically "break even" or better one-on-one. In any case, this is mostly academic since Hero Powers are rarely used in a vacuum, and cards drawn and played tend to have a much larger effect on the game than any player's power.


 * Reinforce compares somewhat favorably against Steady Shot or Armor Up!, since an army of Recruits can be built up while the opponent deals or prevents only 2 damage per turn. However, it takes 4-5 turns for a group of Recruits to be built up enough to catch up on Steady Shot's damage, so at low Health the hunter may have the upper hand.
 * Lesser Heal is in the same boat as Armor Up! without minions on the priest's side, but easily counteracts Reinforce if the priest has even a 2-Health minion to pick off Recruits. With a 3-Health minion, only one Lesser Heal is necessary for every two Recruits.
 * Given enough time, a Recruit can kill Totemic Call's Wrath of Air Totem and Stoneclaw Totem, and two can kill a Healing Totem, while Searing Totem exchanges evenly. Given Totemic Call's inconsistency, it is unlikely to stop a buildup of Recruits on its own, with an ultimate result similar to Armor Up. But as with Lesser Heal, one Healing Totem in combination with any 2-health minion is enough to completely counteract all future uses of Reinforce.
 * Reinforce breaks even against Fireblast and Shapeshift, since Recruits can be killed with no loss of life to either side.
 * In a mirror match, whoever uses Reinforce first determines the level of aggression by either trading with the enemy Recruit, or attacking face and giving the opponent the chance to trade (at a net loss of 1 health) or themselves attack the hero.
 * Dagger Mastery and Demon Claws counter Reinforce quite well in tempo. The rogue can kill two Recruits with only one Wicked Knife and the demon hunter can kill each Recruit for only one mana, albeit at the cost of life in both cases.
 * Life Tap is too variable and context-dependent to easily compare, but as a rule, its additional card draw will usually provide more options than Reinforce's Recruit, but at a cost to both the warlock's Health and the longevity of their deck.

Trivia

 * The artwork for this hero power comes from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game "Heroes of Azeroth" series, for the card Seal of Light. It is shared with the Silver Hand Recruit tokens.