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I dare you to attack Darnassus.
Ironbark Protector is a druid minion card, from the Basic set.
How to get
Prior Year of the Gryphon's rotation on March 30, 2021:
- Two copies of Ironbark Protector were a reward for raising a druid to level 10.
- Two Golden copies of Ironbark Protector were a reward for raising a druid to levels 49 and 50.
Strategy
Costing 8 mana, Ironbark Protector is fairly pricey. However, its 8 health and Taunt ability means it is a good defender, and with 8 attack, it will likely kill whatever it is blocking.
Ironbark Protector is a great target for removal due to its bulk and cost to play. Be cautious when playing this minion and try to bait out removal on weaker minions to set up Ironbark Protector. Otherwise, you could spend an entire turn playing it for it to be the target of a cheap spell, such as 
Shadow Word: Death, Sap, or Polymorph, and lose all tempo you had as your opponent is able to deal with Ironbark and set up minions of their own.
Lore
Ironbark Protectors are a type of ancient protector, giant leafy defenders of Darnassus, the night elves and the druids. In World of Warcraft, the name "Ironbark Protector" refers to a group of corrupted ancients found in Dire Maul. However, given this minion's flavor text, this card may not specifically refer to those particular ancients, but to a general type of ancient protector who also share the epiphet "Ironbark".
Trivia
- The card art depicts Treebole, a wandering level 70 quest giver located at Raven's Wood in the contested territory of Blade's Edge Mountains.
- There is a humorous reference in the description of
Flametongue Totem that Ironbarks are used for their wood. Hopefully, the carvers have obtained permission from the Cenarion Circle and the tree is firstly naturally deceased before the carving process is attempted.
Artist
Gallery
Ironbark Protector, full art |
  Treebole in World of Warcraft |
