Kel'thuzad Token Druid
- Last updated Jul 27, 2015 (Blackrock Launch)
- Edit
- |
Wild
- 18 Minions
- 12 Spells
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Unknown
- Crafting Cost: 2160
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 2/2/2015 (Undertaker Nerf)
- Shevvek
- Registered User
-
- 8
- 21
- 34
-
Battle Tag:
N/A
-
Region:
US
-
Total Deck Rating
1426
The first two months of GvG have seen Ramp Druid become one of the strongest decks in the meta, and there has been an exciting variety of builds for Ramp Druid. Token Druid, however, once about equally common to Ramp Druid, has been practically absent from the meta. In the last couple weeks, players have started to experiment more with token decks. The list from MagicAmy's meta snapshot (https://tempostorm.com/decks/token-druid-magicamy-meta-snapshot) is basically a standard midrange combo druid that also runs the Violet Teacher + Power of the Wild combo. I have been experimenting with a different style of Token Druid that feels less tempo based and more about mental resourcefulness in finding the path to lethal from any given hand, similar to how Miracoli Rogue felt. I think this style of deck has the potential to be competitive, and I would love to get the list to a point where it is worth running on ladder.
I have been trying a variety of cards, but it has proven difficult to find consistency without moving the deck back towards a more midrangey/tempo strategy. Cards like Haunted Creeper and Echoing Ooze displace more essential ingredients from the list without helping enough with survival until lethal can be achieved. I'm currently optimistic about the Kel'Thuzad direction for Token Druid. This list is very much experimental, and I am not yet confident of it for competitive use, but it is much closer than anything I have come up with before, and it is different in style than any deck I am aware of. I would love to get feedback from other Druid players, especially anyone interested in testing it.
One card that is not currently in this list, but which I would love to find a spot for is Toshley, because it is a significant threat on the board with great synergy with Violet Teacher. Right now, the threat from Mech Mage and Midrange Paladin feels too strong to free up a spot for Toshley but it would absolutely be the 31st card in the deck, and if I can get away with cutting something, I will put it in to test.
EDITS: The meta shifted a lot since the end of the January season, so I have made some changes. Most notably, many decks are now running few Big Game Hunter targets, but secrets have gotten quite common, so I am running Kezan Mystic instead. The other changes are mainly a matter of trading defense against aggressive and midrange decks for greater consistency with getting lethal burst damage. Please look at both the earlier list and the current list, to get a sense of what the core cards are and how the basic style can be modified to suit the meta.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 10, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)What matchups are the issue? How are you mulliganing for them? Are there substitutions you can make if you see them a lot? Are you sure you are playing the deck the way it wants to be played?
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 8, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)This is one of the most common questions that I get, because I also run Grove Tender in my ramp druid. I think it is actually an extremely powerful card if you know how to use it, and is worth a slot in most styles of Druid. Rather than rewrite the explanation I have given many times, I'll link you to the video from one of my recent streams where I addressed this question: http://www.twitch.tv/shevek18/c/6053315.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 8, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)You would be surprised how often your opponent floats the mana. They key to taking advantage of symmetrical effects is timing. You don't just ramp mana blind, you do it with a follow up play that is extremely strong for the mana cost, such as Violet Teacher + Innervate + Power of the Wild. You have to remember that you get to build your deck with Grove Tender in mind, and your opponent doesn't, so you can plan your curve and mulligan accordingly. Also, if you play Grove Tender on turn 4 and do something useful with the other 2 mana, while you still need a follow up, you already got good value, because a 2/4 for 2 mana is incredible value.
Obviously, you need game sense to avoid doing something like enabling a turn 5 Savannah Highmane that you have no way to deal with, but that's the sort of decision making that makes this a fun card. Grove Tender is as good a card as you are a good player.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 6, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)SHEVEK THE GOD
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 6, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)I don't have The Black Knight so can i change him with BGH?
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 6, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)See my earlier comment about this question. I would not recommend running Big Game Hunter in this deck. It isn't needed. Your goal is to stay alive until you can do lethal burst damage, and that means you need to be able to make clever use of every card in your hand, even when your draws are awkward.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 2, 2015 (Undertaker Nerf)You need to get through taunts and keep minions alive to buff them for burst damage, so The Black Knight is a really strong card for this deck. Possible replacements might include Ironbeak Owl, Spellbreaker, and Naturalize. You could also go for a replacement that serves a different role, such as Toshley, Sylvanas Windrunner, Cenarius, Mind Control Tech, or Shade of Naxxramas.