Hearthpwn

• Notes:

• Advantages
  1) Crushes most aggro
  2) Beats most tempo decks
  3) High HP minions make them very sticky and usually trade 2 for 1 (Card Advantage)
  4) No lack of card draw
  5) Fairs well against Midrange decks                                                                                 6) Overall great in this meta for your climb to legend.
• Disadvantages
  1) No burst damage
  2) Bad/Unreliable comeback
  3) Easily loses to Hard removal board clear (e.g Equality + Consecrate / Giant + Shadowflame / Brawl + Removal )
  4) Relies very heavily on the mulligans and early board control.                                    5) Usually bad against certain control Match-ups unless you are really lucky.              6) Requires activators in hand.

• Vol'jin + Holy Smite - If facing alot of Control, Mirror matchups
• Acidic Swamp Ooze - If facing alot of weapon classes
• Kezan Mystic - If facing alot of Midrange Hunters and Mages.  
• Defender of Argus - If facing alot of "face" aggros

- Chillmaw - It is only DECENT at most against patron warrior as lightbomb is definitely stronger to disengage the board of patrons. Chillmaw will most likely not stop the frothing berserkers that are likely to OTK you. It is too slow in general to deal as a board clear for other classes. And as a taunt, it has a chance to hurt your board. Too situational and the nerf of warsong commander sees no use of it anymore.

- Sylvanas Windrunner - Too slow for tempo deck, vulnerable to silences and flood. Also playing it together with your existing board will most likely get it killed in control match ups. Mind control and light bomb does Sylvannas' job better in this deck.

- Confessor Paletress - Could be game breaking but unreliable. You can play it after you reach legend. Do you really want that Legend rank? :D      

- Harrison Jones - Too slow if you really intend to destroy weapon to maintain your tempo. Ooze is definitely better in Dragon Priest.   

- Dragonkin Sorcerer - Decent if you manage to pull off the buffs, but most of the time it remains as a 3/5 and ineffective/slow for a turn 4 play. Therefore i replaced it with the technician which is a 3/5 body as well to give me more success against aggro and mid-range decks. 

- Shadow Word: Pain - Yes, i do agree it is a very strong card,  good against Shielded Minibot, Totem Golem, Darnassus Aspirant, Etc. However, i believe it is good for control Priests and bad in Dragon Priest simply because it is a reactive card that does not develop your board. Your opponent can still play a minion next turn which will not help a tempo deck unlike shadow word: death.        

• (Face) - Northshire Cleric, Powerword shield, Velen's Chosen (with coin), Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Twilight Guardian, Dark Cultist/Technician (Only if you have Whelp or Agent).

Very favourable matchup. You should win easily if you manage to play Whelp into Agent, then curving out into Guardian. In this scenario , i will be out of lethal range still even when the hunter is losing steam. However, you may be destroyed if you do not have a good mulligan or the hunter gets lucky (Scenario: Hunter plays Leper Gnome. You coin out Wyrmrest Agent and it gets killed quickly by an Abusive Sergeant. Following which, you have no turn 2 and 3 play)

Cabal Targets: Haunted Creeper, Leokk, Argent Horserider, Hound

• (Midrange) - Northshire Cleric (Only with coin and Velen's Chosen), Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Powerword shield, Dark Cultist/Technician.

Play patiently into his traps as usually the Hunter will be forced to use Kill Commands, quick shots and hunters' mark to break through your taunts. Card draw is important in this matchup. Do not play your cleric unless you can get guaranteed draws. Their biggest threats are a turn 6 Savannah Highmane and Turn 7 Dr. Boom which you can SW:D. Also playing around a Houndmaster is also effective. Mind controlling the second Savannah Highmane is also game winning. Unless you have a very bad turn one and two, this matchup is usually favourable. 

Cabal Targets:Haunted Creeper, Leokk, Piloted Shredder                                    Mind control: Savannah Highmane 

• (Tempo) - Northshire Cleric, Powerword: Shield, Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Dark Cultist/Technician, Velen's chosen (with coin)

Usually favoured. Tempo mages will gain the slight advantage if they have the perfect opening of Mana Wyrm into Frostbolt, Flamecannon [/card]and [card]Fireball as your early minions cannot survive those spells. However, the game is usually won if you always have board while they are expending their cards and unable to develop their board. Your biggest weakness is of course RNG from Flamewaker or Unstable Portal.

Cabal Targets: Flamewaker, Azure Drake                                               Mind Control: Archmage Antonidas, Rhonin, Ragnaros the Firelord   

• (Effigy) - Same as Tempo Mage

I would say this is a unfavourable matchup. If they play a Sludge Belcher or Sylvanas Windrunner right after Effigy secret, the game swings back into their favour. You definitely need to establish a board control with multiple tanky minions in order to have a chance at winning this. Ysera is also one of your win conditions.

Cabal targets: Mad Scientist, Sludge Belcher                                                                                      Mind Control: Antonidas, Rhonin, Sylvannas, Dr Boom, Emperor    

• (Freeze) - Northshire Cleric, Ysera, (any 2-3 minion on curve)

Very tough match up. You have to get alot of card draw in this matchup with your northshire cleric. When your opponent Blizzards your board to stall for another turn, you can use Holy Nova with cleric for card draw, allowing you to save your board as well. You will most likely not be able to survive the first Frost Nova + Doomsayer Combo but when you do draw cards from Ysera, the doomsayer will be unlikely be able to stay on board as you can either Dream it back, or do a Nightmare + Shadow Word: Death combo. There is very low chance of winning but not completely impossible. A well timed Loatheb while you trigger his Ice Block will also be checkmate for your opponent.

Cabal Targets: Acolyte of Pain, Mad Scientist (when going for lethal).                                           Mind Control: Antonidas, Emperor, Malygos, Alextrasxza                                                              

• (Mech) - Same as tempo mage

Control the board until they run out of resources. Their biggest threats are Fel Reaver and Archmage Antonidas. This matchup is usually favourable unless they get double Mechwarper or Antonidas + Stealth spare part, which you can't do anything about it.

• (Secrets) - Northshire Cleric, Powerword shield, Velen's Chosen (with coin), Dark Cultist/Technician, shadow word death

A favourable matchup for us. The most important in this match up is to always maintain board control and also think about the situations that would make it bad for you. (Example, if you were to kill a minion and trigger avenged, what would happen? OR could you develop your board and wait till next turn before killing the Avenge unit with corrupter). Also, the secrets are quite easy when the Paladin plays Mysterious Challenger on an empty board, as you just have to kill the Noble Sacrifice Defender and then shadow word death the MC. On the other hand, it is a little trickier if he had a board before. You must also have at least two minions on the board at any point of time to deal with MC effectively and into Dr. Boom. Also, try to draw cards sparingly to play around Divine Favor. Mind control target is definitely Tirion Fordring and only Tirion unless you set up for lethal as that move will seal the game for you.

Cabal targets - Haunted Creeper, Shielded Minibot, Piloted Shredder                                            Mind Control: Tirion, Buffed MC/Dr Boom                                                                                       

• (Shockadin) - Mulligan same as Face Hunter

Very favourable. Avoid giving too much draws to Divine Favor and play around charged minions like Arcane Golem and Leeroy Jenkins

Cabal targets: Haunted Creeper, Shielded Minibot, Argent Horserider                                          Mind control: Possibly a buffed up Arcane Golem

• (Midrange/Control) - Northshire Cleric, Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Cultist/Technician, Powerword Shield, Velen's Chosen
  

Slightly favourable for the Paladin because of Equality + Wild Pyromancer/Consecration, Aldor Peacekeeper, Murloc Knight, The Silver Hand Recruits that keep coming after Justicar Trueheart will be annoying as well as they are dangerous with Quartermaster. You will need Ysera to burst your opponent down and mind controlling Tirion will be great.

• (Control) - Play on curve and hope for the best

Difficult but not unwinnable... Try to play your Wyrmrest Agent before your Twilight Whelp to avoid Fiery War Axe buff taunt minions out of turn 4 death bite, get couple of card draws, don't lose the brawl, play Ysera after baiting out removals. Steal their Ysera after yours get shield slammed/execute. It's a  match up that usually ends in fatigue as the warrior can comeback with the improved hero power from Justicar Trueheart. Also, the removals (Execute and Shield Slam) stops too much of our Tempo. If you meet alot of Warriors, i suggest adding Acidic Swamp Ooze as destroying even one charge of Death's Bite is HUGE.

Cabal targets: Armoursmith, Sludge Belcher, Ysera                                                                            Mind Control: Ysera, Sylvannas, Grommash Hellscream

• (Dragon) - Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Northshire Cleric, Cultist/Technician, Velen's Chosen (Most important with whelp or agent)

The game is decided most of the time with the mulligans. If you manage to get Twilight Whelp or Wyrmrest Agent buffed with Velen's Chosen, the other priest will most likely struggle to comeback as there is no hard removal for a 4 attack minion from Priests. Also, the first player who gets value out of Ysera usually wins the matchup. Play Ysera only after you have Cabal + Shrink / Mind Control in your hand.

Cabal Targets: Ysera, only steal other minions if it is your option                                                    Mind Control: Ysera, Sylvannas (if they have other minions), (do not take Voljin unless necessary)

• (Control) - Play on curve

Make it hard for the opponent to Auchenai Soulpriest + Circle of Healing + hero power/Light of the Naaru [/card]your board, it is better to trade in minions that are going to die anyway. The greatest obstacle at the beginning would be a buffed up [card]deathlord and Injured Blademaster + Circle of Healing. However, if you manage to get pass those minions and establish a board control, you will most likely be able to seal the game later.

Cabal Targets: Injured Blademaster, Ysera, Sludge Belcher,  (Do not steal back cleric)            Mind Control: Ysera, Sylvannas

• (Aggro) - Twilight Whelp, Northshire Cleric, Velen's Chosen (With Coin), Wyrmrest Agent, ShrinKmeister, Cultist/Technician, Shadow Word: Death (Only if you have a turn 1 and 2 play)

Favourable matchup. This archetype has recently emerged because of TGT. The cards that maKe it great are Living Roots, Druid of the Saber and Darnassus Aspirant. It is important to be able to deal with the Aspirant as the bonus one mana gives alot of tempo to the druid if left unchecked, especially since we don't have SW:P in our deck. Play as usual and get as much board control as possible. You will need alot of card draws as you will need to draw into your removals to deal with the flooded board/stealthed units and also the Fel Reaver and Dr. Boom. Always calculated how much damage they can do with savage roar/ Savage Roar + Force of Nature with the existing board. The druid will lose steam at some point and struggle to put you at lethal range. Having a taunt minion later will be very useful. You can also use Loatheb to set up another turn for your own lethal without dying to combo. Burning the druid's cards is also very important as it lets you Know what cards are in their hand and whether you can be safe at a lower health range. Very favourable matchup.

Cabal: Keeper of the Grove, Druid of the Claw, Others (If dying to combo)

• (Combo/Midranged) - Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Cultist,Technician, Powerword Shield

50/50 Matchup. The odds are greater for you if the opponent doesn't play a Wild Growth or Innervate. Get board control and try to trade favourably using Dark Cultist bonus hp/Blackwing Corruptor/Velen's Chosen. You will have to work towards the late game and avoid combo where the druid becomes "Reactive" and spending cards trying to grab the board/survive. Stealing the Druid's Keeper of the Grove and Druid of the Claw is also almost game winning. Ysera is also your other win condition.

Mind Control: Druid of the Claw, Sludge Belcher, Ancient of War

• (Zoolock) - Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Powerword Shield, Velen's Chosen, Cultist/Technician), Shadow Word: Death (If you have a turn 1 and 2 play)

50/50 Matchup. The Priest is more favoured if going first and able to play a Twilight Whelp as Zoolock requires minions on the board early on to actually do something. Your minions health will not matter much as they have Power Overwhelming, Abusive Sergeant, Imp-losion, Dire Wolf Alpha, Defender of Argus to close the gap. Always clear their minions to prevent this and also to play around a possible Sea Giant. Never ever buff a minion with Velen's Chosen if it is your only one as an Ironbeak Owl/Power Overwhelming will cause you to lose tempo. Also, do not trigger hit Voidcallers unless you have an answer to Doomguard or Mal'Ganis. Lightbomb is especially good in this matchup as it does not trigger Nerubian Eggs unlike Holy Nova. Stealing a Nerubian Egg or Imp Gang Boss is great.

Cabal: Nerubian Egg, Imp Gang Boss, Voidcaller                                                                       Mind control: Mal'ganis, Doomguard,

• (Handlock/Demonlock) - Keep one Shadow Word: Death. Play on curve, hope for the best.

Very difficult Matchup. Unless you play OTK Priest, Priests always have a difficult time against Handlocks because of the minions they play. Playing a Twilight Drakes and Mountain Giants is like Druid playing Innervates without losing any card advantage and our turn 1-4 minions pales in comparison. Priests also have no answer for the Drakes unless you tech in silences. The game plan is to develope a board but play around Shadowflame and Hellfire (and Mortal Coil) by keeping the board clean and trading in minions with 3 health and below. Also, do not let him summon Molten Giants as you do not have enough removals. When the Warlock uses Sylvanas, Mind Control it. Play Ysera right after he uses Siphon Soul to gain some burst. You will be on a timer once he changes to Lord Jaraxxus. Good Luck.

Cabal and Shrinkmeister: Play for tempo or steal a Twilight Drake or Sludge Belcher.           Mind Control: Malganis, Jaraxxus (If happened to be taunted up)

• (Totem / Deathrattle /Bloodlust)   - Twilight Whelp, Wyrmrest Agent, Cultist/Technician, Powerword Shield.

Okay matchup. Never ever buff Twilight Whelp with Velen's Chosen because of Earthshock or any other minion alone because of Hex. Try to develop your board as well as the minions will become a problem when paired with Flametongue Totem. Also, play around Lightning Storm. If you managed to get pass Fire Elemental and still have a board, you should win the game.

Cabal: Haunted Creeper, Nerubian egg, Flametongue Totem, Manatide Totem, Shredder     Mind Control: Al'Akir the Windlord, Neptulon, Kel'Thuzad, Sylvanas Windrunner

• (Mech) - Same as tempo mage.

if you do face alot of Mech Shamans, which you should not.. you can consider teching Acidic Swamp Ooze and Shadow Word Pain (For Totem Golem/Zap O Matic)

• (Malygos OTK) - Very low chance of winning

Too much aoe, too much heal, too much removal. Luckily for you, they are a unique group.

 Play on curve and Loatheb if you see one.

• Excavated Evil - Pretty good against aggro in general. Your minions will survive the damage. Also, it remains a dead card in their hand if they draw it whenever the opponents intend to develop a board. Gonna be good if the hunter draws this instead of Kill Command man.
• Entomb - I Believe this could replace mind control in mid range / control match ups as a tempo card. It is faster and more devastating to opponents who put down a minion at a time.
• Djinni of Zephyrs -  If you play the OTK version
• Naga Sea Witch - Turn 10 with Ysera. Quite a powerful play. Might consider.
• Sir Finley Mrrgglton - Since it is a "Discover", it is quite useful to be able to get other hero powers like steady shot when you are trying to kill your opponent. Even having armour against warrior can help in your Fatigue matchup.
• Brann Bronzebeard - Replaced a Dark Cultist or BT
• Reno Jackson - You are not playing Control, so i doubt this is a good addition