[Rank 9 to Legend] Reno Mage (Edited x2 Matchup...
- Last updated Jan 15, 2017 (Gadgetzan)
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Wild
- 16 Minions
- 14 Spells
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Reno Mage
- Crafting Cost: 12300
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 1/9/2017 (Gadgetzan)
- user-29991618
- Registered User
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Battle Tag:
N/A
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Region:
EU
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Total Deck Rating
63
[About me]
Spaniard who started Hearthstone at Beta. Now I only play when new cards are released (the game/meta is more interesting). Got 4x top 100 ladder finishes, including last season.
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Ineefable
Twitch Page - twitch.tv/ineefable
[About this post]
I'll be answering in the comments section as long as people keep interested in this deck. Also i will try to make updates until we get a complete guide as soon as possible.
Im surprised my guide reached the main page of HearthPwn! Thank you all for reading/upvoting! I updated this with matchups/mulls guide, hope it helps you.
[About the deck]
This is the list I used to climb from Rank 9 to Legend this season. There is two versions of this deck. The "value version" relies more on creatures and has Medivh, the Guardian as win condition. The "spell version" (this one) is pretty much like a Freeze deck with Reno Jackson and Kazakus.
I think this is the first time since the game release that we can talk about a true Control deck. Both Reno and Kazakus are extremely powerful cards that justify by their own building a deck around them. Also the deck is so flexible that you can adapt it to the meta or simply run whatever you feel confortable with. A truly customizable deck is something that doesnt happen often, so if you like Control decks I highly recommend this one to you!
[Stats]
[Matchups & Mulligan Guide]
Aggro Shaman / Pirate Warrior
-Gameplan is identical for both matchups: you just try to survive until they get out of gas.
-Cards to keep: Doomsayer, Reno Jackson, Kazakus, Acidic Swamp Ooze, and all the early game stuff. If you already have a decent hand you can keep Polymorph against Shaman.
-Cards to not keep: Secrets are too slow and they give you time but not board advantage. Volcanic Potion seems like an early game card, but in fact it as a mid game one. Today a lot of early minions have 3 or 4 toughness besides pirates.
-Tips: Keep in mind that usually you need Reno Jackson or/and Kazakus in order to win, so don’t be too conservative at mulls. A hand of Doomsayer, Frost Bolt, Forbidden Flame and Arcane Blast can be nice, but I prefer to mull out Frost Bolt and see a new card. If you are making 1-for-1s every single turn they are in advantage, also your Hero Power can replace a removal card. You need to find the balance between surviving and trying to get the winning cards as soon as possible.
Reno Mage / Reno Warlock
-Gameplan here are similar again: you try to outvalue them in a long and grindy game.
-Cards to keep: Forbidden Flame / Polymorph (you need one to deal with some mid game stuff like Twilight Drake). Brann Bronzebeard and Kazakus, because this combination is key to resolve the game. Arcane Intellect / Cabal Courier (at first turns both players uses their Hero Powers, so it better to play this cards in the “dead” turns and trying to build a solid hand fast).
-Cards to not keep: Mistress of Mixtures and Water Elemental are irrelevant. I like to wait until Brann or I really need a card to play Babbling Book, so it is better to mull him out and try to find a more important card.
-Tips: Be patient! Keep Alexstrasza for their Reno Jackson.Dirty Rat may be the 2nd most important card in this matchup. Stealing a Brann Bronzebeard, Kazakus, Reno Jackson, etc can make win you the game. A proactive way to play the Rat is in combination with Brann to increase the chances you get an important guy or when they play Doomsayer. Hold in your hand the irrelevant guys as long as you can to make their Rat worse. The most important card in this matchup is Brann, so try to get the maximum value of him. Emperor Thaurissan is also key, so try to play him when you have a decent hand and his effect allows you to start some engine (Antonidas plus spells or Brann/Kazakus/Courier/Book). I could write an entire article for this matchup, but you will get better the more you play it if you care more about learning than about winning or losing.
Rogue
-Gameplan consists in surviving and trying to stop their combo… usually at the same time, which in my opinion makes this a tough matchup.
-Cards to keep: The mull is similar to aggro decks, but Polymorph becomes more relevant to stop their Edwin VanCleef, Questing Adventurer or Tomb Pillager.
-Cards to not keep: All that is irrelevant to stop their combo.
-Tips: They start the game as an aggro deck and ends in mid game with some giant monster or a combo that you can’t stop most of the time. Polymorph, Dirty Rat, Doomsayer and Kazakus are the most important cards. Flamestrike helps with Conceal, but usually they draw a lot of cards anyway. Kazakus helps at sweeping board or transforming their big guys into Sheeps. You are always in a reactive position, but Rogue is the kind of deck that is unstoppable if curves properly. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have tools to stop them.
Druid
-Gameplan: Druid benefits of your usual gameplan - making the game as long as possible. In this matchup it will result in an infinite Jade Golem army. Your gameplan consists in trying to do a board swing with some sweeper plus Doomsayer or a good Kazaku's Potion (clear the board + 8/8 demon/summon 3 minions) and then finish with Alex or Antonidas.
-Cards to keep: Kazakus! Sweepers are good but too slow to keep them in hand. I like to keep a minion-heavy hand in this matchup and try to get the board advantage. If they have to deal with minions their engine with start later or at least you can make trades and get some value from your guys until you draw the sweepers or start to be the aggressor with Alex or Antonidas.
-Cards to not keep: Already explained and easy to guess, right?
-Tips: Use your sweepers wisely, especially Doomsayer. If you fail at managing the damage you can do or the time to get the maximum value from them it will cost you the game. Also always kill Fandral Staghelm!
Proof
Thalnos is the most useful one. Craft him first
Hi there , Im only missing Thalnos, I need advice, should I replace it with, lets say loot hoarder for the extra card, or should I use Sylvanas to gain late game advantage?
Hi, i like this deck, but i'm missing Dirty rat, Thalnos and Alex, I have 1600 dust, and maybe can craft Dirty rat. So, what should i do?
PS: What is Dirty rat for?I play a reno mage and it's have a Youthful Brewmaster, its save me a lot of times (reno+brew = gg). What you think about it?
PS2: Sorry my bad english, hope you understand. Greetings!
Dont know what PA means, lol.
Thx for answering so fast :))
Da, si sabia que hablas español era todo más fácil jajajajajaja
Hey what is that stat-tracking software called ? :D nice deck btw :)
Do you have any idea whats a good tech substitute for Alex? or is he vital as a "reduce enemy to 15 and blitz them down kind of deal?"
How are the stats against druid? Any tooltips or card changes for druid matchup? i feel there is low value vs druid.
Ohh I agree, I teched in effigy, and medivh and took out frost armor and Archmage (as crazy as it seems). Which gave me that board swing potential. Not enough to have a consistent favorable matchup but i thought adding some Rng may shake it up a bit and it did to an extent.
Thank you for your reply, it helped me understand the matchup quite better.
Hi, I havent forbbiden flame, which is the "best" change instead it?
I am trying to find a deck to climb the ladder, above 10 which has been my highest rank ever. Paladin is my favorite and main class with like 6-7 different decks but I don't get any lack on standard.
I got a golden kazakus from a pack so I crafted me a reno mage with Medivh deck that got me to rank 12 last season.
Problem is I don't have Andonidas but if I disenchant some goldens I can get him ofc. So I can copy this full deck but unfortunately without him. Is it worth running Medivh for a good climb up? But that would mean I should remove Emperor Thaurissan from the deck since that would lower the card cost.
Also why no Manic Soulcaster? I find her very strong since I can get another Reno in my deck, or another 1-2 Kazakus (with Bran).
Looking forward for updated guide =)
Edit: I would love a guide about what to choose from Kazakus or when to play him depending on each class! Would love that!
Thanks for answering so quickly! I will try a Medivh version and see how it goes! So far I am not doing very well. Is EMP worth keeping with Medivh?
I am going to try a Summoner then! I will get back here with my results =)
Manic Soulcaster is good in any match that is likely to go to fatigue, and where the winner is determined by who gets the most value out of their cards... so it's not only good in Reno Mirrors, but also other control match-ups (Warrior, Shaman) and midrange decks (Dragon Priest, non-jade variations of Druid and Shaman).
Dont you think that ice barrier and arcane intellect are too slow and could be replaced by farseer and acolyte?
any replacement for Brann?
I'm playing almost the same deck with Inkmaster Solia. I really like it with Firelands Portal, Flamestrike or the 10 mana Kazakus spell.
I understand your point. She's probably not good enougth against aggro. However, if you're facing more control decks, the tempo swing is probably worse.
Thanks for the reply.