Hearthpwn

Update for July

Just hit top 1000 legend again with the exact deck from May again. Its still pretty valuable if you know how to play it! The guide below should be very helpful as it is. Proof:

 

Update for May

Just hit legend again with a variant of this deck. I updated the deck list. New videos will follow! Make sure to come back to see how I hit legend with the deck in May. The old guide from April is still good material though! Enjoy!

Stats May

Video from May

Introduction

Hey guys, my name is Tommy, I have reached legend several times, make YouTube videos, stream on twitch and give free coaching sessions. I do think this deck is top tier right now. For players who still remember the good old Muster for Battle + Quartermaster Midrange Paladin, this one here plays very similar and has the same feeling of power level. It is a Midrange deck, that can rush others down with huge Murloc Tempo plays, however, you will almost never lose the value game against control due to so many discover cards and late game in your deck. If you have the cards, you should give it a try. Note that the original deck idea is from Tides of Time. Please like and share the guide if you like it and feel free to ask any question.

Update: The recent VS data report has listed the deck as tier 1 for both legend ranks as well as over all ranking.

Video playlist

In the video series you can see how I hit legend with the deck. Make sure to subscribe or come back another day, because not all episodes are released yet. You can find the complete playlist here. Please note that in the first videos I am playing a sightly different deck list, but that doesn't matter that much.

The final Boss is here

Coaching Video

Proof and Stats

Core Cards

• Vilefin Inquisitor: Super awesome 1 drop with high synergy (Rockpool Hunter, Murloc Warleader, Gentle Megasaur, Hydrologist). Remember that this effect refreshes your hero power so that you can make extra 1-1 Murlocs in the late game.
• Hydrologist: Awesome value card with same Murloc synergy again. Usually, I take Noble Sacrifice against Aggro and Getaway Kodo/ Redemption against Control. Keep in mind that Eye for an Eye can be useful vs Freeze Mage and Taunt Warrior’s Hero Power (if he is low). Repentance is also nice against Taunt Warrior.
• Blowgill Sniper: Early game card with Murloc synergy. Works well with Equality and gives Paladin a ping which is sometimes needed. I am not 100% convinced that this is core, because it looks weak on paper, but the results are very strong.
• Rockpool Hunter: The new Shielded Minibot (almost). In the early game you want to buff Vilefin Inquisitor and the late game you try to get some Murlocs out of AoE range.
• Equality: Paladins board clear. Nice with 1-1s and obviously Consecration.
• Primalfin Lookout: Early game card with good late game value. Usually, I look for Murloc Warleader, but depending on the situation any Murloc can be nice. I am also not 100% convinced that this is core, because it looks weak on paper, but the results are very strong.
• Aldor Peacekeeper: Paladins hard removal. Great with Stampeding Kodo.
• Murloc Warleader: Making your Murlocs crazy. Remember that his buff applies after Sunkeeper Tarim to get favorite trades.
• Stonehill Defender: This card is just nuts in Paladin. You can get Wickerflame Burnbristle, Grimestreet Protector, Sunkeeper Tarim and Tirion Fordring. It also gives you nice early defense and protects your smaller Murlocs or the Warleader.
• Consecration: Paladins AoE. Not much to say about it. Don’t waste it on just Totems ;).
• Gentle Megasaur: 4 Mana 5-4 with AoE buff. The 5-4 stats are surprisingly strong right now. Taunt Warrior has almost no way to deal 4 damage with a single card. Which adaptation you choose depends highly on the match up. Against Aggro: +1/+1 / divine shield / +3 health / taunt and against Control also Poisonous
• Truesilver Champion: Paladins OP weapon. Try to remove 2 minions with this weapon to gain value and board control.
• Spikeridged Steed: This card is just nuts in terms of value. It keeps you alive against Pirate Warrior or an aggressive Hunter. It is also very nice to buff Murlocs. There is not much Silence, Polymorph or Sap, so this works really well.
• Sunkeeper Tarim: If you control the board, the effect is completely broken. You remove a big guy (e.g. Tar Lord) and buff your small minions. Remember to do small trades e.g. killing a 1-1 with a 3-3 first, before you play him to get heal value. Additionally, a nice taunt against aggressive decks. He is weaker vs Shaman.
• Tirion Fordring: One of the best legendaries of the game. Hard to remove and usually a lot pressure from the weapon. This guy also saved me a lot against Pirate Warrior.

Tech cards/refinement

The refinement of this deck is still in process. There is the option to remove 1-2 Blowgill Sniper's and 1-2 Primalfin Lookout's from the core, but you loose a lot of Murloc synergy. We will see if that turns out to be better. For now, I prefer the full Murloc package, because of the ability to snowball, pressure in early game and almost no loss in late game power due to discovers.

I have written a small tool to look at individual win rates of cards. You can find the recent win rate of the cards here including more games in the high legend ranks where the win rate obviously drops. Also the deck got very popular and people understood better how to play against it and even teched a bit. Still I found the numbers quite interesting.

• Wickerflame Burnbristle: Honestly, just a tech card against Pirate Warrior. You can also just replace it with Tar Creeper.
• Stampeding Kodo: Nice tech card against Taunt Warrior to remove Alley Armorsmith or Bloodhoof Brave. Synergy with Aldor Peacekeeper. It also works against Doomsayer. I was not to happy with the overall Kodo results and therefore I am now trying Kooky Chemist instead.
• Vinecleaver: When I saw the first version from Tides of Time, he was running 1 copy and he loved it. Convincing arguments are synergy with Equality and Sunkeeper Tarim. Furthermore, the pure value that card brings is just insane. I didn't like the amount of weapons in the deck, because I wanted to play 2x Truesilver Champion  and I often had multiple Tirion Fordring's due to Redemption and Getaway Kodo. In the end Vinecleaver was a dead card against Aggro and often also dead against Control, so I removed the copy.
• Lay on Hands: Heal and card draw. What do you want more? Well, maybe an 8-8 instead: Probably better is Ragnaros, Lightlord which I did not have the time I was getting legend, but I am running him now. Its worth it just to hear the awesome sounds!
• The Curator: This card looks amazing on paper, but in practice it didn't perform that well for me. The 4-6 taunt is weak for 7 and the card draw is a little inconsistent. To me it seems, that cards like Spikeridged Steed, Lay on Hands or Vinecleaver do more for the deck from the numbers. However, I am looking at small numbers and opponents drastically improved their tech cards and game play against the deck.

Cards still on my list to try out

• Would be good in the Mirror: Spellbreaker,
• For value: Elise the Trailblazer (don't have her yet),
• Great, but seem to expensive for my taste: Primordial Drake

Mulligan

• Always keep: Vilefin Inquisitor, Rockpool Hunter, Hydrologist
• Against Aggro: Blowgill Sniper
• Always keep with Coin: Truesilver Champion
• Keep with 1-2 Murlocs: Murloc Warleader
• Keep with 3 Murlocs: Gentle Megasaur
• Keep against Priest on the coin: Exactly Equality + Consecration.

Match ups

Pirate Warrior: even/slightly unfavored

You should Mulligan like it was Pirate Warrior, because with the early game, you also beat Control Warrior. Keep: all 1-2 drops and Wickerflame Burnbristle. Early board presence is everything here to stop as much bleeding as possible. Blowgill Sniper deals with Southsea Deckhand and represents a thread.. If you manage to get a Spikeridged Steed, Sunkeeper Tarim or Tirion Fordring on the board, you usually win as they cannot break taunt easily. Remember that Murloc Warleader is usually a 3-3 with taunt here and allows for value trades on the board. Some version run Bittertide Hydra which is usually amazing for you, because you have many counters: Equality, Aldor Peacekeeper, Stonehill Defender, Wickerflame Burnbristle.

Control Warrior: highly favored

You should Mulligan like it was Pirate Warrior, because with the early game, you also beat Control Warrior. This deck is so poplar right now which is insane for Paladin. The more they are teched against Aggro with cards like Armorsmith and Acolyte of Pain, the higher your chances. You have the potential to completely snowball the early game with Murlocs and just rushing them down. Furthermore, you will almost never lose the value game due to your discovers. Even if they finish the Quest, they can not really apply consistent pressure, because your 1-1 tokens, divine shields and smaller Murlocs are very good against the new Hero Power. Stampeding Kodo (or Kooky Chemist) are strong in the match up against the huge taunts. Hydrologist is also insane with Getaway Kodo and Redemption. If there is no pressure coming from the Warrior I will play only Redemption on turn 7 to set up for Tirion Fordring on turn 8. Remember to play around 2x Brawl, 2x Sleep with the Fishes and 2x Primordial Drake as good as possible. Dirty Rat can sometimes be annoying when it pulls Sunkeeper Tarim or other high value cards into a Brawl.

Elemental Shaman: favored

Even though the early game can be annoying with 1-2s and they also have a lot of value in the late with Servant of Kalimos and Blazecaller, you can usually outvalue them. Remember that even after 2x Maelstrom Portal and 2x Lightning Storm they still have great AoE with Kalimos, Primal Lord. The goal is to put as many >4 health minions on the board as possible and clear their board. That means you try to discover +3 health or divine shield from Gentle Megasaur. Pull Hex out with Spikeridged Steed to play Tirion Fordring and Ragnaros, Lightlord afterwards. Play Sunkeeper Tarim as soon as he brings some value, as this is the hardest match up to play the card since the totems are very annoying to buff to 3-3.

Miracle Rogue: unfavored

It is very hard to apply that much pressure against Miracle to finish them before they can draw the whole deck with Gadgetzan Auctioneer. The latest versions run 2x Hallucination which allows them to use Tirion Fordring or similar threads against you. If you control the board, you should usually not safe anything, because they have no board clear. Try to kill them as soon as possible before they can draw.

Quest Rogue: not sure. Score 7-4

When I started playing this deck, I faced a lot of Quest Rogues and didn't lose a single match.Deck has a great mixture of early pressure and late game come back. Imagine all the opponents minions as white 5-5s (once the Quest is played). That means Equality, Aldor Peacekeeper and Sunkeeper Tarim do work against them. Over time the Quest Rogue lists got more refined and recently I faced the deck a few times in the top 500 legend resulting in 2-4 which didn't feel that good anymore. Anyway, the game plan is to finish them as quick as possible or to run them out of steam with Equality + Consecration orSunkeeper Tarim.

Silence Priest: too small sample size

You have a strong deck against big minions: Equality, Aldor Peacekeeper, Stonehill Defender, Wickerflame Burnbristle, Sunkeeper Tarim. Especially, Tarim is completely nuts in this match up. He destroys 4-8s, 3-6s or any minion buffed with Power Word: Shield or Kabal Talonpriest. Remember to trade of your minions as he can use silence to undo your debuffs.

Dragon Priest: too small sample size

It is against all about board control. Even with 2x Drakonid Operative and 2x Netherspite Historian they have no chance in the long value game. So all you need to do is control the board. Do not over commit against Dragonfire Potion.

Ramp Druid: too small sample size

They have no board clear. So you fill the board with everything you have. Against big 12-12s you have a good list of counters: Equality, Aldor Peacekeeper, Stonehill Defender, Wickerflame Burnbristle, Sunkeeper Tarim.

Aggro Druid: even/slightly unfavored

Very similar to Pirate Warrior. Early board control is everything here. If he gets the nut draw with Innervate and early buffs, you can't do much about it. All the 1-2s are quite annoying to deal with, but the opponent runs out of steam fast. If you manage to get a Spikeridged Steed, Sunkeeper Tarim or Tirion Fordring on the board, you usually win as they cannot break taunt. Remember that Murloc Warleader is usually a 3-3 with taunt here and allows for value trades on the board. Some version run Bittertide Hydra which is usually amazing for you, because you have many counters: Equality, Aldor Peacekeeper, Stonehill Defender, Wickerflame Burnbristle.

Freeze Mage/Open the Way Gate: highly favored

You just pressure them as good as you can. Hard Mulligan for 1-2 drops. Often it is correct to go full face, because you win if you get Eye for an Eye from Hydrologist and he is at 1 HP. Meaning that all Truesilver Champion charges go face and that you get +3 attack or windfury from Gentle Megasaur over the tempting +3 health and divine shield. Save your heal for after Alexstrasza. Remember that Sunkeeper Tarim works on Doomsayer to able to kill it with e.g. Truesilver Champion. Be careful not filling your board too much so that you can play minions even if everything is frozen. If you follow this tactic, there is almost no way that the mage can win.

Hunter: highly favored

The Hunters all play more or less aggressive/midrangy lists. Good news: you play always the same tactic: You basically put as much power on the board as you can, because they can't make a comeback. The only good answer for Spikeridged Steed is Ironbeak Owl from Jeweled Macaw. Once you reach turn 5-7, the board is even, and your health is still above 20, they can't win anymore. Yesterday, I played 3x against a Hunter in top 300 legend and won all the games. It is that favored for Paladin, because your answers are just so efficient. The Bittertide Hydra is again amazing for you as mentioned above.

Did I miss any match up? Let me know in the comments what you are interested in!

Budget Replacements:

Here you find possible replacements for Legendary or Epic cards in the deck.

• Wickerflame Burnbristle -> Tar Creeper
• Ragnaros, Lightlord -> Lay on Hands
• Tirion Fordring -> Grimestreet Protector
• Sunkeeper Tarim -> Grimestreet Protector, but it is a lot worse.

FAQ

Is it worth crafting the Legendaries?

This question is super personal and I can't answer it for everyone. If you are low on dust and new to the game I would honestly not recommend to play the deck at all, because the deck is quite expensive and if you lose a lot is does not feel that rewarding. As general generic tip, I recommend to craft neutral (classic) Legendaries first, because you can play them in multiple decks. In my opinion, the deck is totally fine if you don't have all legendaries, but the epics are quite important. You will be quickly able to find out if you like the deck or not and can craft the others if you really fall in love with the deck. Budget replacements are listed above.

What about Ivory Knight?

I copied that from Tides initial version, nut the results were really bad. The spells you can discover are just trash. You get many secrets which you already have from Hydrologist, many cheap spells that don't heal you and not much for late game. The Ivory Knight had a win rate of 37% when my deck average was 67%.

Further resources

• Original deck by Tides of Time
• My Guide to the High Ranks
• My Guide to Legend
• Follow me on twitter
• Follow me on twitch
• Follow me on YouTube
• Guide from MrMockRock
• Guide from goYugioPro