Hearthpwn

Intro  

Hello! My name is Ivona; I go by theoddone23. I am a multiple Legend Hearthstone player. I started playing Hearthstone in September 2015, and I first hit Legend in September 2016. Since then I have been entering Legend rank consistently, finishing in the top 1000 and reaching top 100 or top 200 throughout the month. My highest reached rank so far is #97, and I did it with Mid-Range Shaman. I am also a Hearthstone streamer; I stream multiple times per week with my colleague Zeronnix. You can find our stream on this link: https://www.twitch.tv/hswithtandz if you want to learn more about us and see what decks we play. Also, I invite you to like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HSwithTandZ where you can stay in touch with us and know all about when we will stream and what decks we will play.

Also, this is our YouTube channel, where you can see all our previous broadcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPwKrNaz6ZP_ro-8d5JezbQ

Now, about this deck! The general strategy is pretty self explanatory, but I will still go over some basics for the new players and the returning ones who wish to try Pirate Warrior in Un'Goro as well. Basically, the main goal of the deck is to finish the game before the opponent reaches its power turns. It has an advantage over other aggro decks (Rogue, Druid, Hunter) and it has potential to finish the game versus control (Priest, Paladin etc.) and combo decks (Mage), where against mid-range decks it suffers (Shaman, some Priests and Paladins). Since the meta has been either aggro or control, this is a good time to counter popular meta decks. This is the deck i reached Legend rank with this month, after struggling a little bit in ranks 3-2, because of increased population of the deck mid-range was pretty weak on.

Also, if you like the deck, please upvote so more people can see it!

You can also check out my other decks from the past expansion (now they are WILD decks!):

http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/708529-theoddone23s-legend-61-wr-in-depth-reno-priest

http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/720226-theoddone23s-legend-67-wr-in-depth-wind-fire

My newest deck (Standard) - Elemental Shaman: http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/811154-theoddone23s-in-depth-elemental

My Hybrid Hunter: http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/827339-theoddone23s-in-depth-hybrid-hunter

General Mulligan and playstyle

This deck is specific in a way that the mulligan is pretty much the same for most classes. I will go over the cards that are always a keep, and after that, over the situational cards that you may want sometimes.

Always a keep (only one copy!):

• N'Zoth's First Mate - a card that you keep no matter what you're facing. It's a perfect 1-drop that also brings Patches (hopefully) on board and establishes a strong board presence on turn 1.
• Fiery War Axe - a card that allows you to keep the early board control. People often mistake this weapon for a go-face weapon in early turns; its real purpose is to protect your minions on board! Never allow good trades for your opponent if you know that he will trade into your minion with his, that is less valuable or already on low health. If you happen to get Upgrade - then great, you may go face if you think you won't need that one charge for board control. But you usually don't spend your last charge until you have another weapon in hand (or you are really required to), and you don't spend the first charge unless you need to (especially when playing versus a reactive class, for example Hunter).

Could be a keep (only one copy)!

• Southsea Deckhand - This is a very situational card to keep. Basically, you keep it if:
  1. You have N'Zoth's first mate, regardless of whether you have a coin or not
  2. If you don't have the coin and you are playing versus a class that doesn't have an early response to a 1-health minion without using additional resources (in other words, its hero power is not board reactive, or they have early removal like Maelstrom Portal): Paladin, Warlock, Priest, Warrior (only the quest one!), Hunter. You do this if you really have no other choice but to play this minion on turn 1, and it is usually so you can summon Patches to trade with after your opponent's turn. It's far from a perfect 1-drop but in some cases it can serve well as it hits multiple times.
  3. If you really have no other choice (your curve is really bad and you don't feel like risking and looking for a better 1-drop:)
• Upgrade! - only if you have N'Zoth's First Mate that you know you will play on turn 1, or if you have a Fiery War Axe AND A COIN, because you would coin out Fiery War Axe, and on turn 2 play Upgrade! + 1-drop. If you don't have this, it's not worth it!
• Bloodsail Raider - only with COIN and a Fiery War Axe on turn 1, and then the Raider on turn 2 (when it gets the buff from the axe). Also, you keep it if you have N'Zoth's First Mate on turn 1 (it's not a huge buff, but you stay on curve). Or if the rest of the mulligan is really bad and you know you are playing versus the class you will need a minion against regardless of the buff from the weapon (for example, Zoo Warlock, Hunter). But prefer not to play it without the buff.
• Golakka Crawler - you keep it if:
  1. You play versus a class that possibly runs Pirates (Warrior, Druid, Rogue, some Warlocks), and preferably if you have a turn 1 planned
  2. If you have a turn 1 and you suspect you will play Golakka on turn 2 and eat your own Pirate (preferably Patches or N'Zoth's First Mate)
  3. If your curve looks bad already and you need a turn 2 and you're not willing to mulligan it away
• Bloodsail Cultist - only with coin and a very carefully planned turn 1 and 2 (existence of Pirates and Weapons - N'Zoth's First Mate that you will protect with your life until turn 3, or the Patches that it summons), or some combo with Fiery War Axe and a Pirate. Very situational!
• Frothing Berserker - only with carefully planned turn 1 and 2, or with coin on turn 2. Only versus classes that have a hard time removing it - Mage, Warlock, Rogue, aggro Druid, Hunter, Shaman. It's not advised to do so but can turn out alright.

Special Card Mentions & Questions

• Bitterhide Hydra - a very strong card and a great addition to this deck. An 8/8 body on turn 5 (or 4 with coin) is sometimes game-winning. Of course, it has its bad sides: can be punished by Polymorph, Aldor Peacekeeper, Shadow Word: Death, Sap, Hex; or a lot of minions trading into it. But the good side is that turn 5 is early enough that there's a large chance your opponent just doesn't have an answer to it, since the cards I mentioned are not something they usually mulligan for (or even run in their decks!!). People are mostly used to old-school pirate Warrior and this can take them by surprise. If you have a choice between coining out Hydra or Arcanite Reaper, always go for the minion unless there's an immediate threat!
• Golakka Crawler - a great addition in this expansion. Apart from buffing your own board by eating your own small pirates, it is also immensely useful in a mirror (or Rogue) matchup when you need to remove a pirate, largest of them being Naga Corsair. It's a good tech choice and I highly advise you to run it in this deck because of its mirror advantage.
• Why 2x Mortal Strike? It's simple - one just isn't enough :) It's a great card; once you drop to 12 health you can safely armor up and if your opponent has Taunts you're able to do 12 damage on turn 8 if you have both in hand. People surprisingly rarely play around Mortal Strike limit, even when it wouldn't cost them the game to do so. Use it to your advantage.
• Why no Naga Corsair? I believe the card is too slow and of low value - you usually have only one charge that you're buffing the weapon since you don't have the luxury to wait for a longer time. Also, it gets eaten by crabs!

That's it from me - for now at least! Please upvote  if you like the deck, and also make sure you visit our stream and say hi :) https://www.twitch.tv/hswithtandz