Hearthpwn

Me: You should build a deck with a clear strategy!

Also me: Bring in taunt! And elementals! And Secrets! And also some discover mechanics to praise RNGesus! Oh, and why not also some handbuff? Did you think about self-copying minions?

 

Hey everyone,

I've been building this deck because I'm super greedy and want to play dozens of big guys for small mana costs and get all the best legendary minions without even putting them in my deck.

The main goal is to buff your minions in hand to get extra value out of them, discover some class legendaries, control the board and then finish your opponent with a flood of buffed minions.

Some tips and thoughts:

- Getaway Kodo is more or less a deck filler. It can be really satifying to play it T1 and then get your Grimestreet Outfitter from T2 back to your hand, but you have the chance to get that Kodo from Hydrologist as well.

- Always look for Smuggler's Run on T1! In best case you have run and 3 minions in your hand. If you have 2 copies of Smuggler's Run in your opening hand you want to mulligan one of them.

- Echoing Ooze, Saronite Chain Gang and Doppelgangster clone themselves. To get the best value out of them you shouldn't play them if they haven't got at least +2/+2 from your handbuffs. Also keep in mind to have enough space on your side when you play them!

- Spikeridged Steed is included because of Echoing Ooze. If you play an unbuffed ooze and a steed you get at least 38 points of stats for 8 mana (2x 3/8 oozes + 2x Stegodon). And if the oozes were buffed before it gets even crazier!

- The both MVM (most valueable minions) in this deck are Stonehill Defender and Servant of Kalimos. The reason is the balancing of the discover mechanic: the chance to discover a class card is 4 times higher than for other cards. Next you should know about the class-specific taunts and elementals: Paladin has now 5 class taunt minions (including the 3 legendaries Sunkeeper Tarim, Wickerflame Burnbristle and Tirion Fordring) and just 2 elementals (Ragnaros, Lightlord and the new Benevolent Djinn. Knowing this you should discover a legendary in most cases!

- Hydrologist is another good discover card. Most times the best option is Getaway Kodo, followed by Avenge and Noble Sacrifice. Redemption is more situational (if you have Brann or a taunt on board). In late game if you already have a filled board, Competitive Spirit can be also a good choice.

- Brann Bronzebeard is a must-play in this deck because it includes many minions whose battlecry is worth to be duplicated.

- Because there are so many cards in this deck which give you extra cards (Fire Fly, Drygulch Jailor, Stonehill Defender, Servant of Kalimos, Ravencaller...) I haven't included any cards for more card draw. But if you think you need draw, I'd suggest Acolyte of Pain.

- Grimestreet Enforcer is a really powerful card which your opponent always wants to remove. Make sure to have some taunt minions on the board before you play him to ensure he survives longer than just 1 turn!

- Keeper of Uldaman is a bit of Swiss army knife: you can weaken your opponent's minions or buff your own (for example in T6: Echoing Ooze + Keeper of Uldaman for 2x 3/3 oozes)

- Righteous Protector and Chillblade Champion are the newest Additions to this deck. The Protector is one of the Best (if not the best) Paladin 1 Drop. Chillblade Champion also helps you to survive a bit longer and is an extra source for lifegain if you don't pull Ragnaros, Lightlord.

- When I first saw Val'anyr I was hyped and definitely wanted to try that card. I would say it's a staple in most handbuff decks.

- Zola the Gorgon may seem like an odd choice, but she can give you some extra boost: imagine an unanswered T2 Grimestreet Outfitter followed by her on T3. (Also she was the first Legendary I unpacked in K&C). But in the newest version I removed her to keep the deck more budget-friendly.

- Benevolent Djinn takes the place of Chillblade Champion in sense of lifegain and also offers Elemental synergy, so this one should be a clear choice.

- Drygulch Jailor also is an interesting choice. Getting three 1 mana dudes into your hand, buffing them and then play them as 4/4 or something may be very intimidating for your opponent.

- Ravencaller is the only addition from Witchwood. Thogether with Brann Bronzebeard you can get 4(!) 1-cost minions. Remember the rule that class cards are 4x more likely to be drawn? This also works for Ravencaller! Paladins have exactly 5 1-drops which are all pretty good choices.

- Crystology is the new card from Boomsday. It fetches a lot of the minions in this deck and can help to keep your hand filled (or to fetch that on-curve Tar Creeper). So I took in 2 of them.

Why don't you play Tirion/Ragnaros/Wickerflame/[Insert any Legendary] in this deck?

Simple:
1. I haven't had them when I created the first version, so I tried to make the deck more budget-ish.
2. All these fancy legendaries are often enough discovered by Stonehill Defender and Servant of Kalimos.
3. Most of the legendaries have too high mana costs - I prefer to choose what I need situationally instead of wasting a deck slot for an 8drop which I can't play because my opponent plays aggro.
4. And of course, if you don't have them in your deck, enemy priests can't draw them out of Thoughtsteal etc.

 

Last but not least, have some screenshots to have an impression how this deck works (pre KotFT):

You got to love Servant of Kalimos in Wild: Ragnaros or Ragnaros?

Even more RagnarossI or Ragnarosses or... well, that Lord Elemental.

My opponent decided to play Amara, Warden of Hope at 7 life...

... and I decided to trade Grimestreet Outfitter and one of the Doppelgangsters to make some room for Fire Plume Phoenix and Wickerflame Burnbristle (and to go face, obiously).

I hope you guys still enjoy this deck!