Hearthpwn

Hi guys, been struggling on ladder recently. was at rank 1 then been dropped back to 5. How I don't know, just been playing awfully. 

Went back to Aluneth Mage as it was the deck that I climbed with and I saw Orange_HS use a version on his stream so decided to give it a go. After having reasonable success, I found I was struggling against Rogue and Paladin, which is too be expected as it is a bad match up. I found Lacky being your only other one drop besides Mana Wyrm was bad as you most of the time don't play it on one and dies to patches, juggler and hero powers too easily. Also I cut Sorcerers Apprentice as I found it rarely got any value with her ability and was just a 2 mana 3/2. So I decided to cut one Firelands Portal and Sorcerers Apprentice's for Captain's and Patches (which was in my old list) to help fight for board in the early game. One card you'll seeing missing from this deck which might be a shock is Corridor Creeper. I cut them for the Secret Keeper's. Now before you say I'm crazy and its bad, the reasons are these; 

1. As an Aluneth you don't want to keep Creeper in your hand as your looking for Wyrm, Aluneth, Captain and Arcanologist, so its rare it gets to be tempo'd out like other decks because you don't swarm the board. 

2. Aluneth Mage generally runs out of cards by turn 5/6, hence why Aluneth is so good and most of the time its a top deck that is played as 7/6 mana 5/5. I know the argument can be made that its better to top deck that rather than Secret Keeper, but Keeper is in there to help more consistently get a 1 drop, which is what I found since running it. 

3. Because you are generally trying to burn out your opponent and not trading minions I found the card became cluncky and was hard to empty my hand for Aluneth. 

Turn 2 Secret Keeper, Lacky into secret is pretty strong. Same as turn 1 Keeper, coin Lacky into secret e.g. I played a Rogue early today; Mana Wyrm on one to bait out back stab and pirate then turn 2, Keeper + Lacky  + Runes, he couldn't answer the Keeper, turn 4 conceded as he had no board and I had a 4/5 Keeper with secret up. 

I'm not saying Creeper is bad! The card is one of the most broken cards ever and maybe its still correct to run it in the end, but right now I am climbing back up and found Secret Keeper helps against the bad match ups and also is another early game option against the Warlocks and Priests to kill them before the do anything. Sometimes they panic and clear the keeper with their SW: Pain's and Spellstone's which allows you to swing with other cards. 

Final thing you'll notice is I have cut one Counterspell for a Potion of Polly. Saw Purple run it for a tournament recently on twitter and thought to include it and it has been surprisingly strong.  targets I have got have been a Possessed Lacky, Raza (twice), Acolyte of Pain, Corridor Creeper twice and a Sunkeeper Tarim. Really recommend it.

Let me know what you think. 

Thanks :)