Hearthpwn

After using this amazing deck for MANY seasons and adding some new cards after every expansion, I've finally decided to post my version of my favorite deck ever:

QUEST RENO PRIEST

The Deck

Is it competitive? Sure, you can easily make it to rank 5 with this deck. Up from that point, it depends only on your skills and perseverance. I've never reached legend with it, but I've been close a couple times and this season it feels quite strong. I have been doing quite well against aggro/midrange and about 50/50 against control (haven't faced much control lately though). The only impossible matchup is Kinsgabane (just concede and look for a new opponent).

Why Reno + Quest? Well, the deck feels more like a Control-ish deck with the strong defense of a Reno deck plus the extra synergies among deathrattle cards and the quest. Warning: This is NOT a Tier 1 deck, maybe Tier 3, but this season I feel that it has reached the perfect balance between being competitive and being super fun to play. Some of my card choices are based on personal preferences and there might be some better cards to fill those spots, but I will explain that later.

The cards

• Awaken the Makers. The quest is a key component since the deck has lots of deathrattle synergies and it just feels great playing one or two copies of Amara, Warden of Hope.
• Bloodmage Thalnos . Never play him right away. His main role is buffing spells for removal or sometimes finishing the quest if you really need it. Otherwise, just keep it in hand until it becomes useful because we don't want to unnecessarily add weak minions to our deathrattle pool.
• Dead Ringer. This card is here only because we need some early drop and it can tutor some useful deathrattle cards. You may replace it with some other 1 or 2 drop if you want. BUT this can be fused with Zilliax!
• Seance. This card is what has single-handedly made this deck stronger with the recent expansion. It's like a second Zola the Gorgon to copy Reno, N'Zoth, Amara or any other card you or your opponent have on board.
• Shadow Madness. This card is a must-include since we may need a second copy of a spell or an early board clear. I don't think it requires any further explanation.
• Shadow Word: Pain. Another obvious inclusion.
• Spirit Lash. One of the spells we can combo with Thalnos to get a decent clear while regenerating some health.
• Brann Bronzebeard. Use it for Kazakus for double potion, Zola for double Reno or even N'Zoth if you're lucky.
• Shadow Word: Death. Same as the other Shadow Word. We need lots of removal tools.
• Twilight's Call. An accelerator for the quest, feeds N'Zoth's pool and can save the match if you get a taunt in a time of need.
• Zola the Gorgon. Same as Seance but can only target friendly minions. On the upside, it has a body and the battlecry can be doubled with Brann.
• Kazakus. Look for 1 or 5 mana removal cards against aggro, 10 mana multi-polimorph against big priest or control. Reviving minions is often useful as well.
• Piloted Shredder. I've had many variations of the deck without Shredder along the last year, but in this meta it feels like a pretty solid tempo body. You may replace it depending on the meta.
• Spiritsinger Umbra. She's not always the best draw, but when the time is right she can give you TONS of value. I know she might not be the best choice, but man does it feel great when she does her job!
• Tortollan Shellraiser. This card is in the deck instead of Rotten Applebaum because: 1 - we are priest and don't need that much healing; 2 - the 6 health does make a difference sometimes; and 3 - it's a four drop and can be played earlier against aggro. But of course, Applebaum can be a nice replacement.
• Excavated Evil. This works wonder against most aggro decks and screws the battlecry of Shaman's eels. One of the best early clears of the deck, you may even want to coin it at some matchups.
• Mass Hysteria. At first I had my doubts about this card, but after trying it in several matches I can say it is amazing! Most of the times only one or even no minions will survive, and it's the perfect addition to our board clear collection since in a Reno deck only one copy of each is allowed and thus we want to have as many different clears as possible.
• Sludge Belcher. This boy is just SO GOOD in any matchup.
• Zilliax. I know, I know. What the hell is this guy even doing here? Well, turns out Mr. Robot Legendary is quite versatile, as it can be seen on its rising popularity among all kinds of decks. It's just really good against aggro and we can fuse it with Dead Ringer, Piloted Shredder or Sneed's Old Shredder. Just two mechs? Nope, remember that many times they will come back to life, so the chances for a magnetic trigger are higher than what you may think!
• Dragonfire Potion. Another great board clear. Don't worry about dragons, barely anyone plays them at the moment.
• Lightbomb. Completing the iconic duo of 6 mana clears! This works specially good against Even Shaman, Jade Druid, Odd Paladin and Secret Hunter.
• Reno Jackson. This man doesn't even need an introduction.
• Sylvanas Windrunner. The greedy choice. I just love her so much and she can be really useful against slow decks, specially if you combo with umbra or manage to get several copies played in one game.
• Psychic Scream. Expensive but amazingly good. Aggro, druids, secret hunter... They all get destroyed by this card if the tempo is right.
• Kel'Thuzad. Please don't waste your time trying to convince me not to use him. He is one of the cards that make this deck great and fun. The combinations with N'Zoth or Gallery and the capability to play it before trading on late game just provides you with so much value and joy.
• Shadowreaper Anduin. Our shadowy boy is here just to clear big minions and provide an offensive hero power in the late game. Many times you may deal 4 damage per turn using cards of up to 6 mana. The armor is also a nice addition.
• Sneed's Old Shredder. Memey but solid. I prefer it over Da Undatakah because of the higher health, the guaranteed value, synergy with Zilliax and the memes!
• Obsidian Statue. Priest's MVP. it shouldn't be legal to resummon this card.
• Zerek's Cloning Gallery. The main meme of the deck. Usually, your opponent will have a way to answer it. But when they don't... Well, it usually means GG. Synergy with Umbra, Kel'Thuzad, N'Zoth, Zola, Seance... TOO MUCH VALUE WHEN IT WORKS OUT! (which it usually doesn't)
• N'Zoth, the Corruptor. One of the best control cards ever made in HS. If you may have a chance to copy it after playing it or after Gallery, go for it. More than one N'Zoth per game is just insane value. If your deathrattle pool has gotten dirty, try to play better deathrattles before summoning him!

Cards that didn't make the cut

• Deathlord. Really good card, but I feel that many times the prize to pay for its death can be too high and help your opponent. Might be a good replacement for Tortollan Shieldraiser.
• Rotten Applebaum. Already talked about it. Another good replacement.
• Carnivorous Cube. Too greedy.
• Raza the Chained. Doesn't make sense in this deck imo. But hey, if you have him you can try him!
• Da Undatakah. I don't have it but I don't think it is that good. I mean, Brann can make it go crazy but that's 11 mana and it has no deathrattle when revived.

Main Matchups

• Against aggro: keep taunts, board clears and Reno. We must survive until we can take control on turn 7 onward. Shadow Madness is also a good choice. If they don't highroll too much and you use your resources properly, it should be reasonably easy to survive. With Reno you pretty much have won the matchup. If you're unlucky and don't draw him by turn 6 or 7, it just depends on luck and skill (Hearthstone's main pillars lol).
• Against big priest: really hard. Try to Brann + Kazakus for lot's of polymorph and give Sylvanas a good use. Still, it is quite hard to win (but not impossible).
• Against control decks: Renolock can outvalue us, but depending on the matchup it can be a fair duel or even slightly favored. Druid will cry with Pshychic Scream, Kazakus and our late game value. Other control decks are not that popular and it should be easy to adapt. The key in most control matchups is saving your resources for the right turn.
• Against Kingsbane: don't even try. As I said before: just concede.

Final comments

I hope you enjoy the deck or make your own variation. I love this archetype so much since it's really fun to play and you get so much value out of the cards. Some card choices are a bit memey, but it still feels strong in many matchups.

Feel free to comment suggestions and message me if you have any question!