This was mostly copy-pasted from my post on reddit.com/r/CompetitiveHS

In a journey to make Freeze Mage viable again, I browsed through the new cards of RoS and my attention was captured by a handsome gnome, Jepetto Joybuzz. I built Freeze Mage around him and saw potential in Luna's Pocket Galaxy as well. After playing tens of games in Legend with these two cards, I see competitive potential in this deck, so I wanted to discuss with all of you about this deck.

 

I will split this post up into 2 parts:

1. Deckbuilding - Cards I chose to include in the deck, noteworthy exclusions/techs. It was fun to build around Joybuzz.

2. Gameplay - Mulligan and matchups. Feels good to win against popular decks.

 

Deckbuilding

The Viability of Jepetto Joybuzz and Luna's Pocket Galaxy

I built this deck specifically to make Jepetto Joybuzz work in the deck. However, Luna's Pocket Galaxy is the better card to reduce the cost of Malygos and Alexstrasza. Even so, Joybuzz is still a good alternative for whenever Pocket Galaxy ends up at the bottom portion of the deck. Also, when Joybuzz also gets reduced to 1-mana, it becomes even better as a very cheap Arcane Intellect that can dodge bombs.

 

Luna's Pocket Galaxy is obviously good for what it does, but it can be hard to play with its expensive mana cost and its delay in effect; not ideal against aggro. The only refute I can offer is that this card is not essential to play for winning the aggro matchups, and against control, there will be an opening to play this.

 

Burning

There is OTK potential with these cards:(1)Maly/Alex + (2) Sorc Apprentice + 2x (3) Fireball + 1x (1) Frostbolt = 30 Damage.

Potentially you can do more damage with 2nd Sorcerer's Apprentice, Frostbolt and extra Fireballs from Archmage Antonidas. This is especially important against Control Warrior.

 

Noteworthy Exclusions/Techs:

Faceless Manipulator - It was good for what it was intended to do: board presence, extra burn with Maly, extra heal with Zilliax, exodia with Sorc Apprentice. The problem was that it was too extra, and it was awkward to play sometime for its full cost. I cut this card to improve the aggro matchups.

 

Drawing

With Joybuzz in the deck, the usual minions for drawing in Freeze Mage was out of the picture (I'm talking about Loot Hoarder, Novice Engineer, Thalnos, Acolyte of Pain). Therefore, the potential for drawing 9 cards in total must be compensated somehow. Since Joybuzz is in the deck, that makes up for 2, so 7 left.

 

That's when I opted to include 2x Gadgetzan Auctioneer and Stargazer Luna. In the combination of these cards, it is possible to get enough draws from them, especially so if their mana cost can be reduced to 1, making them good targets of Joybuzz.

 

Noteworthy Exclusions/Techs:

Research Project - I was content with the number of draws without it, and it was awkward to play in some matchups.

 

Stalling

Blizzard, Frost Nova, Ray of Frost - Must-include for stalling.

Shooting Star and Arcane Missiles - Good against tokens, cycles well with Luna/Auctioneer, and synergizes with Malygos. This allows Malygos to not be a dead card in your hand if his mana cost didn't get reduced.

Flamestrike - You love to see this card when you can clear the board with it. There will be an opportunity to play it in most matchups, but not often enough to run a 2nd copy.

Zilliax and Hecklebot - Good on its own in the current meta. You hate to see it being drawn by Joybuzz though, so you want to keep these in the mulligan.

 

Noteworthy Exclusions/Techs:

Blast Wave - Against token decks, it's good. Against anything else, it's awkward.

Polymorph - Not seeing enough big minions to justify running the card.

Magic Trick - Has potential to pick up extra stalling/draw and cycles well with Luna/Auctioneer, but there is not enough room in the deck for it to be included.

Gameplay

Matchups are similar to this deck's predecessors. If you've played Freeze Mage before this expansion, it's not much different.

• Warrior - Unfavored. It is possible to win against Control Warrior with Archmage Antonidas. Hecklebot helps lower the number of bombs.

• Shaman - Favored. Easy to set up OTK against Control/Big Shaman. Murloc Shaman's board can be dealt with easily in the early game.

• Rogue - Even. Sometimes they can burst you from nowhere, or set up an early big Edwin Vancleef. Sometimes you're able to stabilize with Alexstrasza, or set them in range of dying to the amount of burn in your hand. Feels good to Hecklebot a Leeroy or Edwin

• Paladin - Favored. I've only seen Secret Paladin and they're not fast enough.

• Hunter - Favored? Haven't seen too many of them. I assume Hunter is supposed to be good, but within my experience with them, I was able to deal with the minions easily.

• Druid - Unfavored? Soul of the Forest is hard to deal with. They also have a lot of burst with AoE minion buffs. I only have a small sample size though, and this was before I added in Hecklebot.

• Warlock - Favored. Zoo's board can be dealt with. Handlock only has a chance of winning if they can be aggressive with Ancient Watcher or Arcane Watcher.

• Mage - Favored. Most mage decks are slow, and when they finally build up a decent board, you can easily stall for long enough.

• Priest - Favored. Taunt Priest is too slow; you are likely to win if you can dodge the Divine Spirit combo. Silence Priest can overpower you if they have the right draws.

 

Mulligan:

Always Keep - Hecklebot and Zilliax.

Against Aggro - Frostbolt and Arcane Missiles. Shooting Star if wide boards are expected. Arcane Intellect if the rest of your hand have these cards.

Against Midrange - Frostbolt, Arcane Missiles, Arcane Intellect, Luna's Pocket Galaxy. Maybe Fireball if you expect a big minion early (e.g. Edwin Vancleef).

Against Control - Arcane Intellect, Luna's Pocket Pocket Galaxy. If you have Pocket Galaxy, keep other spells to minimize your chance of drawing minions.

 

Gameplay Tips:

• It's best to hold on to Sorcerer's Apprentice until you want to combo it with Auctioneer/Luna.

• It's okay to tempo Gadgetzan Auctioneer on Turn 6 if there is no other play. It demands immediate removal, and you don't really need the drawing potential from the first Auctioneer.

• Using Alexstrasza on yourself to heal can be game-winning.

• Know what's left in your deck. Sometimes you can draw with Auctioneer/Luna and OTK on the same turn.

 

Closing Thoughts:

Feel free to ask any questions about the deckbuilding or gameplay. If there is anything you disagree with, let me know as well. I'd love to discuss with you all :)