Return of Burn Mage
- Last updated Oct 21, 2019 (Shaman Nerfs)
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Wild
- 10 Minions
- 20 Spells
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Burn Mage
- Crafting Cost: 4800
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 10/9/2019 (Doom in the Tomb)
- GamerPanda
- Registered User
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- 9
- 44
- 39
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Battle Tag:
GamerPanda#11334
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Region:
US
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Total Deck Rating
761
Flamewaker Burn Mage
I used to play Tempo Mage when Aluneth and Explosive Runes were in standard. With Flamewaker coming back it's a chance for burn mage to return.
Update 10/21: Been away from HS for a week or so- made a lot of change to this deck and have actually been seeing more success here.
-2 Witchwood Piper +2 Loot Hoarder Yes, they could draw needed combo pieces but could also draw a double of one you already have in hand. Wasn't really pulling weight when I just wanted more card draw and something to do on 2.
-1 Banana Buffoon +1 Emperor Thaurissan: Banana Buffoon is a good idea in theory but clogs up your hand. Ideally you don't really care about having a 6 health Waker because you want to crush them in 1 turn if you can, then finish off with burn. The benefit you get from discounting your hand with Thaurissan is far better and worth the 6-mana cost.
-2 Ancient Mysteries, -3 Secrets (Ice Barrier, Flame Ward, Counterspell) and: Secret package wasn't doing enough to swing the game so I went for a more freeze game-plan with +2 Frost Nova With the extra 3 slots I added back a 2nd Arcane Missiles (consistency + good against 1 health minion boards to throw away or to use with Flamewaker). I also used the last 2 slots for 2X Fireball for finisher burn if waker doesn't do the job completely.
I should acknowledge feedback from member DirtyCasual, who based his theorycraft around a burn version by Rdu.
I updated the mulligan guide and possible substitutions today. I will do a card breakdown like some of my other decks at 30+. :)
MULLIGAN GUIDE
General Priority: Flamewaker, Arcane Intellect, Loot Hoarder. Without flamewaker, you can't do much. We also need draw that helps us and not the opponent. You will draw into the rest of the combo pieces, they're not worth holding unless you know you will be able to go off early.
Against Control/Combo: Keep any combo pieces, including Sorcerer's Apprentice and Mana Cyclone and you may be able to go off before they make their big plays. Healing and high health boards are our enemy unless we OTK or get them low and burn.
Against Aggro: Ray of Frost, Frostbolt, maybe even Arcane Missiles to help take down a strong early board from the opponent. Ray of Frost can be used against a Turn 1 Secretkeeper or Murloc Tidecaller to slow them down. Don't be afraid to burn a Mirror Image or Ray to slow things down if you don't have a Frost Nova to buy an extra turn.
Bad Matchups (Priest, Hunter, Druid, Warrior): We struggle against Convincing Infiltrator, Sylvanas Windrunner deathrattles in Big Priest. Try to get out Mirror Image before triggering them to avoid combo disruption. Snipe and Pressure Plate can also be problematic. Druid can out-armor and heal past our ability in the late game with Hidden Oasis, Ferocious Howl, and Kun the Forgotten King. Warrior similar issue with Armor but not as heal-bursty as Druid can be. Use Thaurissan on combo pieces and get ready to go full APM mage to burst them down as far as possible!
The rest of the classes can be even to good for us but usually involves us struggling to stay alive especially against Zoolock and Aggro Rogue but often in the clear after our flamewaker turn.
This deck plays pretty slow early until you collect all 4 combo pieces:
** Not sure why the apprentice picture isn't appearing (Sorcerer's Apprentice)
As early as Turn 4, you can Flamewaker > The Coin > Apprentice > Play as many 0 cost spells as you can > Evocation > Mana Cyclone > Play any remaining spells with leftover mana which should leave your opponent's board destroyed and a significant amount of face damage done. 2 Flamewakers on board deals massive damage if you can get it off. Ideally you wait until you can maximum value out of your flamewakers and stall until you're ready to go off. Without flamewaker, you are nothing, so use it wisely! Just not enough burn without this damage.
If they don't destroy your board right away it's probably GG next turn so long as you can cycle with Stargazer Luna, Arcane Intellect, or Research Project. You can also discover these two draw cards off of Magic Trick. Avoid playing Research Project unless you really need it to finish off an opponent or as a desperation move to find a combo piece during your Flamewaker turn.
You can always store up Fireballs for final burst damage if your board gets wrecked after your flamewaker turn.
Please let me know if I've missed something or if you have a suggestion!
POTENTIAL SUBSTITUTIONS/CONSIDERATIONS - NEEDS UPDATE
2X Doomsayer for a clear board after Frost Nova
Could also consider Acolyte of Pain to increase draw. Mountain Giant also an option since our hand is often very large.
Leave a like if you enjoy it- I will add a card breakdown/full guide like some of my other decks at 30+. :)
This is genuinely one of the most fun decks I've played in some time. Opponents have no idea what hit them.
The deck was really great yesterday:) ... from 20th to 16 ... over night, out of 12 games only 5 won >.< meh :(
just want to have the new profile picture :(
Maybe I should pull the sercrets pack. Try replacing with 2X mountain giant 2X fireball or nova (to be defensive/stall) and 1X Thaurissan like the deck that just came up on the main page and see if that helps. I will try it myself later.
hi,
is it still good deck or not?
Hey there. I'd say it's currently not super competitive, more of a for fun deck given the current meta. I wouldn't try to climb unless it was a true otk deck. Probably need Thaurissan and fireballs to get the damage for that.
Didn't have Luna so replacing it with Thaurissan helped against Control. Makes 20+ much easier with one Flamewaker.
Good deck, mulligan for this?¿
Hello! Sorry I have been a busy but I will add this later tonight glad you like it!
Ty, and a short guide willbe very good, i will wait it
Nice deck. Could make from R13 to R8 with it.
I don't know what decks you've been facing on ladder, but the following changes would probably make it stronger against the decks I play (token druid, tempo rogue, evolve shaman):
Add Frost Nova and Doomsayer for board clear combo. If a deck is able to build a board that can tank a 3 damage AoE, they'll just wait until they can kill you. Unless you can do double Flamewaker with 6+ spells I doubt you'd be able to clear, and if you leave a board alive without freezes your Flamewakers (win condition) get killed. All opponents need to do to win is clear the Flamewakers. Keep in mind that clearing a board going into your combo turn means all the damage goes face (so you can afford to cut burn).
Add Banana Buffoon. Good trigger for Flamewaker and Cyclone plus it keeps your Flamewaker alive if you can't OTK. 6 health is a lot harder to clear than 4.
Add a second copy of Mirror Image to slow down damage and protect key minions.
Remove burn cards (Fireball/Prince) and Thaurissan. You will probably generate at least some burn from Cyclones. Thaurissan only really helps if you have a clunky (post cyclone) hand. And you still have to play him without dying (hard without board freeze).
Remove Arcane Missiles for Mirror Image. Absorbing two hits is generally more useful than 3 damage spread randomly.
Tip you may want to include in your guide: Against aggro/tempo opponents, you generally want to hold Research Project for when you are actively playing your Apprentice/Flamewaker combo. Otherwise you're just helping them kill you before you're ready to kill them.
Hey thank you for all the advice. I made some of these adjustments just now, but unsure about losing the face damage spells. I can see where Nova may be important, I will try it out and see how it goes but hard to lose those finisher spells. I can try it and see how it goes with your Nova/Sayer suggestion.
I totally agree on the not using Research Project until it strongly benefits you with a board up. If I get up to 15 or so I will make a note of it in the general guide :)
There is no tempo mage in this meta they are actually burn mage decks. All these decks rely too much on three cards. So you do nothing in the first turns that’s the exact opposite of what tempo is.
I knew someone would say this. OK. I'll change the name. 'Return of Burn' sounds cooler anyways haha
nice
I'm playing the version of deck with cloud princes and ragnaros, with the exception of putting in raid the sky temple instead of antonidas. Gives the gas when you run low and works real nice with this deck. I even managed to get quest out by turn 2 once.
Oh really? I originally thought that quest might be good but hadn't tried it out. If you're seeing good success with it maybe I should try that version. I'd want to maybe add a 2nd Ancient Mysteries and another secret? I can cut the Arcane Missiles for that. What do you suggest gets cut for the 2X Cloud Prince and Rag?
So I tried out the quest/prince/rag version for a bit. The quest does get completed fast but it hadn't really won me any games. I never had a good chance to play rag but I do like the prince. Maybe a X1 instead of 2. Right now I've cut antonidas for a cloud prince and it's feeling a little better.
Actually, i found exotic mountseller to be a better pick than rag, as it fills the board and i've found it to be a missed oportunity as both the flamewakers and apprentices get almost instant removal in the current meta and feel a bit clunky on their own. Also done some experimenting with vulpera scoundrels and questing explorers for extra draw instead of using research project, but i find the need to keep elemental pack for spell generation and burst, though without rag there are only 4 minions to play ele evocation on and it is often a dead card. Tried taking out the secret and elemental packs, but at this point it's a totally different deck. Now i've got my eye set on some kind of quest mech aggro, but i'd already run out of dust, so feel free to share any event mage ideas. If i'd contiunued to play this deck i'd probably add up a bit in secrets (maybe a spellbender with all these priests in ranked?) and cut out antonidas and rag completely.
Oh wow yeah that sounds a lot like Kibler's quest mage with a twist. Have you considered going for the old Mountain Giant? Would probably be a good play on 4 while you save up burst and wait for more mana. I thought about adding it in to this list too.
I like the Spellbender idea. Might be a good 5th secret to add after 2 flameward and 2 counterspell. I think maybe Kirin Tor Mage and ancient mysteries can be added to be more aggressive with secrets and support cloud princes. Problem is you kind of have to pick if it's going to be more focused on flamewaker & cyclone or on kirin tor & cloud prince. I'm starting to think the latter might be better but haven't tested yet.