Hearthpwn

Hey everyone.  Here's another work-in-progress, so please DON'T CRAFT!!  - unless you really want to  : )

UPDATE - 5/28/21 Below

This is my current Taunt Druid list for Forged in the Barrens.  The only new cards are Injured Marauder and Living Seed (Rank 1).  I've only played a few games w/ this version so far, but as soon as I added Living Seed (Rank 1) this deck started to perform better.  This deck can be a little complicated, but I'll try to explain my card choices below as well as which cards I'm thinking of replacing.

The general idea is to play Nature Studies on turn 1 or 2.  Then play Oaken Summons or maybe Overgrowth on turn 3.  Then, you can play Living Seed (Rank 1) on turn 4 or 5.  I know it seems wrong to play it on 4, but often that has felt like the right play.  Then, Ramp up to play Winged Guardians.  

For the Late Game:  Make sure you have some board space before you play any of your late game cards that regenerate minions.  Ideally you play Hadronox first, and kill him right away - usually w/ Naturalize.  For wave 2, you play N'Zoth, God of the Deep.  Wave 3 is N'Zoth, the Corruptor.  I'm sure there are situations where you would play them in a different order, but I think this potentially brings back the most value.  There is a little RNG w/ all of these cards, obviously.

 

Card Explanations:

Lightning Bloom - Just for ramp.  Often to play a 7-drop.

Lesser Jasper Spellstone - One of Druid's better removal spells.

Naturalize - Usually to kill Hadronox.  But you can use one (or both) to kill enemy minions....but with that card draw you shouldn't play it against aggro.

Nature Studies - I think this belongs in the deck.  The turn 3 Oaken Summons or Overgrowth feels great.  Plus you can find another spell.  You often don't have anything to play on turn 1 anyway.

Living Seed (Rank 1) - New card.  Tutors out Winged Guardians and Hadronox.  The card has felt great.  It's staying in the deck for now.

Witching Hour - I only play one...mainly because this card can whiff bad.  Some opponents will put beasts on your board.  That's why I'm playing a few mechs and a dragon.  You'll get those too, but way less often.

Archmage Vargoth - Great w/ Oaken Summons obviously.  Also great with Witching Hour, Living Seed (Rank 1) and Nature Studies.  Or you can double Naturalize if you want to mill your opponent.  

Injured Marauder - The new 4-drop and only Oaken Summons target besides Archmage Vargoth.  Gotta love that 10-health.  

Greybough - He's in there for fun, but I think he fits the deck too.  Mainly because there aren't many 5-drops.  Go ahead and play him solo. The payoff is when you resurrect him w/ other minions.

Zilliax - One of the only ways to heal/gain armor in this version.  One of two mechs.

Damaged Stegotron - Second mech - Good target for Zilliax.  But for that you need him to stick for a turn or use something like Lightning Bloom.

Evasive Drakonid - The only dragon....not sure if I need two.  N'Zoth, God of the Deep will usually bring this back....at least no one has put a dragon on my board so far.

Winged Guardian - Just a problem for some decks.  Even w/ AoE, he usually comes back with reborn.  Then you get 2 in your death pool.  Nice!

The Lich King - I love this card in taunt decks.  Bringing him back always feels great.

Hadronox - The First wave.  Again, usually you want to kill this right away with Naturalize or something.  Wait till your board has some space.  He'll bring back your taunts, which is almost every minion in the deck.

N'Zoth, God of the Deep - The Second wave - He can bring back a beast (hopefully yours - lol), a mech, an Evasive Drakonid, and an Elemental...assuming they've died on your board.

N'Zoth, the Corruptor - The Third wave - Ok, this one has few targets but I'm keeping him in for now.  He can bring back Greybough, Hadronox, and Scrapyard Colossus.  This is really good because Hadronox will fill your board again for the real Wave 3!

Scrapyard Colossus - The only Elemental.  Still, N'Zoth, God of the Deep might not bring him back because his deathrattle spawns a different elemental.  I'm only running one because of the high cost.  

 

Cards I left out:

Guess the Weight - I tried this one in an earlier version and it just didn't feel right.  I may try one again if I run out of cards to play too often, but I doubt it.

Wrath and Ferocious Howl - I just don't think these cards are needed in this deck.   I tried Wrath and it felt ok at times, but I'm not looking at putting either of these back in.  I could see one Ferocious Howl being ok.

Archspore Msshi'fn - I tried this earlier.  The prime feels great, but I'd much rather have Oaken Summons pull Injured Marauder.  

Witchwood Grizzly - Could be good, but I'm going more for greed.  Same reason I'm not running cards like Rotten Applebaum, Khartut Defender, etc.  They are all decent cards and are def worth considering....maybe even just one of them.  But right now I'm using Zilliax and that's it.

Juicy Psychmelon - I tried one in an earlier version too.  It felt ok, but it can give you hand size issues.  I haven't missed it.

Branching Paths - I was using 2 of these.  I may bring one back but I'm not sure it's good enough.

Poison Seeds - I tried this one as well already.  It just didn't perform well.

 

Possible Inclusions:

Sphere of Sapience - Prob worth trying.  It's on my list.

Carnivorous Cube - Another good idea.  I haven't tried this yet because I only have a few deathrattle minions, but bringing any taunts back wouldn't be bad.  I should try one of these.

 

Cards I may remove:

I'm keeping the low cost cards, except maybe one Lightning Bloom. 

Witching Hour - Because it can miss sometimes...usually because of a polymorph or something.

Greybough - Not needed, but a cheap taunt that's good in your death pool.

Evasive Drakonid - This was a late addition, but it's felt good so far.

N'Zoth, the Corruptor - Trying not to be too greedy....you can pull this for one of the cards listed above....or maybe even a second Evasive Drakonid?

 

Mulligans:

These aren't hard.  In general you are looking for Nature Studies, Living Seed (Rank 1), Oaken Summons, and Overgrowth.  Against aggro keep Zilliax.  

 

I hope you enjoy this version of Taunt Druid and thanks for checking it out.  I'll try to update it if I make changes or continue to have a decent winrate.  I've climbed 400 legend ranks so far....

 

UPDATE 5/28/21

- Witching Hour, - Damaged Stegotron, + Rising Winds, + Branching Paths

Trying to help out against aggro by lowering the curve a little and getting rid of the greedy Witching Hour.  I realize I didn't even mention Rising Winds before.  I did try it earlier and I decided to bring it back.  I feel like the deck is missing a little card draw and I went with the cheapest option I could find.  You could put in Ferocious Howl or something similar.  Branching Paths is a great, versatile card, and can also draw you cards.  2 of these may work as well. 

I'm really not sure what other cards to remove.  I'd still like to try Sphere of Sapience for one of the draw cards.  And maybe switch out N'Zoth, the Corruptor for a Carnivorous Cube, but I'm keeping the big guy in there for now.  Good Luck!!