Hearthpwn

If you are familiar with playing especially Paladin in arena you'll grasp this deck very fast. This deck has the potential to take everyone to Legend very easily. My winrate is over 70% and it is SO MUCH FUN to play this deck.

1. Card Changes:

• January 10, 2015: Tirion Fordring instead of Dr. Boom:
  After a lot of testing i've made this change. The reason is simply: 1) Everyone is running Big Game Hunter as a conter to Dr. Boom. 2) Tirion Fortdring syncs well with this deck and can be a massive threat if not hard removed. It gives you another means to push forward or prevent lethal damage with his Divine shield and Taunt. Also he can be used to power up Blood Knight, if needed.
  
  
• January 7, 2015: Dr. Boom instead of a second Divine Favor:
  There are currently a lot of Tempo decks like Mech Mage, Warlock Zoo around. Hunter decks are all around as well. That makes a second Divine Favor often a dead card in the hand. Dr. Boom can confront you opponent with a puzzle which he needs to solve somehow and where a hard counter is not possible. You can try out Tirion Fordring instead, should be good as well!
  
  
• Deceomber 27, 2014: Sea Giant instead of a second Blood Knight:
  The Blood Knight is awesome in this deck but a second one felt sometimes too much. A Sea Giant is very awesome in this deck, i tested it now over a week and i must say i did not miss the second Blood Knight at all. It is a threat which needs to be dealed with and can not be silenced. Often is played behind some taunts, so even harder to remove.
  
  
• Deceomber 15, 2014: Avenging Wrath instead of Avenge:
  You can not really decide when you want to activate Avenge. It can be outplayed very fast. On the other hand Avenging Wrath can be used active in many ways, to clear a board or finish of your opponent. Never regret this change.
  
  

2. The Goal:

The goal is to obtain and maintan Tempo. This means to be in the position of "driving " the interactions while your opponent is "reacting " to your actions. Whoever is in control of the Tempo of the match controls usually the game.

3. The Concept:

The Paladin has a lot utilities to reach this goal:

• You have sticky minions, usually with Divine Shield.
• You have cards which can increase the "persistence " of your other minions.
• You have the means to take back control over the board very fast.
• Since GvG the Paladins Hero ability ends up very threatening because of Quartermaster.
  
  

4. The Card Breakdown:

Noble Sacrifice:
The card is very good to prevent damage and triggers with Knife Juggler. It does make sense to play it on Turn 1 if you have a minion to follow up the next turn. Can lead very fast to obtain the Tempo of the match.

Argent Protector:
Well known and his usage is obvious and very good. You can use him to trade with other minion to gain or maintan Tempo and board control. At times it does make sense to use him to activate your Blood Knight.

Equality:
Be it a Control, Tempo/Midrange or an Aggressive deck, Equality is going to always have a space in this deck. Combined with Consecration you can usually clear the whole board of your opponent. Combined with Knife Juggler or Avenging Wrath you'll reach a similar result.

Shielded Minibot:
I love this minion. It is very sticky and it trades well. The Paladin needed someone exactly like him. If you have already control of the board you can use him to trigger your Blood Knight. You'll always find a use for him!

Aldor Peacekeeper:
Probably the best 3-drop in the game. He destroys whole strategies of your opponent (Use him on a  Fel Reaver and you'll smile for minutes!). He prevents threats of big minions or enables you to trade efficiently!

Coghammer:
Awesome weapon! It helps to control the board and does make your minions more persistent or more annoying. Perfect for the early game to gain and maintain the control of the board. I am running only one of this weapon simply because of the next card, Muster for Battle

Muster for Battle:
This card in combination with Quartermaster skyrocketed the value of the Silver Hand Recruits by a lot. Before GvG everyone ignored, rightfully, your Silver Hand Recruits. Now by turn 4 them are scared what might follow. An army of 3/3 Silver Hand Recruits feels too hard to deal with at times, especially when your opponent needed to use all his removals for all the other threats you had put down before this combo. The only "problem" is that you obtain a Light's Justice as well. Combined with the Coghammer you are running 3 Weapons with big charges in your deck, leaving no room for a second Coghammer or  Truesilver Champion.

Consecration:
This card is self-explanatory. A great board clear, awesome if combined with Equality.

Quartermaster:
This card is just awesome. Solely his existence changed the whole interaction of your opponent with your Silver Hand Recruits. They see the Recruits now as a potential threat. Yes, them are, thanks to this guy! It does make sense to play him with only buffing one Recruit. His value would be 4/7 for 5 mana, not bad at all! A second Recruits and it is purely awesome. And you know, in many cases you'll going to buff more than 2, so purely epic!

Avenging Wrath:
I've put this card inside instead of an Avenge. Avenging Wrath is more offensive and yields at times the damage which you need to finish of your opponent or remove threats which you otherwise need to trade valuable minions or to use your weapon for. Compared to Avenge You can decide when to activitate this card.

Annoy-o-Tron:
I really like him! At times he is really annoying for your opponent. In other times you can simply use him as an activiator for your Blood Knight which is fine enough. Some classes have really troubles with him. A Warrior has hard time to deal with him. He would need to use two charges of his weapon if he has no other means.

Dire Wolf Alpha:
He is an amazing card for trading, well known in Arena and in Play Mode, especially in the Zoo decks one of the MVPs. You know, this annoying Northshire Cleric and so on, no problem anymore. The Wolf is very useful to buff up your Silver Hand Recruits as well. He is so good that running two him does make sense.

Ironbeak Owl:
Especially since GvG at least one silence in the deck is a must! The Ironbeak Owl is exactly that, a cheap silence to trade mor efficiently or remove Taunts for the finishing blows.

Knife Juggler:
Very awesome synergy with the Silver Hand Recruits ever since. Now with Muster for Battle his value is even greater than before. Can be used to clear the board, to do a lot of damage on opponent minions and one of my most favourable targets for the Argent Protector.

Blood Knight:
In arena he is purely awesome. In Play Mode usually not so much, but since GvG again. He is so awesome that it is even worth running two copies of him. You have so many ways to trigger him, and do not forget about Enhance-o Mechano. At times it does make sense to remove your own Divine Shields to prevent them doubling due to the Battlecry.

Defender of Argus:
His buff is great, ever since! He can force your opponent to deal with minions he would rather like to ignore. He can buff minions so you are able to trade and gain/maintain the board control.

Enhance-o Mechano:
This card is just awesome in a deck which is able to "swarm " the board very fast or has the means to maintain a lot minion on the board. You know, the Paladin has those means :) You can screw the strategy of your opponent right away or finish him off instantly with some Windfury buffs.

Sea Giant:
When your deck is able to flood the board very easily this minion is awesome in the deck. It happens that we can fill the board very easily or at least have some sticky minions, therefore running one of him can create a lot pressure which needs to be dealed with. Unlike Blood Knight he can not be silenced and unlike Blood Knight you do not weaken in some cases own cards to be able to play him out.

5. The Matchups:

Druid:
This matchup is not too hard. Keep building your board while removing his minions. To have an Equality + Consecration in your backhand is never wrong!

Hunter:
This is one of those "trading matchups". You'll need to kill his minions while building up your board the same time. It is important to keep him busy with your minions. You do not have any heals in this deck. Taking the board control leads to winning the game. Play around his traps!

Mage:
There are a lot Mech-Mages around. Take care fast of his Mechwarper. Take care of the other mechs as well because of his Goblin Blastmage. A Goblin Blastmage can be VERY annoying, taking down your Divine Shields or killing your Recruits. Be careful with his Secrets. Have his Flamestrike in mind. Still, you need to make pressure. Being too careful is not good.

Paladin:
The mirror matches are very easy, be it the Control Paladin or the other Midrange variations, you beat them all! Not lost once so far. Do your trading game. Keep his Consecration in mind. Create value with your Blood Knight. Here you can be sure that he has some Divine Shields in his deck.

Priest:
Very tricky but gladly not many around right now! He can steal a lot of your minions, even more than before! Try trading your way up, make pressure. Be careful of his 4 Mana Shadow Madness, 4 Mana: Auchenai Soulpriest + Circle of Healing, his 5 Mana: Holy Nova, 6 Mana: Cabal Shadow Priest. As if this would be not enough, you need to always keep his Wild Pyromancer in mind. Yes, a hard match up! Is it winnable? Sure! Even beat Zetalot with it:



Rogue:
Like usual, trading around. The Mech/Pirate Rogue is more minion heavy. Be careful of his Tinker's Sharpsword Oil - Combo, so keep his board clear. The rest like usual.

Shaman:
Pretty easy, in most cases he needs to use a lot of removals to keep you checked, but that is not enough. Usually if he is lucky he uses his both Lightning Storm by turn 5, and still, you have a lot steam to come back, again and again. You'll love your Muster for Battle + Quartermaster Combo here. Enhance-o Mechano is great then as well.

Warlock:
It is very easy! The Mech-Zoo has less burst and stickyness than his pre-GvG version. The Nerubian Egg is missing! You need to trade efficiently the board clear and thats the strength of this deck anyway. More than any other opponent: If you control the board you win the game.

In the case of Handlocks it is not that hard neither! Winrate: 22 out of 24 matches. While he is happily Life Taping you simply put your pieces on the field, a lot Divine Shields included. It is very hard to deal with all the Divine Shields for the Handlock, leading him to die very fast. Usually  it ends like this:



Warrior:
You generally overwhelm him fast! Keep his Brawl in mind and be careful with his Death's Bite. Generally you'll have more pressure than he has answers.

6. The Mulligans:

The mulligans are in the most cases like this:

• 1 Mana: Noble Sacrifice is not bad if you go first with a good 2 Mana follow up. It is good if you have a Knife Juggler as well.

• 2 Mana: Argent Protector, Shielded Minibot, Annoy-o-Tron, Dire Wolf Alpha & Knife Juggler.

• 3 Mana: Coghammer (If you have a good 2 Mana Minion). Muster for Battle (If you have either Knife Juggler or good 2 Mana Minion).

Mulligan Exceptions:

• Druid: Keeping an Aldor Peacekeeper is never wrong! At times does make sense to keep an Equality as well.

• Hunter: Ironbeak Owl & Muster for Battle can help out a lot!

• Paladin: Keep one Blood Knight in your starting hand! This is the one case where you can be pretty sure that he is going to feed your Knight :) Might win you the game right away.

• Priest: You'll love your Dire Wolf Alpha here. Helps to kill some annoying targets.

• Shaman: Keep one Consecration, you won't regret it!

• Warlock: Always keep an Ironbeak Owl, can be useful against Mech-Zoo & Handlock.

• Warrior: Keeping Quartermaster does make sense here since the match up stars slow.

7. Replacements:

There are some cards that i did not add but which might be good as replacement or are worth for considerations:

• Blood Knight:
  A second [card[Blood Knight[/card] was in the original version and got replaced for a Sea Giant[/card[. It worked well only the [card]Sea Giant felt ore versatile.
  
  
• King Mukla:
  King Mukla presents a very good body for 3 mana. His drawback has a lower impact than it has before. First, Gadgetzan Auctioneer seems to be completely out of the meta after his nerf. Second, Spare Parts are simply a competitions for the Bananas. furthermore you can combo him with Divine Favor. Worth to experiment!
  
  
• Dr. Boom:
  Instead of Avenging Wrath you could use Dr. Boom. In my opinion he is slower and does not combo with Equality. Therefore i decided for Avenging Wrath instead. Nontheless he might fit very well in this deck.
  
  
• Tirion Fordring:
  Similar to Dr. Boom. He is slower and presents a riddle to be solved but Avenging Wrath has an immidiate impact on the board, can clear it or finish your opponent right off. Your opponent does not expect a 8dmg burst.  Nontheless he is very good!
  
  
• Cult Master:
  Divine Favor can end up to be a dead card in some matchups like versus Warlock Zoo or Mech Mage. Cult Master is more active in this matchup and could be used as a replacement.
  
  
• Jeeves:
  Jeeves might be another replacement for Divine Favor, but i am not so sure of it. If it is a deck which has his hands full, for example like Handlock, i prefer Divine Favor instead. Against other decks like Warlock Zoo it has the potential to backfire and lets him benefit more out of the cards drawn than you.
  
  

8. Gameplay Videos:

If you have any questions regarding this deck feel free to ask me or leave a comment. If you do like this deck an upvote would be very nice! :)