Hearthpwn

Day 1 LEGEND

Plague Death Knight

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GamerPanda here- been so hyped to play and work on optimizing this deck this expansion. I played around all day 1 with different cards, quickly learning that deathrattle is not the way right now, finally landing on this list.  It took me a little over 40 games to reach Top 100 Legend (since I reached it so quickly). 

UPDATE 8/4: Expanded the guide as promised with updated deck tracker details, card breakdowns, mulligan, and updated replays.

While I like the deck, at least in legend, I got my ass handed to me today (8-17). It's hard for me to say exactly why, I suppose I run out of answers/value before they die to plagues. Shaman just OTKs you faster than Mage and I'm losing to a lot of old decks (Relics, Pure Paladin (actually saw one), Hound Hunter)

I've been thinking about putting School Teacher in for more value but don't know really what to change. Faced several mirrors today and lost- they were playing Watcher of the Sun, Ignis, the Eternal Flame, Magatha, Bane of Music, and Prison of Yogg-Saron.  

VIDEO HIGHLIGHT From KDK

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Legend Proof & Matchups

Druid and Rogue are pretty abysmal, but everything else feels more winnable.  I started hard running Smothering Starfish as a counter to the insane buffs I was seeing vs. Mech Rogue and Treant Druid. Of course I never saw another Druid again after I added it, but it has helped vs. Rogues.  I suspect Mech Rogue and Token Druid are nerf targets. 

Mage is very popular right now, I'm seeing it a lot and this deck is a good counter since they draw so much and muddies their Volume Up.  0 Paladins in 66 games...

Steamcleaner from Control Priest is a hard counter, so you may need to hold back on some Plagues in this matchup if they show they have E.T.C.

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Plague Package

 The plague package is simple- once Helya goes down all the plagues they draw go back into their deck until they reach critical mass.  Getting them in without Helya is still a good idea to cheapen the Chained Guardian. It's a lot of damage if it lives- throwing 2 down at once can exhaust your opponent's removal or else they take a lot of damage.

Tomb Traitor is just a plague-based AOE tool. Losing one plague won't kill us and helps vs. more wide-board decks.

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Draw

We're only running 2 weapons, so 1 copy of Runeforging, with or without a corpse, draws us our important weapon and we'd rather natural draw other things.  If you already drew both weapons, for instance, and maybe have some expensive Chained Guardians/a general bad hand, Finley is there to rescue you and give you other options, diving for a Helya that is sitting at the bottom of your deck, perhaps.

Frozen Over was thought to be a Plague card, and it is because it forces your opponent to draw into potentially a lot of plagues, but unless its going to kill them, it's just giving them more resources and we want to limit that, which is why I went for Defrost. It's not hard to have 2 corpses for the 2nd draw.  

Chillfallen Baron is a reliable draw 2 over time with a body.  Strong against anything non-aggro.

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Removal/Utility/Big Plays

Plague Strike has been a valuable targeted removal especially early game.  Cultist and Tomb Traitor give us AOE options or sometimes you just use Cultist for the 2 damage.  Thassarian is a sticky, damage-dealing minion. It's not game winning, but is a good mid-game minion.  Hollow Hound helps with survivability, really strong if you can discover Harmonic Metal off Vizier.  Vizier is amazing and usually active- go for Turn 7 The Scourge if you're offered it, it is very hard to deal with especially if you highroll.  You can find something useful every time you play it.

Astalor is still a win condition all-star.  Sylvanas can be easily infused, especially with our hero power and Unholy Plague.  Feels amazing to steal a giant minion or Titan for yourself- have definitely had some auto-concedes after playing her. 

The Primus is another big play- generally you should go for Blood Runes first to beef him up and heal yourself (heals you over 30 health), that way if he is taken with Reverberations they can't use him to kill your Titan. Sometimes if you just want more bodies though, Unholy Runes is a good choice.  We don't run a lot of spells, so if you go for Frost Runes it's probably a pray to discover an AOE moment like 5-damage Remorseless Winter for 1 mana or just straight up face damage. 

 Our tech card against buff decks, fat taunts, freezes, and titans.

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General Strategy & Mulligan

You win the war of attrition- stay alive and keep shuffling plagues in, and they will eventually wear the opponent down.  Helya is obviously important to continuously re-shuffle plagues back into their deck. This is our main win con- view the deck as a control variant without insane value- we need our plagues to do the dirty work and close things out.

ALWAYS KEEP: Staff of the Primus, Runeforging, Distressed Kvaldir, Helya

Vs. CONTROL: Chillfallen Baron, Nerubian Vizier (also generally good keeps if it's non-aggro)

Vs. AGGRO: Plague Strike, Down with the Ship, possibly Tomb Traitor and/or Hardcore Cultist

Keep Smothering Starfish as needed, especially vs. Rogue, Druid, and Big Lock

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Replays (Updated 8/4)

Vs. Hound Hunter

Vs. Sif Burn Mage

Vs. Sif Burn Mage #2

Vs. Streamer Savjz (Another Burn Mage)

Vs. Big Warlock

Vs. Mech Rogue

Vs. Overload Shaman

Vs. Automaton Priest

Vs. Control Priest

Vs. Big Demon Hunter

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I hope you try my list out and have success with it, too!  Matchup Breakdowns at +50