Hearthpwn

Hello! I reached Legend with control Blood DK yesterday (24/09/2023). I have been playing LOTS of Death Knight decks over the last 2 months, shuffling between Unholy, Frost, Rainbow and Plague DK but as most know these decks have fallen behind the meta, so I decided to experiment with Blood DK. This deck and playstyle disrupts the current control meta (warlock and warriors) and is solid against against hunters, priests and paladins.

https://imgur.com/a/iO5HizU

The deck is an underdog in the current meta. According to HSreplay, the Blood DK archetype has a win rate on 46% within Diamond throgh Legend.

How to play the deck in the current meta:

Aggro (General strategy): the deck should be considered a "standard" tanky control deck against all aggro decks. You'll lose if you don't have your early board clear, so your overall performance against aggro is average and is generally dependent drawing Asphyxiate, Bloodboil and Hematurge.

Control (General strategy): You have two win conditions: 1) Erasing the opponent's essential cards with Dirty Rat, Patchwerk (can be copied up to four times), Theotar, the Mad Duke or overdraw. 2) Classic Defensive Blood DK play with Mograine (can be copied) as a long game finisher.

Adaptive gameplay (Card discovery): The deck itself can only take you so far. Like other decks, this deck has a steep learning curve and you have to adapt your game and choose the correct cards when discovering. You can discover cards with: Hematurge, Nerubian Vizier, School Teacher, The Primus, Prison of Yogg Saron (pure rng). Sir finley plays a large role if you can't find your Dirty Rats or Patchwerk when you need them. 

Warrior: Do whatever you can to bait out his Odyn. Secondary baits: Ignis, The Eternal Flame or Titan. You can also steal his Ignis weapon with Theo. 

Early Game (or until he gets Odyn down) - bait, bait bait! Time your baits especially when he draws many cards/minions with Riffs and use Dirty Rat/Patchwerk to remove the card's battlecry. But never hold on to your Dirty Rats/Patchwerk before Odyn has been dropped.

Odyn baits are insta concede and is a 100% win.

Late Game (Post Odyn) is completly dependent on how much pressure you can put on to him. It's a 60/40 match up in his favour.

Warlock: There are lots of Warlock variants right now, but what they all have in common is that they have one of the best card in the meta - their titan. Like with warrior, use the same tactics to bait his titan out. You can use the tech card Steam Clean in ETC's band to counter Symphony.

Sargeras baits are insta concede and is a 100% win.

Late Game (Post Sargeras) is completly dependent on how much pressure you can put on to him. It's a 50/50 match up. Alexandros Mograine is way more potent against Warlocks late game than he is against Warriors.

Hunter: Mulligan Armor Vendor, Body Bagger, Chillfallen Baron. Farm corpses and heal yourself with Vampiric Blood. Trade at all costs and try to bait his ZOMBIE!!! Secret with Gnome Muncher to heal your self. 60/40 match up in the hunters favour.

Death Knight (Plague): Follow a control-like strategy. Hold on to Steamcleaner until he drops Helya.

 

Tech Cards: Rustrot Viper (ETC Sideboard), Steamcleaner (ETC Sideboard), Zola the Gorgon, Theotar, the Mad Duke (ETC Sideboard), Smothering Starfish

Rustrot - clear out any weapons. Great to roll out against classes that are heavily reliant on Ignis' weapon (warriors).

Steamcleaner - counters Warlocks Symphony, Plague Death Knights and all Rivendare builts (Often ran by Paladins, Warlocks and Priests).

Zola the Gorgon - this card simply amplifies your strategy. You can copy patchwerk to remove more minions from your opponents (and thus snipe essential cards!), mograine (6 damage per round), Chillfallen Baron (for excessive card draw) or Gnome Muncher. 

Theotar, the Mad Duke - great card to use if you are 90% sure your opponent has received one of his essential cards. You can steal Sister Svalnas permanent spell or an Ignis Weapon from a warrior. He is also a part of this deck's theme of "removing" essential cards from your opponent.