Hearthpwn

Hello everyone. I am a dedicated player in Hearthstone, and I reached legend for the first time this season. I used this deck, and this deck only, to go from rank 8 to legend.

I thought I could share my thought process on the deck, the matchups, the mulligan, and so on. This is my first time writing a guide, and English is not my native language, I hope there will not be too many mistakes! :-)

 

The Cards

x2 Equality: Well, this card is a staple. It can completely change the tides of a game, the well known combos (Wild Pyromancer + Equality and Equality + Consecration) may make you come back from a desperate situation. It also synergises very well with your tokens, which are more numerous than ever with Muster for Battle.

x2 Holy Light: I at first put none, but the increasing number of huntards (and by tards, I mean the decks with wolfrider and arcane golem) obliged me to put two of them. They made me win several games. It can also combo with the Wild Pyromancer. It is not only useful against hunters, in severall matchups (Zoo or Mage for instance) you will need this extra health, not caring about the card advantage that you naturally have against aggros.

x1 Ironbeak Owl: This cute one is really necessary against control (Sylvanas Windrunner, Twilight Drake...), and may help you to temporize against aggros (silencing a Nerubian Egg, or a threatening Undertaker, does have an impact on the game).

x2 Shielded Minibot: Ladies and gentlemen, behold one of the smartest card of the whole expansion. This card in itself makes the paladin control extremely viable against aggros. Having it on turn 2 is a real pain in the *** for your opponent. There is no doubt about it, you have to put it in two copies in your deck.

x1 Wild Pyromancer: This card is mainly here for the combo with Equality, but can also do a great job comboed with Consecration (to clean a Haunted Creeper for example) and the two Holy Light. Running two was a staple in the pre-GvG Meta, but thanks to the new early board control possibilities it is not necessary, and might even be a dead card in your hand.

x2 Muster for Battle: Before the release, I thought this card was below-average. How wrong was I. This card is seriously insane: the Light's Justice is actually extremely useful against aggros, and because of Quartermaster people will go insane to try to clean your actually weas board. How many times have I seen shadowmadness or shadowflame being used even though I did not have quartermaster in hand. This card does not need Quartermaster to be good, simply three 1/1 is annoying in the early game. This card is awesome, craft it if you don't have it.

x2 Aldor Peacekeeper: You have never seen a competitive Paladin not running two of those. Not only they weaken strong monsters, they give you a huge tempo against aggro: you must not hesitate to use it against a Flame Imp at turn 3: you get a 3/3 on the board, he loses damage and board presence.

x1Big Game Hunter: You MUST have one in your deck. With all the Dr.Boom, Ragnaros and handlocks chilling around, your deck is weaker if you don't have it. Consider running two of these if you face too many control decks.

x1 Scarlet Purifier: I would not say you must use this card in your deck. It can be very nice, but in many matchups it will just be a 4/3 for 3. I use it because of the hunters, you might use something else according to the meta in your rank!

x2 Truesilver Champion and x2 Consecration: Do I really need to explain why I use these two amazing cards? :)

x2 Piloted Shredder: It is an amazing card by itself with awesome value, and gives you a great tempo: it is too good not be used in a control deck.

x1 Quartermaster: So this one was a tough choice, as to put one or two copy in the deck. Sure, this can be an amazing card; but when I ran two of them, I often happened to have one dead in my end that had no use at all. The deck does not rely on this card, it is not a win-condition, and people are so paranoid that you will rarely have more than 2 silver hand recruits on the board. Sure, there is the combo at turn 8, but you will be able to pull it once, not twice. Feel free to discuss this choice in the commentary section!

x2 Sludge Belcher: A must-have in control decks, it sticks to the board so much!

Sylvanas Windrunner: I don't think I have to explain the awesomness of this card: amazing against every deck, just make sure to play it well, do not play it on a turn where your fate depends on it when your opponent is very likely to have a silence. Sometimes, you can play her to just bait a silence for your incoming Tyrion Fordring.

Dr. Boom: It is surely the best legendary of GvG: insane value, insane damage, so threatening, baits the BGH but still has an impact on the board.. Incredible card that is indispensable.

x1 Guardian of Kings: I at first did not put any in my deck, but I really noticed I lacked of late-game healing, so this card naturally came and did its job during all the games I used it. You can replace it by a shiny legendary if you wish, like Sneed's Old Shredder, but beware of the aggros decks.

Troggzor the Earthinator: To my mind one of the best legendary in the game. Put on an empty board, this card is insane. I already saw rogues or mage instantly giving up when I summoned this minion. May bait a silence too.

x1 Lay on Hands: A staple in paladin control, and actually the only card draw mechanic of the deck. You may, if you really want more draw, put another one, but I do not recommend it.

Ragnaros the Firelord: The badass of the badass! It is too RNG-based, but this card is simply outstanding when you want to deal more damage (against handlock for instance) or simply put a fatty on the board when you already have a little advantage. I didn't run it in the beginning, it is dispensable, but what a damn great card.

Tirion Fordring: Should I present one of the best class-legendary? When you managed to bait silence or huge removal like Polymorph or Hex, you can get an insane value out of this card. On a side note, do not play this against Priest, unless you have the edge on your opponent.. If you do not have it mind controlled, the Shadow Word: Death + Harrison Jones is going to hurt you too much, and might cost you the game.

 

The Matchups

Druid:  This is a tough matchup. Very often the Druid will be able to set up for the wombo combo (Force of Nature + Savage Roar). I would say it's a 50/50 one, where you have to be very careful of your hp: try to stay over 20. Mulligan for early game cards and also Aldor Peacekeeper, to nullify the inervated big minions. Do not place your hope on Muster for Battle followed the next turn by QuarterMaster: Swipe is too dangerous.

Hunter: Mind the tards! With my versions, inluding 4 healing spells or minions, you should not be having too many trouble. If you manage to have shielded minibot, muster for battle, consecration and Scarlet Purifier at the beginning, you just win the game. I faced 5 hunters in a row at rank 1, and won 4 times (lost against the Legend Rank 3...). You need to understand that you can make unefficient trade, not so cool moves (such as hitting a 2/1 with your truesilver), you even have to, in order to stay high in hp. Do not go over confident and flood your board and do not play muster for battle in the late game (Unleash the Hounds is too dangerous). You may mulligan for cards such as lay on hands or holy light, but beware that even though healing is nice, you will not go anywhere if you let the hunter get the initiative during the whole game.

Mage:  (Mecha-Mage) I love this matchup. You have healing, huge board clear combos, and chances to have early board presence. Everything a mecamage hates. Do not allow the Snowchugger to live more than one turn, you will really regret it if you do.               (Mage Secret) I only faced one Mage Secret, and got destroyed. The Mirror Entity, the duplicated Water Elemental, the aoe, the Polymorph, everything is made to counter you. Fortunately you will barely find any in the current meta.

Paladin: I did not face many Paladin, but won all the games against them. You mill most likely stand against a control Pally, the same gameplay as you, so... just be more skilled! You know his weapons as they are also yours, play around that.

Priest: I hate them. I managed to do 50/50 against this class, but how tough it is! I removed Cairne Bloodhoof from my deck, because the Shrinkmeister + Cabal Shadow Priest combo was too painful. You have to beware about the healing possibilities (e.g do not play your hero power when there is a cleric on the board. This is obvious, but you have to apply this for each of your card). Do not use your equality combo too quickly. Do not put your huge minions when a Mind Control has not been used yet. Mind Harrison Jones. Do not get to confident with the Muster/Quartermaster combo and get crushed by Auchenai Soulpriest/Circle of Healing combo. A lot of things to beware of, eh?

Rogue:I only faced three Rogues during my whole journey to Legend, and won the three games. They do not stand a chance against your healing and your high-value minions. But I might be wrong, as I really did not face enough of them.

Shaman: I battled 6 Shaman, and did not lose a single game. I can't seem to be really able to explain why, but the games were surpringly easy. Consecration and the early board presence that did not exist before GvG might explain this one-sided matchup.

Warlock:(Zoo) I surprinsgly am happy when I face a zoo. Have Shielded minibot and Consecration, you kind of win the game. I must be around 90/10 against them. As aforementionned, do not hesitate to play cards such as Aldor Peacekeeper for almost nothing but tempo, because once you went through the early game and are not being overwhelmed you defeated the Zoo.        (Handlock) An extremely favourable matchup. Make sure you do not rush the Equality combos, do not hit your opponent's face anymore when he is at around 16 hp, always know there is a shadowflame incoming. Handlocks generally have a BGH and two Owl, remember that when playing your huge legendaries.

Warrior: All Warriors you will face are Control Warriors. And that is a hell of a matchup. It is crucial to play around Brawl and Whirlwind when spamming your board. Beware of the Acolyte of Pain who LOVES your hero power. Keep your silence for sylvanas and nothing else. You also should not use your BGH against Dr.Boom, as Ragnaros and enraged Grommash are far more dangerous. Try to keep your Equality-Pyro combo for the best moment, albeit it is very hard since they usually play one fatty at a time, contrary to Handlock.

 

I hope you enjoyed this guide, and if you have any question, feel free to ask in the commentary secton, or add me in-game:

Magicguy#2527