Hearthpwn

Hello everyone!

I've always been fond of the idea of a Control Shaman, but it wasn't until GvG that I thought it could actually be a viable idea.

Whilst most Shaman decks are midrange, this deck relies on controlling the board and then overwhelming your opponent in the late game with big threats.

Spell Removal

Earth Shock: Damage and Silence in one card that can be used for either effect or both.

Rockbiter Weapon: A great pump that allows totems to remove nasty threats and your hero to remove early problems like Undertaker.

Crackle: Cheap and efficient spot removal. The randomness of the damage doesn't detract from the upside since between Spell Damage and hero power totems, you can usually deal with any result.

Hex: This card is broken, period. Since we aren't relying as much on burst finishers, the Frog's taunt is mostly irrelevant. Being able to neutralize any threat, including those with nasty deathrattles like Sylvanas Windrunner and Tirion Fordring for only 3 mana in frankly quite absurd, it would be foolish for any Shaman to not run 2 of this.

Lightning Storm: AoE that comes out early enough to prevent your health total from taking a walloping, and can even deal with Shade of Naxxramas.

Minion-based Removal

Zombie Chow: This card is yet another tool in your deck to deal with aggressive decks, I don't run 2 since healing your opponent for 10 is quite undesirable if they're drawn late.

Acidic Swamp Ooze: Cheap weapon removal that isn't a tempo loss against weaponless decks. At 2 mana, it also comes out early enough to nix weapons like Eaglehorn Bow and Truesilver Champion.

Flametongue Totem: This guys lets you make some absurdly good trade, especially with your hero power totems.

Fire Elemental: This card is the whole reason Shamans avoid overloading on turn 5. A 5 mana ceature with a Lightning Bolt built in for only 6 mana is amazing card and mana value.

The Black Knight: There are enough taunts in the metagame to warrent this guy's inclusion, since he generates so much value. It also removes the otherwise painful Arcane Nullifier X-21.

Dr. Boom: Not only is it difficult to efficiently remove this guy and his friends, the randomness of the Boom Bots means that your opponent can't really play around them easily. Random means it can also take care of Stealthed or otherwise untargetable minions.

The other cards

Bloodmage Thalnos: Guaranteed and cheap Spell Damage that cycles itself, no reason not to run this guy.

Vitality Totem: A 2 drop that gives you at least 7 life when you drop it and can wildly snowball is quite frankly amazing effective and versatile. This card can single=handedly win you fatigue wars if it's the last card you play.

Feral Spirit: A card efficient board bulider and game slower, this card is always relevant.

Defender of Argus: A taunt creator and trade enhancer, this guy fits right into this deck.

Antique Healbot: Sometimes you'll stabilize but be low enough on health to die to any topdecked reach, this gives you another heal to help avoid that.

Azure Drake: Card draw, Spell Damage, and a body. What's not to like?

Loatheb: Control Shaman is the control deck most vulnerable to sweepers, and Loatheb prevents sweepers and other combos for a turn. It's a great board protection tool.

Sylvanas Windrunner: If you're going to be a control deck, you need something to fight other control decks. Enter Sylvanas, Mind Control with a body and a discount, all for a delay which we're certainly fine with.

Neptulon: Not from deck draw that all synergizes with each other? Hell yeah! This card lets you catch up if behind on cards without bringing you closer to fatigue, and even lets you become aggressive for a turn or 2.

Al'Akir the Windlord: This guy is to Shaman what Grommash Hellscream is to Warrior. Can be used for removal if you're behind, or a finisher if you're reaching for lethal.

Cards that didn't make it

Mana Tide Totem: With a more topheavy curve, card draw isn't as necessary, especially with the addition of Neptulon. This card just ends up cycling more often than not.

Reincarnate: Not enough combos to make it consistent, albeit in a future iteration (after some more expansions) it might be key card.

Sideboard

Ragnaros the Firelord > Dr. Boom.

This substitution is best against control matchups as it can deal with big threats for you, as well as break down their life total.

How to play this deck

Keep the opponent's board clear, and then overwhelm them with big taunts. Properly ascertaining what is in your opponent's deck is of critical importance, you'd better not waste a hex on a Siege Engine when Sylvanas Windrunner is about to be dropped.

Good luck and have fun! I'll update this deck as I find improvements!