Hearthpwn

I never played Grim Patron on the ladder before the nerf and just saw a few lists after the nerf popping up. I was interested in how powerful this deck still could be and put together a own list. I let me inspire by other lists, but as a midrange player i tried to cut as much cute stuff as possible.

It was 2 days before end of season 19 when I put together this list for a few fun matches.
After creating this list I played 2 games in practice mode, but I faced Mill Druid and Mill Rouge, funny decks, but they don't give insight how powerful your deck is. Because i was already rank 5 (my goal every season) I had nothing to loose and jumped into rank mode.

And here we go I went up really fast and made a good use against the aggro infested meta at the end of the season.

Matchups:

Super good: +Secret Paladin

Good: +Druid (Aggro and midrange), Face Hunter,Midrange Paladin, Midrange Hunter, Zoolock

Even: Tempo Mage, -Shaman, -Dragon Priest, +Deathrattle Rouge

Unfavorable: , -Control Priest (*depends heavy on the list), +Handlock, Control Warrior

Bad: Freeze Mage/Fatigue Mage

- Matchups feel slightly worse in the tier
+matchups are slightly better in the tier

Inner Rage: Combo card that generates tempo. But it does really little on his own. Only 1 because card quality is more important in midrange then in a real combo deck.

Whirlwind: Important Combo card and Aoe clear at the same time. Useful against Muster and enemy board flood with low health minions.

Fiery War Axe: Best 2 mana removal in the game.

Battle Rage: Power card draw. Can be dead weight sometimes especially if you don't have a weapon early. Only 1 at the moment.

Slam: In a punch it's a 2 mana removal spell (especially against Knife Juggler). When not it's a cycler that helps you to kill enemy stuff more easy, or search for cards with acolyte.

Armorsmith: Pseudo taunt against aggro decks. When played latter on, he can generate really big amounts of armor. Converts Whirlwinds into armor.

Cruel Taskmaster: Inner Rage on a stick. Pings, buffs your own minions, helps BGH and all on a 2/2 body.

Unstable Ghoul: For me this is the anti aggro all star. Really strong against Shielded Minibot. Protection and activation in 1 card.

Acolyte of Pain: high priority target for enemies that don't rush you. At least cycles or eats silence. Can draw up to 3 cards.

Big Game Hunter: Another removal against MC and Dr. Boom. When u can use him generates massive tempo advantage. Can be comboed with Inner Rage effects.

Piloted Shredder: Sticky midrange meat. Silence bait for Belcher.

Death's Bite: Really strong stand alone card, but also combo enabler in this deck. Probably one of the most important cards to make this deck work.

Sludge Belcher: Survives Shredder, Protects, gives a body. Ground solid anti aggro tool.

Loatheb: I took out 1 Sludge for him. If you have problems against aggro decks, i wouldn't change it. Protection for Patron boards and Spell combos.

Grimm Patron: Combo card that is impossible for some decks to handle. If you can make him stick, you can ride him to victory.

Dr. Boom: Tempo swing at turn 7 or seal the deal when you already have the tempo.

Grommash Hellscream: Finisher. Helps to burst down Handlock. Can be removal+ threat the next turn if you are behind.

Kel'Thuzad: Generates a lock with a taunter, refresh a 1 health Patron. Generates massive CA if something is on the board. Whirlwind helps to kill your own stuff to generate even more stuff. Probably most cute card in this deck.

Thaurisan: This is not a combo deck. You don't have a big hand like Freeze mage or Handlock to make him work. You want the cards you play to generate tempo and not him to make cards tempofull.

Frothing Berserker: He is probably still interesting, but he doesn't have the midrange quality. He trades bad versus shredder and can be dealt with by other midrange or tempo decks easily.

Dread Corsair: Yes he is good if you have a weapon. He is free with Death's Bite and costs 1 mana with War Axe. But if you have a weapon, things are often going well and you don't need him. If you don't have a weapon, you need to play a minion to keep up tempo. Kind of win more.

Grommash Hellscream is your finisher. If you look for a replacement, you can try Ragnaros the Firelord but he doesn't have the synergy that Grommash has with the rest of your deck.

A replacement for Kel'Thuzad you look for a value card that amplifies your board presence. Stormwind Champion would be the cheapest. Sylvanas could also be part of the deck, but she works in another way then Kel or the Champion. Well if you consider this deck you have at least 4 naxx wings so Kel is only 700g away from you.

Dr Boom: Sylvanas, Stormwind Champion or Ragnaros. He is not super important for the deck synergy, but he is so strong on his own craft him AFAP (for other decks 2)

Druid: You mull for aggro Druid.
Most important: War Axe. You need to deal with the Aspirant. If you have it, feel free to keep a good curve, and other 2 drops.

Hunter: You mull for Face Hunter.
Most important: Armorsmith, Unstable Ghoul. Only keep 1 War Axe if you have it. Keep every smith and ghoul. Mull every other card. You can keep Bash if you have 2 smiths/ghouls to deal with Knife Juggler.

Priest: You mull for Dragon Priest.
Most important: War Axe. If you don't have the axe only keep 1 armor smith. If you have the axe, you can keep Acolyte and Bash or Ghoul.

Mage: You mull for tempo mage.
Most important: War Axe. Ghoul and Smith are nice to bait out removal. With Axe you can keep Acolyte and bash or Taskmaster to deal with 4 health minions (Firewaker).

Paladin: You mull for secret Paladin or Shockadin.
Most important: Unstable Ghoul. Keep War Axe and Smith, but Ghoul is the all star against paladin. Bash can be fine if you have Ghoul and Axe. Same with Acolyte.

Rouge: You mull for Deathrattle Rouge
Important: Armorsmith and War Axe. Generally a good curve is important. You need to make pressure against him while searching your combo cards.

Shaman: You mull for Bloodlust, Totem or Midrange shaman.
Most important: War Axe. It really important to have the axe so mull hard for it. Armorsmith can buy some time so with coin can keep him together with Death's bite.

Warlock: You mull for Zoo here.
Most important: War Axe. Unstable ghoul is not bad here, because he can deal nice with Haunted Creeper and imps from the gang boss. A fast hand is important.

Warrior: You don't mull for the mirror here -> CW is too common.
Probably the only matchup where War Axe is not important. You want armorsmith to bait out removal. Acolyte to draw cards and Shredder to pressure him. With a 1 attack minion you can keep Taskmaster to pressure him.

You need to be fast and don't be shy to use your activator to defend yourself. Even when your HP gives you 2 life, it's often not good to use it early. Try to set up Armorsmith behind taunts and use him together with whirlwind effects. You will clear his low health minions while healing at the same time. Don't look back and use Cruel Taskmaster and Inner Rage to kill of enemy minions, if you can't clear them with aoe.

They nearly always play explosive trap. You don't have to trigger it immediately, if it would kill taunter or Armorsmith. Try to trigger it with grim Patron on the board for a free 3/1 or with your weapon and no taunter on the board.

Changed 1 Sludge Belcher for Loatheb. Against slower decks i felt to defensive sometimes. He is more aggresive as a stand alone card and can protect patrons against spells or prevent combos.