Hearthpwn

Update 2/18: I've now hit 50+ wins. 

Proof: 

Hi, Hearthstoners, 

If you've played the "Lead from the Front" Tavern Brawl this week, you've discovered that the simple mechanic of your hero having taunt bends the game in some surprising new ways. 

My first impulse was to Warrior ("My face is going to hurt. Better make a lot of armor and have lots of charging and weapons.") 

Others seem to have gone with Priest (I'll heal my way out!) or hunter (Me hunter. Me face. Me like this brawl because no can block face.) 

After coming up with this deck, however, I would say (in the words of the great Judge John Hodgman): 

"ALL ANSWERS ARE WRONG!" 

What I think is happening is this: 

With the custom rule of giving heroes taunt, it has many people thinking 1) I've gotta buff my hero! and 2) Taunt is going to be awesome! 

So, here are some basic precepts you need to understand about this brawl that shake what's common knowledge in regular hearthstone. 

1) Taunt is trash. 

No, don't even try to argue about it. I know it seems like this would lend itself to a taunt-focused strategy, but it absolutely doesn't. 

Think about it critically. The primary purpose of taunt in regular hearthstone is to protect your hero from damage to face. In "Lead from the Front," though, that purpose is completely irrelevant, because your taunted hero can be hit with precisely the same ease as any of your taunt minions. 

What's more, even though the taunt keyword is trash in this brawl, you're still paying the mana cost for the keyword. 

In short, taunt minions provide no benefit and you will overpay on stats. 

Just say no. 

2) Don't play Mad Scientist. 

Again, this doesn't feel intuitive. Is not mad scientist the best minion to play with a secrets-heavy deck? 

But again, think it though. How does mad scientist typically activate himself to pull a secret? (Answer: By running into another minion)

But it just can't be counted on in this Brawl. Unless your opponent is playing taunts (which you can't count on as, see above, taunts are trash) you're just going to end up with an underpowered 2/2 for 2 because all those minions are hiding behind your hero.

Alternatively, you could plink your own mad scientist with spell or hero power. But then you're using up loads of mana just to get a secret played. When for the low, low price of just 3 mana (psst) you can play a secret. Really, our secrets in this deck are for countering actions the premise forces our opponent into and for activating the Flamewakers. 

3) Relax

The heroes have taunt, I get it.
So I can't really blame people for focusing on hitting face. But sometimes (I'd even go so far as to say "often") the correct play is to leave your minions where they are and let yer spells do the talking. This is especially true in the case of hunter secrets. If it would be a bad thing for all your minions to die to an explosive trap or your flamewaker to return to your hand, just stay where you are and keep playing spells and let Flamewakers plink. 

4) Control the board to damage face

But, wait, how is that possible? Our minions can't even trade on the board because the hero is taunting. 

Ah, young grasshopper, now you are asking the right questions. 

It's because in this brawl, the victory goes to those who best make use of AoE, hard removal spells and direct damage. 

By making use of these board clears and keeping the opponent's side squeaky clean, fireballs and explosions will be going off so fast they won't know what hit them. 

I've logged 21 wins so far with this deck in just one afternoon of play. 

How's it doing for you? Upvote this deck and I'll write up a full mulligan guide and strategy tips. 

Thanks! 

-AC