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Meta-defensive Reno Dragon Druid (61% WR)

  • Last updated Oct 1, 2016 (Karazhan)
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Wild

  • 22 Minions
  • 8 Spells
  • Deck Type: Ranked Deck
  • Deck Archetype: Unknown
  • Crafting Cost: 11640
  • Dust Needed: Loading Collection
  • Created: 6/9/2016 (Old Gods)
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  • Battle Tag:

    DarkDenius#2997

  • Region:

    EU

  • Total Deck Rating

    58

View 23 other Decks by DarkDenius
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Are you fed up of constantly losing to Aggro shamans, Zoo warlocks, Worgen Warriors? Do you want to beat that aggressive shit up? Have you ever wondered how Dragon Druid would look like? Or how would Reno Dragon druid would? Do these words seem like a joke for you? Not anymore.

I present you my own Reno Drake druid, which proved itself being viable now. Overall it's a good and interesting deck to play with, but the best matchups are announced ones. It generally constantly goes on 61% winrate, which you can find in a spoiler listed below.

If you still like playing Dragon Decks, you may want to give it a shot.

This deck is costly, but gives you entertainment and efficiency.


 

Update Note: I decided to swap Rend Blackhand for Ragnaros the Firelord, because 'm facing more and more aggro/midrange decks, so they have barely a 1 legendary. If you feel that you face a lot of heavy control decks, you may swap back to Rend. At your own glance.


 

*WILL BE EDITED LATER. TIME'S OUT*

If this deck recieves 5 likes, i will make an in-depth guide on why i use crtain cards and when to play stuff. 

If this deck recieves 10 likes, i will make mulligan guide and matchup strategies.

If this deck recieves 15 likes, i will post videos of gameplay with this deck.


 

Winrate tracking: I decided to make statistics of my gameplay with this deck. Keep in mind that it may be different from yours because of starting hand, topdecks, lucky rng and so on. here is the results of me facing different decks:

 (W-L) Overall: 61%. Games tracked: 61. NOTE: Will be updated further. If you dont know how to beat different matchups, just get the freaking 10th like on this deck, damn it.

  • Aggro shaman: 3-1(Taunted Ysera makes this match Ysey. Hex are gone anyway on your smaller drakes. Reno + Dream FTW)
  • midrange hunter: 3-3
  • face hunter: 3-3
  • Cthun Druid: 4-0
  • Zoolock: 5-3(Doesnt like your taunts and clears.)
  • Control paladin: 0-1
  • Worgen Warrior: 4-0(You DO want to match against every single OTK-warrior.)
  • Tempomage: 2-8(Not enough removals for his threats. Freaking secrets. Insane 6 drops.)
  • Secret mage(LOL): 0-1
  • Control warrior: 2-0
  • Drgonpriest: 1-1
  • Renounce warlock: 1-0
  • monkey midrange shaman: 1-0
  • Dragon Warrior: 1-1
  • Monkey Reno Mage: 1-1
  • dragon paladin: 1-0
  • midrange shaman: 1-0
  • renolock: 1-0
  • cthun-warrior: 1-2
  • nzoth-paladin: 0-1
  • Mill rogue: 1-0(was lucky to get double reno with alex on his face) 
  • C'Thun-renolock: 2-0
  • miracle rogue: 1-1
  • n'zoth rogue: 1-0
  • Control Priest: 2-0

 


General Mulligan:

Mulligan is an important part of this deck, as it takes some knowledge about which cards should be dropped.

General cards to keep (No Coin):(Priority, which determines your winning chance)

  1. Reno Jackson
  2. Doomsayer
  3. Innervate
  4. Wrath
  5. Swipe or Starfall(not both). Zoo requres 1st, shaman - 2nd
  6. Faerie Dragon
  7. Acidic Swamp Ooze
  8. Blackwing Technician
  9. Brann Bronzebeard
  10. Twilight Drake
  11. Twilight Guardian

Cards to keep(WithThe Coin or Wild Growth):(Additionally to above ones)

  • Blackwing Corruptor 
  • Druid of the Claw
  • Nourish(use ramp if you have good 7-8 drop or Justicar Trueheart, otherwise prefer drawing, if you have really bad hand at the moment. Look on your curve.)
  • The cool thing is double drops. Like 2 and 2, 3 and 3, 4and 4, 5 and 5. Coin here is awesome. You may keep double 5 drop, if you have 2 or 3 mana cards. Always look on curve.

.Other cards can be dropped in general matchups.

 

Specified Mulligun & Matchup strategies:

  • Worgen Warrior: Surprisingly one of the easiest and most intersting matchups as it turned out to be. You basically run draw race with your opponent. Mulligan is not very different: The only difference is you should keep ChillmawDruid of the ClawTwilight Guardian if you get it. If you get all 3 - drop Claw guy, but not Chilly. This is your saviour. Also it is important to find Naturalize or Starfall for his Emperor. It will be very good if you get good curve out minions, as our main goal is to bait his executes on NON-TAUNT(!) minions. Dont be greedy. If you can drop heavy minions and he didnt spend execute - do it, but dont drop taunts, i dare you. So basically. before he drops Emperor Thaurissan, you have to bait his Executions and find at least 2 taunts. Pressuring him on board is also good, because you can try to push for lethal. But make sure you do have taunt. The best ones are Chillmaw and Ancient of War, Defender of Argus. If you got them - it's 90% autowin. So drop other minions, find your taunts, remove his crap. The most deadly situation is when he finally drops Emperor Thaurissan, because it means he's ready to kill you. it should be after turn 9, not earlier, so you should get rid of Emperor and drop your taunt. Pay attention on his removals. He can't pas taunt AND kill you in 1 turn, as he is limited in mana. Drop Chillmaw if you are sure he spent his Fiery War Axe and both Executes, as this minion is the game winning. Whenhe does his combo, Chilly's deathrattle kills copied Worgen, first dies to hit into it. Ancient of War is worse in this case, as if he manages to get his Worgens on 10+ attack, he can kill you, if you have less than 33 life(armor from hero power), but it has never occured yet. So that's basically it. We usually come to around 10-6 cards in my deck before he finds combo, so you have 60-80% chance to find taunts for After'Emperor stage. By the way, Reno Jackson is not very important in this matchup, as he won't be very aggressive, but may be nessessary anyway. You can drop him from starting hand. In 4 matches i used him once, when Warrior dropped his combo, but couldnt kill me s it was too early.
  • Zoolock: Zoo is harder matchup, but still pretty easy, if you find some cards. Mulligan is easy: always keep early game minions, Swipe or/and Starfall. If you get Reno Jackson - be greedy with mass removals, as he can kill you with buffs and Power overwhelmings. Always count on that. Taunts are great in this matchup, as they block several minions, clearing his board. So everything depens on your starting hand. Try to find early removals, board clears and early minions. Most of the time we go to stabilising on board, always clearing every single minion if we can. Even if it takes to hit with 5-6 damage into 1/1 - do it, unless it kills your heavy. So there's nothing else to say, everything depends on your draws and his start. Usually it's fine.
  • Midrange/Face Hunter: Tough Matchup, because you can stabilise in early stage but can get rekt later with Savannah HighmaneCall of the WildHoundmaster with no The Black Knight in hand. Mulligan is similiar to general matchups. Drop Doomsayer in early game, if he drops Fiery Bat, 2 drops or Animal Companion, if you got one. In later game you can drop it behind a taunt, if he has threats on board, so never mind if you clear his board for the price of yours, as his potential minions are scarier. On the empty board try to drop something heavy. he has only 1 Deadly Shot. if he drops Savannah Highmane, the best answer is ChillmawAncient of WarSylvanas Wndrunner. Against Call of the Wild it works as well, but Sylvannas is not that great, taunts are cooler. Swipe or Starfall work too. So win condition is having healings, taunts and answers for his most threatning stuff. Ramping with Innervate or Wild Growth gives you a lot better flavour in mathup, if you have good cards followed by it.
  • Aggro/Midrange Shaman: In this matchup only your beginning hand matters. If you get removals, early minions and board clears - consider yourself a winner. Even if he has perfect starts, but you do as well - you still have a chance of victory. You may remain 5 mana cards even with no The Coin,(not Nourish, though.) as it may give you back your tempo. Acidic Swamp Ooze is insane card if you get him early, wait for his weapon. A good thing to keep is Naturalize for his Flamewreathed Faceless, as it only takes you 1 mana, which means you can drop anything else. Alesxtrasza is often dropped offensively after his board is done, and defensively if you have no other healing and he's about to kill you. at least it buys you 1 turn.
  • C'Thun decks: Tough matchup in general. Muligun is pretty the same as always.  Against druid it should be fine, but warrior may take you down, if you have no answers. If you face a lot of C'Thun decks, swap Ragnaros the Firelord with Rend Blackhand as immediate answer to The Old God. Ragnaros the Firelord may give you nothing but few shots, and definitely weakier against the boss himsef. Priests are same as druids. Generally fine, but you still can lose due to bad hand or early found Old God with no answers from your hand. The greatest win condition is Sylvanas Windrunner+Naturalize against his C'Thun. This may jsut win on a spot, because he most likely to spend removals earlier. Or you may just in on a board by a lot and just use Alexstrasza for great lethal push.
  • N'Zoth, the Corruptor decks: Very hard mathups. Double Sylvanas Windrunner just screws ou over. Only board control + offensive Alexstrasza may give you a chance, or his bad hand. Otherwise it's like Freeze-mage against C'Thun-Warrior. Only one chance is if you steal one of the coolest deathrattle minions like Sylvanas Windrunner/Tirion Fordring with yours. Or if you have very good early game and kill him before he finds N'Zotty. Or if you manage to somehow hide Doomsayer behind a taunt or give it to his board with his Sylvanas Windrunner, so it clears after the Old God was played. No specific mulligun.
  • Tempomage: Your worst nightmare. You can't win against it. I dont know the strategy for the deck to play against tempomages. His secrets and insane cards just give you no chance. Autoconceede matchup.

 

 

Card Explanation & Substitution(Why I use these funky cards? Can i change it?)

NOTE: If you change the card list posted here, keep in mind that it may make this deck worse. I posted somewhat suggesting substitutions, it doesnt mean it will work exactly as same as with cards being swapped, so if you changed cards and it goes bad, dont blame this deck.

  1. Naturalize: This card is used for combo with Sylvanas Windrunner mostly, to perform 7 mana random Mind Control for a huge or useful enemy minion. Another reason i run it is going into fatigue, hich seem to come pretty often with control decks. You get them 2 turns closer to fatigue death for 1 mana and also remove their minion. Also it may be used as mill option if your opponent does greedy draws. So many options for 1 card. It is used as a removal in mid game only if you have no Sylvanas play or something is really threatning in exact situation. SUB: Mulch(Kinda poor, you just randomly change current minion)
  2. Healing Touch: It is important to have healing in mid or late game to live before Reno Jackson turn. Also it is used to heal huge taunts to sustain more enemy minions. You have other means of dealing direct damage rather than Feral Rage. If you really consider that card better, feel free to use it. I'm fine with my choice. SUB: Feral Rage(at your own consideration)
  3. Nourish: Your only massive card draw, or turn 3 play with Innervate or 2 with The Coin to overcloak for your heavier minions. SUB: Bloodmage Thalnos(goes well with spells in deck for the price of even worse draw), Acolyte of Pain(Lesser mana worse draw. Sometimes pays off).
  4. Starfall: anti-zoo tech to get rid of their weak minions or threatning 5 or less health ones(Darkshire Counsilman, Emperor Thaurissan, Sylvanas Windrunner, Savannah Highmane, etc). SUB: Baron Geddon(Slow), Bloodmage Thalnos(empowering Swipe + card draw), Feral Rage(additional protection or removal)
  5. Ancient of War: Great taunt card. You need taunts to stay alive and find Reno. SUB: Dark Arakkoa(Huge Taunt), Bog CreeperFen Creeperthe Cheapest but the worst option)
  6. Acidic Swamp Ooze: Anti weapon tech. used in mid game alongside with other card to get tempo. 2 mana weapon removal + spare mana board presense. SUB: Harrison Jones. It may be a very good solution in terms of poor overall draw of this deck. But in late game it may put you closer to fatigue or even overdraw you to lose very useful cards. It's fine if you win the game with that measure.
  7. Faerie Dragon: Just  dragon, activates other cards. Don't play it past turn 2-3 if you have no dragons in hand, keep it untill you draw at least 2. In late game just keep that card untill all dragon-requiring cards are played. Good against priest(not cthun), mage, rogue, since it can't be killed with spells  and can trade with other 1-3 drops. SUB: Acolyte of Pain (Better card draw for the cost of less dragon amount), Bloodmage Thalnos(Alredy explained above), Deathwing(Worse early game for the late game option to come back. Doubtful replacement, but why not. Not recommended, unless you just want to play Deathwing), Darnassus Aspirant(temporal mana boost)
  8. Doomsayer: Great early game control card, screws upyour opponent's board bulding, allows you to drop powerful minions on empty board. Especially good before heavy dragon drops. At least, it forces your opponent to waste 7+ damage into it or a removal to keep his board. SUB: Deathwing(Explained above), Acolyte of Pain(You change board contorl into draw. Very poor option, but affordable, if you have no Doomsayers), Living Roots(worse early game play)
  9. Brann Bronzebeard: Just because this deck runs several battlecries. Also distracts your opponent. Best case scenario is he, followed by Twilight Drake,  Defender of ArgusAzure Drake or Drakonid CrusherSUB: Acolyte of PainBloodmage ThalnosDarnassus Aspirant
  10. Defender of Argus: You have plenty of mid and late game minions, so you can taunt them up to protect you r hairy face from these pesky shamans or huntards. Also allows you to trade a bit more flexibly. Never keep it in starting hand. SUB: Starfury protector, Sen'jin ShieldmastaDark Arakkoa(slow), Feral Rage.
  11. Twilight Drake: Your early game. Also a dragon activator, moreover, lategame sitting duck in your hand just for other synergies. Goes well with Brann BronzebeardSUB: Maybe drawing cards. Or other contrlo means. But this dragon is cool here.
  12. Twilight Guardian: Cool dragon-taunt. Good early game. SUB: Sen'jin Shieldmasta
  13. Drakonid Crusher: I started using this card long before the popularity appearance of Dragon Warrior. I saw this card's potential. 6/6 for 6, dragon. Sometimes 9/9 to squish your opponent. Good Brann Bronzebeard combo piece. Good drop after Alexstrasza were offensively deployed. SUB: Dark ArakkoaDeathwing, maybe Scaled Nightmare(Have never tried it, report back to me if it's working in any way). If it get's killed or rooten out, your other heavies won't. 
  14. Justicar Trueheart: Your healing and controlling card. You basically own Armor Up + targeted Steady Shot for 2 mana. In late game, if you go face with it, it makes 4hp difference with your opponent. Great in close to fatigue stage. Also a clunky way of healing and hostile hero power counter. SUB: Dark ArakkoaCult ApothecaryFeral Rage.
  15. Sylvanas Windrunner: Great control measure, especially with Naturalize. Helps against C'Thundecks to interrupt them from playing turn 10 The Old God. SUB: DeathwingDark ArakkoaRagnaros the Firelord.
  16. The Black Knight: Great card. Deals with a lot of common taunts. Finds a target in 80% matchups. Good tempo swing agaisnt heavy taunts. SUB: DeathwingDark ArakkoaRagnaros the Firelord
  17. Chillmaw: Helps to deal with aggro and zoo decks. Clears table, deals massive damage to a huge minion. 6 + 3 damage. 9. You can finish it off with a direct damage stuff. SUB: Dark ArakkoaFen CreeperSen'jin ShieldmastaDeathwing.
  18. Rend Blackhand: Your control and anti-C'Thun measure. Kills threatning stuff right away, while dropping high damage minion. SUB: Ragnaros the FirelordDeathwingMulch
  19. Chromaggus: Threat + possible card draw. May duplicate very cool and useful cards.SUB: NefarianOnyxia.
  20. Ysera: Insane and hardly replaceble. Great body, trades with stuff, can be taunted, gives Dream for Reno or other battlecries returnings. SUB: Deathwing, Dragonlord, DeathwingNefarian. NOT recommended to swap for any of these.
  21. Alexstrasza. Your lategame threat. Allows to heal or push for lethal. SUB: Deathwing, Dragonlord, DeathwingNefarian, Ragnaros the Firelord,maybe Cennarius as protection/ board empowering.