Hearthpwn

As i just started appearing in Hearthpwn front page's "top decks", i wanted to thank you all. I'm really amazed by your support and still can't believe the success this deck has had in just three days. I hope it'll be able to bring you far, you deserve it. Well, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

June 15 Started the Stream ! You can find it here  ( EDIT Well in fact it doesn't work so i'll be switching to a you tube channel)

 Aggro Ice Queen 

( Winrate in current meta : 70% ) 

 

 You can find my Hearth stats data by clicking somewhere over here ! I'm updating it play by play so it's changing everyday. 

STREAM

Hey ! I started a stream ;p there's also videos for those who missed them just click anywhere and you'll be redirected to it, how cool ! ( Doesn't work ) 

Introduction 

In Hearthstone and all video games i've ever played, i have always been fascinated by Mages and their spells. I have played the game for 6 weeks, alternating between aggro and control Mage and as i recently hit legend on the EU server, i believe it is the time to share the deck that had brought me from rank 5 to the summit in 3 days. An extremely cheap Aggro mage deck which is just as strong. I have tried many variations, with more legendaries, less early game, with even more aggressive cards, and well, this is my favorite one. Mage are a rare specie on the high ladder as it's considered a weak class, and that's good news for us, nobody expecting us, nobody knows how to play against us... Take them by surprise and let's take over the legend ladder ! 

Game-Winning Early combos 

Here's a few early game combos you can play if you get good hands, believe me, most of the time, if you manage to play any of the last two combos, a win is often inevitable. 

Mana Wyrm + coined Mirror Image for a protected turn 1 3/3 or a Arcane Missiles if he played a creature. If the Wyrm doesn't die, it's often a win.

Knife Juggler [/card] (+ coin ) + [card]Mirror Image = 2 damages ( often killing his 1 or 2 turn drop ) 

Mana Wyrm + Sorcerer's Apprentice ( + coin) + low cost spells = (High number)/3 Mana Wyrm attacking. That can make you win the game, it once let me deal 17 damage by turn 2. 

Turn 4(coin)-5 Knife Juggler x2 + Mirror Image x2 : 8 damage ! If you manage to put that up, you nearly won the game. 

Spell Damage reminder 

A quick reminder about each combination of spell raw damage. It's quite important to know when the opponent has got into lethal range and what combination of cards exist to finish him. This isn't Zoo/Shockadin, the game isn't lost if he has taunts and more than 15-20 HP but to win that way, it's important to keep check on your spells. ( Leper gnome isn't a spell but it's still a 1 mana, 2 damage ! Don't forget that ! ). Every damage i put up here is Raw, remember you have 3 cards that can increase your spellpower and 2 that can reduce their cost ! Once managed to send a barrage of +3 spellpower spells, believe me, the shaman i played against is still traumatised. 

• Frostbolt ( 2 mana ) - Freezing 3 raw damage 
• Fireball ( 4 mana ) - 6 raw damage
• Frostbolt + Ice Lance ( 3 mana )- Freezing 7 raw damage
• Frostbolt + Ice Lance x2 ( 4 mana ) - Freezing 11 raw damage
• Frostboltx2 + Ice Lance ( 5 mana ) - Freezing 10 raw damage
• Frostboltx2 + Ice Lance x2 ( 6 mana ) - Freezing 14 raw damage
• Frostboltx2 + Ice Lance x2 + Fireball - ( 10 mana ) 20 raw damage
• Sorcerer's Apprentice + Frostboltx2 + Ice Lance x2 + Fireballx2 - ( 10 mana ) 26 raw damage
• Mage OTK - Sorcerer's Apprenticex2 + Thalnos + Frostboltx2 + Ice Lance x2 + Fireballx2 ( 10 mana ) - tremendous 32 boosted damage. I believe the opponent just died. Don't you think so ?

The Cards

Mage Cards

Arcane Missiles - You can loathe it because of it's RNG part but i believe this is a very strong card. Against all low-minions aggro decks it is the perfect card that often wins you the game. Against Control, it can either add the extra damage needed to kill of a taunt, either go straight to the face which is still 3 damage for 1 mana. Remember a 2 life minion has a 50% of being killed by it. 

Ice Lance - The weak looking powerful card that makes Aggro mage decks possible. It can be used to delay giants a turn to finish with other spells the next turn or it can be used together with a Frostbolt or Water Elemental for a 1 mana 4 damages to the face. Even better value if you boost it with Thalnos or reduce it's cost to 0 with a Sorcerer's Apprentice. 

Mana Wyrm - Mana Wyrm is so strong for a 1 mana card it's frightening, mulligan for it in all match ups. It has an insane value if you use it with "the coin" and protect it behind mirror mages. I can't count how many rage quits i faced by making that card a 6/3. I believe it's one of my favourite Mage cards and it always make the opponent panic ( he'll often use a huge removal card to get rid of it ) 

Mirror Image - Mirror image could be found as strange in an Aggro deck because of it's control dimensio. In fact, it's a multipurpose card that has many utilities, play it to protect your turn 1 Mana Wyrm, your army of low HP minions or even delay the enemy while you prepare a barrage of spell, it's good in nearly all situations ! 

Frostbolt - The door to Ice Lance, and one of your powerful burst cards. Try not to run out of it before launching all your Ice Lance as they'll often become a dead card then. Use it on minions only in last resource. It's a card you should keep till lethal if possible or if you can drop Thalnos and Ice Lance with it. 

Sorcerer's Apprentice - This card is perfect for many combos. It can get high value depending on the spells you have in hand. A good synergy with Mana Wyrm ( my record is 20 damage and a 7/3 Wyrm by turn 2 ). A part of the OTK too. It's ok to use it turn 2 without spells if you don't have any other 2 mana cards in hand, it doesn't exist for spells, it's just makes them easier to play while putting a confident 3/2 vanilla body on board. 

Arcane Intellect - I guess one of the weaknesses of the Aggro Mage deck is it's weak draw power. Arcane Intellect is the only mage card that can make you draw, 2 cards for 3 mana is not so good but it's always a good late game card when you ain't worrying much about mana as, with a bit of luck, you can always get the fireball you need to finish your opponent. 

Fireball - What can i say ? When you think mage, you think Fireball. That's it. 6 damage for 4 mana makes it the strongest burst card and is what makes Mages, well, mages. The core of Mage gameplay. Use it only as a finisher if the opponent has heals but don't hesitate to use it against others if you have Thalnos in play. Still, you should remember it's always better to kill the enemy by surprise as he'll become more defensive when he'll have a few HP left...

Water Elemental - This card can seem strange as this is a aggro deck but Water elemental is extremely practical and makes many matchups far easier. It 3/6 body makes him quite hard to beat down and it's the only minion i'd attack another minion with in nearly all matchups. But while it's already a magnificent card like this, it power resides, in fact, in it's ability to freeze. As Priest, Warlock and Mages are the only classes with no weapons ( nor attack power ) going to the face with it is useful in all other matchups, sweet when you freeze a scary one, otherwise it can freeze giants or other big creatures to delay your loss by one turn, and accelerate the enemy's. Your only other door to a 4 damage ice lance btw. 

Neutral Cards

Leper Gnome - Without a doubt my favourite neutral card ! Often a 1 mana 4 damages card. I take a guilty pleasure in killing my opponent by killing my own Leper gnome with my Heroic power to finish the opponent off. And they don't see that coming ;p and it's not only by sadistic pleasure, already won thrice because i could do that. Those few plays when the opponent has 2HP and you have nothing against his full board. And you draw the Gnome are pure blight. 

Amani Berserker - It's enrage power can bring it to 5 attack which can kill innervated yetis or deal enormous damage to the opponent. It needs 1 damage, and well, that's your Hero power. I also use this card because it blocks the aggro opponents Knife Jugglers, forcing them into trades they don't always want to do. 

Bloodmage Thalnos - The only legendary you need and well...  in fact it's the best for us as mages have lots of burst spells and weak draw power  Two cards in one. He has perfect synergy with your spells, and with Azure drakes. Possible replacement are Kobold Geomancer, Engineer and Loot Hoarder. It depends on you, if you feel spell power is important go for Kobold, if you feel it's lacking card draw, go for the others.

Faerie Dragon - A good vanilla two drop that has an amazing power. Extremely useful at the second turn of the game or as a coined 1 drop as it's protected from every spell. In fact find him the most useful against Miracle Rogue as the class has few ways to deal with him.

Knife Juggler - Most useful against Zoo and Shockadin, it has perfect synergy with mirror mage and is always good to play as the opponent will be forced to deal with it quickly. It's often killed off but that removal could have removed one of your powerfully minions so it's worth it.

Coldlight Oracle - A pretty delicate card to play. Use it badly and the game can easily go out of control. Most of the time you'll in fact use it as an emergency draw to draw a burst spell and finish your opponent. Your strategy will differ from matchups to matchups, situations to situations. Against Zoo and Miracle Rogue it's as much a dangerous card than a powerful one. You should never use it if you can't make them burn cards as it'll practically be letting them win, but if you are able to burn a powerful giant or a Leeroy, you just won the game. Congrats. Against Zoo you should only use it at last, last resort, giving 2 cards to Zoo is losing the game. Picture it as a 4 mana and 4 HP gift. Against most control it will depend on the board, if you have board control and he as few cards in hand, it's a pretty bad idea, he could draw a board swiping card. If he has plenty of cards then it's often a green light. 

Wolfrider - Picture it as a Frostbolt than can't go trough taunts. Remember all classes have a way of dealing 1 damage while gaining card advantage so don't expect him to last long but at least, by then, it'll already have dealt 3 damages, getting the opponent closer to your spell lethal range. Feel free to replace one or two by a Leeroy or an Arcane Golem if it fits your playing style better. 

Azuke Drake - A big Thalnos, and like him, he is a perfect card for mages, curing their lack of draw power and increasing their spell power. A bit slow but if he stays a turn on the field there's often a lethal coming. 

Matchups

 As i've heard many mage aggro players say, Aggro Mages decks changes from matchups to matchups, unlike Aggro hunter and Zoo, you don't always want to go to the face. Sometimes trading minions is the right solution, sometimes it's not. 

As an example, you'll never outrace a Zoo so it's often a good idea to trade your creatures to try to get Board control in the early game while you always want to quickly kill druids before they can drop big creatures that'll stop your HP-scratching attacks. 

Mulligan - Always try to have the most of "game winning" cards as possible and if you have at least 1 or 2, it's ok to keep "useful" cards. Having a hand full of "game winning" cards often guarantee you the win.

Handlock ( 100% winrate )

Mulligan

Game-winning : Mana Wyrm, Knife Juggler, Faerie Dragon

Useful : Mirror Image and any 1/2 mana creature

 Zoo ( 50% current win rate, yes, right in the middle EDIT - now 65% ! ) 

 

Mulligan

 

Game-Winning : Mana Wyrm, Knife Juggler,, Mirror Image, Arcane Missiles

 

Useful : Water Elemental, Amani Berserker,Frostbolt

 

Druid ( 60% Winrate ) 

Mulligan

Game-Winning : Mana Wyrm, Faerie Dragon, Mirror Image, 

Useful : Knife Juggler, Amani Berserker, 

 Miracle Rogue ( 90% winrate ) 

Mulligan

Game-Winning : Mana Wyrm, Mirror Image, Faerie Dragon

Useful : Water Elemental, Amani Berserker, Knife Juggler

Control Warrior ( 40% winrate )

Mulligan

 

No game winning cards -_-

Useful : Water Elemental, Mana Wyrm, Mirror Image, Amani Berserker

To come soon : 

Shockadin - 60% winrate / Control Shaman 60% winrate

Versions

This deck is currently fit to my playing style. But in fact, there's plenty of variations you could bring to it to make it your own ! Here's some cards that i tried and that could perfectly fit into the deck depending on your preferences and on the meta. 

Anti Zoo 

Well yes, as you might have seen on the ladder, Zoos are extremely frequent. They are a real pain and while this deck doesn't do especially bad against it, it doesn't do especially bad results. It depends on your hand and on the coin.

- Baron Geddon : As matches against Zoo are always quite tight and you often survive till late turns, i was thinking of a way of dealing with them more efficiently and changed a few cards. Baron Geddon is one of those anti-Zoo cards. It's power is far better than you could think, killing all Zoo minions the turn he is played, he'll also reduce the opponent's HP from 2 each turn and put a 7/5 body on the field. In most cases, if you can keep him alive one turn, he'll win you the game. The only way Zoo's have of dealing with him is playing a Doom guard which means losing two cards and a 5/7 minion to kill a 7/5. In other matchups he'll be far less useful so play it at your own risk.

Violet Teacher - Or how to fill the board with 1/1 by playing your cheap 1 mana spells. Even with her amazing effect, she's still a 3/5 body ( nearly as good as your Elemental ). Another Anti-Zoo card as they tend to have low health minions and no board swiper. 

Others

Jenkins - is a fireball that can't go trough taunts and that can only, in many match-ups become a dead card ( against Handlock's Giants for example ) or be used as a finisher as you don't have any board swipers to take care of the summoned 1/1. Many aggro mages use him as a third fireball and i even took him in my deck for my first climb from 20 to 12 but now i don't think he's necessary. If you want to try him, do as you please, i don't think he's a bad addition.