Hearthpwn

Shatter Exodia, the best Exodia Mage deck

Another fine MemeMachine design

"Well, clearly I am not good enough to beat this guy's memes. [..] This guy's a f*cking genius. He plays Shatter in f*cking Exodia Mage. He's next f*cking level, dude. How am I supposed to beat that, guys?"
- Jesse Chrysler AKA ControlTheBoard (best Wild player in the world), after playing me and losing to this deck.

This guide is a work in progress. More upvotes means more motivation for me to add to it. Videos are coming soon! I aim aiming for this to be the definitive source for Wild Exodia Mage information.

In this guide:

• Win Condition: the Exodia combo
• Opening Hand / Mulligan
• How to play
• Counters to this deck
• Match-ups
• Substitutions / Tech cards

Win Condition: the Exodia combo

What is "Exodia"? Before Hearthstone, there was Yu-Gi-Oh! - another collectible card game. In the first episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! cartoon series, the main character Yugi uses a deck containing a five card combination called the "Forbidden One". The five cards each represent a part of an unstoppable monster consisting of 2 arms, 2 legs, and the head which is called (you guessed it!) "Exodia the Forbidden One". When played together, these five cards automatically win the game. This is what is looks like:

In Hearthstone, a similar combination of cards exists for the Mage class:

 

When you have at least 4 of these 5 cards in your hand, you play Emperor Thaurissan. Once you have all 5 cards in your hand and at least 9 Mana, you can play the combination:

Archmage Antonidas, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Molten Reflection on an Apprentice, and Molten Reflection on an Apprentice.

You now have unlimited, 0 Mana Fireballs in your hand. If your opponent has not successfully played any of the counters to Exodia, you have won the game.

Exciting, right?!

Starting hand / Mulligan

Coming soon!

Cards you really don't want in your starting hand:

• Archmage Antonidas
• Emperor Thaurissan
• Molten Reflection
• Sorcerer's Apprentice

How to play

Coming soon!

Tricks of the Exodia trade, A.K.A. The Combos

There are a number of combos that Exodia Mage can do to stall out the game while working towards the Win Condition. These include:

• Frost Nova + Doomsayer. The classic 5 Mana Mage board clear. Freeze all enemy minions, and - if Doomsayer lives - all minions (yours included!) die at the start of your next turn.
• Bloodmage Thalnos + Blizzard. Deal 3 damage to all enemy minions and freeze them for 8 Mana.
• Blizzard + Doomsayer. Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions and freeze them. If Doomsayer lives, all minions (yours included!) die at the start of your next turn. Clears the board for the not-so-low price of 8 Mana.

Counters to this deck

The following Neutral cards can really ruin your day if you are an Exodia Mage. Take note of them now, and then continue down to the Match-ups section where they will be discussed in detail along with class-specific counter cards.

• Coldlight Oracle. A rare interference to your game plan. The second most common counter card in Ranked Play, included in 10.3% of decks.
• Dancing Swords. Unlikely to disrupt your game plan. Extremely rare in Ranked Play, included in only 0.7% of decks.
• Deathlord. The most common of the counter cards in Ranked Play, included in 10.9% of decks. Can destroy your win condition if you are careless or unlucky. Can safely be played around with careful planning.
• Dirty Rat. Usually only appears in very specific decks. Can destroy your win condition if you are unlucky. Uncommon in Ranked Play, included in only 6.0% of decks.
• Eater of Secrets. Can be catastrophic to your game plan on the right turn. Uncommon in Ranked Play, included in only 2.4% of decks.
• Kezan Mystic. Can be catastrophic to your game plan on the right turn. Extremely rare in Ranked Play, included in only 0.5% of decks.
• Loatheb. Can be catastrophic to your game plan on the right turn, but otherwise it is an annoyance for a single turn. Uncommon in Ranked Play, included in only 6.8% of decks. 

Even though these counters do exist, as of Journey to Un'Goro there are less than 20 cards out of a total ~1300 (~1.5%) that can interrupt or destroy your game plan - and most of these are rarely seen in play.

Match-ups

Druid

Before we begin, here are the Druid cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

• Grove Tender
• Naturalize

Coming soon!

Hunter

Before we begin, here are the Hunter cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

• Flare
• Swamp King Dred

Aggro. You are highly unfavoured in this match-up. Do your best by dropping Mad Scientists, Sludge Belchers, and the Antique Healbot while you clear the board with Frost Nova + Doomsayer. Or just concede and move on.

Deathrattle. This match-up is slightly unfavoured to you. Control the board with your minions and clear with Frost Nova + Doomsayer, Blizzard + Doomsayer, or Bloodmage Thalnos + Blizzard.

Mid-Range. You are highly unfavoured in this match-up. Do your best by dropping Mad Scientists, Sludge Belchers, and the Antique Healbot while you clear the board with Frost Nova + Doomsayer. Or just concede and move on.

 

Mage

Before we begin, here are the Mage cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

• Counterspell
• Ice Block
• Potion of Polymorph
• Spellbender

Coming soon!

Paladin

Before we begin, here are the Paladin cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

• Eye for an Eye
• Sacred Trial

Coming soon!

Priest

Before we begin, here are the Priest cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

The following cards can be used to find a copy of Ice Block.

• Curious Glimmerroot (there is a 2 in 30 (6.7%) chance of this happening)
• Crystalline Oracle (there is a 2 in 30 (6.7%) chance of this happening if Oracle is played on turn 1 and dies on turn 2 and you have not yet drawn an Ice Block from your deck)
• Drakonid Operative (if you are lucky enough to have drawn - or played through Mad Scientist - both your Ice Blocks by turn 5 (or turn 4 if they have The Coin), then there is a 0% chance of this happening).
• Mind Vision
• Shifting Shade
• Thoughtsteal

The following cards can be used to find a copy of Counterspell, Ice Block, Potion of Polymorph, or Spellbender.

• Kabal Courier (as of Journey to Un'Goro, there is a 4 in 82 (4.9%) chance of this happening)

The following cards can be used to find a copy of Potion of Polymorph:

• Kabal Chemist (as of Journey to Un'Goro, there is a 1 in 9 (11%) chance of this happening)

Coming soon!

Rogue

Coming soon!

Shaman

Before we begin, here are the Shaman cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

• Ancestor's Call

Coming soon!

Warlock

When you queue into a Warlock with Exodia's Valet you can breathe easy. You should rarely be losing your Warlock match-ups.

Discardlock. This match-up can sometimes be tricky but you are favoured to win. Control the board with your minions and clear with Frost Nova + Doomsayer, Blizzard + Doomsayer, or Bloodmage Thalnos + Blizzard.

Demonlock. This match-up should be an auto-win for you. Enjoy.

Renolock. This match-up should be an auto-win for you. Enjoy.

Zoolock. This match-up can sometimes be tricky but you are favoured to win. Control the board with your minions and clear with Frost Nova + Doomsayer, Blizzard + Doomsayer, or Bloodmage Thalnos + Blizzard.

Here are the Warlock cards that can be used to counter Exodia:

• Curse of Rafaam

The following cards can be used to find a copy of Counterspell, Ice Block, Potion of Polymorph, or Spellbender.

• Kabal Courier (as of Journey to Un'Goro, there is a 4 in 82 (4.9%) chance of this happening)

The following cards can be used to find a copy of Potion of Polymorph:

• Kabal Chemist (as of Journey to Un'Goro, there is a 1 in 9 (11%) chance of this happening)

Warrior

Coming soon!

Substitutions / Tech cards

Coming soon!