Hearthpwn

So I've been playing hearthstone a couple years and finally made a real push for legend this month. I've tried before of course and I always run out of time or patience, switching decks every other game, etc. Well, I'm happy to say I finally did it! And it wasn't as difficult a climb as I thought it might be. I just kept winning and I think it's because this deck is really good in the meta right now. 

I've never done a deck writeup, so please bear with me. If you have any feedback about something I could do better with the formatting, please let me know. Any feedback for that matter! Alright, let's get to the deck!

Okay, so this list may look a little odd at first glance. Please allow me to explain.

I played a few different builds of dragon priest in the first couple weeks of Un'Goro, and kept running into the same problems - namely I kept drawing clunky opening hands. You know the story, mulligan two 8-drops and a 5-drop into a 6, 8 and 9-drop and die on turn 4 or 5. Or alternatively, I'd curve out like a god and feel like the deck is way OP. Then, my next opener: Clunky AF. *Sigh* Where is the consistency that Shadow Visions is supposed to be providing?

Naturally, being a big fan of the new archetype, I went about tweaking the build until I came to a simple realization - Stonehill Defenderis an awesome card. Seriously. What a life-saving value machine. It's so much better than Kabal Talonpriest in the 3-slot, in my opinion. It draws you another taunt to stay alive in the early game - something this deck absolutely needs in order to set up AOE turns with a healthy life total intact. There's only so much face pwn-ing a guy can take before he starts cutting 3-drops that don't prevent damage. 

The next thing that's a bit different is running the Auchenai Soulpriest / Circle of Healing package. I won't say too much about this other than I think it's great in this deck, in spite of its nombo-looking appearance. Hunter, pirate warrior, and murloc paladin all try to build an early board quickly -- you simply don't have time to set up those nice value-trades in the mid game or wait to draw Dragonfire Potion. You don't always get the combo, but luckily Shadow Visions helps make a Auchenai Soulpriest keep in your opening hand that much better.

Which brings me to Shadow Visions. This is the deck's swiss-army knife and is the definition of pure utility. Man, this card is a rock star! It can often get you what you need when you need it, or simply help you to plan future turns. It also allows you to set up multiple copies of a certain spell you really like in a particular matchup. In the quest warrior matchup for example, I'm looking to get multiple copies of the Un'Goro Pack so that I can keep emptying my hand into my opponents brawls like a boss. And like any good Swiss-Army knife, Shadow Visions has access to many different tools in this list. So why aren't more lists running a wider variety of tools?

Which brings me to a couple of lesser-used spell choices - Potion of Madness and Greater Healing Potion. Sure, these cards are sometimes dead, but typically only in matchups where you're favored anyway. Many of you guys already know that can pull of some sick combos with POM! My favorite play with this card is stealing Kindly Grandmother and killing (insert cat of choice) with it. Never gets old! Not to mention you can do this for free after dropping Radiant Elemental on turn two. My other favorite play is stealing a taunt, buffing it with Nightmare (off of Ysera), making a value trade, followed by watching it die as you pass the turn. The value makes me rather emotional.

Okay, not gonna lie. Greater Healing Potion looks ugly in the list. However, I've found that its essential against pirate warrior, hunter, and face-mage. Gotta love when a Mage sets up a lethal Pyroblast turn and you decide to ruin their day by putting yourself out of range. What's up now Hemet?! The otherwise difficult face-mage matchup is also the main reason I run Alexstraza. Of course, he shines in other situations as well. Oh, and he's a dragon.

Okay, time to address the angry mob out there that's fuming about why I'm only running one copy of Draknoid Operative - the best card in the deck. Well, that's easy - I only run one because A.) I have a %58 chance of drawing another one off of Netherspite Historian (post-Un'Goro), and B.) It's a clunky card in your opening hand when facing down a beat-down. I often ended up playing three Draknoid Operatives, in spite of only starting with one in my deck. Ever draw two Draknoids in your opener and still beat pirates? Yeah, me neither. Yes, I understand the insane value of the card and the reason for wanting two in your deck (let's be honest - it's greed). I also understand that there's a point where greed gets the best of us. I absolutely love the one-of inclusion in this list. Go on... just use the tip... see how it feels.

The last thing I'll say for the time being is that I like only having one copy of Power Word: Shield [/card]and [card]Dragonfire Potion. To make room for all the utility, you have to make some tough cuts. What's clunkier than a Dragonfire Potion in your opening hand? You guessed it - TWO of them. Why not just seek it out via Shadow Visions instead? Or don't. Like, whatever bro. It's your life, you know. I'm not telling you how to live it. Just typing words and stuff.

So yeah, this concludes my first write-up about my first time hitting legend. I would consider writing up one of those fancy 'matchup guides' if you guys are interested. I've learned a lot playing this deck and would be happy to share. 

Thank you so much for reading. Please take the list for a spin and let me know what you think! Good luck in your games.

Take care and may the force be with you, always.

Nolyn