Hearthpwn

0. Prologue

I always wanted to find the place of Prince Taldaram for fun, so after the tests, here is my deck with him. As you see in the title, my WR is pretty solid.

Proof:

After 10 vote-ups I will start to write a guide.
Holy Light, it was fast as hell. I will do my best as soon as I can.

10 vote ups: About the cards
20 vote ups: Replacements
25 vote ups: Generally about the playing style
30 vote ups: Mulligan Guide & Matchups & Replays
50 vote-ups: Reasons behind choices.

Currently I'm a little bit upset. I wrote two freaking big essays to Matchups and Reasons behind choices. At the very end I wanted to look for a word in English and press Ctrl+T to find it. Of course I pressed Ctrl+R without any saves. Well played.

I will write it again after a little rest.

edit: Okay, this amount of interest surprised me (~40 vote-ups on the first day), I hope the guide will be finished by 09. Nov. evening (CET).

Please send me a message if you see any typos!

---

1. About the cards

The deck contains many 1-drops, because we have only 1-1 two and three drop. These smaller minions give us early play and they fill our first turns.

Righteous Protector: Most of the time your opponent has to hit it two times, so we can say it's good 1-drop. If we can buff her, she will be a big threat.

Smuggler's Run: Have you seen a Handbuff Paladin without this card? I don't think so. It generates awesome value, but don't be greedy. You have to take pressure on the board, and sometimes this spell is a good answer before playing a minion.
If you don't have The Coin there is no reason to cast it in the 1st Turn. If you cast it in the mentioned turn, you will do it because it's important to coin out a bigger minion as soon as possible with the buff.
Or you have Prince Keleseth and you need him with a 3/3 body during turn 2. In this way you don't need extra mana.

Blessing of Kings: We don't have any removals in our hand, therefore we have to manage the board on the board. This buff helps you to destroy an annoying minion.
On the other hand you will be able to close the game easier. If your hand contains Patches the Pirate or Leeroy Jenkins, then you can say farewell to your opponent.

Grimestreet Enforcer: Your opponent must kill it, but it gives you amazing value while he's alive. If he can live longer, well, that will be painful. And not for you. Just don't be too greedy.

Spikeridged Steed: The result of this spell will be a huge minion with taunt and an amazing deathrattle. It will save your face or your minions and will be a big threat.

Argent Squire: You can hide it behind Taunts and damage for free, or just play it in the early game.

Fire Fly: Whenever you play this elemental, it's guaranteed that you will have chance to play one more in the same turn or just wait and buff that up.

Pirate-pack: 
- You have to pressure at the beginning at least a little, and the "AYAY" yell does the job.
Moreover Prince Keleseth gives Patches the Pirate a buff many times, so his appearance will be scarier. Or you just draw and buff him. After that you can play a buffed charger pirate as a finisher or removal.
- Bloodsail Corsair will help Rogue to lose it's tempo and activates Patches' special effect.

Cult Master: The reason behind this minion is drawing cards. You have many small tokens and they can generate you great value. Anyway this minion is a big threat, your opponent will try to kill it, which is okay for us.

Saronite Chain Gang: Two copies of a buffed Taunt minion, you will love it.

Cobalt Scalebane: It's immune to Dragonfire Potion and makes your minions bigger. We have to help our smaller tokens to be threating, and it's a good way to do that.

Doppelgangster: One of our MVPs. Three smaller tokens are not bad and buffable, but if they will be huge, that will be scary as hell.

Leeroy Jenkins: If you must do that, you can use him as a removal, but normally he's our quick-finisher guy.

Bonemare: Nowadays you see her in almost every deck, does it need any explanation? Possibly she will be buffed when you play her, so it will be a big minion and helps another minion to be a huge minion with Taunt.

Prince Keleseth: I was testing a lot the deck without him, but in my opinion he's more needed than other 2-drops. Gives you awesome value.

Prince Taldaram: A 3/3 body is not very bad and if you can copy Cobalt Scalebane, Cult Master, Grimestreet Enforcer, Righteous Protector or a Spikeridged Steeded minion in any good looking situation, he will provide you great value. These minions will be big and at least one of them will be alive. Anyway Patches and Leeroy are a correct target too if you want a 3/3 charge. Or just copy your opponent's handsome minions. 

---

2. Generally about the playing style

Our goal is to make a decent board during the match, but we have 2 ways to do that. We have to be aggressive against all classes, but consider how much.

1) Against aggro you always have to be aggressive. Play what you've got and try to clear the board and deal some damage. You have to find a clever way to control the board and hit face. Your buffs and Taunt minions will help you.
Never be greedy, because if you're opponent has Bonemare, your greediness will be punished as hell. Try to control the board and kill all minions before turn 7.

2) In a slower game you can be greedy a little. You will almost always have the choice how aggrissive would you like to be, but sometimes it depends on the matchup. Buff your hand wisely and try control the board after the early game.

---

3. Mulligan Guide

Keep your 2-drop Prince and all the 1-drops you get. You don't need any other cards to be in your starting hand without The Coin. Don't risk.
Best options: Prince Keleseth, Fire Fly, Righteous Protector and Bloodsail Corsair.

If not you're the one who starts the game you can keep a bigger minion (Grimestreet Enforcer, Cult Master, etc.)

---

4. Matchups

IN PROGRESS

---

5. Replacements

Leeroy Jenkins: Hard to replace him perfectly, because 6+ attack with charge for 5 mana is unique. Reckless Rocketeer is an option for entrance, but I suggest you to craft this card sometime. He is needed and will be needed in so many decks, lack of him is a big disadvantage.

Prince Keleseth: Well, it's our hardest task. We can't just take him out, because we have to replace he's buff somehow. And if we don't use him anymore, we shouldn't take just 2-drop in. Because of this I would build the deck in another way. 
Take out the following:
Pirate-pack: Patches will not get Prince Keleseth's buff anymore, therefore he's importance will be less.
Take in:
- 2x Grimestreet Outfitter: "Replaces" Prince Keleseth's role.
Choose 2 cards from the following to your playing style:
- Hydrologist: A secret will help you to save your minions or use them again.
- Golakka Crawler: Without the Pirate-pack your presence will be less during the early game, and you will struggle against aggro. It will help you to survive.

Prince Taldaram (NOT): I would like to be clear: I created the deck because of him. My goal with the deck is to find a way to use this card. He is the reason why this deck is entertaining so much. At least for me. If you are looking for a deck without him, find a "casual" Handbuffadin deck. It's not an insult, I understand why many peapole don't own the card, but the point of this deck is him. Without this card the deck will be a Handbuffadin deck, as I said.

Pirate-pack (If you don't have Patches): 
The deck will not be similar anymore.
|| Patches the Pirate: First of all: He's irreplaceable and I wouldn't drop him.
The pirate-pack will not be needed without him, therefore you should sub all the pirates. In my opinion you have 3 options to replace the "AYAY" yeller:
1) Make the deck "control-ish"
- It's the more expensive way. Take Sunkeeper Tarim in, it will give you a better late-game an you will not be in a big disadvantage if your opponent has a better board. The deck would lose it's identity a little.
- Corpsetaker is another way to make the deck slower. Of course you must change the remaining pirates to indicators.
2) Try to push anyway
- It's the cheaper solution. With Stonetusk Boar you will lose Patches' special effect, but it will still be a big threat from your hand.
3) Generate extra value and great target for Taldaram
- Just like the first option, it's not cheap. Cairne Bloodhoof synergies with many of your cards, but the curve will be higher.
|| Bloodsail Corsair: I recommend you many alternatives, just choose:
1) Acherus Veteran: It's an early play, and if you can get advantage from the Battlecry, it can be an indirect removal in the 2nd or 3rd turn.
2) Abusive Sergeant: He has less attack than Acherus Veteran, but if you need an indirect damage and your minion dies anyway, he's a good choose.
3) Glacial Shard: A good option against aggro. Helps you to grow your board safely.
I would choose between the 1) and 3) option, but it's up to your playing style.
4) If you you took Corpsetaker in choose two copies of the following:
- Stormwatcher: All Windfury minions are weak, but at least it has HP, so it can be a late game.
- Chillblade Champion: Possible the best Lifesteal minion you can choose.
You can also take higher cost charger minions in, but I would find the curve too high and it's not worth.

Spikeridged Steed: You need at least one. If you would like to sub of copy this card, take Cairne Bloodhoof in. He will be a great friend of Taldaram and almost guarantees a minion on the board next turn.
In my opinion you will miss that "2" Taunts and the spell is better, but it's up to your style.

---

6.Reasons behind choices

IN PROGRESS

---

7. Replays

Open the spoiler! I hope you will see no missplays (or just catch a little ones). If you do, please don't spam the comment section, just send me a message.

---

8. Epilogue

Thanks for all your support! Moreover the deck is on the front page in 1 day!

I'm working on another Prince Taldaram deck, I hope it will work like this one or better. If I still see the opportunity in that after the tests, I will share. Stay tuned.

update log:
- 08. Nov: Prologue section added, Epilogue section added, About the cards section added.
- 09. Nov: Replacements section added, Replays & Video section added, Generally about the playing style section added, Mulligan section added.
- 12. Nov: Video removed (due to Admin's will), Replays added to Highlander Priest
- 14. Nov: Rename

Just a little note: I wouldn't craft Prince Taldaram just for this deck. The next expansion comes on 7th of December and who knows, what the meta will be. If I were you I would save my dust, but it's up to you.

Have fun!

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to share with me and everybody in the comment section. Also if I missed something important out from the guide or wrote something stupidity.