this is senti with a deck description/guide on Kolento's new Midrange Hunter with Naxxramas cards. I saw it on his stream at the end of last season. I played it since then and had a lot of success with it so far. I didn't find any deck description/guide, so I decided to do one on my own. All the credits concerning the deck belong to Kolento. This is, of course, not an "approved" guide, so the guide/description is just how I understand this deck.
I've been playing a deck almost identical to this for about a week, with tremendous success. I went from rank 15 to rank 6 in the last three days of last season, and since the reset I've gone from 18 to 10 in just two days of fairly light play. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to put some more playtime in, as I'm fairly confident that this deck could get me to Legend for the first time.
The primary difference between my deck and this one is that I only use one Tracking. In place of the other I use a Tundra Rhino. The two discards are just too high a price to pay twice over. Tracking can be amazing in certain situations, so the one is still necessary, but two is overkill IMHO. I went with the Tundra Rhino because it either lives and wins the game (rarely), or it draws out a surprising amount of removal/silence, making your Highmanes more effective. There are some other good replacement options for it as well, the Rhino is just my personal preference at the moment.
This deck is pretty flexible, and it's very accommodating when it comes to making adjustments for the meta as you make your way up. For example, I'll often swap in a second Timber Wolf (and remove the Owl) if I'm seeing a ton of zoo.
When it comes to gameplay, this deck absolutely manhandles Zoo and HandLock, and does extremely well against Miracle Rogue. Of all the classes, I would say Shaman and Druid are the biggest challenges, but I've still been doing better than 50/50 against them.
SpyrosL: The Webspinners are definitely random and can decide the outcome (especially in mirror matches), but that's the beauty of this deck. I tend to shy away from too much randomness (In most cases I can't stand it). But in this deck it works for you, making it harder for opponents to predict your upcoming plays. No question, it hurts when you get a Captain's Parrot from one of those Webspinners, but at least it's a beast and makes that Kill Command or Hyena worth playing.
This is also a deck that requires thought and some level of skill to play. If you're looking for something that plays itself, this is not the deck for you. Slow down, think it through (in other words: play it like a control deck), and you'll find that you have an answer for most sticky situations.
Hunter was my first love in this game. I had abandoned it in favor of more control-oriented decks for a while, but then the Webspinner inspired me to play around and find this. I'm head-over-heels again with no regrets. And I still haven't mentioned the best part yet: This deck is fun to play. Really, really fun. That little bit of unpredictability makes things exciting, and because of the insane amount of synergy with beasts, even worst case scenarios can be salvaged.
TL;DR: This deck is fun and effective. It easily handles the classes/decks you run into most on the ladder, and it's very flexible, allowing for many tweaks in order to adjust to whatever meta you're experiencing. I, for one, would highly recommend giving it a try.
Thanks for your feedback! I had long winning streaks these days with this decks. didn't lose many games so far.
@Powergamez: you are using Explosive Traps and Eaglehorn Bow. I would suggest, you give it a try without them, just to see the difference.
@Loyal33: I totally agree, this deck has a lot of flexibility. I'm pretty curious how it'll work against the new cards from tonight, but I don't feel that any of these cards will stop it. For me Control Warrior seems to be the hardest matchup. I will update the matchups in the guide soon.
Yeah, many people on EU seems to play this. But I'm not sold on the deck yet, since the people i have seen have either played poorly or the deck has just performed poorly.
No hate against you senti :)
You obviously haven't played against me ^^
Jokes besides: this deck isn't super easy to play, i.e. sometimes you really have to think if you play another minion or better keep it for a later Miracle play. But even the worst matchup so far (Control Warrior) seems to be ok. So it would be very interesting what you are playing and what people you are playing against are doing wrong, so I could add this to the guide. Are people playing too many minions (that die to aoe) or play too impatient? Are they going for face when they should trade?
I don't know, often i just have a good answer to their dangerous Svannah Highmane which i consider their strongest minion...
Of course you can't win every game. But dealing with Savannah Highmane is usually a pain for your oponentn. Sure, sometimes there removal just "fits". But then there are other minions in this deck and your Hero power... So even if both Savannah Highmanes gets removed eventually, there should be enough damage in the deck. Maybe yout opponents miss the point to go for face, I don't know ^^
I play this on rank 9 eu currently and tweaked in an owl, a rhino and loatheb. but as it happens that i fall behind in every match i couldnt draw a highmane/hunters mark up to turn 7 and thus have no answer to a 5 hp taunt but trading my board in it, I replaced loatheb again trying a gladiator longbow as i assume noone really expects that on turn 7. If that doesnt work out or there will be even more zoo this week with the release of warlock class card, i gonna try explosive shot. third alternative would be maexxna obviously but the few times i tried her it doesnt worked out and i really feel the need of some immediate effect mid-late game because playing maexxna turn 6 a highmane turn 7 or 8, if you are in urgent need to taunt maexxna up, feels very slow. as maexxna should be used to clear big minions on board a i hope to achieve the same using longbow or explosive shot but maexxna would be the third alternative i have to give another try.
Well as said before, you can't win every game. Winning more than half of your games is fine, wining more than 60 % is great.
Can it be, that you're running out of fuel in these cases you're describing? Because if you have a full hand, there are always answers. Maybe you should try to play a little more patient. Not playing too many minions and keeping your Deathrattle minions alive (rather trade with another minion), so you still have something on the board after an aoe. Try not to play your 1-drops (besides Webspinner on turn 1) and more or less your 2-drops outside the Miracle if they are not needed. You can draw into so many big drops that you don't need that much in the deck.
Concerning Zoo: Well, for me this seems an easy matchup to be honest. The new versions with Nerubian Eggs are even slower. With your 1-drops and 2-drops you should be able to delay the game logn enough for Unleash the Hounds. You can even play Unleash the Hounds without Starving Buzzard and use the latter with 1-drops and 2-drops later. And at some point Houndmasters win the game. But it seems that a lot of people still have problems with this matchup. Therefore I might update the Matchup section soon and give more in-depth information about this matchup.
I just wanted to chip in on this. I made this deck last night after reading this.
I was rank 18, went 12-3 and moved up to rank 13. Amazing deck.
Then came the losing streak...lol. But it was usually explainable by poor draws or excellent draws by other person. Then I started winning again. I am winless against zoo, which seems crazy. Every time I have it close, then they drop the 5/7 charging mob and wipe me out. I am close enough that I think I need a little different approach, and I will get it.
The other...inexplainable...is I am 0-3 versus preists. Two of them they thoughts steel my most amazing cards, and the other I just couldn't get a card draw card to save my life.
Anyway, awesome deck. Amazing, really, and a lot of fun!
@Mhantra, I also struggle against Zoolock with this deck. Overall, I've noticed that my winrate with coin is 20% against Zoolock, and without coin is 40%. I find it is really important to establish board presence quickly against zoolock since the deck has no AOE board clear, except hounds. Does anyone have any good Hunter streamers they like to watch? I'd love to actually watch a 'pro' play some constructed Hunter, I think it would help me sharpen my skills.
The deck functions very well against most other matchups, helping to level out my winrate against Druids which is great.
@ RubedoHawk: Glad to hear it isn't just me. It seems that I am always a card or two away from beating zoo, but it just never happens. I wonder if there is anything we can change in this deck to help. Hate to change too much because it has such great synergy.
Now, I have absolutely torn a new you-know-what into every warrior I have met. It is kind of weird. I mean, they don't have a chance. I feel bad for them because it is how I feel in my shaman when I face hunters. Hunters OWN my shaman. Oddly enough, my shaman does quite well against zoo. Only really bad draw, or average draw and perfect draw from them, will result in my losing.
And yea, druids are much better. I just have to remember to save some clear for their big 10HP taunting minion.
Oh, I have chosen to go with Tundra Rhino over Stampeding Kodo. I looove Stampeding kodo, but the flexibility of having charge on minion drop is amazing.
And I am surprised at how useful the snapjaw is. A 2/7 seems kind of weak...until you drop a Hound Master on it. then it straight has won games. Had one stick there from round 4 to round 11 rofl. I had given him another hound master later, "healing," him and giving him a total of 6 atk. Nice.
Oh, and removed something, timberwolf(?) for an owl. Those are super useful in nowadays meta. Almost want two. But what to give up...not even sure if giving up a timberwolf is the right move. Sure has saved my bacon a lot though.
@Mhantra & @RubedoHawk: (I'm sure you probably know most of this by now, but it might be helpful for people trying this deck out for the first time.)
This deck is capable of eating Zoo alive, but your starting hand/mulligan is crucial. Whenever I'm facing a Warlock, I always mulligan for Zoo. Even if you end up facing HandLock instead, you have a couple of turns to draw->Hero Power while they Tap. With Zoo, Ideally I want to see Webspinner, Dire Wolf Alpha, Haunted Creeper, possibly an Animal Companion or Stonetusk Boar (not for turn one, but for use as removal when paired with Dire Wolf Alpha or Leokk). I never keep Hunter's Mark, Tracking, or Flare. I rarely keep Unleash the Hounds, mainly only if the other cards are perfect. The best possible one drop is your Webspinner. Coining out a Haunted Creeper can also be very effective against Zoo.
This probably goes without saying, but just in case: Be careful about getting into the habit of using Flare just for the card draw. That card can ruin someone's day. Like a Hunter using traps and an Eaglehorn Bow, or a Rogue who needs that Gadgetzan Auctioneer to stay stealthed. Or maybe a Mage, whose anger you can viscerally feel when their precious Ice Block goes "poof."
Try to stay patient. Honestly, that can be the hardest part of playing this deck. It can be very tempting to use a Hunter's Mark, Kill Command, or that Deadly Shot at sub-optimal times. Step back, take a moment, and weigh all your available options. Don't be too timid (as Senti said, don't hesitate to use that 3 damage Kill Command if the moment is right), but make sure that it is your best option in that situation... and for situations likely to happen in the next couple of turns.
Be careful about dropping that Timber Wolf from your deck Mhantra. Against Zoo, pairing him up with UtH is often a better option than Starving Buzzard. (And by the way, I couldn't agree more about Oasis Snapjaw: that is one seriously tough little turtle... that turns into a nightmarish terrapin from hell when taunted up.)
One quick tip for Dire Wolf Alpha: If he's only buffing one minion, try to keep the Dire Wolf on the right side (leaving his right side open instead of the left). That way, if you need to drop UtH (which always spawns all the way to the right), the leftmost hound will be buffed before it hits and dies, making way for the next one to be buffed before it hits and dies, etc.
And one more time: Be Patient. Getting greedy is the best way to die to Zoo. Clear his board, get in a shot when you can, and in very short order he will be top-decking/Tapping every turn. Short of a miracle, he is yours by that point. But be careful not to underestimate your opponent. Zoo can be a very powerful deck, and over-reaching can burn you badly.
Quick aside: As I said in an earlier post, I use Tundra Rhino instead of one of the Trackings. Another card that I have been playing around with in that slot is Baron Rivendare. I wouldn't recommend using him all the time (he is very, very situational), but damn he can be a lot of fun. In my experience, your opponent will almost always take him out immediately, and at almost any cost (he's similar to Tundra Rhino in that respect), so you want to be very careful with how you play him. He can be devastating if dropped on the same turn in which your Highmane is going to die. Your Webspinners become immensely valuable as well. Even Haunted Creepers can do serious work with him on the board (just be careful not to waste it if you don't have room for all the minions you are going to flood the board with). Again, I wouldn't recommend using him all the time, but every once in a while...
All good stuff above. Thank you. I have been playing around with many things, and was able to come up with a great deck for zoo by adding a couple tauning options. But alas, it really messed with the deck versus other things.
I think I will go back to "stock" though with Tundra Rhino instead of the second tracking. Unless I have a horrible draw, I rarely have card probs (and if I do, I have usually already lost it and card draw won't help). I use tracking later to get the card I need, as was discussed, rather than a turn 1 card draw, but overall, it seems I get stuck with an extra one many times late. Sure, I use it, but it is just to use up an extra mana. I like the idea of both tundra rhino and the curb-stomper.
As an experiment, I actually removed a tracking, and put in a knife juggler. So far, 4 matches, 4 wins, two with sweet juggler mayhem. One came on an UTH, the other on a sequential miracle card pull. Both did about 4 extra dmg. Not a beast, but sure fits the long drop sequences I do sometimes.
Edit: Sorry about the temporary "whine stain," I left on the forums about control warriors, whoever read it. Anyway, problem still exists, but sometimes bad streaks of getting rolled happens. Still love the build.
What are you guys talking about? Unleash the Hounds is your best card by far, and the only card that matters against Zoo. Keep it in your opener, play 2 Trackings so that you can find it faster. If you open 1-drop, 2-drop with this deck you can legitimately fight the Zoo deck for board control, plus you get to draw way more cards than they can for way cheaper while putting out threats when you play Buzzard into Unleash or a bunch of cheap minions in the mid game. The matchup is very favorable for midrange Hunter.
Also, Tracking is one of the best cards in the game, why would you ever cut one? Discarding 2 cards is literally irrelevant; you draw your entire deck in 1/3 of games and never come up short in damage after doing so.
I really want to add in King Mukla but what could I take out? I guess the obvious would be the Snapjaw? Mukla costs 1 less and has more damage but looses 2 hp.
If I understand Tracking correclty, you literally LOSE those other two cards, right? They aren't shuffled back into the deck?
If so, then I have absolutely taken it to the chin many times. I needed a hound once for clearn, but gave up a buzzard. Card draw, or lack thereof, lost me that game. I reserve the right to play around with things. If things turn quite sour, I can always go back .
I would be willing to use tundra rhino over oasis snapjaw. Snapjaw is very erratice card. Has literally won me games single handedly. But yeah, is no hound master, it is a massive liability. I am split on it because of that. It needs the taunt to use the body or smart players generally ignore it.
Hi everybody,
this is senti with a deck description/guide on Kolento's new Midrange Hunter with Naxxramas cards. I saw it on his stream at the end of last season. I played it since then and had a lot of success with it so far. I didn't find any deck description/guide, so I decided to do one on my own. All the credits concerning the deck belong to Kolento. This is, of course, not an "approved" guide, so the guide/description is just how I understand this deck.
Please check the deck description for the guide.
Any feedback is appreciated!
- senti
I'm currently playing this with great success so far. Currently at rank 9.
I've been playing a deck almost identical to this for about a week, with tremendous success. I went from rank 15 to rank 6 in the last three days of last season, and since the reset I've gone from 18 to 10 in just two days of fairly light play. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to put some more playtime in, as I'm fairly confident that this deck could get me to Legend for the first time.
The primary difference between my deck and this one is that I only use one Tracking. In place of the other I use a Tundra Rhino. The two discards are just too high a price to pay twice over. Tracking can be amazing in certain situations, so the one is still necessary, but two is overkill IMHO. I went with the Tundra Rhino because it either lives and wins the game (rarely), or it draws out a surprising amount of removal/silence, making your Highmanes more effective. There are some other good replacement options for it as well, the Rhino is just my personal preference at the moment.
This deck is pretty flexible, and it's very accommodating when it comes to making adjustments for the meta as you make your way up. For example, I'll often swap in a second Timber Wolf (and remove the Owl) if I'm seeing a ton of zoo.
When it comes to gameplay, this deck absolutely manhandles Zoo and HandLock, and does extremely well against Miracle Rogue. Of all the classes, I would say Shaman and Druid are the biggest challenges, but I've still been doing better than 50/50 against them.
SpyrosL: The Webspinners are definitely random and can decide the outcome (especially in mirror matches), but that's the beauty of this deck. I tend to shy away from too much randomness (In most cases I can't stand it). But in this deck it works for you, making it harder for opponents to predict your upcoming plays. No question, it hurts when you get a Captain's Parrot from one of those Webspinners, but at least it's a beast and makes that Kill Command or Hyena worth playing.
This is also a deck that requires thought and some level of skill to play. If you're looking for something that plays itself, this is not the deck for you. Slow down, think it through (in other words: play it like a control deck), and you'll find that you have an answer for most sticky situations.
Hunter was my first love in this game. I had abandoned it in favor of more control-oriented decks for a while, but then the Webspinner inspired me to play around and find this. I'm head-over-heels again with no regrets. And I still haven't mentioned the best part yet: This deck is fun to play. Really, really fun. That little bit of unpredictability makes things exciting, and because of the insane amount of synergy with beasts, even worst case scenarios can be salvaged.
TL;DR: This deck is fun and effective. It easily handles the classes/decks you run into most on the ladder, and it's very flexible, allowing for many tweaks in order to adjust to whatever meta you're experiencing. I, for one, would highly recommend giving it a try.
Thanks for your feedback! I had long winning streaks these days with this decks. didn't lose many games so far.
@Powergamez: you are using Explosive Traps and Eaglehorn Bow. I would suggest, you give it a try without them, just to see the difference.
@Loyal33: I totally agree, this deck has a lot of flexibility. I'm pretty curious how it'll work against the new cards from tonight, but I don't feel that any of these cards will stop it. For me Control Warrior seems to be the hardest matchup. I will update the matchups in the guide soon.
- senti
Saw a lot of people playing this deck badly on the EU servers yesterday :)
I added the matchups to the guide. They are a bit brief for the moment, but I will keep them updated.
- senti
Love that Parrot.
You obviously haven't played against me ^^
Jokes besides: this deck isn't super easy to play, i.e. sometimes you really have to think if you play another minion or better keep it for a later Miracle play. But even the worst matchup so far (Control Warrior) seems to be ok. So it would be very interesting what you are playing and what people you are playing against are doing wrong, so I could add this to the guide. Are people playing too many minions (that die to aoe) or play too impatient? Are they going for face when they should trade?
- senti
Of course you can't win every game. But dealing with Savannah Highmane is usually a pain for your oponentn. Sure, sometimes there removal just "fits". But then there are other minions in this deck and your Hero power... So even if both Savannah Highmanes gets removed eventually, there should be enough damage in the deck. Maybe yout opponents miss the point to go for face, I don't know ^^
What deck are you playing?
Well as said before, you can't win every game. Winning more than half of your games is fine, wining more than 60 % is great.
Can it be, that you're running out of fuel in these cases you're describing? Because if you have a full hand, there are always answers. Maybe you should try to play a little more patient. Not playing too many minions and keeping your Deathrattle minions alive (rather trade with another minion), so you still have something on the board after an aoe. Try not to play your 1-drops (besides Webspinner on turn 1) and more or less your 2-drops outside the Miracle if they are not needed. You can draw into so many big drops that you don't need that much in the deck.
Concerning Zoo: Well, for me this seems an easy matchup to be honest. The new versions with Nerubian Eggs are even slower. With your 1-drops and 2-drops you should be able to delay the game logn enough for Unleash the Hounds. You can even play Unleash the Hounds without Starving Buzzard and use the latter with 1-drops and 2-drops later. And at some point Houndmasters win the game. But it seems that a lot of people still have problems with this matchup. Therefore I might update the Matchup section soon and give more in-depth information about this matchup.
Explosive Shot is too slow in my opinion. You have 5 removal cards (Hunter's Mark, Kill Command, Deadly Shot) plus Unleash the Hounds. This should really be enough. Don't feel bad to kill something with *just* the 3 damage from Kill Command if needed.
Gladiator's Longbow is actually not a bad choice. I used it in the "old" Midrange Hunter. If the meta changes heavily towards Control, this could help tremendously to deal with Chillwind Yetis, Spectral Knights and Druid of the Claws etc.
- senti
Keep him. As grokarr said, it is super annoying if you need him later. The other 100 dust can be grinded within one or two days.
- senti
I just wanted to chip in on this. I made this deck last night after reading this.
I was rank 18, went 12-3 and moved up to rank 13. Amazing deck.
Then came the losing streak...lol. But it was usually explainable by poor draws or excellent draws by other person. Then I started winning again. I am winless against zoo, which seems crazy. Every time I have it close, then they drop the 5/7 charging mob and wipe me out. I am close enough that I think I need a little different approach, and I will get it.
The other...inexplainable...is I am 0-3 versus preists. Two of them they thoughts steel my most amazing cards, and the other I just couldn't get a card draw card to save my life.
Anyway, awesome deck. Amazing, really, and a lot of fun!
@Mhantra, I also struggle against Zoolock with this deck. Overall, I've noticed that my winrate with coin is 20% against Zoolock, and without coin is 40%. I find it is really important to establish board presence quickly against zoolock since the deck has no AOE board clear, except hounds. Does anyone have any good Hunter streamers they like to watch? I'd love to actually watch a 'pro' play some constructed Hunter, I think it would help me sharpen my skills.
The deck functions very well against most other matchups, helping to level out my winrate against Druids which is great.
@ RubedoHawk: Glad to hear it isn't just me. It seems that I am always a card or two away from beating zoo, but it just never happens. I wonder if there is anything we can change in this deck to help. Hate to change too much because it has such great synergy.
Now, I have absolutely torn a new you-know-what into every warrior I have met. It is kind of weird. I mean, they don't have a chance. I feel bad for them because it is how I feel in my shaman when I face hunters. Hunters OWN my shaman. Oddly enough, my shaman does quite well against zoo. Only really bad draw, or average draw and perfect draw from them, will result in my losing.
And yea, druids are much better. I just have to remember to save some clear for their big 10HP taunting minion.
Oh, I have chosen to go with Tundra Rhino over Stampeding Kodo. I looove Stampeding kodo, but the flexibility of having charge on minion drop is amazing.
And I am surprised at how useful the snapjaw is. A 2/7 seems kind of weak...until you drop a Hound Master on it. then it straight has won games. Had one stick there from round 4 to round 11 rofl. I had given him another hound master later, "healing," him and giving him a total of 6 atk. Nice.
Oh, and removed something, timberwolf(?) for an owl. Those are super useful in nowadays meta. Almost want two. But what to give up...not even sure if giving up a timberwolf is the right move. Sure has saved my bacon a lot though.
@Mhantra & @RubedoHawk: (I'm sure you probably know most of this by now, but it might be helpful for people trying this deck out for the first time.)
This deck is capable of eating Zoo alive, but your starting hand/mulligan is crucial. Whenever I'm facing a Warlock, I always mulligan for Zoo. Even if you end up facing HandLock instead, you have a couple of turns to draw->Hero Power while they Tap. With Zoo, Ideally I want to see Webspinner, Dire Wolf Alpha, Haunted Creeper, possibly an Animal Companion or Stonetusk Boar (not for turn one, but for use as removal when paired with Dire Wolf Alpha or Leokk). I never keep Hunter's Mark, Tracking, or Flare. I rarely keep Unleash the Hounds, mainly only if the other cards are perfect. The best possible one drop is your Webspinner. Coining out a Haunted Creeper can also be very effective against Zoo.
This probably goes without saying, but just in case: Be careful about getting into the habit of using Flare just for the card draw. That card can ruin someone's day. Like a Hunter using traps and an Eaglehorn Bow, or a Rogue who needs that Gadgetzan Auctioneer to stay stealthed. Or maybe a Mage, whose anger you can viscerally feel when their precious Ice Block goes "poof."
Try to stay patient. Honestly, that can be the hardest part of playing this deck. It can be very tempting to use a Hunter's Mark, Kill Command, or that Deadly Shot at sub-optimal times. Step back, take a moment, and weigh all your available options. Don't be too timid (as Senti said, don't hesitate to use that 3 damage Kill Command if the moment is right), but make sure that it is your best option in that situation... and for situations likely to happen in the next couple of turns.
Be careful about dropping that Timber Wolf from your deck Mhantra. Against Zoo, pairing him up with UtH is often a better option than Starving Buzzard. (And by the way, I couldn't agree more about Oasis Snapjaw: that is one seriously tough little turtle... that turns into a nightmarish terrapin from hell when taunted up.)
One quick tip for Dire Wolf Alpha: If he's only buffing one minion, try to keep the Dire Wolf on the right side (leaving his right side open instead of the left). That way, if you need to drop UtH (which always spawns all the way to the right), the leftmost hound will be buffed before it hits and dies, making way for the next one to be buffed before it hits and dies, etc.
And one more time: Be Patient. Getting greedy is the best way to die to Zoo. Clear his board, get in a shot when you can, and in very short order he will be top-decking/Tapping every turn. Short of a miracle, he is yours by that point. But be careful not to underestimate your opponent. Zoo can be a very powerful deck, and over-reaching can burn you badly.
Quick aside: As I said in an earlier post, I use Tundra Rhino instead of one of the Trackings. Another card that I have been playing around with in that slot is Baron Rivendare. I wouldn't recommend using him all the time (he is very, very situational), but damn he can be a lot of fun. In my experience, your opponent will almost always take him out immediately, and at almost any cost (he's similar to Tundra Rhino in that respect), so you want to be very careful with how you play him. He can be devastating if dropped on the same turn in which your Highmane is going to die. Your Webspinners become immensely valuable as well. Even Haunted Creepers can do serious work with him on the board (just be careful not to waste it if you don't have room for all the minions you are going to flood the board with). Again, I wouldn't recommend using him all the time, but every once in a while...
All good stuff above. Thank you. I have been playing around with many things, and was able to come up with a great deck for zoo by adding a couple tauning options. But alas, it really messed with the deck versus other things.
I think I will go back to "stock" though with Tundra Rhino instead of the second tracking. Unless I have a horrible draw, I rarely have card probs (and if I do, I have usually already lost it and card draw won't help). I use tracking later to get the card I need, as was discussed, rather than a turn 1 card draw, but overall, it seems I get stuck with an extra one many times late. Sure, I use it, but it is just to use up an extra mana. I like the idea of both tundra rhino and the curb-stomper.
As an experiment, I actually removed a tracking, and put in a knife juggler. So far, 4 matches, 4 wins, two with sweet juggler mayhem. One came on an UTH, the other on a sequential miracle card pull. Both did about 4 extra dmg. Not a beast, but sure fits the long drop sequences I do sometimes.
Edit: Sorry about the temporary "whine stain," I left on the forums about control warriors, whoever read it. Anyway, problem still exists, but sometimes bad streaks of getting rolled happens. Still love the build.
I lose often to priests as well playing kolento's deck, it doesn't seem to match up very well at all.
I actually wouldn't cut a Tracking for Tundra Rhino. Keep two of them. I'm currently using Tundra Rhino over Oasis Snapjaw, but this needs more testing.
- senti
What are you guys talking about? Unleash the Hounds is your best card by far, and the only card that matters against Zoo. Keep it in your opener, play 2 Trackings so that you can find it faster. If you open 1-drop, 2-drop with this deck you can legitimately fight the Zoo deck for board control, plus you get to draw way more cards than they can for way cheaper while putting out threats when you play Buzzard into Unleash or a bunch of cheap minions in the mid game. The matchup is very favorable for midrange Hunter.
Also, Tracking is one of the best cards in the game, why would you ever cut one? Discarding 2 cards is literally irrelevant; you draw your entire deck in 1/3 of games and never come up short in damage after doing so.
I really want to add in King Mukla but what could I take out? I guess the obvious would be the Snapjaw? Mukla costs 1 less and has more damage but looses 2 hp.
If I understand Tracking correclty, you literally LOSE those other two cards, right? They aren't shuffled back into the deck?
If so, then I have absolutely taken it to the chin many times. I needed a hound once for clearn, but gave up a buzzard. Card draw, or lack thereof, lost me that game. I reserve the right to play around with things. If things turn quite sour, I can always go back .
I would be willing to use tundra rhino over oasis snapjaw. Snapjaw is very erratice card. Has literally won me games single handedly. But yeah, is no hound master, it is a massive liability. I am split on it because of that. It needs the taunt to use the body or smart players generally ignore it.