I'm a big fan of mid-range / control Paladin and it's the only deck apart from mid-range / tempo warlock I keep around.
With Old Gods I played a N'thun control deck, then a pure N'Zoth deck. Since the rotation, I don't think it's all that worthwhile anymore - but still playable.
Anyway, I build a first draft and tested it a bit, changed here and there some stuff and this is the current version:
Some thoughts: - Primordial Drake is an amazing turn 10 drop with Equality. - Not mayn spells, so Pyromancer doesn't seem too appealing. Maybe a one off instead of Doomsayer for combo? - The Curator is amazing with Primordial Drake and Hydrologist as targets. To make the most of it, you need 2 beasts. Not sure which to pick, but the 2 I have, do really well, in particular, vs taunt warrior, stealthed Finja, Acolyte of Pain etc. What would you pick? Maybe another dragon as well? - Thought about Barnes, but the risk of Doomsayer is always there. - MANY taunts makes this deck quite safe to play. Plus a surplus of heal. - I really like Grimstreet Protector, but I find no space for him. - Would you play Grimstreet Outfiter?
Sunkeeper Tarim makes no sense in this. Replace him with Hemet, since you are going to need a way to draw your good cards once you get out of mid game. Right now, control can't really make it because if you go the slow route, you need to be able to win against Rogue quest, Mage quest (and every quest to be honest), along with good midrange decks that outvalue all your drops up to very late game. Currently the meta is shaped up by Mage quest (almost unwinnable with this list), Rogue quest (can't see a way to stop constant 5/5s even if you reset the board), Shaman/Paladin Elemental that can create a board out of nowhere, and your only way to react is Equality/Consecration which means losing a whole turn and then the board again.
The rest of the ladder are funky aggros which are made specifically to battle quest decks (Murlocs out of Paladin or Shaman and Hunter Beasts). So, the point is not to create a list that has answers in everything in theory, but in practice. Meaning that although you can stall, you can't win in a timely fashion for the opponent to not be able to react. Which sums up the problem of control Paladin strategy.
I had no problems with hunter quest. Shaman depends on AoE draw. Rogue is tough most of the time, yes. Warrior is somewhat easy. Control shaman is eye-to-eye, if not even in favor of this deck.
Sunkeeper Tarim is actually great more often than not, simply because of your dudes.
I've tried playing control pally and what I've found is there's 0% winrate against freeze-otk mage, you just can't push enough damage and then he does sorc timewarp antonio combo and I die from full hp despite having board full off beefy taunts.
I'm a big fan of mid-range / control Paladin and it's the only deck apart from mid-range / tempo warlock I keep around.
With Old Gods I played a N'thun control deck, then a pure N'Zoth deck. Since the rotation, I don't think it's all that worthwhile anymore - but still playable.
Anyway, I build a first draft and tested it a bit, changed here and there some stuff and this is the current version:
Some thoughts:
- Primordial Drake is an amazing turn 10 drop with Equality.
- Not mayn spells, so Pyromancer doesn't seem too appealing. Maybe a one off instead of Doomsayer for combo?
- The Curator is amazing with Primordial Drake and Hydrologist as targets. To make the most of it, you need 2 beasts. Not sure which to pick, but the 2 I have, do really well, in particular, vs taunt warrior, stealthed Finja, Acolyte of Pain etc. What would you pick? Maybe another dragon as well?
- Thought about Barnes, but the risk of Doomsayer is always there.
- MANY taunts makes this deck quite safe to play. Plus a surplus of heal.
- I really like Grimstreet Protector, but I find no space for him.
- Would you play Grimstreet Outfiter?
What would you include into a control deck?
I think the pure N'Zoth Version is better. I will post my decklist in a second.
Sunkeeper Tarim makes no sense in this. Replace him with Hemet, since you are going to need a way to draw your good cards once you get out of mid game. Right now, control can't really make it because if you go the slow route, you need to be able to win against Rogue quest, Mage quest (and every quest to be honest), along with good midrange decks that outvalue all your drops up to very late game. Currently the meta is shaped up by Mage quest (almost unwinnable with this list), Rogue quest (can't see a way to stop constant 5/5s even if you reset the board), Shaman/Paladin Elemental that can create a board out of nowhere, and your only way to react is Equality/Consecration which means losing a whole turn and then the board again.
The rest of the ladder are funky aggros which are made specifically to battle quest decks (Murlocs out of Paladin or Shaman and Hunter Beasts). So, the point is not to create a list that has answers in everything in theory, but in practice. Meaning that although you can stall, you can't win in a timely fashion for the opponent to not be able to react. Which sums up the problem of control Paladin strategy.
I had no problems with hunter quest. Shaman depends on AoE draw. Rogue is tough most of the time, yes. Warrior is somewhat easy. Control shaman is eye-to-eye, if not even in favor of this deck.
Sunkeeper Tarim is actually great more often than not, simply because of your dudes.
Ok, so how's it going so far? And what rank are you testing this on?
I've tried playing control pally and what I've found is there's 0% winrate against freeze-otk mage, you just can't push enough damage and then he does sorc timewarp antonio combo and I die from full hp despite having board full off beefy taunts.
Piloted Shredder, Knife Juggler, Mad Scientist, Dr. Boom
Need to be removed from this game