So called "2nd tier legendaries" are in an awkward position. Every one calls them "solid", "quite good" or "special", but when it comes to competitive deck building, other cards are actually preferred.
My idea is to make a competitive deck around/out of those Legendaries and make other players approach this idea as well. I'll will show you my result below. Saraad, Vol'jin and Confessor Paletress play important roles in this deck:
Paletress and Mariel Trueheart are low on HP, and Saraad isn't that beefy either. Wouldn't a deck such as this benefit from 2 more Taunt minions? Like a pair of Sludge Belchers?
Although I wrote "2nd Tier Legendaries", my idea was actually just to use some legendaries which aren't played that much. So it isn't that important to actually have legendaries from the second tier in this deck. Tier 2, in my opinion, includes cards that are good, but not staple right now and thus are not that often encountered - Vol'jin fits this criteria, as does Paletress. I would agree that Saraad is quite debatable, what means that you could argue that he has to be placed one tier below that of the other two.
I actually am looking for some changes although I have ranked up from 11 to 8 so far with this (then proceeded with Tempo Mage). I actually run this deck with one Elise instead of one Shredder right now. Shredder is good, but doesn't have much synergy and more importantly not that much health and is not a taunt. Elise came in handy in maybe 20% of my games (what means Control matchups) - obviously not enough. Atleast the deck didn't became worse and as you can draw lots of cards, the Golden Monkey combo pans off more often than you'd think. Justicar is indeed a Tier 1 card in the mentioned decks.
I am looking at the Acolyte and especially at the the two Shredders as potential cards to take out. And yes, taking out Saraad would make sense as well, but I want to keep him in this deck. Actually he won some games for me - this usually happened when he was alive for more than one turn. I know that Shredder is the best 4-drop in the game, but the synergy he has with the rest of deck is actually zero. Potential additions would be: Belcher, Senjin (as you are low in 4-drops) or something crazier like Twilight Drake/Tournament Medic and a Inner Fire to combo with Deathlord/Medic/Velen'd minions.
It's not that big of a deal that some bigger of your minions are not "beefy". This deck resembles Control Priest with all the removal cards. The deck doesn't actually need to run many bigger minions in most matchups these times as this deck runs Entomb, Curator, Lightbombs, BGH etc... You try to do some smart Deathlord/Velen's Chosen/Cabal/Vol'jin/Justicar plays mixed with all the removals to stay in the game and take the initiative, thus luring out your opponent's removal. When you think the time is right then proceed to play Paletress - this should happen pretty late as then the chances increase you win. When you can use her effect twice you win the game.
With Saraad it is more difficult. On some times I'd play Saraad right on turn 5 as a "tempo play" - depending on the class you battle against and on the board state. Then, you could drop him on turn 7 in order to use his ability, but you'll have other plays which are better from time to time at that point - keep that in mind. Last but certainly not least there is the "Paletress way" of playing Saraad - at the very end of the game.
Although Saraad sometimes gave me the perfect spell to seal the game, there are better alternatives. But I have a faible for him and will keep him - just replace him with a Slyvanas, Belcher, another Excavated Evil/Holy Nova etc. if he doesn't pan out for you. If you want to keep the deck more fun, try running an Icehowl or a Foe Reaper - especially Icehowl is the perfect card to play before dropping Paletress.
So called "2nd tier legendaries" are in an awkward position. Every one calls them "solid", "quite good" or "special", but when it comes to competitive deck building, other cards are actually preferred.
My idea is to make a competitive deck around/out of those Legendaries and make other players approach this idea as well. I'll will show you my result below. Saraad, Vol'jin and Confessor Paletress play important roles in this deck:
i think sarad is fun but not that usefull in Priest, it can be change for something like sylvanas or dr 7
Unfortunately someone didn't quite get it...
I get it and still think Saraad sucks and he is actually like a 3rd or 4th tier legendary.
Trueheart is a tier 1 in Control Priest and Control Warrior and Mid-Range/Control Paladin.
Vol'Jin could also be considered a Tier 1 in Control and Dragon Priest.
Your true tier 2 is the Confessor.
Great art can never be created without great suffering.
It's an interesting idea.
Paletress and Mariel Trueheart are low on HP, and Saraad isn't that beefy either. Wouldn't a deck such as this benefit from 2 more Taunt minions? Like a pair of Sludge Belchers?
Although I wrote "2nd Tier Legendaries", my idea was actually just to use some legendaries which aren't played that much. So it isn't that important to actually have legendaries from the second tier in this deck. Tier 2, in my opinion, includes cards that are good, but not staple right now and thus are not that often encountered - Vol'jin fits this criteria, as does Paletress. I would agree that Saraad is quite debatable, what means that you could argue that he has to be placed one tier below that of the other two.
I actually am looking for some changes although I have ranked up from 11 to 8 so far with this (then proceeded with Tempo Mage). I actually run this deck with one Elise instead of one Shredder right now. Shredder is good, but doesn't have much synergy and more importantly not that much health and is not a taunt. Elise came in handy in maybe 20% of my games (what means Control matchups) - obviously not enough. Atleast the deck didn't became worse and as you can draw lots of cards, the Golden Monkey combo pans off more often than you'd think. Justicar is indeed a Tier 1 card in the mentioned decks.
I am looking at the Acolyte and especially at the the two Shredders as potential cards to take out. And yes, taking out Saraad would make sense as well, but I want to keep him in this deck. Actually he won some games for me - this usually happened when he was alive for more than one turn. I know that Shredder is the best 4-drop in the game, but the synergy he has with the rest of deck is actually zero. Potential additions would be: Belcher, Senjin (as you are low in 4-drops) or something crazier like Twilight Drake/Tournament Medic and a Inner Fire to combo with Deathlord/Medic/Velen'd minions.
It's not that big of a deal that some bigger of your minions are not "beefy". This deck resembles Control Priest with all the removal cards. The deck doesn't actually need to run many bigger minions in most matchups these times as this deck runs Entomb, Curator, Lightbombs, BGH etc... You try to do some smart Deathlord/Velen's Chosen/Cabal/Vol'jin/Justicar plays mixed with all the removals to stay in the game and take the initiative, thus luring out your opponent's removal. When you think the time is right then proceed to play Paletress - this should happen pretty late as then the chances increase you win. When you can use her effect twice you win the game.
With Saraad it is more difficult. On some times I'd play Saraad right on turn 5 as a "tempo play" - depending on the class you battle against and on the board state. Then, you could drop him on turn 7 in order to use his ability, but you'll have other plays which are better from time to time at that point - keep that in mind. Last but certainly not least there is the "Paletress way" of playing Saraad - at the very end of the game.
Although Saraad sometimes gave me the perfect spell to seal the game, there are better alternatives. But I have a faible for him and will keep him - just replace him with a Slyvanas, Belcher, another Excavated Evil/Holy Nova etc. if he doesn't pan out for you. If you want to keep the deck more fun, try running an Icehowl or a Foe Reaper - especially Icehowl is the perfect card to play before dropping Paletress.