I'm seeing more and more streamer or "pro" lists moving to only one Maelstrom Pulse. I cant really see why, and am wondering what everyone else was thinking about this move on the ladder?
Maelstrom portal is a tech card, and in this meta it's just not as useful as it used to be. Where this card really shines is against zoo type decks that run a lot of small minions, and those type of decks just aren't that common on the ladder right now. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be able to drop one early and slow down someone playing the pirate package, but against Reno or dragon priest it's so situational that it sits in your hand for most of the game.
A non-aggressive tech card that doesn't help against face, and only marginally with board power.
Also, against slower control decks and/or spelldecks, it is basically a dead card (unless you're lucky with the drop), which you can't afford in an aggro deck, with limited steam..
I was considering removing it as well. At the very least, one copy.
actually i saw your list this morning, and was quite intrigued. Mainly by the copy of earth shock, but the list I got legend with last season is only slightly different. I had 2 pulse 2 feral spirit and 1 southsea. Gonna add the earth shock, but am really interested in the addition of Azure drake? What did you add it for, or is it just mainly a value card?
well dude I guess that we hit legend with the same deck last season :D I cut 1x feral 1x maelstrom and 1 southsea from the original list.
My first replacement was Leeroy for portal since I did not like 2 copies of it and wanted more burst.
My second tech was drake for feral spell dmg and crad draw felt so good in this list and I often topdecked into lethal with drake.
Feral is nice follow up for turn 4 7/7 but that's it.. the overload is like meeh
third choice was to cut deckhand due to named reasons in the comment of my list, silence is just amazing in current meta so I tested it in aggro shaman since shaman got the only playable strong silence card atm and it was worth it ! suprise factor is also real
Ive been playing this season with the one pulse and added back in the second soutsea, but I'm not impressed with 2 of the card. After seeing your list this morning I really like the idea of Earth shock.
I felt like Leeroy was the difference in making and not making legend last season, as it fits the curve so well and is an amazing finisher. Adding Earth Shock to the deck to help him push through taunts should be solid. I agree with your point on Feral, but really really like that card against Pirate Warrior. I will try the Drake in its place though as your results are a very good argument for why to use it.
It depends on what type of deck you are looking at. There is both midrange Shaman and aggro Shaman, and it’s legitimately hard to tell the difference these days.
Aggro Shaman will typically have Lava Burst and one or more Southsea Deckhand. They will usually have no Lightning Storm and no more than 1 card above 6 mana. If you really think you are that much faster than Pirate Warrior and other Shaman decks on every single draw, go ahead and cut down to 1x Maelstrom Portal. But, I don’t think you are. It’s best to include some catch-up. In fact, I think upper ranks of the ladder are actually tending more toward the three Reno decks, anyway. Against that lineup, I’d actually recommend a build with more burst like the jade-less Aggro Shaman from Thijs(http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/702192-thijss-elc-shaman) .
Any at any rate, definitely do not cut any Maelstrom Portal if you are running midrange. Midrange will typically run 2x Azure Drakes and Hexes over Lava Burst. And, the main reason you’d run midrange over pure aggro is to get a better percentage against the mirror. Honestly, you will not see much tech around this aspect in the “pro” lists, because most of them are for tournament formats like last hero standing where 1) you can bring no more than one deck of each class (no aggro and mid Shaman both), and 2) it is better to have decks with highly polarized matchups against the field rather than a more even distribution.
TBH, I don’t put that much stock in pro lists for the above reason that the goals of a good ladder list are so much different than those of a good tournament list. And I never, ever see it mentioned which is for which. Specifically, Midrange Shaman has been an incredibly fast climb for me late last season and early this one, and I would never drop a Maelstrom Portal in that list. Too good in aggressive matchups, and really a nice performance ceiling with Flametongue, Drake, and Bloodmage all in the deck.
I'm seeing more and more streamer or "pro" lists moving to only one Maelstrom Pulse. I cant really see why, and am wondering what everyone else was thinking about this move on the ladder?
The "why" should be pretty simple, Maelstrom Portal is not an aggressive card, I imagine it's getting cut for a more aggressive card.
Maelstrom portal is a tech card, and in this meta it's just not as useful as it used to be. Where this card really shines is against zoo type decks that run a lot of small minions, and those type of decks just aren't that common on the ladder right now. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be able to drop one early and slow down someone playing the pirate package, but against Reno or dragon priest it's so situational that it sits in your hand for most of the game.
I must not be seeing the same decks you guys are on the ladder. +50% of what I play against is either the mirror or pirate warrior.
I cut it more than 3 weeks ago and replaced it with leeroy which worked out amazing for me.
I wanted more burst and the first card which came in my mind to cut was second copy of maelstrom.
You do not need it in most match up's and one copy is totally enough.
can check my list below if u like
A non-aggressive tech card that doesn't help against face, and only marginally with board power.
Also, against slower control decks and/or spelldecks, it is basically a dead card (unless you're lucky with the drop), which you can't afford in an aggro deck, with limited steam..
I was considering removing it as well. At the very least, one copy.
As a face deck it makes no sense running the card, actually. However you probably face yourself most of the time so maybe run it.
actually i saw your list this morning, and was quite intrigued. Mainly by the copy of earth shock, but the list I got legend with last season is only slightly different. I had 2 pulse 2 feral spirit and 1 southsea. Gonna add the earth shock, but am really interested in the addition of Azure drake? What did you add it for, or is it just mainly a value card?
well dude I guess that we hit legend with the same deck last season :D I cut 1x feral 1x maelstrom and 1 southsea from the original list.
My first replacement was Leeroy for portal since I did not like 2 copies of it and wanted more burst.
My second tech was drake for feral spell dmg and crad draw felt so good in this list and I often topdecked into lethal with drake.
Feral is nice follow up for turn 4 7/7 but that's it.. the overload is like meeh
third choice was to cut deckhand due to named reasons in the comment of my list, silence is just amazing in current meta so I tested it in aggro shaman since shaman got the only playable strong silence card atm and it was worth it ! suprise factor is also real
Ive been playing this season with the one pulse and added back in the second soutsea, but I'm not impressed with 2 of the card. After seeing your list this morning I really like the idea of Earth shock.
I felt like Leeroy was the difference in making and not making legend last season, as it fits the curve so well and is an amazing finisher. Adding Earth Shock to the deck to help him push through taunts should be solid. I agree with your point on Feral, but really really like that card against Pirate Warrior. I will try the Drake in its place though as your results are a very good argument for why to use it.
It depends on what type of deck you are looking at. There is both midrange Shaman and aggro Shaman, and it’s legitimately hard to tell the difference these days.
Aggro Shaman will typically have Lava Burst and one or more Southsea Deckhand. They will usually have no Lightning Storm and no more than 1 card above 6 mana. If you really think you are that much faster than Pirate Warrior and other Shaman decks on every single draw, go ahead and cut down to 1x Maelstrom Portal. But, I don’t think you are. It’s best to include some catch-up. In fact, I think upper ranks of the ladder are actually tending more toward the three Reno decks, anyway. Against that lineup, I’d actually recommend a build with more burst like the jade-less Aggro Shaman from Thijs(http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/702192-thijss-elc-shaman) .
Any at any rate, definitely do not cut any Maelstrom Portal if you are running midrange. Midrange will typically run 2x Azure Drakes and Hexes over Lava Burst. And, the main reason you’d run midrange over pure aggro is to get a better percentage against the mirror. Honestly, you will not see much tech around this aspect in the “pro” lists, because most of them are for tournament formats like last hero standing where 1) you can bring no more than one deck of each class (no aggro and mid Shaman both), and 2) it is better to have decks with highly polarized matchups against the field rather than a more even distribution.
TBH, I don’t put that much stock in pro lists for the above reason that the goals of a good ladder list are so much different than those of a good tournament list. And I never, ever see it mentioned which is for which. Specifically, Midrange Shaman has been an incredibly fast climb for me late last season and early this one, and I would never drop a Maelstrom Portal in that list. Too good in aggressive matchups, and really a nice performance ceiling with Flametongue, Drake, and Bloodmage all in the deck.