Currently 5-0 at rank 4 and going up :D. Thunder Bluff valiant is so much better as a 2 of in this deck than I imagined , and totem golems and tuscar totemics carry the early game so hard(best result that i got so far was double mana tide :) from 2 of them).
Also, it seems Strifecro was right, Thunder Bluff valiant is the best shaman card this expac(above totem golem even), I have even cut Dr boom to make room for another one(since you need Neptulon to win vs control).
Even though some people may be playing more subpar decks atm, I still see midrange shaman becoming one of the top creators of the new meta.
I was just playing arena, and inspire minions are generally good, much better than i expected. I was paladin and mukla's chamipon and paladin murloc did a realy good job. So much board value. Haven't played ranked tho, but i sure will try midrange shaman.
I forgot to add ooze instead of 1 creeper that I run as a tech against many paladins that I met and future patron match-ups.
Edit: Playing some casual right now testing pirate rogue and druid beast deck, and will report my future success with this deck in ranked tomorrow night when I play again :) Feel free to share your decklists that worked for you :)
I took up a Midrange Shaman list as well, and it has been pretty solid. I am not ranked as high as you, but my first iteration was 5-1 and this one is 7-3 so far today. The games are pretty slow though and average around 10-12 minutes each. Sometimes they can go a bit longer as well.
Totem Golem is bonkers, and I started using him over Zombie Chow so that I did not have to do extra burst damage if he died. Not sure how integral the change is or is not though. Tuskarr Totemic is pretty crazy as well, and it got better when I started running Draenei Totemcarver. It was good without it, but sometimes you get a do nothing totem that would be nice to convert into some sort of other resource and a buff seems to work well.
Ancestral Knowledge as a 2 of has gotten me out of a lot of binds where I can peel into a Healing Wave or Lightning Storm. Sometimes I am short mana crystals though, between all the overload. It does not happen often, but it does happen. Makes me have to come up with a new line of play.
Thunder Bluff Valiant is also a lot of value and I am not sure if I want a second one or not yet. Sometimes it is hard to keep totems on the board and he cannot put enough pressure on my opponent in the same way Dr. Boom can.
Valiants are a good addition, they trade well with 3/6 body, no overload, and potential free dmg with totems. Having 2 of them on the board is a disaster waiting to happen.
Ancestral knowledge is so good, the 2 card draw is almost game changing for shaman.
Mistcaller is amazing if played at curve, your totems are a 1/4, drakes become 5/5, valiants 4/7. Such value!
This is the deck I'll play around with tonight. Thalnos might be booted for Neptulon. Double ancestral knowledge for draw in the late game where the overload doesn't hurt me.
Neptulon is awesome because he refills your hand, and if you get a Murloc Knight...it's a blast afterward haha good times, and the Murloc Knight makes Neptulon even better :)
I never play Neptulon on curve tho...I want until turn 10+ and the next turn you can play murlocs...good times
Btw I like your deck list, and I'll test it out tomorrow
With all due respect for people trying Mistcaller and knowledge, I am fairly certain that both would be cut for sure once aggro starts being more played(soon once people with poor deckbuilding start netdecking again).
Ancestral knowledge has more potential in Malygos shamans, but drakes and mana tide(totem synergy when silenced and can win games alone) are better for midrange and control. Neptulon is better late game, and even without him, you should win any games that go to lategame.
Mistcaller I see as a card that is just win-more vs decks that we already 70%+(control warrior, handlock), and it sucks vs our worst match-ups and in general, tempo matches(my bet is that tempo mage becomes dominant after a week). Neptulon is also a more sure win vs control, you don't have to play him early for him to be worth and he is slightly faster vs aggro.
Edit: Also, elemental destruction has 0 synergy with this deck, and on top of that I view it as a worse hellfire(that shamans wouldn't run, same reason because zoo doesn't), and even with lava shock you aren't getting that much of a better deal. Running 2 bad cards for a mediocre effect isn't worth it. Though, maybe in Malygos decks it sees play.
Healing wave at this moment can't be fit into this list, but if metagame shifts to hunters and face paladins, 1 Healing wave might make the list.
Yes, Neptulon is nearly always turn9 or 10 play, you have to keep your mana open for Fire ele. Five mana drop and totem are also better tempo (especially TB valiant). Also if you yolo turn 7 Neptulon, bgh breaks your back sometimes.
Currently 5-0 at rank 4 and going up :D. Thunder Bluff valiant is so much better as a 2 of in this deck than I imagined , and totem golems and tuscar totemics carry the early game so hard(best result that i got so far was double mana tide :) from 2 of them).
Also, it seems Strifecro was right, Thunder Bluff valiant is the best shaman card this expac(above totem golem even), I have even cut Dr boom to make room for another one(since you need Neptulon to win vs control).
Even though some people may be playing more subpar decks atm, I still see midrange shaman becoming one of the top creators of the new meta.
Here is my decklist:
Update(25th august): reached rank 3 today, 6-2 overall. Meta was mostly mage/paladin midrange and warrior control/dragon decks.
I was just playing arena, and inspire minions are generally good, much better than i expected. I was paladin and mukla's chamipon and paladin murloc did a realy good job. So much board value. Haven't played ranked tho, but i sure will try midrange shaman.
Easy N'zoth Quest Priest
I forgot to add ooze instead of 1 creeper that I run as a tech against many paladins that I met and future patron match-ups.
Edit: Playing some casual right now testing pirate rogue and druid beast deck, and will report my future success with this deck in ranked tomorrow night when I play again :) Feel free to share your decklists that worked for you :)
What about kodorider? I found he was REALLY good in my shaman deck if he survived for more then one turn. Also have you tested ancestral knowledge?
I would put in The Mistcaller instead of Neptulon. Amaz is also going with it currently and it just gets so much value.
Healing Wave is superb too vs agro decks.
I took up a Midrange Shaman list as well, and it has been pretty solid. I am not ranked as high as you, but my first iteration was 5-1 and this one is 7-3 so far today. The games are pretty slow though and average around 10-12 minutes each. Sometimes they can go a bit longer as well.
Totem Golem is bonkers, and I started using him over Zombie Chow so that I did not have to do extra burst damage if he died. Not sure how integral the change is or is not though. Tuskarr Totemic is pretty crazy as well, and it got better when I started running Draenei Totemcarver. It was good without it, but sometimes you get a do nothing totem that would be nice to convert into some sort of other resource and a buff seems to work well.
Ancestral Knowledge as a 2 of has gotten me out of a lot of binds where I can peel into a Healing Wave or Lightning Storm. Sometimes I am short mana crystals though, between all the overload. It does not happen often, but it does happen. Makes me have to come up with a new line of play.
Thunder Bluff Valiant is also a lot of value and I am not sure if I want a second one or not yet. Sometimes it is hard to keep totems on the board and he cannot put enough pressure on my opponent in the same way Dr. Boom can.
Valiants are a good addition, they trade well with 3/6 body, no overload, and potential free dmg with totems. Having 2 of them on the board is a disaster waiting to happen.
Ancestral knowledge is so good, the 2 card draw is almost game changing for shaman.
Mistcaller is amazing if played at curve, your totems are a 1/4, drakes become 5/5, valiants 4/7. Such value!
Any 6 mana card is really good if it survives a turn. The difference is that Kodorider is good ONLY if it survives a turn,
Thunder Bluff Valiant OVERPOWERED
This is the deck I'll play around with tonight. Thalnos might be booted for Neptulon. Double ancestral knowledge for draw in the late game where the overload doesn't hurt me.
Neptulon is awesome because he refills your hand, and if you get a Murloc Knight...it's a blast afterward haha good times, and the Murloc Knight makes Neptulon even better :)
I never play Neptulon on curve tho...I want until turn 10+ and the next turn you can play murlocs...good times
Btw I like your deck list, and I'll test it out tomorrow
With all due respect for people trying Mistcaller and knowledge, I am fairly certain that both would be cut for sure once aggro starts being more played(soon once people with poor deckbuilding start netdecking again).
Ancestral knowledge has more potential in Malygos shamans, but drakes and mana tide(totem synergy when silenced and can win games alone) are better for midrange and control. Neptulon is better late game, and even without him, you should win any games that go to lategame.
Mistcaller I see as a card that is just win-more vs decks that we already 70%+(control warrior, handlock), and it sucks vs our worst match-ups and in general, tempo matches(my bet is that tempo mage becomes dominant after a week). Neptulon is also a more sure win vs control, you don't have to play him early for him to be worth and he is slightly faster vs aggro.
Edit: Also, elemental destruction has 0 synergy with this deck, and on top of that I view it as a worse hellfire(that shamans wouldn't run, same reason because zoo doesn't), and even with lava shock you aren't getting that much of a better deal. Running 2 bad cards for a mediocre effect isn't worth it. Though, maybe in Malygos decks it sees play.
Healing wave at this moment can't be fit into this list, but if metagame shifts to hunters and face paladins, 1 Healing wave might make the list.
Yes, Neptulon is nearly always turn9 or 10 play, you have to keep your mana open for Fire ele. Five mana drop and totem are also better tempo (especially TB valiant). Also if you yolo turn 7 Neptulon, bgh breaks your back sometimes.
I'm running this atm
I love totem craver.. i mean even with only one or two totems you get a really powerful early minion