Where Totem Shaman has so far failed to deliver, a number of new neutral and class cards in TGT have made Dragon Shaman viable to the extent that I feel this deck is the most viable Shaman deck currently. The main caveat is that it has a very high skill cap, dicing with death, requiring a fair bit of spell power math and making spectacular tempo swings. The result is a challenging but very fun, rewarding and competitive deck.
I have included a video along with he deck list on the deck page:
I did run lot less spells and 2nd Fire Elemental, therefore Blackwing Technician to have something to drop earlier. Worked ok but something around 60% Winrate at Rank 15-10 so I'm curious if this works better :)
I did run lot less spells and 2nd Fire Elemental, therefore Blackwing Technician to have something to drop earlier. Worked ok but something around 60% Winrate at Rank 15-10 so I'm curious if this works better :)
Part of the "breakthrough" with Dragon Shaman is being able to cut out all of the early game minions and relying on Healing Wave and the AoEs to take care of it when the midgame comes. It's risky but there's plenty of card draw, taunts and burn to make it consistent, you just have to be very smart with what you use and when. Sometimes it's right to freeze a minion just to save that bit of HP, sometimes you just want to chip away at something with a Corruptor so it dies to AoE the next turn.
It's very different to other Dragon decks in that you don't just play undercosted minions on curve, it's all about setting up that beautiful tempo swing in the mid-game and then controlling from there on out, which is why it takes quite a while to get to grips with. I would play this on casual for a couple of hours at least before taking it to the ladder, but it's one of those decks that when you master it it's super strong.
Why one frost Schock instead of double Earth Shock?
Primarily to counter weapon classes, mainly Warrior, preventing that second swing on a Death's Bite from doing something horrible etc. And also another burn card that can go face with Malygos. As with the rest of the deck it's strong when you time it right, but if you just chuck it out there it's crap.
You can definitely run 2x Earth Shock if that doesn't feel worth it to you but I pride myself on this being a deck that actually seems to do well against Patron, I really can't stand that deck lmao.
How does this deck fare versus Dragon Priest and Control Warrior?
Against Control Warrior it's typically good for the same reasons Control Shaman has always been good against Control Warrior.
Dragon Priest is one of the harder matchups though, they are favoured, their ability to buff HP out of AoE range is basically the counter to this deck.
In that case, wouldn't running double earth shock be better than 1 frost shock? Even if it doesn't hit face, earth shocks are great ways to deal with buffs and deathrattles (and taunts if you end up in a hit face situation)
In that case, wouldn't running double earth shock be better than 1 frost shock? Even if it doesn't hit face, earth shocks are great ways to deal with buffs and deathrattles (and taunts if you end up in a hit face situation)
Sure just go by which is causing you the most issues/which decks you're encountering the most.
Currently 4-2 with this deck at rank 7, can't say fairer than that! Ramp Druid, Control Warrior, Combo Druid and a Totem Shaman beaten, lost to two Mech Mages.. I think Mech Mage might be a bad matchup.
Be prepared to go to fatigue quite often though lel.
I love decks like this with multiple options that actually reward you for thinking carefully about your plays rather than just dumping minions on curve.
Strifecro was playing PRIMO's deck. I will say, I was terribly disappointed in his skill level with it. He made so many misplays I had to stop watching. I saw him start with an ED and a Lava Shock in his hand...and use the lava shock on turn 2 to take out a Juggler.
This deck is not pick up and play at all, I wouldn't take this on ladder until you have played for a good few hours on casual at least. After turn 4 almost every single turn rope out trying to plan the perfect move as there are usually a number of options, and sometimes the best is to just totem and pass, bait out more minions for AoE and save your 4 and 5 drops for after you tempo switch.
You also have to make the right decisions when it comes to your health total, which you often take big risks with. In that sense it's like Handlock.
If you've never played it before FryChikN and take it on ladder at rank 4 I would not expect you to climb at all, it has taken me over a week but my win rate with it (at ranks 7 and 8) is now >50%, at first it was about 25% heh.
The other option is Totem Shaman where you just drop minions on curve and hope your opponent draws badly in the early game, you win if they do, lose if they don't, and you usually couldn't do anything to change the outcome.
Any subs for Malygos (realize that Malygos is pretty important, but I don't have the dust...)
He's actually not the centre of the deck although he is important, the centre of the deck is Elemental Destruction and Twilight Guardians really, so you could replace him with Nefarian for sure for the time being.
He wins me the game maybe 1/5 times, but the other times it's just winning through grinding them down and out valuing them.
Any subs for Malygos (realize that Malygos is pretty important, but I don't have the dust...)
He's actually not the centre of the deck although he is important, the centre of the deck is Elemental Destruction and Twilight Guardians really, so you could replace him with Nefarian for sure for the time being.
He wins me the game maybe 1/5 times, but the other times it's just winning through grinding them down and out valuing them.
Do you die a lot to those nasty aggro decks a lot tho?
Sorry but watching this deck made me cry. It only further proves how weak shaman is. You're grim patron opponent was shit and you played poorly as well.
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My legendary count excluding adventure legendaries, dupes and old murk eye: 40
Any subs for Malygos (realize that Malygos is pretty important, but I don't have the dust...)
He's actually not the centre of the deck although he is important, the centre of the deck is Elemental Destruction and Twilight Guardians really, so you could replace him with Nefarian for sure for the time being.
He wins me the game maybe 1/5 times, but the other times it's just winning through grinding them down and out valuing them.
Do you die a lot to those nasty aggro decks a lot tho?
Aggro is really easy with this deck unless you draw particularly badly, midrange is the tricky spot. Control is generally quite ok for the same reasons the old control Shaman was as you have most of those tools in here still.
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Where Totem Shaman has so far failed to deliver, a number of new neutral and class cards in TGT have made Dragon Shaman viable to the extent that I feel this deck is the most viable Shaman deck currently. The main caveat is that it has a very high skill cap, dicing with death, requiring a fair bit of spell power math and making spectacular tempo swings. The result is a challenging but very fun, rewarding and competitive deck.
I have included a video along with he deck list on the deck page:
Part of the "breakthrough" with Dragon Shaman is being able to cut out all of the early game minions and relying on Healing Wave and the AoEs to take care of it when the midgame comes. It's risky but there's plenty of card draw, taunts and burn to make it consistent, you just have to be very smart with what you use and when. Sometimes it's right to freeze a minion just to save that bit of HP, sometimes you just want to chip away at something with a Corruptor so it dies to AoE the next turn.
It's very different to other Dragon decks in that you don't just play undercosted minions on curve, it's all about setting up that beautiful tempo swing in the mid-game and then controlling from there on out, which is why it takes quite a while to get to grips with. I would play this on casual for a couple of hours at least before taking it to the ladder, but it's one of those decks that when you master it it's super strong.
Primarily to counter weapon classes, mainly Warrior, preventing that second swing on a Death's Bite from doing something horrible etc. And also another burn card that can go face with Malygos. As with the rest of the deck it's strong when you time it right, but if you just chuck it out there it's crap.
You can definitely run 2x Earth Shock if that doesn't feel worth it to you but I pride myself on this being a deck that actually seems to do well against Patron, I really can't stand that deck lmao.
Against Control Warrior it's typically good for the same reasons Control Shaman has always been good against Control Warrior.
Dragon Priest is one of the harder matchups though, they are favoured, their ability to buff HP out of AoE range is basically the counter to this deck.
In that case, wouldn't running double earth shock be better than 1 frost shock? Even if it doesn't hit face, earth shocks are great ways to deal with buffs and deathrattles (and taunts if you end up in a hit face situation)
Sure just go by which is causing you the most issues/which decks you're encountering the most.
Currently 4-2 with this deck at rank 7, can't say fairer than that! Ramp Druid, Control Warrior, Combo Druid and a Totem Shaman beaten, lost to two Mech Mages.. I think Mech Mage might be a bad matchup.
Be prepared to go to fatigue quite often though lel.
I love decks like this with multiple options that actually reward you for thinking carefully about your plays rather than just dumping minions on curve.
StrifeCro was running this the other night (well almost the same deck...with a few changes), and it was not pretty for him :(
I want to give it a try tho!
went from rank 4 to rank 6 playing this lol
Strifecro was playing PRIMO's deck. I will say, I was terribly disappointed in his skill level with it. He made so many misplays I had to stop watching. I saw him start with an ED and a Lava Shock in his hand...and use the lava shock on turn 2 to take out a Juggler.
This deck is not pick up and play at all, I wouldn't take this on ladder until you have played for a good few hours on casual at least. After turn 4 almost every single turn rope out trying to plan the perfect move as there are usually a number of options, and sometimes the best is to just totem and pass, bait out more minions for AoE and save your 4 and 5 drops for after you tempo switch.
You also have to make the right decisions when it comes to your health total, which you often take big risks with. In that sense it's like Handlock.
If you've never played it before FryChikN and take it on ladder at rank 4 I would not expect you to climb at all, it has taken me over a week but my win rate with it (at ranks 7 and 8) is now >50%, at first it was about 25% heh.
The other option is Totem Shaman where you just drop minions on curve and hope your opponent draws badly in the early game, you win if they do, lose if they don't, and you usually couldn't do anything to change the outcome.
Deck is currently front page of Reddit boys!
Keen to hear how you guys have found it?
Haven't tried the deck yet (I will) , but man... this video guide is awesome! You deserved my upvote! Thanks you.
Thanks man! The music is the Draenie starting area btw, Azuremyst Isle.
Any subs for Malygos (realize that Malygos is pretty important, but I don't have the dust...)
He's actually not the centre of the deck although he is important, the centre of the deck is Elemental Destruction and Twilight Guardians really, so you could replace him with Nefarian for sure for the time being.
He wins me the game maybe 1/5 times, but the other times it's just winning through grinding them down and out valuing them.
Do you die a lot to those nasty aggro decks a lot tho?
Sorry but watching this deck made me cry. It only further proves how weak shaman is. You're grim patron opponent was shit and you played poorly as well.
My legendary count excluding adventure legendaries, dupes and old murk eye: 40
$$$ spent on this game: 0
Check out my card collection: http://www.hearthpwn.com/members/MCFUser175154/collection
Aggro is really easy with this deck unless you draw particularly badly, midrange is the tricky spot. Control is generally quite ok for the same reasons the old control Shaman was as you have most of those tools in here still.