Any players out there who can give me some advice on how to play this match-up correctly? I keep losing to priests as a freeze mage and I'd like to know how to approach this match-up? They run burst heal which makes it difficult to go Alexstrasza into burst damage. They also know how to apply decent pressure because they know that if they sit back they get OTK'd. So what should be my gameplan?
Maybe I've been unlucky that I got my Ice Block stolen a bunch of times (Shifting Shade) or that they manage to curve out really well but it seems that they have a lot of counters to my strategies. They can easily kill Doomsayers and they use high health minions so it's really hard for me to clear their board. Eventually the pressure is piling on and I only run so many freeze effects. They kill me before I can assemble 30 damage OTK and if I try to Alex them they use Priest of the Feast or improved hero power and Flash Heals to go back up to 30, as well as removing my Alex.
Not to mention the occasional Eater of Secrets or Kezan Mystic (yeah, he took my Ice Block, ouch) that is often times very painful.
Any experienced freeze mages or priests out there who can help me understand how to play this match-up accordingly?
You have to wait for a great emperor... Search your burst and try to OTK him. You should also, if you don't have it already, put a evolved kobold in your deck in my opinion. Sometimes you have to play really ballsy in this match-up. Like if he's missing 2 dmg on board to kill/proc you, maybe consider not to play frost nova, if it isn't looking too good for you, just to freeze next turn when he plays something else. And you just have to keep in mind that alex probably isn't a big win condition in this match-up.
Agreed that you need to try to set up the OTK , which is hard to do against priest period and is especially tough against rez priest since it is essential a midrange deck and can pressure you consistently .
I've generally found that carrying one Polymorph is useful; and if you run one you should mulligan for it against priest. Poly on the injured blade master can really muck up the resurrect strategy.
As you know, Freeze Mage is a complicated deck to navigate. You need lot of practice to know when and how to swing the board in your favor. Priests have removals to deal with both your board clears and your heavy minions with the Shadow Words. One way is to have Malygos and have good draws, so you can OTK them. But if you are using torches and Alex, you have to remove their minions efficiently and be very greedy. Remember that their hero power is useless without a minion on board against a Mage. Priest is a fairly easy match up if you can pressure them to play slowly and find your damage spells. Bloodmage Thalnos is a very good card to keep for the explosive spell damage when you want to burst Priests down.
A typical Freeze Mage can ideally do 48 raw spell damage to face. If they heal too much after you Alex them, plan ahead and stall the game so that you hold most of your damage spells by the time you Alex them. Priest can't soak damage like Warriors, so if timed well, you can burn them to crisp.
Also try playing in standard if wild Priests are eating your secrets.
I'm not running Evolved Kobold but that would definitely make the OTK plan easier. I've tried to go the OTK route but it needs so many cards and Emperor ticks on 4-6 cards to get it done. I find that they have enough pressure to not allow me to draw my whole deck. Up until now it hasn't been working for me. Might very well be lack of skill/practice.
If I want to make room for Kobold, what card should I cut for it?
- Pyroblast (has been really good when not drawing Alex, especially since I'm not running Antonidas)
- Forgotten Torch (I run two but being able to use burn spell more freely has been nice)
- Flamestrike (I swapped out Cone of Cold for Flamestrike because I'm seeing many Midrange Shamans)
The rest of the deck is pretty stock. Don't think I can cut into those cards.
I'm not too experienced with this deck so any advice on decklist and match-up strategy is more than welcome.
In the earlygame: CYCLE, CYCLE, CYCLE! and don't be afraid to drop early doomsayers on a non-frozen board.
And honestly from there you need your Thaurissan and Alex, because those flash heals and that heropower aren't enough to outheal a freeze mage. I think what you can generally make from this: Cycle as much as you can.
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Fuck cubelock
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Any players out there who can give me some advice on how to play this match-up correctly? I keep losing to priests as a freeze mage and I'd like to know how to approach this match-up? They run burst heal which makes it difficult to go Alexstrasza into burst damage. They also know how to apply decent pressure because they know that if they sit back they get OTK'd. So what should be my gameplan?
Maybe I've been unlucky that I got my Ice Block stolen a bunch of times (Shifting Shade) or that they manage to curve out really well but it seems that they have a lot of counters to my strategies. They can easily kill Doomsayers and they use high health minions so it's really hard for me to clear their board. Eventually the pressure is piling on and I only run so many freeze effects. They kill me before I can assemble 30 damage OTK and if I try to Alex them they use Priest of the Feast or improved hero power and Flash Heals to go back up to 30, as well as removing my Alex.
Not to mention the occasional Eater of Secrets or Kezan Mystic (yeah, he took my Ice Block, ouch) that is often times very painful.
Any experienced freeze mages or priests out there who can help me understand how to play this match-up accordingly?
OTK is the best way if im correct
You have to wait for a great emperor... Search your burst and try to OTK him. You should also, if you don't have it already, put a evolved kobold in your deck in my opinion. Sometimes you have to play really ballsy in this match-up. Like if he's missing 2 dmg on board to kill/proc you, maybe consider not to play frost nova, if it isn't looking too good for you, just to freeze next turn when he plays something else. And you just have to keep in mind that alex probably isn't a big win condition in this match-up.
lol
I got no tips, I'm just here to gloat since this is the only time someone thinks priest is hard :p
- mainly priest player
Agreed that you need to try to set up the OTK , which is hard to do against priest period and is especially tough against rez priest since it is essential a midrange deck and can pressure you consistently .
I've generally found that carrying one Polymorph is useful; and if you run one you should mulligan for it against priest. Poly on the injured blade master can really muck up the resurrect strategy.
In general though, this is not a good matchup.
As you know, Freeze Mage is a complicated deck to navigate. You need lot of practice to know when and how to swing the board in your favor. Priests have removals to deal with both your board clears and your heavy minions with the Shadow Words. One way is to have Malygos and have good draws, so you can OTK them. But if you are using torches and Alex, you have to remove their minions efficiently and be very greedy. Remember that their hero power is useless without a minion on board against a Mage. Priest is a fairly easy match up if you can pressure them to play slowly and find your damage spells. Bloodmage Thalnos is a very good card to keep for the explosive spell damage when you want to burst Priests down.
A typical Freeze Mage can ideally do 48 raw spell damage to face. If they heal too much after you Alex them, plan ahead and stall the game so that you hold most of your damage spells by the time you Alex them. Priest can't soak damage like Warriors, so if timed well, you can burn them to crisp.
Also try playing in standard if wild Priests are eating your secrets.
http://www.hearthpwn.com/members/DarthMageJab/collection
I'm not running Evolved Kobold but that would definitely make the OTK plan easier. I've tried to go the OTK route but it needs so many cards and Emperor ticks on 4-6 cards to get it done. I find that they have enough pressure to not allow me to draw my whole deck. Up until now it hasn't been working for me. Might very well be lack of skill/practice.
If I want to make room for Kobold, what card should I cut for it?
- Pyroblast (has been really good when not drawing Alex, especially since I'm not running Antonidas)
- Forgotten Torch (I run two but being able to use burn spell more freely has been nice)
- Flamestrike (I swapped out Cone of Cold for Flamestrike because I'm seeing many Midrange Shamans)
The rest of the deck is pretty stock. Don't think I can cut into those cards.
I'm not too experienced with this deck so any advice on decklist and match-up strategy is more than welcome.
Try to mulligan for draw only, and thaurisann in the late game so you can otk your opponent
Replace pyro for sure. If you need something about freeze mage, just ask LuaghingHS or watch his streams.
Thanks for the responses. This is definitely something I can work with.
The way I generally win.
In the earlygame: CYCLE, CYCLE, CYCLE! and don't be afraid to drop early doomsayers on a non-frozen board.
And honestly from there you need your Thaurissan and Alex, because those flash heals and that heropower aren't enough to outheal a freeze mage. I think what you can generally make from this: Cycle as much as you can.
Fuck cubelock