I feel like almost every time my opponent plays Jaina, I pretty much lose the game, no matter what I am playing. Control, aggro, midrange, tempo, combo, etc. But, obviously, this shouldn't be the normal outcome. Yeah, Jaina is good, but I shouldn't be losing every matchup, so I know I'm doing something wrong. Can someone give me advice on how to play to counter Jaina when she comes down?
If you're playing aggro or midrange you're probably boned. In a control mirror? I guess, be ahead in fatigue (hard to do against big spell mage) and don't play minions. They may still generate a welly or two from Sindragosa, but otherwise they're kind of just stuck pinging your face. It basically becomes your hero power against theirs, and if you're playing odd Warrior, quest Warrior, Bloodreaver Gul'dan, or Malfurion the Pestilent, you'll probably outpace them.
Legendary 9 drops win games, the card is extremely powerful when they live long enough to play it and many decks aren't capable of keeping up with the value it creates. Either kill them before turn 9 or be far enough ahead in fatigue that all the life gain isn't relevant. DK's like Guldan, Malfurion, or Rexxar can generate enough resources to grind them out but that's not always reliable. If you've got enough burn spells or weapon charges you can sometimes kill them without playing out minions. Get 'em dead is the best plan.
Here are a few things to consider. Try to play around the damaging spells that they still have. For example, if they have only played one Blizzard, hold off on playing any 3 health minions if you can, or if there is no way for you to prevent them from getting a water elemental, play other cards so they have more options than they can take advantage of. (One note though: Blizzard can be the exception to that unless you have some way to deal damage to your own minions since they can keep the other minion frozen at 1 health to ping next turn.) Also, self damaging minions to keep them from getting traded into then pinged can help. In general, just try to play as them and figure out what they would like to do most and try to counter that.
When i'm playing control priest I just wait out their burn cards and then Psychic Scream once or twice then go for the Alexstrasza + Mind Blast finish while they have no elementals on board. It's not very consistent but if you have a good idea whats in their hand it works. You have to just deny letting them make elementals even if it means making some trades that would otherwise be unoptimal. Always keep a silence or a burn card for the Arcane Artificer
It's usually going to depend on what deck you play. You'll usually have to kill them with a 1tk / 2tk, building a huge board and crushing them quickly, or in fatigue while denying them elementals.
I feel like almost every time my opponent plays Jaina, I pretty much lose the game, no matter what I am playing. Control, aggro, midrange, tempo, combo, etc. But, obviously, this shouldn't be the normal outcome. Yeah, Jaina is good, but I shouldn't be losing every matchup, so I know I'm doing something wrong. Can someone give me advice on how to play to counter Jaina when she comes down?
If you're playing aggro or midrange you're probably boned. In a control mirror? I guess, be ahead in fatigue (hard to do against big spell mage) and don't play minions. They may still generate a welly or two from Sindragosa, but otherwise they're kind of just stuck pinging your face. It basically becomes your hero power against theirs, and if you're playing odd Warrior, quest Warrior, Bloodreaver Gul'dan, or Malfurion the Pestilent, you'll probably outpace them.
Legendary 9 drops win games, the card is extremely powerful when they live long enough to play it and many decks aren't capable of keeping up with the value it creates. Either kill them before turn 9 or be far enough ahead in fatigue that all the life gain isn't relevant. DK's like Guldan, Malfurion, or Rexxar can generate enough resources to grind them out but that's not always reliable. If you've got enough burn spells or weapon charges you can sometimes kill them without playing out minions. Get 'em dead is the best plan.
Here are a few things to consider. Try to play around the damaging spells that they still have. For example, if they have only played one Blizzard, hold off on playing any 3 health minions if you can, or if there is no way for you to prevent them from getting a water elemental, play other cards so they have more options than they can take advantage of. (One note though: Blizzard can be the exception to that unless you have some way to deal damage to your own minions since they can keep the other minion frozen at 1 health to ping next turn.) Also, self damaging minions to keep them from getting traded into then pinged can help. In general, just try to play as them and figure out what they would like to do most and try to counter that.
When i'm playing control priest I just wait out their burn cards and then Psychic Scream once or twice then go for the Alexstrasza + Mind Blast finish while they have no elementals on board. It's not very consistent but if you have a good idea whats in their hand it works. You have to just deny letting them make elementals even if it means making some trades that would otherwise be unoptimal. Always keep a silence or a burn card for the Arcane Artificer
It's usually going to depend on what deck you play. You'll usually have to kill them with a 1tk / 2tk, building a huge board and crushing them quickly, or in fatigue while denying them elementals.
Fatigue her, I only can do great against her using Control Warrior
Quest Priest + 30 minutes = win