Note: This guide is meant for players with at least basic knowledge of hearthstone and is meant for both wild and standard formats. I tried to make this guide to include as many aspects of deck building as possible, while keeping it as general as possible. This guide will continue improving as people give their feedbacks and takes on it, to make it the best deck building guide for everyone!
Why should I build my own decks?
There's no objectively right reason for building your own deck. You're more than free to copy decks from Hearthpwn that are known to be strong, but here are some reasons as to why you' should want to know how to build a strong deck with your "own two hands":
- Knowing how to build a strong deck enriches your knowledge of how to play the game. If you know why each card is in a deck then you'd better know how to utilise the deck's cards to their optimal abilities.
- You'll be able to play decks that YOU will most have fun with.
Convinced? Excellent, let's move on to the guide itself already!
The basics:
1. What's your favourite play style/deck archetype?
2. What cards are available to you?
3. Which are your favourite cards and how can you use them in your deck most efficiently?
4. Is my deck worth dusting less wanted cards for more wanted cards?
1. What's your favourite play style/deck archetype?
It would be best if you focused on in honing your deck building skills on the archetype that is your favourite. Here's a list of the deck archetypes of hearthstone:
Druid:Astral (super ramp and high mana cost cards), fatigue (Survival and opponent card drawing cards), C'thun, Ramp (strong ramp, survival cards and taunts), token (Cheap, sticky minions that can be buffed), beast, buff (Sticky to midrange minions that are strong with buff cards).
Hunter: Beast, face (Low mana cost minions with charge/high attack), deathrattle (semi-combo deck (many small combos), Control (survival cards and strong late game), midrange (strong early game, okay late game).
Mage:Mech (mech synergy, preferably agro), tempo (low cost cards that synergies well), freeze (alexstraza + Antonidas), value (Out valuing your opponent with strong removals and duplicated cards), giants (very slow, very difficult control deck), control (Strong AOE+removal and strong early to late game).
Paladin:Face (Low mana cost minions, weapons and buffs), secrets, control (many AOEs, strong early to late game), midrange (very strong early and midgame, meant to counter agro and win against control before the match gets too long), token (many small minions and cards that synergies with them), buff (cards that synergies with buff spells), Anyfin (murloc OTK).
Priest: Control (Big minions that the hero power and buffs compliment. Many AOE), buff (High health minions that are buffed and are complimented by hero power), OTK (Velen or inner fire), C'thun.
Rogue:Malygus OTK (many survival and AOE spells), C'thun, Deathrattle (sticky minions that compliment each other), control (pretty new archetype, still need more knowledge), mill (gang up and AOE spells)
Shaman:Face (Weapons, low cost minions and damage spells) , token (small minions and cards that buff them), control (AOE, survival spells and strong late game), Malygus OTK.
Warlock: Control (reno or demons), handlock, zoo (sticky minions with strong buffs).
Warrior: Control (Survival cards, AOE+removal, strong late game), C'thun, Pirate (pirates and weapons), face (weapons and charge minions), patron.
2. What cards are available to you?
You need to know what cards are available to you before you create a deck, because if you don't have them then it might be more worthwhile to build a deck with cards you have. There are many high tier cards in hearthstone that can be replaced with similar lesser tier cards. Examples:
3. Which are your favourite cards and how can you use them in your deck most efficiently?
So you have a favourite card, a card you're dying to use in any deck you're playing but it (sometimes) just doesn't work? Let's figure out how to fix that: Cards which have very specific texts and/or are just unique require an extra care in order to fit some decks (they require a bit of around building). The problem is that if you build a deck around a single card, even a bit, instead of focusing all its resources on single win condition, then it's going to be a much weaker deck. I offer that you build a deck that would treat that card more of a tech choice that strengthens the deck on its own without taking too much from it. Examples:
4. Is my deck worth dusting less wanted cards for more wanted cards?
My take: You should only dust cards for your deck under two conditions: You'll never use them and/or you're confident in your deck to the point where you know it will work and be strong (not advisable). Be very thoughtful before you disenchant a card, because if in the future you'll want to create it then it'll cost you much more dust than what you've gained!
The deck building process!
1. Win condition.
2. Synergy.
3. Early game.
4. midgame.
5. Late game.
6. Tech choices.
7. Experimenting and tinkering.
8. Ranked play and deck improvement.
9. Meta adjustment.
10. Finished!
1. Win condition:
The most basic of attributes when building a freshly new deck is its win condition. Your win condition is the most important attribute of the deck and you need to build your entire deck around it (See "1. What's your favourite play style/deck archetype?" for example win conditions).
2. Your deck's synergy:
When you're building up your deck's synergy there are a few things you need to keep in mind:
- My win condition: First you'd want to add the key cards that help you either get to and/or realise your deck's win condition. For example: a Grommash Hellscream and a trigger for his enrage.
- My deck's survival abilities (Its strengths and weaknesses against different decks): For example, a control deck is weak to an agro deck, so your deck needs to require heals and AOE. An agro deck is weak to Taunts and AOE, so you want to add silences and either a fast enough deck or one with minions that will survive AOEs. Etc, etc.
- The meta: Try to add cards that will work well with the decks you're most frequently facing. If you're most frequently facing a C'thun deck then you should maybe counter with a reno deck, or a really fast deck.
- How does my early game affect my midgame? how does my midgame affect my late game? This is the toughest part of making your deck to have great synergy, you should always ask this question when building a deck. Example answers could be:
* My mad scientist allows me to get ice barrier, which allows me to draw cards, which allows me to get more AOEs, which allows me to gain my win condition.
* My webspiner gives me card draw, allows me to use beast synergistic cards, out-value my opponent, win the late game.
* My deathlord protects me, allows me to buff and heal it, allows me to play other cards to strengthen my board, allows me to have broad control and to reach my win condition.
* my charge minions allow me to play weapons and to buff my board, my silence cards keep my charge minions alive, my spells can remove opponent minions, until I win the game.
What is a tech card? A tech card is a card which is added after your core deck is built and you need to add cards which will fill your deck's blind spots or counter the current meta.
Similarly to the synergistic questions you should ask yourself, this is pretty much the same. Ask yourself what's the meta and what's your deck's strengths and weaknesses. For example: If you're facing many decks with weapons you should add Acidic Swamp Ooze or Harrison Jones. Another example would be, if your deck faces many agro decks then you should add taunt minions, such as Sen'jin Shieldmasta or Sludge Belcher.
7. Your deck is now ready to be experimented with!
After you've added the tech choices, go on to the casual mode (or ranked, if you're feeling bold and/or just don't care) and test out your deck. While you're doing so, look out for the following things:
- How does my early game affect my midgame? How does my midgame affect my late game?
- How consistently do I get to my win condition?
- If I get to my win condition, how consistently does it win me the game?
- Which certain cards is my deck weaker to?
8. Ready for the real testing?
Once you've tinkered your deck to its optimal form (it should take about 6-11 matches in casual), you're ready to begin the real trial. In this stage you need to be more careful when switching out cards for different ones, unless the switch is just plain obvious. Because even if your deck losses to a certain deck allot, but still manages to win against most other decks, then you should reconsider about strengthening it for that specific matchup. In other words, tinker your deck to its optimal win percentage.
9. Learn the meta and perfect your deck:
As you're playing games in ranked mode, you'll notice the most played decks and build your deck on how to best counter them. That's basically all there is to it.
10. Finished!!
Your deck should now be optimal and be meta defining! I truly hope this guide helped you and I hope you have a great time playing hearthstone, with this new information!
Feel free to ask questions / correct any mistake / add any insight you think is worthy to enter this guide!
Thank you and see you on the forums!
Little note to moderators: Please consider making this sticky! (will remove this note if obliged).
Btw do you have any advice as to how many 1-drops/2-drops/3-drops/4-drops/5-drops/6-drops/7+drops to include for the typical aggro, midrange or control decks?
Btw do you have any advice as to how many 1-drops/2-drops/3-drops/4-drops/5-drops/6-drops/7+drops to include for the typical aggro, midrange or control decks?
Hey, you're welcome! What you're talking about is called "deck curve", but in my opinion any deck's curve is almost meaningless. What really matters is what cards you put in the deck, how they synergies with one another and how they help you win the match. Classic examples of "weird curve" decks are:
- Any agro deck (because their curve consists of many low mana minions.
- Astral druid (allot of ramp cards and late game).
- Hand lock (allot of late game).
If you're putting some effort in having your curve a good one you could hurt the deck allot because you'd add cards which are less good for it than others. Deck curve is very important in arena however, but when building a deck in constructed it's almost meaningless.
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"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Good guide. Would move the deck building process up as its the most important thing in the guide.
That's what I was hoping for. Thanks allot for your support!!!
Edit: Oops. I understood your comment as saying "it would move the deck building process to another level of impacting the game", now I understand what you meant. I chose not to move it up because I want the "basics" to be read before the actual building process itself. :) Thank again!
I am a fan of innovative new decks, but I think a big part of deck building is taking a successful deck and tweaking it for your play style and the meta. Ultimately, I think most people want a winning deck that's fun to play.
1. No. As I said, this guide is meant for people with at least basic knowledge in hearthstone, and the vanilla test is within that knowledge base.
2. That's more of a playing guide, this guide is strictly for deck building. Also, tempo is a specific certain playing style. I tried to make this guide to include as many aspects of deck building as possible, while keeping it as general as possible, so I don't want to add too many aspects that are specific to one deck style.
3. I wrote about this in a comment above. In my opinion a deck's curve is almost completely insignificant compared to the deck's synergy and win condition. Take for example Astral druid, handlock, etc. Curve means nothing next to the cards in the deck themselves.
4. To me that either sounds like the deck's curve or a way to play the game, both of which shouldn't have to do with the guide, in my opinion.
Thanks ALLOT for your feedback!!! If you do think that I should include the aspects you've mentioned, would you kindly explain why and maybe convince me? Because I want this guide to be as best as it could be.
I am a fan of innovative new decks, but I think a big part of deck building is taking a successful deck and tweaking it for your play style and the meta. Ultimately, I think most people want a winning deck that's fun to play.
I somewhat agree. IMO people want a deck that's 50% to their taste and 50% winnable. Meaning, a healthy combination of both. None the less this guide is meant to help people achieve both the combination of both and/or a winning deck and/or a deck they like. So its meant to cover all parts of the spectrum.
Thanks allot for your support!!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Greetings to Seagull's 2016 deck building guide!
Let's get started...
Note: This guide is meant for players with at least basic knowledge of hearthstone and is meant for both wild and standard formats. I tried to make this guide to include as many aspects of deck building as possible, while keeping it as general as possible. This guide will continue improving as people give their feedbacks and takes on it, to make it the best deck building guide for everyone!
Why should I build my own decks?
There's no objectively right reason for building your own deck. You're more than free to copy decks from Hearthpwn that are known to be strong, but here are some reasons as to why you' should want to know how to build a strong deck with your "own two hands":
- Knowing how to build a strong deck enriches your knowledge of how to play the game. If you know why each card is in a deck then you'd better know how to utilise the deck's cards to their optimal abilities.
- You'll be able to play decks that YOU will most have fun with.
Convinced? Excellent, let's move on to the guide itself already!
The basics:
1. What's your favourite play style/deck archetype?
2. What cards are available to you?
3. Which are your favourite cards and how can you use them in your deck most efficiently?
4. Is my deck worth dusting less wanted cards for more wanted cards?
1. What's your favourite play style/deck archetype?
It would be best if you focused on in honing your deck building skills on the archetype that is your favourite. Here's a list of the deck archetypes of hearthstone:
Druid: Astral (super ramp and high mana cost cards), fatigue (Survival and opponent card drawing cards), C'thun, Ramp (strong ramp, survival cards and taunts), token (Cheap, sticky minions that can be buffed), beast, buff (Sticky to midrange minions that are strong with buff cards).
Hunter: Beast, face (Low mana cost minions with charge/high attack), deathrattle (semi-combo deck (many small combos), Control (survival cards and strong late game), midrange (strong early game, okay late game).
Mage: Mech (mech synergy, preferably agro), tempo (low cost cards that synergies well), freeze (alexstraza + Antonidas), value (Out valuing your opponent with strong removals and duplicated cards), giants (very slow, very difficult control deck), control (Strong AOE+removal and strong early to late game).
Paladin: Face (Low mana cost minions, weapons and buffs), secrets, control (many AOEs, strong early to late game), midrange (very strong early and midgame, meant to counter agro and win against control before the match gets too long), token (many small minions and cards that synergies with them), buff (cards that synergies with buff spells), Anyfin (murloc OTK).
Priest: Control (Big minions that the hero power and buffs compliment. Many AOE), buff (High health minions that are buffed and are complimented by hero power), OTK (Velen or inner fire), C'thun.
Rogue: Malygus OTK (many survival and AOE spells), C'thun, Deathrattle (sticky minions that compliment each other), control (pretty new archetype, still need more knowledge), mill (gang up and AOE spells)
Shaman: Face (Weapons, low cost minions and damage spells) , token (small minions and cards that buff them), control (AOE, survival spells and strong late game), Malygus OTK.
Warlock: Control (reno or demons), handlock, zoo (sticky minions with strong buffs).
Warrior: Control (Survival cards, AOE+removal, strong late game), C'thun, Pirate (pirates and weapons), face (weapons and charge minions), patron.
2. What cards are available to you?
You need to know what cards are available to you before you create a deck, because if you don't have them then it might be more worthwhile to build a deck with cards you have. There are many high tier cards in hearthstone that can be replaced with similar lesser tier cards. Examples:
Dr. Boom > War Golem
Sylvanas Windrunner > Sunwalker
Bloodmage Thalnos > Loot Hoarder
3. Which are your favourite cards and how can you use them in your deck most efficiently?
So you have a favourite card, a card you're dying to use in any deck you're playing but it (sometimes) just doesn't work? Let's figure out how to fix that: Cards which have very specific texts and/or are just unique require an extra care in order to fit some decks (they require a bit of around building). The problem is that if you build a deck around a single card, even a bit, instead of focusing all its resources on single win condition, then it's going to be a much weaker deck. I offer that you build a deck that would treat that card more of a tech choice that strengthens the deck on its own without taking too much from it. Examples:
Bolvar Fordragon in token/midrange paladin.
Gormok the Impaler in zoo/token decks.
Baron Rivendare in deathrattle decks.
Toshley in spell relying decks.
4. Is my deck worth dusting less wanted cards for more wanted cards?
My take: You should only dust cards for your deck under two conditions: You'll never use them and/or you're confident in your deck to the point where you know it will work and be strong (not advisable). Be very thoughtful before you disenchant a card, because if in the future you'll want to create it then it'll cost you much more dust than what you've gained!
The deck building process!
1. Win condition.
2. Synergy.
3. Early game.
4. midgame.
5. Late game.
6. Tech choices.
7. Experimenting and tinkering.
8. Ranked play and deck improvement.
9. Meta adjustment.
10. Finished!
1. Win condition:
The most basic of attributes when building a freshly new deck is its win condition. Your win condition is the most important attribute of the deck and you need to build your entire deck around it (See "1. What's your favourite play style/deck archetype?" for example win conditions).
2. Your deck's synergy:
When you're building up your deck's synergy there are a few things you need to keep in mind:
- My win condition: First you'd want to add the key cards that help you either get to and/or realise your deck's win condition. For example: a Grommash Hellscream and a trigger for his enrage.
- My deck's survival abilities (Its strengths and weaknesses against different decks): For example, a control deck is weak to an agro deck, so your deck needs to require heals and AOE. An agro deck is weak to Taunts and AOE, so you want to add silences and either a fast enough deck or one with minions that will survive AOEs. Etc, etc.
- The meta: Try to add cards that will work well with the decks you're most frequently facing. If you're most frequently facing a C'thun deck then you should maybe counter with a reno deck, or a really fast deck.
- How does my early game affect my midgame? how does my midgame affect my late game? This is the toughest part of making your deck to have great synergy, you should always ask this question when building a deck. Example answers could be:
* My mad scientist allows me to get ice barrier, which allows me to draw cards, which allows me to get more AOEs, which allows me to gain my win condition.
* My webspiner gives me card draw, allows me to use beast synergistic cards, out-value my opponent, win the late game.
* My deathlord protects me, allows me to buff and heal it, allows me to play other cards to strengthen my board, allows me to have broad control and to reach my win condition.
* my charge minions allow me to play weapons and to buff my board, my silence cards keep my charge minions alive, my spells can remove opponent minions, until I win the game.
3. Early game: Optional examples:
Agro: 1-2 cost damage fast/rapid damage dealers (Bluegill Warrior, Gilblin Stalker, Huge Toad).
Midrange: low cost removal spells and minions with a certain ability that pressures opponent (Bilefin Tidehunter, Dire Wolf Alpha, Echoing Ooze)
Control: Low cost removal spells, card draw and removal minions (Explosive Sheep, Loot Hoarder, Wild Pyromancer).
4. Midgame: Optional examples:
Agro: Fast damage dealers, weapons and damaging spells (Dark Iron Dwarf, Spellbreaker, Argent Horserider).
Midrange: Damage dealers and/or cards that will help you control the board (Chillwind Yeti, Dark Iron Dwarf, Frost Elemental, Loatheb),
Control: Removal and AOE cards, high health minions, maybe with taunt (Sen'jin Shieldmasta, Sunwalker, Nexus-Champion Saraad, Sludge Belcher).
5. Late game: Optional examples:
Agro: Damage dealers, final burst (Enhance-o Mechano, same as midgame cards).
Midrange: Survival cards, big threats (Antique Healbot, Dr. Boom, Sylvanas Windrunner, Ragnaros the Firelord).
Control: Finishers, high cost cards (Alexstrasza, Ysera, C'Thun, Malygos).
6. Which tech cards should I add to my deck?
What is a tech card? A tech card is a card which is added after your core deck is built and you need to add cards which will fill your deck's blind spots or counter the current meta.
Similarly to the synergistic questions you should ask yourself, this is pretty much the same. Ask yourself what's the meta and what's your deck's strengths and weaknesses. For example: If you're facing many decks with weapons you should add Acidic Swamp Ooze or Harrison Jones. Another example would be, if your deck faces many agro decks then you should add taunt minions, such as Sen'jin Shieldmasta or Sludge Belcher.
7. Your deck is now ready to be experimented with!
After you've added the tech choices, go on to the casual mode (or ranked, if you're feeling bold and/or just don't care) and test out your deck. While you're doing so, look out for the following things:
- How does my early game affect my midgame? How does my midgame affect my late game?
- How consistently do I get to my win condition?
- If I get to my win condition, how consistently does it win me the game?
- Which certain cards is my deck weaker to?
8. Ready for the real testing?
Once you've tinkered your deck to its optimal form (it should take about 6-11 matches in casual), you're ready to begin the real trial. In this stage you need to be more careful when switching out cards for different ones, unless the switch is just plain obvious. Because even if your deck losses to a certain deck allot, but still manages to win against most other decks, then you should reconsider about strengthening it for that specific matchup. In other words, tinker your deck to its optimal win percentage.
9. Learn the meta and perfect your deck:
As you're playing games in ranked mode, you'll notice the most played decks and build your deck on how to best counter them. That's basically all there is to it.
10. Finished!!
Your deck should now be optimal and be meta defining! I truly hope this guide helped you and I hope you have a great time playing hearthstone, with this new information!
Feel free to ask questions / correct any mistake / add any insight you think is worthy to enter this guide!
Thank you and see you on the forums!
Little note to moderators: Please consider making this sticky! (will remove this note if obliged).
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Good guide. Would move the deck building process up as its the most important thing in the guide.
Thanks!
Btw do you have any advice as to how many 1-drops/2-drops/3-drops/4-drops/5-drops/6-drops/7+drops to include for the typical aggro, midrange or control decks?
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Good guide dude :D
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
I'd really appreciate if people voted in the poll above, thank you!
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Good guide.
I usually just copy the tier 1 decks, but this is starting to get boring!!
So today this will change. I'll probably die a hundred times, but it'll be fun testing new ideas.
I'm watching many WoG card reviews from the pros, I guess that's the least I can do to not create decks which are a complete fiasco!
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Worth the read.
I am a fan of innovative new decks, but I think a big part of deck building is taking a successful deck and tweaking it for your play style and the meta. Ultimately, I think most people want a winning deck that's fun to play.
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun
Could people who used this guide for help say how this guide helped them in their deck building process? Thank you a bunch. ^^
"As housecarl I am sworn to your service. I will protect you and all you own, with my life." - Lydia of Whiterun