SUPER excited about this deck. There'll probably be more changes as more cards are revealed, but the strategy here is pretty basic. Use Naga + Skeletons to power up Denathrius.
I think Snap Freeze is *A LOT* better with a free activator like the location.
Archetype seems like another 'control' deck with a ramping damage win condition, not excited about this again, it's so reliant on a good draw/curve to have the strong plays lined up.
Deck seems fine, Holmes is probably a whiff tho, seems sweet at first but having to nail all 3 clues to get anything probably makes it insanely unreliable.
Also running double wildfire might be worthwhile, considering the spell schools you got, the fact you play nagas and Varden?
Holmes is really just a placeholder until they introduce something better. I thought about Azshara, but I really dunno if the deck runs enough spells to activate her.
I can't run non-Frost spells like Wildfire really. The deck wants Frostweave's bonus effect to go off for Frozen Touch procs (you draw Frozen Touch off of Frostweave and then she activates it if they clear everything) and doesn't get much out of fire spells or boosting the hero power. If they unnerf Importer I could run that probably. I also could just run like... AI or Gift as a two of and then just have good odds on Frostweave, but I don't like that as much.
I think the deck plays more like a tempo deck honestly. Which is sort of what I'm trying to do with it.
In hindsight, I think Crushclaw is super awkward in this deck, though. It doesn't have a good activator on curve. I was mainly trying to come up with good cycle when I can't run Arcane spells.
Seems like a ping mage without a big payoff. I'd rather pay 8 mana to deal 10 damage to everything.
Ping mage is way more draw dependent than this is. This isn't really anything like ping mage. This is like a freeze mage with a board-based token strategy.
I cut the Crushclaws for Herald of Lokhalars, added Thalnos instead of Holmes (cycles, and gives me an extra skeleton on deathborne plays while giving it a higher kill ceiling) and then cut something else for Flurry.
Also whoever gave a thumbs down to my... theory craft pre-release deck needs to touch grass.
I would probably swap Heralds for Deepwater Invoker, just because all your spells are frost anyways. There isn't a difference between draw a spell and draw a frost spell in that case and at least you would get some armor out of it. Also not seeing much Naga synergy at this point, so school teacher might be reconsidered.
School Teacher is just a pretty strong card in Mage and generates a body for Denathrius & Touch.
I think the difference between 4 & 5 health is actually kind of relevant especially since I think this deck kind of will play for board, but you're not wrong at all that it's maybe a better option.
I'm still debating Floecaster and maybe some more freeze support. Even Zola seems like a solid option.
Brann is a pretty greedy card. But he does have synergy with School Teacher and Frostweave Dungeoneer too. I think maybe I wanna cut the Denathrius and take the deck in a more tempo-oriented direction. But I'm really just hoping there's more support for that in the set. The deck for me seems to lack good early game plays.
Updated this. I'm still not keen on Brann, but I really like the performer as a tech. 3 mana, summon a Thalnos or a Peasant is really good. Even if it's on turn 4.
With the ability to recycle my Frozen Touches I actually think Aegwynn is pretty good. And since I can tutor it out pretty effectively.
I MAYBE want some spell discover to justify that a bit more, but I'm not a huge fan of any of them. They seem kinda slow for how I built this deck.
Not sure about Aegwynn when only 4 cards in the deck deal damage from spells but I get the idea, Deathborne is gonna need some help if it wants to kill anything on turn 6.
Has anyone considered Deathborne with egg type cards like Nerubian Egg or Naval Mine ? Could be easier to activate with your own minions.
And I agree with cutting Denathrius, the issue with this card in non-druid decks is that if you keep it in your opening hand, you will greatly infuse it but die before you play it, and if you don't keep it in your opening hand, it will barely be infused when you play it and be trash.
I think the ability to have Aegwynn's DR target die, activate Frozen Touch from dying and re-play the Aegwynn target followed by an active Frozen Touch appeals to me. I also have Frostweave Dungeoneer for tutoring out either Frozen Touch or Deathborne. This is sort of why I'm debating minions that discover spells, but I dunno where there's room for that. There's those 4 drop spell tutors too, but this deck is *very* 4 heavy.
This deck is playing for board. The concept is to already have skeletons on the board when I play Deathborne (so I can either trade them to set up a Deathborne play or I can just get more skeletons off of my own skeletons). As such, eggs and mines I think are too slow when Deathborne is my only activator for them. I want to always be pressuring my opponent.
Denathrius is fine in decks that summon a lot of minions off of a few cards (like Hydraladon) or decks that just draw a lot. That isn't this, though. I think if this was a control deck (which I might theorycraft), it could be good.
Updated for the miniset. I had Commander Sivara, which was honestly really good but I'm gonna try out Sylvanas, the Accused in her place. Aegwynn is actually really great just because Frozen Touches stick around in your hand, and you can draw so many cheap minions to use with her deathrattle.
Kel'thuzad is probably the weakest card in the deck but I don't really wanna cut him.
SUPER excited about this deck. There'll probably be more changes as more cards are revealed, but the strategy here is pretty basic. Use Naga + Skeletons to power up Denathrius.
I think Snap Freeze is *A LOT* better with a free activator like the location.
Archetype seems like another 'control' deck with a ramping damage win condition, not excited about this again, it's so reliant on a good draw/curve to have the strong plays lined up.
Deck seems fine, Holmes is probably a whiff tho, seems sweet at first but having to nail all 3 clues to get anything probably makes it insanely unreliable.
Also running double wildfire might be worthwhile, considering the spell schools you got, the fact you play nagas and Varden?
Seems like a ping mage without a big payoff. I'd rather pay 8 mana to deal 10 damage to everything.
Yea about that... i suggest you wait till they buff those mediocre cards, Mordresh Wildfire Apprentice is by far better then all those cards together
Holmes is really just a placeholder until they introduce something better. I thought about Azshara, but I really dunno if the deck runs enough spells to activate her.
I can't run non-Frost spells like Wildfire really. The deck wants Frostweave's bonus effect to go off for Frozen Touch procs (you draw Frozen Touch off of Frostweave and then she activates it if they clear everything) and doesn't get much out of fire spells or boosting the hero power. If they unnerf Importer I could run that probably. I also could just run like... AI or Gift as a two of and then just have good odds on Frostweave, but I don't like that as much.
I think the deck plays more like a tempo deck honestly. Which is sort of what I'm trying to do with it.
In hindsight, I think Crushclaw is super awkward in this deck, though. It doesn't have a good activator on curve. I was mainly trying to come up with good cycle when I can't run Arcane spells.
Ping mage is way more draw dependent than this is. This isn't really anything like ping mage. This is like a freeze mage with a board-based token strategy.
I cut the Crushclaws for Herald of Lokhalars, added Thalnos instead of Holmes (cycles, and gives me an extra skeleton on deathborne plays while giving it a higher kill ceiling) and then cut something else for Flurry.
Also whoever gave a thumbs down to my... theory craft pre-release deck needs to touch grass.
I would probably swap Heralds for Deepwater Invoker, just because all your spells are frost anyways. There isn't a difference between draw a spell and draw a frost spell in that case and at least you would get some armor out of it. Also not seeing much Naga synergy at this point, so school teacher might be reconsidered.
School Teacher is just a pretty strong card in Mage and generates a body for Denathrius & Touch.
I think the difference between 4 & 5 health is actually kind of relevant especially since I think this deck kind of will play for board, but you're not wrong at all that it's maybe a better option.
I'm still debating Floecaster and maybe some more freeze support. Even Zola seems like a solid option.
What about brann with some coinage action... seems like an obvious include to me with a BC win condition.
Brann is a pretty greedy card. But he does have synergy with School Teacher and Frostweave Dungeoneer too. I think maybe I wanna cut the Denathrius and take the deck in a more tempo-oriented direction. But I'm really just hoping there's more support for that in the set. The deck for me seems to lack good early game plays.
Updated this. I'm still not keen on Brann, but I really like the performer as a tech. 3 mana, summon a Thalnos or a Peasant is really good. Even if it's on turn 4.
With the ability to recycle my Frozen Touches I actually think Aegwynn is pretty good. And since I can tutor it out pretty effectively.
I MAYBE want some spell discover to justify that a bit more, but I'm not a huge fan of any of them. They seem kinda slow for how I built this deck.
Not sure about Aegwynn when only 4 cards in the deck deal damage from spells but I get the idea, Deathborne is gonna need some help if it wants to kill anything on turn 6.
Has anyone considered Deathborne with egg type cards like Nerubian Egg or Naval Mine ? Could be easier to activate with your own minions.
And I agree with cutting Denathrius, the issue with this card in non-druid decks is that if you keep it in your opening hand, you will greatly infuse it but die before you play it, and if you don't keep it in your opening hand, it will barely be infused when you play it and be trash.
I think the ability to have Aegwynn's DR target die, activate Frozen Touch from dying and re-play the Aegwynn target followed by an active Frozen Touch appeals to me. I also have Frostweave Dungeoneer for tutoring out either Frozen Touch or Deathborne. This is sort of why I'm debating minions that discover spells, but I dunno where there's room for that. There's those 4 drop spell tutors too, but this deck is *very* 4 heavy.
This deck is playing for board. The concept is to already have skeletons on the board when I play Deathborne (so I can either trade them to set up a Deathborne play or I can just get more skeletons off of my own skeletons). As such, eggs and mines I think are too slow when Deathborne is my only activator for them. I want to always be pressuring my opponent.
Denathrius is fine in decks that summon a lot of minions off of a few cards (like Hydraladon) or decks that just draw a lot. That isn't this, though. I think if this was a control deck (which I might theorycraft), it could be good.
Updated for the miniset. I had Commander Sivara, which was honestly really good but I'm gonna try out Sylvanas, the Accused in her place. Aegwynn is actually really great just because Frozen Touches stick around in your hand, and you can draw so many cheap minions to use with her deathrattle.
Kel'thuzad is probably the weakest card in the deck but I don't really wanna cut him.