It is a favored matchup. Just mulligan for early game and weapons to clear all of their early game. DB is good for clearing all of their small minions, tokens, buffed undertakers and sludge belchers on the second charge. I think coining war axe is reasonable to kill a 1/2 undertaker before it gets double buffed. They can definitely snowball you out of the game if you don't have answer to their early game and they are able to get freezing traps up with, taunts, bows, and lion.. If you get past their early game, prepare what you are going to do to answer 5 hp minions such as loatheb, highmane, and belchers. The answer is usually executes, shield block + slam, loatheb, sylvanas, faceless, or belcher to stall and break it. Cleave is good in the early game, to clear the highmane tokens, or to proc a guarded highmane behind belcher for taunt. Brawl can be helpful as well..
It is a good idea to try to proc their traps before they get their bows if you can do something like a coin armorsmith -> war axe the scientist -> proc trap and armor up or something like that. If they do have their bows up with a trap, remember that you don't have to break it on that turn, especially if you have a taunt up. It's usually important to try to armor up and match their hero power above 10 hp for double kill command unless they already used one.
Shield block is a nice card to push you out of range after the early onslaught and combo with shield slam on their big minions.. Once you get past their big creatures and stabilize, the rest is just trash.. I personally sometimes keep shield slams in my opening hand if I have the coin since you can still armor + slam for 2 damage on turn 3 or something..
Try to break the haunted creeper on their turn 4 (3 if they have coin) so it doesn't get houndmastered.
A lot of times, they will use a bow charge to one shot acolytes since their minions will usually give it extra value or they can be scared of a cruel task master play. A coin armorsmith into turn 2 cruel task can also clear a 2/3 undertaker as well as a scientist, and get the trap as well.
Hunter will be hunter though and they'll sometimes just have all the answers and synergy if they curve out well..
I'd say the Warrior's early game is favoured against the Hunter's early game (Fiery War Axe is great, Unstable Ghoul can often go 2 for 1, Armorsmith can sometimes trade well and the armour really messes with the opponent's game plan, Cruel Taskmaster can go 2 for 1, Acolyte of Pain can often draw 2 cards) and they generally have all the resources they need to win. The main problem is that the much lower curve that Hunters have means that they're much more likely to have consistent strong plays, where the Warrior might get stuck with huge lategame minions early.
Generally speaking the control warrior have a great matchup vs agro and face deck. Especially the hunter one cause the hero power is negate by the warrior hero power. Of course you can still lose if you have an horrible opening hand, but things like fiery war axe, armorsmith, unsable goul, cruel taskmaster and even acolyte of pain can cripple the hunter start so much. If they don't start rolling it is pretty much gg because they don't have the combo anymore and can't lifetap like zoo. Also remember that sometime, generally if you have a taunter and they have a bow, it is better to not trigger a secret than to trigger it, to not give them an extra charge and the chance to refresh that secret. If they have a freezing trap play and have a freezing trap in hand, until you pop the secret the in hand freezing trap is a dead card.
Also sludge belcher is amazing vs everything agro. In the new season deck are generally more aggressive compare to the end of a season so maybe a greedier control warrior was better at the end of last season but now you might need to sub one of the late game put 1 cleave for exemple.
Currently I'm using Sjow's #1 NA reach deck and am having hard time dealing with hunters around rank 14.
They keep charging their Eaglehorn Bow with Mad Scientist secrets and smash you down.
Any tips? Is it normal to feel difficult this way?
It is a favored matchup. Just mulligan for early game and weapons to clear all of their early game. DB is good for clearing all of their small minions, tokens, buffed undertakers and sludge belchers on the second charge. I think coining war axe is reasonable to kill a 1/2 undertaker before it gets double buffed. They can definitely snowball you out of the game if you don't have answer to their early game and they are able to get freezing traps up with, taunts, bows, and lion.. If you get past their early game, prepare what you are going to do to answer 5 hp minions such as loatheb, highmane, and belchers. The answer is usually executes, shield block + slam, loatheb, sylvanas, faceless, or belcher to stall and break it. Cleave is good in the early game, to clear the highmane tokens, or to proc a guarded highmane behind belcher for taunt. Brawl can be helpful as well..
It is a good idea to try to proc their traps before they get their bows if you can do something like a coin armorsmith -> war axe the scientist -> proc trap and armor up or something like that. If they do have their bows up with a trap, remember that you don't have to break it on that turn, especially if you have a taunt up. It's usually important to try to armor up and match their hero power above 10 hp for double kill command unless they already used one.
Shield block is a nice card to push you out of range after the early onslaught and combo with shield slam on their big minions.. Once you get past their big creatures and stabilize, the rest is just trash.. I personally sometimes keep shield slams in my opening hand if I have the coin since you can still armor + slam for 2 damage on turn 3 or something..
Try to break the haunted creeper on their turn 4 (3 if they have coin) so it doesn't get houndmastered.
A lot of times, they will use a bow charge to one shot acolytes since their minions will usually give it extra value or they can be scared of a cruel task master play. A coin armorsmith into turn 2 cruel task can also clear a 2/3 undertaker as well as a scientist, and get the trap as well.
Hunter will be hunter though and they'll sometimes just have all the answers and synergy if they curve out well..
I'd say the Warrior's early game is favoured against the Hunter's early game (Fiery War Axe is great, Unstable Ghoul can often go 2 for 1, Armorsmith can sometimes trade well and the armour really messes with the opponent's game plan, Cruel Taskmaster can go 2 for 1, Acolyte of Pain can often draw 2 cards) and they generally have all the resources they need to win. The main problem is that the much lower curve that Hunters have means that they're much more likely to have consistent strong plays, where the Warrior might get stuck with huge lategame minions early.
Also, pretty much everything jpark1999 said.
Generally speaking the control warrior have a great matchup vs agro and face deck. Especially the hunter one cause the hero power is negate by the warrior hero power. Of course you can still lose if you have an horrible opening hand, but things like fiery war axe, armorsmith, unsable goul, cruel taskmaster and even acolyte of pain can cripple the hunter start so much. If they don't start rolling it is pretty much gg because they don't have the combo anymore and can't lifetap like zoo. Also remember that sometime, generally if you have a taunter and they have a bow, it is better to not trigger a secret than to trigger it, to not give them an extra charge and the chance to refresh that secret. If they have a freezing trap play and have a freezing trap in hand, until you pop the secret the in hand freezing trap is a dead card.
Also sludge belcher is amazing vs everything agro. In the new season deck are generally more aggressive compare to the end of a season so maybe a greedier control warrior was better at the end of last season but now you might need to sub one of the late game put 1 cleave for exemple.