Hearthpwn

I have a few short thoughts to this topic.

1. In top tier constructed, they are not OP. Don't get me wrong, they are top tier and need some changes, but OP, no. When people have enough cards and skill, a priest is just another hard opponent.

2. In arena, priests are OP. Their free cards are too strong. Northshire cleric gives massive card advantage (especially when I have seen 4 played in one game...). Having 3+ Mind Controls is also too hard to deal with. Most arena games go long because deck synergies do not occur and it gives the priest enough time to survive until Mind Control. Maybe I am just basing this off a couple arenas where I run into a priest who plays 3 mind controls, but I still believe it is an issue. Also, I have played priest 3 times in arena: 9-2, 8-3, 6-3. I do not have a large sample of arena runs, but my priest average is better than all other classes I have played.

I lost verses a priest with 4 Norshire Cleric. He played all 4 of them in 3 turns. He had so big of a card advantage, I did not stand a chance...

http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/9834-huckits-arena-deck

Crossing fingers!

Quote from ScrubforLife »

Quote from Huckit »

I am looking for some help on 1 things: What card to remove for a 2nd Flametongue Totem?

To Jordawes question on Faerie Dragon: They are amazing right now. With high popularity of contol decks (priest mostly), they are a terror for my opponents. Not a better (2) drop that I can think of. Also Jordawes, please link your shaman deck. I love looking at shaman deck builds.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes looking at others shaman decks, it's the class I intend to main for constructed in Hearthstone :P. I'd debate Al'Akir for your 2nd flametongue if you find that all his tools aren't clutching games and is only really there to finish them; might as well run the totem for surprise up trading/damage or Leeroy if you want a 6 damage finisher since hes 4 mana. I might link my own aggressive/control hybrid which also tries Al'Akir support, but last thing I want to do is hijack a thread with my builds.

Hijack away or just provide a link. I am sold on shaman due to the fact I played shaman through first 3 Wow expansions (killed hard mode lich king and quit that night). Since I am stuck on shaman, I want to get the best at it and reviewing others decks is part of the process. I will craft a leeroy soon and see if I like him as a finisher,

Thanks for the info. You do not happen to have class related statistics to add? It would be nice to see what are the most successful classes currently.

Also, nice MTG card as your avatar. I have that card. I believe it is a legendary dragon, 5/5 haste, flying if I remember correctly. Have not played MTG for 7 years though...

Update 10/11/13 - Removed Ragnaros the Firelord and Gadgetzan Auctioneers and replaced with Mana Tide Totems and Flametongue Totem. Reasoning: Ragnaros was not winning me games. My games are decided before turn 8, and priest have mind control then...I added Flametongue Totem to buff my hero power totems and Faerie Dragons early in the game. I removed Gadgetzan Auctioneer because I already have (5) drop card draw with drakes.

I am looking for some help on 1 things: What card to remove for a 2nd Flametongue Totem?

My deck is shaping up to be a mid range/control as Jordawes points out. My totems in combination with elementals, Drakes, and Hoggar are giving me wins at 6-8 turns without needing big "win" cards. Al'Akir is being used as a finisher, if used at all. This is mostly been forced by the high # of priests I run into. Winning b4 turn 8 guantees that Mind Control does not become a factor. Even if he does, my creatures are not hard to get rid of. I have thought about using Ysera as another "win" card, but against a priest, I'd rather not have to get rid off a 12 health minion... unless I purposely save hexes.

To Jordawes question on Faerie Dragon: They are amazing right now. With high popularity of contol decks (priest mostly), they are a terror for my opponents. Not a better (2) drop that I can think of. Also Jordawes, please link your shaman deck. I love looking at shaman deck builds.

Quote from B4nJ0 »

I usually play 2x Manatide in cntrll shaman.

I think as well that Al'akir is one of the worst legends especially for a controll deck, It's body is soso for 8 mana and a spot removal /silence effect blow you up. Even in aggro leoric + windfury or leoric + 3/+0 is a much better and undercosted finisher usually (yeah, I love leoric in shaman aggro).

I don't like ragnaros since it's bad in too many mu (paladin, mirror, it's random even in a 1 presence board situation).

I do run onyxia+1x bloodlust. 1 bloodlust is basically a spot removal if you are not too much behind on the board state AND an amazing finisher that balance the drawback to be a dead card when you need a comeback.

I don't understand goblin in this deck. Also, why you are not playing +2/+0 totem? Again, a spot removal with any random totem on the board that give you board presence and make favorable treads (since powering up a mana sink like a random totem for a "real" card is card advantage by it's own).

I don't think that you are playing the deck correctly. Having no sinergy on your class ability is just not the right way to play this game. 

My 2cents

Thanks for the advice.

Manatide: My problem with manatide is you need a taunt minion out before you play a manatide, otherwise it is targeted and you get 1 card draw for 3 mana. It is worth it if the opponent uses a high cost spell on it though. I am thinking of replacing the auctioneers for manatides, because I already have drakes as my 5 drop card draw. I will have to play around with this.

Flametongue: I have taken these in and out of my deck for multiple reasons. I am thinking of replacing Ragnaros with something like flametongue. With agro decks becoming less popular, my totems are staying alive longer, making a flametongue more valuable. I do not see what else to remove from my deck other than a spell, which could be possible.

Onyxia: By turn nine, my side of the board is generally near full which does not allow for the full effect of Onyxia. I am looking for better "win" cards. I may try out Illidan, which gives similar effect of Onyxia, but is brought out earlier.

Bloodlust: I have asked myself in games that I lose whether Bloodlust would have won me the game and I have yet to say yes. Sometimes it can win the game earlier, but it does not act a game changer like it does in agro decks that have 3-5 creatures out on turn 5. Bloodlust, to me, is a turn 5 or 6 win, but my deck is not designed that way.

Quote from vtxAishi »

Quote from Holtzoid »

Quote from Sheriff »

If he had one more Text(keyword), he'd be good, but as it is, he sucks.

I think "Cannot be targeted by enemy Spells or Hero Powers" (I figure they'll just simplify this to something like 'Elusive' as a keyword) would be best.

Wouldn't Stealth do basically that?

Yes, but it's removed upon attack and essentially is non-factor 

Ya, a charge minion with stealth...LOL. Having the same thing as Faerie Dragon may help though.

Quote from the9tail »

Is on par with the Paladin Legendary. Scales better with buffs due to Windfury and punches to the face immediately with Haste.
Not broke. Doesnt need a fix.

I would agree that they are on par if Tirion Fordring did not have a deathrattle. Otherwise, I would take the paly legendary any day. Al'Akir is a win-more card the more I play him. He finishes the game when I am ahead, giving the final blow with his charge, but if I am behind, he does not get me back into the game. He can kill 2 minions with 3 health on turn 8. So I would spend 8 mana to kill 2 ~3 mana creatures or do 6 dmg to opponent, which a mage fireball can do for cheaper. If you spend the mana to buff him or happen to have a flametongue totem, he would be worth it, but as a 8 turn drop alone, not worth.

Just my thoughts.

I was thinking about how Al'Akir the Windlord fits with shaman and the winfury and charge make sense and I do not mind a divine shield on top of that, but what I think this card really needs is Overload to fit even better. Now here me out. I, along with other players, see the cost of this Legendary and think,"Pretty lackluster Legendary for the cost when compared to others." My thought is make it a 6 cost with Overload (2). Still the same mana cost, but the card is a 6 drop 3/5, which makes a ton of sense to me. Remove the taunt if need be, I could care less.

Thoughts?

Updated 10/9/13 - Removed Doomhammer and Forked Lightning for 2x Faerie Dragon.
Reasoning: Control decks are becoming popular (especially priest) and Faerie Dragon is perfect against them.

Also, please +1 if you like the deck.

Quote from ScrubforLife »

Most Control decks don't bother with Bloodlust because they tend to have few minions on the board at any given time, although it does have some merit for turning totems into a threat and having surprise factor (a token swarm or murloc deck? yeah, they got Bloodlust, but Control? not so much). I do agree that one windfury in Control can also have some merit for surprise burst, but not entirely needed if done well. I'd run the Windfury spell over anything else though if I wanted one for the Auctioneer synergy.

For the deck itself, it looks solid, but I might be slightly concerned with no 2 or 3 cost minions, do you find that your early removal can carry you into the mid-late game where you can drop minions? With Sen'jin and Earth Ele, Feral Spirits might be a tad overkill on Taunt, but that's your call (although now that I think about it, they could/do count as your early minions).

Really like the thoughts here. I agree with your opinions on Bloodlust. I never think,"Man...wish I had a Bloodlust". This deck is really a slow killer. It gains a card advantage and keeps the board clear. By turns 5-8, the game is decided already and Bloodlust does not change the outcome. I typically do not have enough minions/totems at turn 5 for Bloodlust to be effective.

On your concern with 2-3 cost minions... I agree. I find myself taking damage early by using my weapon instead of creatures, but it never gets out of control. Spells and weapons keep me alive until Sen'jin and Wolves. I am looking to work in Faerie Dragon, but currently cannot decide what to remove. May see an update today with a change. Also, since I lost to a priest, Faerie Dragon would give them alot of trouble on a turn 1(w/ coin) or 2 drop. I also may add an Ironbeak Owl as well.

How does questing adventurer fit in this deck? Do you wait until turn 6-8 and play cards same turn, or do you play him early and hope he does not die? Seems a little weak by not being in a rogue deck, but can still be good. I just do not know how to use him properly here.

Last week I was lucky enough to get Al'Akir the Windlord in a pack and decided to go about creating a shaman control deck. With some help from the forums and friends this is the deck list I am almost done with. Please review and comment.

-Huckit

Overview

This is my Shaman Control deck. For those that are unfamiliar with control decks, the goal is to keep control of the board and get your "win" cards out. Keeping control of the board involves removal and taunt minions. In this deck I use cheap early spells and weapon to keep the board clear for first few turns. Having an early weapon creates a card advantage in your favor by destoying at least 2 minions and sometimes 3. Keep the board clear and get taunt minions out until turn 5/6 and then get the "win" cards into play.

Removal

Forked Lightning
Lightning Storm
Hex
Lightning Bolt
Fire Elemental

Weapons

Weapons are additional sorce of removal. I do not use weapons to swing at their hero, unless it is for the win.

Stormforged Axe

Other Possibilites: Doomhammer

Minion Buffs

Flametongue Totem - I only have 1 currently only because there is no other cards I want to remove.
Rockbiter Weapon - This is primarily used on my hero for early removal as well

Silences

I am low on silence cards, but hex also works as a silence, and even if I do not have a silence, there is plenty of removal.

Earth Shock

Other possibilities: Ironbeak Owl, Spellbreaker

Basic Creatures

Faerie Dragon

Taunt

Feral Spirit
Sen'jin Shieldmaster
Earth Elemental
Hoggar
Al'Akir the Windlord

Other Posibilities: Defender of Argus

Card Draw

Azure Drake
Mana Tide Totem - I use this over Gadgetzan Auctioneer since I have Azure Drake as my (5) drop card draw.
Bloodmage Thalnos

Other Possibilities: Gadgetzan Auctioneer

"Win" Cards

These are cards that when you put them on the playing field, they are expected to win you the game or require the opponent to put all their resources toward it, effectively giving you the advantage to win.

Al'Akir the Windlord
Hoggar

Other "Win" Possibilities:

Deathwing - I personally never fall behind, so Deathwing is unnecessary for me.
Illidain Stormrage
Onyxia - Have seen this in some decks that run Bloodlust. I do not.
Sylvanas Windrunner - Have seen this used well vs opponents "Win" cards, but sometimes RNG is not your friend.

Other General Possibilites

Here are some other possible cards that players use in control decks that are not mentioned above.

Ancestral Spirit
Ancestral Healing
Cairne Bloodhoof
Faceless Manipulator

Change Notices

10/8/13 - Initial deck and description written.

10/9/13 - Removed Doomhammer and Forked Lightning for 2x Faerie Dragon. Reasoning: Control decks are becoming popular (especially priest) and Faerie Dragon is perfect against them.

10/11/13 - Removed Ragnaros the Firelord and Gadgetzan Auctioneers and replaced with Mana Tide Totems and Flametongue Totem. Reasoning: Ragnaros was not winning me games. My games are decided before turn 8, and priest have mind control then...I added Flametongue Totem to buff my hero power totems and Faerie Dragons early in the game. See "card draw" for retioning behind Mana Tide Totem vs Gadgetzan Auctioneer.

Seems like the advice is to use him in a control shaman deck. I researched alot of control decks and came up with the following. Would like your thoughts. The only thing I am thinking of replacing is Dust Devil for either Mana Tide Totem or Sen'jin Shieldmaster.