according to Ben Brode, some of us don't mind playing bad cards / decks as long as they're fun. And the best example of it would be a deck with Barnes and Majordomo Executus as its only minions :D
EDIT: maybe 1 other early (i.e., hard-mulliganed for) minion could be allowed if it really feels needed (Jeweled Scarab in Mage for instance)
So, the idea / challenge here is theorycrafting a deck respecting that constraint to climb the ladder that wouldn't be trash tier :O
First of all, you'll never see Control die for two reasons:
1) from a game theory point of view, a meta with no control whatsoever would lead to fully antiaggro (and thus a form of Control) decks being quite successful.
2) some people enjoy playing hearthstone with long-term strategies, managing the fatigue and value ressources instead of the tempo/rush "all-in"
So, despite being a minority (too time-consuming for some, too "expensive" to craft for newer players, and specially too little error-tolerant), Controls decks will always be there.
Now, in this very particular meta with no decent neutral taunts (DeathlordSludge Belcher), heals (Antique Healbot), aoes (Explosive Sheep) whatsoever, and with the increase of the powerlevel of some classes and therefore their (dmg) reach (Call of the Wild), aggro will stay as the easy and fast (and therefore optimal for ladder climbing) dominant meta. Special mention though to Earthen Ring Farseer and the underrated Refreshment Vendor, very useful against full smorc decks.
Regarding the new cards released however, Midrange and Control has been given more good tools than Aggro, and not the other way around: 1) Dragon tools and thus decks are back, with a special mention to indirect Alexstrasza buffs (discovering it and drawing it) + Arcane Giant mention for, for example, Handlock/Renolock 2) For Paladin, Ivory Knight and maybe The Curator grant more ways to get answers while stalling the game 3) Mage specially (with Reno Jackson or maybe even now without it) has been given very strong secret (Ice Block) synergy: Medivh's Valet and Avian Watcher. And with Brann Bronzebeard, maybe even Babbling Book could be considered in a Reno deck 4) And regarding the infamous Priest, I think that people have overlooked the strength of Priest of the Feast: 4 mana 3/6 pseudo-taunt that can be comboed for an easy "Battlecry: restore 3-6 health to your hero". And in a class that can turn healing to dmg, I am very surprised nobody has thought of stacking heals that, while keeping you alive against aggro, grant you dmg (and thus removal) against slower decks: before the expansion for instance, Yogg-Elise spell decks have been quite successful already:
For those looking for more consistency against aggro (though maybe slightly worse against heavy control cause it doesn't run the mind controls), I suggest you try this deck of mine, which is very similar to the current one (Yogg + Elise), but runs more heals against aggro that can be turned to dmg with 2 auchenais and 1 embrace the shadows and in general more aoe :
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Hi,
according to Ben Brode, some of us don't mind playing bad cards / decks as long as they're fun. And the best example of it would be a deck with Barnes and Majordomo Executus as its only minions :D
EDIT: maybe 1 other early (i.e., hard-mulliganed for) minion could be allowed if it really feels needed (Jeweled Scarab in Mage for instance)
So, the idea / challenge here is theorycrafting a deck respecting that constraint
to climb the ladderthat wouldn't be trash tier :OHere goes my submission:
0
the ratio is also important tho. If you only have those minions in the deck, the magic number won't do a thing ;)
6
For the lulz:
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First of all, you'll never see Control die for two reasons:
1) from a game theory point of view, a meta with no control whatsoever would lead to fully antiaggro (and thus a form of Control) decks being quite successful.
2) some people enjoy playing hearthstone with long-term strategies, managing the fatigue and value ressources instead of the tempo/rush "all-in"
So, despite being a minority (too time-consuming for some, too "expensive" to craft for newer players, and specially too little error-tolerant), Controls decks will always be there.
Now, in this very particular meta with no decent neutral taunts (Deathlord Sludge Belcher), heals (Antique Healbot), aoes (Explosive Sheep) whatsoever, and with the increase of the powerlevel of some classes and therefore their (dmg) reach (Call of the Wild), aggro will stay as the easy and fast (and therefore optimal for ladder climbing) dominant meta. Special mention though to Earthen Ring Farseer and the underrated Refreshment Vendor, very useful against full smorc decks.
Regarding the new cards released however, Midrange and Control has been given more good tools than Aggro, and not the other way around:
1) Dragon tools and thus decks are back, with a special mention to indirect Alexstrasza buffs (discovering it and drawing it) + Arcane Giant mention for, for example, Handlock/Renolock
2) For Paladin, Ivory Knight and maybe The Curator grant more ways to get answers while stalling the game
3) Mage specially (with Reno Jackson or maybe even now without it) has been given very strong secret (Ice Block) synergy: Medivh's Valet and Avian Watcher. And with Brann Bronzebeard, maybe even Babbling Book could be considered in a Reno deck
4) And regarding the infamous Priest, I think that people have overlooked the strength of Priest of the Feast: 4 mana 3/6 pseudo-taunt that can be comboed for an easy "Battlecry: restore 3-6 health to your hero". And in a class that can turn healing to dmg, I am very surprised nobody has thought of stacking heals that, while keeping you alive against aggro, grant you dmg (and thus removal) against slower decks: before the expansion for instance, Yogg-Elise spell decks have been quite successful already:
0
Specially designed for Ben Brode's delight
2
Plus for those wanting to try the Priest of the Feast, just put them instead of the Refreshment Vendor
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For those looking for more consistency against aggro (though maybe slightly worse against heavy control cause it doesn't run the mind controls), I suggest you try this deck of mine, which is very similar to the current one (Yogg + Elise), but runs more heals against aggro that can be turned to dmg with 2 auchenais and 1 embrace the shadows and in general more aoe :