Hearthpwn

I had the same experience with my alt account. In the beginning I  had a 90% win rate with an aggressive DH build I threw together just to try and climb quickly.

After 50 games or so I started getting run over by tier 1 decks and was confused as to how a beginner could craft such decks. The reality is you're building an mmr right from the beginning. With a great win rate, matchmaking starts to put you against opponents of the same mmr regardless of rank. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was playing against diamond ranks. Once you get through the apprentice ranks you're awarded a star bonus, just as you are at the start of each month. I was given a 10 star bonus which is the moment I realized why I had been facing such stiff competition.

First was HL Mage in April 2020. This month with Secret Rogue.

This is a good guide. I've played a ton of games as the Warrior, and after messing up the combo a number of times, made a similar table for myself. As the Warrior, I'm looking for bursts of 30 damage for a true OTK. This can be achieved with one giant enemy minion with 7+ HP as OP mentioned, or with 6 HP spread between 2+ minions. If a single minion has less than 3 attack, only 5 HP is required to complete the combo.

There are a number of more novel situations that arise allowing the warrior to complete the OTK without assembling all combo pieces, but generally speaking, the above conditions are what ETC Warriors are looking for.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't be surprised if ETC gets nerfed. Once opponents figure out the combo requirements, games get incredibly uninteractive. The correct play is to continually pass into fatigue.

Quote from Gatormatthew_ >>

The main thing to say is that Hearthstone has changed as a game. Decks are more powerful. Even aggro decks aren't really what they used to be. There is currently Aggro DH, which is the aggro's side of control warrior. You have Highlander hunter, which has more endgame than a normal aggro deck, but still a standard aggro deck. Then things like Doomhammer shaman are just Tempo Mage style decks, not traditional aggro.

I will admit, so far it seems like Warrior is the only class that houses a strong control deck. It has two of them, Bomb and Control. Control Warrior is in fact a tier 1 deck, and I'm not sure why you think you have the credibility to deny that fact. Bomb Warrior, I will also admit, isn't really a "true" control deck, similar to Doomhammer shaman not being a true aggro deck.

The main finger to point at here is that Warrior has essentially monopolized the control market. Brawl is a card which has pushed Warrior control decks since the start of time. However, decks in the current meta are just too powerful for weaker control decks. What can priest do against Evolve Shaman (no, evolve shaman is not an aggro deck, it is by definition a midrange deck). Priest has their AoE at 7 mana, brawl can stop it, soul mirror cannot. 

Now, the claim of control being dead is just not true. There are meta shifts where certain playstyles become null. Last expac decks like Control Shaman, Priest, and Warrior were all perfectly good and viable. If there is one expansion cycle where there is only 1 control deck (keep in mind, that control deck is one of, if not the best deck in the game), that does not mean the archetype is dead. It got bad support. Next expac (or even during the mini expac), it will be back.

This. Control Warrior with ETC OTK combo is probably the best deck in the current meta. It does seem like the only viable control deck currently. Tired of losing to aggro? Give this deck a try.

Don't want to play a grindy control game? Try enrage warrior. Skipper/Armorsmith tools can keep you alive. The addition of that 2/5 pirate that equips a fiery war axe make this deck a pretty dope midrange option. The deck isn't any easy pilot, but really satisfying with practice. I love queueing into DH (aggro or soul) and hunters with this deck. 

I hate smorc based decks as much as the next person. There are viable decks that beat them. They happen to both be warrior decks.

Quote from SinAscendant >>

Yeah terrible tier list.

Polkelt is not staple. I've literally never gone against a deck that's played Polkelt that's done anything but fuck itself over. It's literally a "tell your opponent exactly what you're going to draw for the rest of the game" card so you can play around everything they have.

Jandice is also mediocre. 

Literally have not seen Gandling used in a single game so I have no idea why it's so high.

Sphere should definitely be A rank.

Rattlegore is staple for Big Warrior.

Wildclaw is staple for Big Druid.

Turalyon is staple against anything that buffs and Libram Pally is huge rn.

Fireheart is staple for spell/quest sham.

Omu is gimmick and not used that much.

Keymaster is situational but definitely not dust.

And Stelina is a good card by itself that just doesn't have a place rn. Once Control gets big again hand disruption will be important.

 Are we playing the same game? I disagree with just about everything you said.  OP already posted his retort, so I'll only add this: Jandice is used in every viable Mage deck and most Rogue decks. It is certainly one of the best legendaries printed in this expansion if it's flexible enough to be used in as many as 5 different archetypes.

Quote from TwistedCardmaster >>

Quote from Danjo >>

I actually ran in to a zoolock a minute ago.  Got to give the guy the brass balls award for jumping in to the meta at Diamond with that deck.

 Any Warlock player should get free packs for just playing the class ;].

 I'm playing Gala Warlock with a lot of success. So much removal that it counters Druid and Pally really well. No one is really playing it, but I certainly expect it to be a tier 2 deck once the dust settles. Warlock is not the dumpster class as hsreplay would indicate.

This. I'm playing Galalock with soul shards in top 1000 legend with great success against most aggro and Druid. Getting shit on by freeze Mage and face hunter though.

 Thanks for taking the time for this write up. There are always going to be agreements and disagreements with ratings and only time will tell.

In Mage, you rate every card as if it must fit into the Highlander archetype. IMO you're ratings simply overlook a new Mage archetype that will be either tier 1 or 2- Small spell tempo Mage.

Mage has tons of cheap spells and Sorcerer's Apprentice to reduce them. Combo this with Mozaki and I believe we're going to see a lot of Arcane Missile OTKs.

After only opening 5 in the double bundle for AoO, I got 10 this time around (not double-counting). I also popped 30 epics which I am equally excited about. Feels like the luck evened out for me between the 2 expansions. Excited to see what I get from the 3 legendaries on Thursday. Good luck on the pack openings everyone!

It really depends on what you define competitive to be.  For some, it might be a deck that can get them to Legend.  For others, it means a deck that can win at the highest levels, be it top 1,000 Legend or tournament play.

I agree that Murloc Paladin is a fine deck to pilot into legend AND it will get eaten alive (as others have said) once you reach top 1,000.  It is an incredibly easy pilot with a low skill-cap, which is typical of hyper-aggro lists.  Once you run into good players running refined lists who rarely misplay, win rates will drop below 50%.  That's why almost no one plays it at high ranks and why it is not featured in winning tournament lineups. 

You see here that Murloc Paladin represents less than 2% of all decks played in high legend.  It also has an expected win rate that ranks 20th among all meta decks.  That's pretty awful.  Which is why you are going to get a lot of people disagreeing with you about it being a competitive deck.

Valid question.  It's not my list, so I won't speak to the inclusion, but I will say that Zeph has been an absolute MVP in games that go late.  In aggro games, yes, he's basically a Bloodfen Raptor

Think about it in the way that Galakrondlock includes DQA and Zeph.  If you can cycle your deck consistently, these cards are game changers.