What To Expect From: Mech Hunter (RoS)

 


 

 

Greetings Traveller!

Welcome to the first of a new format of articles showcasing the most popular and powerful decks of the meta! The first deck in this series looks at one of the most prevalent and dominating decks of the Rise of Shadows expansion: Mech Hunter Rexxar.
This deck has been through a number of iterations and versions before settling on the current version which is arguably one of the strongest.
So, what can you expect when you find yourself facing an opponent playing this deck?
Read on to find out...

Quote from HearthPwn Guide »
If the opponent has a mech on the board, it will probably be even bigger and deadlier the next turn, so deal with it quickly!

  

The Deck List

 

 

Quote from HearthPwn Guide »
There are variations of this deck that you may face, and this is one example with the core cards that you will likely see.

   Hunter Cards

   Neutral Cards
  1 x Tracking   2 x Mecharoo
  2 x Bomb Toss   2 x Upgradeable Framebot
  2 x Fireworks Tech   2 x Galvanizer
  2 x Venomizer   1 x SN1P-SN4P
  2 x Ursatron   2 x Explodinator
  2 x Spider Bomb   2 x Replicating Menace
  1 x Unleash the Hounds   2 x Wargear
  1 x Oblivitron     1 x Zilliax
  1 x Boommaster Flark   2 x Missile Launcher
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote from HearthPwn Guide »
You can check out the three most top-rated versions of Mech Hunter (for Rise of Shadows) right here on Hearthpwn using the following links:

Turns 1-2: Mecharoo, Framebot & Galvanizer

Quote from Hearthpwn Guide »
The first turns are crucial for the Mech Hunter and it is vital that he is able to establish good tempo with strong early drops. It is important you have an answer to these cards.

Mecharoo

This is the standard first turn 1-drop that you will usually see. Ideally you will need to contest this minion straight away, though it can be awkward to remove. If you choose to play a bigger minion in response, be wary of a magnetised Venomizer on turn 2.

Upgradeable Framebot

The Framebot provides the Mech Hunter with a solid base on which to start building his bigger Mechs through magnetising. At 5 health, this minion is hard to remove efficiently, but removing it may be your best option if possible, since there is a likelihood of something being attached to it on the next turn.

Galvanizer

Galvanizer is the Mech Hunter's means to add pressure to the board tempo by playing his Mechs earlier and faster. If you see this card played, then treat each section of this guide as being a turn sooner due to the reduced mana costs.

Turn 3: Sn1p-Sn4p & Spider Bomb

Quote from Hearthpwn Guide »
At this stage of the game, the Mech Hunter will be looking to solidify his control on the board. Early contesting with minions and efficient removals make this a difficult time to get the upper hand.


Spider Bomb

Spider Bomb is very often played as a turn 3 swing play, especially if you are contesting the board with a large minion. The deathrattle will destroy a random minion, however, so sometimes the best counterplay to this card is to go wide, or (even better) to find a silence effect for it.
If you are not contesting the board, sometimes the Spider Bomb will be magnetised purely for the extra damage and body.

Sn1p-Sn4p

The newest Mech on the scene (at the time of writing), SN1P-SN4P has been seeing a lot of play. It may not seem efficient to play this on turn 3, however many Hunters are using it for the extra damage and the guarantee of two more mechs if removed without a silence.

Turn 4: Explodinator & Replicating Menace

Quote from Hearthpwn Guide »
From turn 4, the Mech Hunter's mechs will usually start to go wide on the board with Goblin Bombs and spawning Microbots. What you choose to do here will likely determine the course of the game. You can race the damage with the Hunter, risking being overwhelmed, or try to absorb the damage from the bombs and minions and keep clearing the board.


Explodinator

Explodinator is a similar card to Upgradeable Framebot in terms of its functionality. It serves as a platform to build bigger and more powerful mechs on both itself and the Goblin Bombs that it spawns. It has the additional advantage of the 4 explode damage on top of this. These bombs will likely be magnetized on the next turn.

Replicating Menace

Replicating Menace is a card that can sometimes cause great surprise to the opponent. The additional attack when magnetized is often enough to remove the minion it is attacking and then will spawn 3 Microbots to follow up after it. Silencing this minion (or attached minion) is usually the most efficient way to deal with this.

Turns 5-8: Zilliax & Wargear

Quote from Hearthpwn Guide »
The mid-to-late stage of the game is where the Mech Hunter is going to want to seal the victory by overwhelming you with minions and bomb damage before you can stabilise. If you can deal efficiently with each threat as it appears here, the Hunter will likely run out of steam. Be aware of your health total at all times and the possible burst damage from these cards.


Zilliax

Zilliax is currently the single most played card in all decks across Hearthstone, and for good reason! It's large array of keywords, along with its Magnetic ability make it extremely versatile and a good option in a host of different scenarios.
Its Divine Shield also gives it staying power and attaching Lifesteal to another Mech can often get the Hunter out of dangerous situations.

Wargear

Wargear is the powerhouse of the Mech Hunter package and is where the finishing comes into play for this deck. The stats may be pretty average for a 5 mana minion but when magnetised onto another mech, Wargear gives it some serious damage and a strong body to keep it alive. 

Special Mentions and Extras

Quote from Hearthpwn Guide »
While the cards lists above are likely to be played and seen on those turns, they are by no means the complete package that Mech Hunter has at his disposal. Here are some key cards and combos that you may also see and should be aware of...


Ursatron

Ursatron is the main source of card draw for Mech Hunter, and will serve to replenish his hand with more mechs when running low. It is often played on turn 3, if the hunter does not feel the board is being contested too hard or there are threats to deal with.

Fireworks Tech

Fireworks Tech is a card that should not be underestimated in this deck as it is a key means to activating strong deathrattles such as Spider Bomb and Replicating Menace without fear of losing the minion from the board. Not to mention the extra buff to stats it also provides.


Venomizer & Missile Launcher

These two cards are quite possibly Mech Hunter's biggest and scariest combo that they have at their disposal.
Individually, they are already both very strong cards with great abilities; however the Magnetize keyword gives these two cards something extra special.
By attaching these two cards together, at the end of every turn it will deal 1 damage with poison to ever other minion and player. 
This means that any other minion who is not Immune or has a Divine Shield will be destroyed. 
You will need a way to deal with this minion (which is now a 6/6 in stats) otherwise it could well be game over at this point!

 

Final Thoughts

Quote from Hearthpwn Guide »
It would be nearly impossible to include all the variations of cards that can go into this deck, and you may also see some other extremely strong cards included, such as Oblivitron, Leeroy Jenkins, and even Nine Lives in some versions.

Lastly, a nod to Boommaster Flark. You would think this dastardly cad (typo intended) would see play in all bomb-based hunter decks, but it seems he is currently not in favour so much. But he is definitely worth a look if you have space and are thinking of options.
However, the cards listed above should give a good and in depth analysis of what you are likely to face in any average match against Mech Hunter.

If you enjoyed this guide and would like to see more guides for other popular decks, feel free to make your suggestions in the comments below.

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