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 fromIf 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 fromThere 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 fromYou 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 fromThe 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 fromAt 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 fromFrom 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 fromThe 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 fromWhile 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 fromIt 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.
Ooh exactly that. I’m sure many will appreciate the efforts in making posts about the meta and varieties of decks but It kinda puts me off this awareness propaganda with all the guides on how to play with and against. This just ruins the games! Let the player experience and learn! One spends a thousand games to master a playstyle and decks to differ from the mass and then blizzard comes and spoil the whole lot! Like all the videos that were made about how to play aggro and the sorts! This is ridiculous
Imagine if you have information about one deck and how to play around it ... that sounds nice.
Now imagine a kind guy make a whole article about it , cmon guys this guy use part of his time just for us , not for him , for us.
Dont be rude and say thanks for that ... i dont like meta decks being spread and all ... but if i cant avoid it have some info for next matchups is always welcome .
Gj
I'm no fan of mech hunter, but I really like the way this article was done - keep these coming in the future, will be looking forward to reading them ;)
Nice analysis, good job ,keep it up :)
Please do this with Cyclone Mage. I think that it would be helpful to a lot of players.
love it keep it up , i don't want to be that guy but can u make one about bomb worrier , thx
Maybe. ;-)
What a nice and appetible page layout! GJ :)
Good job!
You should add Mechanical Whelp after Oblivitron or remove him from the list, considering that both cards belong to a different deck....
And what about a short Wild section, because this deck is also the main Wild Hunter deck? (And the Wild inclusions are quite cheap, either common or rare like Cogmaster, Mechwarper, Metaltooth Leaper and Jeeves.)
Thanks for starting a series like this, good job for the first attempt. However, I think there could be bit more 1st hand experience playing the deck.
1: A very common earlygame mistake when playing against this is actually not to take Bomb Toss into account. It is the earlygame from-hand removal of the deck, and one that is easy to overlook, losing you the game, especially in tempo matchups. The mechs are on the board and are much more obvious to play against, just don't underestimate an early Venomizer.
2: You should mention counterdecks and countertech. I just hit a rank-wall with bomb hunter, and it was mainly because of a nasty weakness to silence and an abundance of double Spellbreaker. Control warrior with no bombs and double silence is the toughest matchup in my experience.
3: Strong matchups should also be mentioned. Personally, I farmed a lot of mages, Rogues and Bomb warriors who were unable to keep up with my board, but this is a large topic deserves some attention.
4: You could also mention tweaks the deck to be stronger vs aggro with cards like Bronze Gatekeeper and control with Mechanical Whelp. Elaborating around bubble cards like Harvest Golem could also be useful.
Good points and ideas. Thanks! :-)
Will take these into consideration for the next one, defintely.
I like the idea of considering counter-decks and strategies to the reviewed deck.
As a Control Player i find the versions with Mechanical Whelp easier to play against . since the deck is slightly slower and i have good targets for my big removal spells :)
Nice post btw :)
Nice read. Thanks.
Please do not judge the overview. You can only criticize scorpyon if you have a higher post count than him.
Tell us what you really think, that it's scum of the earth deck that only noobs play. You also missed a great opportunity to tell everyone that you think they should make Snip Snaps entrance animation longer as a soft nerf.
Personally I love this new type of guide and the effort you put in is much appreciated! Keep up the good work and my best wishes to the new staff!
Thanks, vbalint. That means a lot. :-)
Whats the point of such overviews? It takes you ages before you can develope board somewhat equal to what mages can do on turn six.
Basicly any midrange deck is pointless right now. You either win in first 5-7 turns or have enough removals to make a stand.
What to expect? Losing the game.