Hearthstone #7 - Knights of the Frozen Throne

Blueline Bomber

AI Generated Minnesota Wild
Sponsor
Oct 31, 2007
38,857
39,465
While I'm happy the Innvervate Nerf happened (because **** Turn 1 Flappy Bird), I'm sad that it essentially killed Astral Druid.

Tried that deck today in it's current state and it's just bad. Turns out that the one extra draw needed to get Astral out means you're often discarding rather important cards.
 

ResilientBeast

Proud Member of the TTSAOA
Jul 1, 2012
13,902
3,557
Edmonton
So what's everyone playing these days?

I shuffle between
- Big Priest
- Razakus Priest
- Kazakus Mage
- Dog's Fatigue Warrior
- DK Warlock
 

LightningStrikes

Champa Bay Lightning
Nov 24, 2009
26,061
9,771
So what's everyone playing these days?

I shuffle between
- Big Priest
- Razakus Priest
- Kazakus Mage
- Dog's Fatigue Warrior
- DK Warlock

I stormed from rank 14 to 5 with Big Priest, lost maybe 3 games tops. If I had the time I'd try to get Legend (never done it before) but I read somewhere that it takes about 200 games from rank 5 to Legend and I just don't have the time for this grind.

Other than that I like Ant's new Warlock, a kind of top-heavy Zoo. It runs cheap minions, Keleseth and the Pirate package for early board control, Defenders of Argus, Soul Fire and Despicable Dreadlords to stabilize and Bonemares, Doomguards and Bloodreaver Gul'dan to finish.

But like most decks these days (after Jade nerfs) it highly depends on an early Prince Keleseth draw. An early Keleseth bumps its winrate by 10% or more. With Jade "gone" (meaning it's not broken anymore but still solid) all these Keleseth decks (most prominently Rogue) are emerging now. If you think about it, almost all strong meta decks right now depend a lot on the right or rather just-in-time draws:

- Highlander Priest: turn 5 Raza into Anduin (into Velen)
- Big Priest: turn 4 Barnes and/or early Shadow Essence (which has to not hit Barnes)
- New Rogue: turn 1-3 Keleseth ideally combo'd with at least one Shadowstep
- Exodia Mage: freezes and card draw early, Sorcerer's Apprentices and Antonidas later but still in time
- Shaman: turn 4/5 Evolves and Thrall, Deathseer

Come to think of it only Midrange Hunter is not so dependant on drawing one exact card at a certain time - and Jade Druid.

Draw dependency are core to card games. But it has never been (or at least felt this way) so key in Hearthstone as today.
 

LightningStrikes

Champa Bay Lightning
Nov 24, 2009
26,061
9,771
Is Hunter really that viable? I still destroy every Hunter I face with my Highlander Priest. The only game I lost was when the Hunter opponent got some serious highroll build-a-beat on turns 7 and 8. Turn 7 was a poisonous flappy bird I had to trade my 5/7 Raza into (or else let it start evolving my face). I traded my Raza and played Velen to start healing myself back up. His turn 8 was a Poisonous Dispatch Kodo.

Other than that game, I've destroyed just about every Hunter I've faced.

Much like with Priest itself an early DK card draw by Hunter really swings this matchup in his favor. With the hero power he'll pump out big minion after big minion each turn while clearing your board or pressuring your face with Eaglehorn Bow, Kill Command and his other minions. If he doesn't draw his DK or draws it late while you have your Raza/Anduin hero power up it's going to be an easy win for you, no doubt.

I've seen Hybrid Hunter lists do pretty well against Razakus Priest. They run stuff like Leeroy to finish you off early. They even cut the DK card to pressure face with Hydras and of course Bearshark (probably the strongest card against Priest).
 
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Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,007
13,424
Philadelphia
Mean Streets would rotate out in around March, correct?

I also assume the next expansion is announced at Blizzcon, with a release a few days later.
 

Wild11MN

First round losers
May 28, 2013
13,201
1,992
MN
I'm just on an absolute tear in arena right now. Averaging 6.64 over my last 11 runs. On my previous 11 runs, I only averaged 3.91. I don't know what changed, but I love it. I'm coming for that leaderboard someday. (okay, probably not)

Now if they would hammer Bonemare like they did a few other cards, that would be fantastic.
 

Seb

All we are is Dustin Byfuglien
Jul 15, 2006
17,282
12,309
They better not nerf Bonemare, I'm having fun putting Angry chicken in my decks
 

Wild11MN

First round losers
May 28, 2013
13,201
1,992
MN
They better not nerf Bonemare, I'm having fun putting Angry chicken in my decks

Just in arena at least. It's a neutral common and shows up way too often. Kripp just had 5 in one deck the other night.
 

ResilientBeast

Proud Member of the TTSAOA
Jul 1, 2012
13,902
3,557
Edmonton
I opened Bolvar, Fireblood not too long ago and was sad because Paladin was one of those classes I would dust a lot of the valuable cards to fund other classes (Warlock, Mage, Priest and Warrior)

Wanted to ladder with something different, built a relatively "cheap" Divine shield Paladin and he's been quite strong, most people are unable to effectively deal with him.

Means I need to get my hands on Tirion and Tarim I think, since I have the other meta decks pretty much constructed in the classes I play
 

Blueline Bomber

AI Generated Minnesota Wild
Sponsor
Oct 31, 2007
38,857
39,465
I just saw the best idea on Reddit. Give Snowflipper Penguin the entrance animation of King Krush. That would be amazing. I’d play 2 in every deck just for laughs.
 
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Wild11MN

First round losers
May 28, 2013
13,201
1,992
MN
I'm just on an absolute tear in arena right now. Averaging 6.64 over my last 11 runs. On my previous 11 runs, I only averaged 3.91. I don't know what changed, but I love it. I'm coming for that leaderboard someday. (okay, probably not)

Now if they would hammer Bonemare like they did a few other cards, that would be fantastic.

I thought I jinxed myself, because my first arena run after this post was a 1-3 terrible Warlock deck. Decided to play one more, and two hours later, I hit 12 wins for the 4th time ever! First time with a Priest deck. It's been 6 months since my last one probably, so I'm pretty pumped.
 

ResilientBeast

Proud Member of the TTSAOA
Jul 1, 2012
13,902
3,557
Edmonton
I'm enjoying player Treachery warlock, Howlfiend and Gnomeferatu are great when you manage to mill a priest's Raza and Anduin in the same game

Also love the 5 mana board clear Doomsayer + Treachery
 

firewagonHOCKEY

Registered User
Mar 7, 2006
985
58
Belgium
Some good games from the HTC summer. I picked Orange and I am very happy with my packs. That miss-mill though in the final. Brutal.
I would have made the same play if I had spotted it because milling the opponent is fun .. but in a Final .. :)
 

Blueline Bomber

AI Generated Minnesota Wild
Sponsor
Oct 31, 2007
38,857
39,465
The new Halloween event is the latest attempt to get people to play Arena, desperately needed since their "synergy picks" flopped badly.

It's an interesting concept, picking dual-classes in Arena, and it can lead to ridiculous combos (I got wrecked by Unleash the Hounds/Savage Roar in one game).

Ultimately though, Arena still suffers the same problem it always has had. You can't really control what cards you draft, so your mishmash of cards will usually run into a Constructed-level deck and get annihilated. Do that 3 times and you get a really crappy reward that's hardly worth the effort.
 

Wild11MN

First round losers
May 28, 2013
13,201
1,992
MN
Every now and then I have a really frustrating arena run, playing three great decks in a row, but it's definitely not always like that. I feel like there's still a decent amount a skill, and I still enjoy it so much more than seeing the same decks over and over again.

I am going to play the heck out of dual-arena. There will be some absolutely insane decks and combos, and I won't even mind running into them. Already started 5-1 with Shadowreaper Anduin and Kazakus (no Raza :laugh:). If you guys end up doing it, Warlock is a crazy good hero power to match with other classes. But note that the second class you choose is which hero power you get, not the first one.
 

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