The Happy Hearthstone Podcast

50th Episode Potluck Party!

Happy Hearthstone turns 50 today! We invited all of our classic guest hosts back on for one uber long, uber silly show all about Hearthstone and the fun strategies, tips, and advice we learned over our years of playing.

Sit back, pull out your beverage of choice, and join us for a little fun today in The Happy Hearthstone Inn.

Hello!

• Dan, Derrick, Chris, Adam, and Scott are on the show this week
• Topic: Strategy Potluck and Suprise Trivia show!
• Reasons to be happy this week
• News: Tavern Brawl, Hero Portraits, Deck Card Backs

Lost Potential

Served by: Josh

• How do you evaluate cards that have super high potential?
• Is it “bad” to lose potential, even if the card is efficient?
• Example: Aldor Peacekeeper is a 3/3 for 3
• You don’t NEED to get a big change from his effect for the card to break even. BUT it could do way more in ideal situations.
• Is using it on a 4/4 a waste because it could be used on a 8/8?
• Example: Flamestrike
• If Flamestrike kills 1 minion of the same cost, is that breaking even? If it kills 2, is that good?

Playing Casual

Served by: Chris

• Using pre-set build from Icy Veins is incredibly helpful. Sound like this should be straightforward, but I’ve been surprised by home many friends play hearthstone, max out at rank 21-22, and just figure that’s it.
• I was the same, just figured I wasn’t good enough, until I started using some pre-made decks for the classes.
• Now I regularly get to rank 15-16, and while its more challenging, it’s also more fun!

Dreaming Up New Ideas

Served by: Adam

• What do we want to see added to Hearthstone from bottom up (Card, Card Mechanic, Set, Feature)?
• Tons of ideas mentioned on the show.

Co-op Raids

Served by: Dan

• Like the WoW TCG.
• Onyxia, Molten Core,Magtherodon,Black Temple, Nax, Assault on ICC.
• Dungeons as well.

Health as a Resource

Served by: Scott

• Health is a resource that’s there to be ‘spent’, if it helps you get an advantage.
• Obviously can’t take it too low, or you’ll get yourself into trouble.
• Safer in arena than constructed.

Deck Velocity

Served by: Derrick

• Essentially, this is how fast you rip through your deck — and why WHEN you draw cards matters.
• When you’re talking card-draw (i.e. cards in your deck that make you draw cards) I’ve been playing around with the value in playing card-draw spells earlier vs. later.
• Tradeoffs: Developing your board is important, but so is seeing deeper into your deck sooner

• Chart above tracks how many cards in your deck you’ve seen, using examples of playing Arcane Intellect on Turn 7, Turn 3, and never.
• Notice that the earlier you play it the more turns with the realized benefit.
• My sense tells me this is better in a control deck (if you need to dig for removal/control cards).
• Not all bombs are expensive so seeing more cards sooner provides flexibility during gameplay that you wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
• No clear “rule of thumb” (i.e. always do one over the other) but i have seen some neat benefits with cards like Call Pet in my Hunter Beast deck due to its flexibility.
• (review Call Pet card) So look for openings where you can afford to play a card draw spell and take advantage of it
• The faster you dig through your deck the less variance you’ll see in your play leading to maximize your decks potential.

Community

• Josh gives a pop quiz!
• iTunes Reviews

Card of the Week

Tune into the show to hear our awesome quintet introduce the card!

The Warlock Demon Zoo Deck - Episode 49

Hello!

• Andrew is on the show this week
• Topic: Demon Zoo Warlock Deck Battle!
• Reasons to be happy this week
• News: New Warrior Hero Portraits

What is a Deck Battle?

Once a month, a guest host brings their favorite deck onto the show to battle the current reigning champion deck for control of the Happy Hearthstone Deck Battle Throne!

If the challenger wins the best-of-3 series, their deck becomes the new Reigning Champion Deck and will fight off future challengers until it loses, or until it’s earned its place in the Happy Hearthstone Hall of Fame!

View the Deck Battle Archive + The Happy Hearthstone Hall of Fame

Defending Deck: Frid’s Mech Shaman deck has reigned supreme for 1 month, and has beaten 1 deck before this episode.

Challenger Deck: Andrew’s Demon Zoo deck combines the best of Demon and Zoo Warlock decks into a mid-range face-crusher machine.

The Deck

Creatures

• 1x Abusive Sergeant (1 mana)
• 2x Flame Imp (1)
• 2x Voidwalker (1)
• 2x Haunted Creeper (2)
• 1x Ironbeak Owl (2)
• 2x Knife Juggler (2)
• 2x Nerubian Egg (2)
• 2x Imp Gang Boss (3)
• 2x Defender of Argus (4)
• 2x Voidcaller (4)
• 2x Doomguard (5)
• 2x Volcanic Drake (6)
• 1x Dr. Boom (7)
• 1x Mal’Ganis (9)
• 1x Sea Giant (10)

Spells

• 2x Power Overwhelming (1)
• 1x Demonwrath (3)
• 2x Imp-losion (4)

Sideboard

In case you don’t have some of the ideal cards, here are some quality back ups and alterations you can make that keep with the same theme and strengths of the deck.

• 2x Dread Infernal (6)
• 2x Floating Watcher (5)
• 1x Hellfire (4)
• 1x Stormwind Champion (7)

Post-Duel Commentary

• Who won
• Obligatory bragging session
• Challenger Deck: How well did it perform?
• Defending Deck: How well did it perform?
• Best moments in the matches
• The Happy Hearthstone Champion Ceremony(tm)

Community

• Our first donation (and a letter!)
• iTunes Reviews

Card of the Week

Farewell

• Follow Andrew on YouTube or Twitter!
• What you want to see in future episodes
• What hosts you want to visit the show

DECK GUIDE:

Demonlock and Warlock Zoo decks have been dominating constructed Warlock play for awhile now. But what if there was someone mad enough to combine them into one single monstrosity?!?!

Andrew is that man. You can see how this deck performed in its deck battle against the current Happy Hearthstone deck in this week’s episode!

Note from Josh: The rest of this article was written by Andrew. Thanks, Andrew!

The DemonZoolock Deck

While figuring out Warlock’s place after Blackrock Mountain, a very interesting hybrid came to light: Zoo plays a lot of cheap, strong minions to trade with the opponent’s board. Demonlock gets big, powerful cards onto the board for cheap through Voidcaller. Combine the two, and you’ve got a very versatile deck that can easily hang with the big boys.

Let’s get straight into the cards I used in my deck for the mighty showdown with Josh. You can find a completely plain deck list on the podcast episode. Here, I’ll provide additional commentary where I feel it’s helpful or necessary.

1x Abusive Sergeant

This little guy is versatile! He’s a combo card that can be used in a ton of different circumstances: Trading an imp into a larger minion, buffing a shadowflame, activating a Nerubian Egg, making an enemy minion a target for BGH… The list goes on. One is a must! (You could even get away with two!)

1x Ironbeak Owl

It’s always nice to have at least one silence in your deck. That’s really the only reason the owl is coming to play! Use him to get through a pesky Sludge Belcher or whatever’s in your way.

2x Nerubian Egg

These seemingly docile eggs are actually quite helpful with this deck in two ways: 1. If you have an egg on board with all your 1/1 imps, your opponent will definitely think twice about clearing your side. The 4/4 awaiting is a great comeback to make sure you don’t lose much tempo. (You might even GAIN some!) 2. With a little help from Power Overwhelming or Abusive Sergeant, you can trade into an opponent’s minion and still have your 4/4 in the end.

2x Imp Gang Boss

FINALLY the 3 drop we’ve been waiting for! This guy will do some work for you. Playing him on turn 3 is usually the ideal time. Trade if you can to get a couple imps out of him. Those little guys build up fast and can later be used with Power Overwhelming or Defender of Argus to cause some serious mischief.

2x Defender of Argus

It’s bad enough for your opponent that you’re dropping minions every single turn. But when you buff them with the Defender, you will audibly hear him scream at his computer (or phone) screen. Usually your opponent has been scheming for how to take out your wimpy minions. Buffing two minions with the Defender throws his plan right out the window. Ideally, you want to use him to buff a Nerubian Egg or Voidcaller to force your opponent to activate them, but he’ll be snug and cozy right between two imps, too. Activate some deathrattles and slow down your opponent? Yup. It’s as good as it sounds.

2x Voidcaller

Now THIS is where things start getting good. Voidcaller makes this deck able to survive the midgame and create some great tempo to finish fast. I’ll usually keep one in my opening hand if I get it, as it’s an easy play on turn 4. If we can coin him out on turn 3 and get Mal’Ganis on turn 4, the game’s practically over. If he gets silenced though, it’s OK to cry.

2x Doomguard

This is one of the deadliest Demons to drop from Voidcaller because he can attack immediately. That 5/7 body is second to none, too. Trade a lot, or go in for the final hit points. Oh, and if you have both Power Overwhelming’s and the Abusive Sergeant still in hand? That’s right. 15 whopping damage. Boom. Roasted.

1x Dr. Boom

Because Dr. Boom. Seriously, this guy is just a wrecking ball. Being able to get 3 strong minions on the board in a single turn can change the entire game. He’s an automatic add in just about every deck right now, and this one is no exception.

1x Mal’Ganis

The king is here at last! Mal’Ganis must be dealt with by your opponent immediately. And it’s exactly that shift of playing that is such a threat to the entire feel of the game. Anyone who knows the Demonlock deck is scared to death of your Voidcallers because they know that this guy could come raining down soon. With Imp-losion and Imp Gang Boss, we’re hoping to have several little imps on the board to get buffed by him. Those little pesks are all of a sudden significant threats. Don’t forget to tap every chance you get if you have him up!

1x Sea Giant

This card is mostly here to be a big threat and add more flavor to the Zoo mechanics of the deck. It’s rare that I’m paying more than 6 for this giant, and that’s a killer deal for an 8/8 minion. Have fun slapping this guy down as you hear your opponent gulp on the other side of your screen.

2x Power Overwhelming

This card is just stupid. I’ve used it most with the 1/1 Demon Imps that spout out of Imp-losion and Imp Gang Boss to trade with mega minions. You’ve also got some crazy burst potential with 2 of these, especially in combo with Doomguard. Yeah. That’ll straight up win you games.

1x Demonwrath

To be honest, I just wanted to try out this new BRM card at first, but it’s actually been quite helpful overall. Zoo normally doesn’t run many spells, but we worked one of these in to further help with board control in the aggro-heavy meta Hearthstone is in right now. Demonwrath is powerful in this deck not only because it won’t affect most of your minions, but also because it will activate your Nerubian Egg. Didn’t see THAT coming, did you?!

2x Imp-losion

Wait, let me get this straight… You’re telling me I get to kill an enemy minion AND spawn lots of little guys all with 1 card. I’ll take 2 of those… This is the definition of a tempo card. Being able to clear your opponent’s board and spawn some minions for yourself can be really powerful if timed well.

Possible Additions

Good news: This deck is (practically) CHEAP AS FREE. With only 1 epic, and 2 legendaries, this deck is almost all common and rare cards. You should already have most of these cards or be able to craft them pretty quickly. Just in case you don’t have those high costed cards or Blackrock Mountain yet, here are some substitutes:

2x Dread Infernal (6)

This is a fine substitute for Mal’Ganis and Sea Giant. He has a strong battlecry that is very versatile but is a great drop from the Voidcaller as well.

2x Floating Watcher (5)

This is another very strong Demon card that just didn’t quite make it into the deck. If you haven’t gotten the Volcanic Drakes from BRM yet, I’d suggest adding a couple of these. The ability of gaining +2/+2 on your turn can add up fast, if you play on your turn in the right order. Always tap first!!

1x Hellfire (4)

I think there’s an argument that Hellfire is the correct pick over Demonwrath. And if you’re not into BRM yet, that makes the choice easy. The downside is that you want to keep your minions on the board in order to win. So this spell can be unplayable in certain situations. It can also be a life saver if your opponent is way ahead though. Use wisely!

1x Stormwind Champion (7)

If you still haven’t crafted Dr. Boom, what are you waiting for?! It’s time to start saving your dust! He’s the most versatile, strong minion in the meta right now and absolutely worth the 1600 dust to craft. But until you get there, a Stormwind Champion will buff all your other minions and be a large body as well. Because we want to get as many creatures on the field as possible, this card could catch your enemy off guard and be a great finishing blow. His biggest problem is if you don’t have anything in play, he’s pretty expensive. That’s why Boom is the better pick. He works when your board is empty and can shift the game significantly.

Final Thoughts

The unification of 2 decks is surprisingly strong in this meta, combining the aggression and control of Zoo with the bigger threats of Demonlock. Keep adding to your board, make effective trades, and then go for the kill. With Mal’Ganis on your side, you too can know what it means to be ETERNAL!

Blackrock Mountain Review (Class) - Episode 48

Hello!

• Scott is on the show this week
• Topic: Blackrock Mountain Class Cards Review
• Reasons to be happy this week
• News: None

The Review Scale

What we’re reviewing:

• Arena Score = The value of this card while drafting in Arena.
• Constructed = The value of this card when crafting the type of constructed deck that most wants this card.

How the score works:

• 0 = awful, unplayable (Example: Sacrificial Pact, Poison Seeds)
• 1 = Underpowered, but it could work out (Example: Naturalize, Divine Spirit, Corruption)
• 2 = Acceptable backup plan or niche filler (Example: Crazed Alchemist, Emperor Cobra)
• 3 = Solid value (Example: Chillwind Yeti)
• 4 = Great, with lots of upside (Example: Animal Companion, Knife Juggler)
• 5 = So good you always have to play it (Example: Dr. Boom)

Druid Cards

Druid of the Flame

• Josh says: I wouldn’t run either of these minions in my druid deck (a 5/2 for 3 or a 2/5 for 3). I guess it gets a slight bonus for flexibility, but flexibility between 2 bad options isn’t very enticing.
• Scott says:Both forms are beasts, so they enable Druid of the Fang. Both forms are suboptimal stat configurations, but at least you get a choice. And 5/2 isn’t so bad if you have taunt, which Druid has the most of.
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score: 3

Volcanic Lumberer

• Scott says:Compares favorably to Ironbark Protector. Would work well with AoE or possibly Force of Nature. In a combo, could make Poison Seeds not the worst card in the game anymore.
• Josh says: You can now run 4 copies of Ironbark Protector. Druid already owned the title for best late-game minions. Now there’s absolutely no questioning.
• Arena Score: 4
• Constructed Score: 4

Hunter Cards

Quick Shot

• Josh says: Nice and solid. 3 damage to any source for 2 mana will always be viable.
• Scott says:Identical to Darkbomb, but a bit better. I like it much better than Arcane Shot, as it packs a bigger punch, is still super cheap, and has potential upside. Very rarely triggers its ability, even if you build for it..
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score: 3

Core Rager

• Scott says: I’ve found it doesn’t fire very often at all. I just don’t really want a card that only delivers vanilla-or-better value 10-20% of the time.
• Josh says: Yeah, I had hoped this would fire a lot more than it does in practice. The text might as well not exist from my experience — it often encourages you to overextend and make bad plays just to proc it, negating any benefit you got from the effect.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 2

Mage Cards

Flame Walker

• Josh says: Exactly the minion stats that a mage control deck wants on turn 3. Mage will be proccing this effect constantly if the enemy doesn’t remove it quickly. Coin + Arcane Missile combo will be great fun (Mana Wyrm 2.0)
• Scott says:Two-thirds of a free Arcane Missiles just for casting another spell? Yes please! Breaks even after one activation, and has a really good stat configuration for what it does. We’ll be seeing a lot of this guy.
• Arena Score: 4
• Constructed Score: 5

Dragon’s Breath

• Scott says:As if Mages needed more direct damage, or Flamestrike needed to get better through a new combo… Very cost-inefficient in its base form, but is already better than Shadow Bolt if 2 minions died that turn.
• Josh says: I’m not a fan at all. I’d almost always rather have Frostbolt (2 mana for 3 damage and freeze) or Flamecannon (2 mana for 4 damage to random enemy minion). This card asks way too much.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 2

Paladin Cards

Dragon Consort

• Josh says: Hunter owned the Deathrattle deck, Paladins will own the Dragon deck — and this card is a part of that reason. This card has value that is absolutely OFF THE CHARTS in a dragon deck. At worst, it’s a 5/5 for 3 mana, but it’s so much more than that. It means getting Nefarian, Chromaggus, or Alexstrasza on the very next turn (6) (with coin). That’s crazy tempo that also leaves a bigger lightning rod than the 5/5 on the table.
• Scott says:Note that the Dragon doesn’t have to be played that turn. You sacrifice half of one mana in the short-term for potentially big long-term gain.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 5

Solemn Vigil

• Scott says:Yes please! Great when trading, or when killing things off with AoE. Need to have 2 minions to die on your turn to achieve parity with Arcane Intellect.
• Josh says: That’s just one trade for parity, and with Paladin’s Equality + Consecrate cards in every deck, it’s likely to get more. My only caveat is that if I’m looking for card advantage, I’m not sure I want this over Blessing of Wisdom or Hammer of Wrath.
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score: 3

Priest Cards

Twilight Whelp

• Josh says: I don’t like Dragon Priest very much at all, so I’m already a bit down on this card. I think I’d almost always be happier dropping Northshire Cleric or Lightwarden on turn 1 — at least those are lightning rods for enemy removal.
• Scott says:Compares to Zombie Chow. Minor impact card, and not horribly reliable. Doesn’t play nice with Resurrect. I don’t see myself playing this.
• Arena Score: 1
• Constructed Score: 1

Resurrect

• Scott says:Will tend to favor cheap minions. The later you cast it, the better. If average minion cost is well above 2, becomes somewhat cost-efficient. Should probably always toss it back on mulligan. Loves Injured Blademaster.
• Josh says: This one is intriguing, and one of those cards that I value higher for it’s fun value. In the right late-game control deck, this card is guaranteed value. Even if you use it after the first minion dies on turn 3, it can still pay out. This won’t always boom, but it will almost never flop. (note: Friendly minions only)
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score: 4

Rogue Cards

Gang Up

• Josh says: You taught me the FUN of this card, Scott. But I’m still not really afraid of it. Feels like a waste of mana most games — it’s so hard to get a feeling for its tangible benefit in matches.
• Scott says: Would you cast a spell that said: “(2) — Do nothing, except rebuild your deck a little”? Because that’s what this does under normal circumstances. Only wants to be in very specific decks, like Mill Rogue
• Arena Score: 0
• Constructed Score: 2

Dark Iron Skulker

• Scott says: Oprah says: “Free Backstabs for everyone!” Unfortunately, the effect adds 2 mana to the casting cost, so you want to get at least one activation from it. Great against aggro decks.
• Josh says: Yeah, I think this guy is there purely to give you more answers to aggro and he is amazing at that. Even chopping down on Raptor makes him worth it (he feels a bit like the Stampeding Kodo, with way more upside). In the right scenarios, it’s a Consecrate with a body attached!
• Arena Score: 4
• Constructed Score: 4

Shaman Cards

Lava Shock

• Josh says: I’m still so hooked on Mech Shaman that I haven’t built an Overload deck to try this one yet. It feels like it’s a bit out of the meta right now, but it’s a step in the right direction for Overload decks.
• Scott says:This combines with Unbound Elemental to make Overload decks more of a thing. Particularly inefficient if it doesn’t unlock some overload
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 3

Fireguard Destroyer

• Scott says:Hoo boy. Yes. I’ll take it. It averages out to a 5.5 / 6 that’s castable on turn 4. Plays well in an overload synergy deck.
• Josh says: I want 10 of these in my deck.
• Arena Score: 5
• Constructed Score: 4

Warlock Cards

Demonwrath

• Josh says: This card brought my Demon Warlock deck back to the top of my playlist. Makes sure aggro is a non-issue for Demonlock decks, and is tremendous value for a class that simply doesn’t get no-downside AoE removal. Bonus synergy with Nerubian Egg (which demonlock loves to play)
• Scott says:If you’re not playing a demon-heavy deck, don’t bother. Compares to Hellfire or Consecrate. Good to use with Nerubian Egg!.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 4

Imp Gang Boss

• Scott says:Very similar to (but probably a bit better than) Imp Master, with this having demon synergy and 1 extra attack.
• Josh says: Must-have in demonlock decks, and still great stats anywhere else. Warlocks get plenty of opportunity to ping this for damage, and I usually get 2 imps out of it (4/6 total stats for 3 mana)
• Arena Score: 4
• Constructed Score: 4

Warrior Cards

Revenge

• Josh says: I don’t really get this card. Above 12 health, it’s an overcosted Whirlwind. Below 13 health, it’s a cheap Hellfire. I just can’t find a Warrior deck that wants either of those.
• Scott says:I like having more Whirlwind effects in Warrior. Problem is, this costs more and I’m not really interested in its 3-damage clause as it will kill most things w/ Enrage or on-damage triggers. So I think I like this less than Whirlwind, and Whirlwind was already worse than the other cards with that effect. I doubt I’ll ever play this.
• Arena Score: 1
• Constructed Score: 1

Axe Flinger

• Scott says:Now we’re talking! Seems outstanding in an Enrage/Whirlwind-style deck, especially w/ Rampage. Doesn’t help you do any one specific thing well (control or punching face), but the sum total of both things is great value.
• Josh says: This is the card Enrage Warrior decks want. I completely agree: it’s a great mix of fun and strength.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 3

Community

• Josh: How have your opinions changed on the Neutral cards since last episode?
• iTunes Reviews

Card of the Week

It’s a surprise during the show!

Farewell

• Follow Scott on Twitter and Twitch and Hearthpwn
• What you want to see in future episodes
• What hosts you want to visit the show

Blackrock Mountain Review (Neutral) - Episode 47

Hello!

• Scott is on the show this week
• Topic: Blackrock Mountain Neutral Cards Review
• Reasons to be happy this week
• News: Blackrock Mountain wings open

The Review Scale

What we’re reviewing:

• Arena Score = The value of this card while drafting in Arena.
• Constructed = The value of this card when crafting the type of constructed deck that most wants this card.

How the score works:

• 0 = awful, unplayable (Example: Sacrificial Pact, Poison Seeds)
• 1 = Underpowered, but it could work out (Example: Naturalize, Divine Spirit, Corruption)
• 2 = Acceptable backup plan or niche filler (Example: Crazed Alchemist, Emperor Cobra)
• 3 = Solid value (Example: Chillwind Yeti)
• 4 = Great, with lots of upside (Example: Animal Companion, Knife Juggler)
• 5 = So good you always have to play it (Example: Dr. Boom)

Neutral Card Reviews

Dragon Egg

• Josh says: Rare?! The payoff is so weak. A 2/1 is super easy to deal with and you have to put in a ton of effort to get more than 1.
• Scott says: Like Nerubian Egg, this does nothing on its own. Unlike Nerubian Egg, this doesn’t seem worth arranging combos around. Even if you had a whirlwind-style Warrior deck, it would just kill the 2/1 Whelps.
• Arena Score: 0
• Constructed Score: 1

Blackwing Technician

• Scott says: If you’re not playing a dragon deck, forget about it. If you are playing tons of dragons, can be worth it.
• Josh says: The stats aren’t awful if you don’t get the battlecry, but you should really only play it in a Dragon deck — where you’re getting a 3/5 for 3. Great value.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 3

Dragonkin Sorcerer

• Josh says: Shield Masta stats by itself. Tons of fun combo potential, especially in buff classes like priests. But it really makes a juicy silence target.
• Scott says: Only needs one activation to be profitable — not hard to make happen. Compares to Violet Teacher, but gets +1/+1 instead of a 1/1 and is a Dragon. I think I like this one better, especially in a dragon deck.
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score: 4

Hungry Dragon

• Scott says: You get +1/+1 (and a Dragon) in exchange for giving your opponent a 1-cost minion. Their minion will pretty much always be better than a 1/1, but sometimes having a single big body can be good. Can combo well with Mind Control Tech or Sea Giant. These kinds of cards are generally only good in tailored decks.
• Josh says: There are a lot of really, really good 1-cost minions in Hearthstone. It’s one of the things that differentiates Hearthstone from other card games, in my experience. I’ll usually pass.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 4

Grim Patron

• Josh says: It’s so expensive! Wombo combo wet dreams, but usually a trap in any deck that can’t reliably proc this for “free”
• Scott says: A surprisingly versatile card. Can’t actually be killed fully unless they hit every surviving Patron for at least 3 damage. Mage and Warrior especially will like this card. Need to split him at least once to be worth it.
• Arena Score: 1
• Constructed Score: 4

Blackwing Corruptor

• Scott says: Not worth using if you’re not in a dragon deck, very worth using if you are.
• Josh says: I love this card. It’s a cheap Fire Elemental — one of the best minions in the game — with an extra requirement. Every dragon deck must run this.
• Arena Score: 1
• Constructed Score: 5

Drakonid Crusher

• Josh says: Okay finisher for aggro decks, but I don’t know why I wouldn’t take a charge or immediate-impact minion instead.
• Scott says: Should be a strong addition in aggro decks. Watch out for enemy healing and warriors. Works well with Alexstrasza. I feel like I might like this guy more than I should.
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score: 4

Emperor Thaurissan

• Scott says: Good for expensive decks with lots of cards in hand. Also, enables combos not otherwise possible.
• Josh says: Some cards are very fun but not good. Some cards are very good but not fun. This is one of the rare cards that are absolutely both. Love it!
• Arena Score: 5
• Constructed Score: 5

Volcanic Drake

• Josh says: Make one trade and you’ve got a good card. It’s not hard to see this working insanely well for AoE removal classes like Mage.
• Scott says: Need 2 things to die on your turn in order for it to be profitable, but then you still need to deal with a suboptimal stat configuration. But if you can protect it or if more than 3 things die on your turn, can be a powerhouse.
• Arena Score: 3
• Constructed Score:4

Rend Blackhand

• Scott says: This one’s tough. It’s very inefficient from a stats perspective, and requires a lot to get additional value (enemy has a legendary; you have a dragon in hand; you have 7 mana). Killing an enemy legendary and having an 8/4 Legendary left over is awesome, but it asks an awful lot.
• Josh says: Yeah, I agree. When it works, it can absolutely win you the game. But, like you said, it’s hard to make it work.
• Arena Score: 0
• Constructed Score: 2

Chromaggus

• Josh says: So good. This is one of those cards that I think I’m overvaluing just because I love the playstyle — control and card draw. All it takes is one proc and you get value — if you have card draw minions on the table (or are warlock), you can get value on the turn you drop it.
• Scott says: Same cost and stats as Kel’Thuzad, but clones the cards you draw instead of cloning dying minions. I think I like KT better, but Chromaggus is certainly better for spells. This has to survive a full turn to get value from its ability, unlike KT. You also have to pay to cast the extra cards which may not help much if they’re expensive. I feel like this might be best in a deck with a lot of cheaper or mid-cost cards, especially direct damage spells.
• Arena Score: 4
• Constructed Score: 4

Majordomo Executus

• Scott says: Very interesting card. Biggest issue is once he dies, you go down to 8 life when you become Ragnaros. Your hero power is great, but the life reset seems like too much of a liability.
• Josh says: Yeah, this will almost always be a health drop. But on the right board state, that hero power can be a huge swing the turn he drops if you have Coin still. And he’s still a 9/7 for 9.
• Arena Score: 2
• Constructed Score: 2

Nefarian

• Josh says: 2 cards and an 8/8 for 9 mana? Heck yes, I don’t really care too strongly what those spells are. I’m totally in.
• Scott says: Interesting wording of its effect. It prevents seeing what your opponent has, and perhaps more importantly, will work even if your opponent isn’t running spells or is at fatigue. Most class-specific spells are pretty good, though there are some stinkers.
• Arena Score: 4
• Constructed Score: 3

Community

• No question
• iTunes Reviews

Card of the Week

It’s a surprise during the show!

Farewell

• Follow Scott on Twitter and Twitch and Hearthpwn
• What you want to see in future episodes
• What hosts you want to visit the show

The Mech Shaman Deck - Episode 46

Hello!

• Frid is on the show this week
• Topic: Mech Shaman Deck Battle!
• Reasons to be happy this week
• News: Hearthstone on phones, Blackrock Mountain Adventure wings

What is a Deck Battle?

Once a month, a guest host brings their favorite deck onto the show to battle the current reigning champion deck for control of the Happy Hearthstone Deck Battle Throne!

If the challenger wins the best-of-3 series, their deck becomes the new Reigning Champion Deck and will fight off future challengers until it loses, or until it’s earned its place in the Happy Hearthstone Hall of Fame!

View the Deck Battle Archive + The Happy Hearthstone Hall of Fame

Defending Deck: Dan’s Mech Mage deck has reigned supreme for 1 month, and has beaten 1 deck before this episode.

Challenger Deck: Frid’s Mech Shaman is an aggressive deck that wins through crazy burst damage that can catch even the most prepared player off guard.

The Deck

Creatures

• 2x Flametongue Totem (2 mana)
• 2x Whirling Zap-o-matic (2 mana)
• 2x Fire Elemental (6 mana)
• 2x Cogmaster (1 mana)
• 2x Annoy-o-Tron (2 mana)
• 2x Mechwarper (2 mana)
• 2x Spider Tank (3 mana)
• 1x Mechanical Yeti (4 mana)
• 2x Piloted Shredder (4 mana)
• 2x Fel Reaver (5 mana)
• 1x Loatheb (5 mana)
• 1x Dr. Boom (7 mana)

Spells

• 2x Rockbiter Weapon (1 mana)
• 2x Crackle (2 mana)
• 1x Hex (3 mana)
• 1x Lava Burst (3 mana)

Weapons

• 2x Powermace (3 mana)
• 1x Doomhammer (5 mana)

Sideboard

In case you don’t have some of the ideal cards, here are some quality back ups and alterations you can make that keep with the same theme and strengths of the deck.

• 2x Azure Drake (5 mana)
• 2x Bomb Lobber (5 mana)
• 2x Harvest Golem (3 mana)
• 1x Tinkertown Technician (3 mana)
• 1x Earth Shock (1 mana)
• 1x Al’Akir the Windlord (8 mana)
• 1x Piloted Sky Golem (6 mana)

The Duel!

 

Post-Duel Commentary

• Who won
• Obligatory bragging session
• Challenger Deck: How well did it perform?
• Defending Deck: How well did it perform?
• Best moments in the matches
• The Happy Hearthstone Champion Ceremony(tm)

Community

• Jayme: Winning with a 21/21 sheep!
• iTunes Reviews

Card of the Week

Farewell

• Find Frid everywhere: Twitch, Google+, YouTube, Email, Twitch, Facebook
• Listen to Frid’s podcast where he breaks down his tournament-conquering Paladin deck or read his breakdown of it on Reddit
• What you want to see in future episodes
• What hosts you want to visit the show

 

DECK GUIDE:

Robots, totems, and the occasional frog dish out the damage in Frid’s Mech Shaman deck. It brings the classic body-centric rush damage that defines mech decks, but adds its own flair to provide big burst potential in the mid-game.

You can see how this deck performed in its deck battle against the current Happy Hearthstone deck in this week’s episode!

Note from Josh: The rest of this article was written by Frid. Thanks, Frid!

The Mecha-Man Shaman

With the popularity of the Mech Mage, some deck builders attempted to make other classes work with the mechs. Shaman got arguably one of the best class mechs in the Whirling Zap-o-matic and a weapon that synergizes with the mechs — the Powermace — so it was only natural to me to build a mech Shaman. The deck essentially takes the mech “core” from Mech Mage and adds in Shaman classics, making it a strong tempo deck that can burst opponents down quickly, with some spectacular amounts of burst damage.

There are two things that it suffers from: (1) card draw and (2) healing. Because of the balanced curve, card draw is generally not an issue. If you’re running out of cards it may be because you’re overextending the board and exposing yourself to Area of Effect (AoE) spells. As for healing, the Shaman has always suffered from this problem, but you will generally be dictating the tempo in this match and the opponents will be responding to you, so healing is not essential.

Let’s get straight into the cards I used in my deck for the mighty showdown with Josh. You can find a completely plain deck list on the podcast episode. Here, I’ll provide additional commentary where I feel it’s helpful or necessary.

2x Flametongue Totem

A staple in most Shaman decks. This totem can help you trade up and provide the additional points of damage to finish the game. It turns your totems into weapons. It will also force you to constantly consider the positioning of your minions.

2x Whirling Zap-o-matic

Arguably the best 2 mana mech in the GvG set. This little guy can get out of control quickly if not dealt with. He’s a great target for the Powermace +2/+2 buff and for Rockbiter Weapon for some extra damage. It will most likely eat up a removal spell or minion from your opponent.

2x Fire Elemental

Does this one need explanation? It is essentially an auto-include in Shaman decks. One of the strongest battlecry effects in the game and a big body that dodges Big Game Hunter and has the magic 5 health. What more can you ask for? Be careful not to overload on turn 5, so you can get him out on turn 6.

2x Cogmaster

Always keep him in your opening hand and play it on turn 1 if going first. Early board presence to trade with most 1 drops and benefits from all the mechs. If you have 2 in your opening hand and you’re going second, don’t be afraid to drop them both on turn 1, especially if you have a 2 mana mech in hand.

2x Annoy-o-Tron

His name suits him perfectly. You can make it a super Annoy-o-Tron with Powermace. Use him to protect other valuable minions.

2x Mechwarper

Play mechs at a discount? Sign me up. A staple in all mech decks, it can help you “innervate” minions out ahead of curve. Show Druids that you can also manipulate mana!

2x Spider Tank

The only neutral minion in the game with the 3/4 stats for 3 mana. Incredibly hard to remove and only gets better with Powermace.

1x Mechanical Yeti

This is one of the most iffy cards included in the deck. I was looking for an additional 4 drop and this was the only other mech that made sense to me. See sideboard for alternatives. Just like his non-mech brother the Chillwind Yeti, this guy is very hard to deal with because of the magic 4 attack and 5 health.

2x Piloted Shredder

The Piloted Shredder has been a staple for decks from all classes since GvG was released and it is no surprise. Incredibly sticky minion that makes Harvest Golem (a classic auto-include) look inferior. Buffed to a 6/5 with Powermace, it looks like a Fire Elemental that leaves something behind when it dies.

2x Fel Reaver

Fel Reaver? Haven’t I heard this card is terrible because it has 2 fatal flaws? Well, yes, the card does have two huge drawbacks. First, it dies to Big Game Hunter and that can be devastating. Second, you lose 3 cards for every card the opponent plays. Are you crazy playing two of these? The reality is that it wins games when it can’t be removed early (especially if you can get it out turn 4 with Mechwarper) and the drawback can be inconsequential. Think of a typical game: Do you ever draw all your cards? Then you can think of the discarded cards as being at the bottom of the deck, which you wouldn’t have drawn anyway. If this card makes you queasy, then look for 5 mana alternatives in the sideboard section.

1x Loatheb

Loatheb is just an amazing 5 drop. Protects your board from board clears. Strong body that fits the curve nicely. One of the best cards in the game.

1x Dr. Boom

What deck is complete these days without the inclusion of Dr. Balanced? When he hits the board, everything changes. One of the funniest things is a buffed up 3/3 boom bot because of Powermace.

2x Rockbiter Weapon

More Shaman staple cards that help you fight for the board or burst opponents down. Combo with Whirling Zap-o-matic or Doomhammer for 6 additional points of damage. Use it with a totem or your hero if you need to clear a pesky taunt.

2x Crakle

Crackle can be used for removal on the board or as the finishing blow to the face. Best used with a spell power totem on board. Beware of the overload on key turns to avoid disrupting your mana curve.

1x Hex

Quite possibly the strongest hard removal in the game. If there is a minion in your way that you don’t want to deal with, then Hex it! Erases deathrattle effects, which can provide incredible value.

1x Lava Burst

Shaman’s version of the Mage’s Fireball. Just like Crakle, but more expensive, and more reliable at flat 5 damage. Also like Crackle, beware of the overload on key turns.

2x Powermace

The Powermace was a great addition to the Shaman’s repertoire, especially with the mech synergy. You can use it to remove stuff from the board to protect your minions, or to deliver finishing blows. Make sure to time the second charge right so it hits the intended mech target.

1x Doomhammer

Doomhammer is great for board control or for damage burst. Generally, you save the Rockbiter Weapons for the Doomhammer and you don’t play it on turn 5 because of the overload.

Possible Additions

If you don’t have all of the cards listed above, these are some great backup plans!

2x Azure Drake

One of the options if you either don’t have Fel Reaver or the discard effect is something you don’t enjoy. This minion also provides much needed card draw.

2x Bomb Lobber

Another option to replace Fel Reaver. Helps with board control by taking care of opponent’s Azure Drakes and Shades of Naxxramas.

2x Harvest Golem

An alternative to Spider Tank that is a bit more sticky.

1x Tinkertown Technician

Could be put in place of Lava Burst to avoid overload, has a decent board presence and gets you a spare part in the process.

1x Earth Shock

An alternative to Hex that allows you to bypass taunts or deal with early game threats when your hand is otherwise slow or weak.

1x Al’Akir the Windlord

An alternative to Dr. Boom, avoids BGH, and synergizes well with Rockbiter weapon for extra burst, while providing some defense.

1x Piloted Sky Golem

If you don’t have Dr. Boom, Loatheb, or Al’Akir, you can try a Piloted Sky Golem. Nice body, mech, with a strong deathrattle effect.

Final Thoughts

If you have tried Mech Mage and enjoy that playstyle but think it’s getting a bit stale, or if Shaman is your favorite class and you have just not been able to make it work, give this one a try! It can deliver some spectacular finishes with a lot of burst potential.