As a side question, are there any decent decks that run Hecarim or Swain currently? Both of these cards landed in my collection recently and they're both pretty interesting to me, so I'm wondering if anyone has any decent build suggestions. Figured I'd ask here first as an aside instead of constructing any entirely new thread.
Hecarim hasn't really seen much competitive play ever since he got nerfed a few months ago.
Swain isn't the best of cards either, unfortunately for you. The only deck I know is one made by Control which he got masters with. But even he admits it's not the best deck.
I am a bit shocked that a "relatively new player" is bringing such a legit question to the table but getting so many poor answers from experienced users.
Deep Answer: With the exception of Lifesteal units, Heal cards are not cost-effective in this game. There is a good reason why Burn aggro is the top S tier deck right now. Cards like Withering Wail can even do more harm then good due Crimson Disciple and Transfusion Grasp of the Undying is another joke. Best target is Crimson Disciple, paying 3 extra mana to heal 3 is terrible. Vile Feast is decent, and just decent. Killing a Legion Grenadier to get a 1/1 token while taking 1 to the face is not exactly a great trade / counter play. I just counted, burn aggro has a grand total of 48 direct damage to the nexus. Good luck enduring the early game just to lose the middle game.
Sustained Life gain effects is the answer. Search your collection for good Lifesteal keyword units or implement a strategy to beat then before they burn you. There is no other way.
You're kidding, right? Cherry picking scenarios where those three cards aren't fully optimal and then claiming Shadow Isles isn't one of the best anti-aggro strategies. Wail is phenomenal due to the fact that they have plenty of one-drops alone. That new 2/3 is just as good of a target for grasp, and so are [Hearthstone Card (used cask salesman) Not Found] and that 1 mana 3/2.
Those cards being overcosted isn't relevant at all since you generally pass your first two turns anyway, only to massively swing back with the banked spell mana. Never mind the abundance of spiders to chump-block all their attack damage in the meantime.
There is no middle game with that Nox/P&Z aggro deck. It either wins fast or loses fast. Generally by turn 5 they'll have lost control of the board and you're above 10 hp. Since the deck has no card refill whatsoever they'll never be able to kill you with over the top damage before you end them with your spiders.
What a ridiculous statement. Control beats aggro, in nearly any card game, and Shadow Isles is the best and basically only control region at this moment. Do the math.
I personally recommend using Corina control. It's relatively easy to play and really strong.
The current iteration runs both Vi and Elise. I personally don't have Vi yet so I still run the beta version with just Elise and it's been working just fine for me. I don't think I've lost to any Nox/P&Z deck (the most common burn aggro deck) yet.
Did you fail to notice the unyielding spirit on the card? It can't be damaged or killed. It's a stupid card with very few counters. Recall, obliterate or silence...that is it. Also since it's a champion, silence isn't even an option.
Oh my bad. I haven't seen that card in play yet so I wasn't aware that that's what the icon indicates.
I'm not too sure about the card myself to be honest. It really feels like a "if you can't answer this you lose" card. And it being an 8 mana burst spell (if I'm right) with very limited counters it seems quite strong. Especially considering Demacia Bannermen being as strong as they are and easily able to slot in a copy, makes the card all the more toxic.
Oh, you're trying to be clever by creating a wide board with medium-sized minions? Here's a Poison Seeds into another, you guessed it right! Spreading Plague
Not to mention that the deck also gains more armor than your average odd warrior, and cycles faster than a demon hunter.
Keep Withering Wail against nox/P&Z and spider decks. Against Ezreal decks don't play any minions so they can't level up their ezreal. You win by playing Ledros + over the top damage. No need to do anything against them for the first 9 turns since they develop little to no board anyway, unless it's Nox Ezreal.
Is quest mage still a problem even? It's even weaker against aggro now and keeps reno priest in check.
Yes. It is. Last month, across 3 regions, filtered for wild.
Sure some were secret mage, and a few reno, but vast majority were this mostly uninteractive deck that has just been named Tier S (God Tier) by tempostorn a few days ago.
It's worst matchup (Darkest Hour Warlock) got removed, not that that deck was fun to play against either.
(bold my emphasis)
There will be lots of people who play this deck and love it - I assume it's fun to play it rather than face it. I can't blame them.
But hopefully most such players will appreciate such a dominating deck that's >50% (>55%?) winrate against everything except a mirror isn't good for the format long term.
By all means have crazy broken OP stuff in Wild. But every deck must have a counter to stop any one deck getting way out of hand.
Tempo Storm's meta reports are about as reliable as Alex Jones' news reports.
But, I just now saw Rankstar posted a partial wild meta snapshot with quest mage being the top deck as well, so I guess you're right.
Welp, here's to waiting another 6 months for a new nerf, possibly.
I do actually own Kronx Dragonhoof, but I didn't want to spend all the dust I have and then some for one deck, so I'd like a more budget-y option, if someone has good experiences.
I feel like you're missing some periods and commas there. Had to read it thrice to sort of understand what you're trying to say.
Yasuo has never been great. If you don't draw him or he gets removed you're literally doing nothing but temporarily removing/disabling units while you wait for your inevitable death.
I mean...if you'Re playing a deck a deck that can't respond to a wide board in any way of course you're going to lose.
Mhm. Can you give me some turn 4 responses to boards of 6-7 minions that are 3/3 or even 4/4?
Not pressing the "end turn" button the first few turns usually helps. If you're letting it get that far, chances are your deck is too passive for the current meta, which is rather aggro-focussed.
"Your Star Bonus is based on your MMR, so that you still get one if you skip a month (or don't reach your expected rank during that month). However, there is also a MINIMUM Star Bonus that you'll get at each rank, so you know what to expect each month if you are playing actively."
That's a huge relief, thanks. You too, @AngryShuckie.
So with the first month of the ranked update coming to a close I've been wondering about the following.
I haven't played much Hearthstone this month, partially due to the Demon Hunter terror and partially because of the amount of (updates for other) games being released. First world problems, I know.
I only yesterday got to diamond in standard, and likely won't even get that far in wild this month.
What I'm wondering is if the star multipliers are based on the rank that you achieved the previous month or your hidden MMR? The Hearthstone article indicates the former. In which case, if I don't play for a full month, does that mean I won't have any star multipliers to go with (other than the win streak ones), all the while facing diamond-tier players?
Because that climb seems way tougher than what we previously had and kind of forces you to get a decent rank every month, if that is your monthly goal.
From what I gathered from the Hearthstone ranked article this does seem to be the case, but some additional insight would be much appreciated.
Hecarim hasn't really seen much competitive play ever since he got nerfed a few months ago.
Swain isn't the best of cards either, unfortunately for you. The only deck I know is one made by Control which he got masters with. But even he admits it's not the best deck.
https://youtu.be/GIPOgbmi1Ag
You're kidding, right? Cherry picking scenarios where those three cards aren't fully optimal and then claiming Shadow Isles isn't one of the best anti-aggro strategies. Wail is phenomenal due to the fact that they have plenty of one-drops alone. That new 2/3 is just as good of a target for grasp, and so are [Hearthstone Card (used cask salesman) Not Found] and that 1 mana 3/2.
Those cards being overcosted isn't relevant at all since you generally pass your first two turns anyway, only to massively swing back with the banked spell mana. Never mind the abundance of spiders to chump-block all their attack damage in the meantime.
There is no middle game with that Nox/P&Z aggro deck. It either wins fast or loses fast. Generally by turn 5 they'll have lost control of the board and you're above 10 hp. Since the deck has no card refill whatsoever they'll never be able to kill you with over the top damage before you end them with your spiders.
What a ridiculous statement. Control beats aggro, in nearly any card game, and Shadow Isles is the best and basically only control region at this moment. Do the math.
Basically any slow Shadow Isles deck does phenomenally against them. Vile Feast, Withering Wail and Grasp of the Undying absolutely ruin their day.
I personally recommend using Corina control. It's relatively easy to play and really strong.
The current iteration runs both Vi and Elise. I personally don't have Vi yet so I still run the beta version with just Elise and it's been working just fine for me. I don't think I've lost to any Nox/P&Z deck (the most common burn aggro deck) yet.
Oh my bad. I haven't seen that card in play yet so I wasn't aware that that's what the icon indicates.
I'm not too sure about the card myself to be honest. It really feels like a "if you can't answer this you lose" card. And it being an 8 mana burst spell (if I'm right) with very limited counters it seems quite strong. Especially considering Demacia Bannermen being as strong as they are and easily able to slot in a copy, makes the card all the more toxic.
Edit: wasn't aware that that was the unyielding spirit icon
I haven't tried odd demon hunter yet but I always liked odd rogue so I should probably give it a go. How's the carddraw after the nerf to skull?
Also, got a decklist by any chance?
Jade druid.
Oh, you have a board of small minions? Here's a Spreading Plague.
Oh, you try to play around that by playing a few bigger minions? Naturalize and Lesser Jasper Spellstone will do the trick.
Oh, you're trying to be clever by creating a wide board with medium-sized minions? Here's a Poison Seeds into another, you guessed it right! Spreading Plague
Not to mention that the deck also gains more armor than your average odd warrior, and cycles faster than a demon hunter.
Plus it folds to a single "Me hungry, you yummy!"
Gotta love it.
Yeah, it´s one of the better decks in the meta currently.
It's just the textbook Corina deck: https://decksofruneterra.com/decks/qpTo3ZkvI
Keep Withering Wail against nox/P&Z and spider decks. Against Ezreal decks don't play any minions so they can't level up their ezreal. You win by playing Ledros + over the top damage. No need to do anything against them for the first 9 turns since they develop little to no board anyway, unless it's Nox Ezreal.
Same and I went 13/2 with Corina control because of it :)
Adapt, overcome. Don't even need to improvise.
You literally just made an account to come to a non-Riot affiliated forum to whine about a deck?
What do you hope to gain out of this?
Tempo Storm's meta reports are about as reliable as Alex Jones' news reports.
But, I just now saw Rankstar posted a partial wild meta snapshot with quest mage being the top deck as well, so I guess you're right.
Welp, here's to waiting another 6 months for a new nerf, possibly.
Yeah as Majere said you only need one Bamboozle. I agree with his order of legendaries as well so I'd craft Heistbaron Togwaggle and Shadowjeweler Hanar.
Nerfing a standard card because of a deck in wild? You do know we're dealing with Blizzard here, right?
Is quest mage still a problem even? It's even weaker against aggro now and keeps reno priest in check.
I feel like you're missing some periods and commas there. Had to read it thrice to sort of understand what you're trying to say.
Yasuo has never been great. If you don't draw him or he gets removed you're literally doing nothing but temporarily removing/disabling units while you wait for your inevitable death.
This times 100.
I either want to verbally overpower my opponents or nothing at all. Not a few lousy emotes. Give us auto-squelch Blizzard. It's been far too long.
Not pressing the "end turn" button the first few turns usually helps. If you're letting it get that far, chances are your deck is too passive for the current meta, which is rather aggro-focussed.
Oh, and Bladestorm
Will of Ionia and Detain will work. Not sure about obliterate.
That's a huge relief, thanks. You too, @AngryShuckie.
Was this in one of the Q&A's that I missed?
So with the first month of the ranked update coming to a close I've been wondering about the following.
I haven't played much Hearthstone this month, partially due to the Demon Hunter terror and partially because of the amount of (updates for other) games being released. First world problems, I know.
I only yesterday got to diamond in standard, and likely won't even get that far in wild this month.
What I'm wondering is if the star multipliers are based on the rank that you achieved the previous month or your hidden MMR? The Hearthstone article indicates the former. In which case, if I don't play for a full month, does that mean I won't have any star multipliers to go with (other than the win streak ones), all the while facing diamond-tier players?
Because that climb seems way tougher than what we previously had and kind of forces you to get a decent rank every month, if that is your monthly goal.
From what I gathered from the Hearthstone ranked article this does seem to be the case, but some additional insight would be much appreciated.