Highlander decks are back in Hearthstone as the League of Explorers return in Saviors of Uldum, though these decks are going to be very different from the ones we’ve got used to in the good old days. Instead of a massive and instantaneous heal effect, you’re going to get one specific tool for each of the four different classes with the mechanic alongside the extremely powerful neutral Zephrys the Great. Paladin has Sir Finley of the Sands to work with, a card which pushes the class’ Highlander archetype in a midrange-y direction. Reno Paladin was not a top tier deck in the past, but this is a very different environment, with very different tools at Uther’s disposal.
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 0Highlander Paladin Theorycraft Deck List – Saviors of Uldum – August 20191
- 1Brazen Zealot1
- 2Crystalsmith Kangor1
- 2Sandwasp Queen1
- 2Sir Finley of the Sands1
- 2Sound the Bells!1
- 2Subdue1
- 3Bronze Herald1
- 3High Priest Thekal1
- 4Prismatic Lens1
- 4The Glass Knight1
- 5Shrink Ray1
- 6Pharaoh’s Blessing1
- 25Shirvallah, the Tiger1
Since Bomb Warrior and Conjurer Mage are likely still going to be relevant, it’s vital that we get to apply consistent pressure in the early game. This is why the featured build includes a sturdy 1-2-3-4 curve to ensure that you can get on the board as quickly as possible. (We’ve also experimented with Call to Adventure as a Finley tutor but that would require you to go very slow, which seems like way too much of a concession for such a slight increase in consistency.) Beyond the early tempo plays, this deck packs Siamat, Tirion Fordring and King Phaoris as late-game bombs, plus Shirvallah, the Tiger alongside a bunch of other healing tools to be able to go slow against pure aggro regardless of the Finley draw. Lay on Hands synergizes with both approaches.
Since Paladin’s received the Shaman treatment in recent expansions where it kept getting a few random synergy cards for tribes and mechanics which never quite got enough support. While this basically pigeonholed the class for the last year or so, it’s also made it uniquely suited for a highlander deck where they can essentially take the best individual cards of the many dead-on-arrival ideas like Dragon Paladin and the heal synergies.
As the deck aims to leverage the upgraded hero power as much as possible, it can manage a somewhat unbalanced curve and a decent amount of reload tools (Acolyte of Pain, Prismatic Lens, Countess Ashmore and Lay on Hands). Crystology almost made the cut (with two targets in the form of Acolyte of Pain and Crystalsmith Kangor) but it just wasn’t impactful enough in this build, even at one mana. SN1P-SN4P is an edge case but its minor synergy with Zilliax and the fact that Countess Ashmore can draw them together could boost the case for it just a little further.
If all goes well, this deck will function like the Tempo Rogue of Knights of the Frozen Throne, which has managed to run cards like Southsea Captain, Cairne Bloodhoof and The Lich King alongside one another in an aggressive deck in a consistent fashion. Perhaps this is the real question: with Paladin’s questionable snap removal options, can they mount and then leverage the same kind of pressure? Subdue, Shrink Ray and a discounted Shirvallah, the Tiger are the best options we’ve got so far. It remains to be seen whether it’s going to be good enough.
Yellorambo
Luci Kelemen is an avid strategy gamer and writer who has been following Hearthstone ever since its inception. His content has previously appeared on HearthstonePlayers and Tempo/Storm's site.
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You need to put Holy Fire combo in to have a chance vs other control deck like Shaman or Warrior. Otherwise it is pointless to use this deck
I think the combo doesn’t fit in such a midrange-y build. Most of the time bankful and holy wrath will be dead cards in your hand, which is really difficult to afford in a highlander deck that already suffers consistency issues. Your win condition against control will be either putting too much pressure on the midgame and some crazy zephrys discover. Dealing 25 damage to them when fatigue comes, will usually not be enough with all armor and healing control decks have access to.
But I do not see how this deck can win against deck like, crazy Control Shaman in this expansion with zillion of board clear and transform effect make most of your midrange minion useless.Or the good old CW i dont think I have to mention. Even Priest with two new board clear and alot of good new early and mid gamre card can also cause you a lot of trouble . Without a burst win condition Paladin will be out valued hard in Control matchup. There is a reason why the only viable Paladin deck atm is OTK and the new cards from this expansion dont help the class in this value aspect
Probably you re right but i feel you should build a slower build with more draw instead of the early drops then. But a lot depends on zephrys also: if it could discover lord jaraxus consistently enough it could be a win condition itself against control. Even if you discover paladins upgraded hero power could be a trouble for control decks
Good deck I will be trying it out.
Did you consider Wild pyro? And maybe the give lifesteal card?
Also is pharios good enough here?
Oops I see pyro is in. Ok add the life steal card and maybe geddon instead of pharios?
Given the rather proactive nature of the deck, I don’t think that Geddon fits in. Geddon is a card that fits into a deck that plays from behind, not one that usually wants to have board.
Those cards also play different roles – Geddon is not a “bomb” card, a win condition. Phaoris is. Dropping him should often create solid boards (even just getting 5/5 + a random 8-drop + a random 4-drop for example would mean that your opponent has to clear those or he loses very quickly).
Both Geddon and Lightforged Blessing (if that’s what you mean by Lifesteal card) would fit into a slower, more Control-oriented build more. And honestly that’s probably how I would have built the deck, but they don’t really fit into this build.