Cage Head Combo Control DK (2 Unholy 1 Blood)

The goal of the deck is to cycle cards and stall long enough with control tools to draw and set up the Cage Head + 2 Death Growl OTK combo. If combo fails (on that later), the alternative win condition is out-valuing an opponent with Photographer Fizzle, Headless Horseman card generation and Primus.

Early game

Brittlebone Buccaneer + Chillfallen Baron / Giggling Toymaker or Acolyte of Death + Crop Rotation /  Mining casualties synergies get you the cards to cycle and impact the board at the same time.

Mid game

Opponent will often try to overpower your board and that’s where 1 blood tools really come into play. Hematurge often gives you access to 2 blood powerhouses like “Your souls belong to the Lich King” 5/5 clear and Corpse Explosion. Wait on the Horseman for a juicy target for extra satisfaction. Mosh Pit / Brittlebone Buccaneer + Gnomelia / Toymaker are way better than I thought they would be. Airlock Breach solid 9/10.

Late game

Now is where the suspense begins. For the main man Cage Head to come out you need to set up 2 minions which can die on your turn with double Death Growl to spawn 4 9/9 rock’n’roll charge pigs.

If you’re winning the board it’s no problem, but your opponent by now is probably doing some crazy shit, so unless you had solid draws into synergies during mid game that’s unlikely. Mining Casualties is excellent for getting a dirty trap card setup for the combo as your opponent is likely to ignore it and go face with their minions. 

Exharch Maladaar can be used for a full combo on turn 8 if you have 8 corpses for the Cage Head or can be tempo’d out to stall. If opponent has taunts Exharch gives 2 extra mana for 2 Fistfull of Corpses on top of main combo. 

In worst case scenario letting a combo rip to save your life can often lead you to winning in the next 2 turns as opponent has likely to ran out of big board clears dealing with your annoyotrons, primus, airlock breaches and other riff raff. If you still have a Mosh Pit in play, reborn Cage Head for an extra pig next turn by killing it with either Horseman heropower or Fistfull of Corpses.

Photographer Fizzle is there to mainly counter Renethal decks if first combo is not enough. I try to wait for at least full combo in hand to photo, but I’m just greedy and Primus is good enough.

Still unsure about Assimilating Blight as random 3 cost deathrattle minions are often underwhelming and it reveals exactly what you’re going for as most opponents assume you are full rainbow until the very end. But it would be a sin not to include a 2 unholy 1 blood card into 2 unholy 1 blood deck.

Seeing a board of 9/9 charge Blight Boars about to go face, emoting with the Horseman and hearing those smacks against their face as they sit in disbelief is the best Hearthstone standard experience I’ve had in a while. LOL