Luze’s Midrange Dragon Shaman(Season 31)

Introduction

    This is my personal Shaman deck, nothing too special, nothing too spectacular. I will try to keep up with the season, since this is my main deck.

    The concept revolves around using Shaman’s strong, cheap board clear coupled with Dragon’s good value. It performs best during mid to late game. You could say it’s somewhat a middle ground between a Control and a Midrange deck.

English is not my native language, so please bear with any wording/grammar error.

WARNING!!! While this deck could be used on ladder, and in fact it would hold it’s own until 13-14 if played correctly where things get rough from then, it would never go too high since it’s main weakness is early aggro(this deck will ALMOST NEVER win early), which is practically everywhere nowadays.

Deck features

    The main point of this deck is to fulfill my personal ego, which
loves dragons, and I like Shaman. I simply want to show it somewhere to
receive criticisms and thoughts on how to make it better and thought “this might be the place”.

    This deck is currently standing in a weird place, since as you can see, it is a fairly slow deck, with no decent minion to trade with until turn 3, which the time will most likely be spent on setting up for later turns, which from then will bombard the field with huge minions and powerful spells *coughkel’thuzadreferencecough*, when you try this deck, the usual(and most optimum) play should be as follows:

• Play Jeweled Scarab and/or Netherspite Historian while using Spirit Claws coupled with Earth Shock to take care of any small minions or at least cripple them(eg. Doomsayer ,Darkshire Councilman, you get the gist) for later plays. You could also opt to Evolve them for maximum value, if they somehow live. On turn 4, depending if you need Taunt or just a stupidly large minion, play Twilight Guardian or Twilight Drake, your handsize would almost always be large, since Scarab and Historian does not really decrease your hand when played. If you do well up to now, Blackwing Corruptor and Book Wyrm(and any other cards you discovered with Scarab and Historian) will take care of the rest.
• If Scarab/Historian is absent, just totem away and stall until you can board clear into a cheap Thing from Below. Evolve if at least 2 totems survive for some board presence. If you managed to pull a safe until turn 4-5, your Dragons should carry the rest of the game for you. Azure Drake also helps with finding your required cards if you really can’t gather them past turn 5.

    In both situation, use Alexstrasza and Healing Wave to heal up. Be sure to pick extra Healing Waves from Scarab if the situation calls for it. Else, just Mega Charizard Y–I mean, Alexstrasza your opponent if their health is still high by then.

    As you can see, there is no reliable pre turn 4 play, which actually is the reason it is so so weak early on, and so strong mid game, since you can’t really run out of cards to play and every single ones have strong effect on the board(unless the board is already swarmed by opposing bloodthirsty minions that is), which I will explain shortly(though it will be quite obvious if you are familiar with how Dragons and Shamans work in this game).

How Each Card Works and Why?

As you all know, Dragons have very strong effects for their cost, even though they are neutral cards, their strength rivals class cards.

    Each and every cards are specially picked for specific reasons, although they are subject to change if there are better choices, which really is my reason for publishing my deck here.

    Minion control, obviously. They are cheap, easy to use, and have no overload. Early or late, this can always contribute in some way to the game.

    I don’t really have to explain much about Hex, but do try to save it for troublesome minion, like Sylvanas Windrunner or Tirion Fordring. If you smell your opponent playing Resurrect Priest, just Hex whatever you see first(unless it’s rubbish, of course), it will really ruin them.

    Earth Shock will almost always frustrate opposing freeze mages when played correctly, either to stop a Doomsayer or to unfreeze one of your minion for that final push. Can also be used to punish divine shield minions with some Spell Power. Be careful with early minions, you might be tempted to use it on Loot Hoarder or Mana Wyrm, just weight your decision carefully, silence is very valuable these days, with more and more minions with powerful effects with each pack, and Shaman is one of the few classes that have access to easier one.
    Also useful against Debuffs like Aldor Peacekeeper and Equality, it will get rid of the debuff BEFORE dealing damage, but do take note that for this very same reason, minions summoned by Barnes, Herald Volazj ,and copied by Shadowcaster will revert to their full stats back before being dealt damage, you might unintentionally get your opponent a juggernaut this way.

    I also opt for one Spirit Claws and one Charged Hammer because, I can’t find space to fit in Bloodmage Thalnos, hence the lack of early source of spell power(unless you get lucky with totems), making Spirit claws less appealing. Charged hammer also have considerable Durability, and will leave you with a strong Hero power after it runs out. You just need to find the right time to sneak it on.

    My only early minions in this deck. They serve to set up for your midrange play, but could also provide board presence if they survive long enough to evolve.

    Netherspite Historian will prepare you extra Dragons for your mid play, if you happen to can’t draw them or a huge Dragons to finish off your opponent. Normally, Chromaggus, Onyxia, and Ysera are the most favorable, but if the situation is grim, Deathwing or Chillmaw could possibly get you out of it. An extra Book Wyrm or Drakonid Crusher can provide additional pre-lategame pressure if needed.

    Jeweled Scarab can get you a, well, open the Shaman card list, filter mana cost 3, and see for yourself how valuable these cards are. Hex, Lava Burst, Lightning Storm, Elemental Destruction, Mana Tide Totem, you name it. They are all extremely powerful cards, and more, you can get Blackwing Technician to fill in the curve if need be. You can get an Argent Horserider if you need that charge divine shield for whatever purpose, and a Blood Knight to punish opposing Divine Shield.
    You can even pick Brann Bronzebeard to make all your Dragons OP as hell, unless you haven’t noticed, every single minion in this deck except Thing from Below are Battlecry minions, although Book Wyrm and Alexstrasza wont benefit from him. Be sure to grab an extra Healing Wave against face decks. This could lead to rage concede from having to redo all those damages again.

    Now that Tuskarr Totemic has been nerfed, Brann Bronzebeard is here for obvious reason. As explained above, this deck got so many battlecries it would be a shame to miss out this card. Just make sure you don’t accidently evolve him. Small shoutout to user Telltale for calling it out.

    Blackwing Technician is also here as a filler for the departed Tuskarr Totemic. She got good stats and thanks to her 5 health, could make favorably trades even against some 4 mana cards. I only put 1 copy here because I don’t want to be too reliant on dragon related cards, since there are times when you don’t have one ready. There will be times where you will need to play her anyway even with no dragon in hand(no board presence and no other minion in hand), do so and try to evolve her later for a power spike.

    Since there are so many good bodies to Evolve, I just can’t pass on this chance. Historian and Scarab are terrible minions stat-wise, but they are still cost 2, which evolves into cost 3, which is full of overpowered minions, namely Arcane Golem, Felguard, and King Mukla since you summon them with none of the usual drawbacks. 3 also is the mana cost with the least “trap” minions.

    Evolving Hero power totems are risky, but might be worth it. While 2 mana is full of op minions like Succubus , Kindly Grandmother, Bloodmage Thalnos, Darkshire Librarian, and many more, it is also full of traps, namely Doomsayer , Jeweled Scarab , Netherspite Historian , Novice Engineer and any other positive Battlecry minions, since they got terrible stats. Doomsayer will even kill your own board. Thing from Below, Book Wyrm, and Blackwing Corruptor are also worth evolving, since they got powerful battlecries/cheap cost, but got relatively weak stats compare to their true size, just be sure to make some good trades before doing so, for maximum value.

    Take into consideration that both Book Wyrm and Thing From Below have risk of evolving into Acidmaw and Baron Geddon, both of which could ruin your board, especially when you evolved into both at the same time. This game losing combo could somehow be avoided by not evolving 2 or more 6 mana minions at the same time

    There will be times where you got your value minions on the field, like if you have a Mana Tide or Flametongue Totem or that Twilight Guardian(unless it’s weakened, then evolve away) you actually want on the board, if those case arises, Master of Evolution will do its job. Apart from evolving your desired minion, it also serves as a solid 4/5 body, which is actually pretty nice and could save you from board doom. You also will never want to evolve Alexstrasza, since she could become a C’thun or Yogg or Y’shaarj or N’zoth. Seriously the old gods have terrible stats and took about half of the 10 mana slot. Having two Deathwings up there does not make it more tempting.

    This card itself is also a good evolve candidate, since it and both Twilight Drake and Twilight Guardian are cost 4(though they are all already very strong, NEVER evolve them unless weakened from trades), they evolve into cost 5 which is full of jackpots such as, Doomguard, Earth Elemental, Thunder Bluff Valiant, and even Leeroy Jenkins, all without the usual drawbacks.

    Them Dragons. Like I said earlier, they got very powerful stats or effects for their cost, rivaling those of class specific cards, but available to everyone, at the cost of having to hold a dragon(save for Twilight Drake of course, in which case you only need to have lots of cards in your hand), which seriously is not a cost, really, since dragon decks will run, well, dragons.

    Since your hand will be quite plentiful on the first few turns, due to Scarab and Historian instantly put something else in your hand the moment you play them, Twilight Drake should have no problem getting at least 7 health. This card is also priest proof, since it’s immune to both Shadow Word: Pain and Shadow Word: Death. It also is an unlikely Entomb target, since it is not that huge a minion. It is a very safe minion to play, and might net you a hard removal despite being a 4 mana card, if the opponent is at their wit’s end. I chose this card not only because of the stats and dragon synergy, but also because it lacks overload, which might ruin my turn 5 plays if I opt for the more popular Flamewreathed Faceless.

    Blackwing Corruptor is basically a cheaper Fire Elemental. The cheaper mana cost allows you to play it one turn earlier, which is crucial since my deck is already as slow as it is. The extra mana you get might turn into some game changing plays later on, like a turn 8 Lightning Storm clear with this card taking care of whatever is left of the opponent’s board.

    Azure Drake is the only reliable Spell Power source in this deck, which is needed in clearing the board with Lightning Storm and Maelstrom Portal, especially the latter. The card draw also means you have less worry playing right into board clears like Flamestrike or Equality, since you already got your value from the draw. Also Priest proof to a certain degree.

    Book Wyrm is a good card, basically a stronger Stampeding Kodo that you get to the target, though it cost 1 more mana. Too bad it have to cost 6, or I would have spam it in my deck. Many good cards happened to have 3 or less attack, namely Brann Bronzebeard, Fandral Staghelm, Doomsayer, even a frigging Al'Akir the Windlord. Can also be used to get rid of Acolyte of Pain, Armorsmith or Crazed Worshipper without giving them the advantage of their effects. Also gets right through divine shield minions.

    Board clears and Lava Burst. I think Lava Burst deserves to be in this section since they do practically the same thing: To shift the board in your favor. Early on in the game, this deck is very weak, having a strong board clear is a must, which is why Maelstrom Portal is so valuable, since not only it gets rid of weaker minions, it provides you with one, which can be Evolved. Lightning Storm serves the same purpose, but on a larger scale, and Lava Burst will take care of a single large minion. If no such large minion exist, or it came up late in the game, save it for the finishing burst. Take caution with Overload though, and try not to ruin your own plays with it.

    Also if you happen to see an extra Lava Burst or Lightning Storm from the Jeweled Scarab, feel free to pick it if you deem it necessary since extra board clear/burst damage will be useful against certain decks(eg. Board clear against Warlocks and Hunters, burst against Priest and Freeze Mages).

Good good, that’s how I play but how do I finish the game?

    If it gets to this point, I would either have a good board, or is losing miserably. If it’s the former, Mega Cha–Alexstrasza their face, then end it, or if it’s the latter, bring my health back to 15, and use the 8/8 body to carry the fight.

    Every bit of damage will help, normally if I’m winning, the momentum will be enough to carry through, since it is very difficult to come back when the dragons are in control, but for that last bit of damage, Blackwing Corruptor, Lava Burst, or even the Lightning Jolt you get from Charged Hammer will help. Truth to be told, if I can add a Bloodlust somewhere in my deck without losing the momentum(drawing Bloodlust at the wrong time can cost a game), it would greatly help in finishing the game early.

Final Thoughts

    That should pretty much cover everything. If you have any questions or have anything to point out, please feel free to do so. I have been playing Hearthstone since beta, so I should be quite insightful on cards and their uses, but I never break the Rank 5 barrier because of my ego. I never follow the meta(though I do study them a lot actually, since I have to deal with them) and I am steadfast in my belief, I only play what I want, though that belief is open to suggestions and criticism as long as it will help improve me and my deck, and as long as said suggestion is not “go play the meta decks” or “go copy that pro’s decklist” or the likes. Thanks for your time, I know this is very long, you’re already great if you make it to the end.

Thank you for reading,
Luze