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Hidden Gems: The Best Off-Meta Decks in Dr. Boom’s Incredible Inventions

By: Old Guardian - - Updated:

In every meta, a few decks are much more popular than others. Mostly because they are well-rounded, strong decks, like the current Handbuff Paladin. Sometimes, they are decks with a playstyle that people enjoy for a class, even if they are not absolutely top-tier in performance, like the current Spell Mage and Highlander Priest. Priest players prefer Highlander Priest over Zarimi Priest, even though the latter is the stronger performer because most Priest players want to play control. Sometimes, it is a bit of both, like the current Highlander Warrior. And sometimes, the deck is easily accessible and still just good enough to climb with, like the current Plague Death Knight.

Any top-tier deck that is not incredibly difficult to play (the old Garrote Rogue sends its regards) will be a popular deck. Sorry, that’s how the meta works. If you find a hidden gem that is superior in all aspects, it will become a meta deck in a matter of days.

However, there are hidden gems that are superior in some aspects. They have some fatal flaws that prevent them from becoming more popular, but in the right place, at the right time, they can be powerful.

In this article, I scour the Hearthstone meta to find some of the hidden gems in the current Dr. Boom’s Incredible Inventions meta. Looking for fun with a chance to succeed? This is the place. Know of another hidden gem? Let me know in the comments!

Highlander Rainbow Death Knight

Death Knight is thoroughly mediocre in the current meta. Rainbow Death Knight is OK. Plague Death Knight can barely hit a 50% win rate. Handbuff Death Knight also exists somewhere. But what if you would not have to choose? You can play Rainbow and Plagues at the same time, and add Reno, Lone Ranger on top by playing Highlander Death Knight!

The deck has played a minor role in the meta for a month, but it has proven to be a sturdy contender, most of the time punching above the magic 50% line. It is a jack of all trades, with most matchups between 45-55 and 55-45, so you can expect many interesting games with this hidden gem.

Reno Rainbow Death Knight – #141 Legend (GabeLF) – Whizbang’s Workshop

Deck Import

ETC: Fistful of Corpses, Dirty Rat, Down with the Ship

Zilliax: Twin Module + Perfect Module

Hero Power Druid

I guess just about any Druid deck counts as an off-meta deck right now, but you have probably met the most usual suspects on the ladder at some point: Boomkin Druid, many varieties of Dragon Druid, and Treant Druid. While the Dragon core is present in this deck too, this one has a more clear and unique win condition. It is not a hybrid list, it is a pure Hero Power Druid. Groovy Cats buff your Hero Power, and then you use Sing-Along Buddy and Popular Pixie to really make it count.

There have been attempts to make an even more Hero Power focused deck with more copy effects, but this is as far as you can go and still succeed. Still, a fun twist to add to your Dragon package.

Hero Power Druid

Deck Import

Elemental Mage

Elemental Mage has been around for a while, but success has been elusive. This is the latest iteration of the deck that is just a week old, and its early results promise something a bit better – at just a few hundred games played though. The big problem of its predecessors has been that they lose just the wrong matchups: Warrior, Paladin, and Death Knight (popular on low ranks). If this version can turn the tide, it can be a real hidden gem.

Elemental Mage

Deck Import

Big Paladin

Did you remember that Kangor, Dancing King was still in the Standard format? Me neither. Even though Kangor was joined by Pipsi Painthoof at the start of Whizbang’s Workshop, Big Paladin got no traction whatsoever. With the mini-set, several players gave the archetype a new look as Whack-A-Gnoll and Holy Glowsticks came to fill some gaps to keep the minion package tight.

It is hard to be the fourth-best Paladin archetype though, so while Big Paladin is actually good enough to hit that magic 50% win rate, it sees hardly any play. It has a huge weakness against Highlander Priest, and a significant weakness to Highlander Warrior, too, but the deck can actually challenge the top Paladin deck, Handbuff Paladin, rather well. Finding your Kangor is the most direct route to success with this one.

Big Paladin – #54 Legend (NoHandsGamer) – Whizbang’s Workshop Mini-Set

Deck Import

Zilliax: Virus Module + Perfect Module

Overheal Priest

After two months of trying, and yes, the deck has not changed since April, Xilinhung reached #1 Legend with Overheal Priest. The deck is truly a hidden gem, it even has Hidden Gem in it!

You have Crimson Clergy for card draw (your main mulligan target), Injured Hauler for area-of-effect damage (mulligan for in matchups where relevant), and Heartbreaker Hedanis to end the games with.

The deck has fewer weaknesses than you would think, Highlander Warrior being the biggest one, but it does not win easily either. These kinds of decks where the player is more decisive than the matchup are often favored by the top players, but most of them would consider the odds a bit too stacked against you with this one. That said, it can demonstrably reach #1 Legend!

Overheal Priest – #1 Legend (Xilinhung) – Whizbang’s Workshop Mini-Set

Deck Import

Wishing Well Rogue

Wishing Well Rogue wasn’t even a meta deck even when its namesake, Wishing Well, was released in Showdown in the Badlands, and it is much less so now during Whizbang. But you can add Zilliax Deluxe 3000 to a deck of your choice, and it is instantly better! That is about the level of evolution Wishing Well Rogue has gone through (other than a single copy of Thistle Tea, which is far from a key card). You still acquire Coins, throw them down the well, and get cheap Legendary minions. Then you somehow win the game. A valid and fun plan.

Wishing Well Rogue

Deck Import

Zilliax: Ticking Module + Perfect Module

Sonya Rogue

Rogue is usually a class with all sorts of trickster decks, and it is no exception in Whizbang’s Workshop. Among its less played archetypes, Sonya Rogue is still around, making many, many copies of Deadly Poison to hit the opponent in the face with a huge weapon, preferably the Spectral Cutlass. There’s also a version focusing purely on Sonya combos, without the Cutlass and “Thief” package, but it’s only viable when played by select top Legend players due to its very high difficulty.

Cutlass Sonya Rogue

Deck Import

Tempo Shaman

This is a fun new one. Fill the board with cheap minions. Hagatha the Fabled your Wave of Nostalgia and/or Wish Upon a Star. Profit!

If there’s a downside to the plan, it is a predictable one once you know what you’re up against, and can be countered. But as long as it is rare, you can catch people off guard.

Tempo Shaman

Deck Import

Zilliax: Pylon Module + Ticking Module

Handlock

One of my favorite archetypes of all time is alive thanks to the mini-set! The addition of Mass Production and Domino Effect were good also for this timeless archetype, where you are going for Mountain Giant and Dark Alley Pact instead of Molten Giant. Pain is an instrument to reach a goal, but not a mandatory one. As long as you can get cards into your hand, you are golden.

The deck also uses the most FUN Warlock cards: Symphony of Sins and Sargeras, the Destroyer.

You may not have enough threats to beat a Highlander Priest or Highlander Warrior, but all other matchups are up for grabs with big minions.

Hand Warlock – #499 Legend (Onkrad) – Whizbang’s Workshop Mini-Set

Deck Import

Zilliax: Virus Module + Perfect Module (but others work fine too, like Ticking + Perfect or Twin + Perfect)

Dummy Warrior

The Mech and Taunt packages have had a hard time fitting into any successful Warrior decks. After the mini-set, a tiny niche has finally been carved for Testing Dummy with the addition of Part Scrapper and Puppetmaster Dorian. You play a Dummy. You copy it to make more Dummies. You trigger their Deathrattles. You resurrect Dummies with Inventor Boom. Hopefully, the opponent will die somewhere along the line.

Testing Dummy Warrior – #14 Legend (obivankenobi) – Whizbang’s Workshop Mini-Set

Deck Import

Zilliax: Virus Module + Perfect Module

Old Guardian

Ville "Old Guardian" Kilkku is a writer and video creator focused on analytic, educational Hearthstone, and building innovative Standard format decks. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/OldGuardian Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/old_guardian

Check out Old Guardian on Twitter or on their Website!

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