LEGEND RANK NAXXRAMAS ZOOLOCK DECK GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

With Naxx officially released, the Arachnid Quarters have brought out a few new cards, from Nerubian Egg to Maexxna herself. Some have even said that Zoolock is pretty much dead, especially with Sludge Belcher, Unstable Ghoul, and Nerub'ar Weblord all proving to be obstacles to the speed of Zoo. But of course, Naxx has also provide the annoyingly effective Zoo deck with new minions. Redditor debating109 was able to go from Rank 10 to Legend in just a couple of nights (2-3), thanks to some modifications and additions. Here's the decklist:

THE CARDS

1. SOULFIRE - A Zoolock staple.

2. ABUSIVE SERGEANT - This card is used to trade with bigger minions using your early drops. Additionally, you can use it to power Nerubian Egg and get it killed to get that 4/4. However, he only put a single copy because there are already enough cards to buff Nerubian Egg, aside from Sergeant himself having a weak body. There's no harm in adding a second one, though.

3. ARGENT SQUIRE - A very resilient turn one drop that can survive AoE spells. You can also use this to trade with big minions by powering her up. Again, there is only a single copy of this in exchange for two of Young Priestess, but substituting it wouldn't be a mistake, either.

4. ELVEN ARCHER - This one is of course in the deck for you to be able to get some direct damage to the opponent's face, or the his minions in case of the quite often mirror matches. There is only one copy because it has a weak body, though it combos greatly with Knife Juggler and Ironbeak Owl.

5. FLAME IMP - A staple to the Zoolock deck. An early 3/2 is always great to have.

6. VOIDWALKER - Staple defense. Also quite annoying to get rid of early.

7. YOUNG PRIESTESS - It's a great card to have as it allows your minions to survive longer, which is very annoying if you're the opponent. One minor problem is that it's situational (you always need another minion in play).

8. DIRE WOLF ALPHA - A staple in every Zoo deck.

9. HAUNTED CREEPER - Fresh from Naxxramas, this minion provides a decent body that when killed provides little pesky 1/1s that can of course be buffed too. It works fantastically with Knife Juggler and Defender of Argus (once its Deathrattle triggers).

10. IRONBEAK OWL - This is played because of the meta. With players often using Nerubian Egg and Haunted Creeper, a single copy of this card can dramatically change the battle. It neutralizes any buffed minion, and of course give you a chance to silence a taunt minion to swing for the kill. Its weak body is the reason why there is only a single copy in the deck.

11. KNIFE JUGGLER - Works great with Nerubian Egg and Haunted Creeper. Basically, it works well in Zoo.

12. NERUBIAN EGG - This is a very powerful card, but debating109 realized that there are also many people who use this card the wrong way. He argues that it is almost never a great decision to trade the buffed egg just to get the 4/4 if it's not going to kill the minion right away. Moreover, the egg should be used to intimidate the opponent and prevent him from using AoE spells. Do worry about having it silenced when you're up against Shamans and Druids.

13. HARVEST GOLEM - A great staple.

14. SHATTERED SUN CLERIC - Buffs your early drops to be able to trade with big minions.

15. VOID TERROR  - This isn't a staple, but the Naxx cards have paved the way for a better look at this guy. The ideal combo with this is to have Nerubian Egg on turn two and then cast Void Terror on turn three, giving you a 4/4 and a 3/5 in just three turns. Additionally, you can use it to sacrifice your minions to make a big Void Terror if you feel like your opponent is about to cast an AoE spell. A single copy is enough.

16. DARK IRON DWARF - It has a pretty solid body that buffs your little minions, including the egg.

17. DEFENDER OF ARGUS - Aside from a bit of defense, it also works very well with Haunted Creeper's deathrattle ability.

18. DOOMGUARD - A staple and a finisher. Usually wrong to play this right away on your fifth turn.

MULLIGAN

Always mulligan for your one-drops, such as Flame Imp, Voidwalker, Argent Squire, and Young Priestess. Keep the Priestess if you already have it in your opening hand. Also, never hold on to a three-drop unless you have a great curve, say, turn one Flame Imp followed by a turn two Direwolf Alpha and then a turn three Harvest Golem. 

STRATEGY

If you do not have cards that can buff Nerubian Egg, playing it on turn 2 instead of another two-drop is weak especially against another Zoolock user. If that is your only two-drop, trade it off immediately. Additionally, do not trade with minions if it won't kill them or if it won't give you the best value. Simply put, don't let your minions get killed just to activate their deathrattle ability, even if this might lead you to a loss on occasion. Since the meta is rapidly evolving with the release of Naxx, just keep in mind that you need to have a good opening hand and very aggressive early turns. Be careful of getting your board cleared. There's Shaman's Lightning Storm, Mage's Blizzard, Druid's Swipe, Warlock's Hellfire, and Rogue's Fan of Knives and Blade Flurry.

Finally, this updated Zoo deck works well against other Zoo variants, so it'd be advisable to use this on the ladder. Be careful with the surge of Ramp Druid, Aggro Shaman, and Handlock which are modified to deal with thew new Zoo, though. Enjoy!

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DREAMHACK SUMMER 2014 DECKLISTS

FINALLY, the gods have answered our calls. All decks used by the twelve seeded player are now available, including those used in the round of 8 battles. The majority of the decks were comprised of Miracle Rogue, Druid, and Shaman. It's no surprise that Druid is preferred by the players because it holds up well against most decks, aside from being one tough cookie. Additionally, Amaz's famous priest deck and RDU's winning Freeze/Frost Mage is also in there.

ThijsNL's Round of 8

Reynad's Round of 8

Ek0p's Round of 8

RDU's Round of 8

Realz's Round of 8

Frezzar's Round of 8

Amaz's Round of 8

Gnimsh's Round of 8

GROUP STAGE DECKLISTS

1. Ek0p

2. Reynad

3. Danielctin14

4. Savjz

5. Realz

6. RDU 

7. Darkwonyx

8. TidesOfTime

9. ThijsNL

10. Gnmish

11. Amaz

12. Gaara

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MIRALOCK / MIRACLE WARLOCK DECK: Hitting Legend Rank

INTRODUCTION

What's the most famous burst-damage deck that utilizes Leeroy right now? Definitely Miracle Rogue. It has Conceal, Preparation, and all the necessary cheap spells to help cycle for the right cards to power up Leeroy Jenkinks, all thanks to the card-drawing ability of Gadgetzan Auctioneer. So, why not utilize the Leeroy + Auctioneer combo with the class that has the most advantageous skill? Warlock grants additional card draw for two life points. This deck, modified and improved by redditor eversiction, was used to hit Legend rank, and it is a new take on the Miracle gameplay.

STRATEGY

The objective of the deck is to stall the game and keep cycling for the right cards. There are a couple of ways to have a one-turn burst damage to kill the opponent. The first one is to use Power Overwhelming on Leeroy Jenkins and then casting Faceless Manipulator to copy that Leeroy, attacking for a total of 20 damage. Another option is to play Arcane Golem, use double Power Overwhelming to strengthen its attack, and copy the golem with a Faceless, going in for 24 damage.

Against Control Decks

When playing against control decks such as Ramp Druid, you have to dig for the minions that will guarantee a gain in tempo, ideally making your opponent react to what YOU are playing. Once the opponent starts being on the reactive side, you will be able to get the removal cards and snowball into victory.

Against Mid-Range Decks

When battling against Shaman or Token or even Watcher Druid, you need to immediately have Hellfire (for Shaman and its low-health minions) and Shadowflame against Druids who have fattier minions. However, remember to use these removal spells wisely and don't fall for bait minions.

Against Aggro Decks

When battling against Zoolock or Aggro Mage, you have to keep Earthen Ring Farseer and the reliable Sen'jin Shieldmasta. Mulligan Loot Hoarder though because you will need Shadowflame, Hellfire, and Soulfire, among others, to clear the board.

Check out his Twitch stream here. <source>

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CRAZY ZOOLOCK: A Seriously Aggressive Warlock Deck

INTRODUCTION

The Zoolock deck has been a pretty common example of an effective aggro deck in Hearthstone. Play the insanely powerful early minions of the Warlock class such as Flame Imp as you dig through your deck for more cards to lay down using the Warlock's hero power. By the fourth or fifth turn, you'd either have Leeroy Jenkins or Doomguard to finally seal the deal.. Then there's Soulfire, which costs zero mana, and is essentially a free four-damage card if you've emptied your hand anyway. So, why call this Zoolock deck crazy? Well, it really isn't different from the other variants, but let's take a look at it, shall we?

THE DECK

It has two copies of Soulfire to either directly inflict damage upon the opponent, or kill the last pesky taunt minion. There's also the typical Abusive Sergeant, which you really shouldn't play in your first turn. A great first turn play would be Argent Squire or Flame Imp. Additionally, powering the former using the Sergeant is a great way to destroy bigger minions without having the squire killed, thanks to its divine shield.

Young Priestess is one of my favorite one-drops in the game, especially if you play it in your second turn along with a Flame Imp or a Voidwalker, as the latter (having the very useful taunt ability) becomes harder to get rid of. If there's a 3/5 Shieldmasta bothering you, cast Crazed Alchemist and kill it with a Flame Imp or a Soulfire. To incite more chaos, Dire Wolf Alpha provides +1/+1s to its buddies. Another staple is the two-drop Knife Juggler.

Imagine, playing Void Walker in your first turn, then Juggler on the next. By the third turn you drop Flame Imp and Young Priestess, dealing two damage thanks to the little guy. With Abusive Sergeant, Defender of Argus, Dire Wolf Alpha, Shattered Sun Cleric, and Young Priestess providing buffs, it'd be wise to include Scarlet Crusader to go alongside with Leeroy Jenkins and Argent Squire when it comes to killing off big minions without having to die.

PROS & CONS

First of all, it's a cheap deck. It would only cost about 3700 dust, but without Leeroy it would be less than 2500. Compared to Control Warrior or Handlock or Ramp Druid, it's more affordable. Additionally, it's a pretty easy deck to play, with a good win rate. It has strong early drops that can get stronger when you play other minions, aside from having arguably the most useful hero skill which is card drawing, courtesy of the Warlock class. One of the disadvantages of this deck, though, is that is has to maintain its tempo in the first five or six turns or else the opponent will have enough mana and the necessary cards to wipe out most of your minions which have low health. Aside from this, a deck housing a lot of taunt minions and mass removal will prove to be problematic. However, lots of players have climbed up in Ranked Play thanks to this aggro deck that ideally finishes games fast in your favor. If you have the cards, try it and see for yourself.

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ODDLOCK: Redditor achieves Legend Rank with unique Warlock Deck

Redditor "adamant_r" was apparently having a long time being stuck from ranks 5 to 2. Yes, it was that close to hitting Legend and getting that special card back (Rant: Really wish you get rewards for hitting perhaps Rank 15, 10, and 5, and not just for being Rank 20 or higher and being legendary.). Anyway, according to him the deck has elements of the famous Handlock deck, however, there are not Twilight Drakes or Mountain Giants to be found. Instead of a slow early play, he utilizes the elements of Zoolock which allows for an early offense. Aside from this, it also makes the opponent think that adamant_r is using a typical Zoolock deck.

Against aggro decks, Oddlock has eight Taunt creatures, or at least has eight cards that have or will provide Taunt. It also has Doomguard, Molten Giant, and Faceless Manipulator which can be Taunt-ed. With this, you have the option to either go in for the kill early, or prepare for a boardwipe with Hellfire. Typically, the deck will end the game with a Doomguard, a Molten Giant, or a Leeroy going for the kill, which can be followed up by a Faceless Manipulator or Soulfire and Power Overwhelming. As stated earlier, the best thing about Oddlock is that it is capable of deceiving the opponents into believing that you are using the average Zoolock or Handlock deck. Opponents using Zoolock would think that they are in a mirror match, when a Hellfire is actually just around the corner to clear the board. Handlock users would then think that you are playing slow if you play Ancient Watcher, but drop a Doomguard beside a taunt-ed Ancient Watcher and you can swing for some heavy damage. Adamant_r's advice is to use Ironbeak Owl wisely, on whether you should use it to silence your Ancient Watcher, or wait for an opponent's potential game-finisher. <source>

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