Hearthstone, General Discussion.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

So, Hearthstone is a CCG ((Collectable Card Game, as no trades can be made with other players.)) made by Blizzard for any that are not aware, it has become a favourite of mine very quickly. It has all the strategy of most popular card games, but is streamlined and easier to access imo.

Basically, I am thinking of starting a round-up based on certain cards, decks strats, and basics for people who play or people who wish to play and I was wondering if anybody would be intersted in me doing it. It would take quite a bit of work on my part, and I may even ask any other prominent players here on Reborn to help me and give their own opinions on things as well for multiple points of view on something.

Okay so this will serve as a general discussion thread for the game as well, feel free to leave your usernames here to get more people on your friends list etc.... Looking forward to playing against some of you guys.

I am not sure if I will be posting the Stratgy round-ups. ((like Deck-Styles, Class discussions, etc...)) here or not yet, it is something I have yet to decide on. But I will probably be talking to DD a lot about it, if anyone else thinks they are of the caliber to help me do deck research and research on the Meta of the game in and of itself please pm me on the subject. ((however, I don't want a too many cooks spoil the stew kind of situation, while more than one point of view is good, too many gets cluttered. I tend to be a very COntrol/Mid-Range style player, and as such am not the best in experience with aggro or rush decks. and especially not combo decks.....[miracle rogue oh do I hate you.....]))

[Dark Desire]

I'd definitely be interested and you've already requested my assistance so yeah c:

[Equilim]

I actually play a lot of Hearthstone. Love it. One thing though. Hearthstone is a CCG (collectible card game). There is no trading of any kind. Just a small thing of note to people who have never played it.

[Godot]

This game is streamlined as all holy hell, I do play this game to some extent, so if you wanna play a game and I am online, hit me up, I might say yes.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Wow, this post gets moved to another forum and it gets actual eyes on it lol, Yea I am definitely going to do something, it depends how much of an extent I want to get into it though.

[Dark Desire]

For those who don't already have me added my tag is: MrFameMonsta#1452

also tfw you craft tirion but still need 300 more dust to complete your deck and you don't want to start DEing rares ):

and what are your guy's opinions on Darkwonyx's secret pally deck?

(gaara shows and talks about it here)

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

That is probably one of the only decks that will ever really be running Kel'thuzad, as Kel usually requires too much from you. ((in that he demands you have a board turn 8.)) so that is actually very interesting. Due to Redemption and the stickier minions in the deck you are bound to have something ready for Kel to be able to revive. I personally would probably remove him for a Cairne, or some other good top of the curve filler. Kel is just too slow for me personally.

I was fearing it would go overboard secret-wise at first, as Paladin has a lot of low-quality secrets ((like Eye for an Eye.....)), but I like that it has a splash of secrets and is not chock full of them. His point of Mad Scientist being weaker in Paladin has some valid points to it, however as he said, Mad Scientist is basically a loot hoarder with a limited card pool to draw from. ((not to mention he plays our card for us as well, causing us to not have to develop it the next turn.))

I am still not a fan of Loatheb........Loatheb is a tempo card, as it makes them spend a turn doing something else rather than casting spells. Basically, if you play him at the wrong time he doesn't do much other than be a 5/5 for 5. Basically, I am the Loatheb disbeliever in that I think people over value him a bit too much. ((just like Spectral Knight.)), if you noticed Spell heavy decks have all but disappeared ((though miracle still sees play every now and again.)) with Freeze Mage falling out of meta for the most part.

All in all, I like this deck, it is a rather cool idea and it uses very underused cards to surprise your opponents. It is a lot like Crusher Shaman in a way that it uses surprise in that fact it isn't your average Pally deck with cards that aren't run often. It probably loses a bit of potentance in the Legend Rank where you are more likely to go against people more often that will know your deck, but Laddering with it should be pretty awesome until then.

Also my username for Hearthstone is Hukuna#1659

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Here are some resources for those looking to start playing.

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/hearthstone/456785-a-beginners-guide-to-hs-terms

Learning the Jargon, explains what certain terms mean. ((important, as many guides will use these, along with any I make for this forum if I do.))

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/hearthstone/456798-a-beginners-guide-to-hearthstone-mechanics

Basic Mechanics. One is missing for some reason. SO I will add it here. Deathrattle: triggers when the minon with the Deathrattle dies. Deathrattles trigger in the order cards are played in the case multiple Creatures with Deathrattles die at the same time.

Technical Guides, small improvements to play. ((not necessary, but good to keep in mind.)) Read in Order

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/general-strategy/458103-improving-technical-play

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/general-strategy/458109-improving-technical-play-part-2-saving-removal

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/general-strategy/458120-improving-technical-play-3-calculating-value

Starter Guides, cover how to efficiently work towards your first ultimate deck and which Free Cards are good. Read in Order.

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/general-strategy/458083-starting-stone-1-six-steps-to-an-ultimate-deck

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/general-strategy/458080-starting-stone-2-the-best-free-neutral-cards

http://www.liquidhearth.com/forum/general-strategy/458082-starting-stone-3-your-first-crafts

[Flux]

also tfw you craft tirion but still need 300 more dust to complete your deck and you don't want to start DEing rares ):

Tfw you pull Tirion from a pack. (My second legendary!)

But more depressingly, tfw you see the orange outline and pull Cho... (My first legendary... )

On topic, I've been playing for a few months now, though I wouldn't consider myself to be high enough caliber to be any help to you. I mostly just play a Warlock deck I came up with that focuses on Void Terror. Obviously, it's very high-risk and wouldn't do well in high-level play, but it's fun as hell. If you get coin, you can end up with a 7/11 void terror and a 4/4 spider thing (the one from Nerubian egg, don't remember its name...) by turn 3.

IGN is Fluxator#1279. I haven't been on in a while, but if you see me, I'll likely give you a match. (Don't expect much resistance. )

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Considering lots of Zoo are doing that now, it isn't exactly a bad strat. ((In fact some go as far as to include big stompy demons and Void Caller, and pop Void with it to get free Pit lords or Dread Infernals since if pulled onto the board their horrid battlecries don't activate.)) ((then again, I am assuming you are using Zoo.....since most Locks are Zoo if they aren't Handlock....))

In fact I am testing out what I call the Demon Petting Zoo, which is Mid-Range Zoo variant. ((though it doesn't run Void Terror.))

Funnily enough Cho actually used to be a staple in Zoo, because of the Zoo turn 1 double Flame Imp play, they had to burn spells sometimes to get your minions off the board, and Cho could yoink them out of the air for you. ((and Zoo only really runs Soulfire as a spell so you didn't risk giving much back.))

Also I am playing pretty much F2P, but I get lucky on my Legend drops, I currently have Tirion, Slyvanas, Cenuirus, Golden Rag ((makes my yolo Rags even more stylish....)), BloodMage Thalnos, and Cairne. ((DEed a Lord Jaraxxas, Al'akir, Tinkmaster and a Beast or 3.)) I am looking to add Grommash to my list as I want to play Control Warrior, ((or as called by many Wallet Warrior, as it is the most expensive deck in the entire game, requiring at least 4 Legends, though these days usually around 8 or 9.))

I have to say Tirion is an amazing card, love him in my Guymaker Paladin. ((or as I call it, The Raining Men deck.)).

[Nyrias]

i've played hearthstone since beta and lately i've just lost interest in it because the meta is full of zoolock, control warrior, token druid and hunters

while i'm not so peeved about hunters, the other decks really irritate me because when it comes to zoo, one good hand can end the game within 6 turns

when it comes to control warrior, they just armor up all game until they're at about 50 hp total (pls Blizzard make Alexstrasza remove armor or something too)

when it comes to token druid, they just play a bunch of small minions and hit you in the face until they draw into FoN/Roar or Power of the Wild/Roar

it's really irritating and i don't even bother playing the game anymore because i didn't have gold for naxxramas wings past the arachnid wing so i don't have any cards except maexxna, haunted creeper and nerubian egg

not going to act like hunter isn't annoying because it is but it's one of the more controllable situations when you're against it, unless you don't think about leeroy unleash or other things along those lines

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Token Druid is like completely dead at this point other than like a few people who are clinging to it. Zoo will probably never die, simply due to the fact that is the cheapest possible deck in the game. ((same with hunter, but as you have said already, Hunter is a little less annoying.)). Zoo and Hunter both use 2 to 4 rares max most times, the rest are commons or free cards.

Also, the higher in the ranks you get, the less Zoo you see, because it has the most painfully average match-ups in that it isn't favored to win any match-up, but it isn't Unfavored either.

COntrol Warrior ((a.k.a Wallet Warrior)) is hella rare, mostly due to it's sky high cost, but I agree it can be a super frustrating deck to paly against. ((mostly since Zoo and most aggro decks have about a zero chance of winning.)) The meta is so in flux right now though, it changes like over night most times, because people are still figuring stuff out with the Naxx cards.

EDIT: forgot to mention my most hated deck, Miracle Rogue.....the literal coin flip deck. Conditions of Miracle Rogue winning: Did you get Gadgetzan Auctioneer? Yes, you win. No, you will most likely lose.

[Nyrias]

the point of my post being that the meta is overcentralized on a lot of decks and it's frustrating to me as someone who wants to avoid netdecking as much as possible (although i admit i played miracle rogue and handlock prior to naxxramas but that's because those decks are actually satisfying to succeed with, because you put yourself at a real risk as handlock due to the hero power and you don't always draw into cards you need with both decks)

right now i'm just experimenting with cheesy shaman aggro decks, that'd work better if i had undertaker and the like :[

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Shaman decks are all cheesy these days.....getting real tired of the Baron Rivendare, Ancestral Spirit, Leeroy cheese.....

And yea the Meta can be over-centralized at times, that is very true, and it doesn't help that Zoo is cheap as all get out. ((like really, anybody can make a zoo deck lickity split. The only rares you need being the Doomguards.))

Also Naxx is the only thing I have ever bought, because grinding that gold is insanely tedious lol. And imagine how much worse it will be for people when they don't even get the Arachnid Quarter for free. Not sure if you can buy the Quarters out of order, but Contruct definitly has the best cards in it, as Undertaker and ZOmbie chow are really good. ((Chow being amazing in Control decks, any of them, not just Zoo [Zombie Chow is hilarious in Priest as when you kill it off while you have a Soul Priest on the board as it does 5 damage to your enemy XD.]. and Undertaker being awesome in Deathrattle heavy decks, which are becoming very common these days. Like the Deathrattle Hunter.))

[Dark Desire]

yeah i'd honestly just buy all of naxx if you didn't save like a fuck ton of gold before hand

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Yep, it is lets see.....3500 gold for all the wings with Gold. ((2800, if you got the first for free.))

[Dark Desire]

what do you guys think of al'akir shaman decks

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Depends, I kinda like him, but other times he fizzles. Like he is a good finisher when combined with Rockbiter weapon, but other than that he doesn't really help control board well, and I kinda want some bang for my buck out of my big stompy dude. ((basically, he is very good on his own, he needs things to increase his damage alongside him to be good. Where as in aggro, leeroy is faster, and easier to combo and does the same damage unboosted. [6] and in control Ragnaros is jsut better by himself. Al'akir is kinda usuable, but he takes a lot of work to make him truly better than other options. Basically the question is, is that extra work worth it for you? For me, no Al'akir asks a bit too much for me, but that is because I am of the school of thought that value is key, by getting the most of my card without having to add something to it.))

In conclusion, for me no, but he can be worth using, you just got to know he isn't the most reliable end game. There are times where he is amazing, and times where he does nothing but remove a minion or 2.

EDIT: also, taunts.....taunts ruin his day hard. and Ramp Druid is starting to gain popularity again.

[Jelly]

i love my al'akir. too bad he's not very good atm ;w;

[Dark Desire]

most of the time when people play shaman in tournaments i see them running al'akir rather then just going for bloodlust decks

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Interesting, though Tournies can be different than ladder. Also, I haven't seen a bloodlust deck in a long time, but that is mostly because it is too reliant on having a good board where you cannot guarantee that. So Bloodlust decks demand even more of you than Al'akir does by a longshot, so I imagine they aren't used in tournies due to constancy issues.

[Jelly]

well yea the al'akir + rock biter(s) combo is pretty potent especially since he does have the divine shield. and unlike bloodlust you dont have to have a developed board to play it. and since most decks in tournaments are control decks, having a well developed board to get value out of bloodlust is really hard to do.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

I have seen straight up aggro in tournies before, so that isn't entirely true. However, ever since the death of Murloc decks, aggro is actually pretty hard in Hearthstone.

((and no, Zoo is not aggro, it is a control deck.))

[Jelly]

((emphasis on most there huk...))

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

um.....whoops. Skimming.....not smart on my part.