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[Mobius and pet octopus]

It seems like mage is getting popular among the bots...

edit:
Beat him hanging around 10 hp while he was top decking. I was using my paladin deck with kelthuzad and had a sunwalker up. At one point if he did topdeck a fireball he would have won, but the next turn I got a heal and that only would have mattered had he ice block instead of some other secret.

 

[Haunted]

Damn son, the stats breakdown of the Blizzcon qualifiers on Liquidhearth is sobering.

HUNTER DOMINATION

In news that should suprise nobody, Hunter was the most played deck in the tournament. Hunter was chosen by 70.27% of the field as a whole and 78.60% of the players who made the top 14. Overall, the players who had a Hunter deck in their lineup did better than those who did not.


In the end, it seems to hardly matter how you built your Hunter deck as long as you had access to one.

THE FLATTENING OF ROGUE

Rogue used to be one of the most diverse classes in Hearthstone. This was most likely due to the fact that the powerlevel of the class cards was high enough to support a wide range of supporting neutrals.

Unfortunately, the days of differing Rogue builds seems to be over. In this tournament there were 50 Rogue decks registered and every one of them was Miracle Rogue. It was also one of the most successful decks as it rose 26.35% in representation after the cut to top 14.

Most played legendaries:

More stats in the article.

 

[Aylinato]

Damn son, the stats breakdown of the Blizzcon qualifiers on Liquidhearth is sobering.




Most played legendaries:



More stats in the article.

Yep most definitely both needed to be nerfed

 

[Xanathus]

Loatheb also needs tweaking, right now it's Nat Pagle-level auto-include in nearly all decks. The only reason it doesn't get talked as much is because almost everyone has it, but it being so good reduces deck diversity.

 

[Alrus]

Draft a Paladin deck with 4 Consecration, only draw one over an entire game. I'm cursed.

Edit: 3 games with only 1 consecration drawn each time. Fuck this

 

[Haunted]

I think blizzard intended Loatheb to be a miracle killer, but instead loatheb turns out to be good against any deck. Every deck runs spells, and every deck suffers if it has its tempo disrupted. Add to that a solid body for the mana cost and you've got a damn strong card.

I didn't anticipate it would be this popular either, though.

 

[Acinixys]

There is nothing better in this game then wrecking someone whos clearly spent a SHIT load of cash to get the cards for a top tier deck

I just faced a golden Warrior with a fully gold deck who dropped 5 legendaries vs my 0

I only took 2 damage all game and BM'd the shit out of him just to rub the salt in the wounds

I think blizzard intended Loatheb to be a miracle killer, but instead loatheb turns out to be good against any deck. Every deck runs spells, and every deck suffers if it has its tempo disrupted. Add to that a solid body for the mana cost and you've got a damn strong card.

I didn't anticipate it would be this popular either, though.

I think if they make it cost 1 more mana it will be ok

5/5 for 5 with such a strong ability is pretty OP, especially since he has no drawbacks

 

[Haly]

Loatheb also needs tweaking, right now it's Nat Pagle-level auto-include in nearly all decks. The only reason it doesn't get talked as much is because almost everyone has it, but it being so good reduces deck diversity.

I don't really think so.

The difference between Loatheb and Pagle is that Pagle provided straight up card advantage. It was almost a worthwhile turn 2 play, and it presented an awkward situation for the defending player to remove it as fast as possible regardless of how much resources it takes. This is uninteresting gameplay.

Loatheb, on the other hand, introduces the ability to interrupt your opponent's turn, something this game sorely needed because of all those 18-20 damage combos which were fueled by cheap spells. It's not enough to simply have Loatheb in your deck, but knowing when to play it is just as important. Playing a Loatheb at the right moment, and accounting for Loatheb before a critical turn, all present interesting decisions.

Frankly, I don't see the effect Loatheb has on "deck diversity", more classes are viable now than ever before. Loatheb can mess with all of them, but Loatheb doesn't bully out any single one, nor does the inclusion of Loatheb prevent variations on decks.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Just drafted this in Arena:

First game, my opponent left as soon as I dropped KT and then Faceless Manipulator'd it on the following turn. This isn't the absolute best deck ever, but it is pretty damn awesome and in Arena is basically game over if you can pull off the above combo and aren't already super far behind. It's not too hard to dig for cards either if you get a hold of the Auctioneer and some of the Arcane Missiles or Frostbolts.

 

[Zeroth]

The only considerable nerf I would see happening is to Loatheb's body (like making it a 4/4), but I have a hard time imagining its cost or ability being tweaked since, as Haly pointed out, it's a card that requires strategy to be played.

 

[ViviOggi]

I don't see him going down to 4 health, i.e. dying to a 3/2 + hero power. 4/5 maybe but imo he's fine as is.

 

[ShinNL]

It will probably turn into a 4/5 if the data is all that important. I think it's fine though, not an auto-include since I don't even run it in my decks.

 

[manhack]

I don't really think so.

The difference between Loatheb and Pagle is that Pagle provided straight up card advantage. It was almost a worthwhile turn 2 play, and it presented an awkward situation for the defending player to remove it as fast as possible regardless of how much resources it takes. This is uninteresting gameplay.

Loatheb, on the other hand, introduces the ability to interrupt your opponent's turn, something this game sorely needed because of all those 18-20 damage combos which were fueled by cheap spells. It's not enough to simply have Loatheb in your deck, but knowing when to play it is just as important. Playing a Loatheb at the right moment, and accounting for Loatheb before a critical turn, all present interesting decisions.

Frankly, I don't see the effect Loatheb has on "deck diversity", more classes are viable now than ever before. Loatheb can mess with all of them, but Loatheb doesn't bully out any single one, nor does the inclusion of Loatheb prevent variations on decks.

The issue, especially seen in the hearthstats above, is that Loatheb is an "auto-include" in most decks. There are exceptions, of course, but when Loatheb is more popular that Leeroy that is very telling.

Oddly enough I'm not sure Loatheb needs a nerf ^.^

 

[Xanathus]

It will probably turn into a 4/5 if the data is all that important. I think it's fine though, not an auto-include since I don't even run it in my decks.

Making it 4/5 would almost be a buff because of priests.

 

[partyphone]

would also be a slight buff to sludge belcher

 

[ZealousD]

I don't think Loatheb is really overpowered. He just slides into a lot of decks really nicely.

 

[gutshot]

Making it 4/5 would almost be a buff because of priests.

True, but a Priest probably isn't going to be able to SW it right after it is played anyway.

 

[Haly]

Priests are running fewer SWs these days, despite there being more targets like Rag, Alex, Highmane, Fire Ele, Tirion, Giants than ever before.

No one in their right mind would burn a SW on Loatheb unless they absolutely have to.

 

[Newline]

I don't see him going down to 4 health, i.e. dying to a 3/2 + hero power. 4/5 maybe but imo he's fine as is.

I honestly see him being nerfed pretty soon, I would like to see him go down to 4/5 if he does get nerfed but after the buzzard changes who knows what blizzard will pull.

 

[Aylinato]

Priests are running fewer SWs these days, despite there being more targets like Rag, Alex, Highmane, Fire Ele, Tirion, Giants than ever before.

No one in their right mind would burn a SW on Loatheb unless they absolutely have to.

I do. But that's because I make my opponents become greedy, and they do, and then I win.



Anyone have any suggestions for a mill rogue deck, I don't have mukulalallalaz. I don't know if I have kidnapper either, I'd have to check. I want another fun deck(all my decks are pretty fun)

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

I wouldn't run mill rogue but if I did I would include lorewalker cho and spam card draw spells.

 

[Zeroth]

Lorewalker Cho is the secret best card ever. The moment people realize this the meta will change forever

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

Lorewalker Cho is the secret best card ever. The moment people realize this the meta will change forever

It is a great way to clog people's hand with a bunch of low cost card draw and rogue has 4 of them. 2 shivs and 2 fan of knives. They use shiv to draw a card, you get shiv back and give it right back to them.

Eventually they get their hands clogged with shivs and fan of knives and the cards they drew and couldn't play cause they used shivs and fans and wham you hit the board with coldlight oracle, shadowstep, oracle, shadowstep, oracle, and they burn 6 cards. They don't even get shadowstep due to a full hand. They're now with a hand full of low cost damage cards and probably 10 cards left in their deck and they can't even play the shivs and fans because that is just 1 card closer to fatigue.

And so they play some big minions to close out the match and what do you do? You vanish or sap or kidnapper and some minions die due to full hand and they just cry in a corner.

 

[Aylinato]

It is a great way to clog people's hand with a bunch of low cost card draw and rogue has 4 of them. 2 shivs and 2 fan of knives. They use shiv to draw a card, you get shiv back and give it right back to them.

Eventually they get their hands clogged with shivs and fan of knives and the cards they drew and couldn't play cause they used shivs and fans and wham you hit the board with coldlight oracle, shadowstep, oracle, shadowstep, oracle, and they burn 6 cards. They don't even get shadowstep due to a full hand. They're now with a hand full of low cost damage cards and probably 10 cards left in their deck and they can't even play the shivs and fans because that is just 1 card closer to fatigue.

And so they play some big minions to close out the match and what do you do? You vanish or sap or kidnapper and some minions die due to full hand and they just cry in a corner.

Yeah, whenever I get lore walker cho maybe I'll do that, fill their hand them burn them, maybe even throw a loatheb into mill to make it "haha you can only play one spell or some minions"


I just had an evil idea. Lore walker cho then stealth it. Muahahahahah


With the stealth giver, the permanent one

 

[Zeroth]

It is a great way to clog people's hand with a bunch of low cost card draw and rogue has 4 of them. 2 shivs and 2 fan of knives. They use shiv to draw a card, you get shiv back and give it right back to them.

Eventually they get their hands clogged with shivs and fan of knives and the cards they drew and couldn't play cause they used shivs and fans and wham you hit the board with coldlight oracle, shadowstep, oracle, shadowstep, oracle, and they burn 6 cards. They don't even get shadowstep due to a full hand. They're now with a hand full of low cost damage cards and probably 10 cards left in their deck and they can't even play the shivs and fans because that is just 1 card closer to fatigue.

And so they play some big minions to close out the match and what do you do? You vanish or sap or kidnapper and some minions die due to full hand and they just cry in a corner.

I was thinking more along the lines about how it kinda prevents any spell removal when it is played. It's a 2 mana card that instantly makes your opponent hesitate on using his big spells because you will get a copy of them. Naturally, you would only play him when you have some board control to keep him alive, either by having a taunter or the enemy having nothing!

 

[JesseZao]

Decided to spend 200g. Got a Legendary in each, an epic and a golden rare andthe two guaranteed rares.

Tinkmaster (which I didn't have anymore since I dusted him when he was nerfed)
and LEEROY. Very timely Leeroy.

I have enough dust to craft the remaining legendaries now including the gelbin trash.

w00t

 

[johnsmith]

So the average hearthstone player is terrible.


Hearthside Chat - You're Better Than You Think!

 

[partyphone]

woo i'm the 2%!

 

[FormallyFamicom]

So the average hearthstone player is terrible.


Hearthside Chat - You're Better Than You Think!

Or indifferent (like myself).

 

[Cipherr]

Just finally got enough dust to craft my first leg. Made a Ysera. Plan to dust the Leeroy after the nerf and probably make a Cairne or a Sylvanas.

Or indifferent (like myself).

Right. I have played exactly 0 ranked games ever and I never will, so Im defaulted at the rank 25 or whatever. That chart probably counts me and the others like me skewing the numbers pretty largely.

 

[Professor Lich]

I wonder what that would look like if past Rank 10 you could still streak. Probably a small shift but nothing major. Cool to see the stats though.

Would also be cool if they did a class breakdown in ranks too. Of course, it'd be 95% hunter and 5% miscellaneous right now.

 

[Haly]

I have to wonder if this is just a straight census of every account that has a rank... or if they actually set a threshold for number of ranked games before an account can be considered a "rank grinder", because otherwise these numbers are very misleading.

 

[kirblar]

Oh good, I wasn't crazy for thinking Loatheb was totally going to get nerf-batted soon, lol.

 

[Emarv]

Yeah, I think of how many iPad users downloaded it but don't really play count into that chart.

 

[JesseZao]

Oh good, I wasn't crazy for thinking Loatheb was totally going to get nerf-batted soon, lol.

I don't understand the organization of that chart. Harrison is lower than 3 other legendaries. Seems arbitrary to single him out.

 

[Haly]

I guess I'll dust Loatheb after the nerf and craft another Control Warrior Legendary.

Spoiler

kappa

 

[Professor Lich]

I don't understand the organization of that chart. Harrison is lower than 3 other legendaries. Seems arbitrary to single him out.

I think it has to do with that there's just room for him on the graph, and his art is rather silly.

 

[Ashodin]

Yoooooooo I'm the top 2%

 

[ZealousD]

Added a couple links in the OP for some event calendars, if you guys want to keep track of when tournaments are coming up.

One of these days I'll have enough time to spruce up the OT a little more.

 

[kirblar]

Loatheb switching to an effect more like MTG's Trinisphere (where everything less than 3 costs 3 instead only for him it'd be 5) might be a direction they go with the card - where it still blows out Miracle-style decks while not being as obnoxious against ones going bigger.

 

[Tarazet]

I don't think Loatheb is really overpowered. He just slides into a lot of decks really nicely.

He's just good vanilla stats, and you can't really get that in the 5 drop slot.. except with Frostwolf Warlord. Why people keep forgetting about that card I don't know.

 

[johnsmith]

He's just good vanilla stats, and you can't really get that in the 5 drop slot.. except with Frostwolf Warlord. Why people keep forgetting about that card I don't know.

Because its an overpriced 4/4 on an empty board. Stranglethorn Tiger is the 5 drop that I'm surprised never got more usage. Synergy with hunter, fast druid, and guarantees a board presence for your next turn.

 

[Tarazet]

Because its an overpriced 4/4 on an empty board. Stranglethorn Tiger is the 5 drop that I'm surprised never got more usage. Synergy with hunter, fast druid, and guarantees a board presence for your next turn.

The wonderful thing about tigers is tigers are wonderful things!

 

[caesar]

Just finally got enough dust to craft my first leg. Made a Ysera. Plan to dust the Leeroy after the nerf and probably make a Cairne or a Sylvanas.



Right. I have played exactly 0 ranked games ever and I never will, so Im defaulted at the rank 25 or whatever. That chart probably counts me and the others like me skewing the numbers pretty largely.

Why aren't you playing ranked?

 

[EscapingJail]

Best Mage control deck I've played since well... ever? I guess it's a secret deck but it really doesn't play as one. Credit to Hyped/Sjow.

Yes it's worst matchup is hunters for obvious reasons. but when the update comes in a few days goodluck seeing hunters on ladder.

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

Best Mage control deck I've played since well... ever? I guess it's a secret deck but it really doesn't play as one. Credit to Hyped/Sjow.



Yes it's worst matchup is hunters for obvious reasons. but when the update comes in a few days goodluck seeing hunters on ladder.

Then say hello to control paladin

 

[EscapingJail]

Then say hello to control paladin

Yeah I already got a pally deck ready for the new meta. tbh tho this is gonna be the most control heavy meta in the history of the game.

 

[ShinNL]

Best Mage control deck I've played since well... ever? I guess it's a secret deck but it really doesn't play as one. Credit to Hyped/Sjow.



Yes it's worst matchup is hunters for obvious reasons. but when the update comes in a few days goodluck seeing hunters on ladder.

Oh man, and I thought my decks looked greedy xD

Who else is trying to make control Shaman work? I've seen Professor Lich and Minsc post with screenshots before. Personally I feel ljke
I'm getting close to a consistent control Shaman tweak after tweak. The latest tweak is adding Lightning Bolts (have been playing without it for a while haha) and Gnomish Inventor. It seems a bit silly but considering the curve and coin or no coin, Gnomish sometimes is the best card to play.

If I don't draw Alexstrasza soon I might just craft it, because it's starting to feel silly to play almost exclusively super late game control only not to have Alexstrasza.

 

[EscapingJail]

Oh man, and I thought my decks looked greedy xD

Who else is trying to make control Shaman work? I've seen Professor Lich and Minsc post with screenshots before. Personally I feel ljke
I'm getting close to a consistent control Shaman tweak after tweak. The latest tweak is adding Lightning Bolts (have been playing without it for a while haha) and Gnomish Inventor. It seems a bit silly but considering the curve and coin or no coin, Gnomish sometimes is the best card to play.

If I don't draw Alexstrasza soon I might just craft it, because it's starting to feel silly to play almost exclusively super late game control only not to have Alexstrasza.

Gotta outgreed the greed bro (I've only been playing this deck today and went from rank 5 to rank 2 with it)

 

[iirate]

Any advice for what decks work best without Naxx cards? I have the free wing obviously, but I left the game a while ago, and never bothered to save up. I have mostly everything that matters from the base set and would like to get back into ladder, but I need decks that can tide me over until I can get enough for the new Naxx cards.