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Can You Play Still Play Control in Ashes of Outland – Theorycrafting Decks for the New Expansion

By: Old Guardian - - Updated:

Control decks have not had the best of times during Descent of Dragons and Galakrond’s Awakening. Trying to play defense against Rogues who play seven free cards in a single turn or Hunters who have a permanent three-damage weapon is not an easy task. It is easy to get overwhelmed and outtempoed even if you have a bunch of great control tools in your deck.

With Leeroy Jenkins in Hall of Fame, control decks have received a small buff for the final weeks of Galakrond’s Awakening: Resurrect Priest, Highlander Warrior, and Highlander Mage have all benefitted from the Hall of Fame rotation and are showing improved performance numbers. However, they are about to lose some key pieces in the Standard rotation with the loss of Mass Hysteria, Dr. Boom, Mad Genius, and Luna's Pocket Galaxy striking each archetype where it hurts.

So, what will the life of a control deck look like in Ashes of Outland? Nasty, brutish, and short? Or is there still a glimmer of hope left?

In this article, I attempt to build control decks for multiple classes and comment on why it seems impossible to build them for some classes. I still have faith in control decks for the next expansion!

Control Druid

While some Druid decks, Quest Druid in particular, play the control role in many of their games, there are no pure Druid control decks in the game, and I do not see any coming in Ashes of Outland either. The reason for this is simple: Druid lacks good removal tools. With Wardruid Loti rotating out of Standard format, the last piece of Druidic hard removal is gone from the format, and that makes the life of a control deck impossible.

Druids can draw cards, ramp up, and play big minions, but they cannot play the patient waiting game of a control deck because if their opponent gets to pull off big turns first, Druid does not have the tools to respond.

Control Hunter

Control Hunter is the quest for the Holy Grail of Hearthstone control decks. Turning a Hero whose main ability is to go face into its complete opposite and instead choose to defend all game long is a task many have attempted, but none have succeeded in. Blizzard keeps teasing us with tools that look like they’re meant to enable a more control-oriented style for the class, such as Dwarven Sharpshooter, but they always make sure that there are not enough pieces available to finish the puzzle. Nope, this one is not going to happen.

Control Mage

Now we’re talking. Mage is one of the most traditional control classes in the game whose mastery of the domain was most evident during the era of Frost Lich Jaina.

For Ashes of Outland, there are two potential avenues for a Control Mage: Spell Mage and Highlander Mage. Highlander Mage seems the more likely to succeed as a pure control deck because it has access to Reno the Relicologist and Zephrys the Great, which are excellent control tools.

Old Guardian's Ashes of Outland Highlander Mage theorycraft

Deck Import

Without Luna's Pocket Galaxy, Highlander Mage needs a new strategy. The old one was to discount all your minions to one, draw a bunch of cards with Book of Specters and Stargazer Luna (both also rotating out), and just overwhelm the opponent in the late-game with that tempo swing.

One option for a new strategy is to go for more burn. Frostbolt, Fireball, and Pyroblast are always available to Mage, and there are several ways for the class to play spells for free with Dragoncaster, Kalecgos, and Kael'thas Sunstrider. Not going for a pure spell approach allows Mage to use many minions that have great synergy with spells, and I am all giddy just thinking about using Evocation with Kael'thas Sunstrider. The new Mage Prime minion, Astromancer Solarian, is also a perfect fit for a burn strategy, as the random spells cast by its Prime form can potentially finish the job.

Control, remove, delay, burn. I can see this strategy working out for Mage is Ashes of Outland. As for the exact list, that will, of course, need a lot of playtesting. For example, should some Secrets be included in the list? Ancient Mysteries and Flame Ward, perhaps? Time will tell.

Control Paladin

Paladin used to be a well-known control class, but it has been a long time since Paladin was able to put together a viable control deck. In Descent of Dragons and Galakrond’s Awakening, Control Paladin has been a way to lose games slowly: you have enough control tools to counter many attacks, but ultimately you will run out of answers and Control Paladin has no win condition. The closest you can get is Holy Wrath Paladin, which is a combo deck, and it is going to go away with the rotation.

Paladin loses Shrink Ray in the rotation, but it still has Equality, Consecration, Wild Pyromancer, and the new Librams, among them Libram of Justice. However, I do not see the Librams providing enough of a win condition for Control Paladin, even with Lady Liadrin. These are tools for the classic Midrange Paladin, another staple of the class that has been absent as of late, but not enough to justify running the full control package.

Control Priest

With the Priest rework, Blizzard just removed all combo tools from the class and told us that Priest is meant for a more control-oriented style. Surely, then, this has got to be the most promising control class in the new expansion? Actually, it looks promising! Resurrect Priest gets to keep most of its tools, and Highlander Priest already looks like a real thing in the post-rework world, and even more so in Ashes of Outland.

Old Guardian's Ashes of Outland Resurrect Priest theorycraft

Deck Import

For Resurrect Priest, things will not change that much. Mass Hysteria will be gone, but the improved Holy Nova and the new Shadow Word: Ruin should be able to fill the gap. Most of the new cards are not meant for this archetype, but I could see Renew and Psyche Split used here.

Renew can patch you up a bit and find additional copies of removal or resurrect spells, whatever you happen to need in the matchup. I have high expectations for this card, but we’ll see how strong Discovered Priest spells are once we can actually play with it.

I am uncertain whether Psyche Split is better than Grave Rune for the archetype, but I think it can be. Decks are unlikely to find space for both, so you will have to choose.

Old Guardian's Ashes of Outland Highlander Priest theorycraft

Deck Import

There are a couple of ways to build Highlander Priest. Dragons are an option with Ashes of Outland adding Dragonmaw Sentinel and Skeletal Dragon to the synergy card pool, but I prefer to use more space for removal and get value mainly from Galakrond, the Unspeakable.

This theorycraft is based on my current Highlander Priest, which is not a Dragon build. Removal, stealing, and value from Galakrond are its main themes. Ashes of Outland adds Reliquary of Souls, Renew, and Soul Mirror to the deck. I have really look forward to playing with Soul Mirror: it looks like a great removal tool that does not affect your existing minions and that has been designed to not be good in Resurrect Priest, thereby giving other Priest archetypes something special.

Control Rogue

I think I’ll just skip this one. Rogue once had a way to play control with Kingsbane and Leeching Poison, and that was nerfed instantly when the deck got all the parts to make it click. You can combo with Rogue, but you cannot control.

Control Shaman

Shaman is one of the traditional control classes in Hearthstone, but it has not been successful for some time now. There are still players who try to make Highlander Shaman work, but the deck cannot handle the big turns that most of its opponents are capable of.

Highlander Shaman has some minor success because those big turns do not come in every game, but the core problem is that Shaman’s removal package does not line up well against the opposition: Hagatha's Scheme is great if you draw it at the start of the game, but miserable if you find it late, and Earthquake‘s seven damage is not enough to kill the big meta threats.

Shaman is losing some key control tools in the rotation too: Hagatha the Witch, Shudderwock, and Zentimo are on their way out of the Standard format.

So, is there any hope left for the class? I’ve tried, but I’m skeptical.

Old Guardian's Ashes of Outland Highlander Shaman

Deck Import

This is what I’m able to come up with for Shaman. There is a fair bit of removal in the deck with a number of new cards giving Shaman additional ways to clear the board: Shattered Rumbler, The Lurker Below, and Torrent are welcome additions, but they either deal a minor amount of damage to the entire board or a good chunk of damage to a single minion, and I am not confident that those will be good things in the upcoming meta. You will still try to draw your Hagatha's Scheme early, which is not a fun mechanic.

The deck attempts to use the most powerful tools available. Being a Highlander deck is good for Zephrys the Great and Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, and having a more powerful Hero in Galakrond, the Tempest is important for a control deck. Still, I cannot help but feel that Shaman’s control toolkit is inadequate.

Control Warlock

Warlock is another classic control class that has been struggling to find its way as of late. Ever since Bloodreaver Gul'dan left the Standard format, Control Warlock has lacked the late-game healing it needs to fully stabilize. There are still Warlock decks that often play the control role, such as Galakrond Warlock, but for the most part, they are really slow midrange decks that need to play the beatdown role against any genuine control decks.

I do not see this changing in Ashes of Outland. Warlock has some great control tools, but it is always on a faster clock than Priest or Warrior. Here’s the most controlly build I have come up with for Warlock so far:

Old Guardian's Ashes of Outland Demon Handlock theorycraft

Deck Import

Yeah, it’s a Handlock. Even with Mountain Giant gone. I guess it’s a little crazy, but it will be so much fun if it works.

With the introduction of Kanrethad Ebonlocke, Warlock has a choice to make: go with Galakrond and the Imp army and enable Plague of Flames, or go with Kanrethad Ebonlocke and BIG Demons for some sweet swing action with Kanrethad’s Prime form that summons three friendly Demons that died this game. (Magtheridon, unfortunately, is a poor target because it is dormant.)

In addition to Kanrethad, the deck includes the new The Dark Portal that can be used to discount your big Demons, Keli'dan the Breaker that can be used as single-target removal or as a full board clear when drawn, Enhanced Dreadlord as a big Deathrattle Demon, and Maiev Shadowsong to buy some time against big threats.

Maybe Plot Twist will finally be strong enough with its synergy with Keli'dan the Breaker, although I am not sure if it will work out in the end.

Control Warrior

Is there a future for Control Warrior without Dr. Boom, Mad Genius? This is the first time in years, maybe ever, that Control Warrior does not have a clear toolkit. The best chance is probably to build a Highlander deck to access Zephrys the Great and Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, but a fatigue path with Archivist Elysiana seems unlikely to succeed. Warrior’s Galakrond is an aggressive Hero, so there is no Hero card for Control Warrior now.

Old Guardian's Ashes of Outland Highlander Warrior theorycraft

Deck Import

Here’s my take on what Control Warrior could look like in Ashes of Outland.

The expansion does provide the archetype with some new tools:

  • Imprisoned Gan'arg is a great one-drop, although it becomes weaker as the game goes on.
  • Bladestorm is a new take on the Whirlwind mechanic, this time one that repeats itself until a minion dies.
  • Kargath Bladefist is a nice Rush minion that then becomes a really nice Rush minion in its Prime form.
  • Scrap Golem has Taunt and gives you armor, so what’s there not to like.
  • Maiev Shadowsong makes your biggest worry go away for two turns.

With most Mechs gone, the deck focuses on two themes: Dragons and Taunt minions. Armagedillo is still here to buff up your Taunt minions. The deck has armor gain, removal, resource generation and a bunch of Taunt minions and Dragons. Is that going to be enough? Warrior’s removal package is still unparalleled with Brawl and Plague of Wrath, so maybe that is enough. It is nonetheless a strange Boomless world that Control Warrior must now enter.

Control Demon Hunter

Demon Hunter is a complete unknown at this point. A class that has a damage-dealing Hero Power, but also the best big Demons the game has to offer for a slightly slower gameplan. It is unlikely that Control Demon Hunter would be a thing. The class seems so well-suited for aggression that midrange is the slowest it will go. You can find ideas for Demon Hunter decks from our dedicated Demon Hunter theorycrafting article.

Control Decks in Ashes of Outland

To summarize all of the above, yes, I expect there to be playable control decks in Ashes of Outland. The three classes most likely to make it are the same classes that have control decks now: Priest, Mage, and Warrior. There are no Hero cards or clear control deck win conditions in the new set, so it is all about incremental improvement. Mage and Priest get the most exciting new control deck cards (Evocation and Soul Mirror), whereas Warrior gets multiple decent cards. Shaman receives multiple removal tools, but once again they do not seem to line up well against the expected meta. If they actually fit the meta, Shaman becomes another contender.

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!

Leave a Reply

3 Comments

  1. Sonriks6
    March 31, 2020 at 12:43 am

    Very nice article Old Guardian! I prefer a paused control style deck than faster aggro/midrange. Hope this decks could see play in top tiers.

  2. Nickus89
    March 30, 2020 at 2:05 pm

    Great article that was very interesting to read. I can definitely agree with what has been discussed. It seems like priest is the most likely candidate to be king of control due to Galakrond value.

    That handlock deck looks very similar to what I managed to came up with. Although, it is quite straightforward with few decision points on tech options and if Plot wist should be included or not. It probably should be in slower meta since it can give extra Kanrethad.
    I have few extra suggestions. First, warrior. They still have excellent removal tools, so there might be 2 extra control oriented outs for them: either taunt or bomb warrior. Second, both shaman and priest could be going towards spell oriented control decks. Especially in case of priest, spell oriented Galakrond deck looks like it could work.

    On the side note, it would be interesting to read similar article on other main archetypes as well: midrange (paladin and priest got some interesting tools), combo (Malygos is most obvious candidate) and aggro/tempo.

  3. Guyopt
    March 30, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Great article, will you create also an F2P decks?
    I think good f2p decks can help to increase game adoption as many players are low on resources.