The thing is – combo completely pushes control out of the meta at the moment.

Hearthstone is at its best when it’s NOT blatantly rock-paper-scissors. I shouldn’t feel like I should just concede at the start of a match just because there are no cards I can put in my deck to actually combat what my opponent is doing. Cards like Dirty Rat are looked upon so fondly because, well, it’s a rare tech choice against combo decks. We don’t have any of those right now, besides Warlock.

And combo decks have become so durable (especially Druid, with all of its armor gain and taunts) that aggro decks stutter against them as well – so even if you’re in favor of a RPS ladder, like you said – it’s been breaking down.

I agree – we’ve never really recovered from KFT’s introduction of Druidstone. The class is far too durable to have so many reliable combo options.

This would be a simple, if inelegant, solution. I’m not sure if Blizzard should make a pattern of moving cards to the Classic set (and if they do it once, you can be sure that people will pressure them to do it again in the future), but there’s certainly an anti-combo hole in that set that hasn’t been filled.

I tried to emphasize in the article that I was specifically talking about OTK combo decks. I’m fine with other “combos” existing, such as Hadronox, or giant VanCleefs, and even Cubelock (although that deck definitely deserved the nerfs it received).

Someone else already said it – but I don’t think swapping Mecha’thun to a battlecry is a nerf. It’s arguably a buff.

I think that’s a fair assessment of the meta. Traditionally, combo decks were kept in place by aggro decks – but these days it’s a coin flip, which just goes to show how much combo decks have improved. Control just loses, unless it’s Warlock.

That Hemet nerf suggestion is an interesting idea!

I’ve said it elsewhere in the comments, but I’ll say it again here: I’m primarily a control player. I much prefer facing aggro decks and exhausting them over facing combo decks and being unable to kill them before they OTK me.

Appreciate the comments! I’ll respond point-by-point as best I can.

Re: ladder experience. This is highly subjective – I’ve faced mostly combo decks, but I’m aware that there are successful aggro decks on ladder as well (as well as Deathrattle Hunter, which probably falls somewhere more along the lines of a midrange deck).

I wasn’t trying to comment on the strength of each individual deck I listed (I was just listing them for the sake of completeness), but I agree that Malygos and arguably Mecha’thun are bigger problems in Druid than in other classes due to how durable the class has become. Combination of armor gain and Spreading Plague has rendered the class even tougher to break through than Warrior most of the time. Rogue isn’t that durable, which is why it’s not as good – and I do think Eureka Shaman is a bit of a meme. Again, just listed it for completeness.

Seems like we agree about Shudderwock.

As for Mecha’thun: I initially had sections for each of the five Mecha’thun decks evaluating their strengths/weaknesses, but we had a post on the site a few days ago going over most of them, so I deleted them in favor of a more general discussion of the card. I agree that Rogue/Warrior aren’t great, I was moreso commenting on the fact that I have seen them work. It’s definitely a tech choice in Warlock moreso than an auto-include.

Druid and Priest are the two real problem classes IMO – Druid doesn’t have any of the core cards rotating (although they will lose a lot of durability, so perhaps that will help.) Priest does have them rotating, but it’s so consistent right now that I don’t know if Blizzard will be comfortable waiting that long.

Final point that a lot of other people mentioned down here and that I didn’t really emphasize enough in the article – I don’t so much have an issue with combo decks existing. I do have a problem with them being strong while there’s no great counterplay (especially for control decks), which is the current situation. “Play Warlock” isn’t great counterplay.

Appreciate the respectful feedback! I agree that more counterplay such as Dirty Rat is sorely needed – judging my the responses down here, I should have emphasized that more in the article. For reference: I primarily play control decks (especially Priest), which is why combo decks frustrate me so much right now. There’s nothing I can really do against them aside from annoying them with Psychic Scream.

Yep. Spot on. The loss of Dirty Rat was a dark day for Control v. Combo matchups.

I prefer Controlstone tbh. Love your name though!

You’re spot on that we need some more tools for control. As a control player, that’s likely where much of my frustrations come from right now. I don’t want to have to play warlock!

I’ll actually disagree with you on the point regarding control decks. I’m primarily a control player, and I feel like I have a much higher chance to win against aggressive decks (by exhausting them) than against combo decks, where my decks likely don’t have the ability to burst them down quickly enough.

I agree that Shamanstone was a bad time, as was Druidstone in KFT.

Netherstorm is actually my first guess, between ethereals, goblins, and a fruit that I could see growing in an Eco-Dome.