Demon Hunter is well equipped for the “just go face” plan.

I didn’t know there was a fourth wave of gifts before today, but Death Knight can drag the game out long enough to see it.

Yeah, hinted but not said (because I haven’t tested), Priest seems to be the most versatile with a good mix of every strategy available. It should handle changing up the plan if needed midgame very well.

Shaman is great T1, but transforming to higher mana cards doesn’t guarantee higher damage/value minions. If things don’t go your way in the early game, the late game is going to be a struggle.

Also in testing, Silence on individual gifts, or just your board, is not great. Having that vanilla 0/4 on your board means you’re down a spot to play a better minion, and/or need to burn a second card to pump it/them. But, if you dispense with the goal of getting the free legendaries from your opponent, silencing both sides of the board and following that up with pumps could be backbreaking for your opponent, who is now hampered with four 0/4 minions and likely nothing to do with them (unless they’re Shaman, of course). Priests could pull this off early with Purifying Power and Shard of the Naaru in their opening hand.

…Erp. I misread that card, but still useful for taking a gift off your board.

I also overlooked, Shadow Hunter Vol’jin: swap one of your gifts with a minion in your opponent’s hand. Oops, they’re running all spells? Still good; you just put a dead card in their hand.

Rush + Poison is also good in any situation.

So, I did a deep dive this year. Partly, because I never remember which class I ended up using for this the prior year. Partly, to see what’s changed.

Every class has plenty of ways to deal 4 or more damage to knock out your opponent’s gifts and get those legendaries. So, I left that out of the comparison, but if you’re short any of the cards below, fill with things that do that.

I’m also leaving out “all minion” or other effects that could backfire if you’re actively trying to avoid your opponent getting free legendaries. If you don’t care about that, board wipe away!

Looking over the other options, outright destruction and not worrying about your opponent killing your gifts is starting to feel like the better plan. “Oh, that’s a nice Legendary you’ve got there. It would be a shame if someone were to blow it up.” On class cards alone, Rogue and Warlock are not far behind Priest and Shaman, and Priest leans toward destruction, as well. Upgrading your minions into bigger ones is all fine and good until your opponent clears your board, then what are you going to do?

From that perspective, Shaman is possibly the weakest choice. That said, you’ll note my analysis doesn’t take casting cost into consideration, so that may be the deciding factor here.

Happy Deck Brewing!

Death Knight (Destroy 6, Silence 0, Transform 0, Swap 0, Total 6)
Obliterate, Asphyxiate (if nothing bigger to hit), Suffocate, Headless Horseman (if only gifts on board), Sindragosa, Patchwork (random)

Demon Hunter (Destroy 0, Silence 0, Transform 0, Swap 0, Total 0)

Druid (Destroy 2, Silence 2, Transform 0, Swap 0, Total 4)
Naturalize, Mulch, Attorney-At-Maw, Keeper of the Grove

Hunter (Destroy 8, Silence 0, Transform 0, Swap 0, Total 8)
Pressure Plate (random), Acidmaw (deal 1+ damage), Deadly Shot (random), Spider Bomb (random), Krolusk Barkstripper (random), Deathroll, Rotnest Drake (if holding dragon, random), Crushing Walls

Mage (Destroy 5, Silence 0, Transform 3, Swap 0, Total 8)
Snap Freeze (if frozen), Shatter (if frozen), Conjurer’s Calling, Shattering Blast (if frozen, not if yours are), Chaos Creation, Polymorph: Boar, Polymorph: Jellyfish, Polymorph

Pally (Destroy 0, Silence 0, Transform 0, Swap 0, Total 0)

Priest (Destroy 11, Silence 7, Transform 0, Swap 2, Total 20)
Forbidden Words, Theft Accusation (play copied card), Shadow Word: Pain, Shadow Chord: Distort, Bristtlebone Destroyer (heal/damage hero), Cannibalize, Convincing Infiltrator (deathrattle, random), Time Rip, Galakrond (random), Natalie, Obsidian Statue (deathrattle, random), Silence, Deafen, Focused Will, Whispers of the Deep, Purify, Purifying Power, Kabal Songstealer, Topsy Turvy, Chillin’ Vol’jin (need a non-gift minion)

Rogue (Destroy 14, Silence 1, Transform 1, Swap 0, Total 16)
Murder Accusation (kill different minion), Antique Flinger (Excavate twice), Coerce (combo or damaged), Assassinate, Dubious Purchase (combo, random), Sabotage (random), Walk the Plank (if undamaged), Lesser Onyx Spellstone (random), Malevolent Strike, Vile Spine Slayer (random), Unidentified Contract, Blade of C’Thun, SI:7 Assasin (combo), Snatch and Grab, Deafen, Bamboozle (assumes they attack your gift)

Shaman (Destroy 2, Silence 1, Transform 17, Swap 0, Total 20)
Reincarnate, Ice Breaker (if frozen), Earthshock
Mutate, Blazing Transmutation, Convincing Disguise, Evolve, Muck Pools, Unstable Evolution, Explosive Evolution, Bogstrok Clacker, Hex, Backstage Bouncer, Master of Evolution, Matching Outfits, Bogspine Knuckles, JIVE INSECT!, Thrall, The Storm Bringer

Warlock (Destroy 19, Silence 0, Transform 0, Swap 0, Total 19)
Chaotic Consumption (need a non-gift minion), Corruption (wait a turn), Arson Accusation (take damage), Deadline, Eat! The! Imp! (need a non-gift minion), Suffocating Shadows, Unwilling Sacrifice (random, need a non-gift minion), Blastcrystal Potion, Brittlebone Destroyer (heal/damage self), Cascading Disaster (random), Dark Bargain (random), Impbalming, Siphon Soul, Twisted Teether, Spawn of Deathwing (random), Chaos Creation, Keli’dan (don’t play if just drawn), Riftcleaver, Demonbolt

Warrior (Destroy 7, Silence 0, Transform 1, Swap 0, Total 8)
Execute (if damaged), Blast Charge (if damaged), Coerce (if damaged or combo), Smoldering Lancer (if damaged and holding a dragon), Snowed In (if damaged), Undercooked Calamari, Crush, Backstage Bouncer

Neutral (Destroy 9, Silence 6, Transform 3, Swap 2, Total 20)
Scorp-o-matic, Voodoo Doll (deathrattle), Forgotten Animatronic, Sinrunner, Stampeding Kodo, Book Wyrm (if holding dragon), Taurajo Brave (frenzy, random), Concert Promo-Drake (finale), Ozumat, Dalaran Librarian, Ironbeak Owl, Royal Librarian, Spellbreaker, Wailing Soul, Defias Cleaner, Recombobulator, Faceless Corrupter, Furbolg Mossbinder, Crazed Alchemist, Kooky Chemist

On two accounts, I experimented a little because I had a ton of Arena passes to burn.
No deck will always get 6 wins, but my most consistent deck has been this DK Handpump, which is good for at least 3 wins on average. And, I got my first 6-2 victory tonight with it.
Beware of DH (too fast) and Shaman (kill before the cast when drawn cards start hitting).

### Brawl Deck
# Class: Death Knight
# Format: Standard
# Year of the Pegasus
#
# 2x (1) Lesser Spinel Spellstone
# 2x (1) Plagued Grain
# 2x (2) Blood Tap
# 2x (2) Brittlebone Buccaneer
# 2x (2) Dreadhound Handler
# 2x (2) Shambling Zombietank
# 2x (3) Acolyte of Death
# 2x (3) Asphyxiate
# 2x (3) Chillfallen Baron
# 2x (4) Darkthorn Quilter
# 2x (4) Nerubian Swarmguard
# 2x (4) Suffocate
# 2x (5) Amateur Puppeteer
# 2x (6) Airlock Breach
# 2x (6) Gnome Muncher
#
AAECAfHhBAAP/+MEh/YEs/cEurEGvLEG9rEGi7cG/7oGkMsGoOIG1eUG1uUG1+UG2eUG6+oGAAA=
#
# To use this deck, copy it to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone

It feels like the rotation-proof shell here is to run your highest-cost cards and cheap removal.
You’re probably running a lot of Legendaries, so Highlander is also not a bad assumption.
I’m not sure what I’m running beyond that, though.

Not sure if this is what you’re running this time, but it’s still a good option for an early-game win.

I cut one Creation Protocol for a second Animate Dead.
CP becomes a dead card if both Astral Automatons make it to your hand before it gets played.
You have to make sure CP is in your opening hand and at least one AA isn’t, with a live draw before you can play it at face value, 2 if you forge it for the extra copy.
It feels great when it works, but not so much when it doesn’t.

No clue how well this works.
My first opponent saw a Preist and conceded turn 1.
Got my pack, maybe play for fun later.

### Brawl Deck
# Class: Priest
# Format: Standard
# Year of the Pegasus
#
# 2x (1) Astral Automaton
# 2x (1) Deafen
# 2x (1) Funnel Cake
# 2x (2) Creation Protocol
# 2x (2) Power Chord: Synchronize
# 2x (2) Thrive in the Shadows
# 2x (3) Melted Maker
# 2x (3) Pendant of Earth
# 2x (4) Shadow Word: Ruin
# 2x (5) Shattered Reflections
# 2x (8) Storm Giant
#
AAECAZ/HAgALrYoE8J8Eu8cFoukFpvEF7fcFvvsFvfwFyYAGl6AGmqAGAAA=
#
# To use this deck, copy it to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone

Rotation killed a lot of the cards listed here back in November.
Astral Automaton and Storm Giant decks are probably still viable, though.

I don’t remember, but then I didn’t keep the decklist either.
I’m guessing it’s whatever Tempostorm had featured that week since I don’t play Standard much.

Yep. Still solid in 2024. Get those patrons!
I don’t know which two cards would not load for me from your list.
I expanded mine with Prince Renathal for the padded life total and more survive & take damage triggers. And, I swapped Oasis Thrasher for Whirling Combatant, for more triggers.

### Brawl Deck
# Class: Warrior
# Format: Wild
#
# 2x (1) Dragon Egg
# 2x (1) Eternium Rover
# 2x (2) Anima Extractor
# 2x (2) Armorsmith
# 2x (2) Bonechewer Brawler
# 2x (3) Acolyte of Pain
# 2x (3) Bomb Wrangler
# 2x (3) Frothing Berserker
# 1x (3) Prince Renathal
# 1x (3) Rokara
# 2x (3) Val’kyr Soulclaimer
# 2x (4) Axe Flinger
# 2x (4) Gruntled Patron
# 2x (4) Night Howler
# 2x (4) Whirling Combatant
# 2x (5) Blood Guard
# 2x (5) Grim Patron
# 2x (5) Gurubashi Berserker
# 2x (6) Security Rover
# 1x (7) Overlord Saurfang
# 2x (7) Underbelly Ooze
# 1x (9) Botface
#
AAEBAdjJBgSV7QOq7gOX7wSFoAYS1ASABvsM5hHnEfkRzcsCr80C5PcCs/wCwZkDq7YD174D1egDlu0DjaAE16QEvuIEAAA=
#
# To use this deck, copy it to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone

Notable exception:
Replicatinator-inator if you’re still stuck on the envent quest.
I hope I get one here.

Watch out for Soularium + Soul Barrage

I’d go so far as to suggest Shard is your MVP here.
It shuts down all swarm decks, and is card draw when you’re the swarm player.

My opponent (Mage) managed to get Thunderbringer down on turn 1.
I only saw it and the coin played. What did I miss?

Too slow against token decks, even operating on plan.

I didn’t play it, but Silverhand Pally is a solid aggro choice.

My opponent in the Unholy test was running a hybrid of all three runes.
I’m not sure what else they had, but if I had them on this account I might have included Amateur Pupperteer or Down with the Ship.

For Blood, I’m thinking corpse generation into Corpse Explosion to clear the way to begin beating face with Corrupted Ashbringer and Gnome Muncher. (Pretty much how the original pre-con Blood deck worked.) I’m sure there’s an aggro version that could be built here too, but I’ve never been a fan of Blood.

### Tinyfin Mode
# Class: Death Knight
# Format: Wild
#
# 2x (1) Body Bagger
# 2x (1) Foul Egg
# 2x (1) Heart Strike
# 2x (2) Hematurge
# 2x (2) Mining Casualties
# 2x (2) Vampiric Blood
# 2x (3) Asphyxiate
# 2x (3) Chillfallen Baron
# 2x (3) Construct Quarter
# 2x (3) Nerubian Vizier
# 2x (3) Soulbreaker
# 2x (4) Death Strike
# 2x (5) Corpse Explosion
# 2x (6) Corrupted Ashbringer
# 2x (6) Gnome Muncher
#
AAEBAfHhBAAP9OMEh/YEsvcEs/cEoJkFopkFnqoFkqAG1eUG2OUG3+UG5OUG5uUGofQGo/QGAAA=
#
# To use this deck, copy it to your clipboard and create a new deck in Hearthstone