Prediction – There will be at least one minion in this set with the text, “When this minion takes damage, deal an equal amount of damage to your opponent.”

There’s really nothing that can replace Loatheb, as his ability is unique to him. Some other options for a 5-mana slot are Stand Against Darkness, Harrison Jones, or Elise the Trailblazer. You could also consider a copy of Spikeridged Steed, a second Blessing of Kings, or maybe even Lite Rag for the novelty of running double-Ragnaros.

It’s not an easy deck to pilot. Lots of difficult decisions that can make or break a game, and when Tapping for more options is often a must-do, most wins come by the skin of your teeth. But the answers are usually there, even if they can sometimes be hard to zero in on. I’ve found this version of Handlock to be a bit more midrange-ish than other builds, so the point where you have to switch from controlling the board to hitting face comes a little earlier than you may be used to with other Handlock lists.

I’d skip the quest. It simply takes too long to complete and doesn’t provide enough impact even when you do finish it. The discard theme in this deck isn’t really all that prominent. It’s basically just Handlock with Lakkari Felhound to help with aggro, Doomguard to close out faster once you go on the offensive, Soulfire for removal or burst, and Malchezar’s Imp to sometimes mitigate the drawback of the previous cards.

In short, the discard cards are there for their aggressive costing, not to trigger synergy. Hence why Silverware Golem and Clutchmother Zavas are not in the deck. If those don’t make the cut even with 6 discard effects, there’s no point in even considering the quest.

Hmm, good suggestion. You think the deck will be alright without any draw? Seems like it, since Genzo is only a one-of in the first place.

Don’t want to craft Genzo. Was thinking Acolyte of Pain would be an alright replacement, but may be too slow for this deck. Any thoughts?

Remember back when “face” decks were always red and were known as “Sligh” decks?

If you’re relying on Lyra value to win with this deck, you’re doing it all wrong. It’s a combo deck, not midrange or control. You want to create a big sudden threat using health buffs and Inner Fire, which is a lot easier than it sounds thanks to Shadow Visions and Radiant Elemental. I win on turn 5 or 6 surprisingly often with this deck, and if it doesn’t go off early, Lyra and the Taunts can help you stall and set up another combo turn.

“Miracle” decks are also known for having massive burst potential. In Rogue, that means VanCleef or Leeroy with Cold Bloods and Eviscerates. In Priest, you buff a minion’s health, double it once or twice with Divine Spirit, then use Inner Fire to make it a monster.

Onyx Bishop is much slower, has worse stats for cost, and runs a high risk of being dead in hand when you’re playing with Ancient Watcher and Humongous Razorleaf.

Needs more Spikeridged Steed. That card is an absolutely fantastic value, especially since Silence and morph effects aren’t present in a majority of the current meta decks. I’d cut Harrison and an Ivory Knight for a pair of the dino-ponies.

This deck looks seriously fun, but is it not just a bit too reliant on drawing into Lyra (and rolling useful spells from him)?

If you’re going to include Rag Lite, you probably don’t want to remove a 2 drop for an 8 drop. Not good for your curve. Hydrologist, in addition to filling out your curve, is surprisingly versatile. Being able to discover a secret that fits the current situation is way better than wasting slots by putting secrets in your deck. A clutch Noble Sacrifice can buy you an extra turn. A clutch Repentance can render a fat enemy taunt impotent. A clutch Eye For An Eye can win you the game. Hydrologist may seem ho-hum, but it’s actually a very useful card.

Can’t say this gives me high hopes that Paladin will be ladder-viable. With both Pirate Warrior and Aggro Shaman losing relatively little in the rotation, buffing minions in play will be every bit as tempo-lacking as buffing minions in hand. Unless some truly powerful anti-aggro cards are incoming, Paladin looks to remain “just for fun” for the near future.

I don’t think a great Secret will make a difference in whether or not this sees play. What will make it or break it is whether or not we get more cards that have stronger interactions with Recruits than the previous attempts.

While I’m sure this will either see regular play or force a “Pirates in, Pirates out” meta, it’s kind of disappointing that they had to resort to a “silver bullet” card to address the over-saturation of Pirate decks.

It can make a board of damaged minions, Totems and Golems into a scary army, especially as the game goes on and the Golems get bigger. It’s also a card that doesn’t see a whole lot of play and can therefore surprise opponents.

I guess a Jungle Panther would fit the spot in the curve, but in my opinion, if you’re not gonna run Shaku, you’re better off dropping the Silent Knights/Shadow Senseis and the stealth focus altogether.

Shadow Sensei is surprisingly good in this build. The “Murloc Package” strategy is starting to become more common and people are learning how to play around it, but buffing Shaku and getting multiple turns of value from his “thief” ability is something most players aren’t expecting. So far I’ve won more games thanks to a timely Sensei that squeezes extra procs from Finley and The Collector.

This is not “Water Shaman”. It’s Aggro Shaman with the “Murloc Package”. The “Water” decks were named such because they used both Murlocs AND Pirates.