Hearthstone players who prefer to cast spells using the power of the elements are dominating the competitive ladder.
After getting off to a lousy start with the Saviors of Uldum expansion, Shaman is now arguably the most powerful class in the game. At the recent Masters Tour Bucharest competition, all players in the top-eight bracket used a deck from the Shaman class. Four of the top-eight players brought along Quest Shaman.
The heart of this deck is the Shaman Quest card, Corrupt the Waters. Since it’s a Quest, Corrupt the Waters starts in your hand and costs one mana. To complete Corrupt the Waters, you’ll need to play six Battlecry minions. After completing the Quest, you’ll be rewarded with the Heart of Vir’naal Hero Power. This allows you to pay two mana to have your Battlecries trigger twice for a turn.
This deck is heavily reliant on Battlecry cards, so it features a ton of them. The deck also includes a number of ways to generate additional Battlecry minions. This allows you to keep a continuous flow of pressure and tempo that most decks in Standard can’t keep up with. Thanks to cards like Shudderwock and Barista Lynchen, you also have a ton of ways to start the entire process over again once you run low on resources.
Your typical early game will always revolve around trying to stack and complete your Quest. The sooner you finish Corrupt the Waters, the sooner you can start applying insane pressure thanks to the Heart of Vir’naal. One of the best cards you can draw early is EVIL Totem. This card is a two-mana 0/2 that adds a random Lackey to your hand at the end of your turn. Since Lackey cards are all one-cost Battlecry minions, everything given to you by the EVIL Totem will benefit Corrupt the Waters.
Using Lackeys allows you to save your regular Battlecry minions for later in the match when you’ll be able to maximize their use with the Heart of Vir’Naal Hero Power. If you aren’t able to get EVIL Totem, however, feel free to play whatever you think is necessary to complete Corrupt the Waters. Once you’ve unlocked the Heart of Vir’naal, it’s time to apply pressure and run away with the match.
Quest Shaman includes a dozen combos that are all made even more powerful by the Heart of Vir’Naal. Lifedrinker, for example, has a Battlecry that deals three damage to the enemy Hero and restores three health to its user. Bog Slosher returns a friendly minion to your hand and gives it +2/+2. Pairing this combo with the Heart of Vir’Naal allows you to deal six damage to your opponent, heal for six health, and give your Life Drinker +4/+4.
The deck is full of similar combos that can be used to decimate your opponent through Heart of Vir’naal during the mid game. The deck also includes two of the best finishers in all of Hearthstone: Bloodlust, and Shudderwock.
Bloodlust is a five-cost spell that gives your minions +3 attack for a turn. With this deck, you’ll constantly be amassing a field of Lackeys and low-cost minions. When you draw Bloodlust, it’s time to end your opponent’s suffering by attacking with an army of beefed-up minions. If you can’t seem to finish the job with Bloodlust, Shudderwock will be your saving grace.
Shudderwock is a nine-cost Shaman minion with a Battlecry that repeats all other Battlecries you’ve played previously in the game. This can overwhelm your opponent and act as a great way to get back in the game if you find yourself on the ropes. Shudderwock is like pressing a reset button that makes everything much more difficult for your opponent.
The fun with this deck will come from learning to master all of the unique little combos that Heart of Vir’Naal creates. Maximizing their potential makes this deck fun and deadly.
If you want to use this deck in Hearthstone, you can do so by copying this code: AAECAaoIBqbwAu/3AouFA7SXA72ZA+GoAwycAt4F7/ECtJEDxpkDu6UDz6UD1KUD1aUD+aUD2KkD1ckDAA==
