The best Standard Hearthstone decks to try for Scholomance Academy

Hearthstone’s Scholomance Academy officially launches tomorrow and every card has been revealed. The power level of this expansion has been compared to Descent of Dragons in terms of how many viable paths each class can follow.

Demonic Midrange

Class: Demon Hunter

2x (1) Battlefiend
2x (1) Demonic Companion
2x (1) Guardian Augmerchant
2x (1) Spirit Jailer
2x (1) Twin Slice
2x (2) Manafeeder Panthara
2x (2) Soul Shear
2x (2) Umberwing
1x (3) Ace Hunter Kreen
2x (3) Satyr Overseer
1x (4) Kayn Sunfury
2x (4) Marrowslicer

1x (4) Star Student Stelina
2x (4) Vilefiend Trainer
2x (5) Soulshard Lapidary
2x (6) Skull of Gul’dan
1x (7) Soulciologist Malicia

Deck code: AAECAea5AwTj1APaxgOD0APP0gMN98gDgtAD3r4DzNID4LwD+84DzdIDi7oD+cgD0c0D6dID1NID2cYDAA==

With a strong debut in its freshman expansion, Demon Hunter players likely expect its sophomore experience to continue that trend in Scholomance Academy. While there are potential hyper-aggressive builds that focus on Voracious Reader and Glide as refuel potential, this midrange list aims to hit more consistent curves and threaten opponents with wide boards.

This deck uses the aggressive half of the Warlock/Demon Hunter Soul Fragment shell to provide ample threats at all stages of the game.

Classic Ramp Druid

Class: Druid

2x (0) Innervate
2x (0) Lightning Bloom
2x (1) Nature Studies
2x (2) Wrath
2x (3) Wild Growth
2x (4) Escaped Manasaber
2x (4) Germination
2x (4) Overgrowth
2x (4) Swipe
2x (5) Twilight Runner
1x (6) Forest Warden Omu
2x (6) Nourish

2x (7) Guardian Animals
1x (7) Kael’thas Sunstrider
2x (7) Overflow
2x (7) Winguard Guardian
1x (9) Malygos

Deck code: AAECAZICBOQIo9EDrroDtAMN/gHw1AObzgPEBoS2A+a6A+i6A0De0QNfk9ED26UD/7UDAA==

Token Druid and Combo Druid are both being pushed in this expansion. But the most prominent and powerful decks will look to go back to Druid’s classic roots: Ramp Druid. With the power of an unnerfed Innervate in the form of Lightning Bloom and a Nature Studies to consistently find powerful tools, Druid is looking like a strong contender for this expansion.

The playstyle for Ramp Druid is easy to grasp. Spend the early game accruing as much mana as possible with Ramp, then plop down one threat after another. While the potential to create a large Germination combo with Omu and Malygos is there, this list’s main focus isn’t aiming to finish the opponent with a one-turn kill.

Dragonbeast Highlander

Class: Hunter

1x (1) Demonic Companion
1x (1) Rapid Fire
1x (1) Tour Guide
1x (1) Tracking
1x (1) Trueaim Crescent
1x (2) Wolpertinger
1x (2) Corrosive Breath
1x (2) Explosive Trap
1x (2) Freezing Trap
1x (3) Pack Tactics
1x (3) Phase Stalker
1x (3) Scavenger’s Ingenuity

1x (4) Snake Trap
1x (4) Zephrys the Great
1x (4) Ace Hunter Kreen
1x (5) Desert Spear
1x (5) Diving Gryphon
1x (5) Primordial Explorer
1x (5) Shan’do Wildclaw
1x (5) Stormhammer
1x (6) Unleash the Hounds
1x (6) Zixor, Apex Predator
1x (6) Dragonbane
1x (7) Escaped Manasaber

1x (7) Evasive Feywing
1x (7) Krolusk Barkstripper
1x (8) Rotnest Drake
1x (7) Evasive Wyrm
1x (7) Dinotamer Brann
1x (9) Dragonqueen Alexstrasza

Deck code: AAECAR8egtAD7JYDm80DlwjhzgOizgOKrQPJBIcEpLkD+68D/7oDxwP8owPj1APkpAOOrQP+rwPB0AOLrQPbCYO5A4ewA4S2A/+wA+TMA6+3A4WxA6alA5GxAwAA

Hunter was a consistent threat on the ladder last expansion due to its powerhouse Highlander list. While Beast and Egg Deathrattle strategies are getting pushed in this expansion, Highlander Hunter still has potent tools it can adopt from Scholomance Academy to stay fresh.

While the Highlander Hunter for the last couple of expansions had a major emphasis on Dragons, this list splits its focus into adding more powerful Beast tools. Since this deck takes strong aspects from each minion type, the refuel potential will always be constant.

Tempo Mage

Class: Mage

2x (1) Arcane Missiles
1x (1) Brain Freeze
2x (1) Lab Partner
2x (1) Magic Trick
2x (1) Ray of Frost
2x (1) Wand Thief
1x (2) Astromancer Solarian
1x (2) Bloodmage Thalnos
2x (2) Cram Session
2x (2) Frostbolt
2x (2) Loot Hoarder
2x (2) Sorcerer’s Apprentice

2x (2) Starscryer
2x (3) Firebrand
1x (4) Potion of Illusion
1x (5) Mozaki, Master Duelist
1x (5) Ras Frostwhisper
1x (5) Vectus
1x (7) Archmage Antonidas

Deck code: AAECAf0ECMfOA427A+0F5dEDkssD0M4DitIDuAgLtASFzQP/nQOfmwOk0QP30QOWBfsB5gT3uAP4zAMA

With Potion of Illusion’s inclusion, players were excited to see potential Combo Mage decks return to Standard. But Combo Mage may be difficult to pilot properly due to all of the aggressive decks and combo disruptor cards running around. Instead of trying to assemble combo pieces, this Tempo Mage list wants to get on the board fast and use massive Spell Damage amplification cards to finish off the opponent. Once a sizable board has been accrued, you can use Potion of Illusion to refuel for future turns to close out the game.

This deck features a neutral Deathrattle draw engine using the new Vectus to have an alternate way to draw cards outside of Cram Session turns.

Lightforged Scholomance

Class: Paladin

2x (0) First Day of School
2x (1) Aldor Attendant
2x (2) Argent Braggart
2x (2) Hand of A’dal
2x (2) Libram of Wisdom
1x (2) Murgur Murgurgle

2x (2) Shotbot
2x (3) Gift of Luminance
2x (3) Goody Two-Shields
1x (3) Lord Barov
2x (3) Underlight Angling Rod
2x (4) Consecration
1x (4) High Abbess Alura
1x (4) Lightforged Zealot
2x (5) Aldor Truthseeker
1x (7) Lightforged Crusader
2x (9) Libram of Hope

Deck code: AAECAZ8FBPy4A5PQA8PRA5uuAw2ezQP9uAPg0QPKwQPruQONtgOnywPK0QP7uAPcA5yuA+y5A+q5AwA=

Pure Paladin is an archetype that’s been growing steadily more popular while all the classes around it have been getting nerfed in Ashes of Outland. With one of its weaknesses—a lack of early one drops—getting shored up, Pure Paladin is hoping to vie for a stronger spot on the tier list. High Abbess is a card that can have powerful high roll potential if you can hit your expensive spells, even gaining a free 8/8 Divine Shield with Taunt after you cast a cheap spell.

Tempo Priest

Class: Priest

2x (0) Raise Dead
2x (1) Beaming Sidekick
2x (1) Frazzled Freshman
1x (1) Reliquary of Souls
2x (1) Grandmummy
2x (2) Kul Tiran Chaplain
2x (2) Power Word: Feast
2x (2) Sethekk Veilweaver
2x (2) Apotheosis
2x (3) Dragonmaw Overseer
2x (3) Gift of Luminance
1x (3) Mindflayer Kaarhj

2x (3) Wretched Reclaimer
2x (4) Cabal Acolyte
1x (4) Disciplinarian Gandling
1x (7) Galakrond, the Unspeakable

Deck code: AAECAa0GBM6+A4WtA+fRA8jAAw3XzgP9pwParAO70QOtpQOk1QO00QObugOvugPpugOnywO2pQPj0QMA

Both Galakrond and Highlander Priest had strong showings during Ashes of Outland—and they’ll continue to be powerful going into this expansion. But this list shows a potential new contender: Tempo Priest. While Tempo Priest has been historically weak outside of Divine Spirit Inner Fire lists, this new era of Tempo Priest has a lot of early options to fight for the board quickly and keep healthy minions.

If the deck runs out of cards early, the single Galakrond at the top of the curve can grant Priest immense value for free, especially against slower controlling decks.

Tempo Rogue

Class: Rogue

2x (0) Backstab
2x (1) Deadly Poison
1x (1) Pharoah Cat
2x (1) Secret Passage
2x (1) Spymistress
2x (1) Wand Thief
2x (2) Eviscerate
2x (2) Skyvateer
2x (2) Transfer Student
2x (3) Edwin VanCleef
2x (3) Greyheart Sage
1x (3) Hooked Scimitar

2x (3) Vulpera Toxinblade
1x (4) Infiltrator Lilian
2x (4) Waggle Pick
2x (5) Cutting Class

Deck code: AAECAaIHArICq9IDDrQBywP1pwOqywO5uAOk0QOIB5u2A8PMA8+5A/+lA4jQA4mbA/fUAwA=

Galakrond Rogue was a deck that powered through Standard for two expansions in a row since its introduction in Descent of Dragons. The free value it gained from Invoked Lackeys and cheap draws from Galakrond himself was hard for other decks to keep up with. And now, with Secret Passage, Tempo Rogue has an alternate way to gain more opportunities to draw cards for a low mana cost.

Spell Damage Shaman

Class: Shaman

2x (0) Lightning Bloom
2x (1) Ethereal Augmerchant
2x (1) Lightning Bolt
2x (1) Bloodmage Thalnos
2x (2) Diligent Notetaker
2x (2) Rune Dagger

2x (2) Spellbook Binder
2x (2) Arcane Watcher
1x (3) Instructor Fireheart
1x (3) Lady Vashj
2x (3) Lava Burst
2x (3) Marshspawn
2x (3) Molten Blast
2x (4) Serpentshrine Portal
2x (4) Squallhunter
1x (5) Ras Frostwhisper
2x (5) Steward of Scrolls

Deck code: AAECAaoIBO0FnM4D5LgD0M4DDfDUA+C+A/kD4cwDpssDwZgDrpsD4AaYuQPOzgPbuAOsrQOTzQMA

Shaman is hurting from a weak showing during the Ashes of Outland expansion, even after receiving buffs. But with the powerful tools they obtained in Scholomance Academy, a Spell Damage focused Shaman build is looking to pull this class out of the low tiers and into contender status.

Zoo Lock

Class: Warlock

2x (0) Raise Dead
2x (1) Beaming Sidekick
2x (1) Flame Imp
2x (1) Sinister Deal
2x (1) Soulfire
2x (1) Spirit Jailer
1x (1) Tour Guide
1x (1) Voidwalker
2x (2) EVIL Genius
2x (2) Expired Merchant
2x (2) Transfer Student
2x (3) Magic Carpet

2x (3) Neverset Thrasher
1x (4) Disciplinarian Gandling
2x (4) Diseased Vulture
2x (8) Flesh Giant

Deck code: AAECAf0GApvNA+fRAw7XzgP9pwPCCPqkA84HzNIDMIidA/2kA8PMA7WfA/ukA4GlA8HRAwA=

Warlock had a couple of viable decks in the last expansion, such as Discard Zoo and Control Quest. This Zoo List tries to revive the self-damage strategy introduced with Savior of Uldum and combine it with the new cards from Scholomance Academy, like Flesh Giant and Raise Dead.

Big Ripper Commencement Warrior

Class: Warrior

2x (1) Shield Slam
2x (1) Sword and Board
2x (2) Corsair Cache
2x (2) Slam
2x (3) Bladestorm
2x (3) Coerce

2x (3) Shield Block
2x (4) Reaper’s Scythe
2x (5) Brawl
2x (5) Cutting Class
2x (7) Commencement
1x (7) Gorehowl
1x (8) Deathwing, Mad Aspect
2x (8) Troublemaker
1x (9) Rattlegore
1x (10) Colossus of the Moon

Deck code: AAECAQcEqgbfrQOr1APfqQMNogT2wgPAuQOyCLi5A4rQA/8H48wDS/fUA9LRA6fOA5aUAwA=

Midrange Tempo-focused Warrior was the best deck this class had in the last expansion. This deck looks to highlight the potential of a slower Warrior list that could pop up. Control Warrior has been a classic archetype since the dawn of Hearthstone. A similar strategy of solely using big minions existed during the Kobolds and Catacombs expansion to highlight the Recruit mechanic.

The strategy of this deck is simple. Remove all threats the opponent throws at you with spells and weapons, then grind out your opponent with high-value minions and spells like Dimensional Ripper or Commencement.

Look out for meta changes

While these lists are mainly speculative, there are many changes in the meta that can happen, including card balance updates and counters to the decks that appear to be the strongest.

Hearthstone’s Scholomance Academy expansion will be released on Aug. 6. Players can pre-purchase the expansion before it releases in one of two different bundles from Blizzard’s online store or in the Hearthstone client.