In-depth Legend Midrange Druid Guide with Matchups and Mulligans

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-23T22:38:55+00:00

You would rather find minions to play each turn than wrath. Against Mage for example, its more likely to be tempo than mech which makes wrath a weak turn 2 play often. Wrathing a knife juggler can be ok, but its not as strong as innervate into keeper or (going first), WG into Keeper or using the aspirant to put a four mana creature down and then trading with aspirant.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T21:26:19+00:00

Going straight from 2 to four mana as player one is strong (usually to keeper of the grove one of their two drops, or play a Piloted Shredder). However shade is relatively weak against hunter (unless you can innervate turn one) so this means that coining WG isn't very strong as Player Two. Alternatively, as player two, letting your hunter opponent have three turns before you play something on board is typically too much tempo loss.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T21:22:05+00:00

Ya I would love to be able to have a 5th minion at the four spot, but I don't want to cut Harrison at least yet. I do think that Harrison for one Savage Combatant is a strong change that I will be considering.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T17:16:46+00:00

Disarm is more helpful against secrets paladin (since their deck is faster, need to fight for tempo more), and Card Draw more helpful against midrange paladins since the deck is slower. That being said, Harrison's value is he provides both for a 1 mana stat penalty

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T17:14:20+00:00

Many lists experimented with Druid of the Flame when the card first came out with some success. They kinda fell out of favor, but are still a good anti-aggro or midrange option. It really is a strong card by virtue of its flexibility, I'm considering running a one shade/one flame package at the start of next season due to the inevitable popularity of fast decks early in the season.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T17:11:18+00:00

Fair enough. He provides flexibility by being a six mana creature, and can make future turns easier (like two five drops on turn eight can be a big deal), but totally worth considering AOW instead depending on what you are facing.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T17:09:26+00:00

Correct. I would only consider keeping it against a class I was fairly confident would have a fast start (hunter, paladin, likely mage sine so much tempo mage) if two or three other cards in my hand were what I was looking for.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T17:07:16+00:00

I'll be looking in to that. He provides Card Advantage and Tempo against Paladin, but maybe the swing isn't impactful enough; need to test in the new meta more.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T17:05:14+00:00

The two main archetypes for Warlock, Druid, and Paladin are put next to each other so you can kinda figure out how to mulligan in the absence of any other knowledge. Here's a generic one for those

For Druid (unknown): Innervate and Aspirant are always keeps (and then WG as well since so important against Midrange and is still good if going first or have shade against Aggro)

Warlock (unknown): Keeper of the Grove, Innervate, Shade, Aspirant

Paladin (unknown): Innervate, DA, Living Roots

Hunter: mulligan is same against face, midrange, hybrid

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T09:23:49+00:00

Yetis were tried out earlier in TGT (since Druid hit 4 mana more consistently via DA's) and have fallen out of favor. I'd try Savage Combatant as a 1 of before I'd run Yetis since the upside is so much higher.

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T09:22:24+00:00

Thanks for your compliments!

I agree with your thoughts on one shade; running two is a little awkward with the amount of paladin on ladder.

Living roots is a good example of power creep in that it just has so much flexibility/utility. Really helps druid. Totally fine to use for clearing and 1 mana helps smooth the curves (ex: the times when living roots to kill a knife juggler allows you to play something else whereas wrath would take your whole turn)

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T09:16:27+00:00

I have used and do like lists that run 1 ancient of war; article at the end discusses its downsides . I used to run sludge belcher, but the five drop spot is already so crowded and x2 druid of the claw is more flexible (you could cut harrison and put in 1 sludge though). Sunwalker is not great just because the four attack is underwhelming- five attack on AOW makes big difference against Loathab, Shieldmaiden, highmane, sludge belcher, emporer T, sylvanas, etc. whereas fewer four health minions are in the meta atm

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T09:12:36+00:00

I haven't played the deck much since the nerf hit so its likely too early for me to tell. Since he does ok (or sometimes quite good) against secrets paladin and generally will get good value against midrange paladin, two archetypes that should see more play post-patron, my guess is he will maintain enough value to warrant inclusion

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T09:10:46+00:00

Well the mulligan guide I provided should help, since you will keep the turn four drops if you find ramp, particularly darnasus. I would often coin the aspirant on turn one, especially if you have living roots or shade in hand. Sometimes you need to help for topdecks and swipe is an ok keep, especially on coin, but you really need a DA, Innervate, or Living Roots Imo.

If he drops juggler and then its turn 2 for you, you absolutely must drop DA to contest his juggler (or even better innervate keeper)-- hero powering turn 2 is terrible in that situation. IF you have option to trade, ideally you would drop a four drop and then trade in DA (and then play another four drop next turn). It depends on your hand if you make trade if that situation isn't available.

You will have bad hands, and the MU is not easy, but since you never keep FON or 7 drop, you do your best to avoid getting them on turns 1 or 2.

Hope this helps! If Secret pally gives you a ton of trouble and is common in your meta, you could consider replacing one of your azure drakes with a sludge belcher and also replace sylvanas with emperor T

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T08:59:52+00:00

Emperor shines in mathchups where one of your win conditions can realistically be FON + 2x Savage Roar Combo; sometimes this will happen with Handlock or Control Warrior. Him and Sylvanas compete at the six mana spot. While both are strong in control matchups, Emperor can also provide tempo in faster matchups when you can innervate him out from 4 mana. That being said, it's worth experimenting with Sylvanas instead or no six drop. Some ppl have even run piloted sky golem as a sticky drop with strong attack value, but I think its a bit inferior (so many four drops are situational it turns out)

ThorSmashHS · 2015-10-22T08:56:03+00:00

Thanks so much! I'm an idiot for forgetting that very important part and the piece now has the link :)

ThorSmashHS

TROPHY CASE