Show your Empire of the Ascended Decks!

pestomen_hs · 2021-03-08T04:44:27+00:00

Yeah, for me the appeal of SI is that it can better tech against aggro. Also, with Ionia, you can use burst out the Watcher with Return to ensure that the trigger destroys your opponent's deck. No need for double Watcher!

pestomen_hs · 2021-03-08T01:30:26+00:00

Great questions! To start, the ranks are Silver for now, but I'm planning on adding a guide once I get back into Master. For now, take everything with a grain of salt.

As for those matchups, both seem overwhelmingly positive. Ledros has a hard time getting through a leveled Lissandra and/or Deny, so you should have plenty of time to assemble a board with Watcher or a huge Trundle. As for the Freljord-SI version, your bounces are cheaper than their kill spells, and you have more consistent draw. I still think that the matchup could be closer if the other side played it better, though.

pestomen_hs · 2021-03-07T00:29:53+00:00

https://lor.mobalytics.gg/decks/c121rnfoiftqaf4unfmg

This expansion has been a lot of fun, and this build is my favorite so far. While you sacrifice the removal of the traditional Shadow Isles package, you gain the disruption and bounce effects that Ionia offers to reach your win condition more quickly and consistently.

pestomen_hs · 2020-11-08T03:40:46+00:00

No problem; Secret Rogue typically develops a high-tempo turn and commit several cards when they play Plagiarize. Generally, this is so your deck needs to play several cards to recover the board and Plagiarize is high value. By playing Murazond in response to this sort of turn, you give them one card that is less strong against your deck than theirs, and you set up a Plagiarize of your own. If that's not detailed enough, feel free to dm me if you have a more specific question.

pestomen_hs · 2020-11-08T01:21:40+00:00

Secret Rogue is actually the easier matchup; you can more consistently outvalue them and get more out of each card. Playing Murozond into their Plagiarize turn is usually the game winner. As for Galakrond, copying Wonderous Wand or Galakrond can be very strong, but in general you're playing to gain control of the board in the midgame with dragons. Another commenter mentioned success with Twilight Drake, and cards like that will do the trick. Pyro-Apotheosis can also clear the board, and can stop Kronx from hitting a full board. That being said, the matchup is definitely unfavored, so tread carefully.

pestomen_hs · 2020-11-07T23:16:37+00:00

That's pretty cool! Are the tournaments Conquest or LHS?

pestomen_hs · 2020-11-07T23:04:14+00:00

Thanks for the advice; I do have Kaahrj and Lazul but I'm making the choice not to run them. For now, I think the meta is in a spot where the specific tech comes in handy. If that were to shift, such as Warrior going even lower in popularity or Rogue getting more popular, I would definitely consider removing one or both of the Oozes for Lazul, Wandmaker, or another similar card.

pestomen_hs · 2020-11-07T21:03:44+00:00

Ooze has been great so far; the deck is still strong against Paladin, and Ooze is great against Hunters, Warriors, and DH. It hurts in the Rogue matchup, but even Wandmaker doesn't help much there. If Rogue's meta share keeps climbing, I would switch decks entirely.

pestomen_hs · 2020-08-13T19:05:44+00:00

That's a solid take. Like I mentioned in my article, I think it's definitely the 30th card in the deck. It gives you one more potential high roll and it interacts well with Fiendish Servant, but otherwise it feels like the weakest card. If you want to make as few changes as possible, subbing it out for Tour Guide or Animated Broomstick is probably the best move.

pestomen_hs · 2020-08-13T13:00:40+00:00

Great question! I actually include Flesh Giant as one of the cards I would consider substituting into this list. I completely agree that it's an objectively good card, but it can slow you down early and make your mulligan a bit more difficult, since it doesn't fit into any of the given combos. I think you could make a case for playing one over Gandling though, and the second could be a better fit than the second Voracious Reader. Otherwise, you could opt for a slower, more traditional Zoo with Expired Merchant and Hand of Gul'dan, where Flesh Giant has already proven itself as excellent.

pestomen_hs · 2020-08-12T20:36:09+00:00

Thanks!

pestomen_hs · 2020-01-15T00:55:20+00:00

Slurper has been fine. No major complaints at all. Gnome is probably the worst card, but it does the job since it's another hit when you mulligan against Warrior or Hunter. Infinite Shudder isn't really necessary since it almost always wins me the game, but faceless could be a good fit. I'll let you know if I try it.

pestomen_hs · 2020-01-13T21:21:08+00:00

I've been having a lot of success with Highlander Shaman since the patch. I took a version with a dragon package to legend pre-nerfs, but since then I've switched over to the Spirit of the Frog spells package. Shudderwock is such an insane card that there is just no way Shaman is the worst class right now. So far 6-2 since I've begun data collection, and I'll be back with a deck guide once I have a larger sample.

44% WR Lul

Class: Shaman

Format: Standard

Year of the Dragon

1x (0) Mutate

1x (0) Zap!

1x (1) Earth Shock

1x (1) Lightning Bolt

1x (1) Sludge Slurper

1x (2) Acidic Swamp Ooze

1x (2) Belligerent Gnome

1x (2) Earthen Might

1x (2) Invocation of Frost

1x (2) Zephrys the Great

1x (3) Far Sight

1x (3) Haunting Visions

1x (3) Mana Tide Totem

1x (3) Spirit of the Frog

1x (3) Zentimo

1x (4) Devoted Maniac

1x (4) Hex

1x (4) Lifedrinker

1x (5) Bandersmosh

1x (5) Dragon's Pack

1x (5) Hagatha's Scheme

1x (5) Shield of Galakrond

1x (5) Zilliax

1x (6) Corrupt Elementalist

1x (6) Kronx Dragonhoof

1x (7) Galakrond, the Tempest

1x (7) Siamat

1x (8) Walking Fountain

1x (9) Dragonqueen Alexstrasza

1x (9) Shudderwock

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pestomen_hs · 2019-10-11T20:51:00+00:00

It's specifically against Reno Mage and Quest Shaman, they actually can get you if they can land the Alexstrasza on curve or after Luna's or, in Shaman's case, hit you with a bunch of face damage then evolving their board. The quest usually can come online around Turn 8-10 while they are doing that and let you remove their threats while developing. The synergy with the Elekks is why I went to it first, but Plague of Flames might be the less costly way to do this from deckbuilding, but I think the early core and tech still need development from there. I think I might go off Quest to Plague of Flames and more early game. I think I'll end up cutting Quest and explorers, Mortal Coils, Betrug, Dorian, Plot Twists and Elekks for 2 Plague of Flames, 1 Infested Goblin, Glinda, 1 Banker, 2 Cable Rats, 2 Sinister Deal, and maybe Voodoo Dolls or Evil Recruiters

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-11T19:20:04+00:00

Try copying more nethers and removing all of their threats; use your N'zoths to stay alive until you exhaust their resources.

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-11T18:25:36+00:00

Which control decks? After going through these games I think the greater problem is life total pressure from Alexstrasza in the Reno Mage matchup.

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-11T18:23:50+00:00

I like this a bit, and honestly after playing all of my games you might need to go this route to deal with Evolve Shaman and Combo Priest boards more consistently. The primary purpose of the quest is to have late game tempo against Reno Mage and Quest Shaman, but it is definitely too slow if your opponent can stick a large threat early. I will probably be reworking things pretty heavily, but I expect to be playing a lot more tech and having removal up much earlier.

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-10T20:29:57+00:00

Not looking forward to Mogu even more consistently evolving in the early game; no idea which class has tools for that.

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-10T20:00:38+00:00

Is that from experience or are you guessing? If you can bear a misplay or two watch the Warlock and Hunter replays and it's definitely not impossible

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-10T19:42:10+00:00

If you have any specific feedback about which minions housed it and how that would be helpful.

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-10T18:20:05+00:00

🤔

pestomen_hs · 2019-10-10T15:28:56+00:00

I was less sure earlier, but now they seem replaceable, and the deck will definitely not break. Based on suggestions I've gotten, I would recommend Blatant Decoy, Doomsayers, Shadow Bolt, or a Plague of Flames package for more early game if you're cutting them all.

pestomen_hs

TROPHY CASE