Dragon Control
- Last updated Sep 28, 2016 (Karazhan)
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Wild
- 15 Minions
- 13 Spells
- 2 Weapons
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Control Shaman
- Crafting Cost: 15400
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 6/24/2016 (Old Gods)
- user-25851071
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Total Deck Rating
35
After the release of Karazhan's last wing I thought I'd give this deck another try with some of the new cards and it's working out pretty well so far. If you're looking for a deck that includes some fun cards and plays differently to the curve-oriented decks dominating the meta (but doesn't auto-lose to them) then give it a shot.
Overview
I experimented with various Control Shaman set-ups and this one seems to be the most consistent. Enough board clear and life gain to survive aggro but enough threats to wear down other control decks.
Your early game will consist of controlling the board with your early game tools and hitting the totem button to reduce the cost of Thing from Below. You want to take control of the board as early as you can once you've cleared your opponent's minions and outvalue them with your lategame. Against other slow decks, it's essential that you play as the aggressor: take the board as early as you can and force them to react to you rather than the other way around.
Card Changes
Removed: 2 x Doomsayer, Ancestral Knowledge, Blackwing Corruptor, Emperor Thaurissan
Added: 2 x Spirit Claws, Bloodmage Thalnos, Healing Wave, Sylvanas Windrunner
Spirit Claws was the reason I revisited this deck. I had my doubts over it's consistency at first but so far it's been great. Even without the spell-damage boost, you can ping off divine shields (something the previous version of the deck struggled with) or get the extra hit on a minion when your Lightning Storm rolls too low. With 2 copies of this plus Bloodmage, we were able to get rid of Doomsayer. I still like the card, but it's a terrible top-deck and harder to get value out of now that Kindly Grandmother is a thing. Over the course of the game, you'll get more value on average out of Spirit Claws + Bloodmage than you will from 2 x Doomsayer and the new approach also helps our Healing Wave jousts. Speaking of Healing Wave, we now run 2 copies since we'll be tanking extra face damage from the Spirit Claws.
Blackwing Corruptor was too midrangey and low value, plus we have Spirit Claws as an extra source of (conditional) 3 damage. We also never really had a hand-size big enough to make full use of Emperor Thaurissan, who we can reluctantly live without by managing overload better. In their place, we've gone Sylvanas Windrunner, who is too useful to ignore against cards like Rag, Arcane Giant or C'Thun. With a bit of spell damage, you can also use Stormcrack to kill her yourself. I also tried to fit Barnes in somewhere but pulling Twilight Drake or Thing From Below isn't good enough. If you wanted to make this work, I'd recommend dropping the dragon synergy for more deathrattles and N'Zoth, the Corruptor.
Matchups
In general, the deck is strong vs. Zoo and aggro due to the 5 taunts and 5 board clears (including Chillmaw). You usually don't even need a win condition in these games, just use your defensive tools to run them out of resources. Most "midrange" decks tend to have pretty low mana curves in the current meta so as long as you get good value from your board clear and save Hex for the right targets, you should be fine against those too.
Midrange decks with higher curves and lots of fatties that don’t die to Elemental Destruction are really tough, however. C'Thun Druid, Yogg Druid and Tempo Warrior fall into this category. Control the board, get as much value out of your removal as you can and hope they don't draw well. If it goes your way, you'll eventually run them out of cards and overpower them with your lategame.
Against control, it's vital that you play the aggressor and curve out well from turn 4 onwards. With the addition of Elise, you should be able to put down more threats than they have removal. If you can make them use multiple cards to deal with one of your threats you're in a good position. Just don't over-extend into AOE and never play Elise until you've seen N'Zoth/C'Thun/Grommash from your opponent.
I have been playing a Malygos in the deck. It synergies with the deck being a dragon and sometimes having the extra spell damage can save you when you have to get through warrior armor or something. If discounting it with thurissan along with other spells you can dish out some crazy burst.
Didn't have Ysera and also I think thing from below is too boring (I'm aware they are very strong). So I added 2 Jeweled Scarab and 1 Charged Hammer (which has anti-synergy with thing from below anyway)
Im kida sorta missing more than 3 important cards from this deck, so i made reno dragon deck, 2-0 with it so far, i can share decklist if requested.
If you reach rank 5 or better, by all means, I encourage you to upload it as a new deck. New archetypes are always welcome in a slow changing meta that this game has.
Theres a slot for one of the death wings?
I lack chillmaw and i'm not fond of crafting her (TGT is rotating next year). How would you replace her?
thx :D
Flash test with the deck.
3W-1L. (Wins vs Aggro Shaman, Dragon Warrior and Yogg Druid. Lose vs Zoo)
Hallazeal + Nightmare (from Ysera)= GG
Tip: hard mulligan for mass removals vs aggro (or suspected aggro).
Changes: -1 Chillmaw (don't have her); +1 Alexstrasza and @Fur0's changes.
As i commented, i put Alex for Chillmaw. Did work fine, 'cause she saved me from death for the needed turn. I included harrison (too much warrior and hunter)
A nice deck list and I hope it gets more attention so I made a game play video with it: Gameplay Footage
Ich changed a few cards to combat the meta better:
-1 Healing Wave -1 Nefarian -1 Doomsayer -1 Emperor Thaurissan
+1 Elise Starseeker +1 Harrison Jones +1Faeria Dragon +1 Blackwing Technician
As you might be aware Warrior is currently the most played class, so Elise and Harrison are going against those decks, while we are also buffing our early game with the Faeria Dragon and the Blackwing to counter some of the more aggressiv decks better.
Youtube-Player
In this game the Elise was a nice extra but as you already pointed out I was ahead by quiet a margin and even worse minions should have sealed the deal. Still nice to get a decent draw from Elise, that always makes a good game even better^^
The deck i run that is similar to this is
-1 lighting storm -1 storm crack -2 Doomsayer -2 twlight gaurdian -2 blackwing -1 nefarian +1 earthshock +2 feral spirit +1 carine +1 sylvanas + 1 Alex +1 yogg +1 zoth + deathwing dragonlord
i feel like these additions are key, Triggering Deathwing, zoth the next turn would most likely overwhelm the opponent, and 9/10 times would make them concede
I correct myself i ment to say -1 lightning bolt instead of lighting storm. I havent tried out your deck yet but from my own experience i think lightingstorm and elemental are more than enough going agianst aggressive decks, its just having the luck on theor else its game over. What i do agianst aggro decks i spend the first 5-8 turns clearing the board taunting up with feral spirit or things from below and heal. after turn 8 aggro decks usually run out of steam and thats where i start dropping threats and i t only gets easier from there. And for hallazeal #1 i would never want it in my opening hand because youll naver make it to turn 8 for the combo #2 i would never use it until unless i used up both of my healing waves and i wont use i perfer using ysera awakning with the combo over elemental of destruction so there wont be any worries or overload if you dont have lava shock but if ysera isnt available i would def use elemental as a last resort. Overall if i use this method i usually have a high win rate agisnst aggro about 8/10. Like i said it all depends on the oppening hand
How sold are you on Doomsayer? I play a control shaman that has a number of the bigger dragons in but forgoes the smaller ones for cheaper threats like Flamewreathed Faceless and Totem Golem. I've tried Doomsayers before, and don't get me wrong they're great if they work, but most of the time I got them late in the game and they were useless or they got cleared by a Power Overwhelming or Rockbiter Weapon or something lame like that. Sure, it saves you seven health in the long run and might screw with the opponent's plays but I find it also screws with my Healing Wave more often than not or ends up as a useless card end game. I could justify running them if Elise Starseeker was in the deck but right now I think a second Ancestral Knowledge (EDIT) and perhaps a Charged Hammer (absolutely love that card) might make more sense.
What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear your arguments for having it in the deck.
The Elemental Destruction/Doomsayer combo is something I never thought of. That's a brilliant way to ensure you don't lose tempo. I'll definitely have to try that out. I'll give Doomsayers another shot =)
Charged Hammer is awesome. The extra two damage each turn from the hero power can help you finish off opponents or deliver the punch needed to clear a minion. Losing the totems isn't really an issue late game as you have no buffs for them. The weapon itself is pretty lame but it's useful against hunter and zoo as well as shaman totems. It's a very slow card but it fits well in a deck that is also very slow, guaranteeing value. One of the coolest things about it IMO is that getting it harrison'd isn't a huge deal and can sometimes be a benefit.
On a different note... I've been running Chromaggus as I subbed in a second Ancestral Knowledge. He's got a decent body and is very good if left on the board. However, if you can use him with knowledge, you can draw four cards at once (two copied ones). I've found this combo super useful and perhaps a better substitute for Nefarian as Nefarian can give you really useless cards but the cards from Chrom you'll always want. What do you think about this one?
Finally, how have you felt about Chillmaw? I own him and have used him in the past but have struggled to play him at the right times. Sorry for the huge post but I love control shaman and like to see others opinions on it too!
After playing much more of the deck i totally take back my thing about lacking damage. This is muuuch smoother curve than what i was using. I run Hallazeal, Emperor, Chillmaw, Ragnaros, Ysera, and Yogg and it's been working well enough. Took awhile to get used to the deck but now I'm sitting at a even 10-10 50% winrate, but it's going upwards, I feel this deck is perfect for relaxing between ladder grinds, because it wont drop you a ton of ranks and might even grab you a couple.
edit - Elise too, duhhh, and she is totally one of the MVPs
Dragons are really fun and also 5 win in a row at rank 3 is pretty nice againts all the cancer aggro decks and midrange hunters. Thanks for the deck dude
I've been a fan of dragon decks for as long as I've been able to play them lol. And i've only recently discvovered how much fun conrol shaman is, so it's cool to find this list so quickly, as it's close to what i had in mind anyway. Question, while I have Ysera and she's obviously better for control matches, what are your thoughts on Alex instead maybe?(or as well as) i find that i am lacking in damage more than anything else in most matchups
EDIT - I also don't have nefarian or any other big dragons besides Alex, Ysera, Chillmaw, and deathwing with the deathrattle.