[Fast Rank 5] N'Zoth's Dirty Little Secret
- Last updated Nov 7, 2016 (Yogg Nerf)
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Wild
- 15 Minions
- 13 Spells
- 2 Weapons
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Secret Paladin
- Crafting Cost: 12040
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 10/7/2016 (Yogg Nerf)
- NamOgel
- Registered User
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- 1
- 6
- 16
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Battle Tag:
N/A
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Region:
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Total Deck Rating
91
This is Nam Ogel, self-proclaimed deck architect, back with a unique deck that is dominating the ranked ladder this season. I reached Rank 5 by day 7, which is a personal best for me. During that time, I was on a non-stop win streak from Rank 15 to Rank 9.
I know this is not the first N'Zoth and Secret hybrid Paladin deck ever made, but it is probably the best! Try it out, and show the ladder that Uther still has what it takes to be tier 1!
Deck Update (11/7/16):
I am already Rank 6 this season with the current deck list. This continues to be a very flexible deck. Once you get used to piloting the deck, there are only two situations where you typically lose: You are either playing an aggro deck that has a fantastic start (such as Secret Hunter or Shaman), or you have a slow start against a Malygos Druid deck, and they are able to burst you down from high health.
Here are screenshots of me beating Brian Kibler to reach Rank 6 today:
Deck Update (10/21/16):
Since I reached Rank 5 early in the season, I spent most of the last two weeks experimenting with new deck ideas on the ranked ladder. Nothing was panning out as well as I'd like, so I am now focusing on refining this deck as much as I can. I quickly climbed from Rank 8 to Rank 4, and I will update everyone on how well I do by the end of the season. I also plan to get a matchup guide posted this weekend.
-1 Harvest Golem +1 Argent Horserider = Havest Golem is not really something we want to bring back with N'Zoth, and Argent Horserider is better for defending against aggro decks, or combining with Blessing of Kings for unexpected burst damage or a favorable trade. Plus, he is still a great minion for Redemption to bring back
-1 Aldor Peacekeeper +1 Wild Pyromancer = With all of the Shamans on ladder, I am finding that another board clear tool is more valuable than neutralizing a single big threat. Plus, this latest deck list almost guarantees great value from Barnes (worst minions to pull are Mysterious Challenger or n'Zoth).
Deck Update (10/20/16):
-1 Jeweled Scarab = never seemed to be that valuable, and wasn't really a card you wanted to hold in your starting hand against Aggro decks. Plus, removing him helps make Barnes more impactful.
-1 Aldor Peacekeeper = I think he was better before the Yogg nerf, when I saw more Flamewreathed Faceless and Midrange Hunters. Plus, removing him improves Barnes.
-1 Competitive Spirit = I never got a lot of value from this secret, as it would rarely trigger on more than 1 or 2 minions.
+1 Repentance = creates more tempo-swinging opportunities than Competitive Spirit
+1 Equality = helps keep the board clear and answer your opponent's big health minions.
+1 Cairne Bloodhoof = Helps control matchups and improves Barnes
Special thanks goes to Kalecio for inspiring my recent changes!
Card Choices
Redemption = basically the MVP of this deck. A solid turn 1 card if you can follow it up with Loot Hoarder or Harvest Golem. And if it triggers on one of your deathrattle minions, that will give your N'Zoth turn even more power. It is not unheard of to have a N'Zoth turn that brings back two copies of Tirion or Sylvanus. My main piece of advice is to avoid having it trigger on Silver Hand Recruits or Defender. Sometimes that may mean not using your hero power with your leftover mana.
Sacred Trial = this secret has worked so much better than I expected, as almost no one thinks to play around it. It's true that it may be a dead card against other control decks, but it helps against the board flooding aggro decks like Shaman and Zoo, which are some of your less favorable match-ups.
Jeweled Scarab = I used A Light in the Darkness in place of this card for quite a while, and I'm not sure which one I prefer. A Light in the Darkness can be very random, but also flexible to fill in our mana curve or provide a late game threat. Jeweled Scarab can give you a turn 3 card if played on turn 2, since you don't have many other 3 mana cards, but it also makes Barnes slightly worse.
Blessing of Kings = a very flexible card. You can buff one of your taunts to create a defensive wall for your opponent, you can buff one of your minions to give you unexpected lethal, or you can just use it to create a favorable trade on the board.
Psych-o-Tron = Overall, not am amazing card, which is why you rarely see him in constructed. I include him because he is great for redemption to trigger on, and you often need another strong defenisive card to help you survive the early and mid-game against aggro decks. He is also a strong minion for Barnes to pull.
Mysterious Challenger = not much to say about this card that hasn't already been said. It is probably OP, and will no doubt keep Paladins from getting any more good secrets in the next expansion. Don't be afraid to hold onto him in your mulligan if you know you are playing against a slow control deck. In control match-ups, he is key for creating mid-game pressure and cleaning up your future deck draws.
Noteworthy Exclusions
Secretkeeper = I see a lot of secret paladin decks that include this card as way to allow very aggressive opening turns. But in my experience, even if you get a strong opener with it, you will run into card draw problems if the game gets drawn out. Plus, the card is very weak in the mid to late game. Secret Paladin decks work best in the current standard meta if they have more of a slow midrange or control feel, and that doesn't align with how Secretkeeper is used.
Mulligan
Only play Redemption on turn 1 if you can follow it up with a Loot Hoarder or Harvest Golem
Against Aggro = Noble Sacrifice is a good card to play on turn 1
Against Zoo and Shaman = you might want to hold onto a Consecration
Against Control = Keep Mysterious Challenger, as you will want him to establish mid-game pressure and draw your remaining secrets out of your deck. If you have the coin and can save it to play Mysterious Challenger on turn 5, do it.
Match-ups
I will try to get a more detailed match-up guide up in the future. Honestly, the only deck type I lost to on a regular basis was Shaman, when I would get overpowered in the first few turns. And that shouldn't really be a surprise to anyone, as they are the overall strongest aggressive deck type right now. You probably couldn't create a deck that won most of its games against Shamans, and was also viable against the other ladder meta decks. This seems to be one of the most flexible Paladin decks I have played in a long time, and there seems to be very few bad match-ups.
Proof
This deck is tier 4
I think 2xRepentance is so much. I'm considering to change one for Harvest Golem.
*UPDATE* - Sitting at Rank 5 (62%) 37-23. I've had a bit of a rough time against warriors, and getting out-paced by aggro, but most of the time i can catch back up against the aggro. I'm going to attempt to take this thing to legend, if i have enough time to grind. I've tech'd in an eater of secrets in place of the psych-o-tron for the overwhelming amount of secret hunters (and the occasional freeze mage, which this is nuts against). I've also dropped the sacred trial for a forbidden healing. Otherwise, the rest of the build conforms.
Thanks for the solid build, friend. If i make it to legend with it, i'll let you know. Thanks again!
Peaked at rank 3. Don't think it's gonna happen, boys. Maybe next season.
Thanks for updating everyone with your progress last season! I personally only made it to Rank 4. But honestly, I was mostly experimenting with new deck ideas, and not really trying to get Legend (been Legend once, and I have little desire to make it there again). I think your tech options of Eater of Secrets and Forbidden Healing seem like solid choices, I'll have to try them out myself. I plan to use this deck to reach Rank 5 again this season, since it still seems very effective in the current meta.
No good in Legend (I realize what the title says). Too slow for Maly druid, even Maly rogue. Shaman just hexes Sylv and Tirion. Have done alright against Warriors but so far the deck is not really performing.
Awhile ago, the deck magically stopped working, then once I made these changes it magically gets me on yet another win streak. I still feel though that Competetive spirit fits in here. It really is worth it to have an extra Equality activator in the form of Wild Pyromancer. With this deck, it is possible to have up to 6 Tirion Fordrings in a game :) if your opponent doesn't have a brain.
this deck is really good, but i made some changes tho. got a decent winrate (39-21) from rank 12 to 5 and destroy almost all shamans, the only deck that gave me real troubles was secret hunter, but in general is a real decent deck.
+1Forbidden Healing -1Lay on Hands
+1Repentance -1Blessing of Kings
+1Equality -1Competitive Spirit
+1Solemn Vigil -1Jeweled Scarab
+1Ivory Knight -1Loot Hoarder
+2Wild Pyromancer -2Aldor Peacekeeper
-1 Jeweled Scarab
-1 Psych-o-Tron
+1Equality
+1Cairne Bloodhoof
Doing great with this deck, even against shamans
^This. It's working wow! Even defeated a Control Warrior!
I agree. Great suggestions! I haven't parted with Psych-o-Tron yet, but thanks for inspiring my recent deck update!
Title gave me cancer
I get 11 wins-6 losses with this deck in cn(from rank 13 to rank 11),but I replace 1x Sacred Trial with seal of champions.
Haha! Seriously?! You are the same guy who asked for proof for my last deck. Such a doubting Thomas. I don't use tracking software, because I play a lot of my games on my phone, but I'll try to post some screenshots later. You want proof of the potential of this deck, I suggest trying it out :-)
You using Wild Pyro with those two Equality?
This deck was a breeze from rank 20 to 10 picking up after a long break from hearthstone. Although... I made some changes. removed psych o tron for cairne bloodhoof. I removed jeweled scarab for another equality.
The redemption synergy with all of these deathrattles is insane if people do not play around it. turn 5 barnes -> tirion fordring -> redemption = instawin.
I have won a majority of these games without even playing N'Zoth. If I were to go into late game, my N'Zoth is empowered by redemptioned minions.
The decks I have the most problem fighting are any variant of midrange hunters and face warriors... but that is only out of my 5 losses.
Card I am considering:
Psych-o-tron to save me from aggro, one copy of forbidden healing to combat aggro/freeze mage.
This deck isn't completely easy to play, because sometimes your best option is to pray for barnes, or set it up so that people destroy your deathrattle first (which sometimes means not playing hero power).
Absolutely love this deck. I'll take it the rest of the way, although i think people will start to get smarter as to how to play around secrets.
Amazing deck!
Adjusted one card; -1 Aldor Peacekeeper, +1 Eater of Secrets, lost one battle at rank 18, currently at rank 10.
-1 Competitive Spirit
-2 Aldor
-1 Blessing of Kings
-1 Jeweled Scarab
-1 Psycho-o-Tron
+1 Repentance
+1 Equality
+2 Wild Pyromancer
+1 Harvest Golem
+1 Avian Watcher
For anti-aggro, removal, and barnes consistency (repentance is surprisingly synergistic with barnes' token). Psycho may still be better than Avian Watcher, just running it to see. Great deck, sir. +1!
FYI for anyone interested, it starts slacking off around rank 10-11, but still doing ok. Went ahead and put psycho-o-tron back in. GG! :) Still at a solid 60%!
*Update 2* Not enough early game. Getting destroyed by Zoo and Shaman at higher levels. Good deck for destroying Warriors though.
There's lots of stuff you could do. If you ask me, you shouldn't bother with the Forbidden Healing and just use another card that has synergy within the deck. You could also throw in a Blessing of Wisdom instead of the Competitive Spirit, which is an iffy card in this deck, although it has synergy with the deathrattles and Redemption spells. Polluted Hoarder is a deathrattle minion that draws a card as well, so it has synergy as well. I removed 1 Loot Hoarder and the Competitive Spirit for a Selfless Hero and a Blessing of Wisdom.
*Update* Wow, Sacred Trial is really doing some work in this deck for me. Really surprising. And I love it's animation, the laser that zaps the minion.