Hearthpwn

Introduction:

Hello, my name is Schukala and you certainly don't know me. Which is besides the point anyway. I'd like to introduce you to my homebrew Anyfin Paladin deck, because it's both fun and efficient. 

Let's be clear from the start: this is NOT your average 'get Legend in x days' or 'xx % winrate' deck. It's just a deck I wanted to share because I have a lot of fun playing it, and it is efficient for my laddering. I have climbed from ranks 18 to 10 with this deck, which isn't impressive, but it's not that bad considering I don't play much.

I tried Anyfin Pala before MSG, of course, but with mixed results. I had several problems with it: difficult early game, and lots of reactive cards that either clogged my hand, or that I was forced to play too early, without benefits (and that I would sorely miss later on).

So when MSG came out, helped by the opening of Finja, the Flying star and tired of netdecking for 2 years (shame on me ^^), I tried to build a deck that would suit the new meta, and most of all, that would use a lot of proactive cards, that could be dropped anytime without any efficiency loss.

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Some choices explained:

Finja, the Flying Star:

I was quite mad to open her as my first MSG legendary, but then I thought I might as well try her in Anyfin Pala. And I must say.... she's way more powerful than I would have thought.

• Anyfin Pala needs draw, and she draws two cards. More importantly, two murlocs (who were most certainly hinding in the bottom of your deck)
• Even if she dies in the trade, her ability still triggers if she kills the other minion
• If she draws a Bluegill Warrior, you can trade with them straight away (because it's not an 'end-of-turn' effect)
• If she draws a Murloc Warleader, and the trade sets her health at exactly 0 hp, the health gain from the warleader actually causes her to survive with 1 hp (this is not theory, I've seen it myself)
• Some say she messes with your Anyfins. But she actually makes the first better (1 murloc more, and it has stealth) and if you play the second one the following turn, she'll still be there, stat-boosted, and ready to attack. Of course, don't play her if you already drew your 4 other murlocs... And in control match-ups, it is a good idea to not play her at all.
• It's incredibly rare to fail to use her ability whenever you play her. With the help of your weapons or spells, it's easy to have at least one target in lethal range. According to the match-up, it can be a good move to Equality the board before trading her. And an awesome move is to drop a Murloc Warleader just before the trade: not only will it boost her stats, but it'll summon at least one boosted Bluegill Warrior with charge.

All in all, I think it's a very, very good addition to Anyfin Pala.

The Pirate package:

The basic idea was to include Patches the Pirate, for the sole purpose of having a 29-card deck. In order to do that, I needed other Pirates to summon him from the deck. I also wanted to include one copy of Small-Time Recruits because it's a very cheap, very efficient card draw, so I needed other 1-drops with the Pirate tag. Hence the Bloodsail Corsairs.

It may seem strange to see a smattering of Pirates. But they have such a great synergy with the deck that its consistency improved drastically.

• They are all 1-drops. Which means they help the early game, and they will be drawn by Small-Time Recruits.
• If you draw a Bloodsail Corsair before Patches the Pirate, you also have the free Patches draw.
• The Bloodsail Corsairs are actually pretty useful against weapons, even though they only remove 1 durability.

Against non-weapon classes I don't hesitate to drop the corsairs as early as possible, but against weapon classes I usually keep them until they hit a weapon, even if it means drawing Patches too early.

The Dragon package:

Maybe 'package' is a bit big a word... as it's only The Curator and the Azure Drakes.

• The basic idea behind The Curator is, of course, to draw cards. Usually, two: a Murloc (which is always good, considering you want to play them all before turn 10) and a Dragon. There aren't any Beasts in this deck, simply because I couldn't find a spot. Oh, and the fact it's a 6 hp minion with Taunt doesn't hurt.
• Azure Drake seems a bit odd in this deck. But it offers so much in a single card. It's the very definition of a proactive card you can drop anytime (you don't care at all for the Spell Damage, believe me), it's a soft taunt, and obviously it draws a card.

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The Plan:

• Survive until turn 10
• Play all your Murlocs along the way
• Play a first Anyfin Can Happen
• Play a second Anyfin Can Happen
• Win the game

Of course, this is a very simplified version. Sometimes you can play your first Anyfin before having played all your minions, for example. Calculate the damage you'll be able to deal (there is no randomness in the first Anyfin, assuming you play it on a board of 2 minions or fewer) and don't hesitate to go all in if you're going to die anyway.

I wouldn't say it's a difficult deck to play (I play it, so anybody could ^^) but a little experience with it and OTK decks in general will help!

One of the most funny things about this deck is to imagine the face of my opponents during the game. They see Pirates, Murlocs, Dragons... sometimes I have a very aggressive early game, then drop a Mistress of Mixtures or two while I'm still at 30 hp... I really think some tend to misplay as long as they don't understand they are facing an Anyfin Pala.

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The Draw:

We have several cards that help us reach the very bottom of our deck. The nice thing is, few of them are just 'plain' card draw. Usually there is a body attached, and/or they can fish for specific cards.

More information in the 'Some Choices Explained' part of the article.

• Solemn Vigil: very straightforward, best played after a board clear, either with your spells or minions.
• Small-Time Recruits: unusual in an Anyfin deck, but a very good tool that draws 3 cards for 3 mana. On top of that, it will draw into your heal (Mistress of Mixtures) and/or Pirates. Even if it draws Patches the Pirate, or only 2 cards because you already drew your 1-drops, it's still awesome.
• Patches the Pirate: doesn't really draw himself, but is often drawn for free.
• Finja, the Flying Star: not only does she draw, she puts into play, which is awesome.
• Azure Drake: consistent draw and proactive minion.
• The Curator: helps you draw into your Murlocs, and usually, an Azure Drake, too.

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The Stalling Kit:

We have four stalling tools to help us reach turn 10: early game, board clears, damage mitigators, and heals.

Early Game:

Easy, there are 5 1-drops and 2 2-drops. That's a lot for a control deck (it's not a control deck per se, but only because of the win condition). And don't forget your unlimited supply of 2-drop Silver Hand Recruits.

Board Clears:

They should be used sensibly, because there are only two of them, and they are combos: the ever famous, 6 mana Equality + Consecration.

Don't hesitate to trade your minions into they Deathrattles before clearing for a maximum impact. Especially, you'll want to kill Aya Blackpaw beforehand in order to clear the summoned Jade Golem, too.

Damage Mitigators:

• Aldor Peacekeeper: a staple in most Paladin decks, it's incredibly useful to transform a menacing minion into a harmless pup. It's very, very good in a Jade Golem meta. Using them sensibly wins or loses games: too early and you'll face unanswerable threats in the late game; too late and you're dead.
• The Curator: 4/6 Taunt, needs to be answered.
• Tirion Fordring: 6/6 Taunt with Divine Shield, I think you know the guy. Ashbringer also helps deal with minions that could become problematic.
• Bloodsail Corsair (in weapon match-ups): awesome in Pirate Warrior, but comes in handy against Shamans and Rogues. I'm sure they would be great against Paladins and Hunters as well, but I've not been facing much of them. Don't wait for Atiesh or Lord Jaraxxus' weapon, by the way.

Healing:

• Mistress of Mixtures: the dream card for this kind of decks. Helps the early game with a solid 1-drop, then provides some heal. She's the reason why the Small-Time Recruits is part of the deck, and indirectly, the Pirate Package, too.
• Truesilver Champion: it's not really here for the heal, rather for the board control. But small though it might seem, it's often welcome.
• Ivory Knight: I often chose the card that heals the most, because turn 6 can be a critical time. But anyway it's very rare not to get a valuable card in the discovery: another Equality (better than Consecration as a stand alone), Enter the Coliseum, or of course, the dream card: a third Anyfin Can Happen.
• Ragnaros, Lightlord: turns games by itself. Heals face for 8 hp and then demands an immediate answer. Just take care not to injure your own minions the turn you play it...
• Forbidden Healing: excellent as a 1-of, it wins games against aggro. It helps to know the meta and the threats of your opponent: sometimes, just healing for 4 is what it takes to get out of (potential) lethal range. I like to have one in the deck, because it's not the best choice out of Ivory Knight due to the zero healing from the Discovery.

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Cards that didn't make the cut:

Acolyte of Pain: usually, a 3-mana-draw-1 card. I don't think the deck needs more card draw. But what really eliminates it is the milling potential, as you can't predict how your opponent will react, you can't afford to NOT play it if it leaves 7 cards in your hand, and more importantly, you REALLY don't want to destroy an Anyfin Can Happen. Important note: if you burn a murloc because your hand is too full, it will NOT be counted as dead and won't be summoned your Anyfins.

Loot Hoarder: better than the Acolyte in my opinion, but still discarded because I don't like Deathrattle draw, and I needed room for the Small-Time Recruits synergy.

Wild Pyromancer: the advantage is giving an alternate board clear (with him and Equality). The drawback is him sitting in your hand until you draw your Equality. Simply put, there are way too few spells in this deck.

Doomsayer: I don't like this card in Anyfin Pala. Basically it heals for 7 hp, and I don't feel I need more heal. I'd rather have some real early game.

Keeper of Uldaman: now, this is an awesome card. But I eventually cut it off though. It's too reactive and I like the Aldor Peacekeeper a tad better.

Barnes: another card that would be great in my opinion, if only for the chances of pulling a mini Tirion Fordring, Ragnaros, Lightlord, or any Murloc, actually. But there are also a lot of useless outcomes, so out he goes :'(

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Cards that could be contemplated:

Any of the above, if you feel your efficiency improves! Or any you can think of. Below is a list of some ideas I had, but couldn't test because I don't have the card.

I think it's difficult to replace just one card in this deck, so if you want to make replacements, maybe the better way is to ditch either the Dragon package or the Pirate package (or both).

Dirty Rat: it's good against both aggro (solid taunt) and Reno (Reno Jackson and Kazakus, just to mention those two, are more pleasant fellows without their Battlecries). Be prepared to pull out a Ragnaros the Firelord, though. Still, I think it could perform well, let me know!

Wickerflame Burnbristle: the question is, is he worth the spot if he's not buffed? The taunt/divine shield combo is great against aggro. He'll normally heal you for 4 hp, and prevent as much damage (so he'll heal you for 8 hp, in a way). But aggro match-ups are often good match-ups, so I'm not sure I want to improve those odds, and make Reno match-ups more difficult.

Enter the Coliseum: it's often a card I like to Discover from Ivory Knight, because it heals for 5 hp and is a semi-board clear all by itself. I'm not sure I want to include it directly in the deck though, especially because I don't know what to take out for it. But feel free to experiment!

Stampeding Kodo or any Beast for The Curator synergy. Here of course I have the card ;) But I feel it would be awkward and would hurt the general deck consistency.

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Mulligan:

Of course, there is no fixed rule, but there's an idea.

I always keep (higher on the list, higher priority):

• Mistress of Mixtures
• Bloodsail Corsair (even in non-weapon match-ups)
• Bluegill Warrior
• Murloc Warleader
• Small-Time Recruits (ok, maybe not with 3 one-drops)
• Truesilver Champion

I always replace:

• Patches the Pirate (I want to summon him for free from the deck)
• Any card that costs 5 or more, except sometimes Finja, the Flying Star)

According to the match-up:

• I like to have one copy of Aldor Peacekeeper, especially against Shaman (Flamewreathed Faceless) and Druid (can ramp dangerous cards quickly)
• I sometimes keep Finja, the Flying Star with The Coin especially if I have no other murloc in my hand.
• I don't like to keep both Equality and Consecration in my opening hand, but it can be a good idea if you have The Coin, your other cards are cheap, and you suspect you'll need the combo on turn 5 or 6.

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Match-Ups:

Very often, the key to victory is to know when to heal, when to clear the board, and when to take damage. If you spend too many tools in the early game to avoid damage, you'll take huge chunks of them in the late game. Make every card count!

One thing I like about this deck is that no game is ever lost before the start. There are very good match-ups, there are less good match-ups, but there are no unwinnable match-ups (in this meta anyawy).

Druid:

• Jade Druid: put the pressure early to have them as early as possible within Anyfin lethal range. The big problem will be their taunts. Try to kill them without using your spells and your Aldor Peacekeepers, in order to save them for big Jade Golem boards. Try to have a board to deal with their Fandral Staghelm, as the 5 hp are out of reach for your Truesilver Champion. It can be a problematic match-up if they draw a lot.
• Combo Druid (Kun the Forgotten King + Aviana): basically, the first to combo wins. If you meet lots of those (I didn't), it can be a good idea to tech in a Dirty Rat or two.

Hunter:

• Midrange Hunter: keep Aldor Peacekeepers for their Savannah Highmanes. You have plenty of cheap minions to play around their traps and the Bloodsail Corsairs to deal with their Eaglehorn Bows.

Mage:

• Reno Mage: didn't meet enough to tell precisely, but most strategies used against Reno Priest and Renolock should help here, too. Beware of Ice Block, it's one of your worst enemies as it will be followed by Reno Jackson.
• Tempo Mage: awful match-up. You have plenty of ways to deal with dangerous minions, but Tempo Mages rely on spells and will burn you down in no time. Hope for a great early game and well-timed heals. Sometimes, the best way to deal with Ragnaros the Firelord is just to ignore him and play plenty of cheap minions, but it will backfire painfully if you opponent can clear them all (which Tempo Mages usually do).

Paladin:

• Anyfin Pala: try to be the one who plays the second Anyfin. There isn't much else to say...

Priest:

This match-up can be really difficult depending on RNG. Priests have a lot of ways to play your cards, and some can be tough to face. Ragnaros, Lightlord, Tirion Fordring, and worse, Anyfin Can Happen are all cards you don't want him to play against you!

• Reno Priest: just don't waste your Anyfins (especially your second one). Reno Jackson and Kazakus are your main enemies. Make sure to kill them as soon as possible (nobody plays Youthful Brewmaster, but you never know...) and kill Brann Bronzebeard on sight. If he's not too lucky, you have a fair chance, as he can't both Reno and board clear in the same turn (unless he played Emperor Thaurissian beforehand).
• Dragon Priest: I'm not sure I faced pure Dragon Priests, most are Reno Dragon. It's just that this deck runs one of your worst enemies: Drakonid Operative. The chances he'll Discover an Anyfin Can Happen are huge. Before playing your first one, make sure you have the second in your hand, and try to be at high health with a taunt on board... anyway he's the favorite here. Fun fact: your Azure Drakes will survive his Dragonfire Potions (obviously^^).

Rogue:

• Miracle Rogue: I didn't face any but I suspect it'll be as difficult as tempo mage. Keep an Aldor Peacekeeper for Edwin VanCleef, the other can be used on a Tomb Pillager. Don't waste your Truesilver Champions as they are incredibly useful against Gadgetzan Auctioneers and Azure Drakes.
• Jade Rogue: it's difficult to contest the board against a swarm of little minions. Make your board clears count.

Shaman:

• Midrange Shaman: it's not as scary as it used to be. Try to keep a board clear for each Thunder Bluff Valiant. Your first Anyfin can also help clear the board. Aldor Peacekeepers are best used against Fire Elementals or Thing from Below. Bloodsail Corsairs help deal with the very annoying Spirit Claw. Watch out for their own board clears and you should be fine.
• Face Shaman: it's a deck that will often be too fast for you. Don't try to plan several turns ahead, survival is your only goal.
• Control/N'Zoth Shaman: another difficult match-up, as they run tons of heal, board clears, and taunts. Hope for a lucky Anyfin window...

Warlock:

• Renolock: same advice as Reno Priest. Be careful though because they can both heal and clear with Reno Jackson + Shadowflame. Beware of Abyssal Enforcer and Hellfire, but the good news is Lord Jaraxxus will be a dead card in their hand. I think that's the match-up I played most, and it's very open, but I think we are slightly favored.
• Zoolock: another good match-up, make your board clears count and always beware of burst and you should be fine. Don't hesitate to over-extend as they don't run board clears.

Warrior:

• Pirate Warrior: you are very favored. They don't run high attack minions (unless you let a Frothing Berserker run amok) so you can Aldor cards like Kor'kon Elite happily. Trim their board with Truesilver Champion and your early game minions, then clear it with your combo. Use your heal to stay out of lethal range and don't drop them below 13 hp unless you kill them if you're not way out of Mortal Strike range. Make your Bloodsail Corsairs count and don't waste them on 1-attack weapons. A Fiery War Axe turn 1 or 2 is a good target though as it protects your board and summons Patches the Pirate early.
• Control Warrior: it's a good match-up if you can get rid of their biggest threats (Ragnaros the Firelord is really a nuisance). Try to make him play at least oneBrawl outside of your Anyfins.

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Anyfin Damage Table:

For those who are allergic to math, here are all the possible outcomes for your Anyfin Can Happen, assuming you played all your murlocs before the first, and assuming you play it on an empty board. If you run a list withBarnes, and he pulls a murloc, you can ditch the table, too.

I'm only considering Charge damage, because that's the only type that actually matters. Your board will be wiped anyway ;)

The First Anyfin:

Under those circumstances, it will always deal 12 charge damage (1x Finja, the Flying Star + 2x Murloc Warleader + 2x Bluegill Warrior).

The second Anyfin:

2x Finja, the Flying Star + 4x Murloc Warleader + 1x Bluegill Warrior = 10 damage
2x Finja, the Flying Star + 3x Murloc Warleader + 2x Bluegill Warrior = 16 damage
2x Finja, the Flying Star + 2x Murloc Warleader + 3x Bluegill Warrior = 18 damage
2x Finja, the Flying Star + 1x Murloc Warleader + 4x Bluegill Warrior = 16 damage

1x Finja, the Flying Star + 4x Murloc Warleader + 2x Bluegill Warrior = 20 damage
1x Finja, the Flying Star + 3x Murloc Warleader + 3x Bluegill Warrior = 24 damage
1x Finja, the Flying Star + 2x Murloc Warleader + 4x Bluegill Warrior = 24 damage

4x Murloc Warleader + 3x Bluegill Warrior = 30 damage
3x Murloc Warleader + 4x Bluegill Warrior = 32 damage

So yes, Finja does mess with the second Anyfin (that's why you should absolutely not play her if you already drew all your other murlocs) but she's the one that often allows you to draw them in the first place, and the deck generally allows you to put the opponent within lethal range even with a Finja comeback or two.

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Conclusion:

Thanks for reading and don't hesistate to ask any question in the comments, I'll do my best to answer them all, and maybe update the guide if some of them appear reccurently. Have fun!