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The advent of the pernicious Face Hunter has caused a long period of vicissitude and suffering for the Shaman class, to a point that it is barley a vestige anymore. Mech Shaman has been the only viable archetype to play but with two
Fel Reavers, much of the fun in playing the deck is taken away from it. Unlike Mech Shaman, Orange’s Reincarnation Shaman brings back many of the elements that make Shaman enjoyable to play and in this article I will highlight some of the key features this deck has to offer, while also explaining how to play it.
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How to Play:
The narrative of this deck is that it tries to garner value from low costed minions in the early game to then transition into a mid-late game with “stickier,” stronger, minions to finish the opponent off with.
Early Game: Shaman’s do not have a solid early game minion and because of that they are hamstrung to the
Zombie Chow (until the release of The Argent Tournament). Zombie Chow,
Haunted Creeper,
Nerubian Egg and
Feral Spirit are the lifeblood for Shamans in the early game, especially if matched up against an aggressive deck. They are meant to control the board early and trade up with the assistance of cards like the
Flametongue Totem,
Rockbiter Weapon,
Dark Iron Dwarf, and
Defender of Argus.
Mid-late Game: If all goes well in the early game, then you should be able to drop an unremitting stream of “sticky” minions that all do something to affect the board. This is where the game gets really fun, as you will be able to effectively use Reincarnate on cards like
Sylvanas Windrunner and
Sneed’s Old Shredder to obtain optimal value! Hopefully, you have saved your
Earth Shock’s, as they will assist in getting through big walls and taking down big threats. DO NOT waste Reincarnate on a Nerubian Egg unless you’re going up against aggro, Reincarnate is a crucial tempo swing card and should only be used in a mid-late game scenario.
Mulligan Phase:Against Aggro: Zombie Chow is this decks saving grace, it is essentially your only hope against Face Hunter and even with two of them you probably don’t stand a chance. The Haunted Creeper is a minion clearing machine and the Rockbiter Weapon is good for removal, and both are excellent selections against aggro. Feral Spirit is the only other card I would mulligan hard for as it can instantly stymie aggression, putting up a massive wall on turn-3.
Against Midrang/Control: You can be a little greedier against slower archetypes by taking advantage of the hero power. Still mulligan hard for the Zombie Chow, it is a useless card later in the game, actually hurting the chances of victory against fast decks. I would still aforementioned cards listed because they are an excellent source for controlling the board early. The only other card that it’s excluded, that you should look for, is the Nerubian Egg; a card that prevents AoE wipes and that can be buffed up with a plethora of cards within the deck.
Card Synergies and Combinations: ![]()
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- Flametongue Totem + Any Minion or Totem: The Flametongue Totem is one of the most valuable cards within this deck and cannot be frivolously wasted. Do your best to preserve it as it is great for popping eggs and providing additional damage, which is crucial in the early-midgame stages.
- Reincarnate + Sylvanas or Sneed’s: These are the two main cards you’ll want to Reincarnate when going up against midrange/control archetypes. Getting optimal value off Sylvanas can be tricky sometimes and often times waiting it out is the best method to ensure you get your money’s worth.
Additional Notes:
Overall, this deck isn’t going to win any awards for efficiency; it loses hard to aggro and can struggle against control. It is a fun deck to play around with, especially with TGT just on the horizon. Learning to play Shaman efficiently before the expansion could be a rewarding experience with a possible buff to the class. Orange is the architect of this deck and if you want to check out more of his stuff you can see him on his twitch page at:
http://www.twitch.tv/orange_hs. As always, if you have any questions or comments, make sure to leave them below!
