Hearthstone Meta Check #3 Final Push for Top 100!

Meta Check is a new weekly series that we’re exploring. We share what decks Team HSP is currently and the meta that we each were up against.

Team HSP constantly strive for Top 100 Finishes each season (Lucky and Koroneko both made Top 100 in the June Season) and we’d like to share the knowledge and the decks that we use during our climb with you.

It’s now the final week of July and Team HSP are now gearing up and making the final push for Top 100 for the July to collect some sweet Blizzcoin points!

Be sure to check out our Monthly Meta Deck section to see what decks are being played and the guides for it!

Hoarth

We’re entering the final week of the July Season! What have you been playing the past week? What was the meta you’ve been experiencing? Highest Legend Rank reached?

The meta on NA feels very varied to me. It doesn’t seem like people are all playing the “strongest” decks so much as the ones they enjoy. I’ve been doing alot of experimenting with deck choices right now, exploring Duplicate Mage, Combo Druid, and Handlock. The highest I’ve been this Season is 17 with Patron. Patron blows out pretty much every other deck on power level, and is a force to be reckoned with.

The last few days of the Season can get volatile. What’s your strategy for hitting Top 100 this time around? Which decks will you be using?

My strategy for hitting Top 100 is to stay around the Top 100-200 in rankings and then make a final day push in the last 8 hours of the season. I plan on using Patron because it’s a deck that I feel like I can comfortably hold a 65%+ winrate!

Out of all the cards revealed so far for the new expansion: The Grand Tournament, which cards are you most excited for?

I want to be excited for Shaman, but I just can’t. It’s a class that I used to love playing, but is heavily underwhelming currently and I feel like that’s not going to change just quite yet. The 2 mana 3/4 seems really strong, but I feel like it may be held back by Overload. Overload in theory makes sense, get a little extra now, get a little less later, but the problem with it in Shaman is that it counteracts with the Shaman’s game plan: to draw a curve and hit strong drops early turn. Combining that with the weak draw ability of Shaman makes it really tough for Shaman to fulfill its game plan (drawing more cards allows you to more consistently hit your curve).

Besides Shaman, I’m really excited for Frost Giant, because I really like the giant mechanics.

Which ones do you think will have the least impact on the ladder?

Ball of Spiders seems terrible, that being said… Maybe it will be Patron all over again.

This is the second last season for those trying to get Blizz con points via Seasons/Top 100. What are some tips/suggestions for those trying to get Top 100?

Keep a level head, take breaks, play decks you’re confident in. If your concerned with getting your 2 points for the qualifier, grind tournaments. They’re a lot easier to get points from.

Kabi

We’re entering the final week of the July Season! What have you been playing the past week? What was the meta you’ve been experiencing? Highest Legend Rank reached?

Again Patron, this time on EU. I plan to use EU as cushion, since I’m still Top 10 on NA, I want to use EU to rank up, so when one ladder passes the other, I can switch and climb the other one instead, meaning even if I drop, I will have another one in the Top 50 by the end.

Meta has been about the same, highest rank was Legend #2 NA.

The last few days of the Season can get volatile. What’s your strategy for hitting Top 100 this time around? Which decks will you be using?

Patron! As I mentioned in the previous question, I aim for it to be cushion with EU, so I can climb both ladders. For example – if NA is Rank 30 Legend, I can play EU until I go over 30, then I go back to NA, and I play NA until I go past the EU rank. Rotating between them.

Out of all the cards revealed so far for the new expansion: The Grand Tournament, which cards are you most excited for?

I can’t choose between two things:

1. The rebirth of Shaman with the totem madness they released – Draenei Totemcarver and Thunder Bluff Valiant
2. Frost giant, that card alone could bring a lot of potential things in the future

Which ones do you think will have the least impact on the ladder?

Everything involving Inspire, sadly. Inspire means that unless you have Maiden of the Lake in board (and that means it survived), to get value of inspire, you need the card to survive a turn, or add 2 to the cost. Like Saraad, is a 4 mana creature (yeti), that gives you a random spell when you use your hero power… so you need 7 mana to get value, and it dies super easy, and the value is low.

This is the second last season for those trying to get Blizz con points via Seasons/Top 100. What are some tips/suggestions for those trying to get Top 100?

The reality is that the only way to climb, is to have enough winratio to go up more than you go down, and for the higher ranks, you need even more….

Keyo

We’re entering the final week of the July Season! What have you been playing the past week? What was the meta you’ve been experiencing? Highest Legend Rank reached?

I’m in rush mode trying to hit Legend so I’ve been playing a lot of Hybrid Hunter and Demon Handlock. Mostly Hybrid Hunter though as it is incredibly good for the late season climb to legend, not only is it fast, but it’s fairly consistent for an aggro deck.

The last few days of the Season can get volatile. What’s your strategy for hitting Top 100 this time around? Which decks will you be using?

As soon as I hit Legend, I’ll be playing standard Patron Warrior, the deck is just so strong for grinding and there’s no legitimate hard counter to it (yes handlock exists, and its a bad matchup for Patron, but its still winnable)

Out of all the cards revealed so far for the new expansion: The Grand Tournament, which cards are you most excited for?

Totem Golem, this card is going to put Shaman back on the map and im super excited to play it!

Which ones do you think will have the least impact on the ladder?

Kodorider, if you play it on 6, you only get value if your opponent has no board, and if you play it on 8, well… there’s a lot better things you can be doing on 8

This is the second last season for those trying to get Blizz con points via Seasons/Top 100. What are some tips/suggestions for those trying to get Top 100?

The best advice i can give is to stop if you start to tilt, it may seem like its necessary to keep playing, but trust me, decaying 20 ranks is much better than tilting your way down to the bottom of legend.

Lucky

We’re entering the final week of the July Season! What have you been playing the past week? What was the meta you’ve been experiencing? Highest Legend Rank reached?

I’ve been playing the following decks:

• Patron Warrior (same version as previous week) (Decklist)
• Hybrid Hunter (Decklist)
• Control Mage (Decklist)

Ladder meta breakdown:

• Warlock 21.5% (60% handlock)
• Hunter 21% (70% midrange)
• Warrior 19% (75% patron)
• Druid 13%

The last few days of the Season can get volatile. What’s your strategy for hitting Top 100 this time around? Which decks will you be using?

I haven’t decided yet, probably Patron Warrior or some kind of Control Warlock. It could also be Control Mage. We’ll see!

Out of all the cards revealed so far for the new expansion: The Grand Tournament, which cards are you most excited for?

I like the new Totem synergy in Shaman, since it might completely change how the class is played , also cards like “Totem Golem” or “Tuskarr Totemic” are very strong individually. In addition I would highlight “Lock and Load” Hunter card, seems very cool and powerful.

Which ones do you think will have the least impact on the ladder?

Ball of Spiders (way overpriced), “Lowly Squire” and “Kodorider“, but you never can be sure until the full set of cards is out.

This is the second last season for those trying to get Blizz con points via Seasons/Top 100. What are some tips/suggestions for those trying to get Top 100?

Choose a powerful deck which you can play at good level, then focus on playing it well as well as having fun. If you are good enough, ranks comes eventually. In any case, getting Top 100 might be hard for everyone, sometimes it’s simply not the right time.

Sixis

We’re entering the final week of the July Season! What have you been playing the past week? What was the meta you’ve been experiencing? Highest Legend Rank reached?

Trying a lot of Warlock builds to get a feel of whats better (current decklist). I’m also playing a good deal of Patron(same list as last week) and some Hybrid Hunter and Midrange Hunter (decklist).

The last few days of the Season can get volatile. What’s your strategy for hitting Top 100 this time around? Which decks will you be using?

I think I will be using Patron and Hunter. Maybe I’ll switch to Warlock or Paladin if I see an opportunity in the meta.

Out of all the cards revealed so far for the new expansion: The Grand Tournament, which cards are you most excited for?

Tuskarr Totemic and Frost Giant are my favourites so far

Which ones do you think will have the least impact on the ladder?

Lowly Squire and Ball of Spiders will not be played in constructed/ranked!

This is the second last season for those trying to get Blizz con points via Seasons/Top 100. What are some tips/suggestions for those trying to get Top 100?

Keep the same deck and dont change too much. Take rest every hour and a half at least. Basically the typical stuff to stay in a competitive mood!

Koroneko

We’re entering the final week of the July Season! What have you been playing the past week? What was the meta you’ve been experiencing? Highest Legend Rank reached?

Highest Legend rank is #11 NA. The deck used is Combo Druid (decklist)!

The last few days of the Season can get volatile. What’s your strategy for hitting Top 100 this time around? Which decks will you be using?

There will be a ton of Warriors and Zoos, so the best choice would be Ramp Druid or Midrange/Combo Druid. Those I don’t think will do well is Oil Rogue and Freeze Mage.

Out of all the cards revealed so far for the new expansion: The Grand Tournament, which cards are you most excited for?

Lock and Load is such a funny card! Makes me want to try Control Hunter.

Which ones do you think will have the least impact on the ladder?

Frost Giant, Lowly Squire, Ball of Spiders – such weak cards.

This is the second last season for those trying to get Blizz con points via Seasons/Top 100. What are some tips/suggestions for those trying to get Top 100?

Play Combo Druid or Midrange Hunter!

Next Week

Next week will mark the last day of the July Season. With the team busy grinding on the ladder, we will be skipping the Meta Check for July 31st. But don’t worry, we’ll still have something for Friday’s slot!

---