Legend with Face Warrior Deck

Introduction

This got a good amount of traction in r/CompetitiveHS, and I know how much you guys love beating Face Hunter and wacky, but competitive decks.

So, 2 days ago I reached legend for the first time with Mr. Yagut’s Face Warrior Deck, link –http://www.hearthstonetopdecks.com/decks/mryaguts-season-14-face-warrior/.

Tempo Mage and Control Warrior WILL beat you.

Proof: http://i.imgur.com/zhTwhHf.jpg

Stats: http://i.imgur.com/aTZETH6.png

Note: Yes, this destroys Hunters. Face Hunter and Hybrid stand almost no chance, Midrange is a little tougher. I thought Zoo and Pally would be tougher, because of their strength in getting board early, my winrates probably do not reflect the difficulty I had with Pally. However, my winrate vs Warlock is partly due to Handlock, which is an excellent matchup; I have killed every single one of them by turn 4-6.

The only change I made was a second Mortal Strike over one Arcanite Reaper. If I still had Leeroy, I would probably use him, instead.

Background: I have been playing since season 1 or 2, and peaked rank 1 3-stars at around season 3 or 4 with Backspace Rogue. I consider myself a good player, but I simply do not have the patience to grind out legend for the most part. I end up sitting between rank 3 and 1 most of the time.

What made it this time different?

I went from rank 4 to Legend in 41 games, 30-11, with a 73.2% winrate. I stopped a couple times at rank 2 to try a few different decks, but for no more than 4-5 games. The games are, on average, faster than Face Hunter.

What I really want to talk about, however, is the potential of certain off-meta decks.

For the record, I do not think this is a good deck. I think Face Hunter is a much better aggro deck, in having Explosive Trap and Unleash to defend against minions, Bow/Trap Engine, Hero Power, etc etc.

However, when matched against a Warrior in ranked who thinks they’re aggro? No one. It is most likely Patron, then Control.

Yes, I understand the fallacy of ‘it’s good if they don’t expect it’, but this is not an argument for the viability of face warrior, this is an argument for the viability of decks that play on assumptions.

I am fairly certain that in every single one of my games the opponent would have mulligan’d differently, had he or she known I was aggro. The only exception to this is when I was careless at higher ranks and re-queued instantly (especially after losing), and ran into the same guy.

Has anyone else had success with this deck or other such decks? Feel free to ask questions about how to play / mulligan this deck if curious.

Mulligans

Upgrade! – Only keep with War Axe

Abusive Sergeant – Only keep if going first and with no other 1-drop, or if you can see a viable curve 2 turn Play, e.g. having another 1-drop and buffing your T1 to push damage or trade with an Armoursmith.

Leper Gnome – Always keep, maybe toss one if you have both and you’re not on the coin. Depends on the rest of your hand.

Worgen Infiltrator – Always keep

Fiery War Axe – Always keep

Heroic Strike – Only keep vs Warrior. Fuck Armoursmith.

Bloodsail Raider – Only keep if I have coin War axe or no other two-drop.

Bluegill Warrior – Always toss, War Axe is better.

Cruel Taskmaster – Keep vs Hunter, otherwise toss.

Ironbeak Owl – Keep vs Warlock, unless they keep everything on the coin and you strongly suspect it’s Zoo (for that or other reasons). Keep vs Hunter always, trades evenly with all their 2-drops. Wouldn’t keep vs Mage, their secrets aren’t that good against you and I don’t like how vulnerable it is to ping, i.e. it’s too low impact.

Loot Hoarder – Keep unless it’s Mage and you feel like you need to play risky and get the War Axe.

Arcane Golem – Always toss, unless you are on the play and you are curved out perfectly, e.g. Leper Gnome into War Axe into Arcane Golem into Death’s Bite.

Wolfrider – Keep if you can curve into it.

Death’s Bite – Always keep if no War Axe. Always keep vs Paladin, Druid, Priest, Warlock, Warrior, Mage. If you have War Axe and a strong curve consider tossing vs Hunter, Shaman, Rogue. In the case of Rogue probably don’t do this though, the only scenario where I would consider it is on the coin with double Kor’kron and War Axe. You are probably keeping this for the most part.

Mortal Strike – Always toss.

Dread Corsair – Always keep with a weapon, otherwise toss.

Kor’kron Elite – Keep on the coin with another 4-drop and a 2-drop, otherwise toss.

Arcanite Reaper – Always toss.

Strategy

Try and curve out, protect your minions with weapons. Once a turn 4 or 5 comes around, start going face. This can obviously depend on the state of the board and the matchup, but this is the gist of it.

Sometimes, not spending the last Weapon charge is correct, mostly when you have a minion on board and you anticipate you will need to protect it or bust through a Taunt. Most of the time, you will want to use it in case you draw another weapon. The latter scenario is especially true when you’re desperately looking for lethal. Play to your outs, etc.

Playing Arcane Golem should be done with caution. Obviously past turns 7 it doesn’t really matter, but because games tend to end around then or before it requires looking at the class and knowing their turn breakpoints and seeing if you have the appropriate response. Playing it on 3 means you are ready for the Belcher. Playing it on 7 means you can survive Force + Savage.

To the Handlock guy: two games where I killed them on turn 4. Did I get lucky to kill them by then? Maybe. Did I get lucky to win? I don’t think so.

Game 1: http://imgur.com/hbTp2TR,vP6CZHP

Game 2: http://imgur.com/Z3J8j2r,ORzCSp6,i6wimG6