The New Standard: Aggro Paladin

Introduction

I know, Paladin again. However, this week’s Paladin is of the aggressive variety, and ya’ll know I can’t resist that. I have wanted to break down this deck since KFT dropped because it seems like a very good call for the current meta. While things may shift soon, I believe the core here (which I have experimented with multiple times) is strong enough to withstand any changes that may come. Hearthstone is all about adaptation, and this deck is a big experiment in that. I have played many different versions of Aggro Paly over the last few weeks, and this one (which is a little bigger than most builds) has the different tools needed to rise up through the ranks. Yes, it is heavily teched, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Key Cards

This section will explain certain key cards to the list as a whole.

Southsea Deckhand

Any seasoned Aggro Paladin player will know that Southsea Deckhand is one of the best tools for this deck. Not only does this card have some natural synergy that allows you to play Patches the Pirate, but it also gives you a strong finisher for the later stages of the game. Utility is key in Hearthstone, and that is exactly what this card offers. It is a cheap charge minion for when you need to apply pressure, but it also fantadtic with buffs. Deckhand plus Blessing of Kings or Spikeridged Steed is one of the best ways to get finishing damage when you don’t have access to Leeroy Jenkins, and you can also use those big burst plays when you just need to get a value trade to protect your board. Unlike most of your early plays, this is a card that will be good later on. Always prioritize your other early plays over the pirate if you can. Also note that this card gets crippled if you don’t have a weapon. There are many games where you want to hold onto a Rallying Blade or Truesilver Champion if you want to use this for burst. Keeping weapons equipped can also be a great way to increase your outs. If you have two southseas in your deck and you need charge to win a game make sure you have a weapon out to enhance your potential topdecks.

Meanstreet Marshal

Meanstreet Marshal is an interesting card that, while weaker some of your other one drops, has too much upside not to play. Yes, there are not a lot of ways to buff this up, but what makes the 1/2 so interesting is that it does not need a buff to get value. Removal bait is always going to be value in a small-minion, buff deck like this one, and the tuskarr baits all sorts of different spells. In fact, people will often kill the tuskarr over more resilient minions or ones with higher attack. That is important because this card is always going to force your opponent to react regardless of where you run it out. That makes it a strong tempo play even without the buff. Do not be afraid to play this alongside another minion that you want to protect.

It is also important to note that you should look for buffs where you can find them. This is by far the best target for Blessing of Kings, and you should always play it with a coined Acherus Veteran on turn one if possible. Once this card gets a buff it becomes a cheaper, more reliable Loot Hoarder. You do not need to go too far out of your way to make this card work. Just look at it as a strong tool in your belt of cheap minions. When it comes to buffs in this deck any body is as good as the next. Sure there are going to be slight differences, but pushing damage is all that matters. Everything else comes second.

Blessing of Kings

I believe that Blessing of Kings is one of the most important parts of this new build. Not only does it give you ways to stack up pressure, but it also helps you create removal-resistant bodies. One of Aggro Paladin’s biggest weakness has always been AOE or cheap clears. You run out a bunch of small threats, your opponent kills them and you go low on gas. Being able to just have a 5/5 or 6/6 on the board really messes up that math and helps you rise above cards like Swipe. Anticipation is key when piloting a deck like this one, and you need to be ready for what answers your opponent might have. Blessing can be a great way to cut off certain lines of play and acts as one of the best deterrents in the game.

This card, much like Spikeridged Steed, is something you want to play to as well as you can. Buffs are one of the best ways to go full on tempo and run your opponent down before they can get set. While pressure is always going to be your first priority in a build like this one, do not underestimate the power of efficient trades. One good buff target into a strong trade can instantly let you take over the board, which then takes over the game. Many current decks make a living off of the board, which is why I have stretched out the curve to include some bigger options. If you are up against things like Shaman, Pirate or Paladin you should always look for ways to put down a threat while also controlling the board. Blessing of Kings is the best way to make that happen.

Dread Corsair

This was one inclusion I took from the pre-KFT tempo lists, and while it is not original, Dread Corsair just has too much value to pass up. Not only are there numerous ways to get it to one or zero mana (you could also easily run a second Truesilver Champion to even increase its consistency) but you already run Patches the Pirate. You are an aggro deck, but this build is largely based off of multiple tempo plays that all come together to push through damage. Dread Corsair is one of the best ways to give your weapon extra punch. Plays like a turn four Truesilver Champion/kill a minion/Corsair/Patches are the type of swings you need to push ahead of decks like Aggro Druid and Pirate Warrior. That extra body on the board is worth a lot more than it may seem.

The flexibility of Dread Corsair makes it a card that you want to try to fill into your curve wherever you can. Being able to drop this down on turn three or four around your other plays is very strong. Not only is it another solid body, but you can use it to protect things like an un-buffed Meanstreet Marshal. You can also hold this in your hand at zero mana in order to get a free buff if your opponent keeps clearing your board. This pirate plus a Spikeridged Steed on turn six has won me a few games against faster decks that had the board. This card is so good that you should try to prioritize your weapons if you have it hand. Just having Rallying Blade equipped to play corsair for one mana next turn can be worth it.

Sunkeeper Tarim

We end our card discussion on the curve-topper. Sunkeeper Tarim may seem like an odd inclusion in any aggro deck (and he is) but he has so much utility and versatility that I could not justify cutting him. The 3/7 is not just strong against other aggro decks (though it can help you win a lot of games against Pirate and the like) but it also is one of your best finishers. The way you want to use the giant legendary is going to depend on the board state in front of you as well what type of deck you’re against. This card is a great way to win races because it presents you both with a strong wall as well as damage. Do not be afraid just to use this as a defensive tool, especially when fighting midrange builds. All it takes it one good trade to give you the board. You can then rebuild from there.

Going off of the idea of tempo, against slower decks you want to use Sunkeeper Tarim as your main finisher. Your whole deck is a mess of small resilient minions and value plays. That often means you are going to have a big board at different parts of the game. Sometimes it is just three small bodies, sometimes it is four or five. Regardless, being able to suddenly give everything on the side of your board three attack is invaluable. It is best to look at this card like Bloodlust in token Shaman. Always play to it when trying to assemble a finishing push and, since the buff does not go away, try not to shy away from just using it to get some extra threats your opponent has to deal with.

Matchups

Some of the most common matchups I see while playing ladder.

Jade Druid

Jade Druid will continue to be the best deck until the nerfs, and you want to prepare for it until then. This game is a tricky one, but it can fall extremely into your favor if you know how to stay ahead of your opponent. The new Druid decks are odd because, while they are inherently midrange in nature, they pack a ton of healing options. That is problematic because, unlike other midrange decks, once you lose the board you can get locked out by a timely Earthen Scales or Malfurion the Pestilent. Your charge is often not going to be enough in this game. You need to consistently hit your opponent over and over again to make sure they never get a chance to breathe. Board presence should be your main focus in this one.

Always look out for your opponents big swing cards. Swipe and Ultimate Infestation can both hurt, but Jade Behemoth can also lock you out of the game long enough for your opponent to get out range. Make proactive plays that anticipate those type of cards. If you think your opponent might have a big wall, use a buff to get a body. If you’re worried about Swipe, make sure your minions have more than one health. Also be careful about playing into Spreading Plague. The 1/5 taunts are going to hurt if you are not ready for them. In fact, this is so important that I would never try to have three minions unless you have big bodies or an weapon equipped.

Aggro Druid

Aggro Druid is strong now, and I expect it is going to become absolutely amazing once the Innervate nerf comes. The deck barely plays the spell as is, and without Jade Druid clogging up the top of the ladder it should be able to roll. This game is one where you need to leave the aggro behind and focus on tempo. Good trades are how you beat Aggro Druid, and being greedy will just leave you exposed. The rule of this matchup is to always have something down and never get too cocky. You never want to think you have a good hold on the board only to be staring down a lone Vicious Fledgling that you have no answer to. Trade aggressively and do what you can to limit your opponent’s buffs.

Your best tools in this game are your taunts. Not because they protect your face (though that certainly helps) but because they allow you to protect your board. Being able to put down a Dread Corsair or Righteous Defender in front of a big threat allows you to control the trades and keep your opponent at bay. You are going to win this matchup by setting up as many two for one trades as you can. If you can kill something with a 3/3 and then prevent your opponent from finishing it off with a Fire Fly or Patches the Pirate it will then challenge their next plan. Look for ways to build walls and keep things around.

Kazakus Priest

VS says Priest is the second most popular class in the game, and I believe them. I see quite a bit of Anduin on the ladder, and the Kazakus version packs a real punch. This game is going to be one of your most chess-like in that you need to try to find a way to bait out your opponent’s removal without giving them amazing targets. The classic example of this is playing around AOE by only having two or three threats out at one time. That way if your opponent does clear you can immediately refill. It is also important to try to resist Potion of Madness during the early turns as best you can. That means you should never play something like two 2/1’s if you can avoid it.

Barring a ton of charge, you are never going to be able to beat Shadowreaper Anduin. The DK not only comes with armor, but the two damage a turn is a nightmare to fight through (trust me, I’ve tried). As such, you have to know you’re on a clock in this one. You want to try to end the game around turn seven or be in a position to close the game out turn seven. The one note about Shadowreaper is that its battlecry almost always does nothing against you deck. That means your opponent is paying eight (eight!) mana to simply gain five armor and set up a likely win the following turn. Do not be afraid to get aggressive towards the later stages of this game, and always take the plays that are going to push through the most pressure possible.

Pirate Warrior

Pirate Warrior is a game that is going to play out much like the Aggro Druid matchup. That is, you want to spend all of your resources on controlling the board and then using that to get damage rather than just being aggressive. Unless you have a strong hand it is unlikely you are going to be able to take Garrosh in a race. Your taunt minions are extremely powerful here, and Sunkeeper Tarim/Spikeridged Steed are your two big finishers. However, (and I’ve mentioned this before) you don’t need to play your taunts right away. Your walls get better and better as the game goes on and you should try to play them against Arcanite Reaper/Leeroy Jenkins if you can. This also helps you in a race because it gives you a trump card should your opponent try to turn things into a damage match. Fight back against your opponent’s board as much as possible and once you have it you want to go hard at your opponent’s face. Not only will that force them to use their weapons on controlling the board (forcing them to take more damage and limiting yours) but it will also give you a chance to hold back your taunts for when you really need them.

Midrange Paladin

The final matchup here is going to feel a lot like a mirror match. Midrange Paladin has a distinctly different end-plan than you, but there early turns are just about board control and damage. You fight back against that as you would any other midrange deck, with board control and damage. As strong as Paladin’s first three or four turns can be, they start to sputter once they move into turns five and six if they don’t have minions. Take advantage of that and flood as much as possible during that time. Whatever happens you cannot let your opponent get to their end game ahead of you. Unless you have a gigantic board, you never want to let your opponent build into Spikeridged Steed, Sunkeeper Tarim, Bonemare or Tirion Fordring. All of those cards will lock your down in a hurry and they are just too difficult to fight through. You want to pace this game in your way where you are always pushing out more damage and your opponent has to come up with ways to answer it.

Mulligan Guide

Say it with me, one drops. One. Drops. You are an aggressive deck and that means you need to mulligan like one. Every game you want to search for Meanstreet Marshal, Righteous Defender, Acherus Veteran, Argent Squire, Fire Fly, Southsea Deckhand and Prince Keleseth. Only once you have those cards can you think about keeping other parts of your curve. If you have a one or two drop, you can then keep Rallying Blade and Wickerflame Burnbristle. Divine Favor is strong against any slow deck (Priest, Mage, ect.) and Dread Corsair is good with any early weapon. Finally, Defender of Argus is good with a curve against aggro, while Blessing of Kings and Truesilver Champion are both great on curve.

Conclusion

I know I always seem to gravitate back towards Aggro Paladin, but how could I not? There is a lot of good in this list and Jade Druid (one of the trickier matchups) is about to take a gigantic nosedive. Unlike most hyper-aggressive decks, this one has some staying power and can get big if needed. For those reasons, I believe it is has some real power. I will continue to play it up the ladder in the coming days, but I think my numbers and choices are where I want them. I hope you like it and, until next time, may you always play Keleseth on turn two.

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