The New Standard: Pirate Warrior

Introduction

Yes, you read that title correctly! Today on The New Standard we are going to play Pirate Warrior in 2018. Not only is that a crazy sentence, but this could well be one of the strangest journeys we’ve ever embarked on. The deck was once the bane of ladder, and it went down as one of the most oppressive decks of all time. It has been a long while since that point, but there is still some power here if you know where to look for it. Today’s build is not my list, but it the only version of Pirate Warrior that has had any real success since Kobolds came out (still mourning the ol’ Fiery War Axe nerf). This deck takes all of the Pirate and weapon synergy goodness you know, and then blends it with some odd combos and card choices to give it a shot in a strong, and largely unforgiving, world.

Key Cards

N’zoth’s First Mate

N’zoth’s First Mate, like so many cards we discuss on this series, seems pretty straightforward at first glance. However, the unassuming one drop is one of the most important cards in this list, and it has a wide range of different applications. The biggest reason the 1/1 is so strong is because of the hook. You have a lot of weapon synergy here, but only run four in the double Fiery War Axe and double Arcanite Reaper. That can make getting a weapon tricky. The 1/3 is not as strong as some of your bigger beaters, but it does a lot of work. Controlling the early board is critical in aggro matchups, and the free weapon allows you to pick off smaller minions and build up threats when facing decks like Tempo Rogue or Paladin. Even three damage to the face over three turns can come in handy against slower decks.

Do not be afraid to go all-in on N’zoth’s First Mate. This deck does not run Upgrade! in favor of a more minion-based approach, but you still have access to Bloodsail Cultist. A 2/3 or 3/4 rusty hook goes a long way, and does a fine job of pushing your overall plan. It can be tempting to try and save your buffs for “good” weapons, but a lot of the time you just need something that can clear out the board or apply pressure. Even with one increase, the weapon is a free Hunter power every turn. That is fine in an aggressive build like this one. This also comes with the added bonus of pumping up Lesser Mithril Spellstone. The upgrade on that card can be very important, and you should always try to hit it when you can.

Dread Corsair

A big part of piloting Pirate Warrior is maximizing your damage. You have a lot of strong minions and good early plays, but sometimes it can be hard to get those to all come together. Mana is limited in this game, and it gets even tighter when you start to moving into turns three through five. As a result, Dread Corsair is one of the best cards in this deck when it comes to both tempo and board presence. Not only do you get a cheap pirate, but you get a cheap taunt body alongside a weapon. Tempo is a vastly underrated part of aggro decks. People see the word “aggro” and immediately think they need to only go face. However, while you want to prioritize damage, that is rarely going to be the case. Corsair is a perfect example of that, and shows one of the most subtle parts of piloting a deck like this. You aren’t playing the old Pirate builds where you just went attack, attack, attack. This one is a lot more minion focused, and you have to know how to lean on your board. Always look for situations where you can fit this card in for cheap. Mana conservation is always going to matter in decks like this, which means you need to take the discounts when they come. If you have a choice to run this out or play another threat, even if it is more mana efficient to drop corsair, you should wait on it.

Leeroy Jenkins/Arcanite Reaper

The number one goal of this deck is damage. You are going to be piloting a lot of different cards in a lot of different ways, but at the end of the day your goal is to kill your opponent as quickly as you possibly can. Leeroy Jenkins and Arcanite Reaper are your two out-of-hand finishers, and you want to play the game differently if you’re holding them. Normally, you can pace the game or look for value trades early on. You want to be aggressive, but your cards allow you to take the tempo route as well. However, if you’re pressing to Jenkins or a reaper, you want to become much more focused on maximizing your damage potential. These two cards will kill your opponent in a hurry, and you don’t want to get caught up in trying to play tempo when you should be pushing for face.

I wanted to pay special attention to Arcanite Reaper because it is one of the few cards in this list that allows you to go face and play tempo at the same time. Though it can be hard to see, damage is a form of tempo. For example, let’s say you’ve already got your opponent down to eighteen life on turn four and then you play Kor’kron Elite. While trading into a two or three drop can be a good way to get value, pushing at your opponent’s face also works because it forces them to react. They’re already under so much pressure that if they don’t immediately deal with your threat, they are likely going to die. Reaper works in that exact same way, but on a much broader scale. Simply hitting your opponent for five (and threatening five more the following turn) is a game swinging play that is instantly going to put any deck on the back foot. Understand that, and use the weapon to break open locked games or take priority against other fast decks.

Spiteful Summoner

Easily the most interesting inclusion into this build, Spiteful Summoner is a crazy “go big” tempo card that past pirate lists did not have access to. As you may have noticed, this deck only packs one spell in the double Lesser Mithril Spellstone. As such, the 4/4 is always going to net you a seven drop. Being able to generate that type of push in a hyper-aggressive build is great because it allows you to stretch out your threats and helps you play multiple styles should you need it. Unless you want to set up lethal with a weapon or a charge minion, you should always run this card out as soon as you can. It can also be a great way to get into games when you’re behind because, as a pirate deck, your opponent will respect damage. There have been quite a few times where I’ve run this out into a crowded board just to slow my opponent and take some pressure off.

Almost nobody, unless they are familiar with this build, is going to see Spiteful Summoner coming. There are many games where your opponent will liberally use removal because they are not worried about bigger threats coming down. Then, when you hit them with the 4/4 into a seven drop, they are going to have no answer. As your deck is incredibly fast, you only need one swing with a larger threat to close things out. This card serves a similar role as Bittertide Hydra did in past aggressive builds. However, it is better because even if your opponent has an answer to the seven drop, they typically won’t be able to deal with the 4/4. Four damage a turn is quite a bit here, and you’ll gladly take it whenever you can. Do not shy back from playing the six drop because you’re worried about removal.

Lesser Mithril Spellstone

Another interesting choice, Lesser Mithril Spellstone is a fantastic card that gives Pirate Warrior a different type of finisher than it’s used to. Yes, you still have the fast damage from Leeroy Jenkins and Arcanite Reaper, but now you also have a go-big style spell that, besides working naturally with Spiteful Summoner, enables you a way to instantly fill up the board with lethal damage. This is a great example of versatility because it means you aren’t locked out by healing or one taunt. In the past, Pirate could easily get outclassed moving into the later stages of the game. Mithril Spellstone greatly reduces that problem and, combined with Summoner, gives you a lot more oomph at the top of your curve. Always play to this if possible, and if you can make three 5/5’s, you almost always should.

This card is your Living Mana, which means you want to try to leverage it after your opponent burns key AOE or against decks that have no real access to AOE. Putting this down after a turn six Dragonfire Potion or against a Tempo Rogue can often win you the game on the spot. Just be careful about running it out when there is no need. Seven mana is a lot, and sometimes you would rather use those resources to build up damage. Also take note that for this card to be truly effective it needs to be upgraded. Equipping a weapon may not seem difficult to do, but it can be harder than it first seems, especially when you’re constantly trying to prioritize minions.

Deck Code

AAECAQcErwTyBZG8Ap ziAg0csAKRA44FqAXUBe4GgrACiLAC68 IC+9MCz+MC1+sCAA==

Matchups

The four decks I see the most while playing the ladder.

Razakus Priest

Though it is not your hardest matchup (we’ll get to that below) Priest is still tough for this deck. You want to go face, but Anduin has a lot of natural healing. To combat that you need to throw everything you have at your opponent and see what answers they can come up with. Sometimes they’re going to have that dream curve or be able to hit you with a few removal spells, but other times they are going to blank. When that happens, you need to push as hard as you possibly can to kill them before they reach turn eight. As long as you can consistently get in hits you should simply let Priest answer you. The only times you want to switch up and focus on the board is when you need to specifically protect a big threat that your opponent has no answer for or when you are trying to bait out a specific removal spell. Otherwise, go hard with everything you have.

Your biggest advantage is this game is that Priest has no idea what your plan is. Yes, they can adapt to your early pirates/weapon package, but they are never going to see things like Corridor Creeper, Prince Keleseth, or Lesser Mithril Spellstone coming. The spellstone is your best asset in this game because it allows you to flood the board on turn six, eat a Dragonfire Potion, and then instantly come back one turn before your opponent can Shadowreaper Anduin. There have been many games where my Priest opponent has simply had no answer to the slew of 5/5’s, leading to a pretty quick win. Beyond that, you should also try to set up with Summoner in a way where you have the board. The card creates a ton of problems for Priest. Not only do you get a 4/4 (which has always caused Anduin nightmares) but you also get a large threat that they need to have Shadow Word: Death for. Just remember, all your big bodies should go face. It may be tempting to get value, but Priest has you on a clock. Do damage as quickly as you can.

Cubelock

Priest is tough, but Cubelock is going to be public enemy number one. The Warlock deck not only comes packed with a whole slew of different healing options, but they also have Voidlords. Lots and lots of Voidlords. Spellbreaker does a fine job against the 3/9 in a pinch, but most of the time you want to end the game before that starts to come down. It may seem crazy to try and get that much damage in before Possessed Lackey, but Warlock loves to damage themselves. Position your curve in a way where your opponent either gets their one-two-three removal going, or they just crumble under the weight of consistent pressure and lifetaps.

The way this game is typically going to go is that you will get an early push, your opponent is going to respond or attempt to stabilize, and then you will have a small window to kill them. If you cannot finish them off in that window, the game is largely going to be over. This is the one matchup where everything should be pointed at your opponent’s face. There are fringe scenarios where you want to pace the board, but you really need to make good use or your mana and maximize damage. After turn one (which is pretty simple) you should try to plan your next three or four turns. That will help you understand the best way to use your resources, when to play weapons, and when to leverage your finishers. Try and hold back charge minions until after you run out your slower minions, and always go big when possible.

Tempo Rogue

It took a little while, but Tempo Rogue is back and swinging with everything they got. This deck plays in the same way they always have, which means they go hard onto the board and then rapidly build with strong or overstatted minions. However, you have a gigantic advantage in this one because, for all their bells and whistles, Rogue has nothing in the way of healing, and they only have limited taunts. Turn seven is going to be vitally important and, unless you have a Spellbreaker, you should always try to clear their board to shut down Bonemare. In addition, you also want to be aware of Saronite Chain Gang. The two taunts, especially when buffed by Prince Keleseth, can cause you a lot of grief if you aren’t ready for them.

You want to pace this game a bit differently than other matches because you need to work hard to build up your tempo. You may be an aggro build, but your new big finishers and slew of weapons means you can pace the game when needed. Push the board, advance your minions, and try to leverage strong early threats like N’zoth’s First Mate, Southsea Captain, and Dread Corsair. All three of those cards make it so you can take the early board while also furthering your bigger plans. Rogue builds off of their minion synergy, and without a good string of threats they will not be able to fully utilize their home run plays like Cobalt Scalebane or Vilespine Slayer. Damage is your best friend in this one. Press hard, and always go face when you have a window to do so. If you can keep Valeera’s health under constant pressure, then your opponent will never get a chance to play their plan. They will simply spend the entire match trying to answer you.

Aggro Paladin

Aggro Paladin has slipped quite a bit over the past two weeks, and that is great news for you. Righteous Protector and the increasingly popular additions of Blessing of Kings and Spikeridged Steed do not bode well for Pirate Warrior in any capacity. Your goal in this game is going to be much more like classic Pirate Warrior builds. You want to control the board as much as you can and allocate all of your resources into tempo plays until you can go over your opponent’s head. In the past, it often wasn’t enough to try to stall the game because Paladin would eventually get a leg up on you. However, now you have a strong top end that will take them down. Their only real answer to things like Spiteful Summoner or Lesser Mithril Spellstone is Sunkeeper Tarim, and it is a trick they can only do once. Leverage your weapons on the board and be ready for any Call to Arms shenanigans. As long as you have a strong board presence or a lot of pressure by turn five or six, you should be able to win the game. Once Paladin starts answering you, it is very unlikely they are going to comeback. Just watch out for their buffs. It may not be your first inclination to focus on your opponent’s plays, but it matters quite a bit in this matchup.

Mulligan Guide

This is a deck that comes with one of the more simpler mulligans due to how much it relies on a strong opening curve. You always want to look for N’zoth’s First Mate, Southsea Deckhand, Fire Fly, and Prince Keleseth. If you can get those early minions, or if you have the coin, you can also keep Fiery War Axe, Southsea Captain, Bloodsail Cultist, and Frothing Berserker. Dread Corsair is a good keep with Fiery War Axe, and you should always stick with Kor’kron Elite when you can curve into it. Spellbreaker should always be kept against Warlock, and Corridor Creeper is great with a strong opening against aggro.

Conclusion

Last week it was Aggro Shaman, now it’s Pirate Warrior. I don’t know if I’m purposely looking for old meta terrors (a tend I may well continue into next week), but it is fun to see how people adapt the ancient power houses to a new meta. This list plays a bit differently that the old pirate decks, and that makes it pretty cool in my book. If you want to get aggressive, or you just want some fast games that are also fun, try this one out. Until next week, arrrr.

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