Scalise’s Sessions: Reno Mage

According to statistics, if you’re into that sort of thing, Reno Mage has one of the best win rates around. However, what I find the most off about that stat is that it seems like almost nobody plays it. Sure, you get a bunch of people who hit Legend with it each month, but I don’t really encounter the deck on ladder. In fact, it is one of my least faced matchups. As a result, I wanted to bring it out of the shadows and into the light. Reno Mage is one of those extremely powerful, hard-to-play decks that can give you a difficult time if you don’t know how to pace a game and use removal. However, if you understand how to take things slow and pace yourself it can be one of the most rewarding (and fun) decks in the game.

The Deck

There are many (many, many, many) different Reno Mage builds. However, each of them comes with a very stable core, and that’s where you want to focus. This list, which has been popular since Dog first played it, is probably the strongest version around. You have good value cards all throughout the curve and a ton of strong ways to stay alive. Many Reno decks suffer from a lack of strong plays during the mid-game, but this list solves that problem by always giving you something proactive to do at all different stages. Your goal as a Reno Mage is to go long, and this deck only has removal and value plays. You really don’t need anything else.

Early Game

Kill! The start of this game is all about controlling the board. This goes for any deck you are up against because, as a Reno list, you want to push for the later turns. If you allow your opponent to get a foothold that you cannot deal with it is going to be very hard to come back. In the reverse, if you can shut down your opponent’s push just for a turn or two you are going to have a gigantic advantage moving into the middle game.

All you care about here is removal. That comes in the form of both spells (direct damage) and minions (through trading). Most of the decks running around the ladder depend on getting some massive value (or damage) from their first one or two turns. If you can push that back you should be able to buy yourself a lot of extra time, which is all you care about here. When facing an aggressive deck do not worry about abilities. Just work to get bodies on board and then use those to trade.

You want to use these early turns to sew the seeds for you end game. It can be hard to see how to put it all together right away, but you typically want to limit your damage as much as possible and play Ice Block. The secret is an awkward card to use because you either need to get it down early or very late. Locking up a middle turn to play it isn’t going to be optimal unless you are facing control and even then you are going to have better things to do. If you have a turn three where you don’t need to immediately take something down or where your opponent had a weak turn, set it up to save the mana later on.

Middle Game

One of the more interesting parts of Reno Mage (and one of the things that makes it so strong) is that you have a strong curve in addition to all of your removal and big finishers. There are not too many holes in your curves, and that means, unlike most control decks, you actually have a powerful plan for the middle game. Understand this and look for ways to use your efficient removal to actually get ahead on board during these turns. While you aren’t often going to be able to use that for lethal, it will help when you shift when you need to go big.

Any minion, from Azure Drake to Water Elemental to Sylvanas Windrunner, matters here. It is very easy to get caught up in “value” but you have to understand that bodies are often worth a lot. Unless you need to specifically save cards for a certain situation (such as Mind Control Tech against Shaman)  you typically want to contest the board. This will force your opponent to use resources, which then extends the game.

Going off of that note, Emperor Thaurissan is extremely strong in this build because he is an amazing tempo play. There is not one deck in the game that is going to let the 5/5 live for a turn unless they have lethal, which means if you ever put him down while you’re ahead or on an empty board your opponent is going to be in a bad spot. They will have to burn their turn six or seven taking care of your 5/5, which keeps you in priority and also allows you to get value (the discount) while they lose cards.

Playing to Reno Jackson is also very important. If you have the card in hand you have a lot of more leeway, especially if you also have an Ice Block up. Getting to the explorer is the way you beat aggro decks, and using it at the right times against control is very important as well. Always count your opponent’s potential damage, but don’t get antsy. You want to always pull the trigger on the six drop at the very last second.

Late Game

This is where you want every game to be. You have a ton of powerful late game threats, and all of them can take. Alextrasza plus burn is always strong, and cards like Kazakus‘ potions and Archmage Antonidas will shut a lot of popular lists down. If you can make it to this stage you should be able to go toe-to-toe with just about anyone.

The number one rule of these turns (and of this deck) is be patient. Yes, you do want minions during the middle turns, but once you transition into the end game you want to bait your opponent and take things slow. Pacing is very key to that plan. Only use your AOE when you really have to and try and save your hard removal for premium targets. For instance, if you don’t need extra mana, you should use Forbidden Flame on a big threat over Polymorph because the extra mana is going to be invaluable later on. In addition, if you have Ice Block or Reno Jackson do not be afraid to take some damage to get your opponent to play into AOE.

Going off of that, when you make it to the end of the game you always want to think about your damage and work hard to set up lethal. Though this deck is nowhere close to Freeze Mage, it ends games in largely the same way. Alexstrasza instantly puts you in control of a game, while Archmage Antonidas plus some other burn can quickly take people to zero. There is not a lot of healing in the current meta. Recognize that and do not be afraid to start slinging spells to set up two turn kills.

Matchups

A breakdown of the decks I see the most on the ladder.

Miracle Rogue

Miracle Rogue is about a 50/50 matchup that can be slightly tilted in their favor if you don’t get a good draw. The way you win this game is by making use of your healing plays and setting up Ice Block. As always, the rule of when facing down Valeera is to never let her keep any big bodies around for more than a turn. Rogues only have so much damage and if you force them to use their burn to pop your secret right before you Reno Jackson they will just run out of ways to kill you. This game is largely going to be one of attrition where you work hard to grind your opponent down as much as possible until you have a threat they cannot answer.

You also need to save your AOE for Conceal plays. The one mana spell has become increasingly popular over the past month and if you don’t have a response the game can quickly spiral out of control. On that same note, you need to save all of your big removal spells in this one. Every Rogue against you is going to go big with Edwin Vancleef at some point, and many decks also will try and put together a huge Questing Adventurer. While taking a hit from those cards will not always lose you the game, it will put you behind in priority, which is just not where you want to be against a Rogue.

Aggro Shaman

While most of the time Pirate (see below) is better against slower decks than Shaman, that is the opposite here. The reason is that Shaman has a ton of strong minions that can all give you a lot of problems. If you can stall their early push it will be helpful, but all that does it stop you from being run over. It does not win you the game. Rather, once you get ahead it is important to limit damage and play hard to your removal. Spot removal is very good against Shaman, but AOE is really the big winner here. Do not be afraid to sell your hand by using Blizzard or Frostbolt to set up a clear the next turn. Shaman doesn’t have any way besides their totem to heal up, and they usually cannot afford to just sit back to much against AOE.

Even if you can whittle Shaman down, they will just switch to the Jade Golem package. That means you need to start to get aggressive at some point in the game. This will put your opponent on the clock and force them to react to you. When Shaman is ahead their burn is very strong and can set up their other threats. However, when they are behind and using burn on the board they will quickly run out of resources. The best way to set up the finishing blow is by setting up a big threat against one of their smaller minions. This window is not going to come easy, but if you can recognize it you should be able to win. Look for their weak turns where they have nothing or play a turn nine Tunnel Trogg. If they are pushing hard and you cannot get the board, setting up damage through an Ice Block or Reno Jackson can also be very strong.

Pirate Warrior

When I first started playing Reno Mage I thought Pirate was a very difficult matchup. However, as time has gone on I believe that Reno Mage undoubtedly has the advantage. Though things can be very tricky with a slow draw, the game is almost always over once you get to Reno Jackson, and you can do that much easier than you think. Drawing cards and killing minions are all that matters here. For that reason, this is the one matchup where you need to completely ignore all of the text on your cards and just look at the numbers. You need to do something every single turn to stop Pirate’s early push, and just playing bodies will both contest their plays and buy you time. Every turn you live is another turn towards a big heal. Do not forget that. It won’t matter how cool your Brann combo is if you’re dead on turn four.

Reno is so important in this matchup that you are going to have some tough early choices where you are going to need to do something proactive or draw. Though killing off threats is very important, it won’t matter if you don’t have healing because Pirate will eventually draw enough weapons to kill you. You need to get to the explorer. For this reason, if you can take a hit or two to get more cards in your hand you should. Kazakus is essential for this reason because he can clear the board, give you armor and help you draw. You should also look to stall your opponent by giving them ways to eat your minions or locking them down. For example, using a Frostbolt on your opponent’s face to stop a turn five Arcanite Reaper to then get you to turn six can be the difference between a win and a loss.

Renolock

This is perhaps one of your best matchups, as long as you know how to play it. This is a game that is going to go long, and you win it by burning down your opponent in one single hit. Renolock loves to react to their opponent’s plays, and you need to stop that by killing them before they can ever actually put some healing together. You either do not want to use burn during this matchup, or you need to get enough Fireballs with Archmage Antonidas that you can kill your opponent in one go. Either way, you should never use Frostbolt on the board in this game unless you absolutely need it to not die. The extra three damage for two mana is very good and blends with two Fireballs to kill Lord Jaraxxus (which is essential). Never worry in this matchup. Your opponent is going to have very little ways to push against you, and even if they try and stay up at a high life total you can just make sure they draw more than you and burst them down in fatigue. This is especially true if you happen to have an Ice Block equipped and ready to go.

Dragon Priest

Dragon Priest is probably your hardest matchup around. The reason being that, not only do they have a ton of high-health, hard-to-kill minions, but this game is going to go to fatigue. That means they are going to see all of their value cards. As such, you need to have a plan for them all. Priest isn’t going to rush to pop your block and kill you. Rather, they will try to slowly drag you down punch by punch. You need to be aware of that and take your time. It is very easy to get scared and use AOE or removal earlier than you should. However, know that Priest has very little burst. This means you can often fall to single digits without dying. The only way they can really put the hurt on is with either Holy Nova or Blackwing Corruptor. Even with Brann Bronzebeard, the most they can do is six. Don’t forget that, and don’t be afraid to pass in the face of a strong assault.

Most of this game is going to be spent trying to fully clear your opponent’s board. Since Priest has so many little ways to end a game (and thus pop an Ice Block) once you get ahead of them, it is going to take them a few turns to get back. Once they do climb back, you will have eaten some of their hand and extended the game. Your goal here is to play Brann Bronzebeard alongside Kazakus and Kabal Courier. That will give you the most options and ways to deal with multiple boards. Even without the Courier, you absolutely need to get two Kazakus triggers because you are going to need the most clears you can get. Using him with Manic Soulcaster is also good, but you typically want to use the three drop with Reno Jackson.

Tip and Tricks

Forbidden Flame is one of your best removal spells and you should always use it on a turn where you just want to kill something and do nothing else. Tying up your mana is problematic, and efficiency is going to be key as the game goes on. For that reason always try to set up the zero mana spell for when you can afford to take a turn off.

Brann Bronzebeard should always be used with Kazakus against slower decks, and when playing control you want to use him with Kazakus and Kabal Courier. This will increase his value and really give you the extra push you need to out value your opponent.

When choosing Kazakus potions you want to go five mana against aggro and ten mana against everything else.

Like Brann, you always need to have a plan for Manic Soulcaster. Usually you just want to run the card out as fast as possible when playing aggro, but when you’re taking your time you want to either try to get Reno Jackson with it or Kazakus. Reno is always target number one, but in games where you just need a tempo play or board presence, getting more Kazakuses is never bad.

Know the games where you are going to need to use Reno Jackson before your Ice Block and the times where you want to use him after. Typically, you want to use him right after, but that will change. This really depends on what you want to do. If you need the turn you are going to lose your block to set up the board, then go that route. However, if you have nothing to do you should heal up.

On that note, it is also very important to always try to keep your Ice Block intact. Just about every single deck and class can do one damage in one way or another, so you always want to be sure that you have that safety net so you can freely make plays. When you start to dip down in life you should always calculate your opponent’s damage potential to see if how safe you need to be.

Mulligan Guide

While you want to naturally shift your mulligans for early removal and opening spells, your keeps are going to be a bit all over the place. Reno Mage is a deck that is going to change its focus depending on matchups . Against aggro you need to try and find all of your early removal, but when facing slower decks you should prioritize card draw. There are a few must keeps that are good in all everywhere, but most mulligans are going to differ.

Must Keeps:

Situational Keeps:

Bloodmage Thalnos can be kept against aggo if you also have Arcane Blast to go with him.

Doomsayer should be kept against all aggro decks.

Arcane Intellect should be kept against any slower control decks.

Forgotten Torch is a good keep with the coin or a curve.

Ice Block should always be kept against slow decks and can be kept against aggro if you have a strong opening.

Mind Control Tech and Volcanic Potion are both very good against aggro.

Fireball can be kept if you have a strong curve coming before it.

Polymorph should be kept against Shaman, Druid and Warlock to deal with their four and five drops.

Water Elemental is one of your strongest minions when you have the coin and curve. It is also good without the coin when you have early removal against aggro.

Reno Jackson should be kept against any aggro deck since it is your win condition.

Replacements

Man, this section is tricky. There are just a ton of Reno Mage decks that all have a ton of different tweaks to them. As a result, I am not going to sit here and go through each and every single build. Rather, I’ll just go through some of the cards that can be flexed in this deck.

Dirty Rat is not as good as a one-of as it is in classic control. As a result, if you are getting lackluster production from it you could switch it out. The card can be replaced with early draw like Acolyte of Pain or Loot Hoarder.

Mind Control Tech can also be switched out for more draw minions if you aren’t facing a lot of aggro decks (namely Shaman).

Emperor Thaurissan and Sylvanas Windrunner are both flex spots as well. While each of these cards has a place, they also can be taken out for more removal or spell-focused cards. This includes Flame Lance, Cabalist’s Tome, and Ethereal Conjurer.

Archmage Antonidas is another flexible card. While the effect is popular, there are a lot of finishers out there. Medivh, the Guardian is a good replacement, as are more-damage cards like Pyroblast. You can also simply turn him into one of the spell-based cards mentioned above.

While you could also make the case to cut Alexstrasza (which many lists have done) I would not do that. This stands even if you want to cut Archmage Antonidas. The reason for this is because her flexibility is very hard to copy, and I love the ability to instantly be in control of pressure in any game.

Conclusion

One card? No problem. I have always loved Reno Mage, and still think it is the best of the Reno trifecta. The deck just has very good matchups across the board and is one of the best laddering decks in the hand of someone who knows how to pilot it. If you want to play control, or if you simply want to try something different, I would highly recommend the archetype. Every game is interesting and it really does give you a lot of fun choices each turn. Thanks for reading and, until next time, may Kazakus always give you AOE.