Scalise’s Sessions: Token Shaman

Introduction

Token. Shaman. The past few weeks we have been over some of the decks that have been prevalent since the start of Un’goro, but today we get to look into one of the newer decks that popped up recently. This deck is interesting because it is a swarm list that operates much more like a midrange build. You want to start out aggressively, but you can then switch up your style depending on what your opponent gives you. That makes this a very cool list that is able to constantly shift to what you need. Shaman is always at its best when it is playing pure tempo with a midrange shell, and that is exactly what you’re doing here.

The Deck

It doesn’t really get more stock than this. This build is a lot like Token Druid (a comparison I will make many times throughout this guide) in that you want to swarm early and then use your Savage Roars Bloodlusts to take the day. Not everything is going to be that straightforward, but it is best to imagine this one like a Zoo version of Aggro Druid. That is to say, while you want to ride tempo up your curve, you do not have to only be aggressive. The Jade Package, your value minions, and Bloodlust all allow you to go long in different parts of the game. It is easy to see this as an aggro deck, but it can take things slow as well. Always adapt to the way the game develops.

Early Game

The early game is where this deck makes its money. Like most fast lists, you are predicated on tempo. And tempo starts here. You want to win the first two turns of every game and then spiral those out of control. This deck may seem innocuous at first glance, but all it takes is one dead turn from your opponent to climb out of reach. You want to always prioritize your early threats and look for your small minion creators. Like Aggro Druid, you just need one body to make a good push.

Most of this game is going to be spent looking for value trades. As the game has gotten weaker it has become harder to clear things off the board. Spell quality has dropped, which has put a lot more focus on minion combat. Many lists, including Hunter, Paladin and Druid, have a hard time getting back into the game once their board gets taken away. You want to look for the push that is going to get you ahead, which will then allow you to leverage your bigger threats and totems. When fighting aggro this is usually going to come turns two or three, and when you’re up against a slower deck you want to push as fast as you can. Just always prioritize your minions and do not be afraid to trade into things like Northshire Cleric to keep your 1/1’s around.

Middle Game

Most games are going to wrap up here. The middle turns of the game are when your tempo hits its peak and is a good mark before your opponent manages to put out their gigantic threats. It is best to treat every game as a race. While this does not mean you need to be hyper-aggressive, it does mean you need to have complete control of the board around turns four or five.

These turns are going to play out similarly to your early ones, but there is a key distinction in that you want to push when you find the opportunity to do so. While the first turns are much more focused on board control than damage, this part of the game is going to value damage over board control. Always look to push when you have the chance to do so and look for ways to maximize your pressure. This will help you build in a way that prevents a lot of the popular classes from keeping to their curve.

The other important factor here is your swing plays. Evolve/Doppelgangster is a great way to get back a board over AOE, and it is an amazing end-game play against midrange decks fighting for priority. Thing from Below also helps you push far ahead in a race and a well-timed Maelstrom Portal can lock out aggro. Always find these type of plays and look for an opportunity to create a state your opponent cannot easily answer.

Late Game

Making it to the late game is never ideal, but when you’re here you typically have two outs: Jade cards and Bloodlust. If you see things slowing down or no you aren’t going to be able to get it together in the middle turns you have to start planning your alternate win conditions. Aya Blackpaw on a small or empty board is a great way to get back or ahead in a game that you fell out of. Not only does she give you a massive threat, but the panda turns your other jade cards into legitimate threats that can create pressure on their own. Do not be afraid to go all-in on this one if you feel the game slowing down.

Bloodlust is your other out because it is almost always going to be lethal if you stay alive long enough. Your totems and small token minions make it so you always have an out. Play hard around AOE and stagger out your minions in a way that makes them hard to kill. It does not take much for the five mana spell to the end the game. Even if you don’t have lethal or the game is slipping out of control, always try to get down bodies to plan for the eventual lust.

Matchups

A breakdown of the different decks I see while on ladder.

Discover Burn Mage

Mage has a choke-hold on the meta right now, and they will continue to do so in the coming weeks. This deck is very hard to beat, but you can grind them down if you keep up your pressure. The class has two different modes. They either set up big swing plays during the middle game to leverage their burn or slam down big finishers and slowly wear you down. Both of those plans are contingent on having priority, so you need to work hard to take it away from them. Quick damage is the name of this game. This not only forces Mage to use their spells at poor times, but it also makes it so they cannot sit comfortably behind an Ice Block.

Your whole goal here is to force Mage to use their burn on your board. This has always been the rule, but it is important here because you have so many efficient ways to do it. Any of your “must kill” cards like Flametongue Totem and Mana Tide Totem can be used for leverage and to take your opponent off of their plan. For example, getting out one of the above totems on turn three to stop them from properly putting out a secret. That then makes it so they cannot just naturally build into their gameplan. The more Mage worries about their health, the more you are going to be able to control the board (and thus, the game). This is a match where you just need to make your opponent worried, even if it means putting down threats for minimal value.

Pirate Warrior

Pirate Warrior is still running around, and it is still a problem. Even so, this is a game where you are favored. In fact, the only real way you let this one slip away is if you let Pirate get one of their bigger threats out ahead of you. Pirate is a deck that builds off of a very fast style of tempo where they only need one turn to put you on the back foot. Your goal is to make sure they never get out ahead with a Frothing Berserker, Southsea Captain, or Kor’kron Elite. You can come back from most of their cards (or challenge them on the board) but those three minions will build into their weapons. You cannot allow that to happen.

This is a game that you win with your taunts. This is because, while you are largely going to treat this like an aggro vs. aggro matchup, you can switch to your midrange and your opponent can’t. Any type of wall is very important when facing down Pirate’s weapons, and that goes double when you’re racing. Use your minions to trade and keep all of your opponent’s threats down. This will make your opponent lean on their axes. Once there, you just need to force them into one dead turn to take them out of the match. Board control first, then push for damage and build up your walls second.

Midrange Paladin

No deck you face is going to punish you for starting slow like Midrange Paladin will. While you always want to tempo your opponent, Paladin is a deck that you cannot match in the end of the game. Normally, things like Aya Blackpaw help you when things get rough, but you have almost no options (outside of Devolve) that allow you to take down big bodies like Tirion Fordring or Primordial Drake. That means this game is largely going to be on a clock. A clock that ends right around turn seven or eight. Try to do what you can to build to that idea and understand how important early pressure is.

Paladin has extremely limited AOE, which means this is a matchup where you want your opponent to answer you. The only exception to that is going to be when your opponent has murlocs. The fish monsters are some of the strongest build cards around and they can get out of a control in a hurry. In addition, Uther has some extremely powerful tempo swings like Spikeridged Steed and Sunkeeper Tarim. For that reason, falling behind at any point is largely going to be a loss. It is very easy to put your opponent into bad positions. Make them use their weapons and awkward AOE just to control the board. This will never let them get set and you can run them over before the big threats come down.

Aggro Druid

This game is the closest you are going to get to a mirror match and you want to play it like one. That means controlling the board at all costs and preventing them from ever getting a foothold. Every singly minion your opponent has is a threat. It may not seem like a big deal to clear two 1/1’s with your Maelstrom Portal, but when those suddenly become a 2/2 and a 4/4 alongside other strong bodies you are going to be sorry. This game is solely focused on keeping your opponent at bay. Druid runs no removal these days, and all it takes is one strong totem or huge threat to take the board. If they get ahead you’ll likely never come back, but if you have it early your opponent will crumble.

Druid’s best cards are Living Mana and their buffs. Each of these help them get board presence in a way where they constantly threaten lethal. That is problematic because it forces you to take bad or conservative routes. Be prepared for the five mana spell and go wide as soon as you possibly can. Since Druid’s spells are all buff based they simply will not be able to match you if your board has more minions than theirs. Also note that Devolve is fantastic here. The two mana spell is good for two reasons. Not only does it shut down buffs or big boards, but it almost always turns your opponents threats into Wisps (which can be cleared with Malestrom Portal). Devolve/portal is one of your best win conditions in this one. Do not be afraid to use when fighting for the board on turn four.

Midrange Hunter

Midrange Hunter continues to fall, but that does not mean it is weak. This is another game that comes down to the first three turns. While you have some catch-up tools, if Hunter curves into turns four and five you are almost never going to be able to come back. Even if you do manage to put down threats, they will simply push for face and take your off of that plan. Rather, you need to make sure they never get any beasts to stick and work hard to get minions that demand immediate removal. This can even mean dropping an off-curve Flametongue Totem on one minion to force your opponent to use a Kill Command or Eaglehorn Bow instead of their other beasts. That may then help you bridge your gap and make it to your next bigger drop. Those type of plays are not obvious but they are very important in any tempo matchup. That goes double against Hunter because of the way they lean on their board. Any time you can get Rexxar to play a non-beast turn you should be ok. Pace this one and do everything in your power to save Devolve for Savannah Highmane.

Tip and Tricks

You do not have to play Bloodsail Corsair turn one. This is a very common mistake, but the 1/2 is one of the rare instances where the ability can be stronger than board presence. This typically only applies against other aggro decks, but being able to take out a weapon tick (Warrior, Hunter, Paladin) while also getting a 1/1 to trade with is one of the best tempo plays around.

This is a smaller note, but if you are facing any of the aggro decks on ladder (Token Druid, Pirate Warrior, Token Shaman, Hunter) you should play both halves of Fire Fly on turn one if you have the coin. That extra body is extremely valuable when fighting for board.

Jade Claws is very strong, but it also is going to constrict your mana. This deck is built in such a way where you never want to have a dead turn (especially early on). For that reason, you need to think about the turn after you claws before equipping them. This often means going for them on turn three or turn two with the coin, but you can also coin them out to take down an opposing one drop if you have your own one drop in hand.

Flametongue Totem is one of the best tempo plays around. While trading up is going to be its main use, do not be afraid to simply slam this to put your opponent into a tight spot. You will win many games by forcing your opponent to deal with the 0/3 while you beat them to death with your other bodies.

In that same vein, also try your best to set up  Mana Tide Totem while ahead. As covered in the video (and every guide I’ve ever made on Shaman) the 0/3 is a fantastic tempo play because it forces your opponent’s removal. That is even better in an aggro deck because it takes out valuable removal spell on a card that does no damage. If you have control of the board play this asap.

Play to Bloodlust. The five mana spell is your primary finisher, and one of the main reasons you can go long in games you typically have no business going long in. Damage is important with this deck, but tempo or even control can be appropriate if you want to get the five mana spell going. Take your time with this in hand, and always prioritize your board.

Aya Blackpaw is your strongest threat. While she is not going to break the game when you’re behind, if you are winning on board or have control of the tempo there is nothing like the panda. Think of her like a bigger Mana Tide Totem. While she is always going to get you value, she can lock your opponent out when used while ahead.

Mulligan Guide

The mulligan in this deck is going to look a lot like the mulligan for Aggro Druid. You want to get out as many early minions as possible, and once you have them you can look for support. This one is going to largely differ on matchups (as covered in the video), but the basic idea is to always go for your early drops and then move up the curve.

Must Keeps:

Bloodsail Corsair Fire Fly Jade Claws Primalfin Totem

Situational Keeps:

Devolve is a good keep if you have a strong curve opening against a deck that can push out early taunts or early buffs.

Flametongue Totem should be kept with any early minions, especially ones that create two bodies.

Maelstrom Portal is a great keep against any aggro deck, including Hunter.

Mana Tide Totem and Stonehill Defender should both be kept with a curve, but defender is also good with just the coin.

Jade Lightning is strong with a curve leading up to it (especially if you have the coin).

Thing from Below can be kept against another midrange deck if you plan on having a totem-heavy opening.

Replacements

The deck operates in a very interesting way. You have a lot of different cards here that all work together to bring fast damage and keep tempo. For that reason, there aren’t too many good replacements here. The token core is key, which means you need to keep your Pirates as well as the Jade Package. However, once you get past that there are a couple spots you can switch in and out depending on your preferences.

Mana Tide Totem is an amazing card, but you could get away with running one of them if you want to try to go another route. Cult Master is definitely an option if you want both the draw and the presence. You could run some aggressive options as well.

Stonehill Defender is another choice that could be turned into something else. The 1/4 is very good at stopping other aggro decks while providing you with a wall, but it also can be lackluster when you want to be more explosive. Things like Southsea Deckhand or Bilefin Tidehunter could be tried in its place.

This deck could easily get away with running one Bloodlust. In fact, this is likely the most flexible spot in the list. While you absolutely need one of them, you could play a tech card or bigger finisher in the second slot.

Thing from Below is another card that could be cut if you want to get faster. This is another shift I would be wary of when putting your thirty together, but if you want to become more aggro-oriented you could forgo the 5/5 in favor of more early plays.

Conclusion

I always like it when a solid deck both pops up and makes a dent in the middle of a set. Token Shaman largely reminds me of the old school midrange decks that made a living off of turning Haunted Creeper and Nerubian Egg into early game death machines. This one operates with a new twist and brings some freshness to the meta. If you enjoy Shaman, you should like the pacing of this one. Until next time, may you always lust for blood.

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