Presente:
http://www.hearthpwn.com/decks/230622-5-...era-priest
Northshire Cleric according to match up, it's a card drawing mechanic or used as simple body. Against aggro drop her down, just to mitigate some face damage, against control hold her in hand until you can get some value out of her. Compared to classic priest this deck has not as good card drawing possibilities, because no circle of healing, so try to get maximum value out of her.
Zombie Chow Your ultimate one drop. Even this may sound crazy, having a turn one zombie chow against aggro can be game winning.
Shrinkmeister Combo card, mostly played with cabal to steal opponents 4/3 attack minion (ysera ofc). Also can be used to combo with shadow madness (sylvanas being the top target). Against aggro don't hold him in hand, just play him as body.
Gilblin Stalker So finally and for all, I will try explain purpose of this card. Its included because it has stealth. That means you can target it with velen chosen, without being afraid to not get value of it. He is played as velen chosen activator, that means he sits in that stealth forever. Don't destealth it to hit opponents face, thats terrible mistake. For example, turn 8 against patron warrior - velen chosen, holy nova his patrons, thats game winning. Against aggro he is played as solid 2/3 body.
Deathlord Also know as the great wall of china. 3 drop with 2/8 stats, it's every aggro nightmare. If you manage to get velen chosen on him thats just crazy. Turn 4 taunt minion with stats of ysera and as a priest you can heal him up and up again. Many people dislike him because his deathrattle can backfire. Well against aggro its worth taking the risk, since he will drop mostly a shity minion. Agains control he is played before big lightbomb turn. Killing 4 opponents legendary in one turn is always nice. I would say, figuring out, how and when to play this minion is core of this deck.
Dark Cultist Solid 3/4 body, with very good deathrattle. This card is optional and may be swapped.
Sen'jin Shieldmasta Just a meta call, since I am facing mostly face hunters and zoo lock. This card is optional and may be swapped.
Antique Healbot Also a meta call, if the meta slows down I think i will swap it for something more valuable like second belcher.
Sludge Belcher I think its the best taunt minion in game. 3/5 for 5 mana with 1/2 taunt deathrattle. Never ending value.
Cabal Shadow Priest Its the 3 in 1 card. You are building your board with 4/5 body, destroying your opponents board and stealing his minion. Isn't that card just insane?
Sylvanas Windrunner Can anyone imagine priest without Sylvanas? She often works as board clear, since your opponent is too afraid to leave her alive. You can also kill her with SW: Death for turn 9 mini mind control.
Ysera Your late game fuel, with 4/12 body, almost unkillable for most of classes. Cannot be left alive, because she keeps generating the dream cards, which are just too powerful. Also my favourite legendary with never ending value.
Spells:
Power Word: Shield Card used to make valuable trades, also great synergy with your hero power. Also used to cycle your deck.
Thoughtsteal I would say too fun not to play. Also giving you 4 card advantage can be game winning. Crucial spell in mirror match. Its possible to swap one copy, but I don't recommend it.
Shadow Word: Death Cheap answer to big threats. Be careful with it, because you have only 2 copies. If you can make board trade it might be on consideration to keep it for next big creature.
Velen's Chosen Card used to make valuable trades, also as a buff to your holy nova damage. Be aware, spell damage work also on lightbomb, so count with it. You will deal damage equal to minions attack +1.
Shadow Madness Meta call, solid 4 mana spell able to clear opponent's board. Problem is you are mostly not building your own board by playing it, so you will still stay behind. This card is optional and may be swapped.
Holy Nova Classic aoe spell, may be used with northshire cleric for massive card draw.
Lightbomb Your ultimate board clear, and core spell of this deck. It's not replaceable. As with deathlord, figuring out, how and when to play this spell is core of this deck. Especially strong in this deck, since your minions can survive it.
Mind Control Most of priest decks are cutting out this spell, because its too slow. Well its on everybody personal preference, i would say this card may be swapped. But in some matches its just so good. Paladin only chance to win is to drop Tirion without you having MC. Stealing your opponents legendary or big creature can be so insane. Mostly I am trying to avoid stealing 7 attack minion, because almost everyone is running BGH.
As mentioned this is control deck, so to describe playstyle - BE PATIENT. This deck is not that hard to play, but some thinking is needed. Practicing makes you better.
General mulligan guide:
Against aggro: I always try to search for low drops, dropping everything above 3 mana back. I am not keeping spells if I don´t have minions, because you don´t want to be stuck with full hand of spells. This deck lacks ultimate auchenai/circle combo, so you must fight for board presence. If you skip first 2-3 turns against aggro you will never come back.
Against control: Strongly depends on concrete matchup.
Druid:
Combo: I would say its 50/50, his innervate/ wild growth plays can be your doom. But if you establish strong board druid will never come back. Also try slamming down ysera as soon as possible. Even if silenced she starts trading to everything and still remain relatively healthy. With cabal in hand you can bait silence from keeper by over buffing one of your creature. Also, sometimes I am playing cabal only as 4/5 body, especially if I have velen's chosen in hand.
Mulligan's: Zombie Chow. Deathlord, Dark cultist. I am throwing back northshire cleric, because you wont get any value out of it before turn 5 or later, also throwing back thoughtsteal, but that's on personal preference. I am keeping SW: Death, because innervate into emperor/boom happens all the time, but again its on personal preference.
Taunt Druid: I think this is really good matchup, druid is not pressing you, so you have time to make your plays and you dont need to be afraid of combo. Currently without loss, I think that speaks for everything.
Mulligan's: Since you always expect combo mulligan's is the same.
Hunter:
Face: They are so prevalent in current meta, that I always expect hunter to be face. Thanks to face hunters I made legend this season, I would say its really good matchup. His hand is empty by turn 5, relying only on topdeck. Try to keep the board clear, do not overextend your side, you don´t want to feed his unleash. Hunter will try to heropower each turn and so should you. Healing your face every turn to negate his heropower. Getting velen's chosen on taunt minion can easily be game.
Mulligan's: Strongly for low drops and deathlords. If you miss first 2 turns you will never come back.
Midrange: As well I think this is very good matchup. Playing around traps, keeping the board clear is key to victory.
Mulligan's: since you always expect face mulligan's is the same.
Mage:
Mech: This deck has about 60-70% winration against mech mage. The main problem of mech mage is, that they can run out of steam so fast and if you are able to stabilize the game is yours.
Mulligan's: as in classic agrro match
Tempo: Tempo mage is the real pain in the ass. Turn one snake into coin kirin tor mage, secret, how I hate that. But again he can run out of steam really fast, if you stabilize the board the game is winnable. Donating one drop to mirror entity and coin/pw
hield to counterspell is always nice.
Mulligan's: as in classic agrro match
Freeze: Thats direct counter to this deck, almost unwinnable. I had some crazy wins like thoughtsteal double iceblock, getting alextrazsa and archmage out of deathlord and so on, but winratio is around 10%.
Paladin:
Both dragon and midrange: I think this is the best matchup for this deck, with winratio around 80-90%. You have answers to everything he does. If its dragon pala, its nice to keep you shrinkmeister/cabal combo for ysera. Also don´t play northshire cleric on turn one, you can always play it on turn 2, when there is a dude on board. And be really careful by playing deathlords against paladin. Equality is painful, also paladins are the last deck with black knight. Mind control should be used on Tirion.
Mulligan's: as in classic agrro match
Priest:
Classic priest: one of the most funny match. Classic priest has a slight edge because injured blademaster, but its 50/50 mostly. Problem is, you don´t have any effective way to deal with injured blademasters, so velen´s chosen into SW: Death is mostly the least painful way. Thoughtsteal are crucial in this game. Mostly ending in fatigue, so being ahead with card draws is not that good idea. Most of classic priests are cutting mind control, so ysera can be your salvation. Try to play ysera after sylvanas and ideally after both cabal shadow priests.
Mulligan's: I am keeping everything that i don´t want to be thought stolen. Even if this sounds really greedy I am keeping ysera and sylvanas in opening hand. Also thoughtsteal and velen's chosen.
Lightbomb priest: well I won´t write guide how to beat me with my own deck. Currently I am 3:0 against my own deck knock, knock, knock.
Mulligan's: Keep antigue healbot, lightbombs, Sw: death in opening hand because they are the best.
Rogue
Oil rogue: Difficult matchup, most of the wins are rogue getting through his whole deck and not being able to kill you. Violet teachers are your main enemy, get rid of them as soon as possible. Getting both saps out of rogue and then slamming velen's chosen deathlord can be game. Thoughtsteal suck this game as nowhere else. I would say this match is 40/60 in favour of rogue.
Mulligan's: I am trying to find some early game presence, just to be able kill violet teacher on turn 4.
Mill Rogue: Thats funny, because you can actually mill the mill rogue. Don´t kill his deathlord, you can cabal it on turn 6. With 4 deathlord, good thoughtsteal is not that hard of match.
Mulligan's: Since you always expect oil mulligan's is the same.
Shaman:
Classic: I would say 55/45 in favour of priest. Maintaining board presence, keeping his side clear is key to victory. Holy nova is so huge in this matchup, try to get maximum value out of it.
Mulligan's: as in classic agrro match
Mech: Honestly I haven't met any yet. They are so popular at tournaments but none on ladder. So to be honest, I don´t know.
Warlock:
Zoo: I would say this is good matchup, 65/35 in favour of priest. Classic aggro match, keep his board clear, eventually he will tap himself to death. Keeping shadow madness for voidcaller is huge. Imp gang boss is perfect cabal target. Funny fact: sometimes lifetap does more damage to warlock as you.
Mulligan's: Strongly for low drops and deathlords. If you miss first 2 turns you will never come back.
Handlock: One of the worst matchup. You have no way to deal with his twilight drakes and jaraxxus. I have some crazy wins, like double ysera awakens/nightmare, thoughtsteal jaraxxus and so on. 90/10 in favour of handlock.
Mulligan's: since you hope its zoo mulligan's: as in classic agrro match.
Warrior
Patron: I would say this is one of the best matchup. Lightbombs and empowered holy nova ruining his patron dreams. 80/20 in favour of priest. I am trying not to have much on board, mostly 2 strong minions. That prevents my opponent to bounce his patrons on my minions and making frothing berserker too big in one turn. Most of patron decks are cutting legendaries and playing only with emperor, so he is perfect mind control target. Also I am trying to keep at least one 1 drop in hand for turn 9 velen's chosen/holy nova combo. Pro tip: if frothing berserker was played as 3rd creature (or later) he will die from lightbomb, since he will get buffed from first 2 creature to 4/4 (or higher).
Mulligan's: Strongly for thoughtsteals. From my experience over 70% of warrior are patron so I am also keeping lightbombs.
Control: Firstly I need to say this is my favourite match. Half hour lasting games, where both of you get through whole decks, thats the spirit of game, thats what I, as control player love. I would say this match is 40/60 in favour of warrior, because of weapons. The problem with control warriors is, they don´t know how to play against this deck and its costing them the game. But in legend rank, if your opponent knows your deck its so hard to win.
Mulligan's: Strongly for thoughtsteals. From my experience over 70% of warrior are patron so I am also keeping lightbombs.
