Hearthstone Year of the Hydra, the 2022 Core Set, and Voyage to the Sunken City are almost here and it's about time we give Warrior a review of what is to come. Below you will find our thoughts on Warrior as they pertain to the brand new Hearthstone year. We're going to go over the archetypes we expect to see play, the heavy-hitting cards, a general overview of Warrior, and a theorycraft deck for you to try out on Day 1.

Before we jump straight into our review though, we've got a few pieces of content you may want to check out.

Now with that done, let's jump into it!

Year of the Hydra Warrior Quick Impressions

  • Warrior is gaining a lot of ground in their Control archetype.
  • We're seeing some better common cards than previous years which looks like Warrior will be easier to get into for newer players.
  • With the additions of Bash, Shield Block, Bloodhoof Brave and Darius Crowley in the new Core set, Warrior might slow down again.
  • Nellie, the Great Thresher will be an absolute powerhouse for Questline Warrior first and foremost.
  • Overall, the class is looking great and I rate it an 7/10 for its power level.

Warrior Power Level

Year of the Hydra Warrior Archetypes

There are a few different archetypes that have some great support right out the gate, Blizzard adding a few cards for it means we might see the direction continue as the year goes on.

  • Pirate Warrior - In many variations, you either hate it or you love it, the archetype is getting some new tools.
  • Control Warrior - Bringing back several early game anti-aggro tools, control looks to be making a comeback this year.
  • Big Warrior - Several cards that support this archetype are getting added to help further refine it.

With our quick archetype overview out of the way, let's talk more about them.

Pirate Warrior in Year of the Hydra

The Pirate Warrior is here to stay. Raid the Docks is getting some additional support with number of cards in the next expansion, mainly in a form of the new Colossal minion - Nellie, the Great Thresher - which will provide an additional body while generating fuel to complete your Questline. Obsidiansmith is a decent 2-drop addition to the pool and Forged in Flame will provide a massive card advantage to get to Cap'n Rokara faster, or to make use of a free weapon generation after.

The Pirate pool isn't going to be too big, so with Nellie being able to Discover three times, there is a good chance you will land on a 1-Cost Mr. Smite quite often.

Nellie, the Great Thresher Card Image Nellie's Pirate Ship Card Image Obsidiansmith Card Image Forged in Flame Card Image

Control Warrior in Year of the Hydra

Is the King back? The Core 2022 adding some early-to-mid-game anti-aggro tools for Warrior certainly makes things a lot easier to transition into later stages of the game and outlast any aggressive opponents. Lots of Armor generation (Guard the City, Plated Beetle, Bash, Shield Block, Armorsmith and Shieldmaiden). Several exceptional early taunts (Tar Creeper, Bloodhoof Brave) and good ol' Mistress of Mixtures to fight for the board and likes of Pufferfist or Twin-fin Fin Twin to shave off the early aggression. Reno Jackson coming back also opens up many possibilities.

New value Legendaries like Queen Azshara or Ambassador Faelin (especially in combination with From the Depths and/or Sir Finley, Sea Guide) will then help keep the threats going vs slower decks.

Ambassador Faelin Card Image Tar Creeper Card Image Pufferfist Card Image Mistress of Mixtures Card Image

Big Warrior in Year of the Hydra

Now this one is going to be interesting. We are getting a proper support, and some, let's say out-of-the-box support, for this archetype. Vanndar Stormpike is most definitely going to be a build-around for the entire upcoming year, at least in some classes. He will like the new big minions like Nellie, the Great Thresher, Trenchstalker, Slithering Deathscale, Blackscale Brute or even simpler, but still quite powerful ones, like Gangplank Diver or Azsharan Sentinel.

The Fires of Zin-Azshari offers an alternative route: You are going to sacrifice your entire deck, but you get to play potentially big minions for cheaps. And if you can get Vanndar in hand before playing The Fires, you can have your entire deck of big minions be reduced to only 2 Mana each. Question becomes how consistent this play can be, or how to avoid simply top-decking for the rest of the game, but if you can figure that out, it might provide for some interesting deck-building.

Vanndar Stormpike Card Image Nellie, the Great Thresher Card Image Trenchstalker Card Image The Fires of Zin-Azshari Card Image

Year of the Hydra Warrior Heavy-Hitters

With a fresh Core Set and the Voyage to the Sunken City, there are a ton of cards to talk about in our review. We're going to go over the heavy-hitters, the cards that are going to make the most impact to start this year off.

Nellie, the Great Thresher's Impact in Year of the Hydra

Nellie, the Great Thresher Card Image Nellie's Pirate Ship Card Image

Standard Power Level

Big bad Colossal minions are certainly going to make a splash on the meta. Nellie, the Great Thresher is going to provide an insane value for 7 Mana, so I expect her to make an appearance in pretty much all but the fastest Warrior decks. Two decently sized bodies, one being a Taunt and a hand refill of 3 minions that will cost just 1 Mana each. There is a decent chance that you can actually sneak in some surprising face damage with it as well, if you can get Mr. Smite as one of the Pirates you Discover, which isn't as unrealistic as one might think as the Pirate pool is going to be rather small at the start of the new Hearthstone year. It will most likely dilute as the year goes on.

Lady Ashvane's Impact in Year of the Hydra

Lady Ashvane Card Image

Standard Power Level

Lady Ashvane can potentially be a dark horse of the Warrior class for the expansion. Extreme powercreep on Captain Greenskin cannot escape anyone, but the effect is powerful in a right deck indeed. You are never going to be sad about a +1/+1 on your weapon and getting the buff no matter where the weapon is will be really nice. More trading potential or face damage will certainly come in handy. Forged in Flame will also nicely benefit from the buff, not only will it net you one more card, but will let you keep the "original" amount of swings on your weapon as to not "waste it" per-se.

Trenchstalker's Impact in Year of the Hydra

Trenchstalker Card Image

Standard Power Level

Trenchstalker is an interesting card, it looks very impressive at first glance, but its main selling point might also be its undoing. You are playing a huge body, that will immediately provide value, helping you clear the board or even do 8 face damage, which is no joke. But if it is going to do its job well, there is a good chance that it simply will not survive the trades. A good card advantage generator, but will you be able to afford the tempo? It might play out, for the most part, as Deathwing, Mad Aspect, but targeting only enemy side of the board. Not a bad deal in the end. In a deck with Vanndar Stormpike, this instantly becomes a much better card too.

Azsharan Trident's Impact in Year of the Hydra

Azsharan Trident Card Image Sunken Trident Card Image

Standard Power Level

Good ol' Fiery War Axe got a facelift, again. Azsharan Trident will be a nice weapon to have to clear out some early aggression and will not feel bad to "waste" the charges on suboptimal trades or to draw some cards with Forged in Flame because you are getting even better one to be put at the bottom of your deck. There aren't going to be that many ways to get it out with Dredge for Warrior, namely Tuskarrrr Trawler, Obsidiansmith, From the Depths and Sir Finley, Sea Guide, but that should be enough to get it out consistently. Not to mention that there are always ways to shuffle your deck and simply draw into it, if you want to help it bubble up. If you can get your hands on Sunken Trident and your opponent does not have a weapon removal, and if you can buff the Durability for which there are numerous ways, they can say their board bye-bye.

Reno Control Warrior - A Theorycraft Deck for Warrior in Voyage to the Sunken City

There are a lot of options how to build a Control Warrior and Reno getting back into Standard opens up Highlander again. Lot of tools you would want to use twice of, so lets dip into each once, and ride the Reno wave, shell we?

Blacksmithing Hammer can become and alternative win condition, since from Patch 22.2 onward, Tradeable now inserts the card into the deck at a random location, then draws a different card and no longer shuffles your deck, not screwing with Dredge.

Reno Control Warrior - A Theorycraft Deck for Warrior in Voyage to the Sunken City
A Highlander Warrior Deck created by . Last updated 2 years ago
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Final Thoughts

While the first expansion in Year of the Hydra is showing some decent support for Pirate Warrior, I wouldn't be surprised if we get fewer and fewer tools in the toolbox as the year goes on, but it is also entirely possible we will have to wait for Year of the Gryphon to leave us completely before the archetype disappears from Standard. With that said, I am very excited about more tools for Control Warrior, since that has always been my favorite from the OG days and the Big variants getting some support are certainly looking mighty interesting as well, even the goofy The Fires of Zin-Azshari one. It could become yet another Explore Un'Goro, but maybe this time around there will be an actual, thought out support for it? We shall see.

Thanks for taking the time to read our review on Warrior for Year of the Hydra. Do you agree with our take? Let us know your thoughts on our review and Warrior in the comments below.

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