Shaman in March of the Lich King - Top New Cards and Best Day 1 Decks

The full set of cards for March of the Lich King has been revealed a little while ago, and we're nearing the time when they can finally become a part of our collection. Still not sure what to make of Shaman or what kind of decks to play? We've broken down the class archetypes for the upcoming expansion, discussed the new cards, and gathered a variety of theorycraft decks from streamers, pros, and community members to guide you on Day 1.

First off, there is a lot of other relevant content that you might be interested in:

• You can find full information about the upcoming set in our March of the Lich King expansion guide.
• You can create and share your own decks featuring all these new cards via our deckbuilder.
• The new Rewards Track has been fully detailed. Get a head start on the early XP gains and stay prepared for launch! 
• Major Patch 25.0 (plus hotfixes) has prepared the ground for the expansion with various game mode updates and features.
• Need a more detailed overview of March of the Lich King themes and mechanics? The initial announcement coverage has it all. 
• Expect special Signature cards to add to your collection, and improved duplicate protection coming with the new Reroll Feature.
• Remember, you are able to open your packs faster than usual - should you wish to! 

Now, onto what's approaching ever closer. Before we jump into a variety of potential decks, here is a quick look at the class in the upcoming expansion: 

March of the Lich King Shaman - Quick Impressions

• Shaman is embracing the macabre side of the conflict, with Undead and Deathrattles blending into all playstyles.
• Stacking Deathrattle buffs on small minions allows for sticky widespread boards.
• On the opposite end of the curve, there's Big Shaman support, capable of surprising swing turns. 

March of the Lich King Shaman - Expansion Cards & Archetypes

Compared to past expansions, Shaman is looking rather... focused. None of the new cards stand out as misplaced. The deciding factor will be whether the general power level of the archetypes suffices. The aggressively oriented Undead/Deathrattle package suggests that slower opponents can easily be punished, depending on the right opening hand. Lastly, Big Shaman is glad to finally have better use for high-end cards from the previous set.

Deathrattle Buff Shaman

The star of the show is Scourge Troll. Besides the green-haired troll, there's not much of a reason to even call this a deck theme. Buffing your minions in the form of Deathrattles isn't foreign to Shamans, but having dedicated synergies is a step above the usual. By virtue of Deathrattle buffs best working with frailer minions, it's clearly fit for fast decks making use of the remaining cheap Undeads found in the Neutral pool.

Big Shaman

"Large and in charge" as they say. The latter fits the description at least halfway, with From De Other Side and Overlord Drakuru confronting opposing minions head-on. In case you worry about your 10 Mana spell whiffing, Prescience rewards hefty deckbuilding with taunting spirits. Speaking of Taunt, Blightblood Berserker is the living proof that a card is destined to become annoying once a critical amount of keywords is reached. Notably, "Reborn" and "Lifesteal". *Shudders*

Other Shaman Cards

Continuing the conversation of the above support cards, these two barely qualify under "Other". Harkener of Dread clears the line of 5-cost minions benefitting from Prescience, while at the same time leaving behind a proper protection after casting From De Other Side. Moving on to Unliving Champion, a bundle of stats you'd gladly run wherever you manage to fit it. The required death of an Undead should come naturally.

March of the Lich King Shaman - Top Neutral Cards

The Neutral section is chock full of great minions, giving both archetypes the finishing touches. On the topic of small Undead, Vrykul Necrolyte is yet another way to buff up your Scourge Troll. Besides that, Umbral Geist turns out to have decent odds at creating even more of those board-wide Shadow spells. In case you needed even more oomph to your Big Shaman, Invincible's Deathrattle is nothing to scoff at. The same can be said for Flesh Behemoth.

Lich King Shaman - Day 1 Hearthstone Decks to Try

Not sure what to play for the class once it's time to join the Lich King on his March? We've gathered a handful of early deck ideas from all across the Hearthstone tavern just to help you out:

Death by the Numbers

Starting things off with a concise, yet effective theorycraft by Dekkster. Another method of enhancing your Undead is Hawkstrider Rancher. The low curve lends itself well to the 3 Mana playstarter. In case things don't go as planned, the tried and true Famished Fool is always a great top-end refill.

A Big Step for Shamankind

Slysssa's Renathal list manages to fill the addition 10 cardslots with a more robust earlygame in the form of Arms Dealer, alongside Foul Egg. On top of that, the curve extends past the midgame, even running Infectious Ghoul for recurring pressure. Good old Sire Denathrius of course isn't far when 40 cards are on the table.

Deckbuff Bonanza

Putting all the new Shaman stuff on the backburner, Regis made it his goal to push Lor'themar Theron to the limit. The supporting cast of Bolner Hammerbeak, Brilliant Macaw, and Brann Bronzebeard enable your doubling deckbuffs to stack ontop of eachother, resulting in massive stats for your Charge minions, such as Al'Akir the Windlord!

Humongous Heroics

Vanndar Stormpike is another kind of buildaround legendary. Thijs combined that with the established Goldshire Gnoll plus Schooling evolve package. Even the spells have a chance of getting cheated out early. A lucky Bracing Cold or Far Sight is all you need.

More Class Coverage for March of the Lich King

Want to look at what we've put together for another March of the Lich King contender? The navigation links below can take you there in an instant!

•  Demon Hunter
•  Druid
•  Hunter
•  Mage
•  Paladin
•  Priest
•  Rogue
•  Shaman
•  Warlock
•  Warrior

What do you think of Shaman's card package for the upcoming expansion? Which decks are you going to take for a spin once March of the Lich King goes live on December 6? Is there something else from your favorite content creator that we didn't include here? Let us know in the comments!