[5-Legend] Wild Combo Shudderwock

Decklist / Proof

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Win Condition
3. Statistics
4. Card Selection
5. Mulligans/Matchups

1. Introduction

The core decklist is XxFroBro45xX’s list that’s floating around on VS, TS, and Rankstar. He himself has been testing and changing it on his stream but the only change I made is to cut 1x Annoy-o-Tron for Bloodmage Thalnos to speed up the deck.

This is a T4 deck that I picked up this week so I don’t pretend to be the greatest expert. However, I have hit Legend several times in both formats so I’m somewhat knowledgeable, Wild content is lacking, and it is a fun off-meta deck to play.

2. Win Condition

The primary win condition of this deck is to lock out your opponent with infinite Shudderwocks. You will heal to full, generate 6/6 bodies, and make your opponents spells (and often time their win condition) unplayable. Because we don’t run Lifedrinkers, we grind out and win with infinite 6/6 bodies smacking face.

Combo: Doppelgangster will double your Shudderwock bodies and Zola the Gorgon/Grumble, Worldshaker will bounce copies to your hand. The combo is about 87% certain (100% if a Shudderwockis already on board) and the odds can be increased by bouncing your combo cards, or go to 100% by discounting specific combo cards. (using Far Sight/Jepetto Joybuzz)

3. Statistics / 57-31 (65%)

Statistics are pretty straightforward. These are all the general stats collected by HDT (“Hearthstone Deck Tracker”) as well as the archetype data collected by the HDT plugin “Endgame” from Rank 5 to Legend.

4. Card Selection

Core Cards

The core cards are cards that should not be cut and really don’t need any going over. They are the combo pieces and necessary removal to give you time to execute your combo.

Draw Package

The point of the draw package is to keep up with other combo and Control decks. Decks like Mecha’thun are still going to be faster then you so you need a bit of luck. And even against Aggro, you might need one more turn to charge your Scheme or find a Devolve. (Against SN3P-SN4P you need to find for first Devolve by Turn 4 and 2nd Devolve by Turn 10…they draw that fast).

1x Bloodmage Thalnos

Bloodmage Thalnos can be replaced with Annoy-o-tron for Corpsetaker consistency but other combo decks (Mecha’thun, SN1P-SN4P) are faster and against hyper-aggro decks (Odd Rogue/Odd Paladin/Murloc Shaman) it’s find removal or lose. You can even Zola this on T3 to increase your card draw further.

2x Far Sight

This is listed as a core card as well because it can reduce your combo pieces allowing for guaranteed infinite Shudderwocks or un-intuitive combos your opponent can’t play around. But it’s still draw and we want more of it.

1x Jepetto Joybuzz

This is another way to hit your combo faster as well as play Shudderwock in YOLO conditions hoping to find Grumble/Zola off the battlecry. It dramatically speeds up the game but has anti-synergy with Hagatha as a 1/1 Shudderwock “token” will die to the 3 damage AoE. Also, pulling 2 minions into your hand can create a full hand and break your Shudderwock’s bounce. Know the matchups/situations when you can play this.

2x Mana Tide Totem

Some slower classes (like Priest) are really hesitant or unable to remove this. (they fear Corpsetaker) At a minimum it is usually +3 Health (they will kill it) and +1 cards. You don’t have proactive 3-drops so you might as well draw a card.​ There is a small risk of you overdrawing if it stays up too long.

Corpsetaker Package

This is a defensive package that sometimes results in Shudderwock having Divine Shield, Lifesteal, and Windfury. The primary purpose, however, is for excellent defensive tools like Corpsetaker on T4 to slow down the game. And potentially win the game outright against Priest or Druid when unanswered. (It’s effectively a 6 attack minion on T4)

1x Annoy-o-Tron

Not an exceptional card but we need something to do on T2 and something with a Divine Shield and Taunt for Corpsetakers. It also isn’t awful off Jeppeto and is easy to dump out of hand. We cut 1x copy for Bloodmage Thalnos in this list.

2x Corpsetaker

The reason for this package and the reason we run Annoy-o-Tron. We already want to run Zilliax and we probably want Walking Fountain so this fits right along. The application to Shudderwock is just a bonus.

1x Zilliax

What Control/Midrange/Aggro deck doesn’t run this card? It’s just a solid tool to slow down the game.

1x Walking Fountain

This is a fringe card that can be soul crushing to Aggro players. Without Shudderwock, we really are lacking life gain in this deck and it fills that gap. Giving Windfury and Lifesteal to Corpsetakers (and potential Shudderwock) just pushes the inclusion of this card.

Other Cards

These are the cards that don’t quite have a synergistic package. They are here for a niche purpose.

1x Glacial Shard

This is a super powerful effect when combined with multiple Shudderwocks and a way to stall against large minion board or protect an early Mana Tide Totem. It’s a cheap minion that I don’t know what you’d want to replace for it.

1x Hagatha the Witch

In a slower meta, this is entirely optional. It messes up our combo and floods our hand. However, against Aggro, it’s entirely necessary as another board wipe and playing Shudderwock with just this effect, can win games against Aggro. Just be super careful about playing this and Jepetto Joybuzz in the same game.

5. Mulligans/Matchups

One of the advantages of playing an off-meta deck is that your opponents mulligan incorrectly against you. For instance, we’re a Tier 4 meme deck while Murloc Shaman and Even Shaman are Tier 1, high frequency, competitive decks. That means your opponent will be grabbing their board removal spells, instead of proactive cards, which gives us more time. Unless you are tracking your opponents with HDT (can search Battletags), this is what you should assume from Rank 5 to Legend:

Here are the six most frequent decks I saw on my climb:

A. Resurrect Priest (10-5)

Mulligan: You want a Devolve and a Hex in your opening hand. Mana Tide and Far Sight are fine by themselves and Loatheb/Scheme if you have Mana Tide and/or Hex.

• You almost never hero power in this matchup. Always wary of Psychic Scream.
• You want to hit Vargoth and Catarina with your transform effects (sometimes Ragnaros). Never Obsidian Statue, that’s a waste.
• Loatheb is also a good keep because when played on 5 you disrupt your T6 Shadow Essence turn. If you can bounce Loatheb again, you disrupt their Turn 7.
• Mana Tide Totem can often get multiple draws and Corpsetaker can SMORC them pretty hard. If you play Corpsetaker then Loatheb, that’s 17 damage unless they removed Corpsetaker.

They can still high roll you but you should be favored. Once your combo starts, they can’t Resurrect another minion and have to play from hand. You do not need Hagatha in this matchup to win, just patience.

B. Odd Paladin (5-6)

Mulligan: Devolve, Maelstrom Portal, Scheme, Volcano (in that order)

• You need Devolve to counter their “Never Surrender”. That alone will mess up your Maelstrom Portal and Volcano removal.
• You need to be aware of Quartermaster coming down on T5 and potentially Divine Favor.
• This is one matchup where you play an early (incomplete) Shudder combo and it can be enough to just win.

I feel like I should be doing better in this matchup. You really are on a clock, your AoE is draw dependent, and a big Divine Favor is hard to rally from. I might be playing this matchup improperly.

C. Odd Rogue (6-3)

Mulligans: Devolve, Scheme, Volcano, and Malestrom Portal if you have one of the others

• I feel like I’m over performing on this matchup.
• You want the Devolve to stop Hench Clan Thug or Edwin primarily as well as Fungalmancer buff.
• Very draw dependent matchup. You either draw your removal or die before you draw it.
• Dark Iron Skulker will clear your Dopplegangsters but it is a good way to slow down the game. For instance, it is easier to setup a Volcano one turn later if you know they will only add 3 health to the board. It’s too juicy for most Rogues to pass up and they mulligan for it because they assume you are Murloc Shaman.

I don’t feel like I have a lot of great insight into this matchup. It just seems so draw dependent.

D. Murloc Shaman (5-3)

Mulligans: Devolve, Scheme, Volcano. Maelstrom is fine with Devolve

• Underbelly Angler is super annoying as you don’t want to spend your premium removal (Devolve) against it.
• You have to always count the damage and playability of “Everyfin is Awesome”. Loatheb is a great way to disrupt this burst turn and Devolve is specifically to wreck it. (assuming you are alive).
• Some decks run Call in the Finishers to combo with “Everyfin is Awesome” in a single turn.
• You would only skip your hero power if Volcano is your only option and the math is tight.

Like most aggro decks, they can high roll you. But all your AoE is great against their minions and it is quite possible (pending Underbelly RNG) to run them out of resources.

E. Aggro Mech Hunter (4-1)

Mulligans: Devolve, Hex, Volcano, Scheme

• Devolve will wreck their board as will most of your AoE.
• You still want to disrupt their Wargear Turns on 5 as well as play around Metaltooth Leaper. You cannot be too greedy here.
• Jeeves is their refill but I feel like decks are (wrongly) cutting Ursatron.

Like most aggro decks, devolve is the game winner. Cards like Walking Fountain really seal the deal here too. The easiest way to lose is to hoard your removal. Metaltooth Leaper is huge damage on Turn 3/4 when you were trying to save Coin or Devolve so you could clear on T5 with Scheme/Volcano.

F. Jade Druid (4-0)

Mulligan: Devolve, Mana Tide, Loatheb, and Jepetto (if you have Devolve or Mana Tide already)

• Devolve is for a lucky Archmage Vargoth off Oaken Summons on T4 or the rare chance you hit an Aggro Druid. Worst case, you can go wide and still annihilate Spreading Plague.
• Sometimes Mana Tide Totem isn’t answered or forces them to Swipe on T4 instead of Oaken Summons.
• Loatheb is the key to this matchup. You want to bounce him, follow an unanswered Corpsetaker with Windfury on T5, or disrupt their Ultimate Infestation turn on 10. (you can tell if they are dumping for it)
• They can disrupt your combo with a lucky Hecklebot, overdraw with Naturalize, or double Naturalize with Archmage Vargoth
• This is one of the few matchups where I think Jepetto is fine to keep. You are under a time restriction before they go off with UI. But you can actually be the beat down before the combo.