Basic Druid Deck

[Jmose72 0]

Thanks loads for this deck, I'm now beating all comers since I changed to there cards (casual admittedly).

[Guest Skuolfi]

Would Starfall be better than Starfire? It's 1 mana cheaper, has the same damage but also has an option to basically be a Blizzard without the Freeze. I'm losing the card draw but is it really that important?

[positiv2 952]

Would Starfall be better than Starfire? It's 1 mana cheaper, has the same damage but also has an option to basically be a Blizzard without the Freeze. I'm losing the card draw but is it really that important?

The draw is quite important without Lores or Azure Drakes. Still, if you find yourself in the need of Board Clear rather often, you can swap them, one at a time.

[pabrams 0]

This deck got slaughtered by the computer at Expert; even with both wild growths in my draw, I didn't have a chance against the mage.  When I brought out my 6/6, he just cloned it with some 'secret' BS then fireballed mine.  Then next turn I brought out an 8/8 and he polymorphed it.
 

I had two creature buffs in my hand (those +2/+2 +taunt things) which were useless without creatures, but that seemed like the only bad thing about my draw.  

Edited March 27, 2016 by pabrams

[positiv2 952]

This deck got slaughtered by the computer at Expert; even with both wild growths in my draw, I didn't have a chance against the mage.  When I brought out my 6/6, he just cloned it with some 'secret' BS then fireballed mine.  Then next turn I brought out an 8/8 and he polymorphed it.

 

I had two creature buffs in my hand (those +2/+2 +taunt things) which were useless without creatures, but that seemed like the only bad thing about my draw.  

I have never had problems beating Expert AI. I guess you are a new player and new players make many misplays. Try again in a month and you will see that it will be much easier to beat the AIs.

[Guest Guest]

 

This deck got slaughtered by the computer at Expert; even with both wild growths in my draw, I didn't have a chance against the mage.  When I brought out my 6/6, he just cloned it with some 'secret' BS then fireballed mine.  Then next turn I brought out an 8/8 and he polymorphed it.

 

I had two creature buffs in my hand (those +2/+2 +taunt things) which were useless without creatures, but that seemed like the only bad thing about my draw.  

I have never had problems beating Expert AI. I guess you are a new player and new players make many misplays. Try again in a month and you will see that it will be much easier to beat the AIs.

 

 

You've never lost an expert game against the AI?  How many times have you played?  Were you using better than basic cards?  

[Guest Guest]

 

This deck got slaughtered by the computer at Expert; even with both wild growths in my draw, I didn't have a chance against the mage.  When I brought out my 6/6, he just cloned it with some 'secret' BS then fireballed mine.  Then next turn I brought out an 8/8 and he polymorphed it.

 

I had two creature buffs in my hand (those +2/+2 +taunt things) which were useless without creatures, but that seemed like the only bad thing about my draw.  

I have never had problems beating Expert AI. I guess you are a new player and new players make many misplays. Try again in a month and you will see that it will be much easier to beat the AIs.

 

In this case it had nothing to do with the play, it was strictly a draw-based loss.

[positiv2 952]

I have played about 30 times. I use expert AI to test basic decks, so yeah, it was basic deck most of the times. When I wasn't using a basic deck, I was using decks that cost 1000 dust or less.

Do you have a replay? Do you have Hearthstone Deck Tracker?

[Guest Javad]

Hi, thanks for your information on the game!

Why don't you update the basic decks (for all classes) to include the "League of Explorers" to make some swaps?

[asherpen 1]

Hi, thanks for your information on the game!

Why don't you update the basic decks (for all classes) to include the "League of Explorers" to make some swaps?

And TGT/WOTG packs too! 

 

Also I think C'Thun can be seen as a basic card, because it's free to all:)

[Guest Adino]

What about starfall?

I am including c'thun so I took an ogre out

I also took out 2X bloddfen raptor and added 2X Beckonner of evil.

Also replace 2X yetis with 1X Mire keeper and Druid of the claw.

I am completely new to this and wondering if this is a strong hand?

 

Cheers

[positiv2 952]

On ‎18‎.‎7‎.‎2016 at 9:37 AM, Guest Adino said:

What about starfall?

I am including c'thun so I took an ogre out

I also took out 2X bloddfen raptor and added 2X Beckonner of evil.

Also replace 2X yetis with 1X Mire keeper and Druid of the claw.

Starfall can go in place of Starfire, Bloodfen Raptor should stay and River Crocolisk should go instead, and you can swap in Boulderfist Ogre for Stormwind Champion depending on how often you have strong board by turn 7.

[jacksw 0]

I have only started playing HS for a while and using all the basic decks for all classes. Since Karazhan adventure has been out for months, I wonder will all the basic decks updated with Karazhan cards swap?

[FanOfValeera 253]

10 hours ago, jacksw said:

I have only started playing HS for a while and using all the basic decks for all classes. Since Karazhan adventure has been out for months, I wonder will all the basic decks updated with Karazhan cards swap?

No, those are basic decks, no cards from any expansions or adventures, I mean you can always ask about swaps here, but decklists will not change

[positiv2 952]

11 hours ago, jacksw said:

I have only started playing HS for a while and using all the basic decks for all classes. Since Karazhan adventure has been out for months, I wonder will all the basic decks updated with Karazhan cards swap?

If you mean the card swap section, it will be changed once the new rotation comes out, most likely with an adventure, to contain Karazhan and Un'goro swaps (if Un'goro ends up an adventure). Until then, you will have to ask about specific cards in the discussion threads.

[Guest Elementals]

Will there be an update to the guide soon?  The Card Swaps section is outdated.  Also the Card Choices section seems to be from before the changes to Innervate (Chillwind Yeti on turn 2, or turn 1 with the Coin).  I imagine that the deck itself would still be the same, but the Guide does need updating.

[Smorod 33]

As mentioned in the previous comment, this deck was designed, and the guide written, at a time when Innervate provided 2 temporary mana crystals. Now that it only provides 1 temporary mana crystal, several sentences in the Strategy and Card Choices sections are incorrect. This will easily confuse the intended audience of basic decks, which I assume are primarily new players still discovering the game. So it would be great if the article could be corrected.

More generally, I am wondering about the impact of this change on the deck as a whole. Without the possibility to play a medium-size minion in very early game or a large-size minion in mid-game, can it really get the tempo? With only 5 minions at 3 mana or less, I'm afraid it will start too slow. I'm only speculating as I did not try it yet, but I suspect that the mana curve would have to be adjusted a bit.

I would even go as far as to question the presence of 2 x Innervate in this deck. Their sheer value is much lower now than it used to be, and I find it hard to justify the 2 card slots they occupy. I think I would replace one of them with a cheap minion, either an Elven Archer or a second Acidic Swamp Ooze.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Smorod

[Smorod 33]

After playing 5 games with this basic deck at Rank 22, I think I can reply to my own questions above. First of all, with 4 victories for 1 defeat, I must admit that the deck is still running reasonably well, despite the weakening of Innervate.

Secondly, I was wrong about Innervate. The 2 copies of that card, even weaker, have to stay in the deck, simply because it belongs to the deck concept.

I was however correct when suspecting that the less efficient Innervate would require adjusting the rest of the deck. Prior to the change, you would ideally play Innervate and one of the 4-drop minions on turn 2. You could then play Shattered Sun Cleric on turn 3 to boost the 4-drop minion, ending up with a very powerful minion for the early game. With the weaker Innervate, this sequence no longer works, because you can only play the 4-drop minion on turn 3, not 2. The other ideal start is to play Wild Growth on turn 2 followed by one of the 4-drop minions on turn 3. So now in both cases the 4-drop minion is played on turn 3, stealing the best spot of the Cleric. Due to the abundance of 4-mana cards in this deck, you will most likely want to play one of these on turn 4, rather than the Cleric which would most likely leave you with a unused mana.

It was already mentioned in the Card Swaps section that "Shattered Sun Cleric is not at its most powerful in this deck since you will often skip early drops to use Innervate or Wild Growth." It gets even worse if you follow the suggestion to replace River Crocolisk with Wrath. I suppose that the presence of the Cleric in the deck was solely justified by the possibility to play the sequence mentioned above, even if it was not stated explicitly in the Strategy section. Now that this possibility is gone, I don't think that the Cleric can stay. In practice, I ended up several times with a mix of Shattered Sun Cleric and Mark of the Wild in my hand and no minion on which to play them.

The Cleric could be replaced with Razorfen Hunter (which increases the chances to have a target for Mark of the Wild in early game, and benefits from the Stormwind Champion in late game) or a second copy of Acidic Swamp Ooze, to compensate for the fact that Innervate is now played on turn 3 instead of turn 2.

[Smorod 33]

I am now trying to improve this basic deck with the cards available in my collection, and seeking for advice on the best options.

To replace River Crocolisk, my first thoughtless choice was Amani Berserker because they are a net improvement. However I am now wondering if Power of the Wild would be a better alternative? I like having options, but this however goes against the deck designer's decision to prefer the Crocolisk over Bloodfen Raptor.

To replace Shattered Sun Cleric, my initial choice was Harvest Golem, solely based on body stats. Now I am considering Landscaping (same total body stats, faster, but more vulnerable to mass damage) or Druid of the Scythe (lower body stats, but added ability, and choice).

To replace Gnomish Inventor, I can choose between Blackwald Pixie (for a smoother mana curve), Violet Teacher (to leverage the higher-than-average amount of spells in this basic deck, especially if I decide to use Power of the Wild and/or Landscaping), Swift Messenger (which I have been using rather successfully in Arena before), Spellbreaker (body stats don't really fit in this deck, but I think Silence is an underestimated ability) or Dark Iron Dwarf (which is supposed to be great, but I can never seem to play right). Any recommendation? Or am I supposed to keep the Inventor as a delaying tactic until I have enough mana for the bigger minions? I must say I was surprised that the guide suggests removing Sen'jin Shieldmasta and not Gnomish Inventor to swap Druid of the Claw in, so maybe I'm missing something.

Lastly, I am wondering if I shall replace Boulderfist Ogre with Tending Tauren? The total body stats are better, and it goes well with Stormwind Champion, but maybe a single large minion is considered a better finisher?

[positiv2 952]

2 hours ago, Smorod said:

To replace River Crocolisk, my first thoughtless choice was Amani Berserker because they are a net improvement. However I am now wondering if Power of the Wild would be a better alternative? I like having options, but this however goes against the deck designer's decision to prefer the Crocolisk over Bloodfen Raptor.

River Crocolisk is generally superior to Power of the Wild in aggressive metas, as you will not be able to fill the board to take advantage of the board buff, and a 2/3 will fare better than a 3/2 when it comes to clearing the board. In all other metas, however, Power of the Wild should be used instead. However, since Amani Berserker is, as you say, strictly better than River Crocolisk, it can be preferable to Power of the Wild in more cases. 
What I would suggest is either changing the decks a bit to suit Power of the Wild better (mainly adding token generators and lower curve). If that is not possible, use Amani Berserker (unless the meta is really slow, in which case you either want to use a 3/2, or use a more expensive minion).

3 hours ago, Smorod said:

To replace Shattered Sun Cleric, my initial choice was Harvest Golem, solely based on body stats. Now I am considering Landscaping (same total body stats, faster, but more vulnerable to mass damage) or Druid of the Scythe (lower body stats, but added ability, and choice).

While Harvest Golem sticks to the board better, Druid of the Scythe is significantly more versatile, making it the better choice here. Landscaping has synergy with Power of the Wild, and they should be used in combination if you plan on adding either one to the deck.

3 hours ago, Smorod said:

To replace Gnomish Inventor, I can choose between Blackwald Pixie (for a smoother mana curve), Violet Teacher (to leverage the higher-than-average amount of spells in this basic deck, especially if I decide to use Power of the Wild and/or Landscaping), Swift Messenger (which I have been using rather successfully in Arena before), Spellbreaker (body stats don't really fit in this deck, but I think Silence is an underestimated ability) or Dark Iron Dwarf (which is supposed to be great, but I can never seem to play right).

Blackwald Pixie has fantastic body, fits the curve perfectly, and thus should be the default choice. Exactly as you say, Violet Teacher is great if you also add Power of the Wild and Landscaping to the deck. Swift Messenger is too unrelable to constrcted play and should be avoided. I personally like to play at least one silence effect in each deck that has the room for it, and this deck sure does. Dark Iron Dwarf provides excellent value for tempo decks as it allows you to trade up efficiently while not losing board presence. This deck, however, is unable to take advantage of this ability, as it is able to play usually one minion each turn. 
If you are going to add Power of the Wild to the deck, add either 1x Violet Teacher + 1x Dark Iron Dwarf, or add 2x Violet Teacher. If not, add 2x Blackwald Pixie, and treat Chillwind Yeti like a tech spot for Spellbreaker should you often find the need for it.

3 hours ago, Smorod said:

Lastly, I am wondering if I shall replace Boulderfist Ogre with Tending Tauren? The total body stats are better, and it goes well with Stormwind Champion, but maybe a single large minion is considered a better finisher?

So late in the game, your opponent already has enough mana to play basically any AoE, which you cannot bait prior to playing Tending Tauren as the deck does not run the cards to be able to do that. Boulderfist Ogre, on the other hand, offers a big body, and can soak removal prior to playing Ironbark Protector. Therefore, I would suggest keeping Boulderfist Ogre over Tending Tauren. However, if you go for the aggressive approach with Power of the Wild, you should use a more aggressive minion in its place, and in the place of Ironbark Protector, too.

[Guest Druid]

Will there be an update for the Basic Deck soon? Both Innervate and Wild Growth seem to have been changed since this was written.

 

[positiv2 952]

19 hours ago, Guest Druid said:

Will there be an update for the Basic Deck soon? Both Innervate and Wild Growth seem to have been changed since this was written.

Not anytime soon, as Kat is busy with new decks. It's on our to-do list, but it's nowhere near a top priority. Sorry!

[Guest TheMostHigh]

This deck and its text are outdated. A turn 1 chillwind yeti isnt possible.

Innervate and Wild Growth were nerfed and now the deck has some curve issues. Wild growth on 3 will result in having 5 mana next turn with only 1 5drop and 2 3drops in the deck

Its so sad as this deck was so much fun to play and took me to rank 15 once after a basic challenge