[Archived] S20 Hearthstone Mage Mech Aggro

[Guest Geoff]

Hi, can someone explain me Cogmaster? I mean, sure, most of the time it's basically a 3/2 for 1 mana, so it's great. But it's not typical 1-drop. You need a mech to have 3/2, so it can be played only turn 3 with any 2-drop and later. Earlier it's pretty much dead, what adds even more inconcistency along with the fact it's combo card, and in late game 3/2 isn't really impressive, as it's going to be killed or just ignored easily. So is a 3/2 early game dead card really worth it? I'm not saying it's bad, but isn't there really anything better than combo 3/2 in a deck that already spams and is quite vunerable to AoEs?

 

Another thing is, what do you think are  the most easily droppable cards from the decklist? I mean, let's say you want to test something - what do you think can be cut and not affect general concept (except Legends obviously).

[Sottle 221]

The idea with Cogmaster is to play it on turn 1, a 2 health minion is unlikely to get removed on turn 1, and if your opponent spends a Wrath or Frostbolt on it on turn 2, you're happy. Then you just slam your Mech on turn 2, and you have a ton of stats in play.

 

With that said though, Cogmaster is on the list of cutable cards. Many people choose to replace it with Mana Wyrm with a few extra spells. The other cards to consider cutting are the excess 3 and 4 drops, Harvest Golem and Mechanical Yeti.

[Guest geoff]

Ah, so the point is to drop it, hope it's not killed (or they waste removal on it) and follow it with a 2-drop mech. Ok, got it.

 

So the next question is, which of 1-drops you think is better to cut? Cogmaster or Gnome?

[drumsmani 47]

If you replace the Cogmaster with a Mana Wyrm, the Gnome can provide a spare part that synergies with the Wyrm.

[Guest Guest]

Yeah, but that's not the point. I just need at least 2 rooms to test something (not Wyrm) and I think 1-dpros are the easiest to remove, so I'd want to know which you consider as generally better. I think Cogmaster has more value, but I'd like to know your opinion. Or maybe none of those should be removed before Harvest or Yeti?

[Guest Purpletrator]

Yeah, but that's not the point. I just need at least 2 rooms to test something (not Wyrm) and I think 1-dpros are the easiest to remove, so I'd want to know which you consider as generally better. I think Cogmaster has more value, but I'd like to know your opinion. Or maybe none of those should be removed before Harvest or Yeti?

I'm not an expert by any means, but in my experience Cogmaster consistently gets good value, whereas Gnome usually dies to something stupid.  Cogmaster either soaks a 2+ mana spell, becomes a 3/2 and trades up (giving board control), or pushes two extra dmg to face the following turn.  Gnome just seems to be removed much easier--while it is value if the enemy uses their hero power to remove it, I like to have the board control more than the gnome.

 

Plus, Cog gets more value against hero powers--Gnome dies to one hero power, but Cog dies to two.  I don't feel like the spare part is worth it most of the time, and if you're looking for activation for Blastmage, you can usually drop a Harvest Golem, Annoy, or something else that'll still be alive by turn 4.

 

Then again, I'm not an expert on this, just my personal experience with gnome vs cog.

[Sottle 221]

Since this build doesn't have Antonidas, you can cut Clockwork Gnome pretty safely.

[Guest gab]

Hi all, I'm having problems with this deck vs Hunters and Rouges. I mean, not like they are powerful enough, but it's very irritating, when they put everything on face. They don't even try to pretend like they care about any trades, they just rush everything into face and deal effect dmg. While it's quite easily counterable with good hand, if you start a little bit slower, regaining momentum won't do any good, because they don't even care about it. Last game vs Rouge I had 4 monsters on the field and 4 cards in hand (but I was at 3 HP due to his rush), he had empty board and was on topdeck. He topdecked Agent, attacked with knife and that was it. Overwhelming advantage < mindless hitting in the face. How to play in such match-ups? This is aggro as well, but it enters late game quite often and fast aggro is obviously better than slower aggro in direct fight. I'm really tired of loosing to Rexxar's shoots having full board and hand.

[Guest Dekoms]

Love the Deck! A few changes I've made yield better results though. 

 

Add:

 

1 Flamecannon

1 Arcane Intellect

1 Jeeves

 

Drop:

 

1 Cogmaster

1 Tinkertown Technician

1 Piloted Shredder  

 

It flows so much better, the enemy almost always quit by turn 5/6

[Guest Shenapa]

If you have a very good starting hand you can play 3 cards on turn one -> mechwarper, and 2 clockwork gnomes

 

It has happened to me a couple of times, you basically win the whole game even if they clear the board later on.

[hatebeeinsober 0]

I put my Thaurissan and drop Loatheb, is this ok?

[Sottle 221]

Loatheb is better, Mech Mage is usually low on cards, so Thaurissan does not have a big effect on this deck. Loatheb is really important to protect a board from removal.

[Rarst 3]

So I've mostly focused on putting this deck together for a while, having not been playing that long and collecting fitting cards from GvG boosters via Arena. I've played several tweaked versions before getting enough dust to craft Boom and complete list as posted.

 

It is fun in casual, but disappointing in ranked (I got to 9 and stuck there).

 

When this deck works, it works big time. Mechwarper, into good couple turns, into Blastmage seals the game right there.

 

Problem is — rest if the time it doesn't work. You are stuck slowly playing weakish minions (mechs are really only strong in crowd), into playing mid game you can't win (because really Yeti and Drake are not something opponent can't match), at best dragging it into late game you can't win (by that time Boom not even winning you game, but often can't even stall losing it).

 

For a while I saw it as running out of steam and explored card draw. Well, it's not that. I had lost games with Jeeves drawing me tons of cards. I had lost games with Echo of Medivh refilling my hand with extra copy of decent board.

 

It just can't trade well (outside of early game) and doesn't have finishing power.

 

Sludge Belcher (or worse — taunted giant Warlocks are so fond of at the moment) stops it dead. Antique Healbot often puts opponent out of range of your damage. Loosing a game to Antique Healbot is just sad.

 

Right now I pretty much have to choose between crafting Antonidas next and hope hard it fixes late game or crafting Sylvanas and switching to Tempo deck (which slaughtered mech few times I played against btw).

[Guest tup]

If you can't trade well, then don't trade at all. It obviously isn't Face Hunter, but it's still very aggressive deck. I'm really surprised how many people play this deck incorrectly by trying to be mid-range, while it's pure aggro. It's not like you shouldn't trade because it's straight road to loose, but it's opp who should worry about trading more. People tend to miss lethal or setup for lethat very often with this deck. I know it's tempting to try controlling with mechs, but you should remember that this is designed as a rush deck. And it's not strange that at some point slower decks start reagaining tempo, problem is to despite this fact be able to finish opponent. Don't expect to have board control with such deck at turn 7. You don't need to necessarily win before it, but you should be very close to lethal already. Also that's why I can hardly imagine this deck without Boom/Antonidas. You need something to finish opponent and Fireballs in current game state are definitely not enough.

 

Also remember that mid-range version of this deck is much more adequate in current mata, so you may like switching that version.

[Rarst 3]

 

 

 It obviously isn't Face Hunter, but it's still very aggressive deck. I'm really surprised how many people play this deck incorrectly by trying to be mid-range, while it's pure aggro. It's not like you shouldn't trade because it's straight road to loose, but it's opp who should worry about trading more.

 

I agree and that's precisely this deck's problem in my opinion — it wants to be Face Hunter, while it just doesn't have enough aggression other than case of perfect starting hand. It's like game is decided once you see what you start with.

 

Some trades are forced, like breaking through taunts. Takes a lot of puny mechs to punch through good taunt creature.

 

 

Also that's why I can hardly imagine this deck without Boom/Antonidas. You need something to finish opponent and Fireballs in current game state are definitely not enough.

 

Also remember that mid-range version of this deck is much more adequate in current mata, so you may like switching that version.

 

Most of the time Boom just prolonging agony in hopeless game for me with this one. :) It's obviously a great card, but by turn 7 opponents just have answers for it most of the time and there is not enough scary in deck to draw those answers earlier.

 

I agree completely that mid-range version does seem like a better fit at the moment, I am just hesitant to spend dust on mage–only Antonidas legendary at the moment. :) Actually I did craft Sylvanas yesterday, so trying out Midrange Tempo now (which I am short on Rangaros for, *sigh*).

[Guest Pirateyoshi]

The deck is definitely fun, but with that pesky Grim Patron Warrior deck being the flavor of the month, it definitely needs some changing around for the current season. The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is flamestrike, but the whole deck having a lot of monsters under 3 attack make it rough if you dont win in time.

 

If anyone has any advice or decklist changes they have found useful let me know.

[Rarst 3]

I did run one flamestrike often in it and occasionally it helps, but usually if it got to that turn then strategically game is likely lost.

 

It's not just that Grim Patron combo is scary for mech, warrior's game plan is also to play defensively and shoot the heck out of opponent's creatures in that case.

[Sottle 221]

mid-range, while it's pure aggro.

Not quite, it is just an aggressively curved Midrange deck, optimal trading is really, really important. Sure there's some matchups where you want to be more aggressive, but for the most part, you're playing Druid, trade and try and build a board by dropping efficient creatures each turn.

And yeah, Flamestrike is a bad idea for the exact reasons stated, it is rare that if on turn 7 you're in a position where you need to Flamestrike, that Flamestrike will win you the game, you just pass back to the opponent to take the initiative again.


Rarst, I don't know what to tell you without specifics, but you are certainly playing poorly if you can't take this deck past rank 9. There was recently a 24 hour marathon stream where Kungen got Mech Mage up to Rank 4 starting from a new account, it's been one of the staple Legend Rank and tournament level decks for many months now.
 

[Rarst 3]

Rarst, I don't know what to tell you without specifics, but you are certainly playing poorly if you can't take this deck past rank 9. There was recently a 24 hour marathon stream where Kungen got Mech Mage up to Rank 4 starting from a new account, it's been one of the staple Legend Rank and tournament level decks for many months now.

 

For the context it was essentially my first season and I have just played several evenings at the end of the month. :) I did say I am new, more experienced players will certainly do better with this deck.

 

As a subjective observation I don't think I had seen much of this exact build around. The more midrange build with Antonidas or the one with secrets seem common at the moment.

[Sottle 221]

Yeah that's true, I should update this list to include the secret package or just remove it altogether, the other deck is superior.

[Magnvs 0]

Is it possible I can replace Dr. Boom with Clockworks Giant as a weaker substitute? If its to mediocre can anyway think of a card to place it with?

 

Thank You

[Sottle 221]

Nah, Clockwork Giant is really poor. You want something like Piloted Sky Golem if you don't have access to Boom.

[Guest Adina]

What about Foe Reaper instead of Loatheb? 

[Sottle 221]

Foe Reaper is kind of slow for a deck such as this, and it would create a big spike in the curve, reducing your consistency.

[Rarst 3]

Trying "mech hyper aggro" version, I've found elsewhere online.

 

Differences:

- cogmaster, harvest golem, tinkertown technician, mechanical yeti, azure drake, loatheb

+ arcane missile, mana wyrm, unstable portal, sorcerer apprentice (1x), mirror entity, flamewaker, blingitron (what? :D don't have... :)

 

Sacrifices mid game (which I was unhappy with anyway) to crank early game to brutally aggressive.