Handbuff Zoo Warlock Deck

Last updated on Apr 09, 2020 at 20:00 by Kat 1 comment

This guide contains detailed Strategy, Mulligan, and deck-building information to help you play Handbuff Zeoo Warlock in the Ashes of Outland expansion.

Handbuff Zoo Warlock is a slower take on the traditional Zoo Warlock archtype. It focuses on maintaining a full hand of cards to maximise the value of Imprisoned Scrap Imp before flooding the board with the aid of Magic Carpet and Kanrethad Ebonlocke.

Card List

Warlock Cards
0 Sacrificial Pact Legacy 2
1 Blood Imp Legacy 2
1 Fiendish Servant GA 2
1 Flame Imp Legacy 2
1 Voidwalker Legacy 2
2 EVIL Genius RoS 2
2 Expired Merchant Uldum 2
2 Imprisoned Scrap Imp AO 2
2 Kanrethad Ebonlocke AO 1
4 Nightshade Matron AO 2
6 Hand of Gul'dan AO 2
Neutral Cards
1 Argent Squire Legacy 1
1 Blazing Battlemage DoD 2
1 Guardian Augmerchant AO 2
1 Rocket Augmerchant AO 2
3 Magic Carpet RoS 2

Import This Deck in Hearthstone

COPY IMPORT CODE
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Handbuff Zoo Warlock Deck Mulligan Guide

Despite being an Aggro deck, Handbuff Zoo Warlock relies on powerful card combos in order to success and as such, you should prioritise finding these combos in your mulligan over early game minions. Additionally, the large number of 1-Cost minions in the deck means you are very likely to have early-game options no matter how you mulligan.

  • General Mulligan (keep regardless of what your opponent is playing)Hand of Gul'dan, Imprisoned Scrap Imp. Expired Merchant can also be kept if you already have Hand of Gul'dan
  • Mulligan against Aggro (also keep if you think you are playing against an aggressive deck) — No additional cards recommended.
  • Mulligan against Control (also keep if you think you are playing against a slow deck)Nightshade Matron can additionally be kept if you already have Hand of Gul'dan.

An alternative niche mulligan strategy you can also opt for is keeping Kanrethad Ebonlocke with multiple 1-Cost Demons. This option is much more powerful against Aggro and if you are going second.

Handbuff Zoo Warlock Deck Strategy

Contrary to standard Zoo decks, your main goal in the early game should be to bolster your resources either by playing Imprisoned Scrap Imp or drawing cards by playing Expired Merchant if you also have Hand of Gul'dan in hand. If you do not have access to these plays you should look to use Life Tap wherever possible. Any remaining Mana can be used to put light pressure onto your opponent with cards like Flame Imp and Blazing Battlemage.

Going into the mid-game is where the deck truly shines, if you have had a Imprisoned Scrap Imp buff hit your hand, you can begin to start playing out your cheaper minions to pressure your opponents. Alternatively, you can opt to use Nightshade Matron to control the board if you have a Hand of Gul'dan, allowing you to draw yet more cards. If your opponent has started to apply counterpressure, you can alternatively use Magic Carpet to Rush some of your 1-Cost minions and clean up the board.

The deck itself does not have a precise win condition. This is largely due to the sheer consistent tempo the deck is capable of outputting once it hits its stride, playing several buffed up cheap minions per turn. However, when you are looking for lethal do remember to look for additional attack buffs from Goblin Lackeys, Kobold Lackeys and killing off your own Fiendish Servants with Sacrificial Pact or by trading.

Against Aggro, you should try to be a slightly less greedy when trying to pull off your combos by putting in a bit more effort in contesting the board. However, you should still not neglect the use of Imprisoned Scrap Imp and Hand of Gul'dan as your deck does not offer enough value when cards are simply played at face value. When facing other Warlock and Demon Hunters in particular, Sacrificial Pact can play a huge role in helping you swing the board, allowing you do be a bit more greedy with your setups.

Against Control, you should try to maximise the value you get from your cards, Life Tapping and drawing aggressively until you are able to hit a Imprisoned Scrap Imp. Once you land your first buff, you should try to put on moderate pressure for the remainder of the game. However, you should try to be cautious of board clears, as you only have a finite number of minions in your deck, making reaching fatigue very real possibility.

Handbuff Zoo Warlock Deck Card Swaps

  • Against Control — Add 1x Zephrys the Great for 1x Argent Squire.
  • Against Aggro — Add 2x Beaming Sidekick for 2x Blood Imp.

Changelog

  • 09 Apr. 2020: Guide added.
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