Last updated on Dec 04, 2020 at 14:00 by Kat 2 comments

This guide contains detailed Strategy, Mulligan, and deck-building information to help you play Highlander Hunter in the Madness at the Darkmoon Faire expansion.

Highlander Hunter includes only one copy of each card in order to make use of Zephrys the Great and Dinotamer Brann. It is an aggressive midrange deck which has the potential to win longer games with the optional tech of Dragonqueen Alexstrasza.

Card List

Hunter Cards
1 Adorable Infestation SA 1
1 Demon Companion SA 1
1 Dwarven Sharpshooter DoD 1
1 Mystery Winner MDF 1
1 Wolpertinger SA 1
2 Freezing Trap Legacy 1
2 Imprisoned Felmaw AO 1
2 Open the Cages MDF 1
2 Pack Tactics AO 1
2 Phase Stalker DoD 1
2 Scavenger's Ingenuity AO 1
2 Snake Trap Legacy 1
3 Animal Companion Legacy 1
3 Eaglehorn Bow Legacy 1
3 Kill Command Legacy 1
3 Petting Zoo MDF 1
3 Unleash the Hounds Legacy 1
4 Dragonbane DoD 1
4 Rinling's Rifle MDF 1
7 Dinotamer Brann Uldum 1
Neutral Cards
1 Blazing Battlemage DoD 1
1 Guardian Augmerchant AO 1
1 Intrepid Initiate SA 1
1 Tour Guide SA 1
2 Bonechewer Brawler AO 1
2 Wriggling Horror MDF 1
2 Zephrys the Great Uldum 1
3 Inconspicuous Rider MDF 1
3 Voracious Reader SA 1
4 Lorekeeper Polkelt SA 1

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Highlander Hunter Deck Mulligan Guide

Highlander Hunter is and aggressive deck reliant on a fast opener in order to pressure opponents. In order to facilitate this, you should use your Mulligan to create the strongest Mana Curve possible.

In all matchups, you should look for Dwarven Sharpshooter, Blazing Battlemage, Imprisoned Felmaw, Zephrys the Great, and Intrepid Initiate.

If you have both Tour Guide and Phase Stalker in your opening hand, you can keep both of these cards to synergistically play on Turns 1 and 2.

Against Aggro, you can keep Eaglehorn Bow to control the early-game board.

Against Control decks, you can keep a copy of Lorekeeper Polkelt to ensure you can draw your late-game cards.

Highlander Hunter Deck Strategy

In the early turns, your primary aim is to secure yourself a position on the board. This can be done using almost any combination of the 1-Cost and 2-Cost minions in the deck. If your opponent aggressively secures the board before you, you can alternatively opt to play Eaglehorn Bow to control the board instead.

Going into the mid game, you should look to improve your board position using a mix of Secrets and some of your more expensive cards like Petting Zoo, and Animal Companion. Additionally, from this point onward, you should focus on attacking your opponent directly, only making trades on the board when it helps protect your other minions.

The deck utilises various special cards that are often the source of misplays when not viewed in an aggressive light. With this in mind, it is nearly always better to simply play your minions if they help you spend your Mana efficiently rather than holding onto them for optimal value. This largely includes:

  • Dwarven Sharpshooter — When played on Turn 1, avoid using your Hero Power against non-threatening minions on Turn 2. For example, it is better to play more minions onto the board than to waste your entire turn killing a Wand Thief.
  • Phase Stalker — Should be played on Turn 2 if you have no other 2 drop. The resources your opponent will waste overreacting to it will greatly outweigh the Secret it can pull from your deck.
  • Dragonbane — Similarly to Phase Stalker, you should not be afraid to play it on Turn 4 if you have no other play and have other minions on the board. Even if your opponent removes it, the resources your opponent uses will likely help protect your other minions, which will outweigh the potential bonus 5 damage the card can deal on the following turn.
  • Zephrys the Great — Despite using this card, this deck is still an Aggro deck at heart. With this in mind, you should be looking to use Zephrys to fill in any difficult turn rather than looking for a flashy board clear. This will often come in the form of a Turn 2 play to pick up Backstab to secure the board or an Animal Companion for the following turn if you happen to have drawn poorly.
  • Lorekeeper Polkelt — Serves as a conduit to access your game-ending cards. With this in mind it is best to play the card specifically on Turn 4 or Turn 6 due to the predictable nature of your draws. Once your deck has been ordered, your first draw, if you do not already have it, will be Dinotamer Brann and therefore sorting your deck on Turn 6 allows it to be drawn perfectly on Turn 7. Your second draw will either be Dragonbane or Rinling's Rifle. Sorting your deck on Turn 4 will allow you to play one of these powerful cards on Turn 6, in preparation to burst your opponent down with Dinotamer Brann on Turn 7.

Highlander Hunter Deck Card Swaps

As with most Secret-containing decks, the Secrets in this deck are very interchangeable as long as you do not exceed 1 copy of each so that Zephrys the Great and Dinotamer Brann can activate. Consider Explosive Trap as your top choice to swap in against Aggro decks.

Against Control, you can optionally add in Dragonqueen Alexstrasza for a Wriggling Horror to allow you to keep pushing damage into the late game. Should you do this, make sure to account for how this will affect the timing of Lorekeeper Polkelt.

Changelog

  • 04 Dec. 2020: Deck list has been completely overhauled for the Madness at the Darkmoon Faire expansion.
  • 06 Aug. 2020: Deck has been updated for the Scholomance academy expansion. Removed 1x Hyena Alpha, 1x Marked Show, 1x Eaglehorn Bow, 1x Secretkeeper, 1x Shimmerfly, 1x Explosive Trap, 1x Pack Tactics, 1x Pressure Plate, 1x Unleash the Beast, 1x Maiev Shadowsong, 1x Deadly Shot, 1x Blazing Battlemage for 1x Demon Companion, 1x Ace Hunter Kreen, 1x Krolusk Barkstripper, 1x Snake Trap, 1x Faerie Dragon, 1x Evasive Feywing, 1x Imprisoned Felmaw, 1x Stormhammer, 1x Scavenger's Ingenuity, 1x Diving Gryphon, 1x Unleash the Hounds.
  • 07 Apr. 2020: Deck has been updated for the Ashes of Outland expansion. Removed 1x Rat Trap, 1x Diving Gryphon, 1x Snipe, 1x Clear the Way, 1x Springpaw, 1x Masked Contender, 1x Subject 9, 1x Zilliax, 1x Zul'jin for 1x Phase Stalker, 1x Corrosive Breath, 1x Zixor, Apex Preditor, 1x Maiev Shadowsong, 1x Rotnest Drake, 1x Dragonbane, 1x Pack Tactics, Big Ol' Whelp, 1x Blazing Battlemage
  • 10 Jan. 2020: Deck has been reviewed following the January balance patch.
  • 10 Dec. 2019: Deck updated for the Descent of Dragons expansion. Removed 1x Sunreaver Spy, 1x Ramkahen Wildtamer, 1x Unleash the Hounds, 1x Savannah Highmane, 1x Tracking, 1x Hunters Pack, 1x Snake Trap, 1x Sandbinder for 1x Dwarven Sharpshooter, 1x Diving Gryphon, 1x Primordial Explorer, 1x Veranus, 1x Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, 1x Springpaw, 1x Clear the Way, 1x Faceless Corruptor.
  • 14 Aug. 2019: Deck guide added.
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