One of my all-time favorite games is Hearthstone! I was fortunate enough to get in on the Alpha and have been hooked ever since. Lately, though, I’ve been feeling a bit disillusioned with the meta. To climb the ranks, you often have to adhere strictly to the season’s top-tier decks. And while there are always exceptional players who defy the odds with unique strategies, the reality for most of us is that following the meta is a key to success. Personally, I’ve found this approach to be a bit monotonous, making the game feel stale.
Enter Battlegrounds—a refreshing shake-up to the traditional format! Although there’s still a meta to consider, it’s much more flexible and unpredictable. Right now, it seems that demon and murloc decks are particularly dominant in both the singles and duos brackets. However, I believe every minion type has a potential build that can devastate opponents. I’d love to hear about your favorite deck strategies in the comments!
When the new Battlegrounds pass dropped, I decided to skip it. I had already splurged on the 20th anniversary collector’s edition of World of Warcraft: The War Within, among other expenses. It seems like my decision to forgo the pass has led to some unfortunate hero selections. The last game I played was a prime example. With a less-than-ideal hero pool, I ended up choosing the Curator. For those who might be new to Hearthstone, the Curator's passive ability, Managerist, summons an Amalgam with 2 attack and 2 health at the start of the game. This Amalgam boasts every minion type and has poison, making it versatile and lethal. Not a bad hero, just not one of my usual picks.
Early in the game, I wrestled with which strategy to pursue. I initially considered a demon-focused deck, but the tavern's card offerings didn’t align with that plan. So, I pivoted to an undead minion type deck. This season introduced trinkets, which you can choose twice during the match. For my first pick, I went with the Azeroth Model Globe, allowing me to discover a tier six minion every two turns. I’m not a huge fan of this trinket, but a couple of lucky tier six draws can make a huge difference. My second choice was the Butcher’s Sickle, which provides a random undead minion and the Butchering spell card at the start of each turn.
The Azeroth Model Globe proved its worth right away, granting me Archlich Kel'Thuzad. This undead card destroys the undead minion to its left and resurrects an exact copy. I positioned it next to my Amalgam and started populating my board with more of these powerful minions. Once I had two golden Amalgams, I acquired the Mummifer card, which grants Reborn to an undead minion upon destruction—resurrecting it with one health. I repositioned my Amalgams and set the Archlich Kel'Thuzad next to the Mummifer, delighting in the steady addition of Reborn to my undead minions.
The Butcher’s Sickle trinket was a game-changer, allowing me to boost the attack power of all my undead minions with each use. Eventually, I swapped out the Mummifer and focused on the best available options, culminating in a final board with Leeroy the Reckless, Eternal Summoner, Handless Forsaken, three Amalgams, and Cadaver Caretaker. Overcoming six minions with poison is no small feat, even with the best decks. But combined with my undead army, it proved overwhelming for my seven opponents, leading to a well-deserved victory!
Feel free to share your own Battlegrounds experiences and deck designs in the comments—I’m eager to hear what’s been working for you!
