OurHearthstone Midrange Hunter Deck List Guidefeatures the current top deck list for this archetype in the Rise of Shadows meta! We’re taking a detailed dive into this deck with mulligan advice, card replacements, how-to counter it, and best ways to play this classic Hearthstone deck. We’re also going to take a bit of a look at the history behind this archetype and what makes it so popular currently.
While this deck is sometimes referred to asBeast Hunter, it is always going to be Midrange Hunter in the hearts of us old school players. This deck was one of the first real powerhouse lists in the game when Constructed Seasons were first released. The deck was also known at the time as “Sunshine Hunter” which was dubbed by Lifecoach who named the deck after his daughter (hopefully I’m remembering this correctly). This version of the deck took advantage of some previously un-nerfed cards.Starving Buzzardwas still a low cost card draw powerhouse, andUnleash the Houndswas the card that fueled it.Hunter’s Markwas still 0-cost, andLeeroy Jenkinsonly cost 4-mana. All these cards combined made for a potent deck that dominated the ladder.
While these cards would eventually be nerfed, the deck still had bouts of dominance throughout the years. The deck has also been a great list for beginning players who are on a budget. The deck will usually feature a Legendary or two, but they are usually not required and you can get away with running a cheaper list.
Midrange Hunter Deck List in Rise of Shadows
While Hunter lost a ton of good cards in the rotation, it looks like the class isn’t too worse for wear. Midrange Hunter is still one of the most powerful decks to run on the ladder, and we’re featuring one of the most popular versions of the deck below. If you’re looking for a cheaper version of this deck, check out this guidehere.
Deck Code
Midrange Hunter Mulligan Guide
With Midrange Hunter you are always after a strong curve regardless of the matchup. Always be looking for a 1, 2, and 3-drop to play out your early turns.
Situational Keeps
Midrange Hunter Deck Guide & Gameplay Strategy
The gameplay strategy of Midrange Hunter largely depends on what kind of deck you are playing against. The very definition of a midrange deck is that you control aggro and beat up control. This is very important when it comes to best piloting this list. The other very important factor to understand in Midrange Hunter is when to flip the switch. There will generally come a point in many matches that you need to start being super aggressive. Flipping the switch means you are going straight to the face and looking to burn out your opponent. Hero Power becomes a mandatory thing every turn. This phase of play usually comes right around when you play Savannah Highmane. You don’t want to trade with this, you want to force your opponent to deal with it so you can use the Hyenas on your turn.
Against Aggressive Decks
This is your weaker matchup, and you will need to play control in the early game to establish a board. Take the easy trades and useHeadhunter’s Hatchetto manage the board as much as possible. Your damage spells likeKill Commandwill need to be used to remove minions. Keep your minions as much as possible and make value trades when you can. Aggro decks generally don’t run AOE or have the ability to clear a wide board.
If you fall behind (this is likely), you do have some options that can help you wrestle control back.Unleash the Houndscan be a potent board clear in the mid-game against a soft board. you may also combine this withTimber Wolfand take down larger minions. If you are really lucky, you’ll be able to combine this withScavenging Hyenaand end up with a clear board and a large minion.
Against Slower Decks
This is your bread and butter matchup, and where you get to prey upon these more control and combo heavy options. You become the fast deck in this situation, so you are looking for an aggressive opening to start getting in damage as soon as possible. Your minions become very important, and you will largely be trying to use them to get damage into your opponent’s face each turn. This is also where it is important to weave in a hero power as much as possible. You will want to use your spells to remove any taunts and as much as possible keep your board alive.
The biggest thing you’ll need to watch out for is spells that damage your board. It helps to really have intimate knowledge of what each deck is running in the current meta. Does the deck have 2 or 3 damage AOE? How much does their AOE cost? Do they have The Coin and can play their AOE earlier? Understanding whether or not your opponent can clear the board on any given turn is instrumental in your success with this deck. This also determines how wide you’re able to go with your board. If you suspect they have AOE, you’ll want to hold back certain cards or play minions that you don’t mind losing to bait it out. You will need to tip toe the line of playing just enough to force your opponent to play their AOE without losing all of your resources. If you haveMaster’s Call, you can play more aggressive because you know you can reload your hand if you lose your board. This has not been the case in previous iterations of Midrange Hunter.
Savannah Highmaneis great in this matchup, it’s usually a bit too slow against aggro. You will hopefully have forced out a hard removal from your opponent, but this isn’t always the case. You might just have to play the Highmane and hope it sticks. It’s one of the better cards against Warrior, because they don’t have removal that transforms our big lion.
Midrange Hunter Card Choices
The majority of this deck is pretty much set in stone, so let’s take a look at why each card is in the deck.
Midrange Hunter Card Replacements
I’m listing a bunch of the potential replacement options and what they can accomplish below. When you are replacing cards in a deck, you are either trying to emulate what the replaced card does or contribute to the decks overall strategy. Do note that if you are lacking cards like Master’s Call and Zul’jin that you will be on a more aggressive gameplan.
