http://www.hearthpwn.

com/decks/707281-easy-legend-reno-dragon-priest-aggro-
shaman

Hello everybody! Legend player CleitusBlack here with a first time deck write-up.

Decklist and proof of legend: http://imgur.com/a/rT3lR

65% Winrate from rank 5, went 59-32 - Reached legend 12/19/2016

Why play this deck?

Reno Priest is best able to mitigate damage with early removal vs. aggressive decks to
survive to later stages of the game to win. This Reno list also features dragons which
allow a possibility to curve out. With the new MSG expansion, going highlander in priest
has gotten much better. Kazakus, Raza, and Reno all can potentially carry you heavily
to a victory. Most importantly, Reno can guarantee wins versus aggressive decks given
you survive until turn 6.

Match-ups:

Pirate Warrior:

When playing a Warrior you can generally assume it will be the Pirate Warrior. This
match-up seems like a win 80% of games. Mulligan to deal with their board's minions.
Any early game helps, and cards like holy smite taking out a small-time buccaneer is
crucial. Once the constant damage stops you need to either heal or play taunts. This
deck runs quite a bit of those i.e. Reno, Guardian and agent which should win you the
game.

A key to this match-up is the Frothing Berserker. If left unanswered you will lose the
game almost instantly. It is okay to entomb the frothing if necessary. Also make sure to
Reno when below 15 health. Going for any sort of value vs. Pirate Warrior is a mistake.
Dragon Warrior:

This match-up is the worst of the aggro match-ups and is generally a coin toss. You
want to mulligan for the dragon curve that comes with the deck and make sure to have
at least removal for the drakonid crushers come late game. Dragonfire Potion gets little
value so killing a blackwing corruptor with a potion is valuable. Value is important but
don't make it as high a priority as tempo here.

Control Warrior:

You should never mulligan for this match but if a control warrior shows up it's far but
over. Most control warriors I've seen are playing just 3-4 late-game threats that you
should remove. Save removal for those, and save entomb for Ysera. Try to save Brann
for the Brann-Netherspite-Drakonid-Kazakus combos, making sure to get at least two of
those off with Brann. Don't overcommit to Brawl and the win should come.

Aggro Shaman:

Probably the best match-up for this deck besides pirate warrior, winning around 70% of
games. Mulligan for early game/early removal, and keep SW:D when you already have
early game for the 4 mana 7/7. Once again value is rather irrelevant so don't save
cards like Brann in your hand if you can get a trade by playing it on board.

I recommend to not keep dirty rat as it seems to not be good enough and it will pull out
late-game much too often. Keep reno if you have quite a few early game options in
your hand already.

Reno/Dragon Priests:

Although value may seem to be important to this match-up, it all comes down to
tempo. Your AOEs like Dragonfire Potion don't do near as much to high health dragon
minions. The goal to winning these match-ups is tempoing your opponent out in early
game and rolling him over or by getting a high-value kazakus potion as to take back
board control. Mulligan for your early game and take low value plays for tempo every
time.

Jade Druid(and most other druids):

Jade druid can get an insane curve, but given they don't this is a 50/50 match-up. Try
to mulligan for your best tempo drops and you will roll them due to no good AOE from
druid. Best tempo drops are usually those in dragon priest lists and you should keep
those under 4 mana and hopefully you can curve out decently.

Reno Mage:
This is a fun match-up. You tend to be the aggressor but you still need to generate
insane value. Play this much so like vs. Control Warrior but make sure you try to stay
above 13 hp in case of burn, anything above that should be decently safe. Once again
brann should be used on at least two other high value targets, and an extra kazakus
10-mana spell usually does wonders. This match should be a fun victory most of the
time but don't pull it past the mage to have insane burn.

Renolock:

Every player tends to rate renolock as this deck's largest weakness. I tend to disagree.
With renolock you should mulligan for both value and early game, so keeping a twilight
drake with no other early game is a good keep. No matter what you'll want to brann
kazakus for the 8 damage spell. Try to make your opponent reno without using either
of those (they should have to reno turn 10 or below). Then you should just keep one
minion on board at all time to make jaraxxus awkward. Most players don't seem to run
the combo so it usually can be the right play by trying to lose hp for tempo/damage on
the warlock. Use the burn on the jaraxxus when you get the opportunity and then the
warlock only has a couple other ways to heal. Hopefully these have been used up/not
drawn/offset by minion damage and fatigue so you can win. Nefarian is a decent tech
card vs. renolock because there is the possibility for sacrificial pact - don't concede yet!

Miracle Rogue:

This seemed to be my worst match-up at 35-65. My best advice here is to mulligan for
tempo and try to make it so even an insane gadgetzan turn can't remove your board.
There isn't much burn in rogue right now so 20 hp+ seems to be a healthy amount that
you shouldn't reno at. Mulligan to offset early game so the chip pirate damage doesn't
bring you down too far and try to get a good 2-3 drop to gain a bit of tempo on the
rogue.

Cards:

Holy Smite:

I love this card and it synergized well with both pyro and priest of the feast. Use this
card as small-time buccaneer removal or for value trades in the late game.

Northshire Cleric:

Excellent stats and effect. Against aggro i.e. pirate warrior this card value trades well
and can set up a good potion of madness against a small-time buccaneer.

Potion of Madness:

A key card in this deck. Turn one southsea deckhand? Potion it. This card can hit quite
a few targets in the metagame even without pint-sized potion.
Power Word: Shield:

Cycle that allows value trades. 'Nuff said.

Twilight Whelp:

Essential dragon card. Can give other dragon effects or a stron turn one play vs. aggro.

Dirty Rat:

Takes away some aggression but can also get a 4 mana 7/7. This card excels vs control
where it can take out a jaraxxus/tirion when unneeded.

Netherspite Historian:

Extreme value. With brann this card can win a control match and can tempo. It also
creates a dragon for your dragon synergies.

Shadow Word: Pain:

Early removal. Can take away early aggression or kill a late-game twilight guardian.

Wild Pyromancer:

With all the pirates running around and all these spells in your deck this card can work
wonders. Generally keep this guy with the coin and try to clear off early aggression as
soon as possible with it.

Wyrmrest Agent:

Early game taunt that's overstatted. Takes away aggression and having this guy can be
an easy win.

Brann Bronzebeard:

With 18 battlecry minions in your deck this guy is god. If the card has battlecry in it's
text then play it after this card and you've made a good play.

Kabal Talonpriest:

Decent three drop and if it hits a target you generally win the game automatically
versus aggro. Play it for tempo in most cases.

Mind Control Tech:

Most aggro decks have around 4 minions on board and dirty rat can give the value if
they had 3. Play this guy for tempo and if you get the largest minion you've probably
just generated an Indian salt mine.

Shadow Word: Death:

Easy addition to the deck. Takes out a four drop and is required vs. control.

Kazakus:
One of the reasons of the deck's creation. Don't hesitate to make a 1-cost card if you
can coin it out vs. aggro, and the double 10-cost cards vs. control is vital.

Priest of the Feast:

Heals and can play as tempo. Also has sem-taunt after you've just healed for 12.

Twilight Drake:

Good minion in this deck as you generally have 5+ crads in your hand, making this guy
a 4/6+ that synergizes with your deck.

Twilight Guardian

Excellent anti-aggro that also activates synergies. Play on curve to mitigate damage.

Azure Drake:

Card draw isn't abundant and the azure drake helps you draw on tempo. The spell
damage works well with smite and holy nova.

Blackwing Corruptor:

Excellent flametongue removal that also generates a body. On curve this guy usually
gets you back on top vs. aggro. This guy with brann can finish off the opponent form
time to time.

Drakonid Operative:

Excellent value, excellent tempo, and a dragon. This card is nice with brann and getting
another of these vs. priest is getting a free 5/6.

Holy Nova:

Good mass removal vs. aggro, especially pirate warrior. vs. control just killing one guy
off can be decent.

Raza the Chained:

Another MSG inclusion for this deck. The extra hero power helps maintain tempo and
the ability can get you just out of lethal when you want to do something else with your
mana.

Book Wyrm:

Remove a flametongue or 3/x and this guy gets excellent value, especially vs aggro.

Cabal Shadow Priest:

Good classic priest card that can bring extreme tempo. Try to just get tempo from it
and not too much value unless you can get away with it.

Dragonfire Potion:
This card carries games. It doesn't affect most of your minions but kills all aggro enemy
minions. I don't think I could ever take this card out. vs. other dragon decks just using
it vs. a corruptor and a netherspite would be decent.

Entomb:

Decent removal that removes deathrattles. Ideally he'll take a tirion but getting a 4
mana 7/7 would be decent.

Reno Jackson:

Auto-win vs. aggro decks given it's played correctly. Try not to get too much value from
him because aggro runs more burn than ever.

Chillmaw:

Good removal vs. late game in aggro decks as they wouldn't have removal. Played
correctly this card can take decent value vs. control as well.

Nefarian:

A questionable choice but I like it more than Ysera in this meta. It helps your games vs.
Renolocks via sacrificial pact and guarenteed will provide instant value, unlike Ysera.

Exclusions:

Pint-Sized Potion:

Not needed in this deck because it is dead vs. aggro for the most part.

Acidic Swamp Ooze:

This deck already has a good winrate vs. aggro and with all the weapon removal around
people tend to play around it, which is good in turn for us.

Doomsayer:

Dead in the late game and sometimes just dies when tempo'd out.

Kabal Courier:

Tends to be too slow in the early game and is overall inconsistent.

Excavated Evil:

Damages own minions and doesn't heal like holy nova. There are also so many 5-drops
already in the deck.

Kabal Songstealer:

Decent value card but not too much can be silenced. There are too many 5-drops in this
deck for this card already.

Final Thoughts:
Reno priest is at an excellent state in the meta and is a solid tier 2 deck. I recommend
to play Reno Priest to counter the aggressive decks in the meta.