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A different flavor this week!

I've been getting a few requests to commentate my arena runs, so here's a little something to make up for the lack it. Thought it would be a nice change of rhythm from the weekly overview segments.


Here's the full drafting thought process of my 9-2 Druid run-


Full run on youtube:
Decklist:
Mana curve:


Drafting thought process:

1) Nourish – Pint-sized Summoner – Defender of Argus
This choice was between Pint-sized & Argus for me. As it’s one of the earlier choices, I usually go with the better overall card regardless of mana curve. I’m usually an aggro arena player, so Argus wins this one.

2) Dread Corsair – Raid Leader – Boulderfist Ogre
Not a fan of Dread Corsair or Raid Leader. I’d only consider Corsair if my hero was weapon oriented (rogue/paladin/warrior). Boulderfist Ogre is a decent 6-drop. Choice was easy here.

3) Savagery – Azure Drake – Defender of Argus
After the Savagery change, I never consider it for arena anymore. Azure Drake ranks a tad higher for me than Argus because of the card draw. Also Druid has quite a few spells that benefit a lot from the +Spell Damage (Swipe/Wrath).

4) Faerie Dragon – Tauren Warrior – Gnomish Inventor
Faerie Dragon and Ooze are the top 2 2-drops for me. I try to have at least 1 of each my arena decks. Faerie Dragon is a powerful early game booster, along with the fact that I like my Shattered Sun & Dark Iron Drawfs. My Faeries can sometimes get out of control if not taken care of early.

5) Silvermoon Guardian – Oasis Snapjaw – Naturalize
Not a fan of Naturalize, don’t like giving my opponents free card draws. Oasis Snapjaw is a card I’d only consider if I was playing hunter. So comes down to the Silvermoon Guardian.

6) Flesheating Ghoul – Thrallmar Farseer – Healing Touch
Healing touch is out of the question. I really dislike pure healing cards. I feel it’s just pro-longing the inevitable. Flesheating & Thrallmar are ranked quite even in my head. As it’s still an early pick, I went with Thrallmar in case I don’t have a bunch of 2/3-drops yet to connect with Flesheating.

7) Stormwind Champion – Innervate – Mark of the Wild
One of the harder choices I had, I value all 3 to be somewhat decent. Innervate was a inches out though, as it’s one of the prime Druid cards that lets us get a huge early game advantage. Remember Innervate + coin = 4-drop on turn 1.

8) Power of the Wild – Reckless Rocketeer – Acidic Swamp Ooze
Remember when I said Ooze & Faerie were my top 2 2-drops? I lied. Power of the Wild is my number 1 2-drop. The flexibility of the card gives is relevance early & late game. Again as I’m aggro focused, Power of the Wild is too good to give up.

9) Flesheating Ghoul – Wisp – Priestess of Elune
Flesheating wins this one easy. Not a fan of Priestess nor wisp. Also makes me happy that I picked Thrallmar earlier.

10) Arcane Golem – Keeper of the Grove – Coldlight Oracle
As much as I don’t like giving my opponent free cards, I also don’t like to give them free mana. Keeper wins this one hands down. Also Keeper is pretty imba, with a keeper around we can skip the Owl/Spellbreaker.

11) Bloodfen Raptor – Mogu’shan Warden – Abusive Sergeant
The type of aggro decks I like to play revolve around 2/3-drops. I’m not a fan of 1 drops unless they have 2 life cos it’s free food for druid/rogue/mage. Not a fan of Mogu’shan unless I’m playing priest. Bloodfen takes this to add to my 2-drop collection.

12) Goldshire Footman – Wolfrider – Innervate
Goldshire is garbage imo. Wolfrider has its place, but Innervate again, is too good to pass up. 2 Innervates should be the maximum per deck imo. That makes it a possible of casting a 6-drop turn 1. Of course also makes my mana-curve a tad more flexible.

13) Savage Roar – Frostwolf Grunt – Stranglethron Tiger
Tiger is a good card, but I’m focusing on 2/3-drops, so Savage Roar has a lot of value to make my 2/3-drops hit like 4/5-drops. Even better is that Savage Roar also buffs the hero. That’s a lot of dps to spread around. I’m not keen on most taunts weaker than Taz Dingo.

14) Silverback Patriarch – Druid of the Claw – Wolfrider
Druid of the Claw takes this one. Watching my mana curve I need to start filling up some late game muscle. Silverback is like the Snapjaw for me, no place in a non-Hunter deck. Wolfrider just doesn’t measure up to the Claw.

15) Priestess of Elune – Razorfen Hunter – Murloc Raider
Don’t like Elune, don’t like 1 life 1-drops, focusing on a 2/3-drop deck. Razorfen Hunter takes the cake.

16) Amani Berserker – Savage Roar – Argent Squire
Argent Squire out of the question, this was between Savage & Amani. I’ve learned that when it comes to minion or spell of similar strength, minion usually has better value throughout the arena run. Based on that, Amani takes this one.

17) Moonfire – Starfire – Tauren Warrior
Moonfire is very situational when I would pick it, and it’s usually never. I have enough 2/3-drops at the moment. Starfire is an amazing card. 5 damage to minion or hero AND a draw card. This could easily be a finisher or a removal mid/late game.

18) Harvest Golem – Frost Elemental – Wisp
Harvest Golem is one of the most efficient 3 drops imo. It’s not strong offensively or defensively, but it has strong board presence. 2/3-drop focus, so Golem takes this one.

19) Nightblade – Loothoarder – Wild Growth
Not a fan of Nightblade. Wild Growth doesn’t feel right in arena. I like it more in constructed where we have full control over our whole deck. I’m missing quite a bit of card draw in this deck so far, so Loot Hoarder it is here.

20) Ancient Mage – Bite – Crazed Alchemist
Naturally took Bite here, as coming from a heavy rogue background (pre-patch) I value hero attack very highly. I like to trade hero life for minion whenever possible. Ancient Mage & Crazed Alchemist aren’t bad cards, just not fitting to my playstyle compared to Bite.

21) Earthen Ring Farseer – Ironbark Protector – Oasis Snapjaw
Ironbark is the easy pick here. Druid is known for its strong end game, and Ironbark is one of the reasons. Looking at my current mana curve I also lack late game at the moment.

22) Ironbeak Owl – Ancient Brewmaster – Shattered Sun Cleric
I’m a fan of any battlecry that adds permanent stats to another unit. I already have silence, so it’s between the Brewmaster & Shattered Sun. Being 2/3-drop focused, Shattered wins my vote here.

23) Nightblade – Raging Worgen – Swipe
Swipe is an easy pick here, as I don’t have any AOE spells yet.

24) Mogu’shan Warden – War Golem – Ironbark Protector
This is one of the better scenarios I could have hoped for. Focusing on 2/3-drops means I need just a pinch of late game guys to pull me through. 2 Ironbarks will definitely do the trick.

25) Claw – Dalaran Mage – Wrath
I try to avoid Dalaran Mage whenever I can after he got nerfed. This choice was between Claw & Wrath. I went with Wrath as I didn’t have a single one yet, and it gave me the flexibility of drawing cards as well. So far we have very minimal card draws in the deck.

26) War Golem – Amani Berserker – Stormpike Commando
Looking at my mana curve, I have enough decent tanks to hold my ground late game. Don’t need War Golem with my 2 Ironbarks there. Amani is the pick to add to the 2/3-drop focus.

27) Core Hound – Frost Elemental – Soul of the Forest
Focusing on 2/3-drops means a lot of dead minions. We’re essentially zerging the opponent till either they break or we run out of units. Soul of the Forest gives our 2/3-drops a second life, and prolongs our zerging tactic.

28) Gnomish Inventor – Power of the Wild – Reckless Rocketeer
Power of the Wild. Too good to pass. With my abundance of 2/3-drops now, the +1/+1 will be very deadly.

29) Moonfire – War Golem – Youthful Brewmaster
Brewmaster is a really dangerous card in a deck full of battlecry, which my has some now. Got Ironbarks late game so no War Golem. Not spell focused so no Moonfire. Brewmaster wins this one.

30) Coldlight Seer – Keeper of the Grove – Ravenholdt Assassin
Don’t have murlocs, no Coldlight. Want defensive late game not offensive, no Assassin. Keeper gives me a second silence, and a 2nd 2 damage on demand. Keeper it is, and the deck is done!


Ending thoughts:

I hope this has been helpful or at least enjoyable to read. I wouldn't say any of my picks are the 100% correct, but it's a fit for my aggro playstyle.

Let me know if you'd like to see more of these in the future, I'm considering juggling one of these from time to time between the class/strategy overviews.


Till next time~!


the greedy loot hoarder,
Reere.