OTK Dream DH - July '20 theorycraft

Backstory

I am a homebrewer. Attempts with many Demon Hunter decks through June resulted in one failed chance to accomplish an (almost) pure OTK using cards from the Initiate set. The difficulty of collecting the six cards needed for the pure OTK while also clearing the enemy board beforehand pushed me to look for a cleaner method. I did not find one, but a spells DH deck was constructed for the July 1 reset to try another path. No 30+ damage has been successful as yet, but a 27 damage punch in a Priest’s face to close the match still felt good.

Principle

The theory here is to mesh the two OTK methods. This will probably make an OTK far less likely, because each OTK package will probably cause considerable chip damage to the opponent hero. So, the challenge here is to make a deck that can fend long enough to build one of the two OTK packages, or win by consequential damage.

Packages

  • OTK #1 >> 2x[Beaming Sidekick]; 2x[Immolation Aura]; 2x[Coordinated Strike]; 2x[Wrathscale Naga]
  • OTK #2 >> 2x[Twin Slice]; 2x[Cobalt Spellkin]; 2x[Kael’thas Sunstrider]; 2x[Inner Demon]

The first support package is draw, of course.

  • Support #2 >> 2x[Chaos Strike]; 2x[Skull of Gul’dan]

The second support package is purely defensive, so healing and control.

  • Support #3 >> 2x[Blade Dance]; 2x[Aldrachi Warblades]; ?x[Hoard Pillager]

The third support package is a card that proved more than useful in the spells DH deck.

  • Support #1 >> 2x[Violet Spellsword]

Lastly are bolster or tech card considerations.

  • Tech >> ?x[Acidic Swamp Ooze]; ?x[Kayn Sunfury]; ?x[Dragonmaw Poacher]; ?x[Command the Illidari]; ?x[Glaivebound Adept]; ?x[Sunreaver Warmage]; ?x[Harrison Jones]

OTK Dream Demon Hunter

Deckcode:
AAECAea5AwSQB+iwA666A9rGAw3HmAPTmAP9pwOBsQOHugPXuwPYuwPgvAPZxgP8yAO+0gPb0wPd0wMA

Format : Standard : Year of the Phoenix

  • 2x (1) Beaming Sidekick
  • 2x (1) Twin Slice
  • 2x (2) Blade Dance
  • 2x (2) Chaos Strike
  • 2x (2) Immolation Aura
  • 2x (3) Aldrachi Warblades
  • 2x (3) Coordinated Strike
  • 2x (3) Wrathscale Naga
  • 1x (4) Hoard Pillager
  • 1x (4) Kayn Sunfury
  • 2x (4) Violet Spellsword
  • 2x (5) Cobalt Spellkin
  • 1x (5) Harrison Jones
  • 2x (5) Sunreaver Warmage
  • 2x (6) Skull of Gul’dan
  • 1x (7) Kael’thas Sunstrider
  • 2x (8) Inner Demon

This was my (platinum level player) theorycrafted deck. Feedback would be enjoyed if anyone wants to critique it who is also an avid homebrewer or has proven themselves on higher levels of ladder. My spells DH deck started out with an awful winrate, but has since moved above 40%. I do not expect this deck to be great or climb ladder. It is a work in progress. You never know. If anyone tests this deck against your corner of the ranked ladder, then please share your experience, stats, and rung results.

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You are going to have severe issues with otk 1 because its so difficult.
You are going to have issues with otk 2 because DH has no good 0 cost spells anymore and the combo before relied on kael into 0 cost slices into free inner demons. 1 cost slices kill this version as well as its now a turn 10 plus combo. Very unreliable.

New version: Lots of lifesteal and board control. Maybe good enough for 40% winrate.

2x (1) Beaming Sidekick
2x (1) Twin Slice
2x (2) Blade Dance
2x (2) Immolation Aura
2x (2) Mo Arg Artificer   
2x (3) Aldrachi Warblades
2x (3) Coordinated Strike
2x (3) Soulcleave    
2x (3) Wrathscale Naga
2x (3) Eyebeam Could goto 1 here and maybe use 1 bloodmage thalnos
2x (5) Warglaives.   Too good not to use.   Makes greenskin decent or hoard if    
you want to use that.  Also makes blade dance reliable.
2x (5) Chaos Nova
1x (5) Greenskin
2x (6) Skull of Gul’dan
1x (7) Kael’thas Sunstrider
2x (8) Inner Demon

Maybe you need cobalt just for the extra 1 cost spells try it out.

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There are two ways to execute OTK #2 as a pure OTK.

  • Drop a reduced cost Kael’thas, then:
    *do the combo, or
    *execute the combo, substituting a reduced cost Kayn Sunfury last.

Executing the combo. Have in hand three [Twin Strike] and two [Inner Demon]. Also have and one [Aldrachi Warblades] equipped or in hand. Do the following in order:

  1. [Twin Strike]
  2. [Second Strike]
  3. [Inner Demon] free cast due to Kael’thas Sunstrider ability.
  4. [Twin Strike]
  5. [Second Strike]
  6. [Inner Demon] free cast due to Kael’thas Sunstrider ability.
  7. [Twin Strike]
  8. [Second Strike]

How do you reduce the cost of Kael? Rely on skull? That is exceptionally hopeful. Unfortunately both of these combos are so hard now I dont think they even qualify for meme status.

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Why not put Alex in? If the reduction does not work, you have a plan B.

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I learned a lot from the short number of games (28; score 12:16, 43%) playing the spells DH deck. It is my favorite deck atm. It feels good to run so many unexpected things, and imagining that the opponent is freaking out about it actually working. It was satisfying to see a Druid with 14 health concede when the DH hit 22 attack damage after casting the second [Inner Demon]. I smile when they pause after seeing a 6/6 [Violet Spellsword].

You raised true concerns about the deck’s viability, so allow me to break it down.

Turn 4. The current meta seems to balance across a turn four play. This is when spread tactics get compounding synergies. It is where big minions often sneak in. Coin helps with this. A six health minion helps. Reference [Overconfident Orc]. A four drop with high attack is even better. The logical choice for a spells ridden deck is therefore [Violet Spellsword]. Yes, terrible for most decks, but an excellent minion for draining opponent resources.

Lack of early aggro or board control necessitates healing. The problem with finding healing is getting the right healing for any situation. DH has a couple great spells for it, but neither is great alone. This deck has plenty of hero attack buff, so getting more [Aldrachi Warblades] by using [Hoard Pillager] seems like a best solution. I don’t like that Hoard Pillager become a blocker in hand if no weapon has been equipped, but there is only one. It satisfies my “rule of three”, being that three is the minimum access to something to usually accommodate its need.

Why [Kayn Sunfury]? I tried without it on spells DH, but casino Mage and rez Priest.

The last I will comment on is [Cobalt Spellkin]. It is a safety cushion. Potentially more to defeat taunts. The rule of three again. Potentially more [Twin Strike] for the OTK, because it is very likely some get used to survive. Plus, three are needed for the pure OTK.

@Urza, you made quality comments. I will be testing your recommended deck changes whenever I get all the cards. The [Mo Arg Artificer] has me perplexed. What situation would that serve that makes it not mere deck pollution?

Mo Arg just gives you double damage clears, double healing with soulcleave, double eyebeams, chaos for 8 (clears druid), stuff like that, immolation for 2 twice, and with beaming used maybe he lives. The 3/5 taunt lifesteal would be a better minion than violet. More healing and taunt until you assembly combo. Violet spellsword is trash. You cant convince me otherwise.

This deck should move to wild as it gives you the option to run emperor which this deck desperately needs.

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