https://www.vicioussyndicate.com/vs-data-reaper-report-294/
Highlights from the report:
Pain Warlock has been flying high since the release of the mini-set.
The thirst for Spell Mage amongst the player base may have been sated.
Spell Mage is now the most popular deck in the format.
Business as usual for Excavate Rogue, an archetype that has maintained its popularity, especially at higher levels of play.
While Reno Warrior has declined in play, the archetype is proving to be very resilient in the face of a 2 mana nerf to its cornerstone card. Many players, including ourselves, expected the deck to be dealt a bigger blow, perhaps even completely disappearing from the picture. However, late game power hasn’t increased as a result of the mini-set, helping Reno Warrior remain one of the more popular decks in the game.
Paladin’s position in the format looks rock solid. Aggro and Handbuff Paladin see similar play rates across ladder, with an awakening of Reno Paladin observed. The new cards don’t see much play in the class.
There’s a brewing trend of non-Warrior Reno decks picking up more interest, with the weakened Brann possibly not dominating these matchups as much as it did before. Reno Priest is the most popular of the group, utilizing Puppet Theatre and Funhouse Mirror.
Death Knight has picked up in play. Plague DK is a deck that players at lower ranks will stubbornly hold on to.
Token Hunter has been dealt a huge blow with the nerf to Saddle Up. The deck seems to have suffered more than Reno Warrior, considering it has become fringe. The Hunter class is still quite visible, thanks to new experimentations in Secret Hunter with Product 9, as well as Reno Hunter.
Shaman also seems mostly focused on its Reno archetype, which is trying to leverage Murloc Growfin with Shudderblock.
Demon Hunter is largely ignored. Shopper DH has gone through minimal changes, while the class has not been inspired to try anything else.
And finally, this part which solidifies my post last week about Warrior being Tier 1 and being criticized for it. I had mentioned that my opinion that it’s at the top is because of the matchup it has with Spell Mage and Spell Mage’s high popularity. Turns out, I was right on the nose all along.
Reno Warrior’s performance has somehow improved following the nerf to Brann, placing at Tier 1 at legend ranks. Of course, the deck has gotten much worse in a vacuum. We can clearly see that in its matchup spread, where its chokehold on other late game strategies has been loosened. There are now a couple of Reno decks that can beat it in the late game, something that wasn’t possible before. The reason Reno Warrior has gotten “better” is that the meta is no longer trying to relentlessly target it, as it’s no longer extremely popular. In addition, the decline of Token Hunter and Insanity Warlock, which were two big counters to the deck, has promoted a more favorable field for the archetype. Spell Mage is a good matchup, for example.
