Many Hearthstone expansions are exciting in their early days, but Festival of Legends feels special. Its theme is fantastic, its artwork is exceptional, and it is introducing a ton of new cards that will become the centerpieces of exciting new decks.
We’re obviously focusing on those decks today. While the Hearthstone meta is always changing, recent theorycrafting events, data, and old-fashioned experience suggest that these will be some of the best decks in the early days of the Festival of Legends expansion.
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Death Knight Decks
Climatic Necrotic Explosion Rainbow DK
This “Rainbow” Death Knight uses Frost, Blood, and Undead cards to trigger the effect of the new Legendary spell: Climactic Necrotic Explosion. While that card is incredibly expensive and tricky to properly trigger, its effect is powerful enough to justify running what was already a pretty solid decklist for DK fans. This concept may require some tweaking, but there is obvious and powerful synergy at play here.
Deck Code: AAECAYjaBQiJ5gTipAXLpQXNpQWhqgWvwwX0yAX8+QULlrcEssEE8OMEseYEh/YEsvcEs/cEtPcEopkFlaoF4MgFAA==
Cage Head OTK
As the name implies, this deck is built around the new Legendary card, Cage Head. Specifically, this deck is trying to trigger Cage Head’s Deathrattle as often as possible via various combos. The dream is to fill your board with the Charge minions that Cage Head spawns, but even lesser versions of that strategy should be able to win you quite a few games.
Deck Code – AAECAYjaBQioigS4igT47AStogXCpQXNpQWBwwWYxAULoaAEh7cE8OME/+MEkeQEvPAE0/EEh/YEnqoF88gF4NAFAA==
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Demon Hunter Decks
Outcast Demon Hunter
Festival of Legends is clearly trying to push Demon Hunter’s Outcast effect more than recent expansions have. The result is this potentially broken aggressive deck that is able to generate a ton of pressure and regularly replenish its resources. This could very well be the strongest deck in the early days of the expansion.
Deck Code: AAECAea5AwT7vwSkkgWy9QXn9QUNs6AEiLIEmLoExuIEiJIFj5IFlJIFjaUFpMMF8MMF9MMF6/UF4fgFAA==
Token Rush Demon Hunter
While I’ve yet to see a token-based Demon Hunter deck that reaches that concept’s full potential, this is definitely an exciting version of that concept. Cards like Security! give this deck the extra resources it often needs, while Halveria Darkraven offers a much-needed win condition. It’s meta-dependent, but this archetype looks like it could be a lot of fun.
Deck Code: AAECAea5AwL7vwTn9QUOgJ8E1p8Es6AEtKAE7KAElrcE+b8Ej5IFk6QFjaUFpMMF8MMF9MMF4fgFAA==
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Druid Decks
Hero Power Druid
People are torn on the new Hero Power Druid concept. It’s not nearly as strong as the recent armor-based combo Druid deck, but it seems capable of generating a consistent amount of pressure throughout the game. While you will suffer if you don’t draw certain cards at the right time, this looks to be the best overall Druid option at the moment.
Deck Code: AAECAZICAr6YBargBQ6JnwSunwTanwS5oASuwATB3wS8mAXuowX83wX93wWK4AWR4AWp4AWt4QUA
Beetlejuice Druid
If you’re looking for something a little different, give this Ramp Druid build a shot. It uses the new Audio Amplifier card to trigger Death Beetle’s powerful Manathirst effect and even runs Photographer Fizzle as a backup win condition option. It’s a little slow and pretty gimmicky, but the potential for this core concept is certainly there.
Deck Code: AAECAZICBOKkBcbHBazRBavgBQ2JnwSunwT/vQSuwATB3wTrowXuowX83wX93wWC4AWK4AWR4AWp4AUA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Hunter Decks
Big Beast Hunter
To be blunt, Big Beast Hunter is likely the most powerful deck in Festival of Legends. It takes an already strong archetype and makes it significantly more powerful thanks to the introduction of the game-changing Mister Mukla Legendary card. Seriously, Mukla is probably the best Hunter Legendary card ever and he will be a terror for the foreseeable future.
Deck Code: AAECAR8G4Z8E57kE0+QE6soFiNEF0/gFDOrpA4PIBIHJBMHjBMzkBNDkBNTkBK6kBebKBajRBeT1BdL4BQA=
Naga Hunter
If you’re looking for an aggressive alternative to Big Beast Hunter, give this Naga build a shot. It makes the most of some of the class’ new Naga synergy cards and offers a few different ways to push out steady minion and spell damage. This should just be a solid overall midrange/aggressive deck.
Deck Code: AAECAR8E27kEhskE4qQF9MgFDbugBJ2wBIiyBJa3BOC5BMDTBKeQBaqkBefKBejKBeT1BdL4BbCeBgA=
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Mage Decks
Lightshow Mage
As the name implies, this deck is trying to cast as many copies of Lightshow as possible. While those first few copies of Lightshow will only be moderately useful, every version of the card you cast after that will be a mini nuclear missile. Copying Lightshow enough times to maximize its effect can be tricky, but it’s actually much more consistent than you might think.
Deck Code: AAECAf0EAovnA5egBA7a0ATb3gSCkwWEkwXFkwXKkwWrmAWCogWWtwWmwwXgwwXoxQXQ+AXTngYA
DJ Manastorm Big Spell Mage
Do you like big spells? Do you like casting big spells for cheap? If so, this DJ Manastorm deck is for you. By using that Legendary minion’s powerful Battlecry, this deck allows you to throw Pyroblasts at your opponent’s face for little-to-no extra mana. If that doesn’t kill them, the rest of this deck should help you to wear them down.
Deck Code: AAECAf0EBNu5BK2iBeDDBeD1BQ3CoATw0wTx0wTK3gTb3gSEkwWqmAWAwgWvxAXoxQXQ+AXe+AXf+AUA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Paladin Decks
Big Groove Paladin
There’s not an obvious best Paladin deck at the moment, though I suspect Pure Paladin will be popular in the early days of the expansion. This slower Paladin build goes in a different direction, though, by emphasizing big minions and Holy spells. It could end up being too slow for its own good, but there are incredible synergies here that seem too powerful to ignore.
Deck Code: AAECAZ8FBu2fBLCyBMWlBcDGBcHGBYCfBgycnwSdnwTunwSS1ATA4gTL7QT18QSnkwWEtAXHxAW9xgWGowYA
Divine Aggro Paladin
Sticking with the Divine Shield package, this deck builds upon an already impressive aggressive Paladin strategy by using Divine Shield to offer a little more board protection. If you’re able to get the cards you need during your first few turns, it’s going to be very difficult for your opponent to steal your momentum and take control of the game.
Deck Code: AAECAZ8FBMLiBISWBcDEBbaeBg3HoATJoATKoAThtQS/4gTM4gSBlgXBxAXGxAXKxAWU9QW0nga1ngYA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Priest Decks
Control Thief Priest
I’m not entirely sold on Priest’s new Overheal mechanic, especially with the current cards that support that strategy. However, you will find a few of those cards in this control deck that also relies on Priest’s surprisingly strong “steal” cards. This deck generates a ton of resources and excels at controlling the board while finding a win condition through the cards you steal.
Deck Code: AAECAa0GCuWwBKG2BKi2BMXkBO+RBeqUBa/DBc/GBcbHBbieBgq+nwSywQTy2wT52wS43AT+7gSGgwWHpAWUxAW7xAUA
Shadow Undead Priest
The downside to this deck is that it doesn’t run a ton of new cards. The upside to this deck is that it’s a better version of a deck that was already very powerful. You won’t win a lot of love for playing this familiar aggro deck in the early days of the expansion, but you will probably win quite a few games.
Deck Code: AAECAa0GBPmWBeKkBfTIBb6iBg2h6AOkkQWlkQXukQWGkwWJkwXqlAXbpAXdpAWUxAW5xAW/xAXXogYA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Rogue Decks
Freebird Rogue
Rogue is in a weird spot at the moment. They got some potentially devastating new cards, but they also lost a ton of valuable cards in the recent rotation. This deck tries to make the most out of those new cards by running them alongside Freebird: a powerful charge minion that gets stronger the more times you play it. If you enjoy playing with Rogue’s bounce and “miracle” effects, this could be the (slightly gimmicky) deck for you.
Deck Code: AAECAaIHAsygBe7DBQ72nwT3nwS3swT13QTBoQX0wQXMwwXawwXfwwXowwXcxgXA+AW9ngbZogYA
Pirate Rogue
There are certainly more exciting Rogue decks to try early on, but this Pirate list is solid. It’s definitely a more aggressive deck, but it has the juice needed to survive in the late game if the match lasts that long. I doubt this one will break the meta, but it should be reliable if you just need some quick wins.
Deck Code: AAECAaIHAq+2BOvDBQ72nwT3nwSvoATuoASvswS3swTVtgSKyQT90wSY2wSa2wTXowXTsgXWngYA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Shaman Decks
Overload Ragnaros Shaman
Shaman got a ton of fun cards in this expansion, and this deck features quite a few of them. It’s not the most gimmicky version of the Overload Shaman package that should be popular in the early days of the expansion, but it is a solid way to get quite a bit of mileage out of that archetype. You can make some crazy things happen with this deck when the stars align, but it’s built to hold its own as a control-style deck during less ideal matchups as well.
Deck Code: AAECAaoICKiKBICgBJegBJfvBLjFBc/IBcjQBbLRBRDq5wP5nwT6nwT9nwTgtQTGzgSF1ASr7QSdxQW+0AXE0AX00AWl0QW/ngbAngbmngYA
Totem/Murloc Shaman
Some version of Totem Shaman will likely end up being fairly powerful in this expansion. While I don’t know if that deck archetype will end up relying on Murlocs as this deck does, the synergy between those tribes seems to be powerful. The Murloc package also helps deal with some of the card draw/card generation issues that other Totem Shaman builds will likely need to deal with at some point.
Deck Code: AAECAaoIBLHZBPSgBbjFBcKeBg3VsgT6tATgtQSywQTFzgSq2QS23ATy3QS95QS27QSVqgXBngbXogYA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Warlock Decks
Imp Warlock
Much like Shaman, Warlock got a ton of fun new cards in this expansion. This deck isn’t the most gimmicky use of those cards (that’s coming next), but it might be the most reliable. While this Imp deck is ultimately more aggressive, it uses some of Warlock’s new and returning cards to offer the kind of late-game punch that previous versions of this deck lacked. It should be powerful in the early days of the expansion.
Deck Code: AAECAf0GBPXHBJvkBM6SBfnGBQ2EoATmoASywQT60wT/2QSA2gSB2gSr6gTDpAXHwgXIwgXdwgXmxQUA
Fatigue Jailer Warlock
If you really want to have some fun with Warlock in Festival of Legends, give this deck a shot. It uses Warlock’s new fatigue cards to create massive swing turns that get you into the late game. Once you’re there, you can use The Jailer and Symphony of Sins to generate the kind of powerful turns many opponents won’t be able to answer. It’s a risky deck, but it’s a fun one.
Deck Code: AAECAf0GCKiKBPXHBJfvBKbvBLjFBfnGBc3QBcWeBhCPnwSxnwTnoASy7QSlkgWBrQXHwgXIwgXdwgXmxQXyxgX0xgXI6wXC+AXDngbEngYA
Hearthstone: Best Festival of Legends Warrior Decks
Menagerie Warrior
Of the two major Warrior archetypes that are going around at the moment, I think this version of Menagerie Warrior from Brian Kibler might be the most reliable. It’s a strange-looking deck, but once you figure out how to manage the various minion types this build relies on, you’ll find that it’s one of the most potentially powerful midrange decks in the expansion. This thing can generate a ton of card draw and some truly powerful swing turns out of nowhere.
Deck Code: AAECAQcEnvsCoIADr8MFqOAFDZfzAqX1ArXeA+G1BLLBBKOTBZSkBaSlBZWqBa3DBeLNBdnQBbTRBQA=
Blackrock and Roll Big Warrior
As much as I long for the glory days of Big Warrior and Control Warrior, I’m not sure if the class can afford to be quite as greedy as it once was. However, I do think the next Blackrock and Roll card will be the centerpiece of the kind of viable slower Warrior deck we haven’t seen in a long time. This is a particularly greedy version of that deck, but if you’re going to play an inherently greedy deck, you might as well go all out. Realistically, this deck will be defeated most often by combo decks and bad luck. Expect to see more of the latter.
Deck Code: AAECAQcIi6AE5bAEgdwEiN8El+8E76IFtsQFtNEFEIigBImgBLDHBI7UBJDUBKOlBaSlBYKtBffBBfDNBerQBevQBezQBbT4BcaeBs+eBgA=