Mrglgrgl, or Picking the Right Hero Class for Murlocs

*Mrgrlgrmlgrgl*

That is the sound that I play Hearthstone for, usually accompanied with the repeated thuds of my gurgling brood hitting the opponent in the face for lethal. And it's one of the cheapest experiences in Hearthstone as well, as the full tribe can be made for around 1000 dust, including the complimentary Old Murk-Eye, a fair bit cheaper than many of the Legendary centric decks that frequent Ranked play. It should come as no surprise then that Murlocs is one of the most popular archetypes in the lower echelons of play, if only until players can piece together whatever deck they fancy.

But Murlocs is the deck I fancy, and I've played quite a few games with the my gurgling friends. You can see the appeal of Murlocs outside the cost, as they're an easy tribe to play with a clear goal --  buff each other up until we're ready to beat the enemy in the face  -- and unlike Beasts, they're availabe for every class.  Throw a few Tidecallers and Warleaders, along with every other Murloc you have hanging around, into whatever shell you want and you've got a clear plan of what you want to do. But then the question becomes,  of all the classes, which ones should you be running Murlocs in.

How can we judge something like that? Well, when I look at classes, I look at a few key qualities in each class that allow Murlocs, and any other aggro deck for that matter, to run smoothly.

1. Card Draw - As a deck, Murlocs tends to throw their entire hand onto the table and then ask the opponent, "Do I win?" If the answer is no (and it quite often is), the deck needs a way to reload its hand or risk coming a few points of damage short of killing the opponent. (This is of course an exaggeration - a good Murloc player holds onto his lords until they'll make a significant effect on the board.)

2. Resiliency - As a tribe, Murlocs finds itself susceptible to board clearing spells like Swipe, Explosive Trap, Holy Nova, and whichever mass removal Mage is running these days. A class' ability to withstand these spells or quickly recoup their losses and regroup can determine how well suited a class is for Murlocs.

3. Pushthrough - Murlocs can kill as early as turn four with a perfect hand and no resistance. However, you'll seldom have a perfect hand and you'll certainly experience some resistance as your opponent isn't likely to just allow you to win. The ability for a class to push damage through a cluttered board is important for any aggro deck.  Finally, there are times when you'll just be unable to kill your opponent with standard "beat them in the face as quickly as possible" plan. If a class has the ability to push through the last few points of damage with a top-deck, that's a bonus.

Rogue

Card Draw: Rogue's card draw is really tied to either high mana costs (Sprint [7]: Draw four) or tied to underwhelming effects that will do little to help our goal. While cards like Shiv and Fan of Knives are fine cards and cantripping is a fine effect for a card to have, they're not cards that you'll be particularly happy to top-deck in the late game. Sprint is a swingy card, and while it's an instant mulligan in your opening hand, one can't underestimate the power of drawing what is basically a new hand in the late game.

Resiliency: The one card in Rogue that's going to give resiliency to our Murloc deck is Conceal ([1]: Give your minions stealth until next turn) and while Stealth is a fine ability that makes your Murlocs immune to spot removal or unfavorable trades, it doesn't stop us from getting blown out by board clear. Preperation doesn't help us reload our board after we've been blown out by the aforementioned wrath.

Pushthrough: If there is one thing a Rogue Murloc deck can do, it's provide us some reach and push through. Sap and Eviscerate can eliminate pesky blockers while Cold Blood can make any of your creatures a threat that needs to be dealt with.

Grade: D-. It isn't that Murloc can't fit into a Rogue shell, it's that it doesn't excel in a Rogue shell. A tempo deck can work in Rogue, but most Rogue decks right now rely on a combo kill and for good reason -- Rogue excels at that, whether it be throwing out a massive Edwin van Cleef or repeatedly Shadowstepping Leeroy Jenkins. But if you were to play a tempo deck, you'd be better off avoiding the individually unfulfilling Murloc tribe for something more along this list in which every card you play will get you some form of value.

Priest

Card Draw: Priest has access to a wide variety of cards to give it card advantage. The first is Northshire Cleric, and drawing cards while healing minions is fine, not many of our minions can trade blows without dying due to their collective low health and we want to be aiming for the face rather than minions with our attacks. The other style of card advantage we get from Priest are cards like Mind Visions - which are a total crapshoot. We might get cards we can use, or we might get a Starving Buzzard.

Resiliency: If there is one thing that Priest does well it's making its cards more resilient. Power Word: Shield can give our lords more health, and Priest's Hero Power (Lesser Heal) can heal incidental damage. However, most of Priest's resiliency is reactive in nature, and due to the low collective health of our minions it often will leave us healing the single minion that survived the board wipe spell. 

Pushthrough: Priests are able to remove enemy creatures with cards like Shadow Word: Pain, Shadow Word: Death, and Shadow Madness. As long as the creature doesn't have 4 Attack... in which case we're done. Unfortunately, there are all sorts of 4 Attack creatures that can stonewall a Murloc rush. Sunwalker, Abomination, Ancient Watcher, and Chillwind Yeti are all cards that Priest would have difficulty dealing with unless you're planning on running Silence. Priest does have some burn spells like Smite and Holy Fire that can be used for reach, and Shadowform can make a game inevitable - but it comes at the cost of our already limited resiliency.

Grade: D. Along the same line as Rogue, Priest really doesn't suit itself to this Blitz heavy gameplan -- it's suited to longer, grindier matchups in which your opponents die to fatigue.  There are Priest Murloc strategies out there, and they take advantage of the enemy not expecting a Priest to bury them in a wave of gurgles, but my own experiences with Murloc/Priest lists have not been enjoyable.

Mage

Card Draw: Extremely limited and for good reason. Mage is already the probably the queen of trading one-for-one, so any card advantage Blizzard grants to Mage is a slippery slope. However, Arcane Intellect is a fine card, as 2 cards for [3], you'll still have mana left late game to play the cards you've drawn.

Resiliency: Another disadvantage of Mage is its real lack of ways to protect your minions from enemy spells. Secrets such as Spellbender and Counterspell can stop targetted removal or board clear and at [3] can fit nicely into an aggressive curve. However they only protect one spell and lose their effectiveness against Hunters due to Flare, which is a very real concern and, like all Secrets, can be played around.

Pushthrough: Much like Priest, it shouldn't be surprising that a control focused class has access to all sorts of ways to remove creatures and help our Murlocs get through. Mage has the leg-up on Priest as the fact that its removal spells like Fireball and Frostbolt can also serve as burn spells in the late game. 

Grade: D. The last of the classes that really just isn't suited to this whole "aggro" thing, Mage is similar to Priest in that it usually wants to stall the game out as long as possible and end the game with a big top-end like Molten Giant or any of the many Dragons. This contrasts heavily with our "Have we won by turn six? If not concede" mantra that we live by as Murloc players. 

Hunter

Card Draw: At first glance, people wouldn't be too keen on Hunter's card draw in a Murloc shell due to the loss of the engine that makes many Hunter decks function: Starving Buzzard/Unleash the Hounds. However, Hunter has access to two other card draw spells. Tracking is the better of the two, allowing us to pick the best of three options, while Flare only cantrips, but for the low cost of [1] it reduces the variance of our deck and removes any Explosive Traps, Vaporizes, or other nasty Secrets from play.

Resiliency: Sadly, outside the aforementioned Flare, there isn't much a Hunter deck can do to protect our Murlocs and it isn't going to help us replay them either - any cards that Hunter has that can help increase the resiliency of its board are tied to Beasts and while we can run Unleash the Hounds to reload the board quickly after it's cleared, it's not as effective in our deck as it would be in others. Freezing Trap can protect creatures from the opponent's and delays them from coming back down.

Pushthrough: One of the best things Hunter has going for it is the inevitability of Steady Shot - unless your opponent is a Warrior or Priest, they'll eventually die after being made into a pincushion. Hunter also has access to a wide variety of removal spells for enemy Taunters, but they might be too weak to kill the creature (Arcane Shot/Kill Command) or might hit the wrong target (Multishot/Deadly Shot).

Grade: B. The problem with running Hunter Murlocs isn't that it's bad - in fact it makes a relatively decent tempo deck that can keep the way clear for your gurgling horde. The problem is that that same deck is much better when you run it with a Beast theme, and we can't have both in the same deck without making some difficult cuts. This might change with Unleash the Hounds' recent nerf, but I doubt it. Rexxar likes his Beasts.

Warrior

Card Draw: Warrior's card draw is tied to either cantrip effects or through Battle Rage. The problem with Battle Rage is the same problem there is with Priest's Lesser Heal - while it normally is a powerful effect, the low Health of our minions makes it difficult for us to effectively use this. Out of the cantrip effects, Shield Block is a definite no-go as it doesn't affect the board at all when we play it and Slam's card draw is tied to it not killing enemy minions, which they will then use to kill one of our Murlocs. Commanding Shout is fine in theory to kill off high Health enemy Taunters, but it sets us up to get blown out by Arcane Explosion.

Resiliency: Warrior is more likely to hurt its own minions than protect them, but Warsong Commander can allow us to reload quickly after we lose our entire board.

Pushthrough: Warrior's access to a wide variety of weapons to act as both removal spells and late game damage is a massive boon. It helps Warrior deal with Taunters like Sen'jin Shieldmasta that other classes might have difficulty with. Warrior also has access to efficiently costed Charge minions like Kor'Kron Elite, and the previously mentioned Warsong Commander allows all our draws to be gas in the late game.

Grade: C. The biggest draw of playing a Murloc Warrior deck is definitely the access to Arcanite Reaper and Fiery War Axe. The ability to threaten six to twelve damage over two turns from your hero alone is certainly a powerful effect. However, while Warrior is decently suited for for aggressive strategies, there is a lack of synergy between our Murlocs and the enrage enablers that Warrior has in Inner Rage and Cruel Taskmaster. If you are looking to run a Warrior Aggro list, look this budget list by Reynad.

Paladin

Card Draw: Welcome to the world of incredibly swingy card advantage that is Paladin. Lay on Hands is an incredibly powerful spell, as eight life and three cards can just flip the advantage over to your side. However, at [8], it's far too expensive for a Murloc deck to run effectively and will often have us drawing three 3 drop Murlocs which will then be destroyed by whatever [8] drop our opponent plays. Hammer of Wrath does 3 damage and cantrips at the cost of [4] and can be used to lower a Sen'jin so that our Murloc Tidehunter can trade for it.

Blessing of Wisdom gives us reliable card draw that at the very least cantrips (very good for [1]), but it makes the creature you play it on the target of every removal spell they have.  However, the biggest card in Paladin's arsenal of card draw is Divine Favor. This card has been both great and awful for me. Against enemy control decks, it reads [3]: Draw five, which allows us to throw our entire board down without fear. Against enemy aggro decks like Zoo, it reads [3]: Draw one, which is just awful.

Resiliency: Paladin has quite a bit of resiliency to grant the deck. The first way is by repeatedly granting our Murlocs Divine Shield. While this might not protect them from an enemy Priest, most other classes get frustrated after you've given the same Murloc Warleader Divine Shield three turns in a row. Sword of Justice can be a powerful card as well, putting our Warleader's out of Priest/Frostbolt range and our Grimscale Oracles out of Fireblast range. Finally, the Paladin's Hero Power, Recruit, allows us to consistantly put down a creature even if our hand is full of buffing spells.

Pushthrough: Unfortunately, if there's any area in which Paladin is lacking, it's late game Pushthrough. Repentence can reduce the first taunter you opponent plays to 1 Health, which a Recruit can trade for, but Paladin really lacks much removal. Consecrate, at [4], doesn't remove any of the popular taunters, Hammer of Wrath removes Voidwalker, and Equality would just set us up for begging blown out by Arcane Explosion or Whirlwind. Blessing of Kings can make one of our creatures large enough to deal with said threat, but it's both expensive and will immediately draw out whatever removal an enemy has. Oftentimes, the only reliable removal you'll have in your deck is Truesilver Champion.

Grade: B+. Despite its problems with enemy Taunters, Paladin Murloc is one of my favorite lists to run and by far my favorite in the mirror. It is probably the most resilient of the Murloc decks to removal, and much like Hunter has a bit of inevitability tied into its Hero Power. 

Druid

Card Draw: Druid does have some fantastic card draw, but we're not really in the position to take advantage of it. Nourish is a great card at [5], but it isn't the most exciting top-end for our deck, especially after gaining access to Druid of the Claw. However, 3 cards at [5] is really quite efficient and can be played if need be. Wrath and Ancient of Lore are also fine cards, but are much more suited for a Control shell than our Blitz deck. 

Resiliency: Druid gives it to you in two flavors. Soul of the Forest is one of the most powerful anti-boardwipe spells in the game, ensuring you a board presence even after they spend [5]-[7] trying to clear it. Power of the Wild isn't as powerful, but at [2] grants your entire board +1/+1, putting them out of range of some damage based removal. Power also can be audibled into a creature if needed. Finally, Innervate is one of Druid's strongest assets and allows you to throw down a board presence before the enemy could even think of clearing it.

Pushthrough: Savage Roar. Savage Roar is the card that allows Druid Murlocs to operate. As we'll see later, Bloodlust is a good card. Savage Roar is a Bloodlust that comes out two turns earlier. If we wanted to, we could play two Savage Roar on turn six. Savage Roar also gives your character 2 Attack, unlike Bloodlust, so you can use your own face to clear the way if needed. Claw and Swipe (and I suppose Bite if you're a bear enthusiast) provide sources of removal and direct damage, while Force of Nature and Druid of the Claw are powerful top-decks that can be played immediately or held onto to combine with Savage Roar.

Grade: A. Here's where we get into the "real" Murloc decks, and Druid is my personal favorite. With cheap removal, sources of direct damage, and ways to keep your board alive through any removal, the class is positioned strongly to accept a Murloc shell. The lack of  cheap card draw is a legitimate concern, but the ability to Innervate out a Murloc Warleader on turn one can quickly turn any game into a three turn stomp.

Shaman

Card Draw: Shaman has access to one of the best card draw creatures in the game with Mana Tide Totem. At [3] it at the very worst replaces itself at the end of your turn, and forces the enemy to choose between it and whatever Murlocs you have on the board if they have spot removal. However, outside that, Shaman has no other source of card draw.

Resiliency: What Shaman lacks in proactive resiliency, it makes up for in the speed of which it can throw new threats onto the board. When Shaman gets to a certain point, it is just daring the enemy to deal with his board and hopes to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. Feral Spirit and Totemic Call not only add to the the creature count, but also help protect your creatures from enemy minions.

Pushthrough: This is where Shaman shines - a suite of cheap and aggressive removal spells as well as numerous ways to put your creatures over the top of enemy taunters with pump. Shaman has a toolbox of answers for various creatures - Earth Shock can take care of any Divine Shield or Taunt minions, Hex can take care of any dangerous Legendaries, Lava Burst can kill any mid-range threat as well as go straight to the face, as can Lightning Bolt. Flametongue Totem, Rockbiter Weapon and Bloodlust allow you to crush the enemy board by trading away your "free" totems for whatever threats they have on the board as well as push through absurd amounts of damage in a single turn.

Grade: A. Shaman has long been one of the traditional shells used for Murloc decks and for good reason, as its ability to churn out a massive number of threats for a relatively low investment mean that enemies are forced to 2 for 1 themselves. However, its lack of card draw has allowed another Murloc deck to become the primary one in serious play.

Warlock

Card Draw: Warlock has the single best card draw ability of any class, and it isn't close. Life Tap, while it comes with a steep investment of life, it allows you to have two draw steps every turn. And while other decks might be concerned with their life total, if your's ever comes to the point of concern, the deck has probably fizzled out anyways. 

Resiliency: The resiliency of Warlock has gone down since Blood Imp's (much needed) nerf, but it still has ways to deal with his minions being removed, mostly in that it doesn't care if its minions are removed. Voidwalker can protect your creatures from unfavorable trades, but most often you'll be throwing your minions into danger with wild abandon, using your more efficient threats and card advantage to win through attrition.

Pushthrough: Warlock has this as well - Power Overwhelming allows any of your creatures to trade 1 for 1, at the low cost of its life, while Soulfire, Shadowflame, and Hellfire can be used to both clear the way for your minions and burn out the opponent. Warlock also has access to powerful top-deck minions like Doomguard and Dread Infernal, which can easily force opponents into bad positions. And while all of Warlock's cards have additional costs for playing them, we usually either don't care about them or are hoping to end the game before they become relevant. 

Grade: A+. To be blunt, you could possibly run an all neutral Murloc deck in a Warlock shell and still do rather well, because Life Tap is simply that powerful. When we combine it with the burn and creatures provided by the class, it becomes clear why the deck was so popular before Zoo's emergence. 

Conclusion

Don't let these grades dissuade you from playing a Murloc deck that isn't Warlock, Paladin, Druid or Shaman - innovation is the key to making these decks even better. There is surely a player out there that has piloted a Priest Murloc deck to Legendary. These grades are here, though, to help you make informed decisions about what class to throw Murlocs into if you're new and interested in playing the tribe. And if you have your own Murloc deck, leave it in the comments to share, because the second key to making an archetype work is collaboration.