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Big Demon Hunter deck list guide - Ashes of Outland - Hearthstone (April 2020)

Big Demons, on the hunt.

The Demon Hunter class brings with it a big Demon-summoning package. We’re excited to see how it goes - there are some powerful tools without a doubt, but we do expect the other, faster Demon Hunter decks to perform better. This one is a fun one to play though, so give it a shot if you fancy! Once more big Demons enter the game this deck will absolutely hit new heights, so keep the faith.

Big Demon Hunter deck list and strategy

Here’s the Big Demon Hunter deck we’ll be using for the Ashes of Outland expansion. We’ll keep you updated with any changes!

Demon HunterNeutral
2 x Twin Slice2 x Overconfident Orc
2 x Sightless Watcher1 x Maiev Shadowsong
2 x Immolation Aura
2 x Eye Beam
2 x Aldrachi Warblades
1 x Soul Split
2 x Raging Felscreamer
2 x Ashtongue Battlelord
2 x Chaos Nova
2 x Wrathspike Brute
2 x Skull of Gul'dan
2 x Imprisoned Antaen
2 x Priestess of Fury
2 x Pit Commander

Select and copy the long ID string below, then create a deck in Hearthstone to export this deck into your game.

Deck Import ID: AAECAea5AwLtvgOGxwMOh7oDyboDvbsDnLwD4LwDjb0D5r4D98MDx8YD2cYDg8cD18gD2dMD3dMDAA==

General strategy

Big Demon Hunter looks to drag the game out and play a more controlly style of play than other archetypes of the class. We expect it to see a decent bit of early play, but its meta relevance will depend on its results in comparison to other Demon Hunter decks. Here’s how to make this version of the new class work as well as possible.

Early game: You don’t have as reliable an early game as your other Demon Hunter decks. You’re stuck with your Hero Power on turn 1, or Twin Slice if the enemy puts on a strong early threat. Try to get minions on board when possible - Overconfident Orc is a nice shout whenever possible, and Immolation Aura will often work as a 2 mana Consecration given your likelihood of having an empty board.

Try to survive as much as possible - Eye Beam can restore you slightly for free whilst getting an enemy out of your hair, and Aldrachi Warblades combo with things like Demon Claws, letting you Lifesteal for more health.

Mid game: If you’re in a sticky situation, the Lifesteal and Taunt of Ashtongue Battlelord can save your skin for a couple turns, healing you in the process. You should be able to make some slightly more impactful plays by this point though. Chaos Nova often acts as a 5 mana Flamestrike since you’ve likely got an empty board, and if you can afford to waste a turn, put down Imprisoned Antaen. It’ll cause an absolute ruckus when it wakes up.

Try to make valuable trades with enemy minions whenever possible - your win condition usually outlasting the enemy anyway. Wrathspike Brute is a fantastic way to get rid of large wide boards too - if the enemy can’t kill it in one shot or remove it with a spell, their entire side of the battlefield will take multiple hits.

Raging Felscreamer is a solid option to play on turn 4 too, especially given the amount of potentially huge plays to be made. Priestess of Fury can be played on turn 5 after this, and can sometimes lock the enemy out of doing anything at all, as well as dealing chip damage to the face.

Late game: By this point you should still have a handful of resources ready to go. Hand of Gul’dan will help you replenish, as well as often discounting your big minions for future turns. You can get some real big plays out of Pit Commander, especially if he stays alive for multiple turns. Pit Commander can even summon the other copy from your deck, as well as your other super-strong Demons like Priestess of Fury and Wrathspike Brute. Of course, there’s the possibility that this isn’t quite enough, but we’re excited to see where this deck goes from here, especially if stronger Demons are released in future expansions.

More great Demon Hunter guides:

Big Demon Hunter Mulligan guide

These are the cards you’ll want to make the best possible start with Big Demon Hunter:

  • 1. Sightless Watcher gives you a bit of all-important board presence whilst also offering a delayed Tracking effect. Being able to pick your next draw is super helpful, and allows you to adapt to the enemy’s actions.
  • 2. Eye Beam works as a 0 mana spell that deals 3 damage to an enemy minion, healing you for 3. We don’t need to tell you why this is powerful against aggression.
  • 3. Aldrachi Warblades give you a long-lasting source of Lifesteal which you can even combo with Demon Claws to boost it even more.

Big Demon Hunter tips, combos and synergies

Here’s a few combos and interactions to look out for with Big Demon Hunter.

- Pit Commander can summon Imprisoned Antaen from your deck, but it’ll still be Dormant and take two turns to wake up and trigger its effect.

- Do the maths before playing Raging Felscreamer. The next Demon you play will cost 2 fewer mana crystals, so make sure you can play it next turn. A 7 mana Pit Commander is great, but only if you can afford to play it then and there.

- Soul Split gives you an exact copy of a friendly Demon. This is best used with the likes of Priestess of Fury or Wrathspike Brute, since their effects don’t rely on a Battlecry.

- The longer Priestess of Fury stays on board, the more likely you are to pull away from your opponent and win. It’s often a good idea to trade less valuable minions off to keep the enemy from doing anything about the Priestess.

- Skull of Gul'dan discounts your draws by 3 mana only if its Outcast effect is triggered. Sometimes, you might just need the draw without being able to trigger it - this is absolutely fine if things get desperate.

- You have a lot of Lifesteal effects, but use them wisely. Try to maximise the health gain from each of the cards. For example, using Demon Claws on Aldrachi Warblades, or trading Ashtongue Battlelord into low-attack minions will help you gain more than you otherwise would.

- Maiev Shadowsong can take an enemy minion out of action for 2 turns, imprisoning it and making it Dormant. This doesn’t trigger Deathrattles or Battlecries, but will re-trigger any effects that go off upon ‘awakening’, like that of Imprisoned Antaen.

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James Law avatar

James Law

Former Guides Writer

James was part of Rock Paper Shotgun's guides team from 2020-2021, bringing his expert knowledge about FPS games, Hearthstone, Path Of Exile and more from his time at Metabomb. He's also a dab hand at Hitman 3, and making his own jam - things which may or may not be related to one another.

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