Best Standard Hearthstone Decks for Descent of Dragons Meta

Dragons are back in Hearthstone. These are the nine best Standard decks that will help you win in the Descent of Dragons meta.
Dragons are back in Hearthstone. These are the nine best Standard decks that will help you win in the Descent of Dragons meta.

Dragons are back in Hearthstone. The Descent of Dragons expansion offers five new Galakrond hero cards. These cards will be available for free to all players who log in during the expansion's first 90 days following release (December 10). 

The five new hero cards in Descent of Dragons are powerful dragons that you can build your decks around. But that is not the only viable strategy this season. Be prepared for some other unusual techniques, too.

The following list will outline nine new decks for each class. These decks have the best synergies and interactions from the new set. You will find several brand new decks, as well as some well-established decks with a few changes.

These decks include some of the best new cards for Standard in the DoD meta, so be sure to check that cards list out as well

Recommended Videos

Dragon Druid Deck

The new Druid deck is based around two cards: Embiggen and Frizz Kindleroost. It also has a lot of big dragons.

Embiggen gives all minions in your deck +2/+2. But it also makes your minions more expensive by 1 mana. You can also play Frizz Kindleroost and make all your dragon minions cheaper by 2 mana. As a result, your minions receive a buff and cost 1 mana less.

This combo is very powerful. With all the ramp cards in this deck, such as Breath of Dreams and Nourish, you will be able to play all of your big dragons early.

Be sure to play the new Ysera, Unleashed. The card can potentially put seven free dragons on your board. This legendary card from Descent of Dragons is one of the most powerful class dragons in the set.

Deck string:

AAECAZICBsUEogm3rAP2rQOIsAORsQMMQFZfxAaNCL/yAuiUA9ulA/utA/2tA4yuA/ywAwA=


Dragon Tempo Hunter

If you want to quickly defeat your opponent and control the board, then this Tempo Hunter is exactly what you want.

Dragon Tempo Hunter is built around two synergies: dragons and minions with Rush. The latter will help you control the board; dragons will give you the power needed to finish the game.

The new Stormhammer weapon is amazing for this list. It will likely never lose its charge, but if that does happen, you have two copies of it in your deck. In addition to Stormhammer, you have the Corrosive Breath spell. Corrosive Breath will make optimal use of your attacks.

Lastly, Dwarven Sharpshooter lets your hero power control the board. The ability is a really nice way of dealing with smaller minions in the early game.

Deck string:

AAECAR8CgPMC2LIDDpcI3oIDoIUD6IkD5KQDiq0Di60Djq0D+K8D/K8D/q8D57AD/7ADgrEDAA==


Highlander Mage

Over the last several seasons, Zephrys The Great has proven to be an immensely effective control card. That's why the Highlander format is still the best choice in Mage class.

Descent of Dragons adds several well-established legendaries, such as Zilliax and Siamat. Together, these cards make up a solid high-value Highlander deck.

If you find Highlander Mage has a bit too much mana, then consider using Luna's Pocket Galaxy and Frizz Kindleroost. Both cards make your minions cheaper.

There is also a copy of Puzzle Box of Yogg-Saron in this list. Cast it in the late game and watch how the entire match-up suddenly turn in your favor.

Deck string:

AAECAf0EHooByQPFBMsE7QTsB6IJvuwCifECxvgCoIAD6JQDoJsDip4DoaEDwqED/KMDi6QDkqQDv6QDhKcD9KsD+qwDsK0D8K8DiLAD/LAD/bADkbED4bYDAAA=


Big Dragon Paladin

The star of this Paladin deck is the new legendary card: Nozdormu The Timeless. This 8/8 dragon costs only four mana. It can give both players 10 mana crystals when played.

This means you can immediately start playing your big dragons and take full control of the board. However, there is only one copy of Nozdormu in your deck.

That's why it's also important to use Frizz Kindleroost. This card reduces the cost of all your big dragons, including Nozdormu. You can then play it as an 8/8 body for only 2 mana.

This deck can also draw cards and protect your minions. It also has a few other staples that are auto-included into almost every Paladin deck these days.

Deck string:

AAECAZ8FBsUE+ga9mQOEpwOHrQOIsAMMjAH6Afz8AsD9Atj+AuyGA+yJA+iUA7SbA7CtA4iuA52uAwA=


Control Dragon Priest

An alternative Galakrond hero card for Priest has a similar battlecry to Shadowreaper Anduin. But if you invoke Galakrond several times, it will trigger four times, which is basically a board sweeper.

You will find that most of the cards in this list have the Invoke ability. This ability triggers Galakrond's hero power and adds a random Priest minion to your hand. This mechanic works almost like a card draw engine. However, it's a random mechanic.

Kronx Dragonhoof, the new legendary card from Descent of Dragons, will help you draw Galakrond when you need it. The rest of the dragons will provide the necessary push for victory.

Deck string:

AAECAa0GCMUEoIADoocDha0DiLADjrED47QDyMADC40I6IkD6JQDmakDn6kD16wD2qwD3KwD8qwD/q4Dza8DAA==


Aggro Galakrond Rogue

The Aggro Galakrond Rogue list also relies on Galakrond powers, especially its hero power, which adds a random Lackey to your hand.

Rogue class and Lackeys have had a great run lately. It's natural that you might want to continue the trend using some of the new toys from Descent of Dragons.

One of the most exciting new additions to the deck is Umbral Skulker, which adds three coins to your hand. The coins can be used to either buff Edwin van Cleef and Questing Adventurer or feed it to Gadgetzan Auctioneer for non-stop card drawing.

In the end, it all comes down to Heistbaron Togwaggle and Spirit of the Shark. This elegant card combo produces several very powerful spells that will help you win many games this season.

Deck string:

AAECAaIHBrIClwaSlwOEpwPjtAPLwAMMtAHNA4gHpAe0hgOPlwO2rgO3rgO5rgP+rgPOrwOCsQMA


Dragon Battlecry Shaman

This list may look familiar if you've been playing Shaman the last few months. The shell of this deck is a typical Shudderwock list, but with a pinch of dragon magic.

Nithogg, a brand new legendary dragon, summons two eggs that transform into two 4/4 dragons next turn. But with the Corrupt the Waters quest, Nithogg will be able to summon four dragons. That equates to an additional eight points of damage for free.

The next new addition is Cumulo-Maximus, an elemental card that deals five damage to any target. If your battlecries trigger twice, you already know what's coming. That's right: it's going to be ten damage to the face.

Last but not least is Bandersmosh, another cool legendary that transforms into a random legendary minion, which could be very helpful in the late game.

Deck string:

AAECAaoICMUE7/cCu6UD4agDt6wDu60D8K0D27IDC94FpvAC7/ECi4UD7IkDtJEDxpkDz6UD1aUD+aUD7a0DAA==


Highlander Handlock

Just like Highlander Mage, the new Highlander Handlock relies strongly on the power of Zephrys The Great. However, there are several new additions that will make Warlock a bit stronger in this meta.

There is great synergy in combining Zzeraku with Warlock's hero power. Every time you use it or receive damage, Zzeraku summons a 6/6 dragon for free. Such a synergy will allow you to quickly build up the board without using any additional minions.

One of the best new board sweepers is Crazed Netherwing, a dragon that unleashes a powerful AoE similar to the Hellfire spell. In this case, though, you also get a body similar to Duskbreaker.

The last noteworthy card in this list is Abyssal Summoner. Abyssal Summoner conjures a minion with Taunt as big as your hand. For example, if your hand holds 10 cards, then the minion will be a 10/10 creature.

Deck string:

AAECAf0GHooB7QXbBrYH4QeNCMwIifECnPgCoIAD6IkD7IkDhp0DoaED/KMD/aQD5awD66wD7KwD7awD7qwD8awDl60DiLAD/LADgbEDhbEDh7EDkbEDn7cDAAA=


Galakrond Pirate Warrior

It would be cool to see pure iterations of Dragon Warrior and Pirate Warrior decks. But why not just put them together and make them work for each other?

There are more pirates than dragons in Galakrond Pirate Warrior. Consequently, you need the Galakrond hero to buff your pirates. You also need Kronx Dragonhoof to draw you Galakrond when needed, and then leave the rest to pirate synergies.

Ancharrr is a brand new legendary weapon that will draw your pirates every time you hit with it. With the help of Galakrond's hero power, you can hit your enemies for extra three damage.

Deck string:

AAECAQcEyAPerQPjtAPFwAMNHKgF1AXuBqbvAp3wAtqtA9ytA92tA/6uA6qvA+mwA/CwAwA=

---

That's it for the best decks in the Descent of the Dragons meta. For more Hearthstone guides, check out the list below:

related content
Read Article Top 10 Best Hair Mods for Baldur’s Gate 3
Tav reading a hair tome in Hair Salon BG3 mod
Read Article 10 Best Minecraft Skin Editors to Make the Most Detailed Custom Skins
A Steve model posing in NovaSkin.
Read Article The Best Minecraft Xbox 360 Seeds
Minecraft character Steve overlooking a village.
Read Article Top 8 Big City Minecraft Seeds (With Downloadable Maps)
City elevator runs across the cityscape in Minecraft
Read Article 10 Best Mobile Games of 2023
Promo image for Sonic Dream Team, showing him running at a giant crab
Related Content
Read Article Top 10 Best Hair Mods for Baldur’s Gate 3
Tav reading a hair tome in Hair Salon BG3 mod
Read Article 10 Best Minecraft Skin Editors to Make the Most Detailed Custom Skins
A Steve model posing in NovaSkin.
Read Article The Best Minecraft Xbox 360 Seeds
Minecraft character Steve overlooking a village.
Read Article Top 8 Big City Minecraft Seeds (With Downloadable Maps)
City elevator runs across the cityscape in Minecraft
Read Article 10 Best Mobile Games of 2023
Promo image for Sonic Dream Team, showing him running at a giant crab
Author
Serhii Patskan
Sergey has been a freelancer in the video games industry for more than five years, writing for various publications around the world. His favorite games are MtG, Dark Souls, Diablo, and Divinity: Original Sin.