Best Scholomance Academy Decks (August 2020)

Scholomance Academy brought all kinds of interesting, fun, and competitive cards to the Hearthstone Standard landscape (Year of the Phoenix). And now enough time has passed since its release, as well as some nerfs, to start looking at which decks are the best in the current meta.

1. Face Hunter

Decklist

2x Adorable Infestation
2x Demon Companion
2x Dwarven Sharpshooter
2x Intrepid Initiate
2x Tour Guide
2x Wolpertinger
1x Explosive Trap
1x Freezing Trap
1x Pack Tactics
2x Phase Stalker
1x Pressure Plate
2x Scavenger’s Ingenuity
2x Voracious Reader
2x Animal Companion
2x Eaglehorn Bow
2x Kill Command
1x Dragonbane
1x Lorekeeper Polkelt

Deck Code: AAECAR8GhwTJBJ+lA4ewA6S5A/bWAwyoArUD/gz7rwP8rwP/ugPczAObzQOizgOC0APG0QO50gMA

General Strategy

• Hit Face
• Look for 1-drops, backed up by Adorable Infestation
• Tour Guide on turn 1 is good to set up Phase Stalker trigger on turn 2

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Bomb (or Big) Warrior
2. Control Mage (Tortollan or Highlander)
3. Stealth (or Weapon) Rogue

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Control (or Soul) Demon Hunter
2. Libram Paladin
3. Gibberling Druid

2. Libram Paladin

Decklist

2x First Day of School
2x Aldor Attendant
2x Argent Braggart
2x Hand of A’dal
2x Libram of Wisdom
1x Gift of Luminance
2x Goody Two-Shields
2x Blessing of Kings
1x High Abbess Alura
2x Lightforged Zealot
2x Aldor Truthseeker
2x Blessing of Authority
2x Libram of Justice
2x Devout Pupil
1x Lady Liadrin
1x Lightforged Crusader
2x Libram of Hope

Deck Code: AAECAZ8FBJuuA4TBA6fLA8PRAw2vB5yuA8q4A/24A+q5A+u5A+y5A8rBA57NA7/RA8DRA8rRA+DRAwA=

General Strategy

• Look to stick a minion and buff
• Don’t forget that killing a creature with Libram of Wisdom (LoW) deathrattle can get LoW back
• My experience (played this deck through Diamond 5) is that Lady Liadrin and Lightforged Crusader are your “oh crap” cards; don’t keep in mulligan, and win through the other cards if possible

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Bomb (or Big) Warrior
2. Control Mage (Tortollan or Highlander)
3. Stealth (or Weapon) Rogue

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Control (or Soul) Demon Hunter
2. Libram Paladin
3. Gibberling Druid

3. Bomb Warrior

Decklist

2x Shield Slam
2x Sword and Board
1x Upgrade!
1x Whirlwind
2x Corsair Cache
2x Bladestorm
2x Coerce
2x EVIL Quartermaster
1x Lord Barov
2x Shield Block
2x Hoard Pillager
2x Wrenchcalibur
2x Brawl
2x Cutting Class
1x Doctor Krastinov
1x Kronx Dragonhoof
1x Blastmaster Boom
1x Galakrond, the Unbreakable
1x Deathwing, Mad Aspect

Deck Code: AAECAaPLAwj/A/wEm5QD360D47QDxcADk9ADqtIDC0uiBP8HmpQD2a0D6LADuLkDwLkD9sIDitAD99QDAA==

General Strategy

Note: I have exactly one game under my belt (game two ongoing, right now, as I type this), so my general strategy may be off. Drop a comment below if you have experience and have better ideas.

• Put bombs in your opponent’s deck (get those weapons, boost them, recover them)
• As a combo deck, you have a good matchup vs. control; figure out your gameplan to survive against aggro
• Remember boosted weapons enable your card draw, as well as your win conditions

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Control decks (especially priest!)
2. Control Mage (Tortollan or Highlander)
3. Stealth (or Weapon) Rogue

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Pure aggro decks
2. Libram Paladin
3. Stealth/Weapon Rogue

4. Stealth Rogue

Decklist

2x Backstab
2x Secret Passage
2x Spymistress
2x Wand Thief
2x Worgen Infiltrator
2x Ashtongue Slayer
2x Eviscerate
2x Sap
2x Skyvateer
2x Sneaky Delinquent
1x Edwin VanCleef
2x EVIL Miscreant
2x Greyheart Sage
1x Hooked Scimitar
1x Questing Adventurer
2x Burrowing Scorpid
1x Flik Skyshiv

Deck Code: AAECAYO6AgSyApcG/6UDwa4DDbQBzQOIB+IHj5cDm7YDubgDurgDz7kD2b4DqssDpNEDitQDAA==

General Strategy

• Hit Face (i.e., this is an aggro deck; you’re looking to go face unless up against a faster deck)
• There are a few approaches to this deck; some cards you could consider: Southsea Deckhand/Sinister Strike (speed up deck), Akama or Infiltrator Lilian (Legendaries)
• The deck struggles with Mage decks, but has good/great matchups elsewhere; you can live with that, or begin tinkering to beat those pesky mages.

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Libram Paladin!!
2. Guardian Druid
3. Other aggro decks (generally)

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Mage (highlander, small spells, or tortallan)

5. Aggro Demon Hunter

Decklist

2x Battlefiend
2x Beaming Sidekick
2x Blazing Battlemage
2x Demon Companion
2x Guardian Augmerchant
2x Mana Burn
2x Trueaim Crescent
2x Twin Slice
1x Amani Berserker
2x Bonechewer Brawler
2x Umberwing
2x Voracious Reader
2x Satyr Overseer
1x Glide
1x Kayn Sunfury
2x Glaivebound Adept

Deck Code: AAECAea5AwSWBtrGA+PUA/nVAw39pwP5rgOLugPgvAPXvgPevgP3yAP5yAP+yAPyyQPhzgOC0APG0QMA

General Strategy

• Hit Face
• You may eventually lose board against midrange/control; know your outs (how much damage you can deal from hand/top deck)
• Guarian Augemerchant is a 1-drop, but consider tossing back if you already have at least one other 1-drop

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Favorable against most decks/li>

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Control (or Soul) Demon Hunter

6. Dragon Hunter (Highlander)

Decklist

1x Adorable Infestation
1x Blazing Battlemage
1x Demon Companion
1x Dwarven Sharpshooter
1x Tracking
1x Trueaim Crescent
1x Wolpertinger
1x Bonechewer Brawler
1x Corrosive Breath
1x Cult Neophyte
1x Faerie Dragon
1x Imprisoned Felmaw
1x Scavenger’s Ingenuity
1x Zephrys the Great
1x Ace Hunter Kreen
1x Animal Companion
1x Desert Spear
1x Diving Gryphon
1x Primordial Explorer
1x Scalerider
1x Stormhammer
1x Unleash the Hounds
1x Zixor, Apex Predator
1x Dragonbane
1x Evasive Feywing
1x Lorekeeper Polkelt
1x Faceless Corruptor
1x Rotnest Drake
1x Veranus
1x Dinotamer Brann

Deck Code: AAECAR8etQPhBJcI2wn8owPkpAOmpQOKrQOLrQOOrQP5rgP8rwP+rwOHsAP/sAOCsQOHsQPYsgOvtwODuQOiuQP/ugPXvgOizgPhzgOC0AO50gPj1AOL1QP21gMAAA==

General Strategy

• Midrange deck: beat control, and try to stay ahead of aggro
• Make sure you know your outs with Zephyr’s, and set up the board to improve chances of getting card
• Note the “combos” (e.g., Desert Spear + Rotnest; dragon interactions)

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Mage (all varieties)
2. Malygos Druid
3. Priest (all varieties)

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Libram Paladin
2. Guardian Druid
3. Aggro decks (generally)

7. Soul Demon Hunter

Decklist

2x Battlefiend
2x Spirit Jailer
2x Twin Slice
2x Blade Dance
2x Chaos Strike
2x Manafeeder Panthara
2x Soul Shear
2x Aldrachi Warblades
2x Shardshatter Mystic
1x Kayn Sunfury
1x Lorekeeper Polkelt
1x Magtheridon
2x Marrowslicer
2x Glaivebound Adept
2x Soulshard Lapidary
2x Skull of Gul’Dan
1x Soulciologist Malicia

Deck Code: AAECAea5AwTaxgO1yQPP0gP21gMNh7oD17sD4LwD2cYD98gD/MgD/sgD0c0D+84DzNIDzdID1NID99UDAA==

General Strategy

• Blade Dance + Magtheridon = Board Clear + 12/12 minion
• You’re a midrange deck; fend off aggro and beat control
• Know your outs for damage from hand/top of deck

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Bomb (or Big) Warrior
2. Control Mage (Tortollan or Highlander)
3. Stealth (or Weapon) Rogue

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Aggro Demon Hunter
2. Hunter
3. Rogue

8. Weapon Rogue

Decklist

2x Backstab
2x Deadly Poison
2x Secret Passage
2x Sinister Strike
2x Spymistress
2x Wand Thief
2x Worgen Infiltrator
2x Eviscerate
1x Sap
2x Sneaky Delinquent
2x Greyheart Sage
1x Hooked Scimitar
2x Self-Sharpening Sword
2x Vulpera Toxinblade
2x Dread Corsair
2x Cutting Class
2x Doctor Krastinov
#
AAECAYO6AgTNA8YF/6UDqtIDDbQBywPuBogH4ge5uAPPuQOqywOI0AOk0QOK1APV1AP31AMA

General Strategy

• Hit Face
• Look for 1-drops, backed up by Adorable Infestation
• Tour Guide on turn 1 is good to set up Phase Stalker trigger on turn 2

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Bomb (or Big) Warrior
2. Control Mage (Tortollan or Highlander)
3. Stealth (or Weapon) Rogue

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Control (or Soul) Demon Hunter
2. Libram Paladin
3. Gibberling Druid

9. Galakrond Warlock

Decklist

2x Plague of Flames
2x Spirit Jailer
2x Tour Guide
2x Mo’arg Artificer
2x Nether Breath
2x Soul Shear
2x Dragonblight Cultist
1x School Spirits
2x Shadowlight Scholar
1x Brittlebone Destroyer
2x Devoted Maniac
2x Veiled Worshipper
2x Crazed Netherwing
2x Shield of Galakrond
1x Kronx Dragonhoof
1x Galakrond, the Wretched
1x Soulciologist Malicia
1x Alexstrasza

Deck Code: AAECAcn1AgbFBOO0A/G/A6zLA9bOA8/SAwydqQPlrAPorAPqrAPsrAP+rgOqrwPpvgObzQP/zgPM0gPN0gMA

General Strategy

• Track your soul fragments (deck trackers are your friend)
• You have a lot of inevitability; play to not lose
• If you’re new to control warlock, Mo’arg Artificer + Nether Breath + Dragon is key to regaining life against aggro

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Priest
2. Libram Paladin
3. Face Hunter

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Rogue
2. Bomb Warrior
3. Guardian Druid

10. Tortollan (Turtle) Mage

Decklist

1x Animated Broomstick
2x Depth Charge
1x Sphere of Sapience
2x Wand Thief
1x Acidic Swamp Ooze
1x Astromancer Solarion
2x Doomsayer
2x Frost Nova
1x Frozen Shadoweaver
2x Imprisoned Observer
1x Vulpera Scoundrel
2x Escaped Manabear
1x Lorekeeper Polkelt
2x Potion of Illusion
2x Nightblade
1x Sunreaver Warmage
2x Blizzard
2x Khartut Defender
2x Tortollan Pilgrim

Deck Code: AAECAf0ECIoH05gDpaEDjbsD1r4Dlc0Dj84D9tYDC4oByQPLBJ4FoaEDi6QDhLEDhLYDw7gDpNED5dEDAA==

General Strategy

• Hit Face
• Look for 1-drops, backed up by Adorable Infestation
• Tour Guide on turn 1 is good to set up Phase Stalker trigger on turn 2

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Libram Paladin
2. Weapon Rogue
3. Galakrond Priest

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Face Hunter
2. Malygos Druid

11. Guardian Druid

Decklist

2x Innervate
2x Lightning Bloom
2x Crystal Power
2x Nature Studies
2x Ironbark
2x Bogbeam
1x Speaker Gidra
2x Overgrowth
2x Anubisath Defender
21 Lake Thresher
2x Teacher’s Pet
2x Twilight Runner
2x Guardian Animals
1x Kael’thas Sunstrider
2x Overflow
1x Ysera, Unleashed
2x Survival of the Fittest

Deck Code: AAECAbSKAwT2rQOuugP1zgO80AMN/gG5lAPvogPbpQPougPsugPuugOSzQObzgO60AOT0QPe0QPw1AMA

General Strategy

• Ramp
• Do unfair things with free spells
• Ysera is your failsafe

Which Decks Does It Work Best Against?

1. Demon Hunter
2. Malygos Druid
3. Rogue

Which Decks Does It Struggle Against?

1. Priest
2. Libram Paladin