The decks you need to win the Hearthstone Half and Half Tavern Brawl

This week’s Hearthstone Tavern Brawl is the coffee-themed Half and Half Tavern Brawl. Your barista today is Barista Lynchen. I’ll have a double-pump Azerano, extra star-whip, Highmountain ice, with room for mana spice, please. Coffee is a big part of any writer’s day and that’s true with the Blizzard Watch crew as well.

Half and Half Tavern Brawl basics

• Name: Half and Half
• Description: Create a deck of 15 cards. At the start of the game, we’ll complete your deck with a copy of your opponent’s!
• Fun level: 4/10
• Difficulty: 5-8/10 (depending on the size of your card collection)
• Replayability: 6/10
• Format: Wild
• Type: PVP
• Deck: Constructed
• Rewards: 1 Standard pack. This pack contains cards from the sets in the current Standard rotation.

You begin by choosing a class and making a deck. Since this is a Constructed Brawl the size of your collection will matter — and it also uses Wild rules which brings even more cards into play. That can make this more challenging for players who don’t have extended collections, but there are still decent deck options for everybody.

Your deck is limited to only 15 cards — but Hearthstone decks are 30 cards, so where do you the other 15 come from? Your opponent. Whenever you play this Brawl, you’ll combine both players’ decks and each player gets a copy. The game then plays out as a normal Hearthstone match.

Since you’re both playing the same deck, the only difference is your class and Hero Power. Try to find cards and strategies that synergize well with your class and Hero Power which will give your opponent less value than they do for you. You’re giving them your win condition so think about putting a counter for it into your deck… just realize you’re also giving them that counter.

 

How to win the Half and Half Tavern Brawl

Like most Constructed Brawls, the key to victory is finding a great deck. These Brawls act like a microcosm of a new expansion: in the early hours, there’s a ton of experimentation as players try new ideas and refine them. It’s some of the most fun time in Hearthstone. Over time, players discover the “meta,” the deck (or decks) that are particularly strong given the ruleset. These lists are published on communities like /r/CompetitiveHS (and others) and become dominant. Counter decks rise and you fall into the same sort of meta as you see in Ladder play. Usually these Brawls are at their most entertaining shortly after they’ve been release.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the decks people are trying out. You’ll probably find even more refined versions of these later in the week. All of the old decks still work, and in some cases work well, but let’s highlight some new decks for this version of the Brawl.

New Decks for 1/18/2023

Ben Hearthstone’s “Weapon” Rogue

Deck code:

AAEBAc78BQHDzgIH1AWvEIjQA/fUA4HkA5KfBP3TBAA=

Friend of the blog, Ben Hearthstone, came up with this ingenious design of a deck that is all cards designed to buff weapons, but has no weapons itself. As a Rogue, you’ll of course have your trusty dagger from your Hero Power and can use your half of the deck, but your weaponless opponent is just drawing unhelpful card after unhelpful card.

Matt London’s “Weapon” Warrior

Deck code:

AAEBAce+BQ//A8zNApfzApqUA/WoA96tA/nCA77eA//jA47tA47vA8X1A4qgBLGzBP/bBAAA

When you’re a known influencer like Ben, your decks get noticed by people. Sometimes those people are on the Hearthstone team. Matt London, Modes Design Lead for Hearthstone, came up with this deck to counter Ben’s. It’s simply chock full of weapons. It’s awesome to see members of the Hearthstone team interacting with the community in this way.

This idea of leaning hard on your class mechanic could work with almost any class. This line of thinking inspire Rane of https://esports.gg/ to come up with two similar decks.

Rane’s Hero Power Ping Mage

Deck code:

AAEBAc2xAgOohwPY7AOFpAUGzYkDiLYDm80D+84D0+wD1uwDAA==

Mage is often a great choice for your Brawl class. Rane’s Mage deck centers around buffing the Mage Hero Power. We had Hero Power Mage list in our November 25, 2020 article, but this one incorporates many new cards.

Rane’s Totem Shaman

Deck code:

AAEBAZu1AwPf4QP/nwSx2QQGshT2qgKdowPapQOWuQOq2QQA

Next up, we have a Totem Shaman. As you might have guessed from the name, this deck is all about taking advantage of the Totems that Shaman players can drop with their Hero Power. We had Totem Shaman list in our November 25, 2020 article, but this one incorporates many new cards.

Honor’s Corpse Death Knight

Deck code:

AAECAYjaBQOQ5AS+9wSYgQUGjeQEkeQE1fEE3YIFrqEFz6UFAA==

I thought I would try to get in on the fun. How about a Death Knight deck with nothing but cards that require Corpses? I will remind you that deck building isn’t my strong suit. If you come up with an improvement on this list, let me know in the comments.

Old (but still good) decks

Hero Attack Demon Hunter

Deck Code: AAEBAdKLBQHvsQQHthOm7wL5yAP+yAPJnwTSnwSKsAQA

Courtesy of Ben Hearthstone on Twitter. This uses cards that synergize with your Hero attacking. If you opponent picked a class other than Rogue or Druid, most of the cards you give them will be fairly useless.

Nozdormu Mage

Deck code: AAEBAf0EAbaKBAGb8AMDh6wCBIXkAwTDoAQE

If you’re a fan of the Nozdormu card, and saddened that he doesn’t see play, this Brawl was made for you. When you put Nozdormu in your deck, it’s guaranteed to be in your opponent’s deck, too. Hourglasses for everyone!

Updated Thief Rogue

Deck code: AAEBAd75AwOh+QP58QSLpAUG7qAEu6QE+6UE7KcE+awEjKQFAA==

This one comes from NateWolfeTCG on Twitter. Rogue has many cards that synergize with playing other classes’ cards, which can work well… just remember that you’re also giving these to your opponent. The key is to play their cards and get a great use out of Tess Greymane.

Buggy Warrior

Deck code: AAEBAYwWAdYRAczNAgPYAgSHoAQEjaAEBA==

This deck uses the bug that was in the November 25, 2020 version of the Brawl and, as of this writing, remains. It allows you to put more than two copies of a card into your deck. This deck is not intended to be competitive, but it’s just a Brawl. It’s good for a few laughs and you might even get lucky and snag a win.

Soul Demon Hunter

Deck Code: AAECAea5AwPUyAP3yAPyyQMG2cYD0c0D+84DzNIDzdID99UDAA==

Theory: Soul Demon Hunter is so good; you can win with only half a deck.

Face Hunter

Deck Code: AAECAR8D5aQDh7ADpLkDBskEorkDm80Dos4D8uED8+EDAA==

Face is the place. It’s always the place. Who cares what your opponent gave you. Keep hitting their face with minions, spells and your Hero Power.

Hero Power Mage

Deck code: AAEBAf0EA9zNAqiHA9jsAwakhwPNiQOItgPT7APW7APAoAQA

This works well because your opponent might not have a Hero Power that can use the the upgrades.

Dude Paladin

Deck Code: AAEBAZ3DAwG09gMH68ICuMcC2f4C/aUDns0DzOsDlfkDAA==

A new deck from Twitter user Rodrigo Minnemann (@Rod_Minn). Rod is a great follow on Twitter for Hearthstone content. This deck is based upon the Paladin Quest “Rise to the Occasion” from United in Stormwind. It works well with this Brawl.

Zoo Paladin

Deck Code: AAEBAZ8FBewP67kDysEDgt4Dh94DBdMTieYC+a4Dm80Dns0DAA==

This deck features cards that buff Silver Hand recruits. You’ll have them, your opponent won’t. Do your best to stay ahead on the board so you have something to buff.

Thief Rogue

Deck Code: AAEBAYO6Age9BOvwAurzAqj3AvWnA7euA6TRAwSUtgL7mgP+mgP+0QMA

[Updated for 6/15/2022] Deck code from NateWolfeTCG on Twitter : AAEBAd75AwOh+QP58QSLpAUG7qAEu6QE+6UE7KcE+awEjKQFAA==

Rogue has many cards that synergize with playing other classes’ cards. You’re also giving these to your opponent. The key is to play their cards and get a great use out of Tess Greymane.

Totem Shaman

Deck Code: AAEBAaoIAd/hAwe+BvaqAvuqAp2jA9qlA5a5A+SgBAA=

This deck is based upon buffing and coping totems. It has a couple of totems to potentially give your opponent, but you’ll be able to summon your own totems with your hero power. Try to stay ahead on the board so you can pull off some powerful combos.

Pain Warlock

Deck Code: AAEBAf0GBaMBwgi47gLt7wLxrAMFxAjy0AKnmAPM0gPN0gMA

You run out of cards quick so the Warlock Hero Power is powerful in this Brawl. This deck relies on synergy with your Hero taking damage on your turn, which you can do more easily than your opponent.

More Half and Half Tavern Brawl deck lists

Keep checking Hearthstone Top Decks. There are more Tavern Brawl decks being added by the hour.

The Brawl’s main weakness is Aggro felt strong and prevelent. There are some fun decks and ideas, but too often you don’t get to enjoy them because you’re run over by an aggressive deck. Aggressive decks are their own kind of fun, and some people really enjoy them. Good luck getting this week’s Year of the Phoenix pack!

Originally published November 25, 2020; last updated January 18, 2023