The decks you need to win The Fury of Kael’thas Hearthstone Standard Tavern Brawl

After escaping Castle Nathria, Kael’thas Sunstrider headed down to Bob’s Tavern for an adult beverage and Hearthstone‘s The Fury of Kael’Thas Tavern Brawl. I can’t say I blame him.

After Arthas wiped out most of his race, Kael tried to work with the Alliance. Their commander proved to be such a nasty person, Kael thought he’d have better luck with the Naga! He valiantly led his people through the Dark Portal to Outland where he sought a new power source for the destroyed Sunwell. Betrayed by his allies and his own people, Kael found himself holed up in Tempest Keep with this last remaining loyalists until a group of adventures broke in and confronted him. He barely escaped and rushed back home to Magisters’ Terrace in Quel’Danas, but adventures again sought him out and slayed him in his own kingdom, sending him to Revendreth where Denathrius used him as an anima battery.

What I’m saying is, this guy could use a cold Thunderbrew Lager… which is where we meet him in this week’s Hearthstone Tavern Brawl.

Tavern Brawl basics

• Name: The Fury of Kael’Thas
• Description: The Sun King’s rage echoes through the tavern, empowering spellcasters of all kinds. Build a deck and every third spell you cast each turn will cost (0).
• Fun level: 4/10
• Difficulty: 2-9/10 (will depend on the size of your card collection)
• Replayability: 5/10
• Format: Standard
• Type: PVP
• Deck: Constructed
• Rewards: 1 Standard pack (can contain a card from any set in the current Standard rotation)

This Brawl is based around the effect of the Kael’thas Sunstrider Legendary card: every third spell you cast each turn will cost zero mana. It’s like you always have an untargetable, unkillable Kael’thas on the board, without taking up a minion slot.

Updated 07-26-2023: We’re back to Constructed Wild format this time. The relative size of your card collection will have a major impact on the decks you can play.

Update 10-22-2023: This is now a Constructed Standard Brawl. In previous versions of this Brawl, it used the Wild set of cards. This changes the decks we can use pretty drastically.

The deck needs to synergize with the rules of the Brawl. You’ll want a good mix of low-mana-cost spells as activators, and big-mana-cost spells to get the Kael discount as your game winners.

How to win The Fury of Kael’Thas Tavern Brawl

As with almost every Constructed Brawl, there are two components to winning: your deck, and how you pilot that deck. In Constructed Brawls, players usually discover the most powerful lists very quickly, which leads to the Brawl falling into a meta structure like we see on the Ladder — and that means you’ll usually find plenty of strong decks you can use. But you also have to be able to pilot the deck, making the right turn-to-turn decisions in order to win — which is essential even if you’re using the best deck available. The most important thing here is to remember Kael’thas’ ability: your third spell each turn is free, and you’ll want to make use of that to cast the biggest spells you have.

So let’s check out some solid decks to use for this Brawl.

Updated decks for the July 26, 2023 iteration

We’re back to Wild format this time around. All the previous decks should still work, but keep in mind we’ve had several new sets added to the game since the last time this Brawl was active. March of the Lich King with Path of Arthas and Return to Naxxramas landed in December, and then in April, we received Festival of Legends with Audiopocalypse.

Spell Druid

• Deck code:

  AAEBAbPaBQAP0wOHzgLTnAPbpQOxrAPlugOk4QOM5AOvgASunwS5oATPrAT/vQSuwASpngYAAA==

• This deck uses cheap spells to meet Kael’s requirement and then discount the heavy hitters like Ultimate Infestation, Cenarion Ward, Gift of the Wild, Miracle Growth and The Forest’s Aid.

Spell Mage

• Deck code:

  AAEBAbTqAwTAAaaYA/vdA6CKBA20BJ+bA6CbA+KbA8KhA/SrA/GvA673A/yeBOefBPuiBPqsBMyTBQAA

• All spells, all the time. Like Druid, you use cheap spells to discount your expensive spells. You’re counting on your spells like Drakefire Amulet to generate minions since Mana Cyclone and Magister Dawngrasp are your only minions in the deck.

Spell Paladin

• Deck code:

  AAEBAZ3DAwAP0gSqwQLA/QLY/gLjhgP5kwPquQOD3gPJ6wP+7AOV+QPQvQSS1ASF4gTw8QQAAA==

• Another spell heavy deck. Paladin has some flexible spells that allow you adapt to various opposition strategies.  Here again, you’re relying on your spells to generate minions which can cause some game-to-game inconsistency.

Updated decks for the October 12, 2022 iteration

This is a Standard Brawl, but the only changes to the Standard format since the last time the Brawl was active was the addition of the Murder at Castle Nathria expansion and its miniset, Maw and Order. The decks from May should still work, but here are a couple of new and updated ones that incorporate newer cards.

Convoke Druid

• Deck code:

  AAECAZICAA+z7APs9QOB9wOvgASunwS5oASwpQTPrAT2vQT/vQSuwASB1AT63QTW3gSt5QQA

• This is an updated version of the Convoke Druid from May. Your backup plan to Convoke is the tried and true ‘go wide with tokens, buff, and blitz’ strategy.

Renethal’s Quest Hunter

• Deck code:

   AAECAR8E5e8D/fgD25EEl+8EEtzqA9vtA/f4A6iBBKmNBKuNBKmfBKqfBOOfBOSfBLugBL+sBJmtBJ2wBMHTBIzUBNDkBNTkBAA=

• Quest Hunter returns from May with the addition of Prince Renethal. More cards, more traps, more damage.

Front Lines Paladin

• Deck code:

  AAECAZ8FBO2fBNukBLCyBJKkBQ346APb7gOV+QPH+QPM+QPXkgTIoAT1pAT2pATQvQTA4gTK7QT18QQA

• This is a cool concept from Hearthpwn user, FardHast. Order in the Court will draw Front Lines. If you have the coin, your first turn can be Coin, plus Order in the Court and then a free Front Lines.

Naga Priest

• Deck code:

  AAECAa0GAomyBPnbBA6Y6wOH9wOsigStigSEowSJowSKowSitgSktgSntgT10wT02wS43AT28QQA

• This spell heavy deck already runs several cards to discount cost. Kael’s effect provides yet another.

Decks from the May 18, 2022 Brawl

Since this is now a Standard Brawl, so we’ll need to build some Standard decks.

Celestial Druid

Deck Code:

AAECAcaLBQjk7gPJ9QOsgASwgAS1igSJiwTvpASlrQQLwOwDr4AEpY0EiZ8Erp8E2p8Ez6wEjbIE/70ErsAE2qEFAA==

This is a standard ramp druid with Celestial Alignment. Druid has more draw power than Hunter, plus a myriad of cheap, even zero cost spells, and ways to generate threats.

Quest Hunter

Deck code:

AECAR8G3OoD/fgDu4oE25EEhskEj6QFDNvtA/f4A9D5A6mfBKqfBOOfBLugBL+sBMGsBJ2wBIe3BIzUBAA=

Quest Hunter took one look at this Brawl and just like Professor Hulk in Avenger’s Endgame, said, “It’s like I was made for this.” Quest Hunter was already spell heavy and getting the discount on every third spell makes it that much better. The biggest thing holding you back will be Hunter’s natural card draw weakness.

Spellslinger Mage

Deck Code:

AAECAcuLBQL1ogSp3gQO1OoD0OwD0ewDrvcD9PwDqIEE/J4E/p4E+6IE+qwE3LkE4bkE8NME8dMEAA==

This deck comes courtesy of our friend Ben Hearthstone (@ben_heathstone) on Twitter. It uses the Kael discount to cast huge spells like Rune of the Archmage, Pyroblast and Drakefire Amulet. An early Drakefire can win you the game outright.

Decks from the old Wild ruleset

These decks are from the previous iteration of the Brawl. Because the Brawl is now using the Standard sets and not the Wild set, these decks are no longer available for use, but this could always change again.

OTK Demon Hunter

Deck code: AAECAea5AwS1yQPQ3QP39gPQ+QMN6b4D1tED3dMD+dUDx90D2d4D8+MDlegDivcDxfkDyIAEtKAE7KAEAA==

I’m not a fan of this style of deck, which focuses on delivering big bursts of damage in a single turn, but it’s hard to argue its effectiveness.

Double Guff Druid

Deck code: AAECAd/xBASW0QP77QOk9gOJiwQN5boD77oDm84DutAD8NQDieADiuADpOEDiuQDj+QDrp8EuaAEsKUEAA==

Druid is quite strong in this Brawl. With Guff on the board and your free spells, you can go from an empty board to an intimidating army.

Quest Druid

Deck code: AAECAZarBASK5AOj9gOJiwTxpAQN5boD6LoDm84D8NQDieADiuADouEDpOEDiu0D2p8EuKAEuaAEsKU

This takes advantage of Druid’s strong Ramp capabilities and the United in Stormwind quest, Lost in the Park.

Evocation Mage

Deck code: AAECAaXDAwLCoQP4rAMOqwTLBOYEvwifmwOgmwPimwP/nQP7rAPsrwPzrwOItgP3uAPexAMA

This deck is a little less predictable since you don’t know what Evocation will grant you, but if you love high stakes gambling, this might just be the deck for you.

Libram Paladin

Deck code: AAECAZ8FCPy4A4TBA5PQA/voA5HsA9n5A7+ABOCLBAv9uAPquQPruQPsuQPKwQOVzQPA0QPM6wPw9gON+AP5pAQA

Librams are powerful spell and the Brawl makes them even more powerful by reducing their cost.

OTK Idol Priest

Deck code: AAEBAa0GAq8En6kDDpkCoQLuBIgF4wXRwQLGwgLo0AKC9wKXhwOZqQOTugPi3gP83wMA

Use Kael’s 0 mana discount to cast Idol and get 10/10 Charge minions.

More Fury of Kael’Thas Tavern Brawl deck lists

One of these decks should see you through to a victory. Keep checking Hearthstone Top Decks, because there are more Tavern Brawl decks being added by the hour. If you find another great list, share it with us in the comments.

Overall, this was not my favorite Brawl. My collection has fallen behind which limits my options, and there’s a huge emphasis on wild swing turns that can be difficult to overcome. Most games are over before turn 5 so its a nice Brawl for knocking out some quests. Good luck getting this week’s pack!

Originally posted February 11, 2021. Updated May 18, 2022. Updated October 12, 2022. Updated July 26, 2023.