The decks you need to win the Wacky Waxy Winter Veil Tavern Brawl

Greatfather Kobold takes over the Tavern with the alliterative Wacky Waxy Winter’s Veil Tavern Brawl. It seems the wax from the all those candlelight Winter Veil services the kobolds held has trapped some Legendary minions. Get ready for some zany Hearthstone fun!

Wacky Waxy Winter’s Veil Tavern Brawl basics

• Name: Wacky Waxy Winter’s Veil
• Description: Greatfather Kobold got a little carried away with the presents. He’s wrapped up the strongest creatures and heroes in Azeroth! Free them!
• Fun level: 7/10 (this may go down if an oppressive deck emerges)
• Difficulty: 5-8/10 (depending on the size of your card collection)
• Replayability: 6/10
• Format: Wild
• Type: PVP
• Deck: Constructed
• Rewards: 1 Standard card pack (can contain any card from any set in the current Standard rotation.)

At the start of the game, Greatfather Kobold drops four 0/4 Large Waxy Gift minions on each side of the board. When your opponent’s Gift is destroyed, you’ll free the inhabitant, and a Legendary minion will be added to your hand with its cost reduced by a juicy three mana. If you destroy your own gifts (I’m looking you, Warlocks and Preists), the Legendary still goes to your opponent.

Greatfater Kobold doesn’t keep dropping gifts turn after turn. It seems he wants to keep a few for himself: he waits six turns before the board is refilled with gifts.

How to win the Wacky Waxy Winter’s Veil Tavern Brawl

Like most Constructed Brawls, the key to victory is finding a great deck. Over time, players discover the “meta” — the deck (or decks) that are particularly strong given the ruleset, like they did with the Warlock list everyone played last week. These lists are published on sites like r/Hearthstone (and others) and become dominant. Counter decks rise and you fall into the same sort of meta as you see on the Ladder.

There are a wide range of outcomes from the Legendary card pool. Some are game-winners, especially with the mana reductions. Others are meant to enable specific decks, and you won’t have the other pieces, making them almost useless. The Hearthstone team also puts “filler” Legendary cards into each set which simply aren’t very powerful.

The key to this Brawl is threefold: you want to destroy your opponent’s  Gifts, protect your own Gifts, and also deal with any Legendary minions that hit the board. The three mana reduction in card cost creates powerful plays.

Cards like Crazed Alchemist and Void Ripper are still popular picks because their Battlecry can kill a Gift even if it’s protected by a Taunt minions. Stampeding Kodo and Mossy Horror are great additions even if they are a little expensive. The real MVP minion is Scorp-o-matic which can destroy a gift and only costs 2 mana. You’ll see this minion in almost every list very quickly.

Even more so this week than last, the Gifts also provide multiple minions on the board which is great for classes that love to buff their minions like Druid. Paladin also likes to buff their minions, but Druids have more spells that benefit from the wide board you start with.

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.

The decks you need to win the Wacky Waxy Winter Vail Tavern Brawl

Mill Druid (new for 2023)

Deck code (from r/81659354597538264962):

AAEBAZICELS7AqDNAsX9AvfoA4H3A4mLBKWNBM+sBOWwBLjZBJfvBP3EBZ/zBamVBr6ZBs2eBgzpAfgHig6e0gKP9gKvgAT2vQSuwASE7wTuowXb+gWpngYAAQO0uwL9xAWIsQP9xAX/4QT9xAUAAA==

With the gifted minions added to your opponent’s hand, they often end up with many cards. This makes them the perfect target for Mill strategies, and no one does Mill better than Druid.

Rivendare Hunter (new for 2023)

Deck code (from r/emirtopc):

AAEBAR8GnvwCj84DkuMD2+0DwdMExaUFDIAHlwikiAO/rASZrQTBuQSDyASNkgWakgWnpAXtmwatngYA

Urchin Spines are great for killing gifts with Shellshot, Richochet Shot, and Wound Prey. Secrets force your opponent into suboptimal plays. Riverndare is your win condition, assuming you don’t get something else great from the gifts you destroy.

Spellbuff Paladin (new for 2023)

Deck code (from HTD/Slugking): AAEBAZ8FDJYJ6awCuccClc0DkewDqIoE4IsEnJ8E+aQE0L0E170EoeIECf24A+u5A8zrA5qfBPSkBNO9BNq9BLWeBqymBgA=

Your gifts don’t have to just sit around, waiting to be destroyed like Christmas morning. No, they can fight! Buff those gifts and let them dish out some damage for a change. The gifts are already considered on the board on turn 1. If you go second, and have a buff spell in hand, you can attack immediately.

Evolve Shaman (updated for 2023)

Deck code (from Ben Hearthstone):  AAEBAdbwBAK1rQPI0AUOnBD6qgLgsALf6QK0lwPUpQOitgPduAPhuAOq3gOi1ASv2QS12QToowUAAA==

Shaman has another clever way to deny Gifts to the opponent: evolve mechanics. If you evolve the Gift, it’s gone and you have a possibly useful minion on the board.

Honor’s Valiant Attempt to make a Death Knight Deck

Deck code:

AAEBAYjaBQLZ4gT54wQOvdMC97ADlc0DsbAE7eME/OME/uMEhuQEh/YEk4EFgYYF5JwF4sUF+tkFAA==

Lots of Rush minions, some good reach and a couple of Taunts. Deckbuiling isn’t my greatest strength, so if you find a better list, let me know about it in the comments.

Demon Hunter Ruins Christmas For Real This Time

Deck code:

AAEBAea5AwKRvAKe+AIO8gHUBbYTl8EClc4C+a4D5rsD4LwD3r4DusYD1MgD98gD8skDgtADAA==

Demon Hunter’s early game is the best in Hearthstone. This deck abuses that early game to get a lead on on the board. You use your minions and your Hero Power to destroy Gifts.

Freeze Mage
Deck code:

AAEBAdT8BQLvgAONuwMOrAGHD4wUn5sDhc0Dx84Dzc4DpNED99ED1uwDrvcDnaAEw6AEgqIFAA==

This comes from friend of the blog, Joseph MacKie. This list is heavy on cheap removal and freeze effects. It allows you to destroy gifts and gives you time to come up with answers to opponents Legendary minions.

Token Druid
Deck code:

AAEBAZICAA/VAekB9wPBBOYF6RXNuwKS0gKe0gLDlAOvogO50gOJ4AOK4AOi4QMA

This deck uses the Gifts offensively by buffing them and then using them to destroy your opponents’ Gifts. Power of the Wild and Mark of the Lotus turn your Gifts into a threatening board. Buffs act as a sort of heal as they continue to increase the health of your minions.

Secret Paladin

Deck code:

AAEBAaToAgbbCqYViMcCy+wCrrADndgDDEbIBK8H9w2MDtgU5csCvdMC2P4CjpoDg94D6OEDAA==

Your Secrets protect your gifts with cards like Never Surrender! and Noble Sacrifice. Oh My Yogg! can ruin a Druid’s day. Mulligan hard for you Scorp-o-matic, and use Dark Conviction on your own gifts.

Gift Hoarder Priest

Deck code:

AAEBAa0GAA/4AuUEpQnRCtIK1wr7DKy0AvC7AtHBAtjBAs7MAr3TAtD+ApibAwA=

This deck has several spells to kill Gifts for zero mana with Topsy Turvey, Forbidden Words. It seeks to protect its own Gifts by silencing off the Deathrattle, and thus denying the Legendary minions to its opponent. Purify and Silence keep your presents from giving anything to your opponent while also still providing a target for your buffs.

Evolve Shaman
2022 Deck code: AAEBAdbwBAK1rQPI0AUOnBD6qgLgsALf6QK0lwPUpQOitgPduAPhuAOq3gOi1ASv2QS12QToowUAAA==
2021 Deck code: AAEBAdD6AwAP+qoC3+kCtJcD1KUDta0DorYD3bgD4bgDhtQEotQEr9kEtdkEttkE8t0E9JEFAA==
2020 Deck code: AAEBAaoIApG8AuvPAg7TAYEEoQblB/AHkwn6qgKHvAL5vwKRwQLrwgKbywL70wLf6QIA

Shaman has another clever way to deny Gifts to the opponent: evolve mechanics. If you evolve the Gift, it’s gone and you have a possibly useful minion on the board.

Rush Warrior

Deck code:

AEBAYwWCP8H/eoCze8Co4sD260DuLkDvrkDxcADC6EG7wed8AKSmAOfoQPYrQParQOqrwPSrwPizAOK0AMA

The deck features a plethora of Rush minions to take out your opponent’s Gifts on each turn. Once you turn into Galakrond, put pressure on your opponent turn and turn with steady damage.

More Wacky Waxy Winter’s Veil Tavern Brawl deck lists

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

Overall, I like the attempt at putting a different spin on last week’s Brawl. I think the Druid deck has the potential to be as oppressive as Warlock was last week, but maybe Shaman can counter well enough. Either way, it’ll be fun to see who it plays out and if players come with other fantastic ideas.

Enjoy the Brawl over the holidays, and a very happy Winter Veil to you all. Yes, even you, Gul’dan.

Originally posted December 24, 2023; last updated December 20, 2023