The decks you need to win Hearthstone’s Battle of Tol Barad Tavern Brawl

This week’s Hearthstone Tavern Brawl takes us to the Battle of Tol Barad. In World of Warcraft, Tol Barad is a world PVP zone where the Alliance and Horde battle over the island prison and its magical inhabitants. In the Brawl, the magical creatures are escaping and it’s up to you to restore order.

Tavern Brawl basics

• Name: Battle of Tol Barad
• Description: Magical creatures are escaping from Tol Barad! Play a minion and get a random spell of the same cost, but for free!
• Fun level: 8/10
• Difficulty: 6/10
• Replayability: 8/10
• Format: Wild
• Type: PVP
• Deck: Constructed
• Rewards: 1 Standard Pack (can contain any card from the current Standard rotation)

Because you need to build a deck for this Brawl — and a Wild deck at that — the size of your collection matters. You’ll want to build a minion-heavy deck to fuel the random element of this Tavern Brawl: a random spell generated every time you play a minion. You maintain a measure of control because the spell generated will have the same mana cost as the minion played, but the spell can come from any class, giving you a wide range of outcomes.

But since the spell will cost you exactly zero mana to cast, what have you got to lose?

How to win the Battle of Tol Barad Tavern Brawl

You want a deck with plenty of minions to generate those free spells, and you want to play minions on curve as often as possible. This means playing a minion on each turn and one with a cost close to your maximum mana to generate the best spells you can. You want a good variety of mana costs in your deck. Having nothing but a bunch of small minions will leave you with a handful of equally small spells.

When the game gets started, play your minions to build your board and generate zero cost spells. You may get just the buff or removal you need to resolve your opponent’s board. Rogue is a strong Hero this week as all these zero cost spells help them activate their many combos.

Loatheb is a great minion to include in any deck because he’ll make those zero cost spells your opponent has cost five mana for one round. Millhouse Manastorm is another good addition. Since the spells are zero cost anyway, you don’t have to worry about the mana cost reduction. Try to avoid putting many spells in your deck — let the minions generate them.

And even though you’re trying to play minions on curve, be careful about overcommitting to the board. Your opponent can generate spells from any class. AOE is plentiful, if unreliable.

Winning Battle of Tol Barad Brawl decks

The key to victory is to build a mostly minion deck with a wide variety of costs so you can play on curve. If you don’t have cards to build any of these decks, you can sub in minions you do have — Pen Flinger and Knife Juggler are good in just about any deck, as is practically any minion with an effect that triggers when you cast a spell or play a minion.

Here are some decks to help you earn this week’s win.

Since this is a Wild Brawl, all the decks from the previous iterations will still work. If you have an awesome idea incorporating newer cards, let us know in the comments.

The latest decks for the Battle of Tol Brad Tavern Brawl

MetaStats’ Meta Plague Death Knight

AAECAfHhBAT++AWT+wXt/wX/lwYN9eMEh/YE9fcFgvgF8vgFu/kF+PkF6/8FyoMG0IMG9YwG94wG85EGAA==

If you’re looking for a deck you already have made for the Brawl, the Plague Death Knight is a powerful choice. It has good early game and can put out plenty of damage. The generated spells are just a bonus.

DarknessSerpent’s Pirate Demon Hunter

AAEBAfWOBQSRvALHpAaUvwb8wAYN+w/psAPyyQPltgSr4gSVqgXungb8qAbWwAbYwAb2wAatxQbJ9AYAAQPzswbHpAb2swbHpAbo3gbHpAYAAA==

This is an aggressive deck with no card costing more than 4 mana. Mulligan hard for Mana Burn. That’s key to slowing down your opponent long enough to kill them. Treasure Distributor and Adrenal Fiend can quickly grow into an enormous threats.

Jingylima’s Refreshing Druid

AAEBAc6LBQT6DomLBLuVBrrOBg3e0QP5vQTB3wTO5AWi6QWt6QW7mQbanAbQngaioAbqqAbSugbVugYAAA==

This Druid deck features minions and spells to refresh your mana crystals. This lets you play more minions and generate more spells. There’s some minor spell disruption with Loatheb and a decent Dragon package.

Ben Hearthstone’s Zero Mage

AAEBAZjeBQTu9gKJlgPbuQSp3gQNlQOXBuMRr7ICn5sDpNED4aQEiLIEq5gFp6MFkJ4Gy58Ggb8GAAA=

Ben has updated his 2024 deck list. This is still full of highly synergistic minions. It’s also an aggressive deck with no card costing more than 5 mana.

Tomamos’ 2024 Mage

AAEBAf0EBtcG+g7czAP46APR+QOXoAQM4xGOF4K0Av2sA9vMA47UA4CmBJWwBNy5BNCeBsigBpyhBgAA

This is an alternative mage from Tomamos. Like Ben’s Mage, it has many minions that synergize with casting spells. I especially like the inclusion of Crossroads Watch Tower. That card could impact your opponent’s plan in a big way. This list includes cards that cost over 5 mana, but you should rarely ever pay “full price” for your Mana Giants or Arcane Giants.

Mutsuto’s Punisher Mage

AAEBAf0EBPoO8w/WmQP46AMNlQP0D/jMA47UA5WwBKHUBKejBa3pBdCeBp+nBpvLBszQBtfzBgAA

This deck is a spell burst heavy deck with minions that interact with your spells or your opponents spells. I’m highlighting this list to show the power of Customs Enforcer for this Brawl. Customs Enforcer makes the generated spells cost 2 instead of 0.

Older (but potentially still good) decks for the Battle of Tol Barad Brawl

Ben Hearthstone’s Zero Mage

AAEBAcu+BQTu9gKJlgPbuQSp3gQNlQOXBuMRr7ICn5sD3MwD4MwDpNEDoZIE4aQEiLIEq5gFp6MFAAA=

This is yet another Mage deck. All of these minions are highly synergistic with spells, either your own or your opponent’s. You’ll have many cheap spells to go wild with each turn as long as you can keep your draw strong.

FardHast’s Elemental Mage

AAEBAf0EBPoOgrQC+KwDoY0EDZcG4xHrwgLIhwP9pQP9rAOfzQOL1QP43QOt7gPaoASAlgWnowUA

This deck uses Elemental synergy combined with spell synergy to overwhelm your opponents.

FardHast’s Lady S’theno OTK

AAEBAea5AwT6Dsy6A97OA/u/BA2XBpfBAuvCAv2lA6O7A5/NA4vVA6GNBJGgBN6kBOGkBISyBJLrBQA=

Land Lady S’theno on the board and clear the enemy minions. The only place left for her to attack is Face.

Fliboce’s Miracle Rogue

AAEBAaIHArIC9t0EDvW7AoDCAuvCAo+XA7+uA5/NA/PdA6vrA6GNBPafBN6kBPulBPztBMGDBQA=

This deck is all about playing a ton of cards each turn. Get Necrolord Draka to equip a 1/3 Dagger and then make it absolutely huge. Do the same thing with your Biteweed and Edwin VanCleef.

Alura’s Murloc Paladin

AAEBAZ8FBOAF/LgDw9ED5bAEDf4D4wXrwgK0kQOWpgObqQOfzQPR0QP56AOhjQTu0wS/4gSo7wQA

Why should Shamans have all the Murloc fun. Paladin like fish, too, right?

ArticPyre’s Kitchen Sink Warlock

AAEBAanABBDJrwLyrwKgtwKdqQPTrwPjtAPxvwPP0gPG3gO/4APFgAT+tAT1xwSb1ASX7wT9xAUMy68C58sC6KwD/q4Dqq8DrMsDzdID9eMD+OMDg/sD56AE3L0EAAED5qAE/cQFuNkE/cQF/9kE/cQFAAA=

This one prioritizes fun over all else. You have a little bit of everything to throw at your opponent in addition to Warlock’s Hero Power which is strong for this Brawl.

Alexyixiu’s Neutral Warlock

AAEBAf0GBtcG+g6OF/q/At/EAp/NAwyCtALczAOO1AOL1QP46AOEoATaoAThpASApgSVsASIsgSh1AQA

There’s only one card here that isn’t a Neutral (Flame Imp). Warlock’s Hero Power shines once more, but Loatheb is the real MVP.

Renethal Quest Warrior

AAEBAYwWKPoO8w/0D+msArzDAtPDAqLHAqfOApL4ApeUA5qUA7mYA9aZA5KfA/yjA5ykA6ikA4KoA5etA4WxA6u2A765A82+A+m+A/nCA9HRA4vVA5TtA5b2A5+VBIegBOGkBNKsBIiyBLizBNu5BI7JBO/OBJrUBJfvBAAA

This is a Reno Quest Taunt Warrior with some bomb tech, and the addition Renethal, who was new to the game when this Brawl last came around.

Abyssal Warlock

AAEBAf0GBsIPl9MC8u0D8ZEE5r0EmNQEDNyJA8S5A//OA8zSA/XjA8z5A/60BI21BNy9BOK9BJvUBKPUBAA=

This deck puts pressure on your opponent with the Abyssal curses, and gains back life with through Armor from  Mo’arg Forgefiend, Soul Fragments, Mistress of Mixtures, and Bloodreaver Gul’dan’ Hero Power. Bloodreaver also can resurrect Mo’arg Forgefiend for even more armor.

Pen Flinger Mage

AAEBAf0EBO+AA/2lA/isA5egBA0MlQOXBuMR9K8C68ICiZYD+MwDhc0Dn80DpNED+N0D2qAEAA==

Mage seems an obvious choice for a spell-centric Brawl. This deck uses cheap minions to generate the zero mana spells, and minions that benefit from cheap spells. Bloodmage Thalnos is in the Core set so everyone should have access to him. The low cost minions and spells make for an aggressive deck that can end games quickly.

Friend of the blog @ben_heathstone recommends this alternate version of Pen Flinger Mage. Same idea, slightly different makeup.

Zul’jin Hunter

AAEBAR8K4fUCm4UD8ZYDg7kD1LoD49QD+uEDg+IDzPkDvKAECsbOAurmAsDsAt31AuL1Arn4Arz8AqGhA5/NA76gBAA=

This is a Deathrattle focused deck. It might be a little slow for the current meta, but it allows you to have a *blast* once you play Zul’jin. It’s weak on card draw so try to play your minions on curve. This is a homebrew deck and deckbuilding isn’t my greatest strength. If you see ways to improve it, let me know in the comments.

Murloc Shaman

AAEBAaoIAuAFqO4DDtsDpwi3bJ3CAovOAoyUA7WYA8qrA4fUA5HkA5ToA7PoA93sA5XwAwA=

This deck is straightforward. Spam your Murlocs on the board and use the spells you get to clear your opponent’s board, or buff your minions.

Tempo Demon Hunter

AAEBAea5AwTXBvoOpb0CzLoDDZcG4Qf0D+KfA6O7A/nIA//IA5zJA4KfBNKfBLOgBNqgBKnUBAA=

This deck aims to pressure your opponent from turn one and never let up. There are plenty of cheap cards to take a Questing Adventure from zero to hero in one turn.

Quest Hunter

AAEBAR8C3gSYwwIOuK0C6rsCicMCjcMCnp0D+a4Do7kDkaAElaAEvKAE2qAEntQEjqQFkusFAA==

This budget-friendly deck only has one Legendary: the Quest. If you don’t have that, sub in a big beast. This is a standard zoo type strategy: flood the board with minions, hope you get some buff spells and that your opponent doesn’t get much AOE.

Budget Aggro Druid

AAEBAZICAA8MngH1DYIQ3hWunwS9nwSRoASgoAShoASkoAS3oATRoATaoASNpAUA

This deck follows the standard Zoo model, building and buffing a wide board and counting on small, buffed minions to win the day. Play minions and go for your opponent’s face immediately to take them out before they get to their big cards.

Deathrattle Rogue

AAEBAaIHBu8I+g7grAKGsQKXoASYoAQMxAHNA/gH/g35DuD6Aq+RA6GhA/afBPefBNigBJvUBAA=

Deathrattles and Giants power this deck from Hearthpwn user JakeDaSnake78. He even includes helpful card replacements for the more expensive cards in the list.

Tempo Flamewalker Mage

AAEBAf0EAA+sAZUDtATmBJYFvAiJD+MR7BG6FvyeBP2eBKGgBMCgBMSgBAA=

Most of the Mage decks in rotation count on Flamewalker, which does damage whenever you cast a spell. With all of your zero cost spells, once this card gets going, it’s hard to stop. You can substitute practically any card except Flamewalker here.

More Battle of Tol Barad decks

One of these decks should see you through. If you find another great deck, share it with us in the comments.

If you have a smaller collection, try one of the budget decks. Getting a win with a smaller collection can be challenging, but keep it up and hope for some good RNG. And if none of these decks work for you, check for more community decks on Hearthstone Top Decks. (Just be sure you look for decks for the Tol Barad Brawl, as all Brawl decks are mixed together.) New Brawl decks keep being added and plenty of older decks still work well.

Overall, this is an enjoyable Brawl. It still has some random aspects, but also good tactical decisions to make your play feel impactful. Good luck getting this week’s pack!

Originally published April 23, 2020; last updated September 27, 2024.