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Control Priest deck list guide - Forged in the Barrens - Hearthstone (April 2021)Our guide to playing the latest version of Control Priest in Forged in the Barrens.

Our guide to playing the latest version of Control Priest in Forged in the Barrens.

Control Priest is aHearthstonedeck archetype that looks to lock down the early and mid stages of every match it finds itself in, before pushing forward with a more meaningful board presence in the late-game. It’s quite a slow deck to play all things considered, but it should suit those who are happy for a leisurely but assured climb up the ladder.

A word of warning is appropriate here, however. In order to play this deck effectively, you’ll have to juggle a lot of unknown variables that will present themselves throughout the course of each match. It’s hard to make the right decisions at the right time with this deck, and a lot of the meta will be able to rush you down before you have the chance to respond.

In our Control Priest guide, we’ve highlighted the most popular deck list being piloted right now, and provided some basic Mulligan advice for getting your matches off to a good start. After that we’ve broken down all of the combos available to you if you decide to use our recommended deck list.

Control Priest deck list and strategy

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General strategy

Your goal with Control Priest is pretty simple: answer all of your opponents threats, starve them of resources and finish them off in the late game.

Early game:There’s no need to rush anything here – instead focus on taking the time to draw cards and clear enemy minions usingHolySmite, Condemn, andWandmaker. Discounting your cards withPalm Readingis also a really nice way to set up for later board-clearing plays too.

Mid game:Here’s where you need to start being more proactive in response to your opponent’s actions. Try to playSethekk Veilweaveralongside minion-targeting spells too, as it’ll beef up your hand size and give you more and more answers to your opponents’ plays until they run out of stuff.

Late game:Keep your health solid withApotheosison minions, and remember the board clears at your disposal.Xyrella,Blademaster Samuro, Condemn, andHysteriacan all save you from a difficult fate if you use them wisely, and once your opponent has less ammunition to finish you off, you can start to stabilise.

Ysera the Dreameris an ideal option for closing things out if you need that extra bit of oomph. The Dream cards generated can be really solid, offering board clears, burst damage, and even well-statted minions.

Control Priest Mulligan guide

Some of these pick recommendations will depend on the matchup, but in general you’ll want to look for these cards in your opening mulligan:

Control Priest tips, combos and synergies

There are some important combos to keep in mind when playing with the latest take on Control Priest. You’ll find the most crucial ones in our round-up here:

-Ysera the Dreamerputsfive cards in your hand, so save it until the end to ensure you have space for them. The cards you’ll get are:

  • UseHysteriaon a high-health enemy minion for the maximum chance of getting a full board clear.

  • The spells you Discover from the likes ofRenewandPalm Readingare very important to your success in each matchup. If your enemy is a Libram Paladin and is getting to theirLady Liadrinturn, maybe choose aShadow Word: Deathif you can. Similarly, if it’s a Token Druid, Condemn could be a great shout.

-Draconic Studies’ effect lasts until you play a Dragon, meaning you could always just wait until turn eight to playYsera the Dreamerearly.

-Mindrender Illuciacan utterly destroy combo decks if you’re able to play her and a bunch of your enemy’s combo cards in the same turn. It can be an instant win, as long as you get more use out of their cards than they do out of yours for a turn.

  • Keep hold ofAcidic Swamp Oozeagainst enemies who use a lot of weapons. It can help you big time againstPoison Rogues orRush Warriors.

That’s all for Control Priest at the moment! We have all manner of other Hearthstone guides in ourHearthstone deck tier listthough, and check out thebest Battlegrounds heroesfor more info on that game mode.