Freeze Mage


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In her youth, Jaina considered a career in law enforcement. "Freeze! Mage!"

Freeze Mage is a type of mage Contents 1 Heroes 2 Overview 3 Background 4 Hero Power 5 Strategy and gameplay 5.1 Common deck types 5.2 Counters 6 Spells 6.1 Uncollectible 7 Minions 7.1 Uncollectible 8 Leveling rewards 8.1 Starting cards 8.2 hearthstone control deck A control deck, also known as a late game deck, is a deck that attempts to attain victory in the late game, through a combination of early game removal and Taunts, and powerful cards in which uses Freeze A Frozen minion A Frozen hero Freeze is an ability that marks a minion or hero as Frozen. Frozen characters miss their next possible attack. After this, the Frozen status is removed. Frozen status only hearthstone effects and board-wide removal Removal is the term used to refer to the elimination of minions from the battlefield. Hard removal describes cards and effects that can neutralize minions regardless of most defenses, such as high Health or Divine hearthstone to delay the game until it can deal lethal Lethal is a term used in Hearthstone to refer to damage sufficient to defeat the enemy hero, and win the game. "Having lethal" is used as a measure of imminent and unavoidable success, similar to burst Burst damage or burst potential refers to a player s ability to deal a large amount of damage in one or two turns, allowing a player to finish off a previously damaged opponent, or deal an damage through specific combinations of spells. With Freeze Mage often dealing little if any damage until near the end of the match, Alexstrasza Alexstrasza Set: Classic Type: Minion Subtype: Dragon Rarity: Legendary Cost: 9 Attack: 8 Health: 8 Abilities: Battlecry Battlecry: Set a hero s remaining Health to 15.Alexstrasza the Life-Binder brings life and hope to everyone. Except Deathwing. hearthstone is commonly considered a critical card for the deck, bringing the opponent`s Health within reach of a well executed combo. Other Freeze Mage win conditions A win condition is a specific means or strategy by which a deck can achieve victory. Decks may have one or more win conditions, and a win condition may be a specific aim of the are Archmage Antonidas Archmage Antonidas Set: Classic Type: Minion Class: Mage Rarity: Legendary Cost: 7 Attack: 5 Health: 7 Abilities: Generate Tags: Spell-generating, Spell-related, Triggered effect Whenever you cast a spell, put a Fireball spell into your hand.Antonidas hearthstone and Malygos Malygos Set: Classic Type: Minion Subtype: Dragon Rarity: Legendary Cost: 9 Attack: 4 Health: 12 Abilities: Spell Damage Spell Damage +5Malygos hates it when mortals use magic. He gets so mad!See this card on Hearthpwn hearthstone .

A complex deck that usually requires repeated lethal Lethal is a term used in Hearthstone to refer to damage sufficient to defeat the enemy hero, and win the game. "Having lethal" is used as a measure of imminent and unavoidable success, similar to calculations and planning two turns ahead, Freeze Mage is widely considered a difficult deck to play. Be that as it may, it is also one of the game`s oldest and most perennial combo decks, especially popular in the professional tournament scene.

Deck type

Freeze Mage play has two phases. During the first, it attempts to stall and delay any attacks from the opponent, while accumulating the cards needed to deal lethal damage. The eponymous Freeze effects like Frost Nova Frost Nova Set: Basic Type: Spell Class: Mage Cost: 3 Abilities: Freeze Tags: Area of effect Freeze all enemy minions.Hey man, that s cold. Literally and metaphorically.See this card on Hearthpwn data page] Frost Nova is hearthstone and Blizzard Blizzard Set: Classic Type: Spell Class: Mage Rarity: Rare Cost: 6 Abilities: Deal damage, Freeze Tags: Area of effect Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions and Freeze them.This spell can be very Entertaining.See this hearthstone are used for this, often in combination with Doomsayer Doomsayer Set: Classic Type: Minion Rarity: Epic Cost: 2 Attack: 0 Health: 7 Abilities: Destroy Tags: Area of effect, Triggered effect At the start of your turn, destroy ALL minions.He s almost been right so many hearthstone for full removal - something which poses little threat to the mage themselves since they will have few if any minions on the board. More straightforward AoE Area of effect (AoE) is the term for an effect which affects all characters of the specified type. Common targets for AoEs include all enemy minions, all minions, and all characters. AoE is defined in hearthstone damage like Flamestrike Flamestrike Set: Basic Type: Spell Class: Mage Cost: 7 Abilities: Deal damage Tags: Area of effect Deal 4 damage to all enemy minions.When the ground is on fire, you should not stop, drop, and roll.See hearthstone and Explosive Sheep Explosive Sheep Set: Goblins vs Gnomes Type: Minion Subtype: Mech Rarity: Common Cost: 2 Attack: 1 Health: 1 Abilities: Deal damage, Deathrattle Tags: Area of effect Deathrattle: Deal 2 damage to all minions.How is this hearthstone (often combined with Fireblast Fireblast Type: Hero Power Class: Mage Cost: 2 Abilities: Deal damage Hero Power Deal 1 damage.See this card on Hearthpwn data page] Fireblast is the mage s basic Hero Power. Contents 1 Notes 2 Strategy 3 hearthstone for immediate effect) are also used to clear the board.

The main purpose of the first phase for the mage is to gain the cards needed for their various combos. This can be aided through card draw effects For the game conclusion where neither player wins, see Draw Card draw is a term used to refer the process or mechanic of drawing additional cards from the top of the deck, and adding them hearthstone like Arcane Intellect Arcane Intellect Set: Basic Type: Spell Class: Mage Cost: 3 Abilities: Draw cards Draw 2 cards.Playing this card makes you SMARTER. And let s face it: we could all stand to be a little smarter.See this hearthstone , Acolyte of Pain Acolyte of Pain Set: Classic Type: Minion Rarity: Common Cost: 3 Attack: 1 Health: 3 Abilities: Draw cards Tags: Damage-related, Triggered effect Whenever this minion takes damage, draw a card.He trained when he was younger hearthstone (often combined with Fireblast), Loot Hoarder Loot Hoarder Set: Classic Type: Minion Rarity: Common Cost: 2 Attack: 2 Health: 1 Abilities: Deathrattle, Draw cards Deathrattle: Draw a card.Always roll need.See this card on Hearthpwn data page] Loot Hoarder is a common hearthstone and Bloodmage Thalnos Bloodmage Thalnos Set: Classic Type: Minion Rarity: Legendary Cost: 2 Attack: 1 Health: 1 Abilities: Deathrattle, Draw cards, Spell Damage Spell Damage +1. Deathrattle: Draw a card.He s in charge of the Annual Scarlet Monastery Blood hearthstone , although the latter may be held for later for its Spell Damage A Wrath of Air Totem, with purple sparkles to signal its Spell Damage bonus Spell Damage is an ability which boosts the overall damage of spells by the listed amount. Spell Damage does not increase hearthstone . Mad Scientist Mad Scientist Set: Naxxramas Type: Minion Rarity: Common Cost: 2 Attack: 2 Health: 2 Abilities: Deathrattle, Put into battlefield Tags: Random, Secret-related Deathrattle: Put a Secret from your deck into the battlefield.His mother wanted him hearthstone is a special case, serving to put one of the Freeze Mage`s Secrets A Secret is a spell card that is cast normally but has a delayed, hidden effect, which only takes place when a specific event occurs. When a Secret is played, a Secret icon appears on hearthstone into play; in this case not only saving mana but preventing valuable card draw from being wasted on those cards, as well as making their timely appearance more reliable. All of the Freeze Mage`s early minions also serve to trade against the opponent`s minions, slowing their attacks; or at worst to deal face See more: Hero The face is a slang term for a player s hero as the target for damaging attacks and effects, as opposed to minions. "Going face" or "attacking the face" refer to focusing one s damage, lowering the threshold of lethal by a few points, although this is often rendered irrelevant by Alexstrasza Alexstrasza Set: Classic Type: Minion Subtype: Dragon Rarity: Legendary Cost: 9 Attack: 8 Health: 8 Abilities: Battlecry Battlecry: Set a hero s remaining Health to 15.Alexstrasza the Life-Binder brings life and hope to everyone. Except Deathwing. hearthstone .

Against more aggressive decks, Freeze Mages will often see a substantial dip in their Health over the early game, despite attempts to curb this through Freeze effects and removal. In such match ups, this is often the critical factor in deciding the match - the speed at which the aggressor can deal damage, the efficiency with which the mage can remove the opponent`s threats, and how long it takes for the mage to gather the cards they need, usually serve to determine the winner.

Freeze Mage is notably dependent on certain legendary Rarity is a rough measure of the quality and scarcity of a card. Cards of higher rarity are typically more powerful and more useful, but are harder to find and more expensive to craft. There hearthstone cards in order to be viable. The first to become relevant is Emperor Thaurissan Emperor Thaurissan Set: Blackrock Mountain Type: Minion Rarity: Legendary Cost: 6 Attack: 5 Health: 5 Abilities: Modify cost Tags: Triggered effect At the end of your turn, reduce the Cost of cards in your hand hearthstone , which is used to enable stronger and faster combos in the second phase. It also serves as a soft taunt The shield-like Taunt visual effect Taunt is a minion ability which forces the opposing player to direct any melee attacks toward enemy targets with this ability. Minions with Taunt (commonly referred to as Taunts) serve hearthstone , soaking or slowing the onslaught of the opponent, or forcing them to use some of their own burn damage to remove it. The cost reduction from Emperor Thaurissan is most useful when the hand is already fairly large, and ideally contains key combo cards. Thaurissan is not the most critical legendary, but can play a powerful role in enabling victory.

The second phase is the final phase of the Freeze Mage strategy: destroying the opponent. This is ultimately effected through a number of direct damage spells: Fireball Fireball Set: Basic Type: Spell Class: Mage Cost: 4 Abilities: Deal damage Deal 6 damage.This spell is useful for burning things. If you re looking for spells that toast things, or just warm them a little, hearthstone , Ice Lance Ice Lance Set: Hall of Fame Type: Spell Class: Mage Rarity: Common Cost: 1 Abilities: Deal damage, Freeze Tags: Frozen-related Freeze a character. If it was already Frozen, deal 4 damage instead.The trick is not hearthstone in combination with Frostbolt Frostbolt Set: Basic Type: Spell Class: Mage Cost: 2 Abilities: Deal damage, Freeze Deal 3 damage to a character and Freeze it.It is customary to yell "Chill out!" or "Freeze!" or "Ice ice, baby!" when hearthstone , Forgotten Torch Forgotten Torch Set: The League of Explorers Type: Spell Class: Mage Rarity: Common Cost: 3 Abilities: Deal damage, Generate, Shuffle into deck Tags: Spell-generating Deal 3 damage. Shuffle a (6 damage for 3 mana card) hearthstone and Roaring Torch Roaring Torch Set: The League of Explorers Type: Spell Class: Mage Cost: 3 Abilities: Deal damage Deal 6 damage.See this card on Hearthpwn data page] Roaring Torch is an uncollectible mage spell card, generated by hearthstone , and Pyroblast Pyroblast Set: Classic Type: Spell Class: Mage Rarity: Epic Cost: 10 Abilities: Deal damage Deal 10 damage.Take the time for an evil laugh after you draw this card.See this card on Hearthpwn data page] Pyroblast hearthstone , are the usual range of options. These cards are sought after during the first phase, and delivered in one or two turns as lethal draws within reach.

Be that as it may, wherever possible, the second and most critical legendary is first employed: Alexstrasza Alexstrasza Set: Classic Type: Minion Subtype: Dragon Rarity: Legendary Cost: 9 Attack: 8 Health: 8 Abilities: Battlecry Battlecry: Set a hero s remaining Health to 15.Alexstrasza the Life-Binder brings life and hope to everyone. Except Deathwing. hearthstone . This Dragon`s Battlecry Battlecry is an ability where a particular effect activates when the card with the Battlecry is played directly from the hand. Although mostly limited to minions, some weapons also have Battlecries. Activation of Battlecries are offers a potential reduction of 15 Health, as well as providing a minion capable of dealing a further 8 damage on the next turn. With the opponent frequently at 15 Health or less, the Freeze Mage can on the next turn employ a damaging combo such as Fireball + Fireball + Frostbolt for 15, or Fireball + Frostbolt + Ice Lance + Ice Lance for 17, likely securing a win. Without Alexstrasza, victory is still possible, but is often thwarted by a lack of sufficient spells to burst down a full Health hero - not to mention any Armor or healing involved.

The limited supply of direct damage spell cards is one of the key challenges of Freeze Mage - spend too many of them removing enemy threats, or have the enemy heal or Armor A hero with 2 Armor Armor is a form of secondary Health available only to heroes, gained through certain spells, Hero Powers and minions. Damage taken will always be deducted from Armor before Health. Only hearthstone too substantially, and the mage will simply run out of the damage required to reach lethal. Conversely, leave it too late to start into the combo, and the opponent may defeat the mage before they have a chance to play their hand. For this reason the timing of dealing damage to the enemy hero is key.

A third legendary is often played as an alternate win condition, and as a means of gaining extra burst damage: Archmage Antonidas Archmage Antonidas Set: Classic Type: Minion Class: Mage Rarity: Legendary Cost: 7 Attack: 5 Health: 7 Abilities: Generate Tags: Spell-generating, Spell-related, Triggered effect Whenever you cast a spell, put a Fireball spell into your hand.Antonidas hearthstone . Best combined with cheap spells like Frostbolt, Ice Lance, Forgotten Torch, Arcane Intellect or one of the Secrets, Antonidas can quickly generate a stack of Fireballs. This can allow the mage to throw these spells at the opponent with far less concern for their longevity, bringing victory far closer. Antonidas will generally be removed within a single turn, though, making it wise to play him at maximum mana with a few cheap spells. Ideally, play him following cost reduction of several cards by Emperor Thaurissan, allowing for an extended combo. This can provide the perfect opportunity for the first half of the burn phase: if the mage can reduce the opponent`s Health low enough with the cards used to activate Antonidas, the Fireballs provided in exchange may prove sufficient to end the game the next turn.

Another alternate win condition is Malygos Malygos Set: Classic Type: Minion Subtype: Dragon Rarity: Legendary Cost: 9 Attack: 4 Health: 12 Abilities: Spell Damage Spell Damage +5Malygos hates it when mortals use magic. He gets so mad!See this card on Hearthpwn hearthstone . Like Antonidas, this mighty Dragon`s cost makes it cumbersome to play, and yet its value comes from playing it in combination with other cards, in this case damaging spells. Malygos is also likely to be removed the next turn, making cost reduction from Emperor Thaurissan key to getting good value. Under ideal circumstances Malygos can be combined with several spells to deal 30 or more damage to the opponent in a single turn, but if Alexstrasza has already been used, this is usually not necessary in order to reach lethal.

Of course, the path of the Freeze Mage doesn`t always run so smoothly. Like the Handlock A warlock always has something up their sleeve... Handlock or Hand Lock is a type of warlock control deck that commonly has a high number of cards in the hand, thus earning the name Handlock. hearthstone , Freeze Mages play a perilous game of chicken Chicken Set: Hall of Fame Type: Minion Subtype: Beast Rarity: Common Cost: 0 Attack: 1 Health: 1 Hey Chicken!See this card on Hearthpwn data page] For the minion created by the Gnomish Experimenter, see Chicken hearthstone , balancing their dwindling Health total against their burgeoning offensive capabilities. Freeze Mage victories are often won with the mage at only a few points of Health, while the opponent is reduced from full Health to zero in a turn or two.

Ice Block Ice Block Set: Classic Type: Spell Class: Mage Rarity: Epic Cost: 3 Abilities: Immune, Secret Tags: Damage-related, Triggered effect Secret: When your hero takes fatal damage, prevent it and become Immune this turn.Ice is nice, hearthstone is an indispensable aid in this delicate balancing act, allowing the mage to cheat death for a turn, or two. A pair of Ice Blocks can provide what can seem to the opponent an interminable period of immunity The immune effect from Bestial Wrath Immune is an ability that prevents a character from receiving damage from any source, and prevents the opponent from targeting it. Be that as it may, Immune does not prevent destroy, healing or hearthstone , during which the mage can assemble their finishing play at their leisure. Ice Barrier is the other common Freeze Mage Secret, with a pair providing 16 Armor, increasing the mage`s longevity considerably. The requirement of physical attack makes Ice Barrier a little less reliable than Ice Block, since spells and Hero Powers will be able to destroy the mage without triggering it. Ice Barrier is therefore often played early on, to empty the hand, but also to ensure that there is time for it to take effect before the mage`s Health gets too low. Healing like Antique Healbot may also be used.

The archetypal enemy of Freeze Mage is the Control Warrior, with the endless stack of Armor proving too thick for the Freeze Mage`s limited burn spells to penetrate - even with Alexstrasza`s help. Against aggressive decks, the main challenge is staying alive until the late game.

Playing against Freeze Mage is often a frustrating experience, not because they appear to be winning, but simply because they keep destroying everything you put on the battlefield. The danger of the Freeze Mage is that they may deal little or no damage to you for the first 10 turns, then suddenly deal 20 or more damage from the hand in a single turn. The strategy of the Freeze Mage is so strongly determined by their card draw, it is often very hard to tell where you stand. This non-interactive experience is one reason Freeze Mage was nerfed during the game`s beta, when certain Freeze effects were a little stronger.

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Key cards

While deck compositions vary strongly over time, below are listed some key cards prominently seen in Freeze Mage decks.

Fireball(522).png
Frostbolt(177).png
Pyroblast(496).png
Alexstrasza(303).png
Archmage Antonidas(220).png
Malygos(241).png
Bloodmage Thalnos(525).png
Ice Block(28).png
Ice Barrier(672).png
Arcanologist(55450).png
Acolyte of Pain(428).png
Doomsayer(467).png
Frost Nova(49).png
Blizzard(276).png
Flamestrike(44).png
Open the Waygate(55551).png

Wild format

Ice Lance(188).png
Mad Scientist(7748).png
Forgotten Torch(27216).png
Emperor Thaurissan(14454).png
Antique Healbot(12227).png
Explosive Sheep(12180).png

Trivia

  • In Nov. 2016, Freeze Mage accounted for around 3% of the player population.