Hearthstone Deck Guide: Buff Hunter - Cheap and Strong!

The latest Hearthstone meta has been quite stable since the most recent banlist. Many decks are considered healthy and balanced, and their win rates have also been pretty decent.

So, we decided to take this opportunity to play Buff Hunter, one of the cheapest and most viable decks as of late. We'll teach you everything about it, so check it out! Particularly if you don't have many cards yet and are looking for a budget-friendly option.

Buff Hunter doesn't play any epic cards, and only plays two legendary cards - one of them is even Zilliax Deluxe 3000, a neutral minion that has been quite popular ever since it was released. If you've build any deck recently with the last few sets, you probably already have this minion. Otherwise, this is certainly a great investment!

Buff Hunter's main game plan, as the name suggests, is buffing any minions you have in hand. For instance, it plays Ranger Gilly, whose keyword lets you use Warrior cards as well. Remember, this class is known for its big hand buffs.

Cards

As we mentioned, Ranger Gilly is essential not only because it creates even more cards in your hand, but also because it lets you use Warrior cards in this list. The ones you'll use are Cup 'o Muscle, Reserved Spot, and Char, which all buff the minions in your hand.

Birdwatching also buffs your minions.

Then, of course, this list also includes many minions that benefit a lot from these buffs, such as Patchwork Pals' Animal Companions, Zilliax Deluxe 3000, Mythical Runebear, and Ranger Gilly's Crocolisks.

Many of them, as we mentioned, benefit from buffs directly. Huffer, one of your Animal Companions, has Charge, which means it is lethal when it has a lot of power. As for Zilliax Deluxe 3000 (with the Twin and Power Modules) and Mythical Runebear, their effects double when you play them from your hand, so they're even better with your buffs.

As most of these minions have Battlecries, Parrot Sanctuary will significantly discount the cost of your cards. That way, you'll be able to play multiple strategies on the same turn.

However, we can't just focus on buffs and forget our heals and removals - this would mean certain defeat. So, this deck also plays a weapon and some removal spells. Many of these spells, by the way, also summon minions directly on the board, so you'll be able to handle early pressure without sacrificing minions that you want in your hand to buff later.

Other spells, like Arcane Shot and Quick Shot, are also a way to fight the board, but they don't summon any minions.

Finally, as this deck relies solely on a few minions to win, you'll need card draw or Discover to find them. Fetch!, Tracking, and the aforementioned Birdwatching are a few of them.

This list relies on a few cards to win: Zilliax Deluxe 3000, Mythical Runebear, and Huffer, the Animal Companion. Obviously, you'll need to buff them while they're still in your hand, but this is just what this list does. After you buff them, they'll be a critical part of your impenetrable board, particularly those that double their own effects. Huffer, with its Charge, will easily be able to defeat your opponent on the turn you play it, and won't even give them a chance to answer.

Your best opening hand includes Cup o' Muscle, Birdwatching, and Reserved Spot. With these cards, you'll buff Mythical Runebear until it becomes a real threat, and discount its cost.

If you don't have these cards, Fetch! and Tracking are also great options. They'll fill your hand with valuable resources, including a minion.

Aggro

If you prioritize removals, you won't struggle against this type of deck. Otherwise, you'll eventually have to face a powerful board that will deal a lot of damage to you every turn. Wound Prey, Quick Shot, Spirit Bond, and Shepherd's Crook are your main tools to deal with this strategy.

Control

Just follow the standard game plan in these matchups. Control decks are slow, so they'll give you enough time to buff your minions. Just get the best opening hand you can, and enjoy.

Buff Hunter is relatively simple, as well as one of the most budget-friendly options in the current meta. Nonetheless, it is still very consistent, so I highly recommend it if you're a beginner and/or free-to-play player.

What did you think of this list? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!