Can a Priest deck survive with no Tidal Wave or Wizent's Staff?

[Wes Davis]

***HERO***
Zhanna Mist

***Allies (17)***
3x Armored Sandworm
4x Tainted Oracle
2x Aeon Stormcaller
3x Braxnorian Soldier
2x Rider of Ellos
3x Elizabeth Winterborn

***Abilities (14)***
4x Ice Storm
4x Focused Prayer
4x Banish
2x Mass Purification

***Items (5)***
3x Book of Curses
2x Ascendant of the Hero

***Armors (2)***
2x The King's Pride

***Weapons (4)***
4x Wrath of Summer

TOTAL: 42 cards + Hero

I have no idea if this deck could work or not. Just throwing the idea out there. I hate the idea that certain cards are automatic 4x include, so I came up with this to see if I could build a decent priest deck with no Tidal Wave or Wizent's staff. Maybe one day I'll even have the cards to try it out. But, until then maybe you could tell me how crappy it would be.

[Warr Byrd]

If you don't plan on using Tidal Wave, you need to have some low cost allies. Otherwise, you will take too much damage at the beginning and will find it very difficult to claim board control once you do start playing allies.

[Veles]

What Byrd said. You need to go aggressive early. Your ally mix can work only with Tidal Wave on turn 5.

[Vyz]

I've spent a lot of time trying to make a deck like this. Early pressure into ice storm + madelain's scepter for control is what I was using.

I'm afraid it doesn't work tho, without tidal you can't afford to lose the board at any point, which makes it difficult to set up your draw. Even if you do.. it's just not good enough without wizent. If you include wizents but no tidal - you lack the board control. It sucks.

On the bright side you can farm eladwens with that kind of deck if you include a few paladins.

[Veles]

On the bright side you can farm eladwens with that kind of deck if you include a few paladins.

I like that term. She definitely deserves to be farmed.

[Wes Davis]

Ok, I hear you. Here is a 2nd attempt. Still no Tidal Wave and no Wizent's staff.

***HERO***
Zhanna Mist

***Allies (27)***
3x Jasmine Rosecult
3x Puwen Bloodhelm
3x Aldon the Brave
3x Armored Sandworm
3x Tainted Oracle
2x Aeon Stormcaller
2x Rider of Ellos
3x Champion of Irum
2x Layarian Seductress
3x Elizabeth Winterborn

***Abilities (10)***
4x Ice Storm
4x Focused Prayer
1x Forgiveness
1x Mass Purification

***Items (1)***
1x Ascendant of the Hero

***Armors (1)***
1x The King's Pride

***Weapons (4)***
4x Wrath of Summer

TOTAL: 43 cards + Hero

It's significantly faster now.

[sirika]

Theres no reason to play priest without winzent or tide

The type of deck you just post it, Amber just does it way better

[Elunatic]

I'd have to agree with the majority on this one.

Tidal Wave and Wizent's Staff (and Focused Prayer) aren't almost always auto-4x because they're pretty good; they're auto-4x because they're absolutely necessary for Priests. It's what sets them apart, it's what allows them to fight for the board throughout each game (especially in the late game), it's what gives them such good draw and destruction. Going without would be like a Warrior without Blood Frenzy or an Elemental without Mind Control.

[Wes Davis]

Hmmm.

Then I challenge the group to prove you wrong. I'm convinced that Priest can be strong without a single Tidal Wave in the deck. I'm not as confident about Wizent's staff, that's a pretty amazing card right there. But, Tidal Wave? I think it can be done without.

So, someone post their best non-Tidal Wave Priest deck. Lets see what you deck design geniuses can come up with.

[Warr Byrd]

Hmmm.

Then I challenge the group to prove you wrong. I'm convinced that Priest can be strong without a single Tidal Wave in the deck. I'm not as confident about Wizent's staff, that's a pretty amazing card right there. But, Tidal Wave? I think it can be done without.

So, someone post their best non-Tidal Wave Priest deck. Lets see what you deck design geniuses can come up with.

I'd actually go the other way around on that. There is enough other sources of card draw that you could probably get away with not using Wizent's. Especially since a lot of the card draw works well with Tidal Wave, should you choose to run it. But Priests tend to be a slow class, and Tidal Wave allows them to take that damage in the beginning without automatically losing. A Priest without Tidal Wave almost has to be a rush deck, and they don't really have the class cards or abilities to support that.