This season in Hearthstone is all about minions shredding your opponents. If you’ve been on the receiving end of this beatdown, it’s time you learn about the strongest neutral minions that drive many of us to the brink of rage quitting. The intent of this article is to help you choose beefy minions that can fit into almost any deck and help you crush the competition.
15. Dire Mole
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You especially don't want to make a dire mountain out of a dire mole hill.
Early game is extremely important in today’s meta and this furry creature can be a pain in the ass to deal with. Removing this critter proves to be a challenge as it has a whopping 3 base health stat. It has great combo potential thanks to the beast subtype and can sync well with Crackling Razormaw or Mark of Y’Shaarj to build some early game domination. As long as Dire Mole manages to survive the first turn, he’ll begin to claw at your enemy’s health and create meaningful tempo.
14. Acherus Veteran
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This is my Runeblade. There are many like it but this one is mine.
Here’s another 1-cost minion doing extremely well. The grinning Death Knight plays a similar role as that of Abusive Sergeant, but offers a permanent effect and holds better stats. Although she doesn’t make for an excellent opening card, she’s a useful draw at virtually every point in the game. Currently, she’s ranked #1 with a 57.8% deck win rate for standard ranked matches.
13. Lifedrinker
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In a pinch, he'll also settle for Holy Water: Zero.
Okay so Lifedrinker isn’t the most game-changing card in most decks, but it makes for a very cost effective midrange minion. Many decks are focused on dealing direct damage to the enemy hero and this beast fits perfectly with that strategy. This card offers decent combo potential thanks to its beast subtype and blood sucking Battlecry, but it shines most when paired with Shudderwock.
12. Giggling Inventor
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"I shall build a mighty golden paladin! And he will GREET the WORLD!"
This minion is quite possibly the most annoying in the game, and he finds it hilarious. Giggling Inventor is the preferred 5-drop in ranked play and is currently the most popular throughout all decks. The reasoning for his popularity is quite simple, he’s laughs while your opponent rages. His robot creations live up to the their name and make him an excellent drop when you’re falling behind or have a couple of minions and want to establish board control.
11. Vicious Fledgling
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A youngster who is truly hungry for self-improvement.
This beast is by far one of my favorite neutral minions in the game. Managing to get a hit on the enemy hero can be a challenge, but it’s oh so rewarding. The first adaptation should always be Windfury if available, followed by anything that will allow him to survive another turn. After a couple turns of hitting face with Vicious Fledgling, his sharp talons will rend through your opponent’s health like a hot knife through butter.
10. Saronite Chain Gang
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Desperately needs some alone time.
Although the miner duo is often played in defensive situations, proper card synergy can make them a formidable offensive force. The gang’s amazing 4/6 card value is split between two minions enabling strong combinations with cards like Smuggler’s Run, Stolen Goods, and Shudderwock. I personally employ them as a fourth turn stalling tactic, their icy glare always stops foes in their tracks.
9. Corridor Creeper
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It likes the smell of dead things, which is curious, as it has no visible nose.
Despite the its low attack and high cost, the purple worm is extremely effective when drawn early in the game. As early minion trades occur his cost can quickly drop to zero making him a perfect drop to keep your midgame presence strong. While not precisely a menace on his own, his inclusion in decks have made him a force to be reckoned with. As a matter of fact, the creepy crawler currently has 56.3% and 63.4% win rates in Standard and Wild ranked matches, respectively.
8. Fungalmancer
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Fungalmancy is the easy major of those who can't cut it at Waxmancy.
This fun guy has grown into an essential part of a well balanced deck. During mid-game he can shut a match down entirely if you have at least two minions on the board. If you made it to late game his overpowering Battlecry can combo with other strong minions like Giggling Inventor to make your opponent think twice about his actions. Fungalmancer is quite possibly one of the most hated minions in the game, rightfully so as his strength can ruin your opponent’s hopes of winning.
7. Hench-clan Thug
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Hard time making ends meet? Hate the League of Explorers? Get a job henching!
This minion is a dream come true for weapon lovers. As you slice your way through enemies, this snowballing swine becomes too much to handle. Often times the best way to deal with him is with direct hard removals like Assassinate or powerful spells like Fireball. A cautious opponent will likely spend valuable resources trying to eliminate him before he grows too big. The amount of pressure this spiky gangster generates is unparalleled.
6. The Black Knight
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He was sent by the Lich King to disrupt the Argent Tournament. We can pretty much mark that a failure.
He can single handedly turn your dreams into a nightmare. The Black Knight can literally remove any obstacle standing in your way, allowing you to freely bash your opponent. This legendary card makes a valuable removal tool and although expensive, can be well worth the investment.
5. Subject 9
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The original clever girl.
A Boomsday experiment gone horribly right. Subject 9 is lacking in stats but more than makes up for it with the resources it generates. As a 5-drop it can be played early enough in the game to continue a pesky secret onslaught. A well timed Subject 9 can make it impossible for an enemy to escape your grasp.
4. Baku the Mooneater
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In her defense, it did look like a cookie.
Baku isn’t usually the one destroying your enemies, rather the upgraded Hero Power is what makes him a powerful minion card. The Mooneater modifies your Hero Power in exchange for leaving even cost cards out of your deck, obviously the results vary between classes. What doesn’t vary is his overwhelming presence in the meta with a slew of decks being built around him. Some of the most dominant decks in the game feature the green-eyed serpent, so adding him to your collection is a worthwhile venture.
3. Prince Keleseth
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Three Princes stand before you. This one wants to buff his brothers.
As long as you draw him early enough, the prince can make your minions a royal pain to deal with. Keleseth is another one of those cards that doesn’t do much by themselves, but can really pull through for the rest of your deck. Combining him with special effect cards like Shadowstep or Youthful Brewmaster can make a repeat use of his special ability. Regardless of weather you replay the card or not, your buffed up minions will enjoy taking easy shots at the enemy.
2. Leeroy Jenkins
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At least he has Angry Chicken.
Despite the running jokes, Leeroy is a deadly minion card that can finish games in an instant. The overzealous adventurer can whip up some mean damage with simple card combos like Windfury plus Rockbiter Weapon or Shadowstep along with Cold Blood.
The tension I feel while holding Leeroy as I wait for my opponent to end their turn can be mildly intoxicating. Often times they have no idea I’m about to unleash the fury of a thousand suns all over their face.
1. Genn Greymane
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Ever since Sylvanas killed his son, he's dreamed of getting...even.
Genn Greymane is currently the strongest card to build your deck around. The wolfman currently battles for dominance as the minion with the highest win rate in Wild ranked games falling short of Murkspark Eel and Sea Giant. He has decent stats and makes an average mid game drop, but his power comes from being able to spam your Hero Power every turn. Casting Fireblast or Reinforce for a single mana every turn (sometimes even twice with Blackwald Pixie) can be overwhelming for opponents who struggle to establish board control.
Conclusion
Minion cards are the foundation of all decks and should be selected with careful consideration. Currently the metagame has shifted into establishing board control with beefy minions.
Building a minion army that synergizes well with your overall strategy can be tough to achieve but is usually extremely rewarding. If you’re a newer player you should focus on having a balanced set of minions that contribute towards a common goal. Over time you’ll be able to track your deck’s weaknesses and tweak it accordingly.
I hope this article helped you learn more about the usefulness of the mentioned minions and will aid you in your deck-building ventures. Hearthstone is an evolving game so staying up to date on the latest strategies will help you remain competitive.
