This revolves around getting Ox out on seven/eight mana, as it almost guarantees a win. There is a strong focus on just giving the opponent a roadblock every turn, so they HAVE to deal with the board before getting to hit you. Healing (Purgatos and Azure Herald) helps bounce back from damage. Anti-swarm/aggro (Wild Tahr, Kron,  and Thunder Horn) forces swarm decks to take very awkward positioning to avoid your BBS as kaleos often preventing lots of face damage that would’ve otherwise been dealt, and aggro decks similarly have to tone down on going at your general’s face. Removal (EMP, Sunset Paragon, Blood Tear Alchemist, Dancing Blades, Eternity Painter, Dagona) are all you’re going to need to immediately wreck ANY enemy’s board, with Sunset Paragon being the counter for wanderer and a must to hold onto. Ramp (Celebrant and Golden Mantella) is the core reason why getting a 7 mana Ox really isn’t that uncommon with this deck while holding a full hand. Damage/Aggro (Calligrapher) Calligrapher is just a bombshell of ten damage and a hand refill when it hits with trial active, which it often does since its a later game card anyways; however, half the minions on this list can chuck out a ton of damage allowing you to out aggro.

Niche:

Magesworn is as to spells as Eternity Painter is to minions. Its an important card to include, even if it isn’t used every game. This is because it will curb stomp Aggro Faie and Mantra-Hai decks which often pose a problem for Ox decks given their ability to ignore the board state. Seriously, this card is your free win to many match ups. It also disables BBSs in addition which can also ease a fight with any Ragnora because Rippers are kinda BS.

On the note of hating Magmar, Kron is pretty much the only minion that no single Magmar removal option can deal with making it necessary for developing a board against them. The provoke effect also takes pressure off versus aggro decks.

Notes:

It is imperative to keep the board clear. Clearing the board leaves your opponent with few ways of actually damaging you. Time is on your side and just stinting the flow of the fight until the trial goes off on 7-8 will be an easy win: however, when playing against a late game deck such as strategos or xor’xuul, you have the tools to kill them before they can get their trial. You just have to control the flow of the fight at all times which does take some measure of judgement. Despite being an oppressively strong deck, it has a strong and rewarding skill curve (Much more so than Wanderer, which it can crush).

Minion effects that are triggered by causing damage are activated by damage dealt post-Ox activation. For example, when summoning Thunderhorn after performing the Ox Trial, wherever its damage goes on the board will be chained to linked enemies as if it were to hit the chain normally. Purgatos when played after the Ox Trial’s activation will trigger its heal/deal 3 points of hp/damage to the generals. Token minions summoned also activate Ox damage effects such as Kron’s tokens or if Dagona swallows one of your own minions and dies.