Concept

This deck is built around two cards, both of which aren’t quite strong enough on their own but which synergize amazingly.

Mechaz0r

Back in the day, mechs were a powerful neutral archetype that saw top-level play in many factions. A backline Mechaz0r was hard to deal with, and its ranged attack allowed it to swiftly take down the enemy general. The reworking of Mechaz0r dealt a lethal blow to this type of traditional mech deck – replacing “spellshield” with forcefield (and -2/-2) made Mechaz0r much more vulnerable to removal, and hence much less reliable as a win condition. The upside is that arguably, forcefield + frenzy make Mechaz0r a more formidable frontline attacker, but this is hard to take advantage of because it is difficult to play a Mechaz0r on the frontline without it simply dying before your next turn. If only it was possible to take the initiative by getting an immediate attack out of Mechaz0r…

Xenkai Cannoneer

The Cannoneer has the same problem as many other cool legendaries: while its ability is powerful, its relatively high cost and weak stats make it easy to remove and hard to proc with anything good on the same turn it’s played. However, there is one very strong ranged minion that can be summoned for as little as 0 mana…

Gameplay

The plan is simple: Play out your minions and progress Mechaz0r build. The OG mechs are relatively understatted for their costs, but you can avoid falling too far behind on board with the help of Songhai’s positioning tools (Juxtaposition and Mist Dragon Seal). Of course, these cheap spells also burn through your hand quickly, which is why the list includes Gotatsu as a cantrip and Scroll Bandit and Dusk Rigger as card advantage engines. Assassination Protocol is great at all points of the game to get immediate use out of a ranged, frenzy, or backstab minion.

Try to hold a cheap mech (or a Mechaz0r Progression spell from Rigger) once you’re at 80% progress. Once you’re set up, it’s time for the combo: Cannoneer into surprise rush Mechaz0r right up in the enemy’s face. This should clear a large chunk of the enemy’s board, pushes face damage, and leaves you with multiple large threats. A 6/6 forcefield is pretty hard to deal with when you’re starting from a clear board, and usually ends the game pretty swiftly.

The last couple of cards are meta tech choices: Eternity Painter clears (and dispels!) big things, while Zendo provides a way to close out games and get value from a dispelled Mechaz0r.