Focus Of The Deck

The main goal of this deck is to complete the Trial of Songhai and summon Hideatsu the Ebon Ox. Once the trial is completed,  every minion you summon will deal damage equal to its mana cost to a random enemy. This extra damage gives a large push for lethal. While still completing trial, this deck is very tempo-oriented. Many of the minions in the deck can be used to remove your opponent’s minions while simultaneously progressing your trial.  Try to strike a balance between trial progression and board control.

How Do I Play This Deck?

Early Game

What’s most important is contesting the mana springs. Not only do you establish more tempo by developing larger threats earlier, but you also accelerate your trial completion, which is a valuable win condition.

Mid Game

Most of your higher-costed minions serve to control board. Use these cards to keep a stable board state. Keep in mind the cost of each minion you summon, so you can look for minions of different costs to complete trial. If you’re a newer player, you can keep track of trial progression by hovering your cursor over your general.

Late Game

If you haven’t completed trial yet, you will want to keep looking for minions that can help complete it. Once you’ve satisfied the trial prerequisites, you can summon Hideatsu the Ebon Ox, and use its Destiny effect to put the game in your favor.

In Closing

Replace Ox is far from an unplayable meme in terms of competitiveness, but it can be a breath of fresh air as it plays differently from other Songhai decks that are popular on the Diamond/S Rank ladder. This deck is great for players comfortable with the tempo playstyle. But even if this deck doesn’t suit your playstyle, anyone can try it, and there’s nothing wrong with going out of your comfort zone. The space outside your comfort zone is your growing zone. :)