onlyPriest's Priest decks: seven lists for Reign of the Black Empire

onlyPriest has built a family of Standard Priest decks for Reign of the Black Empire, most sharing a core of Shadow spells, Zer'Ontu and Blade of The Black Empire. Here are seven in one place, each with its 30-card list, deck code and notes. Paste a code into the deck reader or Hearthstone.

#What the lists share

Cards that recur across the lists:

• Blade of The Black Empire, a 0/3 weapon: at the end of your turn the enemy takes fatigue if you've cast a Shadow spell, and you do if you haven't.
• Zer'Ontu (8 mana, 3/3 Taunt) summons a 0, a 1 and a 2-Attack minion from your deck and gains their stats.
• Ysera, Emerald Aspect raises both players' maximum Mana by 5 at the start of the game, and gains 3 Mana Crystals when played.
• The Elder Words repeat with the next Shadow spell you play. Entropic Rift gets two random Shadow spells.
• Old Gods (C'Thun, Y'Shaarj) don't attack; each turn they use two of four abilities.
• Shadow Word: Ruin destroys every minion with 5 or more Attack, yours too. Kaldorei Priestess gives enemy minions -2 Attack until your next turn; it and Lunarwing Messenger Imbue your Hero Power.

#Mother Priest

Mother Priest is onlyPriest's deck. onlyPriest built the list and the plan behind it: a Standard Priest that slows the game down with Shadow spells and big Taunts, then plays cards no normal mana bar can hold, under a mana cap Ysera has raised to 15. Of all onlyPriest's lists, this is the one onlyPriest rates the strongest.

• 2x (1) Elder Word: Flay
• 2x (1) Entropic Rift
• 2x (2) Lunarwing Messenger
• 1x (3) Blade of The Black Empire
• 2x (3) Devouring Plague
• 2x (3) Elder Word: Foresight
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 1x (4) Befuddled Summoner
• 2x (4) Crystalline Golem
• 2x (4) Slime 'em!
• 2x (5) Dark Terraforming
• 1x (6) Karov the Broken
• 1x (6) Moonwell
• 1x (7) Arachnathid
• 2x (7) Soothsayer
• 1x (8) Tar Tyrant
• 1x (8) Zer'Ontu
• 1x (9) M.O.T.H.E.R.
• 1x (9) Ysera, Emerald Aspect
• 1x (15) N'Zoth, Dream's End

Deck code: AAECAa0GCqn1BsP/BuWXB5LcB/znB4TpB4XrB9D3B6z4B+L6Bwqg+waFhgevyQf04Afo8Qfh+gfk+geW/AfBjAinkggAAA==

#Fifteen mana

Ysera makes the cap 15 before the first turn, which makes room for a 15-cost N'Zoth, Dream's End and two 9-drops. The opponent gets it too.

#Zer'Ontu's pulls

Each of Zer'Ontu's slots has one answer, and no other minion has 0, 1 or 2 Attack:

• 0: Befuddled Summoner (0/3) summons, at the end of your turn, a copy of a random enemy minion that attacks the original.
• 1: Arachnathid (1/7, Rush, your minions are Poisonous) or Tar Tyrant (1/12, Taunt, Lifesteal, +6 Attack on the opponent's turn).
• 2: Crystalline Golem (2/5 Taunt, Reborn, heals your hero 3 on Deathrattle).

That makes Zer'Ontu a 6/18 Taunt (6/23 with Tar Tyrant) and puts four bodies on the board. With Arachnathid out, the Summoner's copies are Poisonous, so each destroys the minion it attacks.

#M.O.T.H.E.R. and N'Zoth

M.O.T.H.E.R. reduces the Cost of a card in your hand by (5), and the reduction spreads left and right with (1) less each step, so next to the expensive cards it can discount several at once.

N'Zoth, Dream's End costs 15, (1) less for each Deathrattle minion you've summoned this game. The deck has five: two Crystalline Golems, Karov the Broken and two Soothsayers. Mastery of N'Zoth triggers a friendly Deathrattle twice, and Army of N'Zoth resurrects four different Deathrattle minions.

#Shadow spells and the Blade

Twelve of the deck's spells are Shadow spells: Elder Word: Flay, Entropic Rift, Devouring Plague, Elder Word: Foresight, Slime 'em! and Dark Terraforming, two of each, and Entropic Rift gets two more. With that many, Blade of The Black Empire is a clock on the opponent.

#Staying alive

• Board clears: Devouring Plague, Dark Terraforming, Moonwell and Slime 'em!, which destroys all minions and gives each player a 3-Cost spell that resummons theirs.
• Taunts and healing: Crystalline Golem, Karov the Broken, Soothsayer and Tar Tyrant.
• Early turns: Lunarwing Messenger and Kaldorei Priestess.

#The other version

• Zer'Ontu Priest is this list with Void Shard (4 mana, Shadow: Lifesteal, deal 4 damage) in place of Karov the Broken: one more Shadow spell for the Elder Words and the Blade, and one fewer Deathrattle minion for N'Zoth.

#Blade Priest

Blade Priest is onlyPriest's deck, built around one card: Blade of The Black Empire. Everything else keeps the Shadow spells coming and the board held while the damage climbs.

• 2x (1) Elder Word: Flay
• 2x (1) Entropic Rift
• 2x (2) Lunarwing Messenger
• 1x (2) Voodoo Totem
• 1x (3) Acolyte of Pain
• 1x (3) Blade of The Black Empire
• 2x (3) Devouring Plague
• 2x (3) Elder Word: Foresight
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 1x (4) Befuddled Summoner
• 2x (4) Crystalline Golem
• 2x (4) Flutterwing Guardian
• 2x (4) Gravedawn Voidbulb
• 2x (4) Shadow Word: Ruin
• 1x (7) Arachnathid
• 2x (7) Soothsayer
• 1x (7) Tyrande
• 1x (8) Zer'Ontu
• 1x (9) Ysera, Emerald Aspect

Deck code: AAECAa0GCJzUBKn1Bpb9BuiyB/znB9D3B6z4B+L6BwvwnwTW+gag+waFhgfElAevyQfo8Qfh+gfk+geW/AenkggAAA==

#A Shadow spell every turn

Twelve spells are Shadow spells: two each of Elder Word: Flay, Entropic Rift, Devouring Plague, Elder Word: Foresight, Gravedawn Voidbulb and Shadow Word: Ruin. Voodoo Totem (0/4) adds a random one at the end of each of your turns.

Tyrande (7 mana, 5/7) makes your next 3 spells cast twice: a Devouring Plague, a Voidbulb or an Elder Word, doubled.

#Holding the board

• Gravedawn Voidbulb summons a random 4-Cost minion with Taunt, and again with Kindred.
• Flutterwing Guardian (4/4, Taunt, Divine Shield), Lunarwing Messenger and Kaldorei Priestess all Imbue your Hero Power.
• Devouring Plague, Shadow Word: Ruin and Kaldorei Priestess keep the opponent's board small.

#Zer'Ontu

Zer'Ontu pulls Befuddled Summoner or Voodoo Totem (0), Arachnathid or Acolyte of Pain (1) and Crystalline Golem (2); every other minion has 3 or more Attack. With Ysera the mana keeps growing past 10, so late on there's room for Zer'Ontu and Tyrande in one turn.

#C'Thun Blade

C'Thun Blade is onlyPriest's deck: two plans on one set of Shadow spells. The spells charge the cards that trigger C'Thun's abilities before C'Thun is played, and the same spells feed Blade of The Black Empire, which makes the enemy take fatigue at the end of any turn you've cast one.

• 2x (1) Elder Word: Flay
• 2x (1) Entropic Rift
• 2x (2) Twilight Influence
• 1x (3) Blade of The Black Empire
• 2x (3) Dark Deacon
• 2x (3) Devouring Plague
• 2x (3) Elder Word: Foresight
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 1x (4) Befuddled Summoner
• 2x (4) Crystalline Golem
• 2x (4) Shadow Word: Ruin
• 2x (4) Spawn of C'Thun
• 1x (5) Elder Word: Manifest
• 2x (6) Gargantuan Slitherer
• 1x (7) Arachnathid
• 2x (7) Soothsayer
• 1x (8) Zer'Ontu
• 1x (10) C'Thun, Eye of the Empire

Deck code: AAECAa0GBvznB9D3B6z4B+L6B+P6B/OJCAzwnwSG/QaFhgevyQfX6Qfo8Qfh+gfk+geW/Af7iQj8iQinkggAAA==

#C'Thun, before C'Thun

C'Thun, Eye of the Empire (10 mana, 12/12) triples its abilities if you've triggered all 4 this game: Wrath (7 damage split among enemies), Glare (Lifesteal, 5 damage to an enemy minion), Domain (two other friendly minions get +2/+3) and Servants (two 2/3 Taunts). Six cards trigger one before C'Thun arrives, each a Battlecry that lets you choose:

• Dark Deacon (3 mana), if you've cast 2 Shadow spells while holding it.
• Spawn of C'Thun (4 mana), if C'Thun started in your deck.
• Gargantuan Slitherer (6/7 Taunt).

Two of each is six triggers, and picking each ability once sets up a tripled C'Thun.

#The Shadow spells and the Blade

Thirteen spells are Shadow spells: two each of Elder Word: Flay, Entropic Rift, Twilight Influence, Devouring Plague, Elder Word: Foresight and Shadow Word: Ruin, and Elder Word: Manifest (a 5/5 Voidwing with Lifesteal). They charge Dark Deacon and the Elder Words, and each turn one is cast, Blade of The Black Empire brings the opponent closer to fatigue. Shadow Word: Ruin hits your own Slitherers, Soothsayers and C'Thun too, so it's best before they land.

#Zer'Ontu

Zer'Ontu pulls Befuddled Summoner (0), Arachnathid (1), and Crystalline Golem or Spawn of C'Thun (2).

#Deathblade Priest

Deathblade Priest is onlyPriest's deck: Deathrattle minions that keep coming back, and Blade of The Black Empire turning a long game into a fatigue race. The name is both halves of the plan.

This is Deathblade Priest v2; the other versions are below.

• 2x (1) Elder Word: Flay
• 2x (2) Dirty Rat
• 2x (2) Lunarwing Messenger
• 1x (2) Voodoo Totem
• 1x (3) Blade of The Black Empire
• 1x (3) Devouring Plague
• 1x (3) Holy Nova
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 2x (4) Crystalline Golem
• 1x (4) Elise the Navigator
• 1x (4) Greater Healing Potion
• 2x (4) Illusory Greenwing
• 2x (4) Shadow Word: Ruin
• 1x (5) Steamcleaner
• 1x (6) Dragon Soul, Shattered
• 1x (6) Moonwell
• 1x (7) Endbringer Umbra
• 2x (7) Soothsayer
• 1x (7) The Black Blood
• 1x (8) Meadowstrider
• 1x (9) Ysera, Emerald Aspect
• 1x (15) N'Zoth, Dream's End

Deck code: AAECAa0GDoSfBKn1BsP/BoeWB4KYB/WYB5ObB4utB+iyB4O/B9HDB4XrB+L6B5b8BwjwnwTRngag+wbEgQeFhgevyQfk+genkggAAA==

#The Deathrattle engine

Seven minions have a Deathrattle: two Crystalline Golem, two Illusory Greenwing (shuffles two 4/5 Taunt Dragons into your deck, Summoned When Drawn), two Soothsayer (6 Health back and a random 6-Cost minion) and Meadowstrider (a 1-Cost copy goes on the bottom of your deck). Two cards cash them in:

• Endbringer Umbra triggers the Deathrattles of 5 friendly minions that died this game.
• N'Zoth, Dream's End costs (1) less per Deathrattle minion you've summoned; Army of N'Zoth resurrects 4 and Mastery of N'Zoth triggers one twice.

With Ysera's raised cap, N'Zoth fits even before it gets cheaper.

#The Blade

For Blade of The Black Empire, Elder Word: Flay, Devouring Plague and Shadow Word: Ruin are the list's Shadow spells, and Voodoo Totem (0/4) gets a random Shadow spell at the end of every turn it lives, so there's usually one to cast.

#The rest

• Elise the Navigator crafts a custom location if your deck started with 10 cards of different Costs; this list has exactly ten (1 to 9, and 15).
• The Black Blood attacks a random enemy minion after you restore Health, and the deck heals a lot: Holy Nova, Greater Healing Potion, Moonwell, Lunarwing Messenger and the Golem and Soothsayer Deathrattles.
• Dirty Rat makes the opponent summon a minion from their hand.
• Steamcleaner destroys cards in both decks that didn't start there, Greenwing's Dragons and Meadowstrider's copy included.
• Dragon Soul, Shattered breaks into 6 Essences; adjoining ones are cast together.

#The other versions

• Deathblade Priest, the first list, plays two Servant of Zuramat, two Cease to Exist, two Entropic Rift, two Flutterwing Guardian and Elder Word: Manifest in place of Dirty Rat, Illusory Greenwing, Voodoo Totem, Elise, Steamcleaner, Dragon Soul and The Black Blood.
• Deathblade Priest v3 keeps this core but plays Servant of Zuramat, Cease to Exist, Entropic Rift and Elder Word: Manifest in place of Lunarwing Messenger, Kaldorei Priestess, Steamcleaner, Dragon Soul and The Black Blood.
• Deathblade V1 is this list with Story of Amara (your hero's Health becomes 40), a second Moonwell and Elder Word: Manifest in place of Steamcleaner, Dragon Soul and Meadowstrider.

#Eternus Blade Priest

Eternus Blade Priest is onlyPriest's deck, and the newest version is called Eternal Shadow Priest. It takes one of the opponent's minions with Eternus, plays Y'Shaarj, Titan Bane on top, and runs Blade of The Black Empire underneath.

This is Eternal Shadow Priest, the latest version; the earlier ones are below.

• 2x (1) Entropic Rift
• 2x (2) Lunarwing Messenger
• 2x (2) Twilight Influence
• 1x (3) Blade of The Black Empire
• 2x (3) Devouring Plague
• 2x (3) Elder Word: Foresight
• 2x (3) Holy Nova
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 1x (4) Befuddled Summoner
• 2x (4) Crystalline Golem
• 2x (4) Divine Augur
• 1x (4) Gravedawn Voidbulb
• 2x (4) Shadow Word: Ruin
• 1x (5) Elder Word: Manifest
• 1x (6) Eternus
• 1x (7) Arachnathid
• 2x (7) Soothsayer
• 1x (8) Zer'Ontu
• 1x (10) Y'Shaarj, Titan Bane

Deck code: AAECAa0GCMSUB9+tB/znB9D3B6z4B+L6B+P6B4uGCAuEnwTwnwSg+waG/QaFhgeXrQevyQfo8Qfh+geW/AenkggAAA==

#Eternus and Divine Augur

Eternus (6 mana, 6/2) takes control of an enemy minion with its Health or less. Divine Augur sets every minion in your hand to the higher of its Attack and Health, so Eternus becomes a 6/6 in hand and can take a minion with up to 6 Health. The same Battlecry makes Befuddled Summoner a 3/3, Crystalline Golem a 5/5 and Arachnathid a 7/7.

#Y'Shaarj

Y'Shaarj, Titan Bane (10 mana, 10/10) gains Immune for a turn if you've spent 30 Mana on minions this game. Its abilities: Gaze (all enemy minions attack it), Spawn (a random 8-Cost-or-more minion, plus a copy), Might (gain adjacent minions' stats) and Domain (your next card costs (5) less).

#The Blade and the Shadow spells

Two each of Entropic Rift, Twilight Influence, Devouring Plague, Elder Word: Foresight and Shadow Word: Ruin, plus Gravedawn Voidbulb and Elder Word: Manifest, make twelve Shadow spells, and Entropic Rift adds more, so Blade of The Black Empire keeps ticking. Twilight Influence is a Choose One: destroy a minion with 3 or less Attack, or summon a random 2-Cost minion. Shadow Word: Ruin hits your own Eternus, Soothsayers and Y'Shaarj too.

#Zer'Ontu

Zer'Ontu pulls Befuddled Summoner (0), Arachnathid (1) and Crystalline Golem (2). Divine Augur only changes your hand, so it doesn't move what Zer'Ontu finds.

#The other versions

• Eternus Blade Priest v3 is this list with two Elder Word: Flay in place of the two Entropic Rift.
• Eternus Blade Priest v2 went bigger on legendaries: Calia Menethil, Natalie Seline, The Black Blood, Vyranoth and Disciple of the Dove, with Elder Word: Flay, in place of Holy Nova, Twilight Influence, Entropic Rift and one Divine Augur.
• Eternus Blade Priest, the first list, was v2 with Archaios in place of Disciple of the Dove.
• Both ran Vyranoth, with minions adding up to exactly 100 mana, as in Eternus Priest, where the Eternus lists began.

#Eternus Priest

Eternus Priest is onlyPriest's deck, and the first of onlyPriest's Eternus lists. It grows the minions in its hand, then plays the ones that turn Health into something: a stolen minion, damage, or healing.

• 2x (1) Power Word: Barrier
• 2x (2) Amber Priestess
• 2x (2) Lunarwing Messenger
• 2x (2) Ritual of Life
• 2x (3) Disciple of the Dove
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 2x (3) Whelp of the Infinite
• 2x (4) Befuddled Summoner
• 2x (4) Cleansing Lightspawn
• 2x (4) Crystalline Golem
• 2x (4) Divine Augur
• 1x (4) Gravedawn Sunbloom
• 2x (4) Hourglass Attendant
• 1x (5) Overlord Runthak
• 1x (6) Eternus
• 1x (6) Vyranoth
• 1x (7) The Black Blood
• 1x (10) Y'Shaarj, Titan Bane

Deck code: AAECAa0GBqqKBMWUB9+tB4O/B4/CB4uGCAyg+waFhgfkngeCrQeXrQebrQfjrQeYsAetsQfbsQes+AenkggAAA==

#A hand that grows

• Power Word: Barrier: Divine Shield, and +2 Health to the minions in your hand.
• Disciple of the Dove: draws a minion and gives your hand +2 Health.
• Hourglass Attendant: +1/+1 to your hand at the end of your turn.
• Overlord Runthak: +1/+1 to your hand whenever it attacks.
• Divine Augur: sets every minion in your hand to the higher of its Attack and Health.

#What the Health pays for

• Eternus (6/2) takes control of an enemy minion with its Health or less: every point of Health in hand is a bigger target, and Divine Augur alone makes it a 6/6.
• Cleansing Lightspawn (2/3, Lifesteal) deals damage to an enemy minion equal to its Health; after Power Word: Barrier and Disciple of the Dove it's a 2/7 that deals 7.
• Amber Priestess (1/4, Taunt) restores Health equal to its Health.

#Vyranoth: exactly 100

Vyranoth (6/6) splits 100 stats among minions in your deck if your starting minions cost exactly 100 in total. This list's minions do, so the condition is met from the start.

#The rest

• The Black Blood attacks a random enemy minion after you restore Health, and Amber Priestess, Cleansing Lightspawn, Lunarwing Messenger and Crystalline Golem all restore it.
• Y'Shaarj, Titan Bane gains Immune for a turn if you've spent 30 Mana on minions this game.
• Whelp of the Infinite, Befuddled Summoner, Crystalline Golem, Kaldorei Priestess and Lunarwing Messenger hold the board; two Ritual of Life each Discover a 3-Cost minion and summon a 2/3 copy; Gravedawn Sunbloom draws 2.

#Story Priest

Story Priest is onlyPriest's deck: a control Priest that clears the board again and again, heals through what's left, and ends on Medivh and the two cards that come with it. Its name comes from Story of Amara, which sets your hero's Health to 40.

• 2x (2) Bitterbloom Knight
• 2x (2) Doomsayer
• 2x (2) Lunarwing Messenger
• 2x (3) Cease to Exist
• 1x (3) Eternal Firebolt
• 2x (3) Holy Nova
• 2x (3) Intertwined Fate
• 2x (3) Kaldorei Priestess
• 2x (4) Flutterwing Guardian
• 2x (4) Greater Healing Potion
• 2x (4) Shadow Word: Ruin
• 2x (6) Moonwell
• 1x (7) Tyrande
• 1x (8) Shaladrassil
• 1x (9) Ysera, Emerald Aspect
• 1x (10) Atiesh the Greatstaff
• 1x (10) Karazhan the Sanctum
• 1x (10) Medivh the Hallowed
• 1x (10) Story of Amara

Deck code: AAECAa0GCKn1Bpb9BpKDB/ypB4CqB4SqB5GuB+SyBwuEnwTwnwSd1ATW+gag+wbD/wb3gQeFhgeLrQedrQesrQcAAA==

#Clearing the board

• Doomsayer destroys all minions at the start of your turn, yours included.
• Holy Nova, two Moonwell, Shadow Word: Ruin and Cease to Exist (Rewind; Silence and destroy a random enemy minion).
• Eternal Firebolt (Lifesteal, 3 damage) comes back to your hand if the minion dies.

#Staying alive

• Story of Amara sets your hero's Health to 40.
• Greater Healing Potion, Moonwell and Holy Nova heal; Lunarwing Messenger and Eternal Firebolt have Lifesteal; Flutterwing Guardian is a 4/4 Taunt with Divine Shield.
• Eight cards Imbue your Hero Power: two each of Bitterbloom Knight, Lunarwing Messenger, Kaldorei Priestess and Flutterwing Guardian.

#Medivh, Atiesh and Karazhan

Medivh the Hallowed (10 mana, 7/7) is Fabled: Atiesh the Greatstaff and Karazhan the Sanctum come with it, and each makes another free:

• Medivh costs (0) if you control Karazhan. Battlecry: Silence and destroy all other minions.
• Atiesh, a 10-mana weapon, costs (0) if you control Medivh, and doubles the damage and healing of your spells, so Moonwell, Holy Nova, Greater Healing Potion and Eternal Firebolt do double.
• Karazhan, a 10-mana location, costs (0) if you're wielding Atiesh, and summons two random 8-Cost minions.

#More mana, and spells twice

• Ysera, Emerald Aspect makes room for 10-mana cards with mana to spare.
• Tyrande (7 mana, 5/7) makes the next 3 spells you play cast twice.
• Shaladrassil gets all 5 Dream cards, corrupted if you've played a higher-Cost card while holding it.
• Two Intertwined Fate each Discover a copy of a card from your deck and one from your opponent's.

#Play them and track them

If you try one, save it as its own deck and log its games in the Tracker, so each list keeps its own record. Every card is in the card library.

#Sources

• Decks and archetypes: onlyPriest. The seven lists are as onlyPriest published them; Lolumen first shared them on October 27, 2026.
• Card text from the game's own card data.