What is the meta in Hearthstone?
In Hearthstone, the meta (from "metagame") is the current set of decks, classes and strategies that most players use because they win most often. It changes with every expansion, balance patch and rotation, and it differs between ranks and game modes. Knowing the meta helps you pick a strong deck, choose tech cards against popular opponents and mulligan correctly.
What the meta includes
- Top archetypes. For example aggro, midrange, control or combo decks that dominate ladder.
- Class representation. Which classes are played most and how they perform.
- Matchups. Which decks beat which, so you know where you are favored.
- Tech cards. Cards added to counter popular threats, such as weapon or secret removal.
- Mulligans. Which cards to keep in your opening hand against common decks.
How to follow the meta
- Check community stat sites such as HSReplay.net and Vicious Syndicate, which publish win rates and tier lists from large numbers of games.
- Watch which decks you meet on ladder at your own rank, since the meta at Gold differs from the meta at Legend.
- Read patch notes; nerfs and buffs can change the meta overnight.
- Copy a deck code from a trusted list, then adjust a few slots to what you see most.
FAQ
What is a secret in Hearthstone?
A secret is a spell that is played face-down and triggers automatically when the opponent does a specific thing, such as attacking or casting a spell.
What are Corrupt cards?
Corrupt was a keyword from the Madness at the Darkmoon Faire expansion. A Corrupt card in your hand upgrades to a stronger version after you play a card that costs more.
What is the best rank in Hearthstone?
Legend is the highest tier on the ranked ladder, above Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Legend players also get a numbered position.
Is Hearthstone still popular?
Yes. It remains one of the best-known digital card games, with regular expansions and a large Battlegrounds player base.