Hearthstone: Highlander Decks—History and Strategic Insights

What exactly are Hearthstone Highlander Decks?

Highlander decks are a unique kind of deck in Hearthstone for one simple reason: they contain no more than a single copy of each card. This restriction may be surprising for less experienced players, as few games introduced this mechanic as a core element of the game. In fact, most card games allow multiple copies of the same card in each deck. For example, Yu—Gi—Oh! allows a maximum of three copies of the same card, and in Magic: The Gathering, the number even goes up to 4.
Among the mentioned games, Hearthstone is the most restrictive when building a deck, allowing for only two copies of the same card. But on the other hand, why would anybody choose to play multiple copies of a card in a deck?
There are several reasons. The first—and most obvious—is that including more copies of the same card increases the odds of drawing it. In a game where every turn counts, drawing the right cards at the right time is crucial, and having multiple copies of a card makes it easier to pull off specific plays at key moments. Other benefits could be two-times stronger combos or even the ability to recover in case the card gets "burned" or lost.
Overall, the more copies of a card a deck contains, the more consistent it becomes. Which raises a question: are Highlander decks simply weaker than normal decks, given this reduced consistency?

Just how good are Highlander Decks in Hearthstone?

In all strategy card games, the power of a specific archetype is not as easy to measure as one may think. For Hearthstone, this complexity is especially apparent. The game currently features eleven classes, each capable of running similar archetypes while still maintaining diversity due to each class's unique identity.
This complexity makes it difficult to measure the absolute strength of Highlander decks. However, what we can assess is how effectively each class has historically been able to use Highlander decks. And, in fact, Hearthstone has a rich history of successful mono-copy decks. For example, in the latest expansion's meta, Reno warrior has made a strong comeback as the most efficient counter to Big Spell Mage. Alongside warrior, both Druid and Shaman also seen success with Highlander lists, with surprising results.
Some might argue that this success was just a coincidence. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. To understand why, it's worth talking about when and how this archetype was first introduced—and the impact it has had on the game since then.

The history of Hearthstone Highlander Decks

The Highlander archetype, named after the catchphrase "there can be only one" from the 1986 film Highlander, was first introduced in Hearthstone with the release of the original Reno Jackson card in the League of Explorers adventure, all the way back in 2015. This legendary card was truly revolutionary for the game, allowing for a full-heal with the tradeoff of less consistent draws.
This mechanic would then go on to shape the meta around this versatile type of decks that would fare well against most of the most relevant decks of the time. But Highlander lists would not see their golden age up until the Year of the Dragon, in 2019, when two iconic neutral legendaries, Zephrys the Great and Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, were introduced.
Thanks to this new support for the archetype, Highlander became a force to be reckoned with, being able to fare well into almost every matchup. Against aggro, you had lots of removal and healing, thanks to Zephrys and Reno; against combo or slower decks you had disruption and immense value thanks to Zephrys and Alexstraza (especially when playing Rogue).
Overall, Highlander decks are a part of the game's history. Even today there are still multiple Highlander lists in the top tiers of both Standard and Wild. Examples of this include a refined version of the original Reno Warlock, as well as most recent decks, such as Reno Hunter and Reno Druid.

As discussed earlier in this article, there are several pros and cons to consider when it comes to Reno lists. Let's take a closer look to each to get a better understanding of the subject.

Hearthstone Highlander Decks: Advantages

The most obvious, yet not to overlook, advantage of Highlander decks is the ability to include various and unique threats and combos, all within the same deck. This diversity allows for an higher skill ceiling and chance of counterplaying the opponent.
Another major benefit to point out is the archetype immense support in recent years, which allowed Reno decks to improve consistently over time. This trend is an indicator of the fact that Blizzard appreciates said type of deck and is therefore more eclined towards pushing it further in the future.
Finally, Reno decks offer amazing versatility: they can defend well against aggro, outvalue control matchups, and are some of the most adaptable decks available—when played correctly, that is.

The Downsides of Hearthstone Highlander Decks

The first drawback is apparent when revisiting the pros, especially the last one. A deck that can adapt to almost any matchup when piloted skillfully is seen by some players as unhealthy for the game's balance. Remember Grim Patron Warrior? Because many players certainly do.
Another downside of Highlander lists is the presence in all of them of one of the most controversial cards in the history of Hearthstone: Reno, Lone Ranger. This ten mana neutral legendary hero card has the effect of completely resetting the enemy board and limiting the opponent's to just use spot on it's battlefield, either for a location or a minion, for the following turn. To learn more about the impact of this card on the game, check out our full-breakdown of said card.
The final disadvantage of Highlander decks is their inconsistency. With only one copy of each card, one may struggle to draw the exact card needed at crucial moments. However, this issue can easily be mitigated by classes like Druid and Shaman, which have a lot of card draw or targeted draw potential, with cards like Sleep Under the Stars or Fairy Tale Forest.

Now that both the history and the characteristics of the Highlander archetype have been unveiled, it's safe to state that Reno decks are—and will remain—a staple in Hearthstone. To support this statement one could just point out all the support the list has received over the past years, or the impact on the meta and the playstyle of the game itself.