The Hearthstone Americas Championship Qualifier Tournament is fast approaching, and qualified card-slingers will soon be dueling for the chance to head to the Hearthstone World Championship at BlizzCon 2014, where they’ll compete for glory and a $250,000 prize pool.
The players that will be competing in the Championship Qualifier have earned their spots in a variety of ways, such as winning invitational tournaments, conquering community tournaments, or exhibiting excellence in ranked play.
Each one of these worthy competitors has victory on their minds, but each of them also brings their own unique spark to the journey as well! Join us as we get to know the people behind the decks: Their stories, their favorite decks, how they convince Ragnaros to hit their intended target, and more!
PRODIGY
Fresh off finishing number one on the August Ranked Play ladder, Prodigy is chomping at the bit to make some noise at the World Championship Americas Qualifier. Prodigy loves making value plays that allow him to obtain an advantage though crafty play. Unlike others on the Road to BlizzCon, he’s realized that you simply cannot reason with Ragnaros, and instead plans around the disobedient Firelord!
What got you into Hearthstone?
I had an opportunity to play in the beta. The first exposure I had was watching Trump. I was wondering what enabled him to garner so many fans. It was Hearthstone! I grew interested since I already liked card games. Naturally I got hooked on the game. What got me really hooked though was when I won the first tournament I entered. Too bad that is the only tournament I have won as of yet!
What is your favorite deck to play?
I love to play Mid-range Hunter. I have had success with this particular deck in the past season and season one. I believe it to be the strongest deck because it's consistent from start to finish. I love Beast synergy and the unique abilities of Hunters to draw cards/do critical damage to the enemy hero!
What’s your favorite/craziest play you’ve ever made in Hearthstone?
My favorite play is drawing spells off Mad Scientist for free. It gives me chills every single time! Think of the value!
What’s your process for testing decks? When does a deck officially become a success?
I mainly test decks on the ladder. I usually obtain various deck archetypes from many sources, such as the great Dengxu senpai, Kolento, friends, and popular streams. I just play the decks card by card on the ladder and see how it does. Then, I make slight adjustments to the deck that suits my own style. It becomes a success when I feel I can hit top Legend with the deck.
If you could design a card, what would it be?
I would design a card that is more casually oriented and fun. For example, I would create a card with respectable stats that would enable players to obtain free arena entry/pack if player ends up winning the game. It would encourage more people to play ranked!
Are there any players you’re looking forward to or nervous about playing against?
I want to face Dengxu senpai the most. At the same time, he is the player that I want to avoid the most. I have known him since the earliest stage of the beta and both of us probably have played more ladder games than any other players in the world. It would be interesting to see if I can overcome the great senpai. The feat would be comparable to breaking down the Great Wall of China!
If you could make Polymorph turn a minion into something other than a sheep, what would it be?
A wild turtle.
How does one go about making a deal with Ragnaros?
You don’t make a deal with Ragnaros. He is untrainable! He’s a bad boy. Always expect him to target the worst possible thing. Then when he does hit a good target, you are happy. When he doesn’t, at least you expected it.
What are you passionate about outside of Hearthstone and other video games?
I am passionate about medicine. When I am not playing Hearthstone, I am probably cramming the notes I have piled up from last weeks.