Amazons are getting support in the Core Set Refresh with some new cards and changed core cards. I got interested in amazons after writing about notable genesis nature cards and the changed core cards from the core set refresh. After @copperpitch posted his Tribal Speculation: Amazon, I knew I had to make a deck spotlight on it.

Amazons are a blend between control and combo. You play your amazons early, use cheap removal to keep your opponent's board clear and make sure your amazons stick to the board, then close out the game with your big amazon buffs. The deck is weak to removal like spells and blitz leaving you stuck with dead buffs cards in hand.

Upcoming Support

Changed Core Cards

Here are the changed core cards that support amazons. Of note is Gersemi getting the amazon tag to help fill out the curve with the rest of the new cards, Faeflame Blade becoming a strong amazon relic that can be a 3/2 twinstrike blitz relic that clears most early creatures, and Penthesilean Warrior going to 2 mana and giving +1/+1 buff for early board dominance.

• Gersemi, Freyja's Spear
  • Add faction Amazon. Change stats from 4/2 to 3/3
• Faeflame Blade
  • Change stats from 2 mana 1/4 to a 3 mana 2/2. Change text from "Twin strike. Blitz. Roar: This relic gains +1/+1 if you control an amazon." to "Twin strike. Blitz. Roar: This relic gains +1 strength if you control an amazon"
• Amazon Spearsoul
  • Changed strength from 4 to 3. Added text "Roar: Gain +1 health if you control another amazon."
• Penthesilean Warrior
  • Changed domain from Neutral to Nature. Changed stats from 5 mana 6/3 to 2 mana 2/3. Changed text from "Roar: Give each other friendly Amazon +2/+2." To "Roar: Give +1/+1 to the strongest other friendly amazon."
• Amazon Flanker (Nightleaf Prowler)
  • Changed name from Amazon Flanker to Nightleaf Prowler. Changed domain from Neutral to Nature. Changed strength from 2 to 3. Changed text from "Flank. Roar: Summon two Amazon Flankers." to "Hidden for one turn. Roar: Summon two Nightleaf Prowlers."

New Core Cards

Here are the new amazon cards coming in the core set refresh. The new cards are mostly low-cost creatures to fill out the amazon curve.

• Barksworn Trailmaker: Okay early creature. 1hp gets pinged off easily, the afterlife 1/1 is small but helps keep a body on board.
• Barksworn Protector: Good vanilla creature. The ward helps against removal heavy matchups.
• Barksworn Captain: Hidden protects it from being targeted so you can pip into your 5 mana buffs.
• Riverjumper Captain: +1 strength for each amazon you control is strong since amazons can swarm the board early. The ward protects from early spell removal. Having 1 amazon gives a 3 mana 2/4 ward which is on curve, anymore amazons is extra good.
• Sanctum Guardian: This card is a amazon Marsh Walker if you have another 1 drop amazon to play on turn 1.
• Canopy Sniper: The most interesting of the new amazons. It's a small body but the effect is strong if you have a board giving your amazons extra damage to control the board.

Strategy

God Power

Pick Animal Bond in matches where you expect a lot of removal so you can maintain board presence.
Pick Selena's Mark in matches in aggro matches to keep their board clear.

Mulligan

Going first you want sticky creatures to establish board control and gain tempo like Amazon Spellcatcher and Hunt Warden.
Going second look for more reactive cards so you can deal with enemy creatures and keep your board alive like Primal Guidance, Canopy Barrage, and Vanguard Axewoman.
Look for early creatures and removal. You want your buffs after you establish a board to close out the game.

Playstyle

Use cheap removal to keep the opponent's board clear. Stack up amazons on your side and buff them. Your buffs are dead cards if your board is empty so keep in mind what removal your opponent could have.

Sample Deck

https://gudecks.com/decks/13271
Here is the deck I've been trying out. It is top heavy and sometimes bricks on too much removal or drawing the wrong half of your deck.

Card Choices

Amazons

• Nimble Pixie: 2 1/1s can be picked off easily. Good for quick bodies to buff. Hold them for buffs if your opponent has a ping god power.
• Wiccan Warrior: Hidden body is nice for dodging removal and getting buffed.
• Amazon Spellcatcher: Blessed is nice. Ward stops spell removal.
• Pixielock: Weak stats but generates 1/1 amazons at the end of turn to get buffed later.
• Hunt Warden: Vanilla 3/4 body. 4 health doesn't die easily.
• Agrodor Protector: Well-statted 4 mana frontline with regen 1. Good body for getting buffed.
• Myrto's Daughter: Probably the strongest card for amazons. The flexibility is where it shines, it can be a 4/4 blitz or a 2/2 blitz that gives a +4/+3 buff to another random amazon. 5 mana 4/4 blitz can take out most early creatures and live, while the +4/+3 buff will make one of your amazons huge.
• Penthesilean Warrior: 6/3 body is weak to removal. +2/+2 to all amazons is a huge buff.
• Arkmonian Onslaught: +3/+2 and twinstrike to your amazons. Big buff that lets you clear board and go face.

Removal

• Primal Guidance: Cheap removal, 2 damage or 3 if you have an amazon. Better in a more aggro meta.
• Canopy Barrage: Good removal, kills most early creatures.
• Vanguard Axewoman: Early flexible removal, can be played as a 2/2 for the body.
• Underbrush Boar: Big 3/3 stats for 2 mana and impacts the board the turn it's played. It also can hit hidden creatures or creatures with order the turn it's played.
• Faeflame Blade: Good early removal, can pick off weak creatures.

Other

• Finnian Fruitbearer: Strong early threat that can win games. If your opponent doesn't clear your first creature, you can hit face and play Finnian for 3/4 stats on board.
• Chiron, the Teacher: Relic removal and a small creature buff

Maybe

• Arkmonian Anteater: Early body that gives an amazon +1 strength.
• Steadfast Scout: Can be a Hunt Warden with +1hp if you can proc the roar. Good if you can get it off, terrible if you don't.
• Proud Conscriptor: 4 mana for a 2/3 body is too understatted even with 2 1/1s later.
• Selena, Champion of Nature: Hard to kill, generates value through pinging creatures. The confusion removal isn't relevant in an amazon deck. Since it has an ability, it doesn't benefit from getting buffed.
• Hippolyta, Divided: 6 mana 4/5 blitz protected amazon doesn't cut in today's meta. Giant Pangolin does a better job and is a lot cheaper.
• Pack Stalk: Go wide with amazons, use pack stalk to refresh mana, drop a big buff. Better for a more combo-oriented build.
• General Orythia: Summons amazons and gives buffs. This deck aims to win early than 7 mana, could be run in a more midrange build.