Hearthstone Standard OTK Hunter Combo Guide and Lethal Math

In Hearthstone's Standard format, the OTK Hunter deck secures lethal by combining Hollow Hound with the one-mana spell Always a Bigger Jormungar. Because Hollow Hound attacks a target minion and both adjacent enemies simultaneously, applying Always a Bigger Jormungar forces excess damage from all three combat strikes to roll over directly into the opposing hero.

Surviving long enough to assemble and execute this interaction requires controlling the early board, curating your Beast pool, and doing precise combat math.

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Core Deck Engine

The deck functions through a focused package of Beasts, tutors, and resurrect spells:

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Mulligan and Early-Game Survival

Do not keep combo pieces in your opening hand. Starting with high-cost cards like Mister Mukla, Stranglethorn Heart, or Always a Bigger Jormungar stalls your hand and leaves you vulnerable to aggressive starts.

Keep these cards during the mulligan:

• Tracking: Cycles through the deck to locate early answers or find key mid-game drops.
• Trinket Tracker: Draws one-cost spells to thin the deck and prepare utility tools.
• Selective Breeder: Ensures a reliable draw of either Hollow Hound or Mister Mukla before Turn 6.
• Barrel of Monkeys & Defensive Secrets: Drops early taunts and stalls wide boards to protect your life total.

Against aggressive decks, use cheap removal and play tempo minions early. If your Health drops below 15 before Turn 6, you will often be forced to waste combo cards just to stay alive.

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Mid-Game Graveyard Setup

Turns 4 through 7 determine whether you can pull off the full combo or must pivot to a resurrection plan.

1. Deploy Beasts to Build the Resurrect Pool: Playing Hollow Hound on Turn 6 to clear threats and heal is standard play. It deposits a 5+ Cost Beast into the graveyard for Stranglethorn Heart later.
2. Tailor Discoveries with Selective Breeder: Against armor-heavy control decks, choose extra copies of Hollow Hound or Mister Mukla to strengthen your burst pool. Against aggressive decks, pick whichever Beast immediately stabilizes the board.
3. Save Always a Bigger Jormungar: Avoid using Always a Bigger Jormungar to clear a single mid-range minion unless doing so prevents guaranteed lethal. Its damage multiplier relies on multi-target strikes.

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Trample Damage Math and Execution

To calculate lethal damage using Hollow Hound and Always a Bigger Jormungar, count the total Health of the target minion and any adjacent minions it will hit.

The formula for total face damage is:

$$\text{Total Face Damage} = (\text{Hound Attack} \times \text{Targets Struck}) - \text{Total Combined Current Health of Struck Minions}$$

For example, assume your Hollow Hound has been buffed to 9 Attack and attacks a 2-Health minion positioned between two 1-Health minions:

1. Center Target (2 Health): $9 - 2 = 7\text{ excess damage}$
2. Left Target (1 Health): $9 - 1 = 8\text{ excess damage}$
3. Right Target (1 Health): $9 - 1 = 8\text{ excess damage}$
4. Total Face Damage: $7 + 8 + 8 = 23\text{ damage to the enemy hero}$

Because Hollow Hound has Lifesteal, this attack also restores 27 Health to your hero regardless of how much excess damage goes to face.

If an opponent refuses to play multiple minions or presents a single massive Taunt minion, pivot directly to Stranglethorn Heart. Casting it reloads your board with up to five 5+ Cost Beasts, including Hollow Hounds and Mister Mukla, applying immediate Rush pressure to force lethal on the following turn.