Hearthstone Deck Guide: Pain Demon Hunter - Play Demon Hunter Like a Warlock!

A new Demon Hunter list has popped up, and started dominating the meta. Pain Demon Hunter is the strongest list in the meta, as it has, according to HS Replay, the highest win rate in the game: 60.1% (data taken on June 20th, 2025).

So, we, at Cards Realm, decided to bring you an exclusive guide on how to play this list. We'll show you the main cards and combos, as well as the main win condition and the best opening hands. Let's go!

Pain Demon Hunter got its name from its main mechanic: dealing damage to yourself, just like a Warlock list. The idea is to lean on Aranna, Thrill Seeker, and convert the damage your hero takes into damage.

As your Hero Power lets you attack, you'll have no trouble taking damage on your own turn, and getting even more value from Aranna.

Furthermore, the main strategy behind this list is creating a strong board for very little mana with cards like Slumbering Sprite, Job Shadower, King Mukla, and Sauna Regular.

Main Cards

The resources that make Aranna, Thrill Seeker essential are: Brain Masseuse, Infernal Stapler, Nightshade Tea, and Acupuncture.

To make this list work, Aranna is essential, so we also play Nightmare Lord Xavius and cards like Crimson Sigil Runner and Grim Harvest. With these cards, you'll have better odds of finding it early on.

Considering your hero attacks constantly, either with your Hero Power, Infernal Stapler, or Spirit of the Team, minions like Slumbering Sprite and Battlefiend are viable choices.

Finally, another minion that stands out is Dreamplanner Zephrys, which finds for you the perfect card for a few specific situations.

The Aranna, Thrill Seeker combo is, obviously, your main way to win, particularly with Infernal Stapler, Nightshade Tea, and Acupuncture.

Furthermore, this list includes two legendary cards that play decisive roles at the end of the match: Dreamplanner Zephrys, which can give you many resources that deal a lot of damage, and Kayn Sunfury, which, with a strong board, can deal a lot of damage by ignoring your opponent's Taunt minions.

Pain Demon Hunter's mulligan is quite straightforward. You should look for low-cost minions so you can start putting pressure on your opponent straight away. However, there's an exception: Crimson Sigil Runner can brick your hand early on, and also doesn't have great stats. So, you should look for:

Most cards that deal damage to you are only useful with Aranna, Thrill Seeker. So, don't look for these cards early on or keep them. Instead, keep putting pressure on the opponent with strong minions, like Spirit of the Team, King Mukla, and Job Shadower.

You should adjust your strategy depending on the class or list you're facing.

Aggro

Against aggressive decks, you should get Nightshade Tea and Hot Coals. These removals are perfect to deal with small enemy minions. Other than that, stick to your game plan: keep building a strong board, and, whenever possible, try to combo with Aranna, Thrill Seeker.

Control

Against control decks, you should focus on dealing damage to them directly. After you build a strong board, trade units only when necessary and try to deal as much damage to them as possible. Control decks are known for stalling, so use your card draw wisely. You don't want to run out of resources in this matchup.

Pain Demon Hunter is an excellent way to get to Legend this season, if you haven't yet. Its win rate is great and it is relatively easy to play.

What do you think of this list? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!