by Jeremy Waxman on May 22, 2015
Yesterday we took a look at the Warrior, a hero who isn't afraid to grab a weapon and charge headfirst into battle. Today we'll focus on Valeera, a hero who can actually craft her own weapon through her hero ability. However, she prefers more subtle tactics, as any self-respecting Rogue would. Brute force isn't her style, but she can be just as deadly. Let's go over everything you need to know in order to start playing the Rogue effectively. In this series of guides, we’ll be taking a look at what makes each class tick, as well as providing a starting point for playing them effectively. We’ll be taking the sample deck lists provided by the Trump’s Teachings video series that came out before any new sets, or expansions, to show that solid mechanics can still win you games when you haven’t yet played a single match or opened even one pack.
(Note: For the purpose of these guides, we’ll assume you’ve hit level 10 with each hero, giving you all of the free cards. If you haven’t yet reached level 10, simply play against the beginner AI until you get there. You can use the decks provided, but might need to make a few substitutions until you’ve unlocked your free cards.)
Make sure they fear the shadows. Maybe play at night?
There's a fairly popular combo-based deck for the Rogue being played right now, and I highly recommend it if you want to try to climb the ladder with Valeera.
Who better to play a combo deck with than the one hero who has a bunch of cards with they keyword "Combo"? While it's not the only way to win, the biggest combo in the deck focuses on using your weapon with Tinker's Sharpsword Oil (possibly buffed even further with Deadly Poison) and laying down the hurt with Blade Flurry. The deck plays a slow early game, but explodes in the mid - late game, when Preparation helps you get out everything you need for a fraction of the cost. There are a few different ways to build the deck, and they generally depend on personal taste. With that said, here's a great example from MidnightHS on Hearthhead, and gives a great starting point for anyone looking to take this deck for a spin. Different legendary cards like Dr. Boom and Ragnaros the Firelord can also be used, allowing you to build the deck as you see fit (and can be changed depending on what cards you have available.)
Rogue might not be the easiest class to start out with, as she has a bit of a different playstyle when compared to some other heroes. She requires smart decision making about how exactly to use her removal, and just starting out, lacks a huge class specific card to play to deal tons of damage with. However, players that stick with her often find her incredibly rewarding, often truly feeling like you've outsmarted your opponent. Oil Rogue is a fun deck that can be quite competitive, and it has both good and bad matchups against other top tier decks. If you prefer to just drop one big card each turn, Valeera might not suit you. However, if you like the Combo system and can play a bit patiently, you'll likely find the Rogue will keep you entertained for a long time to come.