Rogue is the Least Played Class!?

What is the Most & Least Played Hearthstone Class
In playing my ranked games in August, I noticed the fact that I did not see many of my opponents playing the Rogue Class. This made me curious so I started tracking each match that I played. In total I tracked 100 matches and my findings can be seen in the list below:

Opponent	% Games
Rogue	7%
Druid	9%
Warlock	9%
Warrior	9%
Shaman	10%
Priest	12%
Paladin	13%
Hunter	15%
Mage	16%
Total	100%

Is Rogue is the Least Played Class?

To answer my question, in August, the Rogue is the Least Played Class in Hearthstone! Out of the 100 games I played, only seven of those games were against Rogues. Out of those seven games. five were Mech decks. Out of those seven games I won six, which equates to an 86% win rate against the Class. 

This high winning % could be the reason why many people do not play Rogue. Either they are not viable or people do not know how to use the Class' strengths. In reading through the Rogue forums, there are always a lot of complaints surrounding the Class specific cards. Even the grand tournament cards to not seem to provide the Rogues any substantial benefit. However I play the Rogue class because I like the challenge, plus people are not as experienced playing against Rogues. I actually think Rogues are a great class if used correctly. So far I have gone from Rank 20 to Rank 16 in the first nine days of August. 

What is the Most Played Class?

After finding out what the least played class was, I wanted to find out what the Most Played Class was. I assumed it was going to be the Paladin Class, since I only have a 33% win rate against them. However, it turned out that the most played class was actually the Mage! 

Out of the sixteen games I played against the Mage class, I only won a total of five. Out of those same sixteen games, eleven of those (Around 68%) were focused around pure aggression. Spells and Minions were all focused on burning down the Hero as quickly as possible. 

I find it most challenging to win against these decks as I do not have any Minions with taunt and I do not have any Healing cards. Other people most likely have the same issue as me, that is probably why the Mage is the most played class.

The Hunter came in at a close a second with 15% of games played and the Paladin at 13%. Majority of these decks were focused around low cost aggressive cards. I'm interested to see if the Deck types/Classes change as I continue to move up the ranks. 

Thank you for reading this post. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. What Class do you play? What is your least favorite class to play against? What is your most favorite class to play against? Let me know in the comments below!

Beginner Mistake #2: Inefficiency

Become an Efficient Player
Aside from Lack of patience, inefficiency is one the biggest mistakes I see Hearthstone players make. Some examples of inefficient play include trading down, wasting spells, failing to use combos, misusing the weapon and using Hero health as the sole metric for determining which player is winning a match.

Although the number of inefficient plays per match is definitely greater for beginners, even the very best players are guilty of making inefficient plays. I admit that I too am a constant offender of making poor plays (more often than I would like).

However, while every player is bound to make inefficient plays, the key is to learn how to limit those  inefficiencies and increase the number of efficient plays. In order to do this, one must first learn what those inefficient plays actually are and how to turn them into efficient plays. The following is a list of common plays that beginners often make.

Trading Up vs. Trading Down
Trading up is essentially using a weaker card to kill a stronger card, while trading down is just the opposite. Your goal should always be to trade up. This will allow you to consistently build the momentum in your favor. A simple example of trading up would be using a 3/1 Minion to destroy an opponent's 4/3 Minion.

Spell cards can also be used to trade up, especially for Rogues who rely heavily on spell damage. A simple example of trading up as a Rogue would be using Backstab on a 3/2 minion. Often time you can use Backstab to kill a 3/2 and then combo the Eviscerate to destroy a 5/4 or 4/4 Minion.

This would be a very efficient play as Backstab costs zero Mana and Eviscerate only costs two. Plays such as these will give you a strong advantage against your opponent.

While trading up is great, often times trading a single card for multiple cards is even better!

Trading One Card for Multiple Cards
If you can take out two cards, three cards or even more with a single card you are almost always guaranteed to come out on top after the exchange. While each Class has ways of destroying multiple minions with a single card, my Rogue favorites are Blade Flurry & Fan of Knives. Whether it be destroying with five or six Minions at once or dealing with mech it is a great feeling to trade a single card for three plus.

Being that my Rogue deck is focused around +Spell Damage, these Rogue AOE spells quickly become extremely efficient. I have often dealt four damage to all enemy Minions in one turn just by using Fan of Knives with three +1 Spell Damage Minions on the board. Plus I get to draw an extra card. Trading one card for many can quickly shift the momentum in your favor. 

The following is a list of cards that have the ability to take out many minions at once:

Cards that can Deal Damage to ALL minions: Whirlwind, Death's Bite, Explosive Sheep, Unstable Ghoul, Revenge, Wild Pyromancer, Lightbomb

Cards that can Deal Damage to all enemy minions: Blizzard, Lightning Storm, Shadowflame, Flamestrike, Arcane Explosion, Fan of Knives, Blizzard, Starfall

Cards that can Damage all enemies: Consecration, Blade Flurry, Holy Nova, Explosive Trap, Swipe

Try out these AOE cards and see what works best for your particular deck. In addition to trading up and defeating multiple minions with a single card, avoiding waste is another crucial part in playing an efficient match.

Avoiding Waste (Minions)
Avoiding waste during a match is very similar to avoiding plays where you are trading down. When it comes to playing Minions, you do not want to play each and every Minion just because you have the Mana to do so. Let's say you have six cards in your hand (four minions) and your opponent has six cards as well. You are on turn #10, and you have enough Mana to play all four Minions. Do you play all four at once?

While this answer is really dependent on many different variables (type of deck you are facing/using, your Class vs. opposing Class, Hero HP/opposing Hero's HP, cards your opponent has already played, etc.). In most cases the answer would be NO. Why you ask?

It's simple, if your opponent still has six cards it is very likely a powerful AOE spell is coming your way. From my experience, powerful AOE spells are saved for situations just like this. One Flamestrike, Blade Flurry, Consecration, Circle of "Healing", etc. and you are done. Maybe play two Minions instead and see what your opponent counters with. This is a much safer play than wasting all of your Minions on one turn and getting no value from them.

Another wasteful Minion play I see on occasion occurs when one player continuously tries running down a high Health minion (eg. a 2/7) by attacking with three to four low cost minions over the course of one to two turns just to clear the board. There are times when it would be better to leave the enemy 2/7 alone (as it is not a true threat) and just attack the Hero directly. Once you start burning down his Hero, the 2/7 has no choice, but to start attacking your Minions and of course he will then take damage in the process.

Avoiding Waste (Spells)
In my earlier days playing as the Rogue Class I had wasted and had seen others waste countless spell cards attacking the opposing Hero. Unless your deck is 100% geared toward destroying the Hero as quickly as possible or if you are in the process of finishing off the Hero, you should never waste spells this way.

The reason for this is because while you deal maybe 15 to 20 damage to your opponents HP within the first few turns, you are then left with only a few cards. As the match goes on, your opponent is easily able to gain momentum by gaining board control. This means that any minions that you summon will be destroyed immediately.

In addition, your opponent may also be likely to heal themselves during these mid-turns. Being that you no longer have many spells, you are then left with little to no way of dealing additional damage to finish the opponent's Hero.

Instead, spells should be used to efficiently remove enemy Minions from the board. As you improve your Rogue play, you will be able to actually clear an enemy Minion and simultaneously summon a Minion of your own.

As you use Minions & Spells more efficiently you will have more cards toward the end of the game to instantly finish off your opponent. Saving your cards and avoiding waste when playing as the Rogue is surprisingly also largely based on how efficiently you are able to use your hero Power and Deadly Poison Spells.

Deadly Poison/Wicked Knife Do's & Don't's
- Do apply Deadly Poison while you have 2 durability on your Wicked Knife
- Don't destroy your weapon while you have 2 durability on your Wicked Knife (Eg. Blade Flurry)
- Do use Wicked Knife to destroy 1/1 and 1/2 Minions (Also helpful to remove Divine Shield)
- Do not use 3/2 Wicked Knife on 1/1 or 1/2 Minions as it is a waste.
- Do use Wicked Knife against opposing Minions (Use your judgement)
- Do not use Wicked Knife to damage an enemy Hero (Unless used in a match finishing combo)

Card Advantage vs. Hero Life 
When measuring efficiency of play to see which player is winning a match do not use Hero Life total as a sole metric as it can be misleading. Instead the following are more accurate measures of who has the upper hand in a match.
#1. Who has overall Board Control?
#2. Who has the Card Advantage (Most cards in hand)?
#3. Who controls the most powerful Minions on the board?
#4. What type of cards are at each players disposal (Who has the advantage)?

After the top four important questions are answered and it seems like an even match you may then turn to each Hero's Life Total to estimate who is winning the match.

Hope this information helped out some of you newer players. If you have any ideas or helpful tips related to efficient play please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Beginner Mistake #1: Lack of Patience

I'll be honest, I was and I still am a big offender of this first beginner mistake. All too often I play a spell or minion just because I have the Mana to do so rather than wait for the perfect opportunity. The reason for this is a mix of impatience and a lack of overall Hearthstone game knowledge. However, patience is critical to success, and it is a characteristic that is shared among all of the top Hearthstone players. If you ever watch a professional play, you will notice that the full 90 seconds is spent almost every turn. This time is spent evaluating all possible scenarios for the current turn and anticipating the turns to follow.

Biding your time and waiting for the right opportunity to play a card is very important, especially for the Rogue class. Don't be afraid to skip a turn. As a rogue you have the ability to use AOE spells to clear the opponents board in an instant. However, you usually only get one, maybe two opportunities in a single match to clear out an entire board of enemy Minions. Make sure you save your Deadly Poison, Blade Flurry, etc. prepared so you can unleash a devastating combo at the optimal time.

As you gain more experience playing as the Rogue Class you will become more familiar with certain situations. This will allow you to be more adaptable and you will find yourself anticipating your opponent's plays more often.

My Experience
Honestly, just being more patient and learning basic opponent tendencies has increased my win rate dramatically.  I had extreme difficulty playing against certain classes/deck types, but now I look forward to playing against them.

For example, dealing with early opponent pressure was something I feared. As my opponent had three to four minions already on the board, I had zero. Even with Mech builds, opponents would have up to five decently powerful Minions out by turn five. As I tried dealing with individual Minion after Minion I was inefficiently wasting my spells. Whether it was me using eviscerate on a two Health Minion, or using a two card play just to kill a 2/2 Minion with Divine shield, I was a mess. I was losing game after game and knew I needed to change up my play style.

After playing the same type of decks time after time, I learned that the order of play and enemy Minion types was relatively standard. Early pushes from opponents usually meant many low cost weaker minions and I could predict the fact that not many stronger minions would be played. By using AOE spells such as Fan of Knives (With +Spell Damage) these minions were cleared out much for efficiently.

If an opponent waited a couple of turns it was often just the opposite. Within the first two or three turns I could get out a few lower cost Minions of my own and put the pressure on. Keeping board control allowed me to save my spell cards for the mid-to-late game where I was able to unleash devastating combos to finish off my opponent.

Conclusion
Being patient allows you to experience every type of opponent's strength and weakness. Once you become more accustomed to such variables (opponent playstyle, deck type, order of play) it will allow you to create much more opportunities for yourself. Knowing whether to attack turn two or turn four can often mean the difference between winning a match or being defeated.

Efficient plays win battles, efficient battles win turns and efficient turns win matches. Patience is critical to learn where and how to create those efficient plays. If you ever are on a losing streak, take some time to reflect and learn from your major misplays. Take your time, before, during and after each match, learn from your mistakes and improve each and every match. Good Luck and remember, Patience is key!

If you don't believe me, please watch the following video and I can assure you, you will be convinced. This is a video I found on Youtube, Trump is Rank 2 and his opponent is Rank 3. Based on the following info. who do you think wins?

Turn #5
Opponent (Rank 3)
Minions in Play: Seven
Health: 25

Trump (Rank 2) 
Minions in Play: One
Health: 1

If you now believe that Patience is an important part of Hearthstone please share your thoughts or in-game experiences in the comments below!

What to Write About Next?

I have a running list of Rogue related articles that I would like to write about. These are posts that will be targeted toward helping out both new and intermediate Rogue players.

As I continue to play more matches, I will continue to think of new articles that I would like to write and learn more about. Although I have over 1,000 games played as a Rogue I'm still open to learning new strategies and new tactics that will improve my game. Please let me know if there is anything I can help with and I will share my Rogue experience with you.

The following is a list of topics that I will be writing about in the future:

#1. Rogue Common Beginner Mistakes
#2. My Strategy in Dealing with Priests
#3. My Best Mana Addict Play
#4. Testing Out the Oil Rogue
#5. Rogue Strategies To Defeat Specific Deck Types
#6. Rogue Beginner's Guide
#7. Making Opponent's Cards Unusable
#8. Know your Opponent's Cards
#9. Mastering the Oil Rogue.

Please let me know in the comments below if there is anything else
you would like me to test out or write about. Thanks!

My Best Edwin Vancleef Win So Far (8/8 on Turn 2!)

Well, I'm back to Rank 20 after the August reset...  But, the good news was I started off the month with a great first hand on my first match up. A little while back I started off a match with a 6/6 Edwin VanCleef that wound up winning me the match. However, in my latest match up against a Warlock I pulled off any even better Turn 2.

After replacing 3 of my starting cards, I ended up with Eviscerate & Preparation. Not to mention I had "The Coin", which allows the Turn 2 Edwin VanCleef play to even be possible. Starting the match, my opponent passed on his first turn so I ended up just using the eviscerate on his Hero. If he would have played a Minion on Turn 1 I would have been able to use Backstab.

Turn 2: Being that I couldn't use backstab, I settled for the three card combo instead. Playing Preparation + Eviscerate + The Coin + Edwin Vancleef, set me up in a great position to start the matchup. By playing this three card combination I was able to summon an 8/8 Edwin VanCleef on only turn 2! Withing a few seconds of playing this card, my opponent conceded. Honestly if I was playing against this combination, I would find it extremely difficult to come back.

Recap: It would take either 3-4 cards, Silence or an extra two or three turns just to deal with this card. Wasted cards and wasted turns usually result in a loss later in the game. In addition, normally Warlock decks do not use any minions or spells that can Silence, especially this early on in the game.

There is always the Ironbeak Owl, which only costs 2 Mana, but I rarely see this card used by other Warlocks. The reason for this is that this is really a defensive type card and most Warlocks I've played against mainly use low cost Minions that focus on offense.

While this happened to work out for me in this particular match-up, this Rogue play is extremely risky. If your opponent can deal with this card early on, you are at an immediate disadvantage. Here are a few things to be aware of when using spell combos to play Edwin VanCleef early in the match.

#1. You are at a card disadvantage: You are essentially playing 4 separate cards to create one extremely powerful one. (As a Rogue you always want to have more cards than your opponent. The only time you should have fewer cards is when you are finishing off your opponent)

#2. Counters: While it needs to be the right card, your opponent only needs a single card to deal with Edwin VanCleef. Just to list a few, these counters include Silence, Shadow Word Spells, Hex, Polymorph, Spellbreaker, Sap, Ironbeak Owl, Mass Dispel and any cards that can destroy a single minion (regardless of Attack & Health).

#3. Opponent's Deck: While there are counters to this card you can sometimes tell if your opponent will have a counter to this early push or not. However, when using EdwinVanCleef this early on, most opponent's have not played a card yet. Therefore, it is can be extremely difficult to tell what kind of deck you will be facing. Depending on the Class you are facing, it can sometimes be better to wait for your opponent to show his/her hand before playing Edwin VanCleef.

In conclusion, this is a Very High Risk/Reward play! If you like playing conservatively this may not be the choice for you, but if you enjoy the risky plays try this one out.

If you have any experience using or playing against the Edwin VanCleef Legendary card. Please share in the comments below!

My Spell Power Rogue Deck at Rank 12

I stopped playing Hearthstone for a few months, but recently I've been playing more. Over the past 2 weeks I've continued to use my same Spell Power Rogue Deck. I'm currently rank 12, but hopefully I'll be Rank 10 by the end of the weekend.

I've already written a few posts on matches that I've won and included some basic strategies that I normally use. However, I thought it would be good to list the cards that I use in my deck and provide a brief summary of the advantages of each one. My deck is focused around card draw, spell damage and board control.

Overall, I created my deck to counter aggressive opponent decks by using Spells to efficiently clear out 2-3+ enemy Minions at one time. The majority of my Minions have +1 to Spell Damage which further buffs the damage of my all AOE and single target spells. While I keep board control, I whittle away at my opponent's HP until he falls below 20HP. Usually I can use my spells to finish him off at this time. This is most effective when the opponent cannot heal himself.

While I do have a lot of success against aggressive Warlock Decks & Aggressive Paladin Decks, I have more of a challenge against more defensive opponents such as those playing Warrior Control Decks. Warrior control focuses on surviving early in the match through increased armor, board control (Weapons & Minion Battlecry often used) and playing it safe till turn 6+. Priests also give me some trouble as they continue to heal themselves throughout the match.

The following is a list of every card I use in my deck:

Spells
(2x) Backstab: One of the best Combo starters, if not the best. Two damage for zero Mana cost and can be used on any turn. This is especially useful in the early rounds on 1-3 Health Enemy Minions. In addition, this damage can be buffed with +Spell Damage.

(2x) Preparation: Another free Spell, which reduces the cost of the next spell you play by 3 Mana. This is used in 99% of my best Combos as it essentially allows you to play any 1, 2 or 3 Mana Cost spell for free. 87% of the spells in my deck cost three or less Mana to play.

(2x) Deadly Poison: Gives your weapon +2 attack. This allows for a 3 Damage attack on the first turn of use. I then save the second use for a 3 damage Blade Flurry. Not to mention this card only costs 1 Mana so I often use it with my combos.

(2x) Blade Flurry: AOE spell that damages ALL enemies. This includes those Minions with stealth PLUS the enemy Hero. Combined with Deadly Poison and Spell Damage this spell can be extremely powerful. Wiping out 3-4 enemy Minions with five or less health is not uncommon.

(2x) Eviscerate: Another one of my favorite spells. For only two Mana this spell can instantly do 10+ damage to a single target. This is assuming you have enough +Spell Damage and the card combo is played correctly. Double eviscerate is a common way of finishing off the opponent's Hero.

(2x) Shiv: I've seen people complain about this card on Forums, saying that 2 Mana for 1 damage is really a waste of a card. However, Shiv also gives you an extra card which is extremely beneficial for a combo Rogue that relies on card draw. In addition, this damage can be buffed with +Spell Damage.

(2x) Fan of Knives: AOE spell that damages all MINIONS. While this spell won't do damage to the opposing Hero it allows you to draw another card. In addition, unlike Blade Flurry, Fan of Knives will not destroy your weapon. I find this card extremely powerful in the early game. In the Mid-Late game it is still useful, especially when you have +Spell Damage to buff the AOE effect.

(1x) Tinker's Sharpsword Oil: I often use this card in the Mid-Late game as part of my finishing combos. The most common one I've used successfully is the Deadly Poison + Tinker's Sharpsword Oil  + Blade Flurry. This is devastating to any opponent as it is a 6 damage AOE combo. This combination has allowed me to completely shift the momentum of a match by completely clearing out my opponent's board. Not to mention, this card gives a random friendly Minion an extra +3 Attack, which is always a nice bonus. In addition, Blade Flurry also benefits from the +Spell Damage.

(1x) Sprint: If I'm up against a control type deck, I usually have time to use Sprint to prepare for the later turns. Sprint does cost 7 Mana (Essentially giving up your turn), so it is not usually feasible when you are dealing with an aggressive opposing deck. However, this card is extremely beneficial as it allows you to draw four cards. I often use Preparation first which makes Sprint only cost a total of four Mana. Having four new cards in your hand substantially increases the combo possibilities that you can unleash on your opponent. A Rogue with 6+ cards can easily finish off an opponent in the late game especially if they are at 20HP or lower.

Minions
(1x) Bloodmage Thalnos: + Spell Damage. Deathrattle= draw a card.

(2x) Kobold Geomancer: + Spell Damage. I often use Bloodmage Thalnos & Kobold Geomancer with Backstab for a three damage attack in the early rounds as each card only costs 2 Mana.

(1x) Mana Addict: If not destroyed on the first turn it is played this card becomes ridiculously powerful. I sometimes play this with 1-2 other Minions so that my opponent destroys the other two instead of the Mana Addict. With each spell that is played in a single turn the Mana Addict gains +2 attack. at first glance this card is only a 1/3, so oftentimes the opponent does not see it as a threat.

However,  I've had matches where this card benefited from a 5+ card combo, increasing it's attack from 1 to 11 plus! In addition, to the damage from the spell combinations I've dealt 20+ damage in a single turn.

(2x) Dalaran Mage: Very underutilized card in most spell decks. It helps to keep board control.

(1x) Edwin VanCleef: The two turn combo allows me to get quick wins. This card is extremely powerful as it can be used to create an extremely powerful minion on any turn.

(1x) Harvest Golem: I like to use this card to absorb damage and waste my opponents cards. Once destroyed, the Deathrattle from Harvest Golem automatically summons a 2/1 Damaged Golem in its place. Therefore, opponents usually have to use at least 2 cards to "fully destroy" this card. With 3 Health, this card is also very useful in tanking early Minion damage from aggressive opponent decks.

(1x) Gnomish Inventor: Four Health, plus you draw a card. With only 2 Attack this card is not much of a threat, but it gives me an extra card, buys me an extra turn and forces my opponent to use a card or two of their own if they want to clear it from the board.

(1x) Ogre Magi: + Spell Damage. With 4 Attack & 4 Health it is a very balanced Minion.

(2x) Azure Drake: + Spell Damage, plus you draw a card. This Minion is also very balanced.

(1x) Archmage: + Spell Damage. Only costs 6 Mana, and it comes equipped with 7 Health, which makes it relatively difficult to destroy.

(1x) Malygos: + 5 Spell Damage. While I like to finish matches quickly there are always those matches that linger on until Turns 10+. Once this card is on the field, every single one of my damage spells are increased by 5! Unless Malygos is destroyed (or stolen) by a spell, it is nearly impossible for the opponent to summon any new minions. The reason for this is, that simple spells such as Fan of Knives, Shiv, Backstab, Blade Flurry, Eviscerate etc. all get an added 5 damage bonus. If I were just to play 2x Shiv (12 damage) & 2x Eviscerate (18 damage) that would be a total of 30 damage!

Final Thoughts: As I continue to go up the Ranks, I was make minor changes to this deck if I have to. Right now though, I have been winning about 3 out of every 4 matches and I am more than happy with those results. Up until this point I have not played against many Rogues with a similar deck to mine.

Honestly, I have only played a few Rogues so far in my last 2 weeks of Ranked play. Out of the Rogues that I did face, the majority of them were using Mech type decks. I think the fact that the Rogue is not as popular a class gives me advantage over the other players I face. In addition, I believe that I have a unique Rogue deck that most people do not expect to play against.

I'm curious to find out what type of Rogue decks other players come across when they play ranked games. Please let me know in the comments below!

The Ultimate Edwin VanCleef (2 Turn) Combo

One of my favorite things about my Rogue deck is the Legendary card Edwin VanCleef. For those who don't know, for each card that is played earlier in the turn, Edwin VanCleef gains an extra +2 Attack/ +2 Health! With this Combo bonus, it is possible to create a 20+ Attack/ 20+ Defense Minion during a match. Especially when the majority of Rogue spells cost only 2 Mana or less, this card can be a threat on almost every single turn.

While it is possible to create a ridiculously powerful Minion with any spell based Rogue deck from turns 5 and on, I've found the most success when using Edwin VanCleef in the first few turns of a match. If I ever start a match with Edwin VanCleef or the "The Coin" I immediately throw any cards with a Mana Cost of 2 or more back into my deck. The goal is to get cards like Backstab (0), Preparation (0) & Deadly Poison (1) which cost little to no Mana. I can then combo these cards in a single turn while still having enough Mana to play Edwin VanCleef.

Here is an example of a match that I just recently played where I started with Edwin VanCleef & "The Coin" in my hand:

Turn 1: My opponent started the match by playing Leper Gnome. This card is played in the majority of Low Mana Cost aggressive decks. Normally I would use Backstab this turn or use "The Coin" and attack him with my Hero directly. However, knowing I had Edwin VanCleef I had to save both cards for next turn.

Turn 2: I took 2 damage from Leper Gnome, and then my opponent played Knife Juggler. Instead of wasting Backstab on the Leper Gnome I was able to efficiently use it on his (2 Mana Cost card) 3/2 Knife Juggler. Not only that, but it also gave me an extra combo towards Edwin VanCleef. I then used "The Coin" which gave me the 3 Mana I needed to summon a 6/6 Edwin VanCleef!

Turn 3:  By only the third turn of the match I had already had a 6/6 Minion on the board. Unfortunately for my opponent, I don't think that there are many cards 3-4 Mana Cost Cards that can destroy a 6/6 Minion (Especially for a Paladin with an Aggressive deck). He would have had to play a few more turns to play a more powerful card.

However, by this time I would have damaged his hero to below 20HP, plus I would have had board control. It would have been very difficult to come back and win at that point.

Recap: Edwin VanCleef can be used in many different situations. By using combo spells you can usually clear out all enemy minions and then play a X+/X+ of your own. It can really completely change the pace of a match. 

If you have one or two additional Minions on the board before unleashing a combo of this type you are almost always guaranteed a win. This card brings another element of surprise to the Rogue deck and that is why it is one of my favorite cards. Quickly win in the early game or create an extremely powerful Minion in the mid to late game. This card can fit into any kind of Rogue style of play.

If you have any stories or strategies of your own related to Edwin VanCleef please share in the comments below!

Slow Playing Against Mage Mech

Although dealing with early game pressure from low cost minions is tough, I find that early game pressure from a Mech deck is even more difficult. The main reason for this is the fact that if they are not destroyed immediately after each turn, Mech cards provide exponential advantages to each other as they are played. It is a kind of snowball effect that must be taken care of early on or else it becomes too difficult to stop by turns 3 and 4.

In my opinion, the Mechwarper card really provides the true advantage to this deck. Once this card is in play, all of your Mechs cost 1 mana less. It is as if you are getting a free mana crystal to summon a more powerful Mech on turn 3. Even if you are a beginner to Hearthstone you know that a 4 cost minion is much more powerful than a 3 cost one.

In addition, Mech decks also provide your opponent with Spare Part cards which allow their Mech army to become even stronger. Increasing attack, health, giving minions taunt, etc. at only 1 mana cost each, this does not make your job easier versus Mech opponents.

I just tested my luck against a Mage playing an aggressive Mech deck and this is how it went...

My opponent started Turn 1 by playing Cogmaster. This is a 1/2 minion that gains a bonus from other Mech cards, Bonus = "Has +2 attack while you have a mech". Once he played this card (although I couldn't destroy it immediately) I knew 2 things to begin the match.

#1. More Mechs would follow.
#2. I had Fan of Knives & Blade Flurry so I could be a little more patient in the 1-2 turns to follow.

Turn 2: My opponent played the Mechwarper. I played my Mana Addict to try and hopefully absorb some damage.

Turn 3: Unfortunately he ignored my Mana Addict and went straight for my hero instead. Then with Mechwarper in play he was able to summon Mechanical Yeti (4/5 Minion). I decided to use Preparation in order to play Fan of Knives for free and then played a second Fan of Knives. Knowing that I had Deadly Poison x2 and Blade Flurry in my hand I started slow playing my opponent at this point, hoping that he would continue to summon more minion cards.

Turn 4: I used Deadly Poison to finish off his Mechanical Yeti. He played another Mech card. Again I waited, letting my opponent think he had the upper hand with Board Control and a Health Point advantage 23 HP vs. 15 HP.

Turn 5: I was getting a little worried at this point as I was down to only 9HP. However, I knew he played the majority of his Minions. In addition, I knew at least 2 of the cards in his hand were only Spare Parts that he received from his Mech units earlier in the match.

Turn 5:  Still on Turn 5, I knew I could not Slow Play anymore or I would be dead next turn. So immediately I played my Azure Drake (Giving me +1 to Spell Damage). Then I used Preparation to allow me to use Blade Flurry for free! 4 Damage to all enemies and instantly the match turned in my favor.

Turn 6: At this point my opponent was probably not happy, but was still trying to get the win. Using his Spare Part to freeze my Minion he summoned a 5/4 Minion of his own to try and regain the  Board Control that he lost.

Turn 6: Unfortunately for him, I still had 5 cards to choose from and one of them was Eviscerate. Playing the Dalaran Mage activated the combo Mechanic on Eviscerate which allowed me to destroy his Minion.

Turn 7: He played a secret. I attacked him directly with Deadly Poison, but I didn't want to summon any additional Minions just in case the Secret was Mirror Entity (Which would make a copy of the whichever minion I played). Instead I played cautiously and just attacked his Hero with the 2 Minions I had in play.

Turn 8: I'm not sure what Secret he had, but I ended up winning the match!

Recap: Looking back on the game, I think it was best to slow play the Mech Mage because I was able to destroy all 4 minions in one turn. If I would have killed them earlier, my Blade Flurry card would not have been used as efficiently.

I may have been then left with less cards at the end of the match (Which I needed to eventually finish him off). I likely would not have had my Eviscerate or Deadly Poison left and the match may have ended differently. Especially being at only 9HP against a Mage, you are pretty much asking to be Fireballed/Frostbolted to death.

Anyway, this was the strategy I ended up using for this particular match, but if you have any other strategies or tips when facing Mech decks please share in the comments below!

Dealing With Early Paladin Pressure

Paladins have the ability of creating an army of Low Cost Minions at the very start of a match. In, addition, the Paladin Hero Power allows an additional 1/1 minion to take the field.  While these minions usually only have 1-2 attack each, there are a bunch of low cost spells that an easily create a powerful army by turn 4. 

Just to list a few...

(Costs 1 Mana) Blessing of Might: Give a minion +3 attack

(Costs 4 Mana) Blessing of Kings: Give a minion +4 attack, +4 Health

(Costs 1 Mana) Avenge: When one of your minions dies, give a random friendly minion +3/+2.

(Costs 1 Mana) Hand of Protection: Give a minion Divine Shield.

If you don't put a stop to these low cost minions in the first few turns, it can be very difficult to come back and win the match. The following is a match I just played against a Paladin with a similar strategy.

By turn 3 I had used my Dagger Mastery to attack and then destroy his 1/1 Argent Squire (Once he played this card, I figured he had a low cost Minion deck). Next, he used his Hero Power on Turn 2 and then used Muster for Battle on Turn 3, which gave him 3 Silver Hand Recruits and a 1/4 weapon.

I didn't want to risk waiting too long, so I immediately played my Dalaran Mage, Preparation and then I used Blade Fury to clear his minions. Then on Turn 4 I played my Harvest Golem (Very good against low cost minions as it has higher defense and it summons a 2/1 Golem once destroyed).

 By turn six, he had continued to play low cost minions (including using his Hero Power). Instead of using my 2/2's I kept on playing my minions that had higher defense and lower attack. By doing this it allowed me to keep board control, while preventing him from using enhancement spells on his lower cost minions.

Although my minions only did about 3 damage to the Paladin in two turns, they did three things for me:

#1. Kept my opponent from creating any powerful 1/1 minions with his spells.

#2. Bought me a few turns, which allowed me to draw some of my own damage spells.

#3. Did enough damage to get his HP down to the below 15 range. 

 At this point, my opponent had almost run out of cards and I had enough cards to deal the 14+ instant damage that I needed. With the combo of Tinker's Sharpsword Oil & Eviscerate, I was able to deal an extra 14 damage with just these spells alone.

Recap:  Whether it be a Paladin (Warlocks as well) or really any class that it is trying to pressure you early in the match with 1/1 or 2/1 minions, the most important thing is for you to notice their strategy immediately. This strategy is to kill you as quickly as possible!

If you do not have an AOE (Area of Effect) spell, which can wipe out multiple minions at once, it is extremely important to destroy the minions as they are played. Use your Hero Power or whatever spells you have at your disposal, but always try to be efficient as possible. For example, use 1 card to destroy 1 opponent's card or maybe use 2 if your opponent's card is a big threat (Usually a higher mana cost). Never use 3+ cards to destroy 1 of your opponent's cards unless you're about to lose the match or if you benefit from a card's "Deathrattle" mechanic.

However, if you do have an AOE spell (Eg. Fan of Knives, Blade Fury) a lot of times it can be better to wait an extra turn or two. Patience is very important here as you may be able to destroy 3-4 minions at once rather than 1-2. However, if you are taking too much damage early on it may be better to clear the board more quickly (Use your judgement). This will give you a 1-2 card advantage over your opponent. There have been matches where I waited 3 extra turns as I had Deadly Poison, Blade Fury & a low Cost +1 Spell Minion. This combo resulted in a 4 damage AOE attack, destroying all 6 enemy minions at once.

At this point you have complete control of the match and 99% of the time it's a win.

Good Luck!

Winning (19 Total Damage) Combo In Arena

This post is meant to show just a small sample of what Rogues can do when combos are used effectively.

Quick Recap: I only had a 2/3 minion creature out on the field and my opponent had a 7/7 and a 3/2. I was down to 11 Health and my opponent still had 19 Health left.

Luckily, from the picture you can see I had 4 cards left and it was my turn. By playing Arcane Golem I was able to activate the combo mechanic on the 3 cards in my hand. With the combo activated, 2x Cold Blood = 8 extra attack for Arcane Golem on this turn and 1x Eviscerate = 4 extra damage.

Being that Arcane Golem had charge, I was able to use those 4 cards to do a total of 16 damage that my opponent did not expect. In addition, I used my Hero Power for 1 damage and my 2/3 creature for 2 damage for a total of 19 damage on one turn!

Most classes cannot chain together multiple cards on one turn and deal large amounts of damage at once. Therefore, most opponents may think they have the advantage in this situation having board control and being up by 8 HP (Rightfully so). However, Rogues have the capability of winning a match instantly, especially when there are still a lot of cards in his/her hand.

Although I have never done this myself, I have seen Rogues on the verge of losing put together an 8 card 30+ damage combo. Hopefully, I'll be able to do this one day!