Passably competitive wombo combo rogue [9-9 at ...
- Last updated Dec 3, 2019 (Shaman Nerfs)
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Wild
- 17 Minions
- 13 Spells
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Unknown
- Crafting Cost: 10560
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 9/19/2019 (Saviors of Uldum)
- aqword
- Registered User
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- 1
- 16
- 31
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Battle Tag:
aqword#1607
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Region:
N/A
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Total Deck Rating
82
I've gotten more "wow" emotes from my opponents while playing this deck than with with any other deck I've ever played.
I think that's for two reasons:
- The deck uses a bunch of generally terrible cards. Put together, those cards end up having really strong effects.
- Portal Keeper is a pretty weak card. Cult Master is a pretty weak card. But when you combine them, you end up creating a bunch of 2/2 rushes that create other 2/2 rushes OR put 1-cost cards in your hand (a la Academic Espionage) OR summon other minions (a la Shadow of Death).
- Khartut Defender (or Zilliax) combines with Shadow of Death and Soup Vendor to give taunting minions that heal you and draw more taunt minions that heal you.
- At 7 mana, Sprint usually has a huge tempo cost. But when your deck is full of rushes and taunts and 1-cost cards, it becomes much stronger. Octosari, on the other hand, well that's just crazy good.
- To some extent, this is a Control Rogue, yet "Control Rogue" feels like a contradiction of terms. Rogue doesn't have any wide board clears. It doesn't have it's own life gain or taunt. It's amazing that a control rogue would even work at all. With this deck, I've matched card for card with battlecry shaman and control warrior all the way to the end of their deck and won.
I've refined the deck several times to get it to the current version that wins half the time (in the last 18 games at legend). It's definitely not Tier 1, but it may have potential to be improved further. The biggest defining factor of the current version is the additional card draw (with Cult Master and Soup Vendor) as well as the life gain (with Zilliax, Khartut Defender, and Shadow of Death).
Mulligan for portal keeper, shadow of death, and anything that will help you stave off early-game aggression (Backstab, Edwin VanCleef, EVIL Miscreant w/ Backstab or the coin, even Knife Juggler, although it's much better once you have free reborn minions popping out of your deck.).
How to play it
- In the early game, tempo out any minions you have to fight for board, even if they're less than ideal.
- In most cases, you should save Shadow of Death to play on either Zilliax or Khartut Defender. An ideal play is Khartut Defender on 6 followed by Augmented Elekk and Shadow of Death on 7. Once you've got 6 free Khartuts or Zilliaxes coming from your deck, you're very favored to win.
- (In some cases, Shadow of Death can work well on an enemy charge minion. Why hello, King Krushes.)
- Play Cult Master if you can draw with it on the same turn you play it.
- Only play Myra's Unstable Element if you're reasonably sure that you'll have an Academic Espionage or two Shadow of Deaths left in your hand afterward. (I tried an earlier version with Chef Nomi, but it often lost the turn before it would win. This leaner version is much more of a control deck and doesn't have a lot of refill after you play Myra's.)
- Don't play Academic Espionage unless you have a lot of card draw available. (With Soup Vendor, Cult Master, Sprint, Myra's Unstable Element, and Octosari, there's the potential for a LOT of card draw, so you shouldn't have to wait too long.) As a rule of thumb, I'd say either save it for a turn where you can draw at least 4 cards or else save it for after you use Myra's. (Following up a Myra's with Elekk + Espionage and some way to draw those 1-cost cards can be a great way to both out-tempo and out-value your opponent.)
The deck is weakest against Hunter, Rogue, and Aggro Warrior. There may be some opportunity to improve the winrate by teching it better against aggro.
How important is Myra's Unstable Element in this deck?
The deck sounds super interesting, but as a FTP player I have to use my dust carefully. I am missing Myras and 2 x Shadow of Death but have the rest of the cards.
My thoughts: If there is an acceptable replacement for Myra's (I know there of course is nothing like it) I could craft the 2 SOD, and give it a go. If I like the deck I could later craft Myras.
So how vitals is Myras, and what would you play instead?
Thanks for the deck and guide.
The Shadow of Deaths are absolutely necessary. (They're much stronger than I expected them to be. Combining them with the health-gaining taunts is the main way you survive with this deck and also one of the main ways you outvalue your opponent. Crafting one should be enough to get a sense of whether you like the deck before crafting the second; they probably don't fit in any other decks.)
The Myra's Unstable Element isn't essential (although Academic Espionage and Shadow of Death both become extremely powerful when played after it). I've had games where I just held it in my hand the whole time. You might try replacing it with anything else that draws multiple cards (Gadgetzan Auctioneer, Acolyte of Pain) or potentially with one more health-gaining taunt so that you have time to draw extra cards (Rotten Applebaum). Or maybe even a Portal Overfiend (which would end up being a form of card draw when combined with Cult Master). Of those, I'd try the Applebaum first.
Let me know what you try and how it goes. Hope you like the deck!
False advertising. This can't be a control deck if it loses to aggro. This is a value deck which fits into midrange. Other than that, interesting deck currently matched a hunter, 3 rogues and an aggro warrior so probably not the best meta.
I suppose you're right. "Control" might be the wrong word. But it's closer to control than any other rogue I've ever seen. I do think it has the potential to be powerful if the meta shifts away from aggro.