Welcome to my SOU Thief Priest guide
Huh, Uldum. The place that started it all. It's funny how fate works. It strings together a chain of events, which lead us on unknown paths, and at the end we get where we started. It brings together the beginning and the end, forms a circle. I didn't think I would return, but here I stand, looking at the desert in this gloomy day, seeing the Halls of Origination, the Lost City of the Tol'vir, the three Obelisks and the numerous tombs out there. I can't help but remember that one time I stole the Staff of Origination and absorbed its powers, as if it was yesterday. That feeling... pure ecstasy. I felt invulnerable, superior... LIKE A GOD. That was until...
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
I remember the time
When I was in my prime
Plundering mausoleums,
tombs and museums.
Powerful relics lay in my lair.
I was ready to devour
the world with their power
Without a worry or care.
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
Then along came the explorers' team
with their meddlesome dream -
they defeated me, the archaeologist supreme,
and stopped my nefarious scheme.
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
Now I've returned,
cuz' from Tekahn I've learnt
'bout a hidden weapon here in Uldum.
With it I will wreak gloom and doom
And I won't stop until I quench
my thirst for revenge.
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
This is where you step in. You see, I need to locate the key, which will activate the ancient Forge of Origination, so I can wreak chaos all I want. The problem is, that King Phaoris and his annoying Ramkahen Tol'Vir hid it somewhere safe and not even Tekahn knows where it is. So we need to scour every tomb, every sarcophagus, every wall crack and grain of sand, in order to find it. We need to make sure, that nothing stays behind once we are finished. If we follow this plan, then we will surely stumble upon the key at some point. So tell me, fellow EVILDOER:
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
Are you in or out?
Double-crosser or devout?
You are the one I need
for this dirty deed.
Are you foe or friend?
Here's the path I recommend
You want a ride to fame?
I offer the fastest way;
What's it gonna be?
Are you in or out?
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
Whew, that was exhausting. It took me forever to write and memorize this song. Do you see all those mummies over there? Why do you think I summoned them in the first place? I just needed a captive audience, in front of which I could rehearse this song. Anyway I see you are interested in staying. Good, you have made the right choice. Consider my performance as being part of your welcoming ceremony. But don't get puffed up just because you got a bit of attention. I'm the perky one around here. After all, not everyone can carry the weight of bearing the "Supreme Archaeologist" title.
So now that you've joined the party, meet the rest of the gan... What’s that? Your payment? Do you want me to give you a hug or something? Tell you what, I will give you a “special” star everytime you win a battle. If you are on a winning streak, I might give you a second one, so you would feel a bit more special. wuss If this isn’t enough, you can take a picture of yourself holding a shiny relic and you can sign it if you want. The item however will be left in Togwaggle's newly established bank in Dalaran, where it will serve a greater good for the league of EVIL. Mostly me.
Now where was I. Ah, yes - the crew. As the Supreme Mastermind of this raid I can't assist you directly on the battlefield. I have to arrange some things with Tekahn, to plan which places we must strike and it will be a good idea to supervise all of my goons. But that's why I have assigned some of my best men to aid you in your mission. The pesky murloc is rising an army of the undead, in order to fill his ranks. You need to do the same. My ethereal servants will show you the way how to master necromancy to its full potential. You can practise it on your living test subjects, aka the units in your small team. They won't mind your little experiments on them, since they are used to dying. I've also gathered you two scrolls of a Zandalari Voodoo magic, which can conjure an exact replica of the character you most desire. Not even their mother would be able to tell them apart. This is one of the reasons why I'm not directly taking part of your group - I don't want you to make a copy of me. After all, there could be only one true Rafaam, the Supreme Archaeologist around here. Anyway, you will also be getting the help of a fanatic cultist, who might be a bit crazy, but he knows how to steal stuff. And I like him because of it. And lastly but not least, I have assigned the cunning Madame Lazul to help you foresee the enemy's tactics and use them against them.
► Possible Combos
► Strategy
- Versus Faster decks - clear, heal, clear, heal, stabilize, steal and emote.
- Versus Control - steal, clear, steal, heal, steal, steal, steal and emote.
- Versus Combo - run Dirty Rat, play it, ruin their strategy, steal and emote.
► General Mulligan
- Versus Faster decks - Look for Mass Hysteria, Questing Explorer, Crystalline Oracle/Conjured Mirage.
- Versus Control - Look for Questing Explorer, Shadow Visions. The rest can be deathrattle minions.
- Versus Combo - include Dirty Rat and try to find it.
► Class Specific Strategies
Warrior
I haven't seen a warrior on the ladder yet.
If you accidentally stumble upon a warrior player, then it's more likely to be a Pirate Warrior than anything else. They play aggro, so it's a good idea to find your cheap defensive tools. Clear their pirates, keep their board in check and play the control game.
If it isn't a pirate, then you could be playing against an odd deck. Which is control and thus a favourable MU. If this isn't the case either, den buckle up fo a looooooooooooong DMH Warrior game. Try to dump your hand and play Archbishop Benedictus only after they cast Dead Man's Hand (while dodging deir Dirty Rat). Don't let dem mill crucial cards with Coldlight Oracle or Brann Bronzebeard + Coldlight Oracle.
Hunter
Paladin
Rogue
Odd or Pirate Kingsbane, but this isn't a common encounter. Just find your defensive tools (Mass Hysteria, Conjured Mirage) or your other cheap cards and try to stall the game as much as possible.
Shaman
Jade - although I have played only once against this on the ladder, I played the shaman deck myself and I can safely say, that it can be a real monster. Don't know if jade quest shaman is going to become a high tier deck anytime soon, but my tips would be to find and play deathrattle minions on curve. The only way to beat it is to build a board, before their jades become godlike. Save Shadowreaper Anduin, when the opponent plays Shudderwock.
Druid
I haven't faced that many druids so far. Most of them were playing jade (either the old version or the Linecracker one).
Jade - save Entomb for Aya Blackpaw. In this MU I try to dump my hand, thus deny gettin milled from Naturalize by throwing away useless spells. I preserve the most valuable ones (Mass Hysteria, Psychic Scream) for the moment, when the opponent's jades become huge. I don't play N'Zoth, if the opponent's board is empty - I don't want to lose it to Poison Seeds.
Warlock
Haven't really faced any serious warlock decks on the ladder so far, so I will copy/paste my old guide:
Evenlock - if you somehow know, that your opponent is playing this deck, keep Shadow Visions and Mass Hysteria. The strategy here is pretty simple - clear, heal, survive and then out-value the enemy. If you are having a lot of health and spare mana, heal your opponent. This way we play around Hooked Reaver and Molten Giant.
Renolock - outvalue them. Play Entomb on Voidlord and Mal'Ganis. Play Archbishop Benedictus fast, because you don't want to risk him being pulled by a Dirty Rat. Oftentimes I purposely don't play any stolen minions from my hand just to minimize the chances of letting my opponent pull Amara or Benedictus.
Mage
Priest
Your opponent will most likely be Big Priest. The strategy here is pretty simple - steal their annoying minions and narrow down their resurrection pool. This is why I ALWAYS try to find Entomb in my mulligan stage (+ Shadow Visions into a third one or a copy of Psychic Scream). The only minions, which are not worth stealing are Barnes and Obsidian Statue. And if the opponent plays or coins out Archmage Vargoth, don't be afraid of him just yet. He can't do anything on turn 4 or 5. He becomes scary with Shadow Essence, because the priest player can recruit two minions and have two extra bodies in the resurrection pool + a Vargoth multiplying their future ress spells, so I always Entomb him right before the Big Priest opponent reaches turn 6.
Oftentimes, when I cast Psychic Scream, I try to shuffle a really weak minion in the opponent's deck. It's advisable for you to do the same, because anything small would instantly become a dead card or a bad target for SE.
► A Ladderworthy Deck
If you want to have a bigger share of the pie, you have to climb up the ladder. And this includes taking more serious and risky tasks. Luckily for you, I have just that. I'm looking for someone, who is eager enough to go on a dangerous mission deep into the Halls of Origination, where they will encounter various booby traps and guardians, ready to squash all trespassers. Once you are ready to take this mission, I will supply you with a heavy ammunition:
Something is missing in our phenomenal operation. Let's see, I told you about the different tactics and the weapons of choice. But something isn't right yet. Of course, it's so obvious. It's you! You look so greyish and boring. You can't go ransacking Uldum like that. You have to do it
You need to represent our league the best way possible and you mustn't do it silently. Your clothes have to be flashy, your actions - loud. After all, how else would we be able to rub our success in the faces of those goody two-shoes heroes? You have to nag the opponent everytime you steal something good. You have to make sure they fear you for misusing their weapons for your own devilish needs.
And lastly, I have to warn you that you will face a tough resistance the further you venture into Uldum. You will encounter a lot of enemies, who will take their role as protectors very seriously. They would use only the most powerful items against you and would try to refrain us from doing our mischiefs. Even if this is the case, you must always keep your spirit high and continue plundering. The victory of crushing them would be sweeter. The spirit of the master thief is unbreakable and you must always pillage no matter the cost. That's the message you have to send to your opponents. Play a music in the background, so those would know that they don't face an ordinary villain.
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