For Rogues, the only code is the contract, and their honor is purchased in gold. Free from the constraints of a conscience, these mercenaries rely on brutal and efficient tactics. Lethal assassins and masters of stealth, they will approach their marks from behind, piercing a vital organ and vanishing into the shadows before the victim hits the ground.  (source)

The pleasure is mine. There's a lot to learn when jumping in to Hearthstone, and the goal of this guide is to help you get a clearer understand of this class's basic cards. You'll also find the levels at which you unlock cards & their golden versions.

The Rogue class can be unlocked by defeating an opponent playing the class. It's identity involves weapons, combos, thieving, trickery, efficiency, and stealth. As you level your Rogue you will unlock the remainder of the class cards, many of which are quite powerful.

Basic Class Cards

You begin with 5 of your class cards available, while the other 5 must be earned through playing that class. An overview of these cards can be found below:

Backstab Card Image
Golden Copies - Levels 36 & 38

Backstab has no cost but a lot of utility.

  • It can only be cast on 'undamaged' minions and that is important to keep in mind when considering your line of play.
  • Rogue has a unique keyword called Combo which triggers an additional effect if a another card has been play previously on the same turn.
  • This card is a good example of one to use to trigger Combo effects.
  • Works well early in the game to remove smaller minions.

This card is best used:

  • To trigger Combo effects of other cards.
  • For removing minions swiftly early game or deal initial damage later on.
  • In combination with Spell Damage.

 

Deadly Poison Card Image
Golden Copies - Levels 43 & 44

Deadly Poison is a spell that buffs your weapons with +2 Attack.

  • This buff may be cast on any weapon. The weapon must be equipped.
  • Try to maximize value of weapon buffs by paying attention to Durability. If you are buffing a dagger from Dagger Mastery for example, you ideally want it to be unused at 2 Durability to deal your +2 damage on two separate attacks.

This card is best used:

  • On weapons with a decent amount of durability.

 

 

 

 

Sinister Strike Card Image
Golden Copies - Levels 15 & 20

Sinister Strike is very straightforward. When you cast this, your opponent takes 3 damage. 

  • Spell damage does apply, and this has been used many times for a win condition with cards like Malygos.

This card is best used:

  • In combination with Spell Damage for a possible win condition.

 

 

 

 

 

Sap Card Image
Golden Copies - Levels 40 & 42

Sap removes enemy minions from the board, but not by destruction.

  • A targetable enemy minion of your choice will be returned to your opponent's hand.
  • This will result in the loss of any effects applied to or provided by the card, and they will have to spend mana to play it again.
  • Can be used to counter opponents that utilize multiple minion buffs, hide behind large taunt minions, reset tempo, and more!

This card is best used:

  • On high-cost minions.
  • On buffed minions or those that provide active effects to the board.
  • To deal lethal damage by removing a minion blocking your attacks.
  • To reset tempo of your opponent and undo one of their plays.

 

Assassinate Card Image
Golden Copies - Levels 47 & 48

Assassinate is a straightforward but powerful card. Any targetable minion will be destroyed when it is cast on them; simple.

  • This is a hard removal spell and should be used sparingly for key threats and valuable targets.

This card is best used:

  • On minions with a large Health pool or that are otherwise difficult to remove.
  • To destroy threatening minions that you are inaccessible.

 

 

 

Cards Unlocked Through Class Level

Additional cards are earned ever 2 levels, up to 10. Levels are earned through individual class experience, and that is a product of playing the game!

We will give an overview of these locked class cards, and at which level you can access them:

Shiv Card Image
Unlocked - Level 2
Golden Copies - Levels 45 & 46

Shiv is a good card for cycling your deck and consistency. It will allow you to deal 1 damage before you draw.

  • Playing this in combination with Spell Damage can make it more valuable.

This card is best used:

  • To increase consistency of your deck.
  • In combination with Spell Damage.

 

 

 

 

Fan of Knives Card Image
Unlocked - Level 4
Golden Copies - Levels 28 & 30

Fan of Knives is one of this class's very few AOE spells.

  • It deals 1 damage to all enemy minions, but this can be scaled with spell power.
  • The draw component makes this a valuable card.
  • If you don't have a use for the damage but need to draw a card it is acceptable to cycle it.

This card is best used:

  • To damage multiple enemy minions.
  • Do draw cards and increase deck consistency.
  • In combination with spell power.

 

 

 

 

Assassin's Blade Card Image
Unlocked - Level 6
Golden Copies - Levels 32 & 34

Assassin's Blade is a durable weapon that can deal a total of 12 damage over 4 attacks.

  • It can be a great tool for keeping enemy minions under control or dealing significant damage to the enemy hero.
  • Weapon buffs work very well with this as it has several Durability.
  • Be aware that you will take damage when attacking enemy minions, and if you are not careful attacking too much could give you opponent an easy lethal.

This card is best used:

  • To dole out a lot of damage over multiple turns.
  • In combination with weapon buffs like Deadly Poison.

 

 

 

Plaguebringer Card Image
Unlocked - Level 8
Golden Copies - Levels 23 & 26

Plaguebringer is a reasonably statted minion that can allow another minion you control to gain Poisonous.

  • The Poisonous keyword causes any amount of damage dealt to an enemy minion to destroy it, ignoring health.
  • This is a new card that replaced Vanish in standard; it's value is not established yet.

This card is best used:

  • To remove high-health or otherwise pesky minions.
  • To get more value out of smaller tokens.
  • In combination with Battlecry synergy.

 

 

 

Sprint Card Image
Unlocked - Level 10
Golden Copies - Levels 49 & 50

Sprint does one thing - draw a lot of cards. 

  • Four cards drawn by one card is a lot. It can allow you to find additional options and refill your hand.
  • It is expensive, so you may not be able to play much on the same turn. Use Preparation to reduce it's cost.
  • Be aware of your hand size before you use this. If you can not hold all of the cards the excess will be burned.
  • If your deck is out of cards you will start to take fatigue damage.

This card is best used:

  • To refill your hand when you are running low on cards to play.
  • In combination with Preparation.

 

| Check out the lore of Hearthstone Heroes! |

| View all playable Heroes! |

| New Player's Guide! |