Combo

Combo
A bonus if you already played a card this turn.

Combo is an ability where the stated effect occurs if the card is not the first one played from the hand during the turn. Cards with this ability are limited to the rogue class.

The term "combo" is also often used to refer to a sequence of cards or actions which are unleashed in quick succession, with or without Combo effects.

Notes

• If the player has already played a card that turn, any cards in the player's hand with Combo effects will be highlighted orange, to indicate that playing those cards will also trigger their Combo effects.
• While similar to Battlecries, Combo effects function separately, and are not affected by related effects such as Nerub'ar Weblord.
• As of Patch 9.0.0.20457, using Plague Lord (Malfurion the Pestilent's Hero Power) counts as an activator for combo effects. This is probably a bug.

Strategy

If you use a deck with a lot of cards with Combo effects, cheap cards work really great since they can allow you to use a Combo effect easily. Backstab, for example, can be used to kill a weak minion, while you don't lose any mana playing it, which allows you to use a Combo effect for your whole mana pool. If you have too many Combo cards, you might have to waste a Combo effect to then be able to use other Combo effects.

The Coin can be used as a card to build up for a potential use of a card with a Combo effect. A classic tactic is to use The Coin on your first round, and then play Defias Ringleader. This will most likely give you a strong board advantage on your first turn since its Combo effect summons a Defias Bandit, a 2/1 minion. To improve this play, you can then use Shadowstep on your Defias Ringleader, and play it again, which gives you another Defias Bandit, therefore giving you two 2/1 minions and one 2/2 minion on your first turn. This play is one reason why playing second as the rogue is often considered an advantage. Similar plays utilizing combo effects can be enabled with cards that generate Coins or cheap spells, like Xaril, Poisoned Mind's Toxins or Razorpetal Lasher's Petals.

Headcrack is the only card that can be used to combo continuously. Because it returns to your hand and you draw a card each turn, you will always have at least two cards in hand.

Youthful Brewmaster has a great amount of synergy in Combo decks. It can return a Defias Ringleader or a SI:7 Agent before or after it has attacked, allowing you to re-summon it immediately for another Combo. Even returning a Defias Bandit can be useful to start a Combo on a further turn.

Cards with Combo

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Wand Thief	Common	Minion	General		1	1	2	Combo: Discover a Mage spell. "What’re ya buyin’?”
Cold Blood	Common	Spell		Rogue	2			Give a minion +2 Attack. Combo: +4 Attack instead. "I'm cold blooded, check it and see!"
Defias Ringleader	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	2	2	2	Combo: Summon a 2/1 Defias Bandit. He stole the deed to town years ago, so technically the town is his. He just calls people Scrub to be mean.
Eviscerate	Common	Spell		Rogue	2			Deal 2 damage. Combo: Deal 4 damage instead. There is a high cost to Eviscerating your opponent. You might tweak your elbow! That really hurts!
Swindle	Common	Spell		Rogue	2			Draw a spell. Combo: And a minion. You know, it's probably just cheaper to find a place that sells the plushie?
EVIL Miscreant	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	3	1	4	Combo: Add two random Lackeys to your hand. Because there are no G.O.O.D. Miscreants.
Hooked Scimitar	Common	Weapon		Rogue	3	2	2	Combo: Gain +2 Attack. Oooooooooooow. I'm hooked on a scimitar!
Brain Freeze	Rare	Spell			1			Freeze a minion. Combo: Also deal 3 damage to it. "The professor called on me, and I totally froze!"
Prize Plunderer	Rare	Minion	Pirate	Rogue	1	2	1	Combo: Deal 1 damage to a minion for each other card you've played this turn. But he'll never be able to plunder the prize of a happy childhood.
Coerce	Rare	Spell			3			Destroy a damaged minion. Combo: Destroy any minion. "Give me your lunch money, or the sandwich gets it!"
Headcrack	Rare	Spell		Rogue	3			Deal 2 damage to the enemy hero. Combo: Return this to your hand next turn. When all else fails, nothing beats a swift whack upside the head.
Perdition's Blade	Rare	Weapon		Rogue	3	2	2	Battlecry: Deal 1 damage. Combo: Deal 2 instead. Perdition's Blade is Ragnaros's back-up weapon while Sulfuras is in the shop.
SI:7 Agent	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	3	3	3	Combo: Deal 2 damage. The agents of SI:7 are responsible for Stormwind's covert activities. Their duties include espionage, assassination, and throwing surprise birthday parties for the royal family.
Necrium Apothecary	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	5	2	5	Combo: Draw a Deathrattle minion from your deck and gain its Deathrattle. Necrium: Get the afterlife without the aftertaste!
Shadow Sculptor	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	5	3	2	Combo: Draw a card for each card you've played this turn. Carving out new territory in the realm of shadow puppetry.
Kidnapper	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	6	5	3	Combo: Return a minion to its owner's hand. He just wants people to see his vacation photos.
Edwin VanCleef	Legendary	Minion	General	Rogue	3	2	2	Combo: Gain +2/+2 for each other card you've played this turn. He led the Stonemasons in the reconstruction of Stormwind, and when the nobles refused to pay, he founded the Defias Brotherhood to, well, deconstruct Stormwind.
Showing all 17 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Bladed Cultist	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	1	1	2	Combo: Gain +1/+1. He has a poor understanding of the law of diminishing returns.
Jade Shuriken	Common	Spell		Rogue	2			Deal 2 damage. Combo: Summon a Jade Golem. Good news is, after you remove it from your wound, you can use it to pay your medical bills!
Undercity Valiant	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	2	3	2	Combo: Deal 1 damage. Almost went to play for Stormwind before signing with Undercity.
Cutthroat Buccaneer	Common	Minion	Pirate	Rogue	3	2	4	Combo: Give your weapon +1 Attack. In life he worked as a sword swallower.
Plague Scientist	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	3	2	3	Combo: Give a friendly minion Poisonous. The excruciating pain means it's working!
Tinker's Sharpsword Oil	Common	Spell		Rogue	4			Give your weapon +3 Attack. Combo: Give a random friendly minion +3 Attack. "Get ready to strike oil!" - Super-cheesy battle cry
Crazed Chemist	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	5	4	4	Combo: Give a friendly minion +4 Attack. You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps.
Shado-Pan Rider	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	5	3	7	Combo: Gain +3 Attack. He needed a break after that business in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. Naturally, he chose to spend his vacation in an icy snowscape killing monsters.
Gadgetzan Ferryman	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	2	2	3	Combo: Return a friendly minion to your hand. Is it just me, or is there something fishy about that ferryman?
Raiding Party	Rare	Spell		Rogue	3			Draw two Pirates from your deck. Combo: Draw a Weapon. And a bowl of chips. And some of those little cocktail weenies!
Elven Minstrel	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	4	3	2	Combo: Draw 2 minions from your deck. "After that gig in Hamlin went south, I swore off rats."
Biteweed	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	2	1	1	Combo: Gain +1/+1 for each other card you've played this turn. AKA Edwin VanLeaf.
Sabotage	Epic	Spell		Rogue	4			Destroy a random enemy minion. Combo: And your opponent's weapon. Rogues can't stand it. They know you planned it! They are going to set you straight!
Vilespine Slayer	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	5	3	4	Combo: Destroy a minion. 'Cause slayers gonna slay, slay, slay, slay, slay.
Spectral Pillager	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	6	5	5	Combo: Deal damage equal to the number of other cards you've played this turn. It turns out you CAN take it with you.
Showing all 15 cards

Sources of Combo

Combo-generating cards

This section lists cards which generate Combo cards.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Shifty Sophomore	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	4	4	4	Stealth Spellburst: Add a Combo card to your hand. Experienced enough to do crimes, inexperienced enough to be super obvious about it.
Whirlkick Master	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	2	1	2	Whenever you play a Combo card, add a random Combo card to your hand. C-c-combo!
Showing all 2 cards

Related cards

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Foxy Fraud	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	2	3	2	Battlecry: Your next Combo card this turn costs (2) less. His other street con involves a druid. He can't pull it off without a plant.
Whirlkick Master	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	2	1	2	Whenever you play a Combo card, add a random Combo card to your hand. C-c-combo!
Showing all 2 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Spirit of the Shark	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	4	0	3	Stealth for 1 turn. Your minions' Battlecries and Combos trigger twice. It has Stealth, but its ominous theme music keeps giving it away.
Cursed Castaway	Rare	Minion	Pirate	Rogue	6	5	3	Rush Deathrattle: Draw a Combo card from your deck. She was an ordinary castaway... until she found that cursed volleyball.
Showing all 2 cards

References

	Cards
By type	Hero card Minion (Permanent) Spell Weapon
By class	Demon Hunter Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior
By minion type	All Beast Demon Dragon Elemental Mech Murloc Pirate Totem General
By ability	Evergreen keywords	Battlecry Choose One Combo Deathrattle Discover Divine Shield Freeze Lifesteal Outcast Overload Poisonous Rush Secret Silence Spell Damage Stealth Taunt Windfury
	Other keywords	Adapt Casts When Drawn Charge Choose Twice Corrupt Dormant Echo Immune Inspire Invoke Jade Golem Lackey Magnetic Mega-Windfury Overkill Passive Quest Reborn Recruit Sidequest Spare Part Spellburst Start of Game Twinspell
	Other abilities	Can't attack Cast spell Copy Deal damage Destroy Discard Draw cards Elusive Enrage Equip Force attack Forgetful Gain Armor Generate Highlander Joust Modify cost Put into battlefield Put into hand Recurring Refresh Mana Remove from deck Replace Restore Health Return to hand Shuffle into deck Spend mana Summon Take control Transform Unlimited attacks Upgradable
	Non-Constructed	Auto-Attack Auto-cast Shrine Start of Combat
By effect type	Area of effect In-deck effect In-hand effect On-discard effect On-draw effect Ongoing effect Positional effect Random effect Resurrection effect Triggered effect
By card set	Standard	Basic Classic Rise of Shadows Saviors of Uldum Descent of Dragons Galakrond's Awakening Demon Hunter Initiate Ashes of Outland Scholomance Academy Madness at the Darkmoon Faire
	Wild	Hall of Fame Curse of Naxxramas Goblins vs Gnomes Blackrock Mountain Grand Tournament The League of Explorers Whispers of the Old Gods One Night in Karazhan Mean Streets of Gadgetzan Journey to Un'Goro Knights of the Frozen Throne Kobolds & Catacombs The Witchwood The Boomsday Project Rastakhan's Rumble
By rarity	Free Common Rare Epic Legendary