Rogue

The  Rogue is one of the ten classes in Hearthstone, represented by Valeera Sanguinar, Cap'n Valeera, and Maiev Shadowsong.

Heroes

Overview

Rogues are backstabbing assassins, known for their stealth, speed and deadly efficiency. Masters of deadly poisons and hidden strikes, most victims of rogues never see their attacker coming. Rogues can slip silently among the shadows, sowing distrust and betrayal among allies, incapacitating sentries and assassinating targets without a sound. Rogues are also masters of speed, unleashing flurries of attacks in devastating combos before sprinting to safety or vanishing out of sight.

Rogues can equip a range of weapons to deal with their enemies on a personal basis. Unlike the huge, clumsy weapons favoured by warriors, rogues prefer small, light weapons such as daggers and knives which they can use to take out their opponents one by one. Rogues always have a knife hidden somewhere, and are always ready to get their hands a little dirty.

Background

Main article: Rogue

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. Rogues can dip their weapons in paralyzing toxins that render foes unable to defend themselves. These silent stalkers wear leather armor so they can move unencumbered, ensuring that they land the first strike.

With the rogue’s poisons and speed, the first strike is often the last step before the killing blow.

Hero Power

Hero Powers are unique abilities, specific to each class. Hero Powers cost 2 mana, and can be used once per turn.

The rogue Hero Power offers some ability to maintain board control, as it allows your hero to destroy 1-Health minions. This allows you to establish control and force them to waste valuable removal early on. This can also allow you to keep your minions alive longer, adding value. Be careful though, don't take your own Health too low attacking minions or you can tip the advantage into a disadvantage very quickly!

Replacement Hero Powers

Justicar Trueheart Battlecry and Baku the Mooneater Start of Game effect will replace Dagger Mastery with Poisoned Daggers.

Valeera the Hollow Battlecry will replace the current Hero Power with Death's Shadow, as well as replacing the hero.

Bazaar Burglary will replace the current Hero Power with Ancient Blades once the Quest is completed.

Galakrond, the Nightmare will replace the current Hero Power with Galakrond's Guile, as well as replacing the hero.

Unique mechanics

Combo is an ability where the stated effect occurs only if the card is not the first one played during the turn. Playing any card is sufficient to trigger a Combo, but Hero Powers will not trigger Combos. Cards with this ability are limited to the rogue class. For more information, see Combo.

Examples:

• Using Backstab and then Eviscerate will trigger Eviscerate's Combo effect, making it deal 4 damage instead of 2.

• Using Preparation and then Headcrack will trigger Headcrack's Combo effect, returning it to your hand next turn.

Strategy

The rogue class has a number of different play styles. One of the main threats a rogue presents is the ability to do a lot of damage quickly, using Combo effects together with the rogue's Hero Power weapon to do surprising burst damage. Minions like Questing Adventurer, Mana Addict, and Edwin VanCleef can be buffed up to huge amounts of damage by using the rogue's arsenal of numerous low-cost spell cards, while cards like Gadgetzan Auctioneer give the draw power needed to sustain combos. Other good rogue burst cards include Tinker's Sharpsword Oil, Deadly Poison and Cold Blood, as well as their various direct damage spells.

A Combo card is a card that has an additional effect if it is played after any other card. These effects can range from additional damage to drawing another card. In general Combo rewards the use of cheap cards (primarily spells) and allows the rogue to deal large amounts of damage in a single turn. Synergistic rogue cards include Preparation, Backstab and Counterfeit Coin. Edwin VanCleef is the archetypal Combo card, potentially growing into a monster if the rogue can play enough cards that turn.

Rogues are exceptional at using single target damaging abilities on both minions and heroes with cards like Eviscerate, Shadow Strike, and Headcrack, as well as minion Battlecries like SI:7 Agent, Dark Iron Skulker and Undercity Valiant. This aspect can be augmented with decks focused on increasing Spell Damage which allows rogues to whittle down the enemy hero with strengthened spells while also buffing weak spells like Backstab and Fan of Knives into formidable removal cards. Rogues also possess many single target hard removal like Assassinate, Vilespine Slayer, and Blade of C'Thun to push aside whatever huge minion the opponent plays to block their way while keep them defenseless as their health is chipped away at.

The rogue Hero Power Dagger Mastery provides a constant opportunity for low damage removal or hero damage, but can be improved with cards like Deadly Poison, Buccaneer, and Goblin Auto-Barber to much higher levels, in turn setting up the possibility of a Blade Flurry for high damage removal. Rogues can also equip a range of other weapons, such as Assassin's Blade, Perdition's Blade, Deadly Fork, and Kingsbane.

The rogue weapon theme ties into another: Pirates. Rogues have access to the only class-specific cards for the Pirate minion type, with One-Eyed Cheat, Buccaneer, and Luckydo Buccaneer as well as the synergistic Shady Dealer. The constant availability of weapons to the rogue fits well with the weapon-dependency of Pirate cards like Small-time Buccaneer, Southsea Deckhand, Dread Corsair and Captain Greenskin, although arguably not as well as that of the warrior.

Return effects are another theme of the rogue class, allowing their minions to slip away to restore themselves, or forcing the opponent's minions to retreat back into the hand. Shadowstep, Gadgetzan Ferryman, Anub'ar Ambusher and Daring Escape are friendly examples, while Sap, Vanish and Kidnapper offer other options. These effects can be useful for stalling the opponent, or allowing the rogue to benefit multiple times from useful Battlecries.

A theme that has been added to Rogues in more recent expansions is the ability to generate cards from another class. Cards like Pilfer, Burgle, Undercity Huckster, and Academic Espionage take directly the opponent's class, while cards like Clever Disguise, Bazaar Mugger, and Dragon's Hoard takes from anything else. Rogues also have cards that synergizes with cards not of their own class, like Ethereal Peddler, Obsidian Shard, Tess Greymane, and Bazaar Burglary.

Infamous for striking from the shadows, Stealth is a minor rogue theme, with minions like Master of Disguise, Lotus Assassin, Akama, as well as Conceal, which include Stealth synergy cards like Shadow Sensei and Greyheart Sage. Patient Assassin combines Stealth with the Poisonous effect, another minor rogue theme, also seen on Plaguebringer, Pit Snake, and Envenom Weapon.

Rogue is also the only class able to generate The Coin, normally only available at the start of each match, through cards like Cutpurse and Tomb Pillager. Trade Prince Gallywix provides a similar spell in Gallywix's Coin and Counterfeit Coin functions the same as the Coin except they can be added to the deck.

Rogues are also the fourth class to be able to use Secrets, an ability introduced briefly in Kobolds & Catacombs and Ashes of Outland. Their repertoire of Secrets are small compared to other classes, but nevertheless give them sneaky ways to recover from a disadvantaged state, like Evasion and Bamboozle.

Countering a rogue

• Equipment destruction such as Acidic Swamp Ooze or Harrison Jones to prevent massive damage output from the rogue's Assassin's Blade and Dagger Mastery.
• Units that make it difficult for the Rogue to attack you in the face directly, helpful effects include Divine Shield and Taunt.
• Bait the use of board clearing abilities such as Assassinate with your second or third strongest minion so that you can safely summon your strongest minions.
• Having a few Spellbreakers can be incredibly effective against a rogue deck because of their affinity towards minions such as Bloodsail Raider.
• Try to play many small minions rather than fewer large ones, since most rogue removal spells are single target.
• Rogues are one of the more fragile classes, so they will have a difficult time stabilizing when they have taken heavy damage early on.

Spells

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

See Spell.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Class	Cost	Description
Backstab	Free	Rogue	0	Deal 2 damage to an undamaged minion. It's funny how often yelling "Look over there!" gets your opponent to turn around.
Deadly Poison	Free	Rogue	1	Give your weapon +2 Attack. Rogues guard the secrets to poison-making carefully, lest magi start incorporating poison into their spells. Poisonbolt? Rain of Poison? Poison Elemental? Nobody wants that.
Sinister Strike	Free	Rogue	1	Deal 3 damage to the enemy hero. There's something about this strike that just feels off. Sinister, even.
Sap	Free	Rogue	2	Return an enemy minion to your opponent's hand. Rogues love sappy movies.
Shiv	Free	Rogue	2	Deal 1 damage. Draw a card. Rogues are experts at SHIV-al-ry.
Fan of Knives	Free	Rogue	3	Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions. Draw a card. I wouldn't say I LOVE knives, but I'm definitely a fan.
Assassinate	Free	Rogue	5	Destroy an enemy minion. If you don't want to be assassinated, move to the Barrens and change your name. Good luck!
Sprint	Free	Rogue	7	Draw 4 cards. Rogues are not good joggers.
Shadowstep	Common	Rogue	0	Return a friendly minion to your hand. It costs (2) less. Rogue dance troops will sometimes Shadowstep away at the end of a performance. Crowds love it.
Daring Escape	Common	Rogue	1	Return all friendly minions to your hand. Impossible to cast without cackling evilly.
Pilfer	Common	Rogue	1	Add a random card from another class to your hand. The class is always greener on the other side of the board.
Praise Galakrond!	Common	Rogue	1	Give a minion +1 Attack. Invoke Galakrond. "Turn to Galakrond, Chapter 3 Verse 12. 'SNARL! ROAR! GRAAAAGH!' Let us reflect on this wisdom."
Betrayal	Common	Rogue	2	Force an enemy minion to deal its damage to the minions next to it. Everyone has a price. Gnomes, for example, can be persuaded by stuffed animals and small amounts of chocolate.
Clever Disguise	Common	Rogue	2	Add 2 random spells from another class to your hand. "It me! Togwaggle!"
Cold Blood	Common	Rogue	2	Give a minion +2 Attack. Combo: +4 Attack instead. "I'm cold blooded, check it and see!"
Dirty Tricks	Common	Rogue	2	Secret: After your opponent casts a spell, draw 2 cards. "Ahh sand in my eyes! Also, I'm being stabbed."
Eviscerate	Common	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!
Waxmancy	Common	Rogue	2	Discover a Battlecry minion. Reduce its Cost by (2). The waxmancer works with flame and form, giving shape to figures warm. Some think he's a crazy creeper, but crafting minions is simply cheaper.
Candle Breath	Common	Rogue	6	Draw 3 cards. Costs (3) less while you're holding a Dragon. "And Waxadred shall light their fires, with roaring breath hotter than pyres! Come before him, scamp and vandal, pledge your faith and lift your candle!"
Dragon's Hoard	Rare	Rogue	1	Discover a Legendary minion from another class. The Alliance loves this hoard.
Plague of Madness	Rare	Rogue	1	Each player equips a 2/2 Knife with Poisonous. Don't bring a candle to a knife fight.
Togwaggle's Scheme	Rare	Rogue	1	Choose a minion. Shuffle 1 copy of it into your deck. (Upgrades each turn!) "Many minions equals many treasures for king. Kobold arithmetic!"
Ambush	Rare	Rogue	2	Secret: After your opponent plays a minion, summon a 2/3 Ambusher with Poisonous. Clip-clop clip-clop CLIP-CLOP STAB!
Headcrack	Rare	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.
Seal Fate	Rare	Rogue	3	Deal 3 damage to an undamaged character. Invoke Galakrond. Firmly press the seal of your fates instead of leaving the flap open.
Blade Flurry	Rare	Rogue	4	Destroy your weapon and deal its damage to all enemy minions. "Look, it's not just about waving daggers around really fast. It's a lot more complicated than that." - Shan, Rogue Trainer
Vendetta	Rare	Rogue	4	Deal 4 damage to a minion. Costs (0) if you're holding a card from another class. A vengeful and vicarious vanguard against violent villains or vexed victims.
Preparation	Epic	Rogue	0	The next spell you cast this turn costs (2) less. "Be Prepared" - Rogue Motto
Bamboozle	Epic	Rogue	2	Secret: When one of your minions is attacked, transform it into a random one that costs (3) more. "WE DO YOU A BAMBOOZLE, HOOMAN!"
Shadow of Death	Epic	Rogue	4	Choose a minion. Shuffle 3 'Shadows' into your deck that summon a copy when drawn. Making new friends takes skill.
Unidentified Contract	Epic	Rogue	6	Destroy a minion. Gains a bonus effect in your hand. The terms of service are constantly changing.
Bazaar Burglary	Legendary	Rogue	1	Quest: Add 4 cards from other classes to your hand. Reward: Ancient Blades. Just when you set up your "All-Natural Scented Candles" at the farmer's market and then some STUPID KOBOLD COMES AND TAKES THEM ALL!
Showing all 32 cards

Uncollectible

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

The following spells are generated by other rogue cards or effects, and are uncollectible.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Class	Cost	Description
Shadow	None	Rogue	4	Casts When Drawn Summon a {0}.
Waxadred's Candle	None	Rogue	5	Casts When Drawn Summon Waxadred.
Assassin's Contract	Epic	Rogue	6	Destroy a minion. Summon a 1/1 Patient Assassin.
Lucrative Contract	Epic	Rogue	6	Destroy a minion. Add 2 Coins to your hand.
Recruitment Contract	Epic	Rogue	6	Destroy a minion. Add a copy of it to your hand
Turncoat Contract	Epic	Rogue	6	Destroy a minion. It deals its damage to adjacent minions.
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Minions

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

All classes can also use neutral minions. See Minion.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Plaguebringer	Free	General	Rogue	4	3	3	Battlecry: Give a friendly minion Poisonous. One sip and you've got the grippe.
Bloodsail Flybooter	Common	Pirate	Rogue	1	1	1	Battlecry: Add two 1/1 Pirates to your hand. They’re pretty fly for some pirate guys.
Pharaoh Cat	Common	Beast	Rogue	1	1	2	Battlecry: Add a random Reborn minion to your hand. Mightiest of mousers, enduring in kingship of the upper and lower cat tree, conqueror of the red dot, the all-wise Catshepsut.
Spymistress	Common	General	Rogue	1	3	1	Stealth Spies in Outland must blend into the environment. That means hot-pink gear and bright green hair. It’s a weird place.
Defias Ringleader	Common	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.
Skyvateer	Common	Pirate	Rogue	2	1	3	Stealth Deathrattle: Draw a card. When you go without fruits in an airship, you get a nasty case of skyvy.
EVIL Miscreant	Common	General	Rogue	3	1	4	Combo: Add two random Lackeys to your hand. Because there are no G.O.O.D. Miscreants.
Hench-Clan Burglar	Common	Pirate	Rogue	4	4	3	Battlecry: Discover a spell from another class. She's more of a rat burglar.
Cursed Vagrant	Common	General	Rogue	7	7	5	Deathrattle: Summon a 7/5 Shadow with Stealth. Little did he know… it was really the talbuk leg that was cursed.
Blackjack Stunner	Rare	General	Rogue	1	1	2	Battlecry: If you control a Secret, return a minion to its owner's hand. It costs (1) more. "I'm about to ruin this 10-cost minion's whole career."
Ashtongue Slayer	Rare	General	Rogue	2	3	2	Battlecry: Give a Stealthed minion +3 Attack and Immune this turn. Her other hand attachments include a corkscrew and a bottle opener.
Underbelly Fence	Rare	General	Rogue	2	2	3	Battlecry: If you're holding a card from another class, gain +1/+1 and Rush. She'll take anything you have—except scruples and a good work ethic.
SI:7 Agent	Rare	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.
Master of Disguise	Rare	General	Rogue	4	4	4	Battlecry: Give a friendly minion Stealth until your next turn. She's actually a male tauren. People don't call him "Master of Disguise" for nothing.
Sahket Sapper	Rare	Pirate	Rogue	4	4	4	Deathrattle: Return a random enemy minion to your opponent's hand. "Here, you dropped this."
Bazaar Mugger	Rare	General	Rogue	5	3	5	Rush Battlecry: Add a random minion from another class to your hand. Premium muggings at a discount price.
Stowaway	Rare	General	Rogue	5	4	4	Battlecry: If there are cards in your deck that didn’t start there, draw 2 of them. Cut him a break. Even economy class tickets are pretty expensive these days.
Patient Assassin	Epic	General	Rogue	2	1	1	Stealth Poisonous He’s not really that patient. It just takes a while for someone to walk by that he can actually reach.
Whirlkick Master	Epic	General	Rogue	2	1	2	Whenever you play a Combo card, add a random Combo card to your hand. C-c-combo!
Greyheart Sage	Epic	General	Rogue	3	3	3	Battlecry: If you control a Stealthed minion, draw 2 cards. "What am I drinking again?"
Umbral Skulker	Epic	General	Rogue	4	3	3	Battlecry: If you've Invoked twice, add 3 Coins to your hand. "Three gold?! Do you have any idea how long this quest chain was?"
Necrium Apothecary	Epic	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	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	General	Rogue	6	5	3	Combo: Return a minion to its owner's hand. He just wants people to see his vacation photos.
Shadowjeweler Hanar	Legendary	General	Rogue	2	1	4	After you play a Secret, Discover a Secret from a different class. What is a shadowjeweler? A miserable little pile of secrets.
Akama	Legendary	General	Rogue	3	3	4	Stealth Deathrattle: Shuffle 'Akama Prime' into your deck. "To many of my people, I am known as a traitor... as Illidan's lapdog. I will remain in the shadows, for now... Actually, maybe I'll just remain in the shadows forever."
Edwin VanCleef	Legendary	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.
Anka, the Buried	Legendary	General	Rogue	5	5	5	Battlecry: Change each Deathrattle minion in your hand into a 1/1 that costs (1). "You look familiar. Were you at my first funeral?"
Waxadred	Legendary	Dragon	Rogue	5	7	5	Deathrattle: Shuffle a Candle into your deck that resummons Waxadred when drawn. Waxadred the dragon fought for his king, frolicking through the fields melting everything!
Flik Skyshiv	Legendary	General	Rogue	6	4	4	Battlecry: Destroy a minion and all copies of it (wherever they are). Junior explorers scan the night sky in fear of her candle’s flame!
Heistbaron Togwaggle	Legendary	General	Rogue	6	5	5	Battlecry: If you control a Lackey, choose a fantastic treasure. A staunch ally of Rafaam, at least while the shinies keep flowing.
Tak Nozwhisker	Legendary	General	Rogue	7	6	6	Whenever you shuffle a card into your deck, add a copy to your hand. "One for me and one for future me!"
Showing all 32 cards

Uncollectible

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

The following minions are generated by other rogue cards, and are uncollectible.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Sky Pirate	None	Pirate	Rogue	1	1	1
Broken Ambusher	None	General	Rogue	2	2	3	Poisonous
Akama Prime	None	General	Rogue	6	6	5	Permanently Stealthed.
Cursed Shadow	None	General	Rogue	7	7	5	Stealth
Defias Bandit	Common	General	Rogue	1	2	1
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Weapons

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

See Weapon.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Assassin's Blade	Free	Rogue	5	3	4	Guaranteed to have been owned by a real assassin. Certificate of authenticity included.
Hooked Scimitar	Common	Rogue	3	2	2	Combo: Gain +2 Attack. Oooooooooooow. I'm hooked on a scimitar!
Perdition's Blade	Rare	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.
Waggle Pick	Epic	Rogue	4	4	2	Deathrattle: Return a random friendly minion to your hand. It costs (2) less. Kobolds informally refer to its effect as a deathwaggle.
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Uncollectible

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

The following weapons are uncollectible.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Plagued Knife	None	Rogue	1	2	2	Poisonous
Poisoned Dagger	None	Rogue	1	2	2
Mirage Blade	None	Rogue	2	3	2	Your hero is Immune while attacking.
Wicked Knife	Free	Rogue	1	1	2
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Hero card

For Wild format listings, see Rogue/Wild format

See Hero card.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Galakrond, the Nightmare	Legendary	Hero card		Rogue	7			Battlecry: Draw 1 card. It costs (0). (Invoke twice to upgrade.) The enormous creature unfurled terrifying claws dripping with poisonous ichor. King Togwaggle was pleased, but inwardly disappointed the great Nightmare refused to wear the candle.
Showing the only card

Uncollectible

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Galakrond, Azeroth's End	Legendary	Hero card		Rogue	7			Battlecry: Draw 4 cards. They cost (0). Equip a 5/2 Claw.
Galakrond, the Apocalypse	Legendary	Hero card		Rogue	7			Battlecry: Draw 2 card. They costs (0). (Invoke twice to upgrade.)
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Leveling rewards

As a hero reaches various levels they are awarded new cards, with each class having its own rewards. All cards awarded by gaining levels are soulbound, and cannot be crafted or disenchanted.

Levels up to 10 award new basic class cards, while levels after this award only golden versions of existing cards.

Starting cards

All rogues start with the following class cards.

Level 2-10

Up to level 10, reaching each even-numbered level will award the player two copies of a new Basic class card. These cards are not obtainable through any other means.

Level 2

Level 4

Level 6

Level 8

Level 10

Level 11-60

Above level 10, reaching certain levels will award golden versions of existing Basic cards. As they are uncraftable, it is not possible to disenchant these cards, making the reward purely cosmetic. Reaching each required level will award one golden card. Levels after 10 award golden Basic class cards, whereas levels after 50 award golden Basic neutral minion cards.

Level 15/20

Level 23/26

Level 28/30

Level 32/34

Level 36/38

Level 40/42

Level 43/44

Level 45/46

Level 47/48

Level 49/50

Level 51/52

Level 53/54

Level 55/56

Level 57/58

Level 59/60

Trivia

• Valeera was chosen to represent the rogue class partially in order to balance faction, race and gender representation across the cast of heroes. As a blood elf female, Valeera added diversity to the cast of characters, as opposed to options such as Mathias Shaw or Edwin VanCleef (human male, already represented by both Anduin and Uther), or Garona Halforcen (a female half-orc, making the fifth orc hero).

• During the game's early development, the rogue class was represented by Edwin VanCleef.

Patch changes

• Patch 5.2.0.13619 (2016-07-12): Golden Priest, Rogue, and Neutral cards are now easier to tell apart. [The ribbon at the tops and bottoms of golden cards are now black for Rogue, and white for Priest.]
• Alpha patch 2 (2013-08-12): Received some new hero artwork.

References

Classes
Demon Hunter Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior Death Knight (special class)