KotFT: State of Rogue

Rogue’s place in the Meta was, at a time, pretty stable at top tier. The class Quest made Rogue incredibly powerful, and gave them a remarkable power spike, especially if they are able to combo a Preparation in with their completed quest. Just before the expansion, the much needed nerf came through and dethroned Rogue’s #1 place on the tier list. Now that a more control-centered Meta is being pushed for, its inherently aggro-centered gameplay is being pushed even further down the tier list.

The highest Rogue is on the tier list right now sits at Tier 2, just below Tiers 1 and S, with that spot being occupied by Miracle Rogue. This variation of Rogue has always been at least somewhat relevant in just about every Meta Hearthstone has gone through, and this one is no exception. The addition of Valeera the Hollow and its new Hero Power makes for an even more powerful draw potential off of a Gadgetzan Auctioneer, and just more damage capability to begin with.

The issue with the current Meta and Rogue’s position in it is such that aggro is still effective with Rogue, but other classes are able to do it better. For all we know, variations of Aggro or Pirate Rogue may reappear in higher tiers soon, as other aggro decks have, to counter Jade Druid. The issue becomes that, so long as Jade Idol exists as a card, Jade Druids will naturally rise to take on a control centered Meta, which in turn will lead to more aggro decks popping up to deal with the Jade Druids. It’s an unfortunate cycle, and when it boils down to it, Rogue as a class doesn’t have a whole lot to offer to this cycle yet.