We’ve put together this guide specifically for new and intermediate players, to help you choose which heroes might suit you best and also to provide some rough pointers on what to expect when facing each hero.
Type refers to 2 archetypes: Aggro and Control. Aggro - Goal is to reduce opponent’s hero to 0 as fast as possible. Control - Goal is to prevent opponent from advancing in game. Defensive build.
Difficulty of Use is a scale from 1-5 (1 being the easiest, 5 being most difficult)
Boris Skullcrusher
Type: Control.
Speed: Medium.
Strengths: Draw power, Early game control, High health.
Weaknesses: Solo Decks, Direct Damage.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 1
Key Allies: Layarian Seductress, Yari Marksman, Unarmed Brawler.
Key Items/Abilities: Blood Frenzy, Enrage, Crippling Blow, Retreat, Smashing Blow, Kings Pride, Dragon Tooth.
Amber Rain
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Draw power, High damage output, High health, Resource acceleration.
Weaknesses: Protector, Fatties.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Aldon the Brave, Layarian Seductress, Yari Marksman.
Key Items/Abilities: Blood Frenzy, Enrage, Crippling Blow, Retreat, Smashing Blow, Jewelers Dream, Barbarian's Bludgeon.
Victor Heartstriker
Type: Control
Speed: Medium/Slow
Strengths: Excellent ally control, Great healing.
Weaknesses: No board wipe, Slow start.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Krugal Trapper, Deepwood Bobcat, Dragis, Lord of The Hunt,
Key Items/Abilities: Poison Arrow, Wrath of the Forest, Soul Seeker, Hunter’s Gambit, Camouflaged Foe
Gwenneth Truesight
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Great damage output, Good healing potential.
Weaknesses: Weak draw, Item destruction, Opposing heal, Stealth, Protector.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Aldon the Brave, Layarian Seductress, Snowland Spotter
Key Items/Abilities: Soul Seeker, Weevil-tipped Crossbow, Hunter's Gambit, Bad Santa.
Nishaven
Type: Control
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Built in board wipe, Direct damage
Weaknesses: High ability cost, Low health
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 4
Key Allies: Tainted Oracle
Key Items/Abilities: Tome of Knowledge, Fireball, Lightning Strike, Supernova, Shadowbolt
Eladwen Frostmire
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Direct damage, Board wipes
Weaknesses: Low Health, Weapon heros.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 1
Key Allies: Kristoffer Wyld, Layarian Knight, Aldon the Brave, Priest of the Light, Layarian Seductress, Tainted Oracle
Key Items/Abilities: Fireball, Lightning Strike, Supernova, Tome of Knowledge, Bad Santa, Subdue.
Jericho Spellbane
Type: Hybrid
Speed: Slow
Strengths: Board wipe, Attachment removal, Strong draw
Weaknesses: Rush decks
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 5
Key Allies: Devoted Knight, Tainted Oracle, Knight of the Crimson Dusk
Key Items/Abilities: Embers of the Just, Tidal Wave, Lingering Essence, Focused Prayer, Wizent's Staff, Zail's Hymn
Zhanna Mist
Type: Control
Speed: Slow
Strengths: Great draw, Board wipe, High healing
Weaknesses: Rush decks
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Devoted Knight, Tainted Oracle, Knight of the Crimson Dusk, Adlar the Just
Key Items/Abilities: Glass Chalice of Knowing, Wizent's Staff, Focused Prayer, Tidal Wave, Kings Pride.
Lance Shadowstalker
Type: Hybrid
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Good Board Control, Strong Allies
Weaknesses: Rush, Anti haste
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 2
Key Allies: Night Owl, Rabble Rouser, Eriss Fateweaver, Oliver Fagin
Key Items/Abilities: Anklebreaker, Stop Thief
Serena Thoughtripper
Type: Control
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Good board Control, Hand destruction
Weaknesses: Stealth
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 4
Key Allies: Vozitian Trader, Night Owl
Key Items/Abilities: Black Garb, Anklebreaker, Ill Gotten Gains, Stop Thief, Hit List, Thoughtripper’s Cutlass, Helm of Saymeht, Gyre and Gimble
Ter Adun
Type: Control
Speed: Slow
Strengths: Built in item destruction, Good draw.
Weaknesses: Rush
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 4
Key Allies: Spitfire Hound, Ravager Zealot
Key Items/Abilities: Crippling Blow, Enrage, Blood Frenzy, Chaos Engine, Dragon's Tooth, Thriss Crucible, Thriss Assault Plinth.
Logan Stonebreaker
Type: Control
Speed: Slow
Strengths: Instant kill ability, Good draw, Good ally control.
Weaknesses: Item and attachment removal, Ally swarm
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 5
Key Allies: Falseblood Cultist, Yari Marksman, Braxnorian Blacksmith.
Key Items/Abilities: Crippling Blow, Blood Frenzy, Enrage, Lythian Sledgehammer, Reserve Weapon, Pithing Spear, Boooomerang.
Banebow
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Strong low cost ability, Early board control.
Weaknesses: Fatties.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 2
Key Allies: Undead tribe, Ravager tribe.
Key Items/Abilities: Hunter's Gambit, The Perfect Shot, Soul Seeker, Weevil-tipped Crossbow.
Baduruu
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Free weapons.
Weaknesses: Weapon destruction.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Deepwood Bobcat, Snowland Spotter, Undead Tribe.
Key Items/Abilities: Soul Seeker, Emore Crossbow, Grundler's Double, Night Prowler.
Majiya
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Built in draw, High direct damage, Board wipes
Weaknesses: Low health, Fire immunity.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Eternal Troll, Phoenix Urigon, Tempest Runebearer.
Key Items/Abilities: Fireball, Lightning Strike, Supernova, Tome of Knowledge, Shadowbolt, Sacrificial Lamb
Gravebone
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Works well with discard, Summon cheap/fat allies, High direct damage
Weaknesses: Ally removal, Low health
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 2
Key Allies: Falseblood Cultist, Dakrath, Forgotten Horror, Isadora Stormrage.
Key Items/Abilities: Tome of Knowledge, Fireball, Lightning Strike, Supernova, Shadowbolt
Darkclaw
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Resource acceleration, Decent draw
Weaknesses: Item and attachment destruction
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Rampant Krygon, Lightning Hunter, Wulven Tinker, Bloodpack Shaman
Key Items/Abilities: Blood Moon, Now You’re Min, Speedstrikeicon, Lone Wolf, Jewelers Dream
Moonstalker
Type: Control
Speed: Slow/Medium
Strengths: Built in stealth, Low cost ally removal, Decent draw
Weaknesses: Mages high in burn, Board wipes, Ally removal
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 2
Key Allies: Wulven tribe, Undead tribe.
Key Items/Abilities: Blood Moon, Now You’re Mine, Shadow Font
Elementalis
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Ability makes allies stronger.
Weaknesses: Ally removal, Board wipes,
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Stardust Extractor, Stardust Ampliflyer.
Key Items/Abilities: Energy Discharge, Gold-Laced Shield, Power Surge.
Zaladar
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Discard synergy, Decent direct damage.
Weaknesses: Weapons
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 1
Key Allies: Harbinger of the Lost, Reactorary, Brimstone Devourer, Falseblood Cultist
Key Items/Abilities: Antimatter, Infinity Core, Mind Control
Tala Pureheart
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Strong protectors, Ally control, High health
Weaknesses: Ally removal, Attachment hate
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Armored Sandworm, Fortified Wisp
Key Items/Abilities: Crippling Blow, Smashing Blow, Blood Frenzy, Enrage, Dragon’s Tooth
Aramia
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast
Strengths: Free items, Good draw
Weaknesses: Board Wipes, Item Destruction
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Twilight Tribe
Key Items/Abilities: Tome of Knowledge, Twilight Eidolon, Ritualist’s Headdress
Ythan Redhorn
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Haste allies.
Weaknesses: Anti-haste cards, Ally removal
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 4
Key Allies: Layarian Seductress, Viska the Scarlet Blade, Zailen Crusader
Key Items/Abilities: Hunter's Gambit, Weevil-tipped Crossbow
Threbin the Righteous
Type: Aggro
Speed: Slow/Medium
Strengths: Board wipe, Draw options
Weaknesses: Weapon destruction, Low health
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 5
Key Allies: Templar Allies, Tainted Oracle.
Key Items/Abilities: Focused Prayer, Tidal Wave, Madelain’s Scepter, Ghostmaker, Rod of Smiting, Scriptures of the Righteous.
Garth Ravensoul
Type: Control
Speed: Medium
Strengths: Strong cheap ability, Good draw, Stealth allies
Weaknesses: Stealth, Rush.
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 2
Key Allies: Aldmor Artisan, Night Owl, Viska the Scarlet Blade, Sword Thief
Key Items/Abilities: Anklebreaker, Ill Gotten Gains, Garth’s Concoction
Vess Swifthands
Type: Control
Speed: Medium/Slow
Strengths: Free attachments, Draw Options, Ally Control
Weaknesses: Attachment Hate
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 4
Key Allies: Yari Marksman, Rapacious Vermin, Braxnorian Veteran
Key Items/Abilities: Crippling Blow, Blood Frenzy, Enrage, Rampage, Enslave the Beast, Confluence of Fate, Will to Fight, Ello's Resolve.
Raikka Spellseeker
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium/Fast
Strengths: Ability is both offensive/defensive, Direct damage
Weaknesses: Board wipes, healing heroes, Anti-haste
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 4
Key Allies: Rampant Krygon, Flame Spitter, Deathbone
Key Items/Abilities: Fireball, Lightning Strike, Supernova, Portal, Tome of Knowledge, Subdue
Skervox
Type: Control
Speed: Slow
Strengths: Built in mass poison/disable, Good ally control
Weaknesses: Allies with damage reduction, Board Wipes
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Rampant Krygon, Voracious Arachnid, Krugal Butcher.
Key Items/Abilities: Anmor's Call, Soul Seeker, Wrath of the Forest, Hunter's Gambit.
Bloodfang
Type: Aggro
Speed: Medium/Fast
Strengths: Ability allows ally swarm, Low cost ally removal
Weaknesses: Board wipe
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Wulven Tribe
Key Items/Abilities: Blood Moon, Now You’re Mine, Captured Prey, Eye of the Dark Forest
Praxix
Type: Aggro
Speed: Fast/Medium
Strengths: Synergy with discard
Weaknesses: Random discard
Difficulty of Use (1-5): 3
Key Allies: Brimstone Devourer, Reactory, Falseblood Cultist, Undead tribe.
Key Items/Abilities: Mind Control, All Hope is Lost, Meat Wagon.