Unlike other card games of its generation, Hearthstone boasts some of the fastest mechanics to ever grace the genre. As such, fans of CCGs can expect more streamlined, much faster, and crazier matches whenever they play Hearthstone - particularly in the brutal Arena.
As the tournament format of Hearthstone, the Arena Mode is where players go toe-to-toe against others in a battle of supremacy. However, Arena Mode forces players to create decks of 30 cards from scratch, adding an element of thrill as they never go into the arena with a predetermined deck in mind. With this element of speed, players are bound to rely on builds based on Hero Classes - but just which Class should they rely on in Arena?
10 Druid
Balance is key to a master of nature like the Druid, and their Class reflects such a natural need through their deck. Granted, Druids don’t boast that much DPS compared to other offensive Classes, but their consistency is to admire. Players with a need to get Mana and spells out quickly can rely on the Druid’s stability and speed accumulation. These qualities make the more balanced Guardian and Treant Druids work a lot of times, but the lack of innate aggression leaves an opening for other Classes to leave it in the dust.
The Druid’s Shapeshift is a Hero Power that gives them easy access to extra attack and armor, perfect for going toe to toe against minions. This synergizes well with cards such as Ironbark Protector, Druid of the Claw, Swipe, or Starfire that all provide a good early game opener.
9 Warrior
Designed as one of the more straightforward Classes, it’s easy to overestimate the Warrior as an aggressive Class. However, the strong units of the Warrior on the get-go actually capitalize on tactical usage and careful timing. When used properly, the Warrior becomes extremely strong in the late-game, something its Pirate builds works well towards. Sadly, the late-game strength of the Warrior doesn’t match the speed-based meta of the Arena Mode.
If they need the quick defense, their Armor Up! Hero Power gives them access to extra armor that makes them tougher to infiltrate. As such, the Warrior works well with an aggressive build with essentials such as Blood Razor, Molten Blade, and Fiery War Axe that all help build its damage.
8 Hunter
Nothing feels better than having the right tool for any situation, and this is exactly what the Hunter does. The Hunter Class excels in resource management, as a lot of its low-cost cards give good combat power or support. Its Hero Powers always work for that added punch, which makes its aggro plays more rewarding. Sadly, the lack of sustain does mean the tide will slowly turn against the Hunter the longer they stay in combat.
Hunters often rely on aggression to survive, and their Steady Shot Hero Power is evidence of the player’s potential to deal massive damage real quick. The Hunter’s access to cards like Explosive Shot and Multishot might be expensive, but their potential to summon creatures and sustain buffs such as through the Buff Beast Hunter make them quite a force to reckon with.
7 Paladin
The bulky yet aggressive playstyle of the Paladin makes it such an attractive Class for beginners, and pros can still make this holy deck work with low-cost aggressive units that work well with specialized Dragon creatures. Moreover, the natural synergies of the Paladin with buffing cards add a nice layer of sustainability that other decks don’t share. Sadly, this straightforward playstyle becomes an easy read for some opponents.
Should it need backup, Paladins use their Hero Power, Reinforce, to summon a 1/1 Unit, which they can buff to last longer in combat. Consecration, Truesilver Champion, and Argent Protector all serve as decent cards to help the Paladin maintain damage throughout the early game.
6 Mage
No problem is ever big enough that a fireball can’t fix it, and that’s precisely the kind of utility a Mage can bring to battle. Perhaps the ultimate control Class, the Mage excels in having a decent balance of offensive and defensive options that give them a fighting chance against most setups. Not to mention, its match control and utility options expand a player’s fighting chance with multiple wincon openings. The Highlander deck gives Mages decent levels of control with neat offensive options for consistent punching.
Its Hero Power, Fireblast, is easily one of the strongest 1-damage attacks in the game, especially with its ability to destroy minions with ease. Moreover, Mages have access to cheaper cards like Flamestrike, Polymorph, and Fireball that give them easy access to an aggressive tempo deck.
5 Priest
A match is only over when there aren’t any units left, and the Priest with a Resurrection Spell basically circumvents this rule. Their card retrieval strategy already makes them inherently annoying in a match. However, Priests take the cake with their constant healing and buffs - ensuring their stronger monsters get the best treatment for battle. Granted, what they excel in healing, the Priests do lack in terms of utility and aggressive potential.
Lesser Heal, the Hero Power of the Class, remains a nifty buff in times of need. However, the Priest excels when Lesser Heal is combined with other aggressive cards. These include Holy Smite, Holy Nova, Power Word: Shield and Shadow Word: Pain - all designed to either protect the Priest or facilitate a fierce counter.
4 Warlock
The Warlock maintains its status as a meta Class solely for its sheer flexibility in combat. Given the aggressive control nature of its deck, Warlock players always have a variety of wincons at their disposal - be it slow burns that become worthwhile or starting with the big guns as soon as possible. The Zoolock, a popular meta deck build, relies on the Warlock overpowering enemies quickly through a swarm of cheap yet aggressive minions.
Warlocks already get strong deck control with Life Tap, their Hero Power. When paired with removal cards like Blastcrystal Potion and Helfire Potion, then Warlocks can overwhelm foes with formidable control potential.
3 Rogue
Dominating the early game can be a deciding factor in a match, and this is what the Rogue does best, unlike other Classes. Contrary to other Classes, the Rogue has remarkable levels of control that let them anticipate and play with strategies just a couple of moves away. Their deck lets its players get away with combos and early-game synergies to eliminate foes fast, without them even knowing they stumbled into a trap.
Dagger Mastery, the Rogue’s Hero Power, gives them easy access to an enhanced dagger that can eliminate minions easily. Moreover, cards like Backstab and Deadly Poison can give Rogues enough punching power as they stealth their way to victory.
2 Shaman
Master of setups, the Shaman has a lot of cards that pack strong punches, and its meta is currently designed to overwhelm opponents as soon as possible before they get to retaliate. With the right setup, a Shaman deck can easily overwhelm any Arena foe in just a few turns with minimal effort.
A true testament to the Shaman’s control is Totemic Power, its Hero Power that summons only one of four different buffing totems in combat. However, using these totems with cards such as Lightning Bolt, Forked Lightning, Hex, and Fire Elemental can greatly boost the Shaman’s damage potential.
1 Demon Hunter
The Demon Hunter in World of Warcraft capitalizes on sheer speed and hard aggression to dominate DPS, and this playstyle remains relatively the same in Hearthstone. The Demon Hunter excels in starting strong, with its wincon relying on maintaining momentum through powerful burst damage that seeks to obliterate foes as soon as possible.
Unlike the 2-Mana cost of other Hero Powers, the Demon Hunter only uses one for its Demon Claws - a decent attack buff that emphasizes burst on the part of the Demon Hunter. With this in mind, an aggressive Demon Hunter synergizes well with damaging cards like Satyr Overseer, Blade Dance, and Imprisoned Antaen.
Hearthstone is currently available for PC, MacOS, iOS, and Android.