Un’goro Crafting Guide!

Introduction

Hey guys, Joseph Scalise here to bring you all another crafting guide. While I am usually doing videos and deck breakdowns, I also like to help you figure out what cards you want to add to your collection. Dust is the most precious commodity in Hearthstone, and having a good idea of what cards to craft can be very helpful. While I do not think I am the end-all when it comes to cards, I do hope this guide helps you out and gives you some guidance. I got a lot of good feedback from my Mean Streets guide, so I’d thought I’d come back for Un’goro and do it again.

Quick Note

The way I look at it, there is no such thing as a “must craft” card unless it is played in absolutely every single deck (think Dr. Boom). Rather, it really depends on what class you want to play and what deck you want in that class. The best cards to craft are going to change from person to person, so here I am going to break down each class and discuss the cards you should craft depending on what best suites your style (or if you just wanna win some games).

Note: If a card is not on here it is either a common, or not worth crafting.

Neutral

Golakka Crawler: This is probably one of the best neutral rares to craft right now. Pirates are played in a ton of different classes (Rogue, Druid, Warrior) and having access to the 2/3 gives you some great tempo swings. If you want to play Hunter, Aggro Druid, Tempo Rogue or any of the various Kazakus decks running around this one should be a no-brainer.

Stonehill Defender: Another excellent rare, Stonehill has already seen serious play in a bunch of midrange and control lists. Now that the power level has dropped across the board, a 1/4 for three is actually pretty solid. Add on the fact that this allows you to choose the card you get and you have a winner. If you want to play Paladin or Taunt Warrior you should craft this immediately.

Humongous Razorleaf: While the Razorleaf is by no means a staple, this is a good card to have if you want to mess around with either Handlock or Silence Priest. Silence is one of the best versions of Priest right now, and there was also a top 5 legend Handlock deck that featured the plant. Though you don’t need this for any other builds, if you want to play either of those this is a good investment.

Tol’vir Stoneshaper/Servant of Kalimos: There are several legend-caliber elemental builds so far, ranging from Paladin to Priest to the more popular Shaman. To play those decks you need elemental cards, and each of these are very strong elemental cards. If you want to play those builds you need two of each.

Gluttonous Ooze: As time goes on more and more decks are adopting the 3/3. However, Acidic Swamp Ooze does nearly the same thing for a fraction of the cost. If you are strapped for dust I would just use the 3/2, but if you can afford it this is a good alternative. Crafting one can be a good tool to have access to.

Gentle Megasaur: While epics are very expensive for what they are, some are worth it. If you are playing murlocs, Gentle Megasaur is one such epic. There isn’t too much to say about this card, but it seems like Murloc Paladin is a very heavy hitter in the early days of the meta. I am not sure that list will last, but if you want to play the murloc version you need the 5/4 to make it work. This could also be good for Murloc Shaman, but that deck seems much too slow to see real play.

Bittertide Hydra: Bittertide has seen play in a few strong decks over the past weeks. Not only has it been put to good use in Hunter, but it also has snuck into some Pirate lists, Aggro Druid, and my legend Tempo Rogue. As such, you are going to get use out of the card if you like playing any of those builds. That being said, it is also not terribly essential. This is a good card to play around with if you have the dust, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to get it.

Blazecaller: This is another “if you want to play elementals you need this card” type of situation. The 6/6 body is strong, the effect is very powerful, and there is nothing else like it. If you want to mess around with the tribe you are going to need two of this one.

Primordial Drake: This is the closest you are going to see to a “must craft” in this section. The drake is essential for any slow control deck these days, and if you want to play Dragon Priest, Taunt Warrior or Midrange Paladin you are going to need this card. While Midrange Paladin only needs one, the other decks need two. If you like control decks I would drop the 800 dust and never look back.

Elise the Trailblazer: Elise is a very fun card that makes Priest better. However, she is by no means necessary for the class (in fact some people just prefer Lyra). If you have the dust and you want to go in on generating packs with Shadow Visions she is worth the dust, but she doesn’t really have any other current purposes.

Hemet, Jungle Hunter: I would hold off on crafting Hemet right now. While he did see some brief play in the new versions of Tempo Mage, it seems like the discover version is just stronger. He really doesn’t have a home, and while he may be fun to mess around with in Ramp builds, that is hardly worth 1600 dust.

These are the only two neutral legendaries I would consider crafting. The other three are simply too niche or too slow for any current decks.

The Classes

Druid

Living Mana: Though this card seems very innocuous, you want two of it if you want to jump into Aggro Druid. I normally would say you could try to make the deck without this card (and it is possible), but I would not recommend it. This card gives you a great way to bounce back after AOE or lock down the board against aggro. It does only fit into one deck, but it makes that one deck quite powerful.

Giant Anaconda: There have been some high-roll versions of Ramp at the higher legend ranks, and all of them packed double Anaconda. For that reason, the snake is a good craft if you want to specifically want to try those builds. Any other deck isn’t worth it, but ramp really rely on the snake to add some end-game punch.

Jungle Giants/Tyrantus: Both of these cards suffer the same problem in that they are too slow. Jungle Giants just can’t keep up with things like Midrange Paladin or Pirate and Tyrantus is essentially a vanilla 12/12. While you could craft the big dinosaur as another Ramp tool, there are much better ten mana options like Y’shaarj, Rage Unbound or Deathwing.

Hunter

Jeweled Macaw/Crackling Razormaw: Though both of these are commons, I thought I would include them because you cannot play Hunter without them. Midrange Hunter is the best version of this class (quest just doesn’t work) and each of these are pivotal in getting early board control. Spend the dust if you don’t have them and want to play the class.

Swamp King Dred: Dred is by no means a must-craft, but he is a strong tool in bigger versions of Midrange Hunter. Yes, there have been a ton of legend decks that haven’t had him, but there also been quite a few who have. A good card if you have the extra dust and love Hunter, but I would hold off if you are on the fence.

Mage

Arcanologist: Another common, I bring up Arcanologist because you absolutely need to have her to play any Mage deck right now. The 2/3 is strong in Secret, Freeze, Discover, and Tempo, making her a must-have for Jaina. If you like Mage, craft her.

Primordial Glyph: Glyph is the best Mage card from Un’goro and, like Arcanologist, is a must-craft if you want to play the class. 800 dust always stings, but this is the type of card that is going to see play as long as Mage is relevant. It is also a good investment because it is just going to get better when new expansions release other strong spells.

Meteor: This card has become a very solid one-of staple in the newer versions of Discover Mage. However, it is not essential by any means. Polymorph can fill its spot if you are on a budget, as can other niche tech cards like Gluttonous Ooze. This is not a card I would craft unless I absolutely wanted to play Discover Mage and I had the dust to justify the purchase.

Note: While there may be some successful Open the Waygate builds out there, the card just doesn’t quite have enough top-tier power right now to justify crafting.

Paladin

Spikeridged Steed: Steed is probably the best Paladin card right now not named Tirion. This is an easy two-of craft if you like playing the class or want to play the class in the coming months. Cards that are this strong are going to be good as long as the class stays relevant, so I would make two of these if you want to team up with any non-aggro version of Uther.

Vinecleaver: This card does not see that much play in the fast Murloc or Midrange builds, but if you are seeing a lot of control as a slower Midrange Paladin it can be a strong one-of to have. The deck does not need this card, but is one of the best ways to wear down things Taunt Warrior or slow Priest.

Sunkeeper Tarim: Tarim is one of those legendaries that is just good all of the time. He can help you push for lethal, he is good at controlling the board, he allows you to trade, and he stabilizes while you’re behind. This is one of the strongest legendaries out right now, and if you want to play any type of Paladin you should spend the dust.

Priest

Crystalline Oracle: While this card has not seem too much serious play yet, it can be a good card to have access to if you want to try Elemental Priest (which just hit legend) or if you want to mess around with the quest. This card has also seen play in some of the Kazakus builds that have been going around. By no means essential, but a good tool to have if you want to try any of the above lists.

Free from Amber: Though expensive and kind of clunky, this spell has been good in the slower Priest builds. None of those appear to be tier one, but this does have its place if you want to try the Medihv control decks or the Kazakus builds. You should get one if you want to mess around with slower Priest.

Shadow Visions: Like Primordial Glyph, this is a card that you should just craft two and never look back. Visions is in every single Priest deck around. Not only that, but it is going to get better and more efficient with time. You want to play Priest in the current meta you should spend the 800 as soon as possible.

Curious Glimmerroot: The odd little 3/3 saw no play at the start of the new set, and now it has steadily creeped into a number of builds. I do not think glimmerroot is necessary, but it is very solid for midrange and dragon decks. This is not a card you will regret crafting if you want to play mid-game Priest, but if you don’t have the dust there are other options in those decks.

Lyra the Sunshard: While I am not a huge fan of Lyra, the elemental has proven to be worth her weight. There is no real replacement for her ability and she can win games on her own. I would say you should craft her if you really want to play Combo Priest or if you enjoy the class. However, keep in mind there are many strong Priest decks that do not run her and you don’t need her to play the class.

Rogue

Mimic Pod: This card is only really going to be useful as a one-of in some versions of Quest Rogue. However, I would craft one of these (or possibly two depending on the list) if you want to play that deck. Any other version of Rogue and you don’t need the three mana spell.

Vilespine Slayer: Another incredible epic (there are a lot in Un’goro) Slayer is fantastic if you want to play Tempo or Miracle Rogue. This is another epic that is always going to be valuable for one reason or another, making it a great place to spend your dust. Not needed for Quest, but will be good in most other builds for the foreseeable future.

The Caverns Below: Not much to say about this one. A very good craft if you want to move up the ladder with Quest Rogue. The deck has gotten worse in the last two weeks, but if you know how to play it the build can be very good. I would recommend this one only if you truly enjoy the way the deck plays.

Sherazin, Corpse Flower: Sherizan is a tricky legendary because he is very strong in Miracle, but useless in just about everything else. He is a fun card, but I would hold off crafting him unless you really want to play Miracle or can afford to spend the extra dust.

Shaman

Volcano: This card has only seen play recently in one version of Elemental Shaman. For that reason, it is not worth shelling out the extra 200 dust for. While this could be good in the coming months or maybe with the next set or two, it doesn’t do enough in the current meta.

Stone Sentinel: I bring up Stone Sentinel to tell you not to craft the card. Yes, it is a seven drop that gives you a lot of board, but we have seen from all the strong elemental builds that this card is just worse than Blazecaller. For that reason, it gets edged out and is much too clunky to see current play.

Kalimos, Primal Lord: You like elementals? You want to play slow Shaman? Craft Kalimos. Like Sunkeeper Tarim, this is just one of those class legendaries you need to have. Every good version of Shaman right now is based on elementals, and that means they have Kalimos. This is worth the dust if you want to play that archetype now or any time in the future.

Unite the Murlocs: A fun card to experiment with, but much too slow compared to the other fast decks on the meta. I would not spend the dust on this card, but if you do open it in a pack it can be a good way to kill some time.

Warlock

Clutchmother Zavas/Lakkari Felhound: Though Warlock has not seen that much success since Un’goro dropped (it is the lowest played class) there have been a few discard Zoo builds that have hit legend. If you want to play those decks you are going to need both Felhound and Clutchmother. That being said, I do not think Zoo has the staying power to be strong deck as the other lists that beat it become more refined. As a result, I would not craft these cards unless you’re a Zoo lover or you’re someone who wants to experiment with the archetype. If the deck does get stronger then both of these cards become essential.

Warrior

Direhorn Hatchling: Direhorn is a very strong midrange card that has become a staple in the various Taunt Warrior builds running around the ladder. If you like that archetype or if you want to build the deck you should definitely get two of these.

Fire Plume’s Heart: Like The Caverns Below, this one’s an easy 1600 dust to anyone who wants to play the build. Control Warrior is Taunt Warrior right now, and it will probably be the way the archetype plays until the quest rotates out. For that reason, this is probably one of the best investments any slow player can make.

King Mosh: King Mosh is just not worth the dust. The 9/7 is very good at times, but he can be hard to turn on and usually rots in your hand. He also doesn’t fit into current taunt builds and is worse than Deathwing when it comes to clearing the board. I would not craft the dinosaur this time around.

Conclusion

Well, there’s guide number two! I hope you all enjoyed it and I hope it helped you in some way. Dust is a very tricky subject and a the most valuable resource in this game. It is good to get an outside opinion on how to spend it (especially from someone who has made their share of mistakes). As always, thanks for much for reading and let me know what you think.

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