This article is an opinion piece by one HSReplay.net's contributors.
Following Mean Streets of Gadgetzan’s rotation out of Standard last April, hardly a 'Aaaarrrrgggghhhh' has been heard throughout the competitive ladder. The aggressive pirate archetype that once dominated the meta in the form of Pirate Warrior and Tempo Rogue has been all but forgotten with the loss of Patches the Pirate. With the release of Rastakhan’s Rumble on the horizon, however, players have been meticulously theorycrafting the grand return of the swashbucklers in the form of Pirate Rogue.
Several new cards might allow this archetype to flourish, specifically the Rogue legendary Captain Hooktusk. The synergy that this Rogue minion has with other Pirates such as Cursed Castaway, Ticket Scalper and Southsea Captain is what allows Pirate Rogue to flourish as a more mid-range deck, rather than the full-on Patches aggro Rogue of old. Hooktusk allows for insane swing turns, both fighting for board and possibly drawing multiple cards.
While normal Pirate Rogue sounds fun and all, an Even Pirate Rogue takes it a step further and could be the biggest surprise of the expansion. While an Even Rogue deck that utilized spell damage and Razorpetal Lasher's and Razorpetal Volley's leaves became fairly successful at the beginning of Witchwood, Genn Greymane hasn’t been seen in a Rogue deck since.
Rastakhan’s pirate synergy could be exactly what Even Rogue needs to assert itself as a serious contender. While daggering on turn one doesn’t sound powerful, both Bloodsail Raider and Sharkfin Fan provide solid follow-ups on turn two. Hooktusk, Ticket Scalper and Cursed Castaway, arguably some of the best pirate cards available, are all even-cost cards as well.
Another core card to this deck, along with Hooktusk, is Cannon Barrage. While expensive, it pairs well with Preparation and can provide a surprising amount of burst damage when capitalizing off of a board full of pirates. Other good even-costed Rogue tools are included as well, such as Sap, Backstab and Fal’dorei Strider to help keep tempo and maintain control of the board.
Is this the deck that brings Hearthstone’s pirates back to their former infamy? Only time will tell with the upcoming release of Rastakhan’s Rumble later today!
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