Table of Contents
Today, we are going to build a Rend Blackhand deck. Rend Blackhand's ability gives a discount to the deployment cost of flying units. Naturally, to take advantage of this, we will use mostly flying units in the deck.
In this deck, we'll primarily focus on air units that can benefit from Rand's cost reduction. The key air units in our lineup are the Drake, the Whelp Eggs, the Gargoyle, and the Harpies. But first, let's talk about .
Leader
Like I mentioned before, Rend has a nice ability. He is from the Blackrock faction, which is not as popular as the Alliance or Undead factions. When mounted on Gyth (his mount), he does ranged elemental damage. He needs a frontline unit to protect him while mounted. When his mount is killed, he dismounts and does melee damage. He now does less damage but gains more health. It's like two units in one!
Leader Ability
 | Blacken the Skies Your other Flying troops cost 1 less Gold while Rend is in play (but no less than 2). |
Talents
His best talent, when you eventually unlock the slot at uncommon rarity, is Scale and Steel, which grants him resistance while flying and armor while dismounted. It really helps to improve his survivability.
 | Flaming Soul Cast Living Bomb upon dismounting, damaging nearby enemies. |
 | Scale and Steel BEST Gain Resistant while flying and Armored while dismounted. |
 | Legionnaire Dismount when first taking damage. The Drake continues fighting. |
Flaming Soul isn't very good because Living Bomb isn't very good. There are better talents for him.
Legionnaire can be used strategically if you encounter a lot of anti-air minis, but I wouldn't pick it as a first talent. It is highly situational.
Army Slots
Rend features two bonus slots for Blackrock minis and one dedicated to flying minis. and are excellent choices to occupy those slots, while the third slot is reserved for the legendary .
The remaining three slots can be filled with units from the following categories: Elemental, Cycle, Tank, Unbound, Ranged, and Squad.
Deck Build
rend-blackhand-deck-xec06Minis
First up, the Harpies – these feathered fliers are probably the best air units in the game. They deal a significant amount of damage, but they are quite vulnerable to area of effect (AOE) attacks. However, in this deck, we've got a plan to protect them effectively.
Best talent is Infectious Swipes which adds poison to their attacks.
To shield the Harpies, we introduce the Earth Elemental into the mix. The Earth Elemental is meant to be played on a turret once the Harpies arrive. The turret will then target the Earth Elemental, allowing the Harpies to focus on destroying the turret or other important targets. You can also deploy the Earth Elemental on the enemy's backline to draw attention away from your Harpies. It's a brilliant combo that ensures your Harpies can deal their flying damage effectively.
Now, what makes the Earth Elemental truly versatile is its Unbound attribute. Unbound units can be placed anywhere on the map. This allows you to position the Earth Elemental strategically, distracting your opponent's backline or turret while your Harpies approach for maximum value.
Moving on, the Harpies' cost is reduced to just two gold if you play Rand Blackhand beforehand, which is fantastic value.
Best talent is Obsidian Shard which makes it split into two smaller Earth Elementals upon death.
Another essential part of this deck is the Gargoyle. This air unit specializes in attacking structures, and it boasts impressive health and armor. To ensure the Gargoyle reaches its target, we employ the help of our Drake.
Best talent is Wing Buffet which Increases its move speed by 33%.
The Drake is another flying damage dealer, but with an area of effect attack. It's an excellent choice when dealing with swarm units. Additionally, Rand Blackhand supports the Drake, providing valuable assistance when the Drake is defeated.
The strategy here is to place Rand as far back as possible and position the Gargoyle in front. This arrangement allows the Gargoyle to absorb damage, while Rand deals significant splash damage in front, creating a potent combination.
Meanwhile, in another lane, you can execute a push with the Harpies that now cost only two gold, combined with the Earth Elemental to reinforce the attack.
Best talent is Mother Drake which periodically summons a Whelp Egg.
As we're focusing on air units, we need to be prepared for ground threats, especially charging units that can bypass our aerial forces. That's where the Welp Egg comes in. These eggs spawn into airborne Welps when attacked, and they're excellent at deterring opponents from charging your base. The Welps deal considerable damage and add another layer of defense to your strategy.
Best talent is Flame Burst which damage nearby enemies when hatching.
To deal with backline threats, we have the Safe Pilot, which acts like a spell in this deck. It can be deployed to eliminate problematic backline enemies, such as the Dark Spear Troll, which is notorious for targeting air units.
Best talent is Gnomish Cloaking Device which make it deploy from the explosion with Stealth and Ambush.
Summary
In summary, this deck excels in both PvE and PvP, making it a strong choice for various map rotations. It capitalizes on Rend Blackhand's cost reduction, combines air units strategically, and provides efficient defense against ground threats.
