Not So Legendary - The Legendary Replacement Guide

Author: Andrew ‘The Water Boiler’ Klawitter

“It’s The Legendary Replacement Guide™, don’t netdeck without it!”

You’ve been watching a stream for a few hours, and have decided to try your own hand at the constructed deck they are playing. Unfortunately, you just don’t have all the legendary cards that are listed, but you really want to try the deck out! Never fear, we’ve got you covered: Simply switch out that Legendary card with one suggested in the Legendary Replacement Guide!

In order to accurately define an adequate replacement, we first need to consider what role the Legendary card has in the deck designed. Is it being used as a utility tool, to generate card advantage? As a removal effect, to control how many of your opponents minions are on the board? As a tempo play, meant to be a significant threat at an early stage in the game? Or as a finisher, meant to provide an end to the game quickly?

Each of these legendary cards has a specific function, and yes, after you’ve accumulated enough dust, you should probably switch over, as some are pretty unique in their abilities. Here are some adequate placeholders in the meantime:

Bloodmage Thalnos

Designation: Utility Tool

Replace with: Kobold Geomancer or Loot Hoarder

Reasoning: The Bloodmage is a combination of the Geomancer and Loot Hoarder, personally I go with the Geomancer, as that Spell Damage +1 ability is more relevant in many situations, leaving the card drawn as just a bonus after she dies. Though many players use her as a card-drawing minion, which sometimes buffs your spell damage, which is why a Loot Hoarder placeholder is also sufficient.

Lorewalker Cho

Designation: Utility Tool

Replace with: Novice Engineer or Loot Hoarder

Reasoning: This is not, by any means, a good replacement. But the text on the Lorewalker is impossible to duplicate on a non-legendary. The best way to think about this placeholder is to think of the Lorewalker as creating a card you just happen to draw from outside your deck.

Millhouse Manastorm

Designation: Tempo Play

Replace with: Amani Berserker or Faerie Dragon

Reasoning: Millhouse is just a super efficient creature with a drawback. I focused on two crystal cost creatures here, because having enough two cost minions is important for the early game.

Nat Pagle

Designation: Utility Tool

Replace with: Novice Engineer or Loot Hoarder

Reasoning: All these will draw cards for two crystals, so a solid placeholder.

King Mukla

Designation: Tempo Play

Replace with: Injured Blademaster or Chillwind Yeti

Reasoning: Another of those super efficient creatures with a drawback, a 5 / 5 for three crystals. The Blademaster will give you a similar crystal cost creature, or the Chillwind Yeti costs a crystal more, but has the same health.

Tinkmaster Overspark

Designation: Removal Effect

Replace with: Spellbreaker or Emperor Cobra

Reasoning: This guy is hard to duplicate as well. the Spellbreaker imitates a portion of Tinkmaster’s effect, which is to remove the game text of an opposing creature, most specifically, Deathrattle or Taunt texts. Emperor Cobra is just a removal spell attached to a body. for when you would have used Tinkmaster to take out an opponent’s larger creature, shrinking it down to size.

Leeroy Jenkins

Designation: Finisher

Replace with: Arcane Golem or Reckless Rocketeer

Reasoning: As a surprise finisher, you are looking for a cheap charge minion with a drawback, the Arcane Golem is similar, with a different drawback. At a higher crystal cost is the Reckless Rocketeer, similar game plan, but not even close to as effective. Neither are ideal replacements, but they can hold the spot until you can craft him.