Our guide to choosing the best Mage cards in Arena.
If you’ve grown a little tired of banging your head against the same old decks over and over again in Hearthstone’s Ranked Play mode, nothing will reignite your love for Hearthstone quite like a few days spent messing around in the Arena.
Variety is the spice of life in this part of the game, and you’ll have to constantly think on your feet if you’re to avoid being knocked out. You can win a maximum of 12 games in Arena, but you’re knocked out after losing three. The longer you stay in, the bigger your rewards will be when you leave.
If you’ve yet to get stuck into this part of the game, you’ll be presented with a series of three randomly selected cards, from which you have to pick a single one. This card is then added to your deck, and the process is repeated until you have the usual tally of 30 cards.
As a result of this drafting process, it’s a lot harder to build the kind of highly efficient, synergistic decks that dominate in Ranked Play. For this reason, it becomes very important to make sure you’re picking the cards with the very highest value at every stage of the drafting process.
We’ve collated a number of different opinions on what are considered to be the best cards to draft in Hearthstone’s Arena and then re-appraised them based on our own experience. You’ll find the results below, and you can switch between the different categories of cards as they come up in the draft.
Take a look further down the page for some important tips on actually drafting your Mage Arena deck.
Select a card type:
Mage Arena Common card tier list – March 2017
| Tier 1 | |||
| Fireball | Flamestrike | North Sea Kraken | |
| Firelands Portal | Frostbolt | Water Elemental | |
| Tier 2 | |||
| Acidic Swamp Ooze | Boulderfist Ogre | Drakonid Crusher | Pit Fighter |
| Amani Berserker | Chillwind Yeti | Evil Heckler | Polymorph |
| Bog Creeper | Dark Iron Dwarf | Harvest Golem | Sen’jin Shieldmasta |
| Tier 3 | |||
| Argent Horserider | Flame Juggler | Medivh’s Valet | Silver Hand Knight |
| Argent Squire | Frost Elemental | Nerubian Prophet | Sorcerer’s Apprentice |
| Cult Master | Hired Gun | Pompous Thespian | Spellbreaker |
| Dire Wolf Alpha | Huge Toad | Raging Worgen | Stormwind Champion |
| Earthen Ring Farseer | Hungry Dragon | Scarlet Crusader | Stranglethorn Tiger |
| Ethereal Conjurer | Mad Bomber | Shattered Sun Cleric | Tomb Spider |
| Faerie Dragon | Mana Wyrm | Silent Knight | Worgen Infiltrator |
| Tier 4 | |||
| Aberrant Berserker | Dalaran Aspirant | Kvaldir Raider | Stormwind Knight |
| Abusive Sergeant | Daring Reporter | Loot Hoarder | Toxic Sewer Ooze |
| Arcane Intellect | Dragonhawk Rider | Mukla’s Champion | Twisted Worgen |
| Big-Time Racketeer | Dragonkin Sorcerer | Murloc Tidehunter | Violet Illusionist |
| Bilefin Tidehunter | Fen Creeper | Naga Corsair | Volcanic Drake |
| Bloodfen Raptor | Friendly Bartender | Polluted Hoarder | Youthful Brewmaster |
| Blowgill Sniper | Frostwolf Warlord | Psych-o-Tron | |
| Boneguard Lieutenant | Hozen Healer | Silver Hand Regent | |
| Clockwork Knight | Kooky Chemist | Spellslinger | |
| Tier 5 | |||
| Acolyte of Pain | Flesheating Ghoul | Maiden of the Lake | Squirming Tentacle |
| Ancient of Blossoms | Fossilized Devilsaur | Mirror Entity | Stormpike Commando |
| Arcane Missiles | Frigid Snobold | Mistress of Mixtures | Streetwise Investigator |
| Archmage | Gadgetzan Socialite | Oasis Snapjaw | Tanaris Hogchopper |
| Bloodsail Raider | Gnomish Inventor | Ogre Magi | Twilight Flamecaller |
| Bluegill Warrior | Gurubashi Berserker | Razorfen Hunter | Wolfrider |
| Captured Jormungar | Ironfur Grizzly | Refreshment Vendor | Worgen Greaser |
| Cone of Cold | Jeweled Scarab | River Crocolisk | Zealous Initiate |
| Darkscale Healer | Jungle Panther | Silvermoon Guardian | Zoobot |
| Flame Lance | Lance Carrier | Spiteful Smith | |
| Tier 6 | |||
| Ancient Brewmaster | Dragon’s Breath | Infested Tauren | Red Mana Wyrm |
| Anubisath Sentinel | Dragonling Mechanic | Ironbeak Owl | Spawn of N’Zoth |
| Arcane Anomaly | Duskboar | Kabal Chemist | Tentacle of N’Zoth |
| Arcanosmith | Eldritch Horror | Kobold Geomancer | Venture Co. Mercenary |
| Arcane Explosion | Faceless Behemoth | Lord of the Arena | Voodoo Doctor |
| Blackwing Corruptor | Frost Nova | Lowly Squire | War Golem |
| Blackwing Technician | Gadgetzan Jouster | Mirror Image | |
| Booty Bay Bodyguard | Gorillabot A-3 | Pantry Spider | |
| Cryomancer | Ice Rager | Reckless Rocketeer | |
| Tier 7 | |||
| Ice Barrier | Elven Archer | Mogu’shan Warden | Runic Egg |
| Ice Lance | Frostwolf Grunt | Netherspite Historian | Silverback Patriarch |
| Kabal Lackey | Grook Fu Master | Nightblade | Tauren Warrior |
| Shattered Sun Cleric | Grotesque Dragonhawk | Novice Engineer | Thrallmar Farseer |
| Core Hound | Ironforge Rifleman | Priestess of Elune | Tournament Attendee |
| Dalaran Mage | Menagerie Magician | Raid Leader | Windfury Harpy |
| Tier 8 | |||
| Freezing Potion | Evolved Kobold | Murloc Raider | Street Trickster |
| Am’gam Rager | Goldshire Footman | Murloc Tinyfin | Tournament Medic |
| Backstreet Leper | Grimscale Oracle | Shieldbearer | Wisp |
| Cult Apothecary | Leper Gnome | Southsea Deckhand | Young Dragonhawk |
| Dread Corsair | Magma Rager | Stonetusk Boar |
Mage Arena Rare card tier list – March 2017
| Tier 1 | |||
| Argent Commander | Blizzard | Sunwalker | |
| Azure Drake | Fallen Hero | ||
| Tier 2 | |||
| Babbling Book | Defender of Argus | Mind Control Tech | Stampeding Kodo |
| Corrupted Healbot | Kirin Tor Mage | Polymorph: Boar | Violet Teacher |
| Tier 3 | |||
| Ancient Shade | Effigy | Injured Blademaster | Twilight Drake |
| Armored Warhorse | Emperor Cobra | Master Jouster | Volcanic Potion |
| Bomb Squad | Flamewaker | Saboteur | Wild Pyromancer |
| Doppelgangster | Imp Master | Sunfury Protector | Wobbling Runts |
| Tier 4 | |||
| Abomination | Demolisher | Questing Adventurer | Vaporize |
| Avian Watcher | Kabal Courier | Ravenholdt Assassin | Young Priestess |
| Backroom Bouncer | Knife Juggler | Second-Rate Bruiser | |
| Counterspell | Light’s Champion | Servant of Yogg-Saron | |
| Crazed Alchemist | Midnight Drake | Spiked Hogrider | |
| Tier 5 | |||
| Blackwater Pirate | Dragon Egg | Grim Patron | Pint-Sized Summoner |
| Coliseum Manager | Ethereal Arcanist | Injured Kvaldir | |
| Corrupted Seer | Fencing Coach | Kabal Crystal Runner | |
| Demented Frostcaller | Gadgetzan Auctioneer | Moat Lurker | |
| Tier 6 | |||
| Ancient Mage | Bloodsail Corsair | Eater of Secrets | Potion of Polymorph |
| Animated Armor | Book Wyrm | Mana Addict | Secretkeeper |
| Arcane Golem | Coldlight Oracle | Mana Wraith | Small-Time Buccaneer |
| Argent Watchman | Coldlight Seer | Master Swordsmith | |
| Tier 7 | |||
| Alarm-o-Bot | Eerie Statue | Murloc Tidecaller | |
| Ancient Watcher | Lightwarden | Silithid Swarmer | |
| Angry Chicken | Mogor’s Champion | Summoning Stone |
Mage Arena Epic card tier list – March 2017
| Tier 1 | |||
| Sea Giant | |||
| Tier 2 | |||
| Kodorider | Pyroblast | ||
| Tier 3 | |||
| Blood Knight | Coldarra Drake | Forbidden Flame | Grand Crusader |
| Tier 4 | |||
| Arcane Blast | Cabalist’s Tome | Djinni of Zephyrs | Garrison Commander |
| Tier 5 | |||
| Darkspeaker | Faceless Shambler | Southsea Captain | |
| Defias Cleaner | Manic Soulcaster | Twilight Summoner | |
| Tier 6 | |||
| Ancient Harbinger | Faceless Manipulator | Murloc Warleader | Spellbender |
| Burgly Bully | Frost Giant | Recruiter | Twilight Guardian |
| Crowd Favorite | Leatherclad Hogleader | Scaled Nightmare | Validated Doomsayer |
| Doomsayer | Master of Ceremonies | Sideshow Spelleater | Wind-up Burglebot |
| Tier 7 | |||
| Arcane Giant | Cyclopian Horror | Greater Arcane Missiles | Mountain Giant |
| Big Game Hunter | Dirty Rat | Hungry Crab | Naga Sea Witch |
| Blood of The Ancient One | Fel Orc Soulfiend | Ice Block | Weasel Tunneler |
| Blubber Baron | Fight Promoter | Molten Giant |
Mage Arena Legendary card tier list – March 2017
| Tier 1 | |||
| Kazakus | Ragnaros the Firelord | Ysera | |
| Onyxia | Sylvanas Windrunner | ||
| Tier 2 | |||
| Cairne Bloodhoof | Deathwing | Nefarian | Y’Shaarj, Rage Unbound |
| Chromaggus | Emperor Thaurissan | The Curator | |
| Tier 3 | |||
| Alexstrasza | Eydis Darkbane | Hogger | Reno Jackson |
| Arch-Thief Rafaam | Fjola Lightbane | Hogger, Doom of Elwynn | Rhonin |
| Archmage Antonidas | Gruul | Medivh, the Guardian | The Black Knight |
| Baron Geddon | Harrison Jones | Nexus-Champion Saraad | |
| Tier 4 | |||
| Auctionmaster Beardo | Deathwing, Dragonlord | Malygos | Wrathion |
| Barnes | Icehowl | N’Zoth, the Corruptor | |
| Bloodmage Thalnos | Illidan Stormrage | The Beast | |
| Tier 5 | |||
| Chillmaw | Genzo, the Shark | King Mukla | Mukla, Tyrant of the Vale |
| Elise Starseeker | Justicar Trueheart | Moroes | Prince Malchezaar |
| Tier 6 | |||
| Brann Bronzebeard | Leeroy Jenkins | Nat Pagle | The Boogeymonster |
| Inkmaster Solia | Millhouse Manastorm | Soggoth the Slitherer | Tinkmaster Overspark |
| Tier 7 | |||
| Anomalus | Gormok the Impaler | Nat, the Darkfisher | Skycap’n Kragg |
| Captain Greenskin | Madam Goya | Patches the Pirate | The Skeleton Knight |
| Finja, the Flying Star | Majordomo Executus | Sir Finley Mrrgglton | Yogg-Saron, Hope’s End |
| Tier 8 | |||
| Bolf Ramshield | Mayor Noggenfogger | Rend Blackhand | Shifter Zerus |
| Lorewalker Cho | Nozdormu | Sergeant Sally |
Mage Arena drafting tips
– It’s important to keep appraising your specific deck throughout the drafting process. By all means use this guide to pick out your first ten or so cards, based purely on raw value. From there on, however, you should think carefully about the make-up of your actual deck – it’s OK to drop down a tier if there’s a particularly powerful synergy up for grabs, for example.
– Once you’ve selected your first chunk of cards, you should review your deck and consider your weaknesses. Do you have any juicy removal spells to deal with any deadly minions that might show up in the late game, for example? Are you drafting a fast deck, or one that’s more control-orientated?
– If you’ve got lots of very low-cost minions in your hand at this stage, prioritise fattening up your deck a little, and also make sure you take any card-draw effects or creatures that come your way. This will help you fill your hand back up if you lose everything to a board-wipe.
– On the other hand, if you’ve been drafting very high-cost creatures and spells, you should look to get a few more smaller minions in your hand. We like to go into Arena with at least half a dozen two-Mana drops, as you can’t afford to lose the early-game.
– In the final ten picks, just shore up any strengths you have in the deck, and minimise any weaknesses. This is your last chance to get a balanced deck that can perform at every stage of the game, so make these final picks count!
