Classic Constructed Deck Tech: Aurora, Shooting Star - Elemental Runeblade

Rosetta impacted Classic Constructed immediately, particularly Runeblade, which was a bit unpopular. Even now, after The Hunted came along, we can still see Rosetta in the meta.

Today, let's discuss one of the best decks in Classic Constructed, and the hero that most stood out from Rosetta: Aurora, Shooting Star!

Aurora is very similar to Briar in many ways, down to a few very identical details: they carry the same talent and class, and both create Embodiment of Lightning. However, Aurora doesn't have Essence of Earth, which points to a clear direction: an aggro deck centered almost completely around the Lightning talent.

Those who have played Flesh and Blood for some time now can clearly see several similarities between Aurora and Briar's aggro version straight away: many zero-cost attacks and a mixture of Physical and Arcane damage that is classic for Runeblades. However, unlike other Runeblade heroes, Aurora doesn't set up Runechants or uses so many non-attacks. The overall idea is to be more aggressive, play several attacks and ways to get Go Again.

Aurora has her pros and cons, but she makes up for her issues by being simple and dealing damage quite consistently.

Pros:

- She deals damage consistently.

- She is easy to pilot.

- She deals damage in two ways (physical and Arcane).

Cons:

- Because of how many Instants this list plays, you might get weird hands, or even hands that don't work at all.

- This list also plays many cards with Block 2, which can be ineffective if you need to block more.

- You might struggle against Ice decks that can disrupt your turn with Frostbite or Blizzard.

I used the list we'll explore today in Road to Nationals events to get my spot at Nationals. I built it around the list Pudding Tam played to win Battle Hardened: Hong Kong.

Let's split this deck into three parts, Attacks, Non-Attacks, and Instants, and see how relevant each card is.

Attacks

One of Aurora's greatest strengths is how simple she is. Her Attacks are basically all the same: they all cost zero and have 4 power. What sets them apart is the way they give you Go Again, on-hit effects, or extra effects, but all of them are recursive. Just like Magic: The Gathering's Burn lists, which are full of "bolts", this list is full of Scar for a Scar (1).

We can split our Attacks even further into starters, extenders, and finishers.

All starters have something in common: they get Go Again in some way. Apart from Ravenous Rabble (1) (which nerfs itself), the other attacks need to interact with the rest of the deck in a certain way to start a Combat Chain, but that's not an issue, considering how many Instants and Lightnings we play.

Second Strike (1) is an excellent extender, though it is a bit situational. Against decks that defend more, it might not get Go Again and brick in your hand, but any small amount of damage (like 1 Arcane damage, for instance) already turns it into one of the best attacks in the entire deck.

In this list, finishers close a turn after a long Combat Chain, and all have an effect that goes beyond 4 power. Arcanic Shockwave (1) and Static Shock (1) deal 1 Arcane damage, Snatch (1) needs no introduction because it draws cards, and Gone in a Flash interacts with Instants.

Enlightened Strike is the most flexible attack in the entire list because it fits any situation really well. You'll need to block more in some matches, and this attack will be excellent in that case, either because it lets you attack with 7 power or prepare your arsenal by drawing a card with it.

You'll use the few blue cards in this list to pay for Aurora's ability more than anything else, like actually using their effects. Current Funnel is excellent because it is a Lightning card that blocks three. I decided to play Trip the Light Fantastic (3) in particular to beat decks with Flick Knives, namely, to prevent the damage a Dagger would deal.

Instants

Lightning Press (1), Electrostatic Discharge (1), and Sigil of Solace (1) create three value, each in their own way, but they're excellent with Flittering Charge (1) and Gone in a Flash, which need to interact with Instants.

Channel Lightning Valley is one of the best cards in this list. We know how strong drawing cards is in Flesh and Blood, so turning all attacks into Snatch (1) is a great way to put pressure on your opponent. You can also keep it for a few turns thanks to its Channel, which means you'll be able to put pressure on your opponent constantly and play longer turns.

Electromagnetic Somersault (1) is a bit more complex. It can both return two Attacks that are blocking back to the hand and return an Attack that is attacking you. As it is more complex, let's see an example:

- Tyler is attacking Nic with a Flittering Charge (1). Nic doesn't declare any blockers. In the reaction step, Tyler uses Electromagnetic Somersault (1) on his Flittering Charge (1), giving it Go Again. When the chain link resolves, Flittering Charge (1) returns to Tyler's hand, and he Attacks with it again.

In this example, Electromagnetic Somersault (1) was converted offensively into four damage, as Tyler used the same Flittering Charge (1) twice, but that's not the only way you can use this card.

- Nic is attacking Tyler with a Command and Conquer (1), and Tyler wants to protect his arsenal. So, in the blocking phase, Tyler blocks with a Gone in a Flash and a Static Shock (1). In the reaction step, Tyler then uses Electromagnetic Somersault (1) on Gone in a Flash and Static Shock (1). When the chain link resolves, both Attacks return to his hand.

In this other example, instead of using this Instant offensively, Tyler used it defensively, and converted it into a block for 6. The best way to use it depends on each situation.

Non-Attack Actions

Though this deck is essentially Attacks and Instants, some Non-Attack Actions are important, and let us set up huge turns with Aurora.

Arc Lightning is the most important card in this deck, as well as the strongest. It lets you give Go Again to your next Action and deal a lot of damage every turn thanks to the 1 Arcane damage every one of your Go Agains will deal.

Please note that any type of Go Again activates this effect: whether it's from an Attack, a weapon like Star Fall, or even from activating Grasp of the Arknight.

And, lastly, Burn Up is the Runeblade Boom Grenade (1) which you can both use to threaten damage and easily play thanks to your attacks with breaking points (for your opponent, blocking four damage is very inconvenient) and "Attack Reactions" like Lightning Press (1). Furthermore, its Shock side is both a way to win the game on your opponent's turn and also interact with Channel Lightning Valley and Flittering Charge (1).

Equipment

We use the best equipment set Runeblade can offer us.

We couldn't use anything but Star Fall. It is everything this deck wants: it is offensive, has Go Again, and its attack cost is not that expensive (it is also basically the only cost this deck has).

Crown of Providence needs no introduction. A hero like Aurora can give you weird hands without any attacks, but this Head piece can fix them. It also protects your arsenal from cards like Leave no Witnesses and Command and Conquer.

Though Art of War was banned, Balance of Justice is still quite useful against decks that draw lots of cards, like Dash I/O, Brutes in general, Prism, Awakener of Sol, and others.

Our Chest piece is Dyadic Carapace, which can block a lot of damage. Besides its Temper 2, its Arcane Barrier 2 is also incredibly useful against Kano, Dracai of Aether. On the other side, you can use Fyendal's Spring Tunic in longer matches to attack with Star Fall "for free" every three turns.

Aurora is the Runeblade hero that least cares about Grasp of the Arknight's ability because this list doesn't play many synergies with Runechant. However, it is very defensive (Battleworn 2), which is enough for us to use it. And, furthermore, if you have a hand full of blue cards (rare, but not impossible), this Arm piece's ability is a way to get rid of them.

Unlike what Lexi, Livewire used to do with Shock Charmers, we'll only use this Arm piece when Spellvoid 2 is essential to protect ourselves from Arcane damage - particularly from Wizards.

Snapdragon Scalers is a staple in aggro decks, and in this list as well. We can use this equipment both offensively on a Snatch (1) or Enlightened Strike (just like Dromai, Ash Artist used to do), or to save a hand with several attacks without Go Again.

Lightning Greaves deserved a mention because of its incredible interaction with Gone in a Flash. However, Aurora doesn't use this interaction well because she doesn't play as many Instants as the other Lightning hero in this set, Oscilio, Constella Intelligence.

In this list, we'll use this Leg piece exclusively when we need to block more, or because of its Arcane Barrier 1.

Aurora is aggressive and her play lines are very simple, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a few tricks up her sleeve.

Star Fall will constantly check if you played a Lightning card that turn, so you can attack with it even if it's not active and play an Instant Lightning in the reaction step. This trick will give your weapon +1 and Go Again, and will force your opponent to play around Channel Lightning Valley.

While Embodiment of Lightning is in play, any of your attacks can be a starter. Try to use attacks that don't have Go Again, like Snatch (1) or Arcanic Shockwave (1).

You can activate Aurora's ability at any moment, including on your opponent's turn.

Arc Lightning gives Go Again to your next Action, so be careful to not waste it on Actions that already have it, like Burn Up.

Lightning Press (1) is your strongest ally when you need to deal damage with Burn Up or use Snatch (1)'s effect, so don't play it only for the damage it deals. Instead, try to use it in the best way possible, like on an on-hit effect.

We'll use our sideboard in the following way:

Play Exude Confidence against decks with many Defense Reactions.

Play Sink Below (1) against other aggro decks.

Play Flicker Wisp (2) in slower matches to combo with Arc Lightning and make it deal 2 Arcane damage at each Go Again.

Play Calming Breeze against heroes that use Flick Knives.

Play Warmonger's Diplomacy (3) against decks that alternate Attacks and non-Attacks each turn, like Dash I/O and Vynnset, Iron Maiden.

In a few weeks, we'll get Aurora's Armory Deck, which will bring us many new cards for her. It might be designed with beginners in mind, but some of these new cards will definitely end up in her main lists. Let's see a few of them.

Skyward Serenade will make this deck more flexible and give us more strategies to play in it. The most common way to use it will be to tutor Skyzyk and turn it into an Attack with 4 power and Go Again. Nonetheless, giving Go Again and +1 power to your next attack is a great strategy if you have many attacks in your hand, and you can also use it to make a turn with Arc Lightning even stronger.

Written in the Stars is everything Aurora wanted: it is a blue card that costs zero, blocks for 3 and Lightning. Its effect is great even as a turn finisher to make sure you'll be able to build your arsenal and have an Embodiment of Lightning. However, its true potential is with Arc Lightning, as it will get Go Again and give you a new card.

With these two new non-Attack cards, another equipment card can become viable for this hero: Face Purgatory!

Because, so far, Aurora didn't have many non-Attack Actions, Face Purgatory's effect was very inconsistent, and, in practice, it was a simple Blade Break 2. However, if we start playing more non-Attacks in her lists, this Head piece might finally find some space, and give us some way to disrupt our opponents.

Aurora has been standing out in the meta ever since she became legal. She is both easy to pilot and has an excellent budget version, so she is great if you have just started playing Flesh and Blood. You can simply start with her budget version and then upgrade it until it is competitive.

What did you think of this list? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!