Warcraft Rumble - Onyxia All Leaders Guide

Posted May 19, 2025

2 min read

I started challenging Onyxia from September 2024, and after clearing it with a low-level Rend Blackhand setup this May, I began experimenting to see if other low-level setups could also defeat Onyxia.

As I kept trying, my levels gradually increased, so I decided to go all out and challenge Onyxia with every leader.

Below are some brief thoughts on the process — hope you can clear it with your favorite leader.

【Recommended Leaders for Average Level Below 26.0】

Rend Blackhand
Old Murk-Eye
Cenarius
Ysera
Anub’arak
Hogger
Sylvanas
Ragnaros
Bloodmage Thalnos
Malfurion
Arthas
Thrall

Through exploration, I found the following strategies effective or interesting:

Tank + Heal + Auto-Attack: Rend Blackhand, Cenarius, Malfurion.
Poison Damage: Kal’gur, Hogger, Anub’arak.
Tank + Spell: Jaina.
Tank + Thorns Damage: Ragnaros.
Mass Swarm DPS: Old Murk-Eye.
1v1 Duel: Bloodmage Thalnos, Cairne Bloodhoof + Darkspear Troll.
Easy Tower Cap: Sylvanas.
Slight Bug Bomb: Sneed.

Other setups have too low a margin for error at low levels and are not recommended. But through trial and error, even with teams averaging below level 26, there are options beyond Rend. Check out my YouTube playlist for full clear videos and experiments with different leaders.

【Common Deck Composition】

Aside from Old Murk-Eye’s unique deck, most other decks follow a fairly consistent pattern. In my experience, you need at least two minis that can clear whelps on their own, then fine-tune the deck based on the leader.

Tank: Fire Elemental or other tank leader. (Fire Elemental’s Immolation Aura is incredibly useful)
AoE Damage: Pyromancer or Huntress. (Pyromancer is more versatile; Huntress costs more, but pairs well with Malfurion)
Healer: Shaman or Priestess. (Use Shaman if you need armor, Priestess if gold is tight)
Home Defense: Skeleton Party (few setups don’t need it).
Whelp Clear: Witch Doctor or Gryphon Rider or Firehammer or Drake or Troll. (For low levels, I recently like Witch Doctor + Vulture)
Other: Excavator or Faerie Dragon or spells or other minis you find useful (use Excavator if low on gold, Faerie Dragon for resistance)

【Phased Strategy】

Although each leader’s strategy differs, Onyxia’s phases (P1, P2, P3) share some common challenges:

P1: You need a reliable way to deal with Whelp Eggs. Besides the whelp clear minis mentioned above, if your Witch Doctor isn’t high enough level, pair it with Vulture — don’t rely on just one mini.
P2: Prioritize holding the front towers and dealing with Earth Elementals reliably. Skeleton Party is an easy counter.
P3: High DPS comps can push right side to rush the boss during overtime. Lower DPS comps should take out the Dragon Guard, reclaim the front towers, then attack from both sides.