Heimerdinger
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Good (7.5/10)
High Investment Required
Paid Relics
Epic Relics
Heimerdinger offers a unique 'casino' playstyle that is explosive and highly entertaining for players who enjoy adaptability and random high-rolls. However, his base performance is considered slow and inconsistent. He relies heavily on high-investment constellation upgrades (specifically C5 and C6) and specific Epic or Paid relics to bypass his slow early game. Without these, he struggles to establish the board presence required to function, often feeling like a 'dead unit'.
Instant Tech Deployment
Essential for this build. Dealing damage to the enemy Nexus on summon triggers Plunder immediately, enabling cost-reduction relics to activate on Turn 1.
Reduces Heimerdinger's cost by 2 when Plunder is triggered. Combined with Swain's Raven Army and his C5 upgrade (which reduces base cost), this allows Heimerdinger to be played immediately on Turn 1.
Heimerdinger's signature relic. It grants his Tech units +1|+1 and provides a Tough Nexus, stabilizing the board immediately as you flood it with discounted units.
Strategy
This build addresses Heimerdinger's greatest weakness: his slow start. By utilizing Swain's Raven Army to trigger Plunder, you can deploy Heimerdinger instantly. Once on the board, he generates immense value through his constellation upgrades and unit spam. If you lack the C5 cost reduction, you may need a second cost-reduction relic or mana-generating powers to achieve a similar speed.
Hextech Value Engine
The engine of this build. Once you reach 6 mana, every spell cast is doubled, generating twice the turrets and doubling spell effects for massive board swings.
Provides a safeguard for Heimerdinger, who is critical to the deck's function. It also summons a second copy of him later, doubling your turret generation output.
Grants Overwhelm to your entire board. Since Heimerdinger generates wide boards of high-power units, this ensures damage connects with the enemy Nexus rather than being chump-blocked.
Strategy
A slower, more control-oriented playstyle. Focus on stalling and controlling the board in the early turns. Once you stabilize and hit the mana threshold for Chemtech Duplicator, you can flood the board with upgraded turrets and infinite value. Frozen Tomb ensures that even if the first Heimerdinger is removed, a backup arrives to keep the engine running.
Budget Acceleration
- Provides the necessary late-game power spike by doubling spells and turret production.
- Allows for an earlier Heimerdinger drop if you can trigger Plunder through deck cards or adventure powers.
Ensures you have the spell mana required to cast your generated spells and maintain turret production every round.
Strategy
Designed for players without full Epic layouts. The goal is to survive until Heimerdinger can stick to the board. Use Archangel's Staff to bank mana for protection spells and turret generation, relying on Chemtech Duplicator to close out the game once online.
Other Relic Options
A high-risk, high-reward option that allows for explosive early turns by sacrificing board presence for mana. Excellent for speeding up deployment if you lack cost-reduction constellations.
Allows Heimerdinger to consume his own turrets to grow immense stats, solving board space issues and making him a formidable attacker.
Provides consistent removal and generates spell mana triggers, useful if you lack other spell-generation tools.
Constellation
Heimerdinger's constellation is a mix of extreme power spikes and lackluster fillers. He is a champion who suffers from 'Pyke syndrome,' where his higher-tier stars (C5/C6) feel necessary to make the champion feel complete and fluid. The random nature of his upgrades means his power level can fluctuate wildly between runs.
Science!
Tech allies in hand and in play have a random upgrade for each time you've spent 6+ mana on spells.
Pursuit of Progress
+1 Starting Mana. When you summon a unit, refill one spell mana.
Science!!! II
Tech allies in hand and in play have a random upgrade from an improved pool of upgrades for each time you've spent 6+ mana on spells.
Biggledust Sprinkle
When you summon a created ally, grant it +1|+1.Review
Widely considered a poor upgrade. Granting +1|+1 to created units is a low-impact effect that does not address his core issues of speed or consistency. It acts as a roadblock to the far superior C5 and C6 powers.
Manaflow
Game Start: Get a mana gem.Review
A critical upgrade for high-level play. Reducing Heimerdinger's base cost is the single most important factor in making him viable for high-difficulty adventures, enabling the powerful Turn 1 deployment strategies.
Eureka!!!!
Tech allies in hand and in play start the game with 3 random improved upgrades. Game Start: Summon a Mk0: Windup Shredder.Review
A massive power spike that embraces the 'casino' nature of the champion. Providing immediate buffs and mana refunds allows for explosive turns that can end games quickly. While powerful, it introduces high variance; some rolls will be game-breakingly strong, while others may lack synergy.
Gameplay Tips
Mulligan Aggressively
Heimerdinger is the engine of the deck; without him, the deck does not function. You must mulligan specifically to find him or the champions/relics (like Farsight Alteration if equipped) that draw him. If you do not have him by Turn 2 or 3, the run is often in jeopardy.
Beware of Formidable
Heimerdinger's RNG upgrades can sometimes grant the 'Formidable' keyword to his turrets. This is detrimental, as his turrets typically have high Power and low Health. Be cautious when picking powers or upgrades that might roll this keyword, as it effectively neutralizes your offensive threat.
Manage Board Space
With relics like Chemtech Duplicator, your board will fill up instantly. Be mindful of ordering your spells so that you generate the specific turrets you need (e.g., Elusive or Overwhelm) before your board is locked. Consuming units with Corrupted Star Fragment or trading aggressively is key to keeping the engine running.
Leverage Spell Mana
Heimerdinger thrives on spell mana. Prioritize powers and relics that refill spell mana or reduce spell costs. The ability to cast multiple spells in a single turn is what allows him to go from an empty board to a lethal threat in one round.