Bloodrager

 is a cost-efficient offensive unit  that consumes attack at build time.

Strategy
provides constant attack at the expense of damage at construction. As such on its own it is more of an econ unit than a tempo unit, since you lose out on an immediate advantage (of dealing damage) in exchange for increased damage output in the future.

If possible, you want to sneak in a situation where the attack it costs would have been absorbed anyway to negate that part of its price completely; that this is possible makes  a counter to a very wide range of units who either give a lot of absorb or have both Lifespan and Block. Remember that a which costs only 1 or 0 real attack is actually unbelievably efficient (even more so than Shadowfang), thus it is often worth making significant sacrifices to get them out. The cost of a Bloodrager that does not deny Absorb and enemy defense doesn't play, is roughly as efficient as Tarsiers, since an Attack which is delayed is a loss of 2, less with efficient Attack and enemy with good Soak/bad Attack.

Beware of buying in cases where doing damage immediately is essential (i.e. low economy red mirror matches). When your opponent has little absorb, every point of attack matters; might just not be fast enough to pay back for itself before you get breached.

Fast Bloodrager builds
Since it is so cost-efficient, it is usually tempting to try to rush the Bloodrager early. The setup required is more complicated than for most units however, since to be efficient you want to use all your on turns you are buying them. Here is an example build for both players:

Player 1:

It is difficult to get more than one instance though, since both sides may have rising Attack to address from this strategy.
 * DD
 * DD
 * 1) DDA
 * 2) TTD
 * 3) TR + ...
 * 4) Bloodrager + ... // Just enough attack
 * 5) Bloodrager + Bloodrager + ... // Again, all the Attack

Player 2:


 * DD
 * DA
 * 1) TTD
 * 2) TR + ...
 * 3) Bloodrager + ...
 * 4) Bloodrager + Bloodrager + ... // Will require saving some gold on previous turn

Those builds work exceptionally well against opponents going high econ and just getting defense without putting pressure back, since all the defense they will be buying will be useless before the 3rd Bloodrager hits the board.

Player 2 Perforator (1) rush. Spends resources efficiently and defends.
 * A
 * T1
 * R1
 * 1) Bloodrager
 * 2) Bloodrager

Player 1 Immolite (1) and Blood Phage (2) rush. Locked to the line until turn 4.
 * A
 * 2
 * 11
 * 1) Bloodrager
 * 2) Bloodrager +E

Player 1 Vivid Drone (1) and Electrovore (2) rush
 * DD
 * A1
 * T2
 * 1) 122
 * 2) Bloodrager (3R left)

Change log

 * September 18th, 2015
 * Supply increased from 4 to 10