Hey Guys!
BlizzCon pretty much concluded and my was it Fun, Big, and Interesting for Hearthstone Players and Blizzard Fans alike!
We were greeted with the much anticipated FINAL expansion for year of the Mammoth that is set to launch this December along with a sneak preview of a few of the 135 Cards and many many more!
I should be able to try and cover them all here, and updates along the way once they start out pouring more inputs on the new expansion.
So Without further ado, let me introduce you to...
Check out this Trailer below:
The adventure takes us subterranean where we enter what looks like a mine. And just like any other mine, we see creepies, we see crawlies, and what we normally look for is the LOOT that is due for all miners alike. Loot like the ones we expect in the MMO that comes in the form of Treasures, Gems, Weapons and monsters, yes monsters in the form of Kobolds. LOL.
Initial Card Release 14/135
New Keyword: Recruit
Recruit immediately summons minions from your deck and put them directly into Play.
Some cards recruit minions that match certain conditions; others are chosen randomly.
I think this is a more appropriate example for the 2.
Recruit is reminiscent if not directly related to the likes of Y'Shaarj, Finja or maybe how Patches the Pirate is being pulled from your deck. I think those are the best comparison when it comes to Cards currently have that function. They will not, however, will not have their text changed to Recruit due to players already being already comfy with how they currently are.
Spellstones:
Spellstones are spells that can be used the moment that you can OR upgrade them by doing their requirements. The Spellstone cards have to be in your hand when you execute their requirements in order to upgrade them.
There are currently 3 levels of Spellstone cards, Lesser, (I guess Ordinary), and Greater.
You have to gain 3 Armor while the Card is in your HAND to Upgrade
You have to Overload 3 mana crystals while the Card is in your HAND to Upgrade
Unidentified Elixir
Much like any other Raids, Elixirs are a must. Though I wonder if it can make or break the game like it does during raid nights. This time around, we have a surprise Priest Elixir that gains the bonus effect when in your hand. I guess this happens when the card is drawn. RNG upon RNG upon RNG but the bonus effects are amazing.
Marin the Fox and More!
Pre-BlizzCon, it was announced that all BlizzCon ticket holders (Virtual Tickets or not) will be receiving a Golden Legendary and it would be Marin the Fox. At that time, everyone speculated that the expansion would be pirates! But soonest it got out, Low and Kobolds, not everything's about pirates, but Treasures. And Marin the Fox is seen best along with the Crazed Alchemist to be able to unlock the treasure he discovers.
Hello Folks! I'm Here!! -Marin the Fox
Seals from Rin, the First Disciple
I always wondered what this seal would do. But this has got to be the most fun to achieve for me in this expansion. Well, so far. Even way back MTG, I always wanted to build a deck around decking out your opponent, and my how I loved playing Fatigue/Mill Decks in both Warrior (Current Meta) and Mill Rogue.
Imagine how/what Destroying your Opponent's Deck would do.
I am still formulating ways to get this out fast, but currently I am out of ideas. But it would definitely be FUN, an Exodia Warlock anyone? I think your opponent decks himself out before you even have a chance to get Azari out.
Adventure Mode/Solo Adventure
Team 5 or the Hearthstone Team promised to us that for the Year of the Mammoth, we will be dealing with 135 card collection rather than having to purchase Solo Adventures to gain cards for a specific expansion. The good thing with that promise is, not only will they be having 135 new cards for an expansion but also to include a Solo Adventure and the last time on the Knights of the Frozen throne, we dealt with the upper and the lower citadel and eventually finishing off with the Lich King himself.
This time around we will be having a dungeon Run, and much like the previous adventure, this is totally FREE!
Here is what we know so far:
- At the start of the dungeon Run, players will choose a class and will be receiving 10 basic cards.
- Players will be fighting against 8 bosses chosen randomly from a 48 Boss Pool.
- Each of the bosses would have their own Hero Power and may have distinct cards and mechanics.
- 8 of the bosses that will be encountered will be in increasing difficulty.
Available Bosses for the Dungeon Run
These are some of the Bosses that were revealed thus far, there are no complete descriptions for the rest of the 39 Bosses available:
Blacksteed
Hero Power: 0 Mana – Transform a minion into a random one that costs 1 more.
Battlecrier Jin’zo
Hero Power: Battlecries trigger twice. (Passive)
Candlebeard
Hero Power: Charge! (1 Mana) – Give a minion charge.
Elder Brandlemar
Hero Power: Dampen Magic (2 Mana) – Put a Counterspell onto the battlefield.
Frostfur
Hero Power: Freezes a minion. (2 Mana)
Kraxx
Hero Power: Giant Stomp (2 Mana) – Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions.
Giant Rat
Hero Power: Rat Race (2 Mana) – Summon two 1/1 Rats.
Pathmaker Hamm
Hero Power: Unstable Explosion (1 Mana) – Deal 1 damage to two random enemies.
Waxmancer Sturmi
Hero Power: Creates wax clones (1/1 copy) of minions on the field.
Room of Traps
All that has been discussed about this room so far is that it is so difficult. It is being made to show up less often.
I wonder what this is about, insta-kill turn 2-3?
Failed Runs
To compliment the Room of Traps as well as how Dungeon Runs are being done, we are expecting that every failed attempt will result in a DECK WIPE. Along with that, we have to start all over.
More Loot!
This is a Dungeon Raid everyone! And since we need to beat 8 Bosses at increasing difficulty, I am sure 10 basic cards would not cut it out. They have to give us something to Roll NEED or GREED for.
But they do realize that and ensured that just like how the theme for the expansion would be, we would be given loot for defeating bosses along the way. It would be given in a three-way where you get to select 3 different themes for you to build your synergies on.
As I've heard, themes may reoccur in the following selections to improve synergies, then again we need to build something pretty strong to battle the most tweaked 8th level boss in the long run right?
Every start of the Run, themes do change. This would make the whole Adventure as unique as possible and allows you to enjoy the whole thing in many different ways. I wonder how many time this dude played Mage when they tested this out during BlizzCon.
Treasures!!
With Great Loot, comes Great Treasures. I think it was last time I heard it. In this Dungeon Run we will be receiving not only Loot but Treasures to assist us in our journey to whoop some sense into the 8 bosses we will be encountering.
Much like how the Loot is being selected, the treasures will be the same. And my these treasures is like cheating only that your would be boss opponent would be cheating first. Talk about fighting Cheating with Cheating (fire with fire?)
There will be 2 forms of these Treasures we will be uncovering, humbly called Passive and Active Forms.
Passive Treasures
Passive Treasures activate or take effect every start of the Boss fight. It maybe an effect just like Justicar Trueheart (Improving Hero Power) to Prince Keleseth's Battlecry effect, +1 /+1 to all minions at the beginning of the game.
- Captured Flag – Passive. Your minions have +1 / +1.
- Justicar's Ring – Passive. Your Hero Power is upgraded and costs (1).
- Khadgar's Scrying Orb – Passive. Your spells cost (1) less.
- Glyph of Warding – Passive. Enemy minions cost (1) Mana more.
- Mysterious Tome – Passive. At the start of the game, play 3 random Secrets.
- Potion of Vitality – Passive. Double your starting Health.
- Small Backpacks – Passive. At the start of the game, draw 2 cards.
Active Treasures
These treasures are added to the deck much like any Hearthstone Card. It is being drawn, and played just like everything else. One thing that makes it into a treasure? Is it's overwhelming power. Feel like Pyroblasting anyone to death? You need a Rod of Roasting!
- Bag of Coins – (0 Mana) Fill your hand with Coins.
- Boots of Haste – (1 Mana) Your minions cost (0) this turn.
- Gloves of Mugging – (1 Mana) Steal 3 cards from your opponent’s hand.
- Horn of Cenarius – (2 Mana) Recruit 3 minions.
- Rod of Roasting – (10 Mana) Cast Pyroblast randomly until a hero dies.
- Vorpal Dagger – (2 Mana) A 1 / 4 weapon. Poisonous. Mega-Windfury (Can attack four times a turn.)
- Wand of Disentegration – Silence and destroy all enemy minions.
- Wax Rager – Deathrattle: Resummon this minion.
- Wish – (10 mana) Fill your board with Legendary minions. Fully heal your hero.
And Because this Loot Themed expansion will just not be right without more Loot.
You have to complete the Dungeon Run with 8 different classes. And mind you, this is no easy task. ( I cannot say the same, I have not tried it, this is based on the experiences of those who tried) You will be rewarded with a Special Card Back attained only for the patient? LOL
If you wanna check out how the Dungeon Run is going down, feel free to check out this video below:
Pre-Purchase is already up for grabs and doing so entitles you 50 Packs for a price of 49.99USD not to mention a card back to go along with that which is exclusive to pre-purchased expansion packs only.
Season 43 Personal Achievements and Season 44 Goals!
For Season 43, I experimented with 2 different Deck Variants in Handbuff Pally and Tempo Rogue. I also wanted to try out starting fresh with a new F2P account where I eventually topped at Rank 7.
However, late through the season, I found out that it would be very difficult for me to attain greater heights with my gaming constraints, balancing family work and game time. So I sought out just to achieve the 500 Win Goal for my Rogue which I did, eventually.
What is next? Well, with the new Expansion coming right up around the corner, I think it would be wise to just play what I can and continue to save up for it increasing my packs as we get to Expansion Day.
With that said, this is how much I have saved up since KFT launched:
I wonder if I would be able to save more to match what I had during KFT which was about 10,000GOLD. But hopefully, I would be able to reach somewhere close.
Conclusion
That pretty much sums up updates in Hearthstone after BlizzCon and after Season 43 ended. There is a new season ahead of us, so much so, another expansion in Kobolds and Catacombs. Join me, and together, we will venture through the mines in search for loots, treasures and even more loot.
I would like to leave you here for now, but before I would do that, I would like to share with you what was THE MOST EXCITING thing for a BLIZZARD FAN that happened in BlizzCon. Together we will witness...
The Battle for Azeroth
Please tell me more about your plans with Season 44, and how you will be able to incorporate Marin the Fox into a competitive deck. I am hearing plenty of hype about him, but I was far too busy creating this post to ever try him out just yet. I should be able to get back to you guys with any decks I have made with Marin in the picture. Leave everything you've got in the comment section below and I sure am going to be able to get back to you for anything.
If you enjoyed this momentous occasion with me, please do leave an upvote and resteem this post. Continue tuning in to the next one by following me.. and continue to stay chill errone!
Shote.Out!