Hearthstone expansions
Hearthstone is a digital collectible card game released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2014, available for Microsoft Windows and macOS PCs and iOS and Android smartphones.
Adventures represent fewer new cards like mini-sets, typically a few dozens, which are only gained by winning specially designed matches against computer opponents in the single-player mode.
[5] However, in the "Year of the Dragon", starting in April 2019, there were additional single-player modes with paid content, separate from expansion pack releases.
[51] "Curse of Naxxramas" was developed to focus on a specific gameplay mechanic, with the team settling onto exploring the design space around the "deathrattle" keyword.
This led to the narrative of the player having to explore a location filled with ghosts and undead creatures to take advantage of deathrattle effects.
Dragon cards in Hearthstone are generally expensive to cast and thus only appear in the latter part of a match, making such decks weaker in the opening rounds.
Donais said the Inspire keyword came about looking at how to interact with Hero powers better, and while Inspire-based cards could be slow and at risk, could have great payoffs if used properly.
This mechanic was introduced to provide contrast to decks that focused on card draws, which they found out tend to be played in the same manner over time.
The Discover mechanic allowed decks to be more random but provide some player decision for on-the-spot judgement calls depending on the situation.
[62][63] Whispers of the Old Gods was based on creating a theme around mysterious and dark Lovecraftian horror, such as Cthulhu, to contrast to the high adventure and excitement that they had designed with "League of Explorers".
This concept of crafting powerful god-like characters let them brainstorm on wild ideas for cards that may seem overpowered for the game but that would fit the theme.
[65] "One Night in Karazhan" is based on a popular game location in World of Warcraft, featuring an abandoned mage's tower that is often used for a dungeon raid.
[67] Mean Streets of Gadgetzan was originally envisioned to have the spirit of "cops and robbers", according to designer Matt Place and art director Ben Thompson, but the idea transformed into squarely focusing on the crime aspects, and treating the narrative as three principal mafia-like crime families vying for control of the city of Gadgetzan along with a number of small-time criminals that work as hired hands.
The nine hero archetypes were divided into sets of three that each worked for a different family, which led to the creation of tri-class specific cards.
[70] The idea for the Dungeon Run is based on the expansion's theme and the mode works as an optional single-player experience independent of the card collection of the player.
The developers found this could lead to long turns if a player's deck primarily consisted of such cards, to the point they had been ready to cut the keyword and release the set otherwise.
However, they found a solution through the user interface by letting the player make the choice at the same time as playing the card if they placed it in a specific location near a mech.
In addition, a new neutral Legendary minion card was added to the set and a golden copy of it was given free to all players for a limited time.
The expansion is centered around nine troll teams coming to battle in an arena to gain favor with their animal spirits known as "Loa" and King Rastakhan, the ruler of the ancient Zandalari Empire.
A new solo mode, Rumble Run, will also be available with this expansion that follows the story of a young troll combatant seeking glory in the arena.
[29] Rise of Shadows was announced in February 2019 before being formally revealed for its April 9, 2019, release as the first expansion in the Year of the Dragon.
: Arch-Thief Rafaam (League of Explorers), Madam Lazul (Whispers of the Old Gods), King Togwaggle (Kobolds & Catacombs), Hagatha the Witch (The Witchwood), and Dr. Boom (The Boomsday Project) and then pulling off a heist in Dalaran.
[84] New card keywords include scheme, spells that increases its effectiveness after each turn that it remains in a player's hand, twinspell, spells that leaves a copy of itself in a player's hand after using it for the first time, and lackeys, a specific set of minions that are generated by other cards that are 1/1 in power with a differing battlecry.
Rise of Shadows includes a solo adventure mode called "The Dalaran Heist", formatted similar to the Monster Hunt and Dungeon Run, though it requires the player to pay for four of the five chapters with in-game gold or with real money; it was released on May 16, 2019.
At the start of a run in a chapter, the player selects one of nine minions, which align with the game's standard classes, and fights through eight bosses of increasing difficulty, gaining rewards and additional cards to fill their deck.
[41] This set features the nine Mercenaries available as Hero Cards and the new keyword is Honorable Kill which gives a beneficial effect if destroying a minion with exact damage.
[101] The theme of this expansion is Revendreth, one of the Shadowlands, and the mystery behind the murder of its ruler, Sire Denathrius, during a party in his stronghold Castle Nathria.
This set was expanded upon with the sixth mini-set called "Maw and Disorder" which includes 35 cards that was released on September 27, 2022.
[102] With the introduction of the Death Knight class, the second new hero added to the original game will get 26 cards from the "Path of Arthas" set, which can be either purchased from a money offer or by spending 2000 Gold.
The third and final expansion of the "Year of the Hydra", March of the Lich King was announced on November 1, 2022, and will be released on December 6.
