Blizzard announced today that next year of Heartstone will be called the Hydra Year. It will begin with the release of Heartstone’s new Voyage to the Sunken City on April 12 (April 13 on ANZ), and three sets will leave the standard format – Ashes of Outland, Scholomance Academy and Madness at the Darkmoon Faire. This will be a big shake, and not only because the card pool for standard players will be considerably smaller, the foundation of the game – the core set, free for all players to use – will be completely different for the year. Of Gryphon.
Last year the core set was 235 cards, but for The Year of the Hydra, the package will expand to 250 cards. Based on the changes, 57 cards are rotated, and 72 cards are coming. I’ll get some of the most important returning cards in a minute, but first, it’s worth pointing out that 11 cards get puffs or earlier. nerfs returned. Execute again becomes one mana (from two), for example, Noorish returns to five mana (from six). Equality, meanwhile, is again two manas (after spending time on both three and four manas), i.e. the classic equality + clear costs of the holy board is six manas. The changes are all very significant and predict how powerful the Voyage to the Sunken City cards will be, as well as how the Heartstone cards in general have grown to be more powerful. You can see the full list of updated cards in the slideshow below.
Meanwhile, many of the cards included were tech-defining, over-played or major technology choices in the past, so Hydra has the ability to help design new meta in the year. Neutral, some of the returning cards that actually come out are the original League of Explorers: Renault Jackson, Bran Bronxford, Elise Starsieker and Sir Finley, Doomsday, Murlock Warlider, Thor Creeper, Lifetimer, Wild Pyromancer, and so on. , Primordial Drake and Mossy Horror. Get some powerful new (old) tools for each class. For example, Hunter sees the arrival of Houndmaster Shaw, Animal Companion, Springba, Clocked Huntress, Mark Shot and Candleshot. Meanwhile, Priest chooses the Stone Gold Classics to drive non-priestly players crazy, including the Northshire Cleric, Radiant Elemental, Lightbomb, Murosand the Infinite and the Dragonite Operative. You can see the whole core set in the slideshow below to get an idea of the foundation of each class.
For those who want to see the changes at a glance, here is a list of core set changes (via Blizzard).
57 cards rotating
Neutral: Arcane Anomaly, Argent Skyr, Cockmaster, Young Priest, Mini-Maze, River Crocolisk, Toxicologist, Friedwing, Mud Ring Fossil, Fleezing Ghost, Ice Razor, Injured Platemaster, King Mugler, Spider, Spider Barnes Staplehand, Clockwork Giant
Destroyer of Evil: Astong Borlard, Warclaves of Asinoth
Droid: Enchanted Raven, Landscape, Wildlife Warden, Nordrasil Druid, War Ancient
Hunter: WebSpinner, Lock and Load, Scavenging Hyena, Headhunters Headset, Bearshark
Wizard: Water Elemental, Mirror Entity, Fallen Hero, Goldara Drake
பலடின்: Holy light, pursuit of justice, protector of kings
father: Crimson Priests, Shadow Form, Lightspan, Temple Enforcer, Natalie Celine
Roughness: Plated Cultist, Patient Killer
Shaman: Windfury, Unbound Elemental, Draenei Totemcarver, Earth Elemental
Warlock: Terrible hell dweller, possessed villager, enslaved lord, ritual of destruction
Warrior: Warsong Commander, War Cache, Warsong Outrider
72 cards are coming
Neutral: Zola The Gorgon, Sir Finley Mirgalton, Bron Bronzebeard, Ellis Starsheiker, Renault Jackson, Mistress of Mixtures, Agglot of Pain, Doomsday, Beaming Sidekick, Griffith Creeper, Thor Twilight Track, Escape Manasapar, Primordial Drake, Mosi Horror, Fairy Dragon, Valpera Scoundrel, Cobalt Scalebane, Injured Dolvir
Destroyer of Evil: Transfiguration, Angry Naga, Flameripper
Droid: Fundrail Stahlm, Soil Scales, Anger, Living Roots, Mounted Raptor, Ancient Lore
Hunter: Houndmaster Shaw, Animal Supplement, Springpaw, Closed Hunter, Marked Shot, Candle
Wizard: Galactose, pyroblast, blizzard, pyromaniac, explosive run
பலடின்: Flash of Light, Amber Watcher, Bronze Explorer, Ragnaros Lightlord
father: Lyra The Sunshort, Northshire Cleric, Radiant Elemental, Lightbomb, Dragonite Operative, Murosant The Infinite
Roughness: Des Greman, Buchanan, Hench-Klan Burgler
Shaman: Krakow, Frog, Farsightedness, Flamingo Totem, Melstrom Portal, Blood Hysteria
Warlock: Whitewalker, Imp Gang Boss, Abyssal Executioner, High Priest Jacqueline, Torkshire Librarian
Warrior: Darius Crowley, Shield Black, Bloodhof Brave, Bash
11 Cards Receive Updates (Puffs / Nerve Reversions)
Neutral: Gorillabot A3 Price 3 mana; Azure Drake has 5 health
Destroyer of Evil: Feast of Souls 1 mana; Angry Naga has 2 health
Droid: Nutrition is 5 mana
Wizard: Galactose is 9 mana
பலடின்: Equality is 2 mana cost; Bronze Explorer has 3 attacks
Warlock: High Priest Jekyll has 5 health
Warrior: Execute is 1 mana; Darius Crowley has 5 health
Today’s announcement also reveals the remaining cards for the Voyage to the Sunken City set. We’ve seen all 135 now, and it’s forming a collection of massive allies, new Naga tribes with their interesting spelling synergies and ability to sink cards, making a huge impact taking up many board seats. Dig them out after your deck, interesting directions for all classes in general, we’re talking about the Murlock Warlock, the return of the Mac Magic or the rise of the Multicaster Shaman. You can see all the cards below.
Our journey to the submerged city begins on April 12 (April 13 ANZ) and promises to be the beginning of a wonderful year. You can find out more about the set and the team’s plans for the coming year on Hartstone’s official site.
GameShia has worked at IGN before and has been following Heartstone since it was first announced. When he was not playing he Compound posts.