Fans of Blizzard who want a new take on the Warcraft franchise might want to step away from its hit MMO by trying out Hearthstone, a digital card game with elements straight from the fantasy franchise itself. This time, instead of raiding in Azeroth, players take on the role of popular Warcraft heroes and fight using cards.
Of course, fans of World of Warcraft might wonder just what Hearthstone has that other CCGs don't. Moreover, why exactly should gamers play a card game when they can explore Azeroth as their own heroes? Interestingly, a lot of Hearthstone's appeal lies in its fast-paced, straightforward gameplay. What else should newcomers know before getting into Hearthstone?
10 Familiarity With CCGs Help
A lot of fans easily get discouraged after noticing that some of Hearthstone's gaming mechanics seem similar to other CCGs. However, it's important to remember that Hearthstone took this route due to its practical and straightforward fashion. As with games like Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone has a Mana resource to summon Minions and cast Spells.
Additionally, as with most Mana-based CCGs, Hearthstone's goal is to either deplete the player's Health or deck to win the game. In turn, players already familiar with MTG's mechanics will have an easy time getting the hang of Hearthstone's core mechanics.
9 Fast And Loose With Gameplay
Unlike other more complex CCGs like Yu-Gi-Oh!, gameplay in Hearthstone follows an extremely straightforward approach. Essentially, players draw a card and regenerate some Mana every turn. They can summon as many Minions or cast as many Spells for as long as they have the Mana to do it.
Minions can clash with other Minions (where lowest Attack loses and the remainder is subtracted to Health) or attack a player's Hero directly. Likewise, players can attack directly with a Hero or a Weapon (that loses durability with each use), or even spend Mana to cast a special Hero Power once per turn.
8 Persistent, Activate Effects Make Combinations
As with other CCGs, combos rule the Hearthstone match. Essentially, players who want to go pro need to familiarize themselves with how ability synergies work to maximize their efficacy in a simple combat encounter or even in the entire match.
In Hearthstone, some cards have Persistent Effects that affect a card for as long as it's in play. For instance, Raid Leader (2/2) always gives +1 Attack to other Minions. Meanwhile, other cards have Activated Effects that only trigger after a certain situation. These include a Battlecry (on-play), Secrets (enemy does something), or a Deathrattle (upon death).
Players who understand the synergies of these cards can easily dominate play. For instance, the Young Dragonhawk (1/1) has the Windfury keyword that enables it to always attack twice. While it deals minuscule damage, this Minion becomes terrifying with Blessing of Might, which adds +3 Attack to a Minion.
7 Not Always About Attack
Interestingly, while players might get excited to see cards just buffing their Minion to wreak havoc over the field, that same Minion becomes a prime target of Spells that remove Minions. In turn, players need to diversify their play into including Minions and Spells that rely more on their innate effects than just pure attack.
Instead of attacking with a Minion, players can use Minion effects to proc devastating effects. For instance, Knife Juggler (2/2) deals 1 Damage to a random enemy whenever a Minion is cast. The effect already implies trouble, but its combination potential can cause a world of hurt for opponents. For instance, this card works with Violet Teacher (3/5), which summons a Violet Apprentice (1/1) whenever its owner casts a Spell. Likewise, this also works with Imp Master (1/5), which deals 1 Damage to itself and summons an Imp (1/1) at the end of its owner's turn.
6 Mana Curve Still Matters
Players who got to play other CCGs would know that resources matter most aside from card numbers in any deck. In Hearthstone, the Mana resource can become a sole indicator of victory as it ensures the viability or non-viability of any strategy. When players make a Hearthstone deck, they need to remember that the Mana Curve still matters in this game.
Essentially, the Mana Curve explains how cards get distributed in a deck depending on their Mana Cost. Ideally, a Mana Curve looks like a bell - where mid-game cards for Turns 3 onwards become abundant. Players need to take note if their Illidan Stormrage Demon Hunter deck could use more low-Mana cards or high-Mana cards. After all, low-Mana cards have mundane effects to trade for their easy access. Likewise, high-Mana cards can devastate the field but need tremendous patience before casting.
5 Card Advantage Helps
Players might realize that instead of playing Arcane Missiles (spread three damage across enemies) in a single turn, this card might work as a combination with other damage effects. However, players should think twice about using Arcane Missiles and casting all their other damaging Spells from their hand, even if they have the Mana. The reasoning is simple: Card Advantage.
Essentially, Card Advantage dictates a player's ability to play cards in a turn. The more cards a player has, the better chances they have of countering an enemy move during their turn. Of course, no cards for that turn means being wide open for an attack. In turn, players should always consider putting draw cards ,such as Gadgetzan Auctioneer (4/4) or Arcane Intellect. That way, they always have the means to draw cards during their turn or during some Spells' effect.
4 90 Seconds Of Fame
Regardless of Class choice, players of Hearthstone will likely want to dish out their combos as soon as their turns come up. However, players should always remember that they shouldn't rush into their turn like their life depended on it. Unlike a World of Warcraft Raid, a Tank Class like a Warrior in Hearthstone doesn't need to end their turn immediately to make an impact.
Rather, sometimes the best strategies come up when players make use of their time properly. Essentially, players should remember that they have an entire 90-second window to make their move and respond to their opponent's actions. Players should use this timeframe properly to plan their approach to ensure victory.
3 Gameplay Modes Diversify Fun
Unlike other CCGs that have limited formats, Hearthstone actually offers a lot of variety in terms of gameplay modes. In fact, players can enjoy up to eight different kinds of games, divided among Player vs. Player (PVP), Player vs. Environment (PVE), and Cooperative (Co-op) formats.
Essentially, PVP-focused modes include Standard, Wild, Battlegrounds, Duels, and Arena formats that have slightly modified rules. Meanwhile, Solo Adventures contain practice modes interweaved with unique stories. Likewise, Tavern Brawls offer new rules to play with every week, while Fireside Gatherings focus more on playing with the community.
2 Multiple Options To Score Cards
Interestingly, players also have a ton of options to score free cards throughout their gameplay in Hearthstone. This makes the "collectible" aspect of Hearthstone more bearable, despite its match-focused formats. Essentially, most things in Hearthstone merit some way to get rewarded. These include completing Quests, leveling a Hero for the first time, and finishing free adventure content.
Likewise, players can join the Tavern Brawl and even Arena rotation in order to receive card pack rewards depending on their progress. Moreover, even progressing through Ranked and Challenged modes can merit rewards in the form of cards. In turn, players can almost always earn new cards for their deck as they play more Hearthstone.
1 Microtransactions Make Play A Bit Frustrating
As with most games nowadays, players can also purchase a wide variety of things in Hearthstone's in-game store via microtransactions. These include alternate Heroes, Adventures, and Card Packs of various varieties. In terms of Card Packs, players get at least one Rare Card for every pack, one Epic Card for every five packs, and one Legendary Card for every 20 packs on average (or within the first 10 packs of a new card expansion).
With these in mind, it's easy to see how some players can get annoyed with the rather microtransaction-intensive nature of Hearthstone. After all, this implies that players can only get the exact cards they want much faster if they spend more on card packs.