Moustache-twirling cartoon supervillainy is the theme of Hearthstone‘s subsequent growth, Rise Of Shadows. Five large bads from earlier expansions have shaped an alliance, and moderately unimaginatively referred to as themselves the League of E.V.I.L. Schemes, lackeys and callbacks to earlier expansions abound, plus just a few new heroic varieties to counter their monster-of-the-week plans. Below, an announcement info-dump trailer, plus the compulsory musical sing-along intro to the brand new set, though this one isn’t practically as catchy because the previous few – Disney villains they ain’t.
Intriguingly, Rise of Shadows goes to incorporate some playing cards that appear particularly designed to undermine absurdly highly effective combos. The Spellward Jeweller may not be a powerhouse as a minion, however her Battlecry making your hero untargetable by spells or hero powers for a flip looks as if an effective way to guard your self when you see the enemy establishing a recognized combo. ‘Scheme’ playing cards such as this additionally appear geared in the direction of setting issues up regularly, with the cardboard rising extra highly effective with every flip that it sits in your hand. A pleasant use of the supervillainous theme, for positive.
One different fittingly cartoon-villainous idea on this growth is Lackeys. Some playing cards (just like the EVIL Miscreant) add random Lackeys to your hand, one-mana-cost 1/1 minions with surprisingly helpful Battlecry talents. The solely drawback is that there’s 5 completely different Lackey varieties (one for every of the 5 villain teams united), and so they’ll be dealt to you randomly, so that you’ll should improvise your methods a a bit. Hearthstone has all the time had a component of chaos to it, nevertheless it’s fascinating to see it stacked on the low-cost finish for as soon as – a world away from The Boomsday Project’s mid/high-level Hail Mary performs.
Rise Of Shadows can even mark the start of a multi-expansion story arc, with the subsequent few units of playing cards and their corresponding PvE adventures apparently chaining collectively into one thing approaching coherent lore for the game. Sadly, evidently the free journey is over for solo gamers, and we’re going again to them promoting costly single-player adventures. While the primary chapter of the Rise Of Shadows PvE phase will likely be free, the remaining 4 will both value 700 gold every, or $19.99 for the total set.
The Rise of Shadows growth launches on April ninth, and can include 135 playing cards complete, some of which you can see here. Those itching to throw cash at it now can declare a random legendary card plus some beauty doodads by pre-ordering a 50 or 80 card bundle on the official page here.
