Dorothy: Demons, Murlocs, and Beasts?
Lion: Demons, Murlocs and Beasts!
Scarecrow: Demons, Murlocs and Beasts (oh, my)!
All: Demons, Murlocs, and Beasts (oh, my)!
Captain Greenskin: What about the PIRATES!?
Dorothy: Aw, sorry Cap’n. Everyone knows pirates suck, so no
one builds a pirate deck.
I was critical of the Hearthstone base set design in my
review (you can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/pdb56r5),
and I want to reiterate what I said at the end of that review: Hearthstone does
have a lot of promise. Further, I
believe gaping holes in the base set are holding the game back the most from
realizing its true potential as a great online CCG. Thus, I feel like I should offer what I
consider to be solutions to the design shortcomings of the base set.
For the first of these, I want to discuss
adding creature types to almost all the minions of Hearthstone.

Glad you asked. There
are a couple of ways to do this: you can assign creature type by race (Dwarf,
Elf, Gnome, Elemental, Giant, Human, etc.); you can assign creature type by
“profession” (cleric, knight, elemental, etc.).
Yes, I know that “elemental” isn’t exactly a profession in the
traditional sense of the word, but we also have to take into account the flavor
of the Warcraft universe, and the fact that we are talking about a CCG
adaptation of a high-fantasy universe when talking about the whys and
wherefores of assigning types to creatures.
So what does that look like?
Here’s some “back of the napkin” assigning of creature type to the
current set of minions:
Human: Abusive Sergeant, Argent Squire, Goldshire Footman, Northshire
Cleric, Southsea Deckhand, Argent Protector, Armorsmith, Bloodsail Raider,
Defias Ringleader, Natty P, Sunfury Protector, Acolyte of Pain, Van Cleef, Imp
Master, Kirin Tor Mage, Questing Adventurer, Scarlet Crusader, SI 7 Agent,
Agent Mage, Leeroy, Violet Teacher, Harrison Jones, Silver Hand Knight, Cabal
Shadow Priest, Argent Crusader, Guardian of Kings, Prophet Velen, Ravenholdt
Assassin, Archmage Antonidas, Tirion Fordring
Elf: Elven Archer, Young Priestess, Secret Keeper,
Doomsayer, Blood Knight, Master of Disguise, Silvermoon Guardian, Spellbreaker,
Nightblade, Priestess of Elune, Sylvanis Windrunner
Gnome: Leper Gnome, Knife Juggler, Loot Horder, Milhouse,
Novice Engineer, Patient Assassin, Pint-Sized Summoner, Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Dalaran
Mage, MC Tech, Dragonling Mechanic, Gnomish Inventor, Gelbin Mekkatorque
Orc: Bloodsail Corsair, Cruel Taskmaster, Frostwolf Grunt,
Earthen Ring Farseer, Injured Blademaster, Raid Leader, Razorfen Hunter,
Thrallmar Farseer, Mogu’shan Warden, Frostwolf Warlord

So what happens if every minion in Hearthstone had a
type? Well, first thing is that a series
of counter <type> cards can be added to the set. Having problems balancing the Power 6? Fear not, because players can have a common
alternative to rocking their own set: Cards that hose the Power 6, but wouldn’t
in and of themselves swing a game totally like the Power 6 do.
What would these cards look like? Disease Wagon: Must have an Undead minion in
play to play this card. Whenever a human
card comes into play, silence it. This
card could single handedly, delay or prevent abusive Leeroy combos that
contravene the Card Balance Philosophy document; simultaneously, the Disease
Wagon would be a priority target as soon as it comes into play. This would have the effect of adding strategy
and depth to every mode of Hearthstone.
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