Front Page

Content

Authors

Game Index

Forums

Site Tools

Submissions

About

You May Also Like...

BB
Black Barney
April 13, 2018
Hot

Best Movies of 2017

Movies and Television
BB
Black Barney
January 13, 2017
Hot

Best Movies of 2016

Movies and Television
ES
Egg Shen
October 17, 2016
Hot

Top Ten - Horror Movie Hosting Tips

Movies and Television
JL
Josh Look
October 13, 2016
Hot
JL
Josh Look
October 07, 2016
Hot

Fortress of Horror 15 - Phantasm

Movies and Television
JL
Josh Look
September 30, 2016
Hot
JL
Josh Look
September 23, 2016
Hot
JL
Josh Look
September 16, 2016
Hot

Fortress of Horror 12 - The Gate

Movies and Television
JL
Josh Look
September 09, 2016
Hot

Fortress of Horror 11 - Fright Night

Movies and Television
JL
Josh Look
July 15, 2016
Hot

Ghostbusters (2016) Review

Movies and Television
BB
Black Barney
March 23, 2016
Hot

Best Movies of 2015

Movies and Television
MB
Michael Barnes
December 21, 2015
Hot
JL
Josh Look
October 31, 2015
Hot

Fortress of Horror 10 - Halloweeen

Movies and Television
JL
Josh Look
October 27, 2015
Hot
JL
Josh Look
October 23, 2015
Hot
JL
Josh Look
October 21, 2015
Hot

Tavern Brawl, a new Hearthstone mode

Hot
J Updated
 
0.0
 
0.0 (0)
7468 0
Tavern Brawl
There Will Be Games

Hearthstone is the immensely popular free-to-play card game from Blizzard Entertainment. For the last year, millions of players have duked it out with goblins, gnomes, zombies, and dragons with three play options: plain old duels (ranked or not), solo adventures against the AI (one can purchase themed adventures or just practice dueling), and the Arena, which is a limited format. This week debuts a new way to play: Tavern Brawl.

Tavern Brawl defines a new set of rules every week (e.g., only odd-cost spells, or neutral-only minions)  and could require deckbuilding or provide themed decks. (This week it's the latter.) It's a free mode, like "Play" (contrast to Arena, which costs 150gp/$1.99). Brawls run from Wednesday to Monday, and you do get 10gp for three wins and so forth like in Play mode. For at least the first few Brawls Blizzard is providing a Classic pack for winning your first Brawl. 

splash

You need to have a hero to Level 20--not on the ladder mind you, but in your hero collection. Hence, there won't be any brand new players in Brawl; but honestly, you can get a hero to level 20 in about a week of very casual playing. 

Here's my first impressions as I fired it up.

  • New sound effects introduce it, some new music and a nice splash screen. Looks like it'll count your wins for the week, and tracks the days.
  • I am Ragnaros, taking on Nefarian. 60 life! A 2/6 weapon, and can poop out Magma Ragers for 2-mana. 
  • Nefarian's got 30 life, 30 armor--and 5 mana?! Fuck me. The 2-mana Hero Power yields a random spell from any class, and makes it cost 0!
  • I open with a Flame Imp--the opponent counters with Blackwing Corrupter and a Defense bot. Jeez. 
  • Crazy huge spells. Crazy wild minions: 4/12 that buffs all your attacks +3 every turn. 2/4 dogs that resummon each other if one dies. The 6/6 with Taunt for 3 mana seems tame by comparison. How's about a 20/20 for 50 with Molten Giant text?
  • The opponent rushed out (can't blame her, so rich with mana). Emptied her hand and was in top deck mode. Well, top deck mode where she can spend 8 mana on whatever she draws and play a free spell from the Hero Power.
  • I stabilized at 4 life after two Flamestrikes and some key 6/3 shoot-for-6 guys and got the win. Largely thanks to my opponent not Hero Powering into any burn.  

crazy_creatures

Going to be a lot of folks complaining about balance this week, I bet. An extra spell per turn that costs 0 vs. the ability to play one of the worst minions in the game seems to tip in one direction. 

 

I like the idea of Tavern Brawl a lot--the Casual Room in Hearthstone's Play mode has long lacked a reason to exist. It's best use case was as a golden protrait farm for incredibly experienced players to utterly obliterate newcomers. With Tavern Brawl, folks that don't want to work the Ranked ladder can spend their energies in a mode that promises interesting interactions, occasionally deckbuilding skills, and cool rewards. 

well_played

There Will Be Games

User reviews

There are no user reviews for this listing.
Already have an account? or Create an account