Hearthstone Rise of Shadows is the latest expansion for Blizzard’s collectible card game. Announced today, the expansion adds over 100 new cards, new mechanics, and a host of other improvements to the game. Rise of Shadows comes out on April 9.
Blizzard released a host of information regarding Hearthstone Rise of Shadows earlier today. All-told, 135 new cards will come in the expansion and will be joined by a range of new mechanics and improvements. Arena rotations are being added with the expansion.
Players will be able to pre-purchase Rise of Shadows to unlock bonuses. The mega bundle includes 80 expansion-based card packs, the Madame Lazul Priest Hero, and more. The standard pre-purchase pack includes 50 expansion-based card packs and a random legendary card from the expansion.
Hearthstone Rise of Shadows is the first piece of content in the Year of the Dragon. Blizzard plans to add a number of solo adventures throughout the year, with Rise of Shadows marking the start of the content roll-out.
The developer detailed many of the new changes and mechanics coming with Rise of Shadows on April 9. Firstly, new Lackey cards will be available to collect. Lackeys are 1/1 minions that pack a number of unique and helpful moves as Battlecry effects. Schemes are powerful spells that become even more powerful the longer they stay in a players hand. The example given was “Hagatha’s Scheme” which deals one damage to all minions but upgrades damage every turn. Twinspell is a new set of spells that create a copy of themselves to be used again at any time. Blizzard is also reworking a number of older mechanics such as the forbidden magics from Whispers of the Old Gods.
Hearthstone Rise of Shadows is the first of three expansions set to release for the collectible card game this year. Blizzard will be releasing expansions in August and December if past years are anything to go by.
