Shrouded in whispers of the void, Hearthstone is preparing for the darkest expansion of the year: Reign of the Dark Empire. Blizzard has announced the final installment of the season, which will take players back to the primitive days of Azeroth, when the world was ruled by terrifying Old Gods.
The central theme of the series will be the full embodiment of the four Lords of the Abyss. C’Thun, Yogg-Saron, N’Zoth, and Y’Shaarj return as powerful legendary Colossus cards. Each god has an effect that only activates when certain conditions are met during a match, making the card the ultimate way to end the game.
With the launch of the expansion pack, there will be a new mechanic that reflects the maddening impact of the Abyss – “Desecration”. If you play a higher value card, a card with this ability will be directly enhanced in your hand. It’s an evolution of the familiar mechanic, but this time the effects can stack multiple times, changing not only the stats but also the type of spell cast.
In addition, each class receives its own map of the area, representing the destroyed temples and ziggurats of the ancient empire. Not only do these locations provide passive bonuses, but they can also be sacrificed, i.e. destroyed, before the safety margin expires, for an immediate and powerful but risky effect.
Void creatures, illithids, and forgotten servants of ancient gods will receive a new combo creature type – the Faceless Ones. The developers promise powerful synergies in this game, built around maintaining control of the table and manipulating enemy cards.
