Blizzard unveiled the next Hearthstone expansion, Kobolds & Catacombs, at this year's BlizzCon.
Kobolds & Catacombs, which follows the Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion launched in August that introduced the powerful Hero cards, will add 135 new cards and new mechanics to Hearthstone, along with an interesting new single-player mode.
Kobolds & Catacombs: Dungeon Run
Kobolds & Catacombs will add new cards and mechanics to Hearthstone, just all like other previous expansions to the digital card game. A unique addition from the set, however, is a free and replayable single-player mode named Dungeon Run.
Announced at the opening ceremony of BlizzCon 2017, the Dungeon Run mode of Hearthstone will give players an all-new single-player experience. Gamers start with a 10-card deck, and have a goal of defeating eight bosses chosen randomly from a total of 48 enemies. Each time players defeat a boss, they are given a choice between three card bundles that each contain three cards that synergize with one another. The chosen bundle is added to their deck, giving players more cards to use heading into their next battle.
Players who are beaten before they defeat eight bosses will lose all of the cards in their deck and will have to start from scratch in their next Dungeon Run. The cards in Dungeon Run are also separate from the Hearthstone collection of players, which means that there will be some crazy cards in the new mode that will be too overpowered in the main game of Hearthstone.
New Mechanics And Cards From Kobolds & Catacombs
The powerful cards in Dungeon Run does not mean that players should not have to look forward to the 135 new cards that will be added by Kobolds & Catacombs.
There will be nine legendary weapons, one for each class. Two have been revealed namely Aluneth for the Mage class which is a 6-cost 0/3 weapon that allows the player to draw three cards every end of their turn, and Dragon Soul for the Priest class which is a 3-cost 0/3 weapon that summons a 5/5 dragon whenever the player casts three spells in a turn.
There will also be unidentified spells that have a certain effect plus a random one that is generated upon drawing it. The example given for the mechanic was the 3-cost Unidentified Elixir for the Priest, which gives a minion +2/+2 plus effects such as Lifesteal and Divine Shield.
Kobolds & Catacombs will also have spells that upgrade themselves while in hand if players perform certain actions. For example, the 7-cost Lesser Sapphire Spellstone for Shaman summons a copy of a friendly minion, but it becomes the Sapphire Spellstone that summons two copies of the minion after the players overloads three mana crystals and then becomes the Greater Sapphire Spellstone that summons three copies of the minion after overloading three more mana crystals.
Recruit is another mechanic in the expansion that simply pulls a random minion from a player's deck into play. An example of a card that uses it is the generic 5-cost 2/4 minion that Recruits a minion that costs 4 or less as its Battlecry ability.
Kobolds & Catacombs also features Rin, the First Disciple, a 6-cost legendary 3/6 minion for the Warlock class with Taunt and the Deathrattle ability that adds the First Seal to the player's hand. The First Seal is a 5-cost spell that summons a 2/2 demon and adds the Second Seal to the player's hand, which is also a 5-cost spell but summons a 3/3 demon and adds the Third Seal to the player's hand. Players who are able to cast up to the Fifth Seal will get Azari, the Devourer in their hand, a 10-cost 10/10 minion with an amazing Battlecry ability that destroys the opponent's entire deck.
Kobolds & Catacombs will launch for Hearthstone sometime in December.
