A full 6 years after its initial release, Hearthstone is making history next month. While Blizzard fans are looking forward to a new Overwatch hero coming soon, they will also have the opportunity to try their hand at Hearthstone's first-ever new playable class, the Demon Hunter.
The inclusion of the first new class since Hearthstone's launch has big implications for the shape of future gameplay. Any Hearthstone player knows that class choice can dramatically change both deck and play-style by way of unique abilities and cards. The best players out there will know the ins and outs of every class in the game so they can not only play their own selection better, but have a plan to counter their opponent as well.
Players will get to know the new hero, Illidan Stormrage, through a short, single-player campaign starting April 2nd and ending on the 7th with the release of the Ashes of Outland expansion. The Demon Hunter — not to be confused with the Demon Hunters of Blizzard ARPG series, Diablo — seems to be anchored around powerful attacks and chaotic magic. It also comes with the introduction of a new, class-specific keyword: Outcast. Outcast abilities will trigger if the card in question is played as the leftmost or rightmost card in the player's hand, granting a powerful bonus in turn.
The Demon Hunter's Hero Power, Demon Claws, will grant the Hero +1 Attack for a turn. This will be the only Hero power in the game that costs 1 Mana, a small difference that could dramatically change the pace of a game. The new class' unique cards hint that it will be a force to reckon with. With the abilities to summon powerful Demons, attack with the Hero directly, and card draw options to spare, the class will be aggressive with plenty of versatility.
This is the first major Hearthstone news since the Blitzchung fiasco last fall. Bad publicity from this event combined with the success of open beta competitor, Legends of Runeterra, has placed Hearthstone in a tight spot. A string of controversies and underwhelming expansions has the game's once passionate player-base dwindling. The release of a new class could be just what the game needs to shake up its meta and draw in both new and old players alike.
Come the release of Ashes of Outland, players will have a chance to try out Illidan Stormrage for themselves. When the expansion drops, players will immediately unlock the class and its basic cards. The introductory campaign will also be free for all players. With so much new content, it should be easier than ever to get back into the fray and start building a fun new deck.
Hearthstone is available for PC, Android, and iOS.
Source: Blizzard