Greetings and welcome back travellers. Join us as we report from the forests of Gilneas as we share recent information on The Witchwood Monster Hunt.
The Year of the Raven now is in full swing, with the release of The Witchwood. New decks and strategies are shaping the game in fun and interesting ways. But, there are search parties gathering and heroes preparing to hunt the monsters that threaten Gilneas. Lead Mission Designer Dave Kosak, accompanied by his colleagues Mission Designers Paul Nguyen and Giovanni Scarpati, share some insight with Hearthstone players on what to expect from the new single player experience.
Similar to Dungeon Run, The Monster Hunt allows the player to select a Hero to delve into danger with. Depending on which Hero you choose depends on the deck you start with. With each successive Monster Hunt/encounter, the player will be able to expand on their deck with treasures and cards to help fight later foes. Fight after fight your deck gets stronger but so do your opponents, with the last one being the most difficult. Each hero has their Nemesis who they are hunting, which will be the last boss for them.
There are also some interesting things that can happen in this mode. Monsters such as Grubb the Swampdrinker are rare encounters. If you beat them you can gain unique treasures to add to your deck. In this case, you can add Grubb’s Hero Power as a spell to your deck. The spell is a more powerful version of the Hero Power. Instead of throwing one of your minions on the board at your opponent’s face, dealing damage equal to its attack, you throw all minions in your hand. Very fun.
The Heroes
We have mentioned you get to choose a Hero to play with. But who are they? You have four to choose from; Darius Crowley, Tess Greymane, Houndmaster Shaw, and Toki, Time Tinker. Each will play very differently. For instance, Tess has a Hero Power that discovers a class card that has been played this game. This is not just from yourself. If the enemy plays a powerful spell you can claim it for later. Darius, on the other hand, starts with an indestructible cannon. It fires on minions opposite whenever you use you hero power. This can be upgraded with treasures you find.
Dependant on which Hero you choose, there are also treasures that are specific to each one. For Darius, adding another cannon to your board seems a very wise treasure to take. Increasing its damage is even better. Keeping an eye out for this loot as you progress is a must. Another note, if you manage to beat each of the last bosses, or Nemesis’, you will unlock the last encounter. This will be against Hagatha, the Witch. But, no spooky details have been revealed about her yet. Only, if you finish the encounter you receive a nice card back to prove your worth.
The Monsters
Lastly, there are over 45 new monsters native to The Witchwood Monster Hunt. The design team have created a lavish new world for the players to delve into, as well as the creatures that would cause its ruin. The monsters include Witch’s Apprentice, who can transform a random minion into a 0/1 Frog with Taunt, Groddo the Bog Warden, who resurrects your minions as a 1/3 zombie for himself that deals 1 to everything when it dies, and Raven Caller, who adds a random 1 cost minion to his hand. You can also expect it to be full of flavour, fun, and fond memories.
So grab your pitchforks, and light your torches. The citizens of Gilneas needs savours who will brave The Witchwood. Get ready for the Monster Hunt, embarking on April 26th 10:00pm PDT. In the meantime, please check out our other Hearthstone articles. Until next time, smile and game.