Update 2:35 AM EDT: The Q&A is over.
Update 1:51 AM EDT: Updates seem to be coming in slow. Grab a snack!
#AskBrode - The Ben Brode Twitter Blue Room Q&A
Ben Brode was at the Twitter Australia Blue Room today to answer community questions using the hashtag #AskBrode. His answers have been formatted below.
Quote from Ben Brode
- Ben Brode is now in the Blue Room. Answers incoming. (Source)
- They come up with new themes by writing down ideas on a whiteboard. They then narrow it down at the end of the meeting by each picking their favourite ideas and getting a count. (Source)
- Writing developer blogs about each class would be cool (Source)
- Ben's favourite card back was Legacy of the Void, but now he loves the new disco card back. (Source)
- If they feel standard format doesn't change enough, they could remove or nerf more classic cards. (Source)
- No current plans for a public API. They've talked about it in the past though. (Source)
- We could see more effects like Foe Reaper 4000 in the future. Other new mechanics that effect combat in a fun way is also something they're looking at. (Source)
- Priests are the master healer in the game and extending that to other classes would ruin the uniqueness. [In response to will Paladins get cards that do something based on a heal] (Source)
- Rafaam showing up in the Kara cinematic is just for fun. They like to bring back old characters for them. (Source)
- They've been looking into ways to better balance arena without avoiding the creation of strong common minions for Mage and Rogue. Re-writing drop rates of individual cards could be a solution. (Source)
- Ben Brode's favourite Hearthstone Team 5 producer is everyone but Yong Woo. (Source)
- Ben thinks they're announcing some good cards for Priest (Source)
- Ben got started at Blizzard by getting to know people there while delivering pizzas to Blizzard. He was initially on their night QA team and was involved with Warcraft 3 editor testing - that got him into game design. Then he was working on the WoWTCG followed by Hearthstone for the past 8 years. (Source)
- Ben wants to fight 1 horse sized duck rather than 100 duck sized horses (Source)
- You can still use the Medivh hero skin in Karazhan. We might be surprised what happens. (Source)
- They considered doing Karazhan instead of the Curse of Naxxramas. (Source)
- They didn't want to do another spooky themed expansion right after Whispers of the Old Gods hence the party. (Source)
I'm switching to Elder Scrolls Legends thanks to these QAs. Hearthstone is the Marvel vs Capcom of card games.
Ben Brode, you think that a 2 mana silence that targets YOUR minion and draw a card is a "good" card? Somebody fire this guy.
DID I MENTION THAT DRUID HAS NO GOOD REMOVALS OR GOOD AOE I mean swipe does one damage to non targeted minions. I don't want to rely on spell damage every fucking tie I want to remove something
I don't like Blizzard's answers for balance but there's a reason for this. They want Druid to be the class that doesn't have this. Its supposed to use big fat minions with Taunt instead of removal. Only, well, they get removed by other classes. Innervate + Fatty is its key countermeasure.
Excuse me? Swipe is one of the best removals in the game. INCREDIBLY versatile. You can kill basically anything up to a 5 drop with it, damage only the enemies board, destroy zoo garbage, go face + board clear. If you just keep up in board control, druid does more than good with AOE. And as for removal, druid has great early game removal, and fantastic late game taunts (Removal via blocking the board).
Can't Swipe a fatty.
god i always get so dissapointed when i read this "ask brode" posts, its 80% nonsense and 20% of bad news
Generous percentages.
"Rafaam showing up in the Kara cinematic is just for fun. They like to bring back old characters for them."
I've checked the trailer again after reading this, and I saw Moroes and a happy (?!) Jaraxxus that I missed before, but I still don't see Rafaam. Where does he appear at?
He's in the end trying to steal something... in the right --->!
So priest class gets removed:Paladin gets all the healing cards while Rogue gets the rogue-ish cards.
Can't wait for the new adventure. I wish someone would have asked him how flamewreathed faceless become a thing, especially right after they nerfed bgh.
I think it's clear they nerfed BGH to make Flamewreathed Faceless a thing.
i agree with @crasher, that's basically true. But not the nerf also helps every single Old God out there. If you put your whole turn (10 mana) on a thing and the opponent replies with BGH + a 7 mana minion or spell (both options being really strong) you're against the wall for the rest of the game.
Look at Ben's Face he doesnt like priest or Rogue... he likes paladin and warrior...
"You can still use the Medivh hero skin in Karazhan. We might be surprised what happens." Sorry Khadgar, it's Medivh's turn to be the mage now
Those questions were SO probing and informative. I can't believe we didn't find out Ben Brode's favorite color (excluding plaid).
"Ben thinks they're announcing some good cards for Priest" means stay tuned fellas. Friday could be a good day for priests.
If my hunch is right, the death of Anduin has been greatly exaggerated and he returns to life after the reveals (and as the new adventure kicks in).
Some of you guys are being so harsh. I get that you don't like to see them having fun when they "should" be answering your questions about balance and RNG, but jeez, some of you talk as if you've mastered the video game industry and know exactly what the Hearthstone team should be doing at all times.
However, "Priests are the master healer in the game and extending that to other classes would ruin the uniqueness." I've always wondered why Paladin has some of the strongest healing cards, such as Forbidden Healing and Ragnaros, Lightlord. Those cards would obviously not work in Priest for a couple of reasons (namely Auchenai Soulpriest, but it seems like Priest always gets the rather boring cards of just healing. Light of the Naaru was a really cool card and I hope they make more conditional heals or something to spice it up a little.