Hearthpwn

I'm curious to get your thoughts on this. 

For the sake of the discussion let's assume the 4th button is 2v2. How would the mode work? Could they find a way to implement without drastically changing card effects?

My take on it:

• This mode would be more casual than a Tournament mode, allowing less skilled players to team up with better players, but generate extremely competitive among better players also. Would fit the HS mentality well. 
• Both players would share HP (60 total), but each would have their own hand & deck
• You be able to see your ally's hand while they play (and switch to yours if you want)
• Play order would be A1-B1-A2-B2
• Board would stay at 7 max minions for each side.
• Would drastically open up class synergy decks (what kind of combo decks could a Warrior and a Shaman come up with for example? Or a Hunter and a Druid?)
• The new portraits make sense in 2v2, if players want to go double warrior, each could have their hero.

Some challenges:

• Card effects that usually affect a single player's deck or hand would need clear design rules... Would Ysera give cards to both players? Would Emperor Thaurissan drop the mana cost in both player's hands? Which hero would Steady Shot hit?
• Could the interface remain light even in 2v2? Would it even work on mobile?

What do you guys think?

 If it comes i hope there will be a ladder only for 2vs2 so you can achive like 2on2 legend. That would be super awsome ;D

Quote from MegaSharked »

 

• Play order would be A1-B1-A2-B2

What do you guys think?

Hope not, think about a roping team?

180 endless seconds of wait

I really dont see 2v2 becoming a thing, it sounds way too difficult, what if you misplay and your opponent leaves? or you troll? it just doesnt sound like it would work out like tournament mode would.

Just my take on it.

Let's say hypothetically Blizzard implements 2v2 in the exact way that you describe.  I would actually love to see the balance numbers between having the order of play be something like A1-B1-A2-B2 and trying out A1-B1-B2-A2.  I would also love to see the numbers when you include coins into the mix.  In the first order of play, you would probably give a coin to both players on team B, but in the 2nd order, you probably wouldn't need coins at all.

Quote from CritCrying »

I really dont see 2v2 becoming a thing, it sounds way too difficult, what if you misplay and your opponent leaves? or you troll? it just doesnt sound like it would work out like tournament mode would.

Just my take on it.

Blizz said they were going to do it eventually, so I'm sure by the time they release it, they will have a good system worked out.

I don't think it ever will in a competitive sense.

But I see no reason to not introduce a "herp derp fun" mode. No rewards that require success, just participation. Could be good.

A1 B1 A2 B2 format
70HP combined
individual board but you can interact with your teammate like buffing his board or healing his hero 
cant have the same hero in the same team
8-10 max minions combined
can only control own summons
aoe affects both players

Personally, I would rule that teams MUST be comprised of 2 different heroes.

Otherwise, one suspects that some of the most powerful combinations would be identical pairs e.g. Double Warrior would make it easier to enable all of the 1-damage-to-everything tricks. However, surely the real attraction of 2vs2 would be utilising the interesting combos to be found by mixing cards from 2 different heroes?

This runs contrary to the suggestion that the new hero skins are aimed at enabling 2vs2. Perhaps Blizzard intends to monetise the new hero skins by stopping us from playing double hero unless one of you has the alternate skin?

I feel that 2vs2 would work fine with teams taking a collective turn rather than the ABAB format. It would also make for much less downtime between your own turns. A 2 minute clock would probably be a minimum requirement to enable teamwork.

Communication between players would be a major issue. 2vs2 would derive much of its fun from teamwork so conversation between teammates would have to be enabled. If your teammate is an in-game friend already this would be OK but players would soon lose interest in being randomly paired if there was every chance that your opponents are discussing tactics while your team is unable to.

Life scores would have to be communal but I wouldn't have a clue what the right level should be.

As a suggestion, Blizzard could work on an Arena-only 2vs2 mode first. This would enable them to beta test the functionality and gain an insight in to the broken interactions without ruinous combos being abused to high heaven in ranked play.

I agree with much of what TheHoodedClaw said.  It would be fascinating to see what the meta would look like.  I wonder if you would see similar decks to the ones used currently in the meta or if they would be radically different.  For example, would you see two decks that work in 1v1 but compliment each other in 2v2 like a Zoo/Control Warrior team.  Or would you see something brand new like Shadowpriest/Aggro Warrior?

Obviously day 1 I think most people would take 2 well established decks like in the first example, but I wonder what would work the best if you built 2 decks specifically designed to work together.

No one has raised this point in this thread, but what about Spell damage? Would it be combined for both players? If so, there are some ludicrous combos with Malygos and Prophet Velen. Also, how would Wild Pyromancer work?

Quote from Cataplasma777 »

I believe 2 vs AI (or even 5 vs AI) could be possible. 

would love it, just to relax sometimes and have fun, sometimes

:(

Other card games use the pronoun 'you' and it still works with your partner since it is 'their' minion/monster as well. The defining factor for card effect will simply be whether the 2 players share their side of the board or if they each have their own (which would be pretty stupid if it was separate).

Honestly, 2v2 would add a whole new level of strategy to the game, and I'm all for it. People could complain that 2 people can just use face hunter decks or patron decks (faster access to combo pieces), but you have to look at the flipside. You can have to mages which makes 4 flamestrikes (if both run 2), and beyond that, it makes strategies between class specific cards possible as well. I'm all for have a beta test of 2v2 just to see how it would work, but for blizzard to just openly say they don't have any plans for 2v2 is absolutely ridiculous.

I worry that showing a label of 'owner' on all cards on the board adds noise and confusion to the game board. Wouldn't it be simpler to keep the effects to the team as a whole, or at the very least to the last player who played?

Fore example, Spell Damage would benefit the entire team. My teammate plays a Malygos, when my turn comes I can Fireball for 11 damage. Simple.

Cards like Emperor Thaurissan or Ysera would benefit the player who's turn just ended, assuming turns are ABAB. I get the Ysera card at the end of my turn, then you get the Ysera card at the end of yours.

Now there are likely a dozen or more cards that would break under this system, but I haven't the mind to think of any right now :P

I think 2v2 could work similar to how "Bug House" works in Chess. For those that don't know it's basically each player plays a 1v1, and teammates are opposite colors, but every time they capture a piece, they give it to their partner who can place the piece on his/her half of the board.

This could work by giving your teammate minions that you have defeated. I think this is one of the only ways this could work cause the game is designed for 1v1 balance.

I agree with ambershee, the text of cards, YOUR, FRIENDLY, ALL, may have an impact on the game, i'm quite stumbled on how 2v2 will work, but i dont see it happening until they make it even.

I remember in alpha when the coin was being introduced, it balanced tthe "who goes first and second" part of the game, but with 2v2... IDK how that will work.

Quote from CritCrying »

I really dont see 2v2 becoming a thing, it sounds way too difficult, what if you misplay and your opponent leaves? or you troll? it just doesnt sound like it would work out like tournament mode would.

Just my take on it.

It's a very popular thing in MtGO - however, MtGO has guilds, and when playing 2HG you generally team up with someone from your guild.

Maybe Hearthstone 2HG would be a thing where you team up with people from your friend list.

Ah, that would be cool.. Clans/Guilds for HS. Would be nice meeting with people, having the [GGBM]<- clan name by your name.

you guys don't understand. Other card games with YOUR, FRIENDLY in the card effects still apply to the 2nd player on the team. why? because the monsters/minions also count as THEIR monsters/minions. The only reason they wouldn't apply to the second teammate would be because both players use separate fields.