Hearthpwn

On the screen with the play button just left of it there is a (?) button ... click that. 

I call shenanigans!!!

 I don't think you ever "play" this card. However I feel like some sort of Doll master, Betrug, Plot Twist shenanigans that culminates in Rafaam replacing the ones you never played from hand will happen.

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Shenanigans!!!

Where is his golden fish weapon? 

Let me preface this by saying that I am a published game designer, so I have some insight into game design and balance, especially card and board games...

That said ... I feel that you need to take a balanced approach when buffing or nerfing cards. The fact that Blizzard is now buffing cards shows that they are open to this strategy. But they still need to nerf cards that are limiting future designs or cards that are driving business away from their game. After all they are a business and without making money they won't be making cards.

As far as balancing the game. It would certainly be ideal if there were at least one deck that was viable in their new "specialist" tournament format for every class. No one wants to play Rogue v Rogue every match for an entire tournament. Hence we get nerfs to the overly powerful/popular class and it seems to now be followed by buffs to all classes that can help take some tier 2 or 3 decks archetypes and bring them up a touch power. 

As far as how they nerf and buff, well I suspect that complex interactions take some higher level of coding to accomplish and that numerical changes to mana, attack, and health are much more easily changed via an in game update system vs the larger patch to be made available which for anyone that has worked with the apple store can attest, is an extremely painful approval process.  Text changes carry with them an overhead as well, you need to localize that text across multiple languages and that translation is often not done in house and costs extra as well as taking time to coordinate with an out of house firm.   

One reality of collectible card game design is that you need to have both good and bad cards. Deckbuilding is part of the game and you need to include those cards. Yea people call them pack-filler and that is what they are, they are basically the same as putting some amount of dust in place of a card in the pack. Buffs allow them to pick and choose these lower powered cards and bring them up a touch to help a bit with the overall power level of a deck.

In the end Blizzard probably has many reasons that they choose to nerf cards over buffing cards. But I am happy to see what some perceive as a slaughtering of a "sacred cow" of hearthstone game design with these latest buffs. I hope we see more of this at the half way point of every expansion cycle as well as the continued introduction of new cards or return of older cards to fill the holes left by cards rotating into the hall of fame.

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This looks pretty darn good. While the Dungeon Run was interesting it left me wanting more. I have enough gold to buy this one outright but would totally spend the $20 for it based on what I have seen of it thus far. I am really looking forward to checking out streamers playing this to see if it lives up to the minor amount of hype that has been generated for this thus far. And while I feel like the content alone should be what we expect from this I also feel like just tossing out card packs like it means anything to us at this point is a mistake on Blizzards part.

Don't get me wrong, card packs are fine, they are basically just extra dust to many players, but I almost feel like the carrot at the end of the stick should be shinier. Why not give us a random unattainable card back that we missed out on when we finish each of the paid wings? or just one would be fine when we finish the final wing.  

I still feel like they should add a new currency, lets call them "hearthstones" and the adventure could give us one or one per wing that could be spent attaining unattainable hero portraits, card backs, or even full older card sets that you would not be able to dust so you could more easily complete a wild collection. Add these to chest rewards at the rank 5 and above monthly, add them to 12 win arena runs, add them as solo content rewards, add them as rewards for heroic brawls, just don't make them pay to win.  

Anyway I am sooooooo looking forward to the solo content.

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p.s. If you are someone who wants something akin to this content and you have Steam check out Slay the Spire.  

1) everyone got a free Vargoth
2) free legendaries came with the 50 and 80 card bundles (I received them after I logged out and back in)

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I actually think we should look to NPCs in WoW that could fit the bill. More specifically NPCs that are in Dalaran or associated with Dalaran in some way. 

• Paladin: Lord Maxwell Tyrosus would be on my short list as he is a champion of the Silver Hand and former Leader of the Argent Dawn and he has a cool eye patch so that's a big plus.  
  
  
• Hunter: Vereesa Windrunner is the Ranger-General of the Silver Covenant. An elven ranger who fought throughout the Second and Third Wars, she is the youngest sister of Alleria and Sylvanas. 
  
  
• Mage: Kalecgos they already showed us this card so yea this is our Mage guy.  
   
  
• Druid: Arch Druid Hamuul Runetotem would be my first choice. He is iconic in WoW and is  archdruid of the tauren, leader of the Horde druids, Druid Representative on the New Council of Tirisfal, Champion of the Cenarion Circle, Advisor to Baine. 

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Well looks like we are heading to Dalaran and that means we should see cards that encompass the Kirin Tor and more specifically the Council of Six.

The Council of Six, also known as The Six, the High Council[citation needed] or the Ruling Council, is the name given to the Kirin Tor high council of Dalaran. These six individuals are the leaders of both the city and all territories under the control of Dalaran. The Six are usually the most senior, but not necessarily the most gifted. They are chosen by several means, magic but one of them.

• Ansirem Runeweaver - Like Modera, he was on the council when Garithos condemned Kael'thas. - https://wow.gamepedia.com/Archmage_Ansirem_Runeweaver
• Kalec/Kalecgos - Former Aspect of the blue dragonflight, real name Kalecgos. Kalec has been a member of the Kirin Tor since Theramore's Fall but joined the council after Jaina left. - https://wow.gamepedia.com/Kalecgos
• Karlain - An alchemist and mage. Once at the mercy of his emotions, he has since become one of the most controlled and thoughtful members of the Kirin Tor. - https://wow.gamepedia.com/Karlain
• Khadgar - Formerly Medivh's apprentice, he was the member of the council that suggested appointing Jaina as their leader, following the events of the attack on Theramore. Now leads the council as of Jaina's departure, and spearheads the Kirin Tor's efforts against the returned Burning Legion. - https://wow.gamepedia.com/Khadgar
• Modera - The longest-standing member. - https://wow.gamepedia.com/Archmage_Modera
• Vargoth - Leader of the first Kirin Tor expedition to Draenor during The Invasion of Draenor, has a retreat in the Violet Citadel. - https://wow.gamepedia.com/Archmage_Vargoth

So does anyone want to speculate what their cards might look like? What cards they might inspire? 

• I'll start with The Staff of Archmage Vargoth a (3) mana 0/3 Legendary Neutral Weapon (yes lets think outside of the box) that reads "At the end of your turn summon an  Image of Archmage Vargoth" which would be a (1 ) mana 0/2 Minion with Taunt and Spell Damage +1 

Of course we have already seen Kalecgos

Thoughts?

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What we know so far about Lackeys...

One rogue card has been revealed with the keyword Lackey. 

EVIL Miscreant - (3) 1/5 - Rogue Common - Combo: Add two random Lackeys to your hand

Lackeys all appear to be (1) 1/1. None of the five previewed have a tribe. And none have a rarity gem meaning that they are only available from cards that create lackeys and are not collectible. This first batch seems to all have a battlecry.

• Kobold Lackey - Battlecry: Deal 2 damage.
• Faceless Lackey - Battlecry: Summon a random 2-cost minion.
• Goblin Lackey - Battlecry: Give a friendly minion +1 Attack and Rush.
• Witchy Lackey: Battlecry: Transform a friendly minion into one that costs (1) more.
• Ethereal Lackey - Battlecry: Discover a spell.

I'm going to guess that Lackeys in future sets will possibly get a bit bigger maybe (2) 2/2 or include Discover or Deathrattle effects. 

I am looking forward to seeing how they keep this theme going all year.

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This is why no card back or hero portrait should be exclusive. After one year it should be made available with in game gold or cash. 

Gotta catch em all!!!