A New Mystery Card Back Has Been Added To The Game
In today's patch, a new card back has been added to the game with the name "Mysteries of the Phoenix" and only a description telling us that we can receive this card back if we "solve the mysteries hidden throughout the Barrens" and an Achievement tracking progress for 4 steps or parts named "???" which tells us it will reward the card back (and 100 Achievement points).
With the colors and imagery of the card back, as well as invoking the Phoenix, it strongly hints at a Blood Elf or Silvermoon flavor to this particular mystery.
So what could this mean? How are we supposed to get this card back? We don't know, but if you have any ideas, let us know in the comment section!
The new achievement for this card back...
A first clue!
User ArcyroX has a far better memory than we did, because he remembered seeing the card in one of our news posts from several months back: https://www.hearthpwn.com/news/7987-chinese-card-back-design-competition-winners.
It was one of 3 runner-up Prize winners, and they equated the Card Back to Kael'thas Sunstrider! That is surely a place to start!
Kudos to ArcyroX for this first clue!
Quote from BlizzardEpic Award (3 winners)
Epic Prize: 10,000 yuan cash prize + works will have the opportunity to be included in the "Heartstone" game.
Author: liguang with his work: "Kael'thas Sunstrider"
Evaluation of the development team: With a quick glance, you can recognize the conspicuous pattern of Prince Kael'thas and the classic red and gold color scheme. The emerald orb is also an ideal carrier for Hearthstone Vortex. The team seems to be able to see the vivid effects of adding green magic special effects to the game! Details such as the folds of the fabric and the golden carved edges are exquisitely crafted, forming an excellent secondary structure.
I was right about the Chinese community - they cracked the 4th one. It's all solved now.
Honestly did people "discover" these mysteries or was there an inside tip. Like you decided to play against AI with these cards and play them in those sequence?
The puzzle solving sure you can "trial and error" but I am questioning how did we get to the puzzle part to begin with.
All in all good job to all those involved.
I was asking this too in the other thread about this.
The claim is that there are hints in the quotes from the relevant mercenary character cards, and I can see where it's coming from if you read them, but it's a bit of a leap to decide which cards are necessary to trigger it, I think.
if people solved the correct class combination with cards required to reach the puzzle then the CIA/FBI better hire those folks, they can take a "hint/clue" to solve mysteries !
Looking at the flavor text in different language helped, as some translation required odd word choice that hinted at some cards and their specific names in that language.
Uh...actually a really sick cardback worth attempting to obtain, even if the puzzle looks double tough at first glance, even after RegisKilbin's best efforts to explain it, lol...oh well guess I will spend some time there.
all found
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11xnahiQkqI2kanXsJNHYtYlTd2btIpRGxjdwnF7i9Ro/preview?pru=AAABeWVcHSY*25F66jneWsPoUUV71v9rEQ#
remains to solve the puzzle
This is pretty complex if true but great work!
welp, I wouldnt solve this anyway, not that I see the solution.
I was trying to play Kael'thas with phoenix minions, a few spells (like The Grand Finale), etc. (in ranked). I was sure that it had something to do with Kael'thas, since the card back was related to him by the creator.
I never thought an achievement under Gameplay / Barrens / Neutral
would need to be done against The Innkeeper.
and no, I had no idea that the flavor texts for Scabbs or Tavish or Rokara or Guff could be a clue. As somebody else mentioned before, their flavor texts in other languages give a direct clue, in english version text gives very little info about the clue.
So yeah, I'm glad I see the solution. I would never solve it myself. Thanks for sharing.
So, this is locked by the following cards:
Bamboozle, Yoink!, Plagiarize, Coerce, and Potion of illusion
Minefield, Bulk Up, In Formation, Feat of Strength, Shield of Honor
Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, Mark of the Spikeshell, Mark of the Wild, Partner Assignment, Guidance
Quick Shot, Overwhelm, Snake Trap, Adorable Infestation, Dire Frenzy
I can confirm this is the legit solution since I have just done the Warrior and I am 1/4 on the achievement. You can do it in any order.
I KNOW WHAT ARE THE QUESTS!
Them are 4 quests!
1 - Achieve all Barrens Collection
2 - Buy all shit they promote in the store this expansion
3 - Buy pre-made decks (XDDDD)
4 - Punch a dev (il) in the face.
Cheers, new cardback right away!
This puzzle is one of the best things Blizzard has done for the community in a while. Love it!
I like how the community is coming together on this. Then everyone will get the card back once the solution is posted, but that’s good anyway.
After reading the traditional Chinese flavor text, I am 99% sure to say the clues are in these four legendary mercenary cards, Guff Runetotem, Tavish Stormpike, Scabbs Cutterbutter and Rokara.
There could be more obvious hints in other languages flavor text too! I will call it the art of languages.
Actually the traditional chinese version flavor text of Scabbs Cutterbutter is not even a hint. It literally gives out the answers, that you need to play Bamboozle, Yoink!, Plagiarize, Coerce and Potion of Illusion.
In the simplified chinese flavor text of Guff Runetotem, the two twins are obviously referring to Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, Mark of the Spikeshell and Mark of the Wild. "Lead us to" apparently means Guidance. "Companion" could be Partner Assignment.
In both chinese flavor text of Rokara, "stand tall" seems to refer to Bulk Up. "Stand together" obviously refers to In Formation!. Shield of Honor is for "Honor". "Strength" could mean Conditioning (Rank 1) or Feat of Strength. But I have no clue what is "tread carefully". Possibly Minefield I supposed?
And for Tavish Stormpike, the clues are Quick Shot, Overwhelm, Snake Trap, Adorable Infestation,
Dancing Cobra or Bloated Python. The last card is Dire Frenzy actually.This seems like a good lead—the mercenaries also have cards that actually feature them in their art. However, I just tried playing Scabbs and managed to play those 4 cards with it on the same turn and saw no progress.
Celestalon mentioned that there is an order in this achievement. We still need to find out what is the first class to play. And I think we may need to play these cards in order too.
In most languages (according to my fluency in french and english and my shameless googles translating for other languages) Scabbs's flavor texts also refers to being forced to do these things, against his will, as in being 'Coerced' I think that card might be part of the puzzle as well (but likely the other 4 too)
Money is on alphabetical order. So We should find out what guff needs
Good catch, JPNinja!