This week we enter the first wing of the Curse of Naxxramas Hearthstone adventure and peak at the updated female Tauren model. We also take a quick look at Rehgar, the newest hero to be added to Blizzard's upcoming MOBA.
The Arachnid Quarter
The first wing of the Naxxramas adventure for Hearthstone has finally opened and three bosses - with regular and heroic versions - and two class challenges await those who enter.
The first wing, the Arachnid Quarter, contains three bosses: Anub’Rekhan, Grand Widow Faerlina and Maexxna. Anub’Rekhan is able to summon a 3/1 minion for two mana as his hero power which you’ll find isn’t too much of a problem with most competitive decks but it is something to think about as a match against him approaches late game. Defeating Anub’Rekhan rewards two Haunted Creeper cards.
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Grand Widow Faerlina has an interesting ability that makes you want to dump your hand of cards as soon as possible. For two mana she’ll lob a missile for each card in your hand - it’s almost like the mage’s Arcane Missile card but with the potential to hit more targets. Defeating her awards two Nerub’ar Weblords.
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The third and final boss is Maexxna who for three mana will randomly and frustratingly send one of your minions back to your hand. Defeating her unlocks two Nerubian Egg cards for your collection.
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Once you have defeated all three bosses you’ll be awarded the legendary card Maexxna and unlock heroic versions of the bosses that will have more health and stronger abilities. For example, Maexxna will now send two random minions back to your hand at the beginning of her turn and it costs her no mana to cast. Defeating all of the bosses in all five wings on heroic will unlock a new card back to show off to your adversaries. Here’s a look at the legendary you’ll unlock after defeating the three bosses in this first wing:
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Also available with this wing are the first two class challenges that allow you to unlock class specific cards. This wing includes the challenges for the Druid and Rogue in which you’ll be given a preconstructed deck to face off against one of the bosses of the first wing. Here are the Druid and Rogue cards you can add to your collection should you win the challenges:
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So what do I think of the first Hearthstone Adventure so far? Well, I really love it! There are many aspects of this mini-expansion that I think are very well thought out. First, the idea of having to earn the cards that are being added to the game is so much more fun and enjoyable than simply getting them straight up after buying them. The idea of having battles against AI-controlled bosses is great because it allows the designers to create interesting boss abilities that don’t need to be balanced for player-versus-player matches. The addition of the heroic mode was the real meat of this wing for me and I suspect all future wings as well because it’s where I spent the most time trying to craft special decks for these encounters.
A good break from the heroic encounters were the class challenges because it eliminated the uncertainty of which cards you should play since you’re provided with a deck to use. You know there is a way to defeat the challenge with the cards you have so it’s all about the right draws and proper plays, not about the right cards to have in your deck. Again, I’m looking forward to future class challenges.
I’m really impressed with what Blizzard has done so far with their first Adventure and I’m really excited to see what future expansions and Adventures will bring. If you haven’t already given it a try you should hop in now during the month-long launch event as you’ll be able to unlock the first wing for free and see what it’s all about.
Female Tauren
Another character model preview has the hit the official blog and this time it’s the Tauren Female. As with all of the other updated models you’ll notice a substantial difference between the old and new.
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Here’s another look:
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Rehgar Enter the Nexus
Rehgar Earthfury, Thralls advisor, is the latest hero to join the ranks of Blizzards in development MOBA, Heroes of the Storm. His abilities include a chain heal, a lightning shield that damages nearby enemies (like the shaman unit from Warcraft 3) and being able to throw down an earthbind totem that reduces the movement of enemies in close proximity. He’s also able to transform into a spirit wolf instantly that allows him to quickly escape dangerous situations.
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Here’s his announcement trailer:
For those of you who have tried the Curse of Naxxramas what are your thoughts? What would you like to see in future Adventures? Let us know in the comments below!
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Further Warcraft reading:
Reza Lackey / Reza is a giant nerd who loves video games, board games, film and way too many other things. Works in the film industry, on some startups and thinks science is cool. Also launches rockets.
