Rise of the Shadows is the Next Hearthstone Expansion

Blizzard has announced that the next Hearthstone expansion is called Rise of the Shadows and that the 135-card set will be released on April 9th. Players will start a yearlong story for the first time in the game's history. Players will join up with the League of E.V.I.L., a "mischievous league of miscreants".

Of course, what's a Hearthstone expansion without some new mechanics?

• EVERY HENCHMAN NEEDS A LACKEY – The League of E.V.I.L. needs all the help they can get!
  • Lackeys provide the muscle to get things done for the League of E.V.I.L.’s members.
    • Heistbaron Togwaggle’s henchman is the Rogue minion EVIL Miscreant, which adds two random Lackeys to the player’s hand when Comboed.
  • There are five Lackeys in Rise of Shadows, 1/1 minions with helpful Battlecries.
  • For example, Kobold Lackey’s Battlecry deals 2 damage to a target.
• PLAN FOR SUCCESS – Schemes are Spells that grow in power each turn they’re held in hand.
• Hagatha's Scheme deals 1 damage to all minions to start, but gains damage every turn it’s held in hand. Wait until just the right moment to spring the trap!
• CALLBACK CARDS – Our villains have been around for a long time, so some of their cards may feel a bit . . . familiar. The Priest Spell Forbidden Words, which spends all the player’s mana to destroy a minion with that much attack or less, is a callback to Forbidden Shaping from Whispers of the Old Gods.
• The Forest's Aid is a Druid Twinspell that summons five 2/2 Treants and adds a copy of the spell to the player’s hand, ready to summon a new army of Treants to defend the magical city.
• TWICE THE TRICKERY – Cause double trouble for your opponent by using Spells with the new Twinspell keyword! When cast, Spells with Twinspell add a copy of themselves to the caster’s hand.

As with the past couple of expansions, there will be a solo player campaign. The first chapter will launch in May and will be free to play. Additional chapters will be able to be unlocked for $19.99 for all of them, or for 700 gold per chapter.

A variety of preorder card packs will soon be available: 50 pack bundle for $50 or the 80-card Mega pack for $80.

Learn more on the Hearthstone site.