# The Hearthstone Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 28, 2014, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172 "2014-04-28T07:42:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 99
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1961 "2016-10-09T19:32:40Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > That’s a 12-win deck? No 1-drops, no really good 2-drops, one or two good 3-drops… I see that it has a deck score of 72, but I really don’t get it… Two Mechwarpers and a Whirling zap-o-matic don’t count as good two drops? Especially with a Powermace backing em up. Your standards are high! But yes, it’s light on early game drops, but I’m guessing the 2 early weapons and 2 early clears helped him get to his fairly disgusting lategame. > [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Meanwhile, today I got my highest heartharena score ever: 225 on a Muster For Battle. 😃 O.o I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one go over the high 100s. Though at a certain point it’s just running up the score vs the other two picks. What kind of draft would you need to _not_ autopick Muster? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1962 "2016-10-10T04:57:02Z")
And here’s my first Druid 12-win [(12-2)](http://www.heartharena.com/arena-run/4pffgw). Only 255g, but I think Blizzard was teasing me by giving me a golden Mark of Y’Shaarj. The Beast synergy was nuts. And I won way too many games on a buffed up beast duplicated by one of my Wardens. I’ve also played all classes except Priest and Hunter at least once since Kara dropped and I’m liking the variety I’m seeing so far. Hopefully Blizzard really is going to pay attention to Arena balance going forward. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1963 "2016-10-10T15:13:56Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > I think these nerfs are likely a panic reaction by Blizzard to the recent folding of two more big name Hearthstone teams – Archon and Navi. Amaz disbanded Archon and intends to work as a caster. Navi had the best tournament record in the game and included Xixo, who is probably the best player in the world. > > There really are no professional Hearthstone players, at least none who are able to support themselves strictly by playing the game. They were all being supported by the team owners with money earned through means other than tournament winnings. Reynad figured it out quite a while ago and started hiring people who could produce profitable content rather than players who could win tournaments – I don’t think the TempoStorm team won a single tournament this year. > > There are two problems: there isn’t enough tournament prize money to support the players and the flawed nature of the game means top level players are too frequently knocked out of tournaments too early to let their skill take them to the finals. Sponsors aren’t willing to put up big prize money when it is so likely the popular big name players will not be the ones still in the game at the finish. > > The people who are earning a living through Hearthstone are guys like Kripp, who says he works 13 hours a day streaming and producing content for Youtube and such … and selling T-shirts. > > So, yeah … over two years in and they are still making changes to the basic cards. The game is fundamentally flawed. If it is even possible to balance a game with nine different classes each with a different Hero Power, and sooo many different cards, the current Blizzard team aren’t the people to do it. Hearthstone won’t survive being a free to play game if there isn’t a skill cap. Thus randomness. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1964 "2016-10-10T22:59:11Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > That’s a 12-win deck? No 1-drops, no really good 2-drops, one or two good 3-drops… I see that it has a deck score of 72, but I really don’t get it… I drew the axe a lot, and it covers for a lot of early game flaws. Also, a 7/7 on turn 4 can turn the board in your favor pretty heavily. Being able to go 7/7 into hex the next turn, knowing I had 2 more hexes in the deck, let me turn a lot of early board deficits around. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1965 "2016-10-11T08:12:07Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > If they want a different balance for tournaments they should have a better management of a core set (not classic, which was designed before they ever developed the idea of classic being a core set) and various ban lists and rules for different sorts of tournaments. Having them commit to the idea of classic being the core identity of a class that will never change 2-3 years after they designed that set was limiting and misguided. When they decided they were going to rework the relationship between a core set and expansion sets, they should’ve created a core set where the classic set is, of hand-picked cards that are balanced and identify a class. “Oh yeah so 2 years later we decided the classic set is the core set now and everything else, no matter how good, is only here for a bit” was a bad idea. Seriously. Priest could make up for a lot if Lightbomb was still a thing. There’s no reason why next year we should see a game without Thaurissan, Reno, or Justicar Trueheart. This really only gets worse when you consider that the classic cards for some classes are genuinely great (Mage, for example, has an absolutely stellar classic kit) while others have a classic set filled with unplayable garbage like Windfury or Totemic Might. > [@The\_Lurker\_Above](#): > > Two Mechwarpers and a Whirling zap-o-matic don’t count as good two drops? Especially with a Powermace backing em up. Your standards are high! That makes some sense, I suppose. I guess I underestimated the weapons. > [@](#): > > O.o I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one go over the high 100s. Though at a certain point it’s just running up the score vs the other two picks. What kind of draft would you need to _not_ autopick Muster? Hence my surprise at seeing 225. Kripp saw -120 the other day drafting warrior when offered a third Fool’s Bane. 😃 > [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > I drew the axe a lot, and it covers for a lot of early game flaws. Also, a 7/7 on turn 4 can turn the board in your favor pretty heavily. Being able to go 7/7 into hex the next turn, knowing I had 2 more hexes in the deck, let me turn a lot of early board deficits around. That… makes a lot of sense, actually. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2016, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1966 "2016-10-12T13:07:52Z")
I got an N’Zoth from a pack. That’s a good get - it’s something I was thinking about crafting anyway. I might try a priest in wild now since they’re still not viable in standard. Makes me want Cairne though for a resurrect N’Zoth deck. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1967 "2016-10-13T17:10:46Z")
Did they change the arena rewards? It seems like I’m getting a lot of dust rewards where I’d normally get gold. But I may just be unlucky recently. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1968 "2016-10-14T01:24:28Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Did they change the arena rewards? It seems like I’m getting a lot of dust rewards where I’d normally get gold. But I may just be unlucky recently. Not that I noticed. I’ve only done 9 runs since Kara fully launched. But my average dust per run is only up a bit compared to during WotOG (11 v 10). And that’s likely from the higher average wins (6.44 vs 5.01). ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1969 "2016-10-14T04:24:00Z")
It seems for this Tavern Brawl **Grimscale Oracle** is the way to go. I was trying out different cards and getting like 30% wins and then someone used it on me and I lost fast. So I’ve started using it and by turn 3 or 4 people are conceding as they realize what is going on. I’ve also been going up against others who are using it. And it’s pretty much who ever goes first will win. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1970 "2016-10-14T04:38:21Z")
If you want to beat grimscale oracle (or the other 1-drop murloc), maelstrom portal does the trick. As does hungry crab, which is also hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1971 "2016-10-14T15:54:45Z")
Light of the Naaru is another one that is working really well. I went up against a mind vision priest and I had a handful of lightwardens (no other cards) so it took a while to get going. Even after he finally pulled a creature (think it was Onyx Bishop, so I had to let him attack me twice) and I healed off it, he didn’t seem to grok until too late that he could use the card to heal MY face and it would still be a net benefit for him, because of the lightwarden summoning. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1972 "2016-10-17T18:17:02Z")
[Heroic Tavern brawl](http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20324471/introducing-heroic-tavern-brawl-10-17-2016)! $10 or 1k gold entrance fee. Arena-like play to 12 wins or 3 losses format. Ludicrous 50 pack, 3 golden legendary, gold, and dust for 12 wins … one pack for 0 wins :eek:. I’m sitting on 10k ish gold and I’m not too sure how much I want to play this. I’ve gotten my arena average up to 6.45 wins this season (only 11 runs, but I played all classes at least once) and I’ve hit legend once. So I’m not a bad player. I’m just not sure I want to play constructed decks with that much on the line. But that prize… ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1973 "2016-10-17T18:19:04Z")
That is certainly different. Now I’m annoyed I spent 900 gold on arena in the last week. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1974 "2016-10-17T18:24:55Z")
> [@The\_Lurker\_Above](#): > > [Heroic Tavern brawl](http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20324471/introducing-heroic-tavern-brawl-10-17-2016)! > > $10 or 1k gold entrance fee. Arena-like play to 12 wins or 3 losses format. Ludicrous 50 pack, 3 golden legendary, gold, and dust for 12 wins … one pack for 0 wins :eek:. > > I’m sitting on 10k ish gold and I’m not too sure how much I want to play this. I’ve gotten my arena average up to 6.45 wins this season (only 11 runs, but I played all classes at least once) and I’ve hit legend once. So I’m not a bad player. I’m just not sure I want to play constructed decks with that much on the line. But that prize… And of course I queued into the “Win 5 Tavern Brawls” quest this morning 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1975 "2016-10-17T18:32:10Z")
I’d want to see the reward distribution. I think they put a crazy top heavy prize because almost no one will go 12 wins. It’s not like arena where a lucky draft can give you a significant advantage. This is going against other optimal net decks against which you probably have a 55% chance to win. Incoming midrange shaman vs midrange shaman fest. Is there a counter deck to that? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1976 "2016-10-17T21:55:38Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I’d want to see the reward distribution. I think they put a crazy top heavy prize because almost no one will go 12 wins. It’s not like arena where a lucky draft can give you a significant advantage. This is going against other optimal net decks against which you probably have a 55% chance to win. Considering they start at a 1 pack reward the distribution is likely to be very top heavy. I really want to know what the 3-5 win prizes look like. Since that’s about the max of what ‘good’ players should reasonably expect. It’s pretty much pure math that only about 0.65% of Arena/Heroic Tavern Brawl decks will hit 12 wins. If (big if) they can lure in enough of the level 20 - 10ish crowd the earlier games in a run should be slightly easier than normal for anyone that’s a level 5 - Legend player. That may feed enough wins to ‘really good’ players for them to hit the 7 win mark on average. But 12 wins is almost going to be pure luck. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1977 "2016-10-18T01:26:59Z")
Reward distribution is up. [![](https://bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/gallery/JMK5MJ92QKFD1476732816485.jpg) ](https://bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/gallery/JMK5MJ92QKFD1476732816485.jpg) Highly doubt this will be worth it. It’s going to be for the hardcore only. Pot monsters attend tournaments, but that’s because you get the experience of being in a tournament. This won’t feel much different from plain old ladder. You don’t even get your name on a bracket somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1978 "2016-10-18T01:37:21Z")
Wow, that is garbage. It only starts being worth it at 10 wins, and even then it’s not amazing. I can’t believe they want to run a $10/1000 tournament with those rewards. At that point why not just code up an actual tournament instead of this half-ass psuedotournament? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1979 "2016-10-18T01:39:39Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Reward distribution is up. > [https://bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/gallery/JMK5MJ92QKFD1476732816485.jpg](https://bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/gallery/JMK5MJ92QKFD1476732816485.jpg) Hmm, going by my gut, I’d be mildly disappointed in a 5 win run, okay at 6, and excited at a 9 or 10. I’m still debating doing one or two runs (time permitting, it’s going to be a nutty week in RL) just for the lotto factor. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172/1980 "2016-10-18T01:42:47Z")
5-6 wins is breaking even, but yeah overall, it’s crap. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172.md?page=98) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hearthstone-thread/687172.md?page=100)