Welcome everybody to my latest solo project, my new custom Hearthstone expansion, The Secrets of Volcania. This is a 135-card expansion that takes place on the islands of the Volcania. Volcania is a mysterious volcanic island filled with very unique wildlife, ancient crypts, and a lot of forgotten secrets to uncover. You partake on a journey to Volcania to discover exactly what lies on this volcanic island.
Along the way, you'll come across some things on the island that you won't be quite sure what they are. You're going to have to inspect a little bit further. Inspect is the new mechanic in the set, in which cards with Inspect can be dragged from your hand to your deck to put it on top of your deck and give it an upgrade. Think of it like a cross between Tradeable and Corrupt, though Inspecting doesn't cost any mana.
Let's look at Felspiked Tracker for example.
Felspiked Tracker can be played as simply a 3 mana 3/4 Demon with Taunt, but in its base form, you can also drag it from your hand to the top of your deck to give it the Inspect upgrade. When a card is Inspected, it cannot be Inspected again (with one exception), and its card text will change to say "Inspected" on it. Inspect upgrades are treated as part of the card and not an enchantment, meaning that extra stats will not be lost when Silenced, and the effect will not reset if the card is returned to your hand. Inspect cards have a red eye banner under the mana cost symbol which goes away when the card is Inspected.
Felspiked Tracker is also an example of where Elusive is now keyworded. Elusive is the effect found on cards like Faerie Dragon, now keyworded and all cards that use the effect will be retroactively changed to use Elusive.
Dual-class cards also make a return. There are 10 all-new pairings in the set, which each get a Legendary Quest. You have two different paths to take for each Quest, so the one you choose it up to you.
Demon Hunter
Archetypes: Taunt, Handbuff, Hero Attack.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Demon Hunter/Warrior
Archetype: Taunt, Weapons.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Warrior
Archetypes: Rush, Taunt, Weapons.
Show Spoiler
Warrior/Hunter
Archetypes: Rush.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Hunter
Archetypes: Rush, Secrets.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Hunter/Rogue
Archetypes: Secrets.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Rogue
Archetypes: Secrets, Cards that didn't start in your deck.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Rogue/Priest
Archetypes: Cards that didn't start in your deck.
Show Spoiler
Token
Priest
Archetypes: Cards that didn't start in your deck, Casting multiple spells in a turn.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Priest/Mage
Archetypes: Casting multiple spells in a turn.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
Mage
Archetypes: Casting multiple spells in a turn, Fire spells.
Show Spoiler
Token
Mage/Warlock
Archetypes: Fire spells.
Show Spoiler
Token
Warlock
Archetypes: Fire spells, Murlocs.
Show Spoiler
Tokens
"Destroy your opponent's board" isn't merely just destroying all their minions, but it destroys their entire side of the board as a gameplay mechanic. While your opponent's board is destroyed, their maximum board size effectively becomes 0 for the rest of the game. They cannot play minions from their hand, and effects that summon minions will fizzle and have no effect.
For the sake of Flame Invocator's effect, your "last spell's damage" is not the same thing as the total of amount of damage it dealt, but rather what it's damage value is. For example, the damage value of Arcane Shot and Consecration are both 2. Assuming no Spell Damage is used, both of these spells will result in the Invoked Drake being a 2/2 regardless of how much total damage either of the spells dealt.
Other Neutrals
Show Spoiler
Tokens
This is my first fully completed solo project in a really long time, and it was certainly fun making it and triumphant to finish it.
Thanks for all of the feedback, I streamlined the design a bit (hearthcards automatically makes the "Corrupt" in Corruptor bold, so if someone has a solution to that I'd appreciate that too):
For the redesign I basically just focused it on specifically Yogg Saron and N'Zoth, so now the quest requirement and the quest reward should be more in line with one another. This does shift the synergy from Thief Rogue to Deathrattle/Spell Rogue and Priest, but I think it makes the deckbuilding more open and causes the design to make a lot more sense.
Feedback:
Demonxz95- I really like your concept but I do see how it might allow for too many combos with increased attack. I think you could either make the reward only double health buffs, or do something like "For the rest of the game, your stat buffs give an extra +1|+1 and Taunt," which would remove the overpowered combos (though it might make small buffs too good and big buffs a little weak).
MrRhapsody- I agree with other commentators that the balance seems way off, Charge would be way too good and Rush+Taunt would be awful. I think a better reward might be something like "When you summon a unit with 2 or more health, deal 1 damage to it and give it +3 attack" which still has some of the same flavor but isn't as hard to balance (though with this change it would likely be too weak at 5 mana)
Linkblade91- I don't really have any feedback since your designs seem pretty good, my only worry is that in terms of gameplay the Overkill quest might be a bit frustrating since the gameplan would just be tons of removal and then a burn finisher that discourages the opponent from playing minions.
I can't help myself but this list looks very outdated to me.
Noxus as a region got soooo much more power in this expansion and I would expect at least Disintegrate to make it into the list.
Also running 3x The Leviathan looks very risky to me because right now expansive units die on arrival and spending 8 mana on any unit that doesn't do anything meaningful on play/summon is not longer viable imo.
I like how the article strongly recommends to auto include Rustrot Viper or else "you're a masochist", yet only one of the six lists featured here does include an actual Rustrot.
I have been playing for a week now. Signed up from the link from here. As long as you have an android device, you should be able to play. I haven't played much Hearthstone since. Marvel Snap is in beta and has no where near as many bugs as Hearthstone has recently.
It's disappointing the designers didn't consider that there are only 2 rare humans in the entire game. Adding just another tribe with a 2-3 rares (orcs or murlocs) would have made it much more budget friendly.
I ended submitting Keep the Balance, but I changed the reward to Yu'lon (I forgot to put a watermark on her pls don't be too harsh). I think all four Celestials would fit very well for dual Quest rewards in a Pandaria themed expansion. Chi-Ji would be Mage/Paladin, Niuzao Warrior/Hunter and Xuen Shaman/Rogue.
Anyway, some late feedback:
CursedParrot
My main criticism is the double requirement, since both classes would try to complete the Quest in their own way. I know it's intentional, but it kinda defeats the point of dual Quests.
Besides that, I like the reward, but I'd probably drop Stealth and Lifesteal and just give Saria more stats, in order to reduce the card complexity.
MrRhapsody
I think you made a good call to go back to a Hero Power. I cannot give much feedback without knowing what it would do exactly (I still suggest you to implement a Hero Power version of Goblin Prank, though.
linkblade91
Both cards are good improvements over the original ones. I think I prefer Control the Skies, but both are very strong contenders.
So true. I lost Eudora and Mr. Smite in my climb but those three finished the boss fight on their own. Hooktusk died in the end but that didn't matter because I was only facing the last remaining unit - Cutthroat Willie - then.
I'm having lots of fun with Zheegllgzug, Nice to play some new archetypes, although I fear the Control Warrior thing may get a bit tiresome. Also, kudos for also bringing up how much the buff of Shagoogalog has revitalized Demon Hunter!
I am actively losing interest in the game as I see news about events happening before I can even try it.
You can actually play the game right now. The game softlaunched yesterday for everyone who lives in the philipines or knows that vpns exist. Alternatively you can also just sideload a apk.
It was slightly tongue-in-cheek, but in the featured decklist it can be a 4 Mana "Summon Smite, Edwin, 2 Gnolls, and Crabatoa to eat whatever your opponent gets" which can be a huge board swing in the right matchups.
*To be honest, I thought that I'd said it was the best Rogue card from the mini-set, because obviously the best Rogue card in Standard right now is Drakefire Amulet.
I read this task ENTIRELY wrong. Less importantly, the lack of an Oxford comma made me think it was just about 'Azshara, Tidemistress' and another guy (not having played the Bounty yet). More importantly, 'in one turn' - that makes it sound like you're supposed to kill them in just a single turn, right? For what it actually is, they should have written "during the same turn."
Anyway, thank you for the guide! I probably wouldn't have completed this without y'all clearing up my misunderstandings.
I once met them with the fire comp and Ragnaros having the infernal combustion treasure. He simply roasted them all away on turn two in a chain of repeated triggers. Good times.
Otherwise agree. Say goodbye to your casters. And even fighters and protectors aren't safe which I had to learn today when I was trying the heroic Captain Shivers climb.
This is perhaps the first and only time I feel the miniset wrecked a better meta. But I still like it more than the quest meta. Let's hope the next expansion doesn't screw it all up like they always seem to do.
In any case currently Tidal Revenant is doing wonders less because of its own merits but because of warrior's suprising mana cheating. To be honest, if it comes out at 8 its really not that great. The problem is when it comes out on 5 and suddenly all your work just went up the air and you're facing a 5/8 on the opposite side. Funny thing is that I still think the kazakusan build is the better ladder deck.
Fossil Fanatic is a winner because everyone except for rogue is playing greed to fight off control warrior. Its actually amazing how many cards this one thing can draw simply because your opponent cant remove it on 2. Also, perhaps buffing Xhilag that drastically isn't team5's best decision of the year. Just turned Caria literally into patches
Shaman still respectable in my opinion. Giving mutanus a 2 mana discount is about as insane as it gets in shaman, and Ive been enjoying it.
Totally agree. I've cheesed these guys out once or twice using lucky treasure picks (+Nature damage PLUS Yu'Lon Nature bonus PLUS Malfurion's AOE) to clear them in one shot, or to nerf them with Anduin's "humans take less damage" ability. Otherwise, they always kill at least one merc, and I haven't even tried them on heroic yet.
I haven't played much Standard since the mini-set came out, but I'm not surprised that Jackpot! + Swiftscale Trickster are doing better than most people expected. What does surprise me is reading "Front Lines is probably the best Rogue card in Standard right now". Even at 4 mana I'm struggling to see how it ends up beneficial in rogue - the class with the smallest minions on average. Doesn't it just get you killed the next turn?
The Secrets of Volcania - Custom Hearthstone Expansion (Finished!)
Welcome everybody to my latest solo project, my new custom Hearthstone expansion, The Secrets of Volcania. This is a 135-card expansion that takes place on the islands of the Volcania. Volcania is a mysterious volcanic island filled with very unique wildlife, ancient crypts, and a lot of forgotten secrets to uncover. You partake on a journey to Volcania to discover exactly what lies on this volcanic island.
Along the way, you'll come across some things on the island that you won't be quite sure what they are. You're going to have to inspect a little bit further. Inspect is the new mechanic in the set, in which cards with Inspect can be dragged from your hand to your deck to put it on top of your deck and give it an upgrade. Think of it like a cross between Tradeable and Corrupt, though Inspecting doesn't cost any mana.
Let's look at Felspiked Tracker for example.
Felspiked Tracker can be played as simply a 3 mana 3/4 Demon with Taunt, but in its base form, you can also drag it from your hand to the top of your deck to give it the Inspect upgrade. When a card is Inspected, it cannot be Inspected again (with one exception), and its card text will change to say "Inspected" on it. Inspect upgrades are treated as part of the card and not an enchantment, meaning that extra stats will not be lost when Silenced, and the effect will not reset if the card is returned to your hand. Inspect cards have a red eye banner under the mana cost symbol which goes away when the card is Inspected.
Felspiked Tracker is also an example of where Elusive is now keyworded. Elusive is the effect found on cards like Faerie Dragon, now keyworded and all cards that use the effect will be retroactively changed to use Elusive.
Dual-class cards also make a return. There are 10 all-new pairings in the set, which each get a Legendary Quest. You have two different paths to take for each Quest, so the one you choose it up to you.
Demon Hunter
Archetypes: Taunt, Handbuff, Hero Attack.
Tokens
Demon Hunter/Warrior
Archetype: Taunt, Weapons.
Tokens
Warrior
Archetypes: Rush, Taunt, Weapons.
Warrior/Hunter
Archetypes: Rush.
Tokens
Hunter
Archetypes: Rush, Secrets.
Tokens
Hunter/Rogue
Archetypes: Secrets.
Tokens
Rogue
Archetypes: Secrets, Cards that didn't start in your deck.
Tokens
Rogue/Priest
Archetypes: Cards that didn't start in your deck.
Token
Priest
Archetypes: Cards that didn't start in your deck, Casting multiple spells in a turn.
Tokens
Priest/Mage
Archetypes: Casting multiple spells in a turn.
Tokens
Mage
Archetypes: Casting multiple spells in a turn, Fire spells.
Token
Mage/Warlock
Archetypes: Fire spells.
Token
Warlock
Archetypes: Fire spells, Murlocs.
Tokens
Warlock/Shaman
Archetypes: Murlocs.
Tokens
Shaman
Archetypes: Murlocs/Minion summoning.
Tokens
Shaman/Paladin
Archetypes: Minion summoning.
Tokens
Paladin
Archetypes: Minion summoning, Minion enchanting.
Tokens
Paladin/Druid
Archetypes: Minion enchanting.
Tokens
Druid
Archetypes: Minion enchanting, Taunt, Hero Attack.
Token
Druid/Demon Hunter
Archetypes: Taunt, Hero Attack.
Tokens
Neutral Commons
Tokens
Other Neutrals
Tokens
This is my first fully completed solo project in a really long time, and it was certainly fun making it and triumphant to finish it.
Questing For Two - Card Design Competition Discussion Thread
Thanks for all of the feedback, I streamlined the design a bit (hearthcards automatically makes the "Corrupt" in Corruptor bold, so if someone has a solution to that I'd appreciate that too):
For the redesign I basically just focused it on specifically Yogg Saron and N'Zoth, so now the quest requirement and the quest reward should be more in line with one another. This does shift the synergy from Thief Rogue to Deathrattle/Spell Rogue and Priest, but I think it makes the deckbuilding more open and causes the design to make a lot more sense.
Feedback:
Demonxz95- I really like your concept but I do see how it might allow for too many combos with increased attack. I think you could either make the reward only double health buffs, or do something like "For the rest of the game, your stat buffs give an extra +1|+1 and Taunt," which would remove the overpowered combos (though it might make small buffs too good and big buffs a little weak).
MrRhapsody- I agree with other commentators that the balance seems way off, Charge would be way too good and Rush+Taunt would be awful. I think a better reward might be something like "When you summon a unit with 2 or more health, deal 1 damage to it and give it +3 attack" which still has some of the same flavor but isn't as hard to balance (though with this change it would likely be too weak at 5 mana)
Linkblade91- I don't really have any feedback since your designs seem pretty good, my only worry is that in terms of gameplay the Overkill quest might be a bit frustrating since the gameplan would just be tons of removal and then a burn finisher that discourages the opponent from playing minions.
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 6 "Root of the Problem" - Tips & Parties Inside
Yep, I got the freebie completion. I'll take it if they give it, or if they make me go back and try again I will...
CLASSIC DEEP
To be honest I have NEVER seen Bone Skewer making it into a deep list so far.
Therefore I would be interested how well it does. What are the units you usually use it with? :)
SWAIN INFERNO
I can't help myself but this list looks very outdated to me.
Noxus as a region got soooo much more power in this expansion and I would expect at least Disintegrate to make it into the list.
Also running 3x The Leviathan looks very risky to me because right now expansive units die on arrival and spending 8 mana on any unit that doesn't do anything meaningful on play/summon is not longer viable imo.
When The Meta Is Sweaty Butt
Dude these numbers are way down.
I dont care how much copium you want to huff.
Riot knows too they are looking at things like concede rates.
Time spent in game
Winrates
Deck diversity
Pre-expansion post expansion.
They've announced they are re-focusing on pvp because this expansion didn't hit right
Like I really dont need to argue I just need to wait 30 days till they start doing what they were doing before.
Properly rebalancing Champs, cards, and deck archetypes.
Then we won't have to look at 3 Illoi decks and call it diversity.
Or viego piles, or targons Peak, or just general a-synergistic crap that nobody wants seeing play over valid champ archetypes with unique decks.
Early Winners and Losers From the Throne of the Tides Mini-Set
I like how the article strongly recommends to auto include Rustrot Viper or else "you're a masochist", yet only one of the six lists featured here does include an actual Rustrot.
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 5 "No Shivers" - Tips & Parties Inside
Am I missing something about the Dragon party? Because last time I checked, Cookie is not a pirate.
Marvel Snap's Featured Location This Week is Atlantis - Namor's Time to Shine!
I have been playing for a week now. Signed up from the link from here. As long as you have an android device, you should be able to play. I haven't played much Hearthstone since. Marvel Snap is in beta and has no where near as many bugs as Hearthstone has recently.
New Card - Colleen Wing
A new card, Colleen Wing, has been revealed for MARVEL SNAP!
Discuss this card below or head on over to the card page!
New Card - Dracula
A new card, Dracula, has been revealed for MARVEL SNAP!
Discuss this card below or head on over to the card page!
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 3 "Beach Day" - Tips & Parties Inside
Yep, I completely agree with you.
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 3 "Beach Day" - Tips & Parties Inside
It's disappointing the designers didn't consider that there are only 2 rare humans in the entire game. Adding just another tribe with a 2-3 rares (orcs or murlocs) would have made it much more budget friendly.
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 4 "Fight Fire with Fire" - Tips & Parties Inside
I didn't know that - neat!
Questing For Two - Card Design Competition Discussion Thread
I ended submitting Keep the Balance, but I changed the reward to Yu'lon (I forgot to put a watermark on her pls don't be too harsh). I think all four Celestials would fit very well for dual Quest rewards in a Pandaria themed expansion. Chi-Ji would be Mage/Paladin, Niuzao Warrior/Hunter and Xuen Shaman/Rogue.
Anyway, some late feedback:
Besides that, I like the reward, but I'd probably drop Stealth and Lifesteal and just give Saria more stats, in order to reduce the card complexity.
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 5 "No Shivers" - Tips & Parties Inside
So true. I lost Eudora and Mr. Smite in my climb but those three finished the boss fight on their own. Hooktusk died in the end but that didn't matter because I was only facing the last remaining unit - Cutthroat Willie - then.
Early Winners and Losers From the Throne of the Tides Mini-Set
I'm having lots of fun with Zheegllgzug, Nice to play some new archetypes, although I fear the Control Warrior thing may get a bit tiresome. Also, kudos for also bringing up how much the buff of Shagoogalog has revitalized Demon Hunter!
The Dawning Cataclysms - A Custom Hearthstone Expansion (FINISHED)
I hadn't seen this until now. Very cool expansions, one of my favorites of recent times.
Marvel Snap's Featured Location This Week is Atlantis - Namor's Time to Shine!
You can actually play the game right now. The game softlaunched yesterday for everyone who lives in the philipines or knows that vpns exist. Alternatively you can also just sideload a apk.
Early Winners and Losers From the Throne of the Tides Mini-Set
It was slightly tongue-in-cheek, but in the featured decklist it can be a 4 Mana "Summon Smite, Edwin, 2 Gnolls, and Crabatoa to eat whatever your opponent gets" which can be a huge board swing in the right matchups.
*To be honest, I thought that I'd said it was the best Rogue card from the mini-set, because obviously the best Rogue card in Standard right now is Drakefire Amulet.
How to Complete Y'Shaarj Mercenaries Event Task 2 "Sustained No More" - Tips & Parties Inside
I read this task ENTIRELY wrong. Less importantly, the lack of an Oxford comma made me think it was just about 'Azshara, Tidemistress' and another guy (not having played the Bounty yet). More importantly, 'in one turn' - that makes it sound like you're supposed to kill them in just a single turn, right? For what it actually is, they should have written "during the same turn."
Anyway, thank you for the guide! I probably wouldn't have completed this without y'all clearing up my misunderstandings.
I once met them with the fire comp and Ragnaros having the infernal combustion treasure. He simply roasted them all away on turn two in a chain of repeated triggers. Good times.
Otherwise agree. Say goodbye to your casters. And even fighters and protectors aren't safe which I had to learn today when I was trying the heroic Captain Shivers climb.
Early Winners and Losers From the Throne of the Tides Mini-Set
This is perhaps the first and only time I feel the miniset wrecked a better meta. But I still like it more than the quest meta. Let's hope the next expansion doesn't screw it all up like they always seem to do.
In any case currently Tidal Revenant is doing wonders less because of its own merits but because of warrior's suprising mana cheating. To be honest, if it comes out at 8 its really not that great. The problem is when it comes out on 5 and suddenly all your work just went up the air and you're facing a 5/8 on the opposite side. Funny thing is that I still think the kazakusan build is the better ladder deck.
Fossil Fanatic is a winner because everyone except for rogue is playing greed to fight off control warrior. Its actually amazing how many cards this one thing can draw simply because your opponent cant remove it on 2. Also, perhaps buffing Xhilag that drastically isn't team5's best decision of the year. Just turned Caria literally into patches
Shaman still respectable in my opinion. Giving mutanus a 2 mana discount is about as insane as it gets in shaman, and Ive been enjoying it.
Totally agree. I've cheesed these guys out once or twice using lucky treasure picks (+Nature damage PLUS Yu'Lon Nature bonus PLUS Malfurion's AOE) to clear them in one shot, or to nerf them with Anduin's "humans take less damage" ability. Otherwise, they always kill at least one merc, and I haven't even tried them on heroic yet.
Early Winners and Losers From the Throne of the Tides Mini-Set
I haven't played much Standard since the mini-set came out, but I'm not surprised that Jackpot! + Swiftscale Trickster are doing better than most people expected. What does surprise me is reading "Front Lines is probably the best Rogue card in Standard right now". Even at 4 mana I'm struggling to see how it ends up beneficial in rogue - the class with the smallest minions on average. Doesn't it just get you killed the next turn?