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This to me seems to be a combination of classic rpgs with Slay the Spire's map system. You make a team of 4 my guess and each merc has it's own skills. It will be turn based combat similar to Final Fantasy or maybe Darkest Dungeon if they want to add a positioning gimmick. Really curious about how it will play out, this is the least "Hearthstone-like" game mode so far.

My guess is that each merc will be a minion, and enemies will be the enemy minions. They will probably alter some core gameplay features like in Battlegrounds. Perhaps we will finally get a "tap" like in MtG, to activate a minion and do a thing. Or maybe the skills will simply be "when this attacks" or "round starts" or spells in hand themed around the mercs. Basically imagine the demon hunter adventure, but instead of a deck, it's all about those 4 special characters and they do a bunch more shit than just act like regular minions.

I was really hoping for a UI announcement at BlizzCon. Blizzard games have typically had exceptional UI, but what was wobbly with the release of Battlegrounds completely broke with the addition of Duels, achievements, and the rewards track. Mercenaries makes that Modes screen even more crowded, and do Solo Adventures and Tavern Brawl need to be so front and center? It's past time for the wooden box to be updated and redesigned.

I also want to see some better incentives to get more players participating in Arena and Duels, and I'd be fine with the retirement of Tavern Brawl. Tavern Brawl really only functions to give a boost to players with a weekly pack and a low-pressure mode to complete quests. I'd rather have those time-investment incentives put into Arena and Duels which thrive on a large player base to work. I hope the Mercenaries PvP isn't an afterthought either, which will require its own incentives to get many players participating. The new game modes (and Arena) are great. I want them properly supported.

One of the main aspects of Slay the Spire is the map which Mercenaries seem to have copied. The map consists of multiple interconnected paths with different encounters, and you may move from one to the other as you wish (though never progressing backwards). So there is an element of decision making about the fights. You could choose a path with more Elite encounters for better loot and harder fights, or a path with many Events (non combat encounters) to preserve your health. Events are like mini roleplay moments. "You find a shrine dedicated to C'Thun. It has many gold offerings at its base." and you get the options to pillage it for the gold and maybe get cursed, or pray to it, not getting the curse but obtaining a buff. Stuff like that.

Sounds like they basically lifted the map interface from StS, but the battle gameplay sounds completely different. Battlegrounds isn't really a card game, it's just an auto-battler where cards are the user interface for communicating stats. This sounds similar in that regard. I hope PvP isn't just an afterthought.

Yes spell shield is fair in its current form because it is an untargeted counterspell for the next spell for 3.5 mana at burst speed and which gets negated by adding any additional removal on the stack.

Spellshield units like Fused Firebrand however often aren't understatted enough to balance out the Spellshield making them op versus spell based strategies (what is the point but might be tuned down in future).

Claiming that Spellshield is worse than barrier is absolutely nonsens in constructed and thankfully riot agrees on that. I was really surprised when Bastion was made permanent for no good reason other than pushing targon

I love cardbacks and I think the art has gotten incredibly better on them. March ladder reward is amazing with the animation, design, and colors. 

I do wish that I could actually see my card back more. I think it is a missed opportunity that the card backs we collect only only visible in the "deck" tray. I would like to see them change it such that I can see more of my card backs - especially when you enable random!

Pizza Stone (February 2019) is the one card back I’d pay for, and unfortunately I started playing the game in March 2019. I was worried that they wouldn’t be bring recent card backs like this back for a while, so I’m glad to see Awesome Blossom on the list. With that precedent set, I can hope for a pizza card eventually.

Won't see play - you always die before turn 9.

The main difference is that mercenaries will have a map where you can select where you want to go, so it's not as linear as the usual dungeon run mode. Another difference is that not everything is fight releated, kinda like bobs tavern. Slay the spire has for example ? rooms that have a random event with things like "you are falling. What do you want to do" where you have to decide which card you want to remove from your deck for example.

The actual combat on the other hand can't really be compared to anything, atleast from the informations we got.

I'm really excited Awesome Blossom is coming back. It's the only card back I am missing from when I started playing hearthstone due to life situations that month. While I wish there was a better way to flesh out our card back collection, (like maybe spending achievement points or something?), I guess waiting around until the ones I want show up in the shop is fine.

Quote From Topandito

I will admit I personally would like to see a few less invoke effects. A lot of the issue for me is things like The Immortal Fire or The Great Beyond that basically say to the opposing player "Oh did you not play around this minion that requires you to have two targeted removals just to deal with it alone? That's a shame that I pulled it out of nowhere." I'm fine with the mechanic as a whole otherwise but those select few DO bug me a touch.

Since you mentioned those cards I wanted to ask. Do you guys believe that Spell Shield should last indefinitely unless you pop it off with a spell? or should go away after one turn like barrier? 

Some people say that spell shield is fine because barrier is more versatile, I don't agree with this statement because barrier can't protect you from removal that say recall, kill or obliterate.

I think that spell shield seems fair because currently we only have one spell that can give it at burst speed.

This card needed rush for it to be even remotely playable. Also with the new frenzy mechanic, hand buffs might actually look desirable...

Can somebody that played this "Slay Spire" which is the main difference between this and other pve modes like Rastakhan or Witchwood? I don't get the point yet :(

So they're creating an StS-like game mixed with Butcher's Circus mechanics from Darkest Dungeon (Takin your team into PvP)

Hmmmm, that sounds interesting, I love StS so I am definitely lookin for this one


*new expansion is announced* "I'm not lookin' for you"
*rework of core set announced* "You might interest me with this, but it's gonna take more than that to impress m-
*Hearthstone Mercenaries announced*  "OOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!"

So Hearth: shadow legends?

Ideally you'd want to silence this deathrattle effect (or evolve the minion) but I don't see warlock putting an Ironbeak Owl or Showstopper  into their deck for this