Well, we know option 1 is impossible. If I can come and go without losing any value, there's really just no longer any reason to really care or commit to hearthstone to any degree since it can be taken and dropped almost at whim. As such the playerbase numbers will fluctuate wildly, sometimes because the expansion is boring (like during the meta after Ungoro-Kobolds have rotated) or because blizz is being an arse (like the Blitzchung issue)
Changing dust value is perhaps the easiest option here, and I think it has been mooted when the survey was first leaked, since it was universally acknowledged then that such a system would have repercussions on the game's economy.
I personally think the best way is to incrementally reduce the cost of each expansion's dust crafting requirement, so a legendary from, say, AoO would be a lot cheaper than it would be during its cycle. Not only will it maintain the economy at an advantage to blizz during the expansion's cycle, it will still significantly make the game more approachable to new players, especially those wanting to have a go at wild.
Call me old fashioned but i think games shouldn't be skinner boxes, they should be fun to play and that's why people should keep playing them. If hearthstone gets a subscription based model it will do one thing. Make people take the game less seriously. If you think the current model that forces people to be good at arena, rush down ladder with the most cancerous aggro deck and spend tons of money. is the way to go for the game's future then i don't think i should be having this conversation. F2ps worry about this game like it's their rent and they just got fired from their job. Focusing every day on how much they get and wondering if it'll last the month. That shouldn't be in the game. if you're F2p it's play aggro or GTFO. Because you ain't crafting those 8 legendaries you need to play that control deck homie.
I used to be F2p for like 2 years (For the most part I still am, I only pay for the 20 bucks bundle occasionally, and I got the starter kit for 10 bucks), and I can't say I was anywhere near depraved enough as you described. I only started laddering seriously like 2 years back (ironically at a time when I have better cards), mostly spending my time in my f2p years finishing up quests and playing useless but fun decks.
Not everyone plays aggro decks because they are the fastest way to make a buck. I still regularly see face hunter right now, even when it should be theoretically no longer as rewarding as it once was under this bs system. Aggro decks are quick, easy to play, and in many ways interactive for the player who plays it (despite being cancerous to the other side). If fun is the reason why people play hearthstone, then its easy enough to describe playing aggro decks as fun for some, not for others.
Ranked will always be serious. Its inevitable since winning is for the most part fun. If the best deck is a control/midrange deck then everyone will play nothing but control/midrange (During the last phase of AoO, galakrond rogue and highlander mage were practically everywhere). No amount of rewards will ever change that.
If it was more targeted, it could see play, but since it's a random handbuff means that it's hard to get the buffs on the targets that you want (minions that copies themselves, Taunts/Rush, etc.)
Dire Mole, but potentially awkward to play on curve, which is the ideal time to play Dire Mole... Seems not that good unless you have specific cards with cast when drawn effects you're trying to cycle for.
I still can't get over a Demon in Paladin. I mean, I get it, I understand the flavour and everything, but it's just so weird. Might've been less odd if he wasn't just randomly showing up at the Faire.
Well, we know option 1 is impossible. If I can come and go without losing any value, there's really just no longer any reason to really care or commit to hearthstone to any degree since it can be taken and dropped almost at whim. As such the playerbase numbers will fluctuate wildly, sometimes because the expansion is boring (like during the meta after Ungoro-Kobolds have rotated) or because blizz is being an arse (like the Blitzchung issue)
Changing dust value is perhaps the easiest option here, and I think it has been mooted when the survey was first leaked, since it was universally acknowledged then that such a system would have repercussions on the game's economy.
I personally think the best way is to incrementally reduce the cost of each expansion's dust crafting requirement, so a legendary from, say, AoO would be a lot cheaper than it would be during its cycle. Not only will it maintain the economy at an advantage to blizz during the expansion's cycle, it will still significantly make the game more approachable to new players, especially those wanting to have a go at wild.
Call me old fashioned but i think games shouldn't be skinner boxes, they should be fun to play and that's why people should keep playing them. If hearthstone gets a subscription based model it will do one thing. Make people take the game less seriously. If you think the current model that forces people to be good at arena, rush down ladder with the most cancerous aggro deck and spend tons of money. is the way to go for the game's future then i don't think i should be having this conversation. F2ps worry about this game like it's their rent and they just got fired from their job. Focusing every day on how much they get and wondering if it'll last the month. That shouldn't be in the game. if you're F2p it's play aggro or GTFO. Because you ain't crafting those 8 legendaries you need to play that control deck homie.
New Warrior Weapon - Ringmaster's Baton
Kinda kinky :o
Guess the Weight
Well, technically either guess would be wrong, no?
New Shaman Weapon - Whack-A-Gnoll Hammer
Seems good, especially if you care at all about having a board presence.
DMF Poll.
I used to be F2p for like 2 years (For the most part I still am, I only pay for the 20 bucks bundle occasionally, and I got the starter kit for 10 bucks), and I can't say I was anywhere near depraved enough as you described. I only started laddering seriously like 2 years back (ironically at a time when I have better cards), mostly spending my time in my f2p years finishing up quests and playing useless but fun decks.
Not everyone plays aggro decks because they are the fastest way to make a buck. I still regularly see face hunter right now, even when it should be theoretically no longer as rewarding as it once was under this bs system. Aggro decks are quick, easy to play, and in many ways interactive for the player who plays it (despite being cancerous to the other side). If fun is the reason why people play hearthstone, then its easy enough to describe playing aggro decks as fun for some, not for others.
Ranked will always be serious. Its inevitable since winning is for the most part fun. If the best deck is a control/midrange deck then everyone will play nothing but control/midrange (During the last phase of AoO, galakrond rogue and highlander mage were practically everywhere). No amount of rewards will ever change that.
New Neutral Minion - Costumed Entertainer
If it was more targeted, it could see play, but since it's a random handbuff means that it's hard to get the buffs on the targets that you want (minions that copies themselves, Taunts/Rush, etc.)
New Druid Minion - Umbral Owl
Auto-include for Spell-centric decks, especially easy to knock down to 0-cost with Nature Studies and the Eclipses.
New Rogue Spell - Swindle
Mage feels swindled after seeing this card ;)
New Neutral Minion - Safety Inspector
Dire Mole, but potentially awkward to play on curve, which is the ideal time to play Dire Mole... Seems not that good unless you have specific cards with cast when drawn effects you're trying to cycle for.
New Priest Minion - Fortune Teller
I'm not sure if even Priest holds on to that many spells in hand for this card to be worth being a pile of stats.
New Warrior Minion - Tent Trasher
Might see play in some Tempo Menagerie Warrior deck. Beyond that, the cost reduction is a bit awkward, but 4 mana 5/5 Rush is still good.
New Priest Spell - Auspicious Spirits
Don't run this card; just generate it randomly and then corrupt it with your better cards.
New Neutral Minion - Fleethoof Pearltusk
This might see play in a new Y'Shaarj, the Defiler deck.
New Warlock Minion - Midway Maniac
Not sure if +2 health on Voidwalker is enough to have it run in Zoo, and Control isn't so desperate for early/cheap taunts.
New Rogue Spell - Swindle
Not sure about this one, sometimes I see it as a cheap drawing card and sometimes as an expensive one. I should see it whilst playing.
New Neutral Minion - Rock Rager
1 Star for seeing play, 1 Star for Flavor: it doesn't cost 3 mana, literally unplayable!
New Rogue Minion - Tenwu of the Red Smoke
Alongside with old gods is for sure the card I'm most interested in. For wild this can be nuts on every rogue deck.
New Rogue Minion - Foxy Fraud
If you're playing Combo cards- Wait, you're a Rogue, you're putting 2 of these in your deck first and then wondering what 28 other cards to play.
New Warlock Minion - Man'ari Mosher
Excellent sinergy with demon zoo. Autoinclude in every zoo deck.
New Rogue Minion - Sweet Tooth
I don't think it will see play. Maybe in some stealth archetype but seems to be the worst corrupted card from the set.
New Rogue Minion - Ticket Master
Worse Fal'dorei Strider is still good since it can come out a turn earlier.
New Paladin Minion - Lothraxion the Redeemed
I still can't get over a Demon in Paladin. I mean, I get it, I understand the flavour and everything, but it's just so weird. Might've been less odd if he wasn't just randomly showing up at the Faire.
New Druid Spell - Lunar Eclipse
The kind of card that you didn't expect a lot from it but late with the expansion you discover that is nut if played at the proper time.
New Rogue Minion - Ticket Master
Everything that summons a minion when drawing card is good for us. Deahtratlle tokenize rogue have a new friend for playing with.
DMF Poll.
Call me old fashioned but i think games shouldn't be skinner boxes, they should be fun to play and that's why people should keep playing them. If hearthstone gets a subscription based model it will do one thing. Make people take the game less seriously. If you think the current model that forces people to be good at arena, rush down ladder with the most cancerous aggro deck and spend tons of money. is the way to go for the game's future then i don't think i should be having this conversation. F2ps worry about this game like it's their rent and they just got fired from their job. Focusing every day on how much they get and wondering if it'll last the month. That shouldn't be in the game. if you're F2p it's play aggro or GTFO. Because you ain't crafting those 8 legendaries you need to play that control deck homie.
New Rogue Minion - Foxy Fraud
The kind of card that every rogue needs in their decks. As everybody before me said it will give so much love to an early VanCleef