The first of three proposed expansions for my entry in the Timestream Tracking Year-Competition, The Trials Within Us has been a work in progress since I first began creating custom cards. I was brainstorming "Trial" cards long before they were ever called that lol. Know that this expansion is intended to exist *before* the Year of the Dragon, based on when the Competition took place.
In The Burdens of Shaohao animated video series, Emperor Shaohao gained enlightenment and saved Pandaria from The Great Sundering by overcoming the Sha - manifestations of negative emotions - that burdened his soul and held him back. The Trials Within Us tells nine separate tales of defeating one's personal demons and tackling adversity.
Trials and Tribulations
Each class has a Trial card, a new type of card that plays like a reverse-Quest: you are granted an immediate and lasting benefit, but a heavy Burdenis placed upon you. That Burden takes the form of an on-going penalty or a rule you must follow. These Trials reference various events across Warcraft's timeline, including the orcs taking Mannoroth's Blood-curse within themselves and Kael'thas' journey to sate the Blood Elves' addiction to magic.
Trialcards do not cost mana, because they are played automatically at the start of the game. They take up space in your deck initially, but they cannot be drawn or generated and they remove themselves from your deck upon activation, after the mulligan.
A reminder for the Burdentakes the form of a purple gem, just like the orange gem for Quests. They have unique names, art, and card text, but they are not something that can be held in your hand like a token.
A Note on Set Rotation
In creating an entire Year, we were tasked to consider rotating certain cards to Wild, much like Blizzard would do come every April. I decided to rotate Divine Favor, Preparation, and Gadgetzan Auctioneer to the Hall of Fame. Divine Favor was a problem at the time (and can easily become one again), while the other two were removed from Standard to force open the Rogue class and eliminate her dependence on them. Preparation has shaped the Rogue class since the game's inception, warping every class card around it, while the Auctioneer would become heavily broken with the Rogue's new means of Coin generation.
Each Class Tells A Story
In addition to their Trial card, each class is also represented by a specific Sha - Hatred, Arrogance, Doubt, etc. - and the archetypes the Trials inspire are reflective of them and what it might require of you as a person to overcome that negative quality. By mastering your personal demons, you can benefit in ways that would have crippled you otherwise.
The Druid
The Druid's Sha is Fear: A dark force seeks to consume the Emerald Dream from within. When a mortal has become corrupted by the Nightmare, there is no return; only death will set them free.
Intended Archetype: "Feral" Mid-Range Druid. Minions clear a path for your hero, using cards like Claw, Bite, and the new additions to buff your hero's attack power and finish off your opponent. Conversely, you can use the double damage to kill enemy minions with your face and leave your board healthy.
Story Legendary - Xavius, Nightmare Lord. The first of the Satyrs, Xavius was a powerful magic user before being transformed by N'Zoth, the Corruptor. Xavius would manipulate his puppet, Fandral Staghelm, into corrupting Teladrassil the World Tree, thereby corrupting the Emerald Dream and Ysera from within.
Druid Cards
The Hunter
The Hunter's Sha is Hatred: Her desire for vengeance pushes Alleria beyond the Dark Portal. She will come to know a thousand years of war, in the Twisting Nether.
Intended Archetype: Even Sniper/Inspire Hunter. Paired with Genn Greymane (who would have been in Standard at the time), the Trial gives you a permanent Steamwheedle Sniper effect to help you control the board. It seems Blizzard and I had the same idea, with cards like Dragonbane and Dwarven Sharpshooter that we're getting in Descent of Dragons :P
Story Legendary: Alleria Windrunner. Once the ranger-captain of Silvermoon, Alleria led her rangers on an expedition into the Twisting Nether. Now members of the Army of the Light, from their perspective a thousand years passed before they reappeared on Azeroth for the final battle against the Burning Legion. After absorbing the power of a dark naaru, Alleria became the first of the Void Elves.
Hunter Cards
The Mage
The Mage's Sha is Gluttony: Dependent on the power of the Sunwell for centuries, the "Blood Elves" are addicted to magic. What lengths will they go to sate their appetite?
Intended Archetype: Deathrattle Burn Mage. Defending yourself with Deathrattle minions while stockpiling fuel; preparation for a turn where you can kill off a bunch of minions and then unload the spells with a Dragon's Breath/Solemn Vigil-like effect. Kael'thas Sunstrider gives you the fuel, and Verdant Sphere gives you the additional punch for lethal.
Story Legendary: Kael'thas Sunstrider. Once the Prince of Quel'Thalas, Kael'thas allied his people with Illidan Stormrage to quell their addiction to magic after the loss of the Sunwell. Kael'thas later betrayed Illidan and joined the Burning Legion, with promises that the demon lord Kil'jaeden would save the Blood Elves from their plight. He would eventually be defeated by the Shattered Sun Offensive.
Mage Cards
The Paladin
The Paladin's Sha is Despair: Enslaved by the Iron Horde, their leader lost, her people betrayed; Yrel will take it upon herself to lead the draenei into the Light. One could lose hope walking such a lonely road...
Intended Archetype: 1-vs-Many Control Paladin/Healadin. The Trial states you can only ever have one minion, meaning you must maximize the value gained from every minion played. Healing, defensive spells, and high-Health Taunt walls combine to outlast the opponent's resources, emphasizing the ultimate fantasy expression of the Paladin character (an unstoppable badass fighting evil).
Story Legendary: Yrel, Light of Hope. One of the main protagonists of Warlords of Draenor, Yrel comes from the other version of Azeroth dominated by the Iron Horde. A priestess enslaved by orcs, she would become a formidable fighter alongside the Alliance. After the death of Velen and various betrayals from her own people, Yrel would take it upon herself to become leader of the draenei.
Paladin Cards
The Priest
The Priest's Sha is Arrogance: "I consume the essence of the weak and foolish," the blade whispers in your mind. "You're not weak...are you?" Only the mad would dare wield such an artifact.
Intended Archetype: Shadow Face Priest, an attempt to kill the enemy with sheer power before you kill yourself. I imagine a constant, dramatic juggling of one's Health total as the Priest heals back the self-inflicted damage...or not, if they choose to go all-in. The ultimate expression of the Shadowform playstyle.
Story Legendary: Xal'atath, (Blade) of the Black Empire. An artifact used by shadow priests, Xal'atath is a sentient weapon that is said to be a claw of N'Zoth, the Corruptor himself. Wielders of the blade must be wary of its whispers, for it speaks of nothing but lies and madness.
Priest Cards
The Rogue
The Rogue's Sha is Zeal: The Defias Brotherhood want what they're owed...but ambition will be their undoing. Revolutions demand attention, and that's exactly what they'll get.
Intended Archetype: Coin Combo Rogue. With the loss of Preparation, the Rogue is allowed access to new board control elements that would be otherwise impossible, in the form of Insanity Bomb. The archetype includes new ways to generate Coins and interact with them in various ways. Malygos combined with Coin-Flipper and/or Vengeance can make for a powerful finisher, turning the Coins into Fireballs and the Sinister Strikes into Flame Lances to the face.
Story Legendary: Vanessa VanCleef. The daughter of Edwin VanCleef, and his successor as head of the Defias Brotherhood. While not a super-skilled fighter, she is a master of poisons, especially those that cause hallucinations. After adventurers stormed her stronghold and "killed" her, Vanessa easily escaped, as the adventurers' minds were blinded by her neurotoxins.
Rogue Cards
The Shaman
The Shaman's Sha is Doubt: Doubt can paralyze the mind and Freeze the body, prior failures haunting one's thoughts like apparitions. How does one escape such a prison?
Intended Archetype: Freeze-Wall Shaman. Because your minions are cheaper, you can play the value game by dropping larger minions before your opponent can. Uniting a defensive force that can provide value without having to attack right away (to get around the Freeze), the ultimate goal is to stall out your opponent until they run out of resources. This includes Taunts, Deathrattles, and auras.
Story Legendary: Aggralan. Thrall's Life-Mate, she was originally tasked with teaching Thrall the traditional shaman ways. She would become a great ally, staying with Thrall while he suffered many trying tasks as leader of the Horde. When an agent of the Twilight Hammer struck Thrall with dark magic, it was Aggralan's power that restored his mind. They have multiple children together.
Shaman Cards
The Warlock
The Warlock's Sha is Violence: Binding his soul to the Burning Legion, Gul'dan will know power and blood as Darkness Incarnate. The Legion is infinite; their tolerance for failure is not.
Intended Archetype: Token Handlock. Pushing Handlock in a different direction than simply using Mountain Giants or Twilight Drakes. The end result is a wider board, to emphasize the fantasy of the infinite Burning Legion. Kil'jaeden serves as a powerful finisher, destroying all of your other minions in a reckless attempt to end the game.
Story Legendary: Kil'jaeden, Lord of Flame. Second in command of the Burning Legion under the Dark Titan Sargeras, Kil'jaeden's primary purpose was to assimilate other races into the Legion's armies. Creator of the undead Scourge, he commanded the Lich King to overrun the living and weaken their defenses against future Legion invasion.
Warlock Cards
The Warrior
The Warrior's Sha is Anger: In pursuit of strength, the orcs submit themselves to Mannoroth's Blood-curse. However, rage is a double-edged sword; will the fire consume them as well?
Intended Archetype: Mid-Range Attack Warrior. Focused on chunking the enemy's Health with an army of strong, expendable minions...but not in the traditional Aggro sense. This archetype would double as one that benefits from self-damage, pairing it with cards such as Rotface and Acolyte of Pain. A new spin on Enrage (now that Enrage is gone lel).
Story Legendary: Mannoroth, the Destructor. Leader of the Pit Lords, third in command of the Legion's armies under Archimonde and Kil'jaeden, he would lead the first invasion of Azeroth. Drinking the blood of Mannoroth, the twelve clans of the Draenor orc Horde would eventually succumb to his corruption, turning their skin green and filling them with a seemingly-uncontrollable rage.
I hate Murlocs, so this was thankfully a one-and-done. Protected my Scargil, dropped Megafin for 1-mana, and next turn dropped Old Murk-Eye with a wide board. Add a Heroic Strike and I abruptly ended the game with the full 30 damage.
Seems like a good update all around. "Play 3" instead of "Win 3" is a significant change; I occasionally rerolled them because I didn't want to spend so much time trying to win three games with a class I don't like.
It's not a bug: he just happened to only have one playable card at a time. If anything, you lucked out in a major way and punished his poor mulligan + card drawing.
I just finished a fight against him, and he had up to 4 possible options a couple times.
"There can only be one!" ...copy of each card in your deck. The movie is definitely the reason behind the name :D
It's also called a Singleton or Reno deck; Singleton is pretty self-explanatory, and Reno refers to Reno Jackson, the first Hearthstone card to employ the Highlander mechanic.
I've been playing a Quest Jade-C'Thun Shaman deck since I pulled Corrupt the Waters, and it has been entertaining so far. I think I might eventually drop the C'Thun package and start running more control-y stuff like you're doin'; it pains me to admit it, but C'Thun just can't keep up.
What was the point of this maneuver by Hearthpwn? It was really weird because as I understood, outofcards was supposed to become a replacement for Hearthpwn, but now we have two forums with low activity.
The original purpose of Hearthstation Out of Cards *was* to become a replacement for Hearthpwn, as we had known for a while that it was shutting down. Flux wanted to purchase Hearthpwn so he and the rest of us could keep it alive, but he was denied the opportunity. We learned after-the-fact that Hearthpwn would survive under new, completely different management. By then Out of Cards was already under way; hence the two websites/forums.
Trust me/us, it was not intentional that we would split the community :/
The question now is: when the refund drops, do I dust Barnes to make a Legendary I actually want to use, or do I keep him and maintain the integrity of the Karazhan set I paid money for?
Honestly disappointed that Quest Druid is moving towards Malygos and combo plays; I'd rather play the Choose One-heavy value deck that Blizzard intended :(
I'm one of the aforementioned Quest Druids lel; been using the deck recipe for now. When I'm not playing that I too have used Whizbang...and gotten the Quest Druid again.
I've been running into a disappointing number of Token Druids and other old decks, even in Casual. "I'm gonna take advantage of people experimenting by playing the same stuff I know is good." Sounds like a winning strategy, to be fair, but it's disheartening :(
I cannot speak for everyone, but I personally don't like it when people post images that would blatantly never make it into Hearthstone. I only post when I see an image I like that could conceivably be on a card.
Must be a spell with some other form of stat-stealing/draining effect. Not Lifesteal. The image should fit if you zoom in; I've used it myself.
I have no idea what any of this means, but I'm excited nonetheless lol
Now I can check out what everyone's doin' and be all the more jealous that I'm not in the preview patch lel.
The first of three proposed expansions for my entry in the Timestream Tracking Year-Competition, The Trials Within Us has been a work in progress since I first began creating custom cards. I was brainstorming "Trial" cards long before they were ever called that lol. Know that this expansion is intended to exist *before* the Year of the Dragon, based on when the Competition took place.
In The Burdens of Shaohao animated video series, Emperor Shaohao gained enlightenment and saved Pandaria from The Great Sundering by overcoming the Sha - manifestations of negative emotions - that burdened his soul and held him back. The Trials Within Us tells nine separate tales of defeating one's personal demons and tackling adversity.
Trials and Tribulations
Each class has a Trial card, a new type of card that plays like a reverse-Quest: you are granted an immediate and lasting benefit, but a heavy Burden is placed upon you. That Burden takes the form of an on-going penalty or a rule you must follow. These Trials reference various events across Warcraft's timeline, including the orcs taking Mannoroth's Blood-curse within themselves and Kael'thas' journey to sate the Blood Elves' addiction to magic.
A Note on Set Rotation
In creating an entire Year, we were tasked to consider rotating certain cards to Wild, much like Blizzard would do come every April. I decided to rotate Divine Favor, Preparation, and Gadgetzan Auctioneer to the Hall of Fame. Divine Favor was a problem at the time (and can easily become one again), while the other two were removed from Standard to force open the Rogue class and eliminate her dependence on them. Preparation has shaped the Rogue class since the game's inception, warping every class card around it, while the Auctioneer would become heavily broken with the Rogue's new means of Coin generation.
Each Class Tells A Story
In addition to their Trial card, each class is also represented by a specific Sha - Hatred, Arrogance, Doubt, etc. - and the archetypes the Trials inspire are reflective of them and what it might require of you as a person to overcome that negative quality. By mastering your personal demons, you can benefit in ways that would have crippled you otherwise.
The Druid
The Druid's Sha is Fear: A dark force seeks to consume the Emerald Dream from within. When a mortal has become corrupted by the Nightmare, there is no return; only death will set them free.
Intended Archetype: "Feral" Mid-Range Druid. Minions clear a path for your hero, using cards like Claw, Bite, and the new additions to buff your hero's attack power and finish off your opponent. Conversely, you can use the double damage to kill enemy minions with your face and leave your board healthy.
Story Legendary - Xavius, Nightmare Lord. The first of the Satyrs, Xavius was a powerful magic user before being transformed by N'Zoth, the Corruptor. Xavius would manipulate his puppet, Fandral Staghelm, into corrupting Teladrassil the World Tree, thereby corrupting the Emerald Dream and Ysera from within.
The Hunter
The Hunter's Sha is Hatred: Her desire for vengeance pushes Alleria beyond the Dark Portal. She will come to know a thousand years of war, in the Twisting Nether.
Intended Archetype: Even Sniper/Inspire Hunter. Paired with Genn Greymane (who would have been in Standard at the time), the Trial gives you a permanent Steamwheedle Sniper effect to help you control the board. It seems Blizzard and I had the same idea, with cards like Dragonbane and Dwarven Sharpshooter that we're getting in Descent of Dragons :P
Story Legendary: Alleria Windrunner. Once the ranger-captain of Silvermoon, Alleria led her rangers on an expedition into the Twisting Nether. Now members of the Army of the Light, from their perspective a thousand years passed before they reappeared on Azeroth for the final battle against the Burning Legion. After absorbing the power of a dark naaru, Alleria became the first of the Void Elves.
The Mage
The Mage's Sha is Gluttony: Dependent on the power of the Sunwell for centuries, the "Blood Elves" are addicted to magic. What lengths will they go to sate their appetite?
Intended Archetype: Deathrattle Burn Mage. Defending yourself with Deathrattle minions while stockpiling fuel; preparation for a turn where you can kill off a bunch of minions and then unload the spells with a Dragon's Breath/Solemn Vigil-like effect. Kael'thas Sunstrider gives you the fuel, and Verdant Sphere gives you the additional punch for lethal.
Story Legendary: Kael'thas Sunstrider. Once the Prince of Quel'Thalas, Kael'thas allied his people with Illidan Stormrage to quell their addiction to magic after the loss of the Sunwell. Kael'thas later betrayed Illidan and joined the Burning Legion, with promises that the demon lord Kil'jaeden would save the Blood Elves from their plight. He would eventually be defeated by the Shattered Sun Offensive.
The Paladin
The Paladin's Sha is Despair: Enslaved by the Iron Horde, their leader lost, her people betrayed; Yrel will take it upon herself to lead the draenei into the Light. One could lose hope walking such a lonely road...
Intended Archetype: 1-vs-Many Control Paladin/Healadin. The Trial states you can only ever have one minion, meaning you must maximize the value gained from every minion played. Healing, defensive spells, and high-Health Taunt walls combine to outlast the opponent's resources, emphasizing the ultimate fantasy expression of the Paladin character (an unstoppable badass fighting evil).
Story Legendary: Yrel, Light of Hope. One of the main protagonists of Warlords of Draenor, Yrel comes from the other version of Azeroth dominated by the Iron Horde. A priestess enslaved by orcs, she would become a formidable fighter alongside the Alliance. After the death of Velen and various betrayals from her own people, Yrel would take it upon herself to become leader of the draenei.
The Priest
The Priest's Sha is Arrogance: "I consume the essence of the weak and foolish," the blade whispers in your mind. "You're not weak...are you?" Only the mad would dare wield such an artifact.
Intended Archetype: Shadow Face Priest, an attempt to kill the enemy with sheer power before you kill yourself. I imagine a constant, dramatic juggling of one's Health total as the Priest heals back the self-inflicted damage...or not, if they choose to go all-in. The ultimate expression of the Shadowform playstyle.
Story Legendary: Xal'atath, (Blade) of the Black Empire. An artifact used by shadow priests, Xal'atath is a sentient weapon that is said to be a claw of N'Zoth, the Corruptor himself. Wielders of the blade must be wary of its whispers, for it speaks of nothing but lies and madness.
The Rogue
The Rogue's Sha is Zeal: The Defias Brotherhood want what they're owed...but ambition will be their undoing. Revolutions demand attention, and that's exactly what they'll get.
Intended Archetype: Coin Combo Rogue. With the loss of Preparation, the Rogue is allowed access to new board control elements that would be otherwise impossible, in the form of Insanity Bomb. The archetype includes new ways to generate Coins and interact with them in various ways. Malygos combined with Coin-Flipper and/or Vengeance can make for a powerful finisher, turning the Coins into Fireballs and the Sinister Strikes into Flame Lances to the face.
Story Legendary: Vanessa VanCleef. The daughter of Edwin VanCleef, and his successor as head of the Defias Brotherhood. While not a super-skilled fighter, she is a master of poisons, especially those that cause hallucinations. After adventurers stormed her stronghold and "killed" her, Vanessa easily escaped, as the adventurers' minds were blinded by her neurotoxins.
The Shaman
The Shaman's Sha is Doubt: Doubt can paralyze the mind and Freeze the body, prior failures haunting one's thoughts like apparitions. How does one escape such a prison?
Intended Archetype: Freeze-Wall Shaman. Because your minions are cheaper, you can play the value game by dropping larger minions before your opponent can. Uniting a defensive force that can provide value without having to attack right away (to get around the Freeze), the ultimate goal is to stall out your opponent until they run out of resources. This includes Taunts, Deathrattles, and auras.
Story Legendary: Aggralan. Thrall's Life-Mate, she was originally tasked with teaching Thrall the traditional shaman ways. She would become a great ally, staying with Thrall while he suffered many trying tasks as leader of the Horde. When an agent of the Twilight Hammer struck Thrall with dark magic, it was Aggralan's power that restored his mind. They have multiple children together.
The Warlock
The Warlock's Sha is Violence: Binding his soul to the Burning Legion, Gul'dan will know power and blood as Darkness Incarnate. The Legion is infinite; their tolerance for failure is not.
Intended Archetype: Token Handlock. Pushing Handlock in a different direction than simply using Mountain Giants or Twilight Drakes. The end result is a wider board, to emphasize the fantasy of the infinite Burning Legion. Kil'jaeden serves as a powerful finisher, destroying all of your other minions in a reckless attempt to end the game.
Story Legendary: Kil'jaeden, Lord of Flame. Second in command of the Burning Legion under the Dark Titan Sargeras, Kil'jaeden's primary purpose was to assimilate other races into the Legion's armies. Creator of the undead Scourge, he commanded the Lich King to overrun the living and weaken their defenses against future Legion invasion.
The Warrior
The Warrior's Sha is Anger: In pursuit of strength, the orcs submit themselves to Mannoroth's Blood-curse. However, rage is a double-edged sword; will the fire consume them as well?
Intended Archetype: Mid-Range Attack Warrior. Focused on chunking the enemy's Health with an army of strong, expendable minions...but not in the traditional Aggro sense. This archetype would double as one that benefits from self-damage, pairing it with cards such as Rotface and Acolyte of Pain. A new spin on Enrage (now that Enrage is gone lel).
Story Legendary: Mannoroth, the Destructor. Leader of the Pit Lords, third in command of the Legion's armies under Archimonde and Kil'jaeden, he would lead the first invasion of Azeroth. Drinking the blood of Mannoroth, the twelve clans of the Draenor orc Horde would eventually succumb to his corruption, turning their skin green and filling them with a seemingly-uncontrollable rage.
Neutral
Disappointed Lissandra wasn't part of the original Freljord lineup :( Leona and Lissandra are my favorite champs.
I bought Alleria and don't regret it, despite the price *shrugs* She's my favorite skin.
I hate Murlocs, so this was thankfully a one-and-done. Protected my Scargil, dropped Megafin for 1-mana, and next turn dropped Old Murk-Eye with a wide board. Add a Heroic Strike and I abruptly ended the game with the full 30 damage.
Seems like a good update all around. "Play 3" instead of "Win 3" is a significant change; I occasionally rerolled them because I didn't want to spend so much time trying to win three games with a class I don't like.
It's not a bug: he just happened to only have one playable card at a time. If anything, you lucked out in a major way and punished his poor mulligan + card drawing.
I just finished a fight against him, and he had up to 4 possible options a couple times.
"There can only be one!" ...copy of each card in your deck. The movie is definitely the reason behind the name :D
It's also called a Singleton or Reno deck; Singleton is pretty self-explanatory, and Reno refers to Reno Jackson, the first Hearthstone card to employ the Highlander mechanic.
I've been playing a Quest Jade-C'Thun Shaman deck since I pulled Corrupt the Waters, and it has been entertaining so far. I think I might eventually drop the C'Thun package and start running more control-y stuff like you're doin'; it pains me to admit it, but C'Thun just can't keep up.
The original purpose of Hearthstation Out of Cards *was* to become a replacement for Hearthpwn, as we had known for a while that it was shutting down. Flux wanted to purchase Hearthpwn so he and the rest of us could keep it alive, but he was denied the opportunity. We learned after-the-fact that Hearthpwn would survive under new, completely different management. By then Out of Cards was already under way; hence the two websites/forums.
Trust me/us, it was not intentional that we would split the community :/
The question now is: when the refund drops, do I dust Barnes to make a Legendary I actually want to use, or do I keep him and maintain the integrity of the Karazhan set I paid money for?
Honestly disappointed that Quest Druid is moving towards Malygos and combo plays; I'd rather play the Choose One-heavy value deck that Blizzard intended :(
Still no fix on Vulpera Scoundrel's text. Surely someone has mentioned it to them...
You're Frost Lich Jaina: you can win this haha
We go to http://hearthcards.net/ ...for now, anyway. We'd like to see our own card creator here at Out of Cards eventually.
I've been playing a lot of Quest Druid, and my favorite card currently is Oasis Surger. Two 5/5s with Rush for 5 mana is fantastic value.
I'm one of the aforementioned Quest Druids lel; been using the deck recipe for now. When I'm not playing that I too have used Whizbang...and gotten the Quest Druid again.
I've been running into a disappointing number of Token Druids and other old decks, even in Casual. "I'm gonna take advantage of people experimenting by playing the same stuff I know is good." Sounds like a winning strategy, to be fair, but it's disheartening :(
I've been using the Druid-Quest deck recipe for now, so I look forward to seeing how people improve upon it.
I cannot speak for everyone, but I personally don't like it when people post images that would blatantly never make it into Hearthstone. I only post when I see an image I like that could conceivably be on a card.
Must be a spell with some other form of stat-stealing/draining effect. Not Lifesteal. The image should fit if you zoom in; I've used it myself.