Blizzard has made a huge announcement today about the future of Hearthstone. We're getting a new Core set, Basic & Classic are moving to Wild, a new format is arriving that let's you play old Hearthstone, and more! Details down below.
Hearthstone's 2021 Rotation - The Legacy and Core Sets
- Basic & Classic Sets move to Wild in a new set called Legacy.
- The new Core Set has 235 cards.
- This set will change every year and be completely free for all players.
- You unlock cards in this set by leveling your heroes.
- Some older cards will return from previous expansions.
- 29 of the cards this upcoming year are completely new.
- We will be able to have 27 deck slots!
- Tavern Brawl will be changed to give out more recent packs instead of Classic packs.
New Format: Classic
This is not the new game mode.
- Arrives on set rotation this year.
- You get to play with the original 240 Hearthstone cards as they were in 2014 - no nerfs or buffs!
- Your collection gets mirrored - having the current card also gives you the older card.
- This is only with Basic & Classic cards. No other additions have been announced.
- Has its own matchmaking pool and ranked play mode.
- Games you play count towards achievements.
- Cards that were added to the Classic set past 2014 will no longer be included in Classic Packs but instead can be crafted.
- Demon Hunter will not be playable in the format.
Quote From Blizzard We’ve got some major changes on the horizon we’re ready to discuss. When card sets from Year of the Dragon (Rise of Shadows, Saviors of Uldum, Descent of Dragons, Demon Hunter Initiate) rotate to Wild at the launch of our next expansion, we’re planning to move the Basic and Classic sets to Wild as well to make way for the new Core Set!
Introducing the Core Set
The Core set replaces Basic and Classic cards in the Standard format and will contain a selection of 235 cards.
After set rotation this year, Standard will include card sets from Year of the Phoenix (Ashes of Outland, Scholomance Academy, Madness at the Darkmoon Faire, Darkmoon Races Mini-Set), the next expansion, and the new Core Set!
The Core Set will be free for all players and will replace Basic and Classic in Standard as a curated selection of 235 cards intended to provide a modern collection of starting cards to players of all types and make Hearthstone even more approachable for newcomers. Some of the Core Set cards are returning from previous sets, some are reimagined favorites, and 29 cards are completely new!
Core Set Breakdown:
- 88 cards returning from Classic (54 class cards, 34 neutral cards).
- 54 cards returning from Basic (41 class cards, 13 neutral cards).
- 55 cards returning from Wild (36 class cards, 19 neutral cards).
- 4 cards returning from Ashes of Outland (4 Demon Hunter Class cards).
- 4 cards returning from Demon Hunter Initiate.
- 1 card returning from Hall of Fame (Shadowform).
- 29 new cards (20 Class cards, 9 Neutral cards).
Like the Basic Set, you’ll earn Core Set cards by leveling up each class. All Core Set class cards are rewarded between levels 1-10 for each class, and Neutral Core Set cards will unlock based the sum of all your class levels combined, up to the combined level of 60. Golden versions of Core Set cards can be unlocked by completing Achievements associated with winning games as each class.
When you log in after rotation, you’ll automatically be granted the new Core Set cards equal to your current level for each class!*
Unlike how Basic and Classic functioned previously, the Core Set will be refreshed each year. At the end of every (Hearthstone) year, a new Core Set will take the place of the previous, comprised of new and existing cards. When that happens, the Core Set cards that are rotating will be swapped with new ones in your Collection automatically.
*Core set cards will be available in your Collection automatically at set rotation. Players will not see an in-game pop up when this occurs.
Introducing the Legacy Set
Basic and Classic cards will join Wild in the form of a card set named “Legacy”.
When the Core Set is added at rotation, we’ll be retiring the Hall of Fame entirely. The Basic and Classic sets will move to Wild under a new name—the Legacy Set, which is where most cards from the Hall of Fame will go as well. There are a few exceptions: Genn Greymane, Baku the Mooneater, and other Hall of Fame cards from the Witchwood will return to the Witchwood set, and Shadowform will return to Standard as part of the Core Set!
With the Classic Set joining the Legacy Set in Wild, all Classic cards and their Golden versions will now be craftable and disenchantable. Basic cards and their Golden versions will be granted to all players that have Wild unlocked for free at rotation, as will the normal versions of Demon Hunter Initiate cards (Golden Demon Hunter Initiate cards will still be craftable and disenchantable).
Introducing the Classic Format
Craft decks and compete using Hearthstone’s original 240 cards as they were in 2014, the year the game launched!
We’re excited to share that we’ll be launching the Classic format alongside set rotation and our next expansion! The Classic format invites players to craft decks and compete using Hearthstone’s original 240 cards as they were in 2014, the year that Hearthstone launched!
When logging in after our patch for the next expansion (before expansion content unlocks), your entire collection of Basic, Classic, and relevant Hall of Fame cards will be mirrored and available for deck building in the Classic format—as they were in the 1.0.0.5832 patch of June 2014 (after we made a few important changes), with any and all balance changes since then reverted. Yes, in the Classic format Warsong Commander can give minions Charge, Holy Smite can go face, and Leeroy Jenkins will cost 4 mana! If you want to relive the old-school Hearthstone experience, Classic will be the place for you!
Moving forward, unlocking the Wild format will also grant access to the Classic format. Classic’s reward systems, rank systems, and seasons will function the same as Standard and Wild, and like those formats, Classic will have its own matchmaking pool. You will be able to challenge your friends in the Classic format from Day 1, and games played in the Classic format will count towards any relevant Achievements.
Classic format cards will appear in their own section within the Collection manager and Classic format decks will have a unique border on your deck selection page to differentiate them from your Standard and Wild decks. Speaking of the deck selection page, we’re also excited to share that we’ll be increasing the total number of deck slots from 18 to 27 alongside the release of Classic!
Classic packs will now add to your Collection for the Classic format, as well as the Legacy set in Wild. If you have Knife Juggler in your Collection, you’ll have two versions of it—one that can be used in Wild with 2 Attack and 2 Health, and one you can use in the Classic format as it was in 2014 with 3 Attack and 2 Health.
Cards that were added to the Classic set later in Hearthstone's history will not be usable in the Classic format or drop from Classic packs, but will be craftable as part of the Legacy set in Wild. This includes:
- Icicle
- Tome of Intellect
- Call of the Void
- Pilfer
- Siegebreaker
- Gift of the Wild
- Righteousness
- Brightwing
- High Inquisitor Whitemane
- Barrens Stablehand
- SI:7 Infiltrator
- Arcane Devourer
- Kul Tiran Chaplain
- Scarlet Subjugator
- Shadow Word: Ruin
- Natalie Seline
Lastly, since cards from Classic Packs are no longer usable in Standard, we'll be replacing Classic Packs in various rewards (such as Tavern Brawls and Achievements) with other recent card packs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Core Set only playable in Standard?
- No. The Core set can be used in Wild as well.
- Will the Core Set cost money?
- No. The Core Set is free. Once you reach level 10 with a class, you’ll have all Core Set class cards for that class unlocked forever. A total level of 60 across all classes will unlock all Core Set neutral cards forever! When cards in the Core Set rotate for the first time, the applicable cards in your Collection will automatically swap out for new ones.
- Are there any dust refunds associated with this?
- No. We are rotating Basic and Classic to Wild just like other card sets that have moved to Wild in the past, and providing the new Core Set for free. No cards in Standard or Wild are being nerfed.
- I have every class at level 10 or higher, will I get the full Core Set at set rotation?
- Yes, you will have the full Core Set unlocked at set rotation. Core Set cards are unlocked based on class levels (quite easily), regardless of whether you own the original card or not. Unlocking a card in the Core Set doesn’t grant you ownership of the card in its original set. You can use them for the duration of the year. Next year, a different set of cards will comprise the Core Set.
- Will the Core Set replace Basic and Classic in Arena?
- Yes, the Core Set will replace Basic and Classic in the next Arena rotation, which will take place at the launch of our next expansion.
- Will we be able to get Genn Greymane, Baku the Mooneater, and the other Hall of Fame cards from the Witchwood in Witchwood card packs now?
- Yes, you will be able to unpack all Witchwood minions that were previously in the Hall of Fame from Witchwood packs after the format changes take place.
- What’s happening with Shadowform?
- Shadowform is returning to Standard as part of the Core Set, but it will also be playable in Wild as part of the Legacy set, and available for use in the Classic format as well.
- How do Classic Packs work with Standard now?
- Classic packs still contain Classic cards, which will now be usable in the Classic format and in Wild as part of the Legacy Set. Classic cards that aren’t part of the Core Set will not be usable in Standard. We’re adjusting the rewards for a wide variety of quests/achievements/etc. that previously awarded Classic packs to have Standard-usable rewards instead.
- Can I disenchant the Classic format version of a card and keep the version in Wild that’s part of the Legacy Set or vice versa?
- No. You cannot disenchant or earn these cards separately. While stats, card text, and effects might be different, they are effectively the same card shown in two different ways.
- Can I disenchant Classic format/Legacy cards?
- Yes, Classic format/Legacy cards can be disenchanted. But as stated in the answer above, Classic format and Legacy versions of a card are not duplicates of each other; if you disenchant Leeroy Jenkins, he’ll be gone from both your Classic format Collection and Legacy.
- Will Demon Hunter be in the Classic Format?
- No. Demon Hunter was not in Hearthstone in 2014, so it will not be part of the Classic format.
- Will cards in the Classic format be the exact same as they were in 2014?
- All balance changes for these cards over the years will be reverted, but cosmetic changes will remain. For example: Felstalker will be Felstalker and will not revert to Succubus. Also, all Basic cards from the Hall of Fame will be Common rarity in the Classic format.
- Will the Classic format see changes in the future (more expansions added, etc.)?
- We have nothing further to announce currently, but we’re looking forward to player feedback on the Classic format!
- Why 27 deck slots? That seems like a strange number.
- We’re keeping the same familiar deck selection UI but adding one more page of 9 slots.
- Are you changing the pool of cards Zephrys the Great pulls from?
- No. Zephrys the Great is rotating to Wild with Saviors of Uldum and will still pull from the same Basic and Classic cards that are now part of the Legacy set.
- What happens to Whizbang?
- Whizbang will remain in Wild as part of the Boomsday set and will be updated for every major release moving forward.
- When will the Core Set and Classic format go live?
- While we don’t have dates to share today, the Classic format will go live with the patch for our next expansion and the Core Set will go live with set rotation when content for the next expansion unlocks.
- Will there be a page on PlayHearthstone.com where we’ll be able to see the full Core Set and all the cards in the Classic format?
- Yes! The full Core Set will be revealed a few days after BlizzConline and will be available for early deck building in the card library. The card library will be updated to include all cards for the Classic format when it goes live with the patch for our next expansion.
Tune-in to BlizzConline on February 19 to learn more about the Core Set and Classic format! We’ve got some exciting news to share before revealing some of the new and revolutionized Core Set cards!
![All The Great Dark Beyond Card Reveals for October 23 - Day 13 [Finished]](the-great-dark-beyond-day-13.webp)
Comments
I'm most looking forward to not seeing the same classic cards popping in every deck for a change. Sorry rogues but Backstab, Eviscerate, Shadowstep, Sap, etc. has gotten really old.
“With the Classic Set joining the Legacy Set in Wild, all Classic cards and their Golden versions will now be craftable and disenchantable.”
I’m puzzled by this statement. Aren’t all Classic cards already craftable and disenchantable? Or are they just saying (in an indirect way) that you can do without them the same way you do without other sets that rotate out of standard?
It's simple. I play Force of Nature. I summon three treants with Charge. I play Savage Roar. And I awaken MALFURION, THE BANCIENT ONE!
What I think is a good idea for the HS Classic mode, is the rotation of classes. For example every week three classes can be played with, out of nine. And then the following week another three. This could be a class that was also playable the week before, but it doesn't have to be. These should then be chosen randomly each week.
In this way the Classic meta stays 'new' every week, because of the select availability of classes each week. Thus, the powercreep decks not being continuously playable.
A major issue with limiting the number of classes is that some classes are natural counters to others. You need a whole spectrum of classes - all having pros and cons against each other - to avoid one becoming top dog by default.
Besides, class balance during Classic was pretty finely tuned such that all the classes were perfectly playable (it would have been a disaster if the game launched and some of the classes were notably weaker than others!), so you don't need to come up with solutions to the more narrow metas we are used to in modern Hearthstone.
I presume by a 'powercreep deck' you just mean a meta deck? In the context of the Classic format there is no powercreep there since everything is at its original power level by definition.
Yes, with powercreep I indeed meant a strong meta deck. Because of no new inflow, and no nerfs are made, the same decks always stay strong. Hence the idea of class rotations. And of course some are better against each other, than others. But that is also why I came up with the idea of a weekly rotation, to keep the meta continuously fresh and innovative. (When there are no nerfs, or inflow from other cards).
Although I do get your arguments as well.
I'm normally very skeptical of adding Classic versions of games precisely because those games had to keep adding things to keep it fresh, so the Classic mode seems doomed to fail unless it innovates. However, I do think Hearthstone has enough formats and game modes now that Classic can get away with being a static format that people can return to when in the mood for it, but go elsewhere when they want a change.
So in a twisted sense, Classic's best feature will be the existence of the other game modes.
Is anyone aware of what that Core set really means? We are talking about a rental set, where Blizzard will lend us the cards for a year, that is, they are not real cards, they are "illusory" or "ghost" cards that will disappear without a trace.
Obviously, for a newcomer starting to play now, that's a great advantage (while still being a malicious bait) but... what about those of us who ALREADY have those cards as part of our collection? There are already many cards that we have been collecting for years and years but that now they are being loaned indiscriminately to everyone... What benefit are those of us who really have these cards going to have? Are we going to receive any compensation?
A rental set is a stupid idea. Lending cards is absolutely incompatible with a collecting game... What the heck is Blizzard thinking?
They have clarified that if you already own cards that are added to Core, you will have two copies - your version and the rental version. If you want, you can disenchant your version and still play with the Core version for 1 year. However, once Core changes, you will lose your free copy. If you keep both, you will still have your copy no matter what changes come to Core in the future.
I have 15 classic packs still waiting to be opened, so should I open them and be done with it or will they be carried forward as core cards once the new system hits ???
Classic packs won't have anything to do with the Core set, even with some Classic cards being in there, because we'll be given the full Core set for free regardless.
The only reason to hold onto the Classic packs is to try to take advantage of the pool of cards inside them reverting to the original Classic set: everything that got Hall of Famed will be back in Classic packs (except the odd/even stuff from Witchwood and presumably the old 'Reward set'), and everything that replaced them will be taken out of Classic packs. So wait if you want to open something that's currently in the HoF, but otherwise you can just open them now.
If you think about it, it's better to wait to open the classic packs once the core set has been released due to the following upsides:
Agreed, the HoF cards should be given priority if they are considered equally, especially as they will actually be usable in the Classic format whereas their replacements won't be.
However, the maths changes if you have (almost) all the HoF cards but lack lots of their replacements. Or of course if you have all of Classic and HoF, you might as well open the packs now. So I'd encourage everyone to decide based on their own circumstances.
Yep. As i imagined, they are rotating the entirety of the Classic and Basic set. The rotating core set is a good thing but i'll wait and see what cards are going to be added to it before developing any interest of playing constructed again. The new Classic Mode is interesting but i'm not very excited about it. I have to admit one thing though. Reading that Demon Hunter isn't going to be playable in that mode instantly brought a big smile to my face.
I gotta hand it to them: This sounds like a great idea. It's enough to make me consider coming back to HS...
???
The dev team use to have a 2 expansion lead time so for the new core set, I think the plans for that would have started well before any controversies. I have a feeling this was always on the cards.
The only thing I could see that may have changed in that time is that they decided to make the whole core set free rather than something that you can build up and craft into.
Did I understand correctly, we will not get any dust for any cards that are in classic but rotate out, right? (example: Edwin)
Also, there's no point to holding unto classic packs right?
You will not get any dust, but you will get a new free core set.
We do not get dust. The same as before with all cards that are just rotating to Wild. I don't see why we should get dust.