Murder at Castle Natrhia expansion introduces a brand new card type to Hearthstone, Locations. Locations represent the castle grounds where the expansion is themed. Let’s start gathering information and clues to unable Locations, one of the mysteries coming with Murder at Castle Nathria Hearthstone expansion.
What are Hearthstone Location cards?
Today Brian Kibler, the Dragon Master, and Leo Robles Gonzalez, Hearthstone Associate Game Designer, explained what Locations are in the context of the Murder at Castle Natrhia expansion. First of all, let’s go over the cards and their effects.
Mage Location Card
Warrior Location Card
Like every Hearthstone card, Locations have a mana cost players will have to pay to play them. When we say that Locations are a new card type in Hearthstone, we mean it. Locations have their own category. They aren’t a Minion, nor a Spell, much less a Hero Card or a Weapon.
Every Hearthstone Location will have a unique effect related to their class’ themes and specific durability. The durability is represented by the number on the bottom right over the shattered shield.
Each class will have a different location for this expansion. Lore-wise, these Locations represent where each Hero claims their suspect was at the time of the murderer.
How do Hearthstone Locations work?
If you want to use a location, you need to put it in play on the battlefield. Locations use a board slot as a minion would do. Despite this, Locations can’t be damaged or removed, at least from what we know, maybe the Hearthstone team has a surprise for us. In practice, they act very much like a dormant minion on board.
You can use the Locations effect as soon as you play them. It’s much like using your Hero Power. You select the location and then target the minion you want to apply the effect to. Furthermore, Cora, part of the Hearthstone Designer team, confirmed that you would be able to play multiple Locations as long as you have board space.
Beware that Hearthstone Locations have a cooldown. Once you use them, you will need to wait a turn to use them again. There is no obligation to use them the same turn you play them or as soon as the cooldown ends. That is part of the strategy layer Locations brings to Hearthstone.
Devs comments about Locations
Introducing a new card type like Locations to Hearthstone gives the game more complexity, but on the other hand, it keeps it fresh. Furthermore, it opens design space for more cards, synergies and strategies.
Furthermore, Hearthstone isn’t just a card game, it has a story behind it, and Locations help tell them. Location cards aim to take the game to that place and make it impactful.
“We wanted to explore fully what a place feels like in hearthstone and try to find the gameplay behind that. That was sort of the driving force of the locations you see today.”
Leo Robles Gonzalez, Hearthstone Game Deigner about the new card type
Druid Location Card
Priest Location Card
In a sense, there were some experimental Location cards we have already seen. The Objectives from Battle for Alterac Valley were designed under a similar concept. You think of Locations as the evolution of that concept.
How long will Locations last?
Every time a cool new mechanic arrives, Hearthstone fans start asking if it’s something “evergreen” or just for the Murder at Castle Nathria expansion, Locations weren’t the exception. Even before playing with them, many players were asking them to become a permanent card type for Hearthstone. On the topic, Cora said
This hints that we will see much more Location type cards in Hearthstone. Remember that the Design team is usually 2 or 3 expansions ahead of what it’s public, so what Cora says is not just a guess. We can take it as a fact!
For more information about Locations, feel free to check the gameplay reveal on YouTube. That’s all for now, but stay tuned to Esports.gg for more Hearthstone news and updates. See you next time, at Castle Nathria.
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