Hearthstone Devs Discuss Draenei Minion Strengths and Weaknesses

HearthstoneThe latest Great Dark Beyond expansion is all about the Draenei, bringing a host of Draenei-themed minion cards to the table along with a unique starship mechanic that seriously shakes up the deck building for each of Hearthstones classes. Not content with just slapping together some vanilla minion cards with Draenei artwork Hearthstone the team took pains to ensure that the new deck would fit thematically with the Draenei race and offer new ways of playing with dedicated Draenei decks.

Game Rant spoke to Hearthstone senior game designer Leo Robles Gonzalez and senior VFX artist Luke Mason on the expansion's new Draenei card collection, specifically their place in Hearthstone deck building. They went into detail about the Draenei minion playstyle that is heavily tied to the race's traits, along with how opponents can exploit those traits in counterplay.

Draenei Minions in Hearthstone is all about thinking ahead

Leo Robles Gonzalez noted that the Draenei playstyle is based on the identity of the race: a hopeful, united people building for a better future after being banished from their home planet. With that in mind, Hearthstones Draenei cards are all about the setup; many Draenei cards have effects that grant the next Draenei card played. Because these interactions are predictable and easier to plan, Draenei decks feel different from more chaotic minion-focused ones Hearthstone deck.

“With
Draenei
it's a lot about sequencing your turns, planning ahead and making decisions with what you have. I think that's where the strength really lies.

i think
Draenei
Tires are misleading. There's an inherent desire, when playing a minion-type deck, to just put them all in your deck, and think they'll synergize, yay! But I think with a lot of
Draenei
tire, that is not the case. For example,
Draenei priest
with
Askara
's Battlecry to summon the next
Draenei
you play. There are very selective
Draenei
you want it to hit, so it's a little cheap
Draenei
– maybe you just don't run so they don't get in the way. Those deck building decisions are really interesting.”

Gonzales pointed out that players may be tempted to fill out a minion-based deck with as many Draenei characters as possible, but that's not necessarily the best approach for Draenei decks. For example, Askara's battle cry can summon another Dranei, which can be wasted on a cheaper Draenei card if the deck is oversaturated with them. Draenei cards can synergize well, but a properly planned deck may not be necessary all of them.

Hearthstone's Draenei Minions' strength is also their weakness

On the other hand, Gonzales noted that the Draenei tendency to predictably give future Draenei cards also works to the opponent's advantage. Both players are immediately aware that the next Draenei card that comes into play will have certain properties, so the opponent can adjust their plans with the same predictability that the Draenei player benefits from.

“I think the counterplay aspect is also important. Going back to that
Rush
Example: If I play that card it says next
Draenei
I play will get Rush, as an opponent I say “Okay, it will happen.” Do I really want to play these minions that I would play this turn, or should I reevaluate and try to do something else?”

This dynamic makes the Dranei plays at the table interesting for both players, allowing for classic CCG mind games where a Draenei card might be played to provoke a desired reaction from the opponent. This new strategic layer from the Dranei decks along with the new starship cards make The Great Dark Beyond a particularly powerful expansion with tons of new strategies for Hearthstone players to consider.