Unveiling Hearthstone's Game-Changing Titans: What's in Store for the Meta?

Hearthstone has recently unveiled its latest card expansion, Titans, which will introduce the colossal gods from the iconic Warcraft universe to the game. Alongside these Legendary minions, the Titans expansion is also focused on enhancing Location cards, introducing the Magnetic feature, and debuting the new Forge keyword.

In a roundtable interview, Game Rant spoke with Hearthstone's lead designer, Cora Georgiou, and VFX artist, Luke Mason, to discuss the upcoming set. From the immense Titans to the intricate implementation of Forge, this expansion offers a multitude of strategies to exert influence on the battlefield. The developers shed light on these new keywords and their potential impact on the future of Hearthstone.

Playing Gods in Hearthstone

In this set, each of the 11 classes, including the recently added Death Knight in Hearthstone, will receive their own Legendary Titan. It should come as no surprise that Hearthstone designed the entire set with these cards in mind. Georgiou explained, “We always knew that Titans would be the most thrilling aspect of the expansion.” Despite being classified as minions, these extraordinary cards operate in a unique manner, deviating from players' expectations.

“These entities are akin to god-like beings in World of Warcraft. In order to truly capture the magnitude of these characters and translate them into Hearthstone gameplay, we felt that a typical minion representation would fall short."

When a Titan is played, it enters the field with an impressive visual display. However, unlike regular minions, Titans cannot attack immediately. Instead, they possess three unique powers, each of which can be activated once. Players have the option to choose an effect upon playing the Titan and can select the remaining ones in subsequent turns. Once all three powers have been utilized, the Titan can attack normally on the following turn.

Georgiou provided a few examples of these game-altering cards. Norgannon's abilities have the capability to inflict damage or exert control over the battlefield, with each subsequent ability being twice as potent as the previous one. On the other hand, Golganneth complements the Shaman class's Nature magic archetype, while Eonar, the Druid Titan, has the ability to replenish a player's hand, mana crystals, or life total through her powers. Titan cards combine the characteristics of both minions and locations, serving as a captivating centerpiece for any Hearthstone deck.

We have been tirelessly working to improve and implement these activatable abilities on board for years. The introduction of Locations was the culmination of all that effort. Surprisingly, we are revisiting this concept sooner than expected because the abilities in this new set are remarkably different from Locations, with a wide range of uses.

However, it is crucial to understand that Titans are just like any other minions. Georgiou reminds players that there is no guarantee of their invincibility. Titans can be killed, so careful planning is necessary to maximize their abilities and protect them. The longer an opponent's Titan remains on the battlefield, the more powerful abilities they can unleash. Destroying enemy Titans and safeguarding one's own will be a key objective in this upcoming Hearthstone set.

Keywords to Reforge the Hearthstone Meta

The Forge mechanic introduces a tactical approach for players to utilize their mana. Similar to Hearthstone's Tradeable keyword, cards can be Forged by dragging them to the deck and spending two mana to upgrade them. Mason, filled with excitement, looks forward to players experiencing this new keyword. "Once a card is released over the deck, a majestic, colossal hammer descends, radiating celestial heat and energy onto it, imprinting your now-Forged card and returning it to your hand."

Forge cards are available across various cost ranges, allowing players to determine if sacrificing mana earlier for these empowered cards is worthwhile. Georgiou believes that granting players agency will result in an engaging and fulfilling experience.

When the cards transform, you will witness a new art piece, an upgraded text box, and hold a card that gives you a sense of accomplishment, as though you have put in the effort and been rewarded with this amazing upgraded item."

The Mech-focused Magnetic keyword is also making a significant comeback in Titans. "Magnetic fits perfectly with the theme of Titans," Mason explained, "as it represents a technological era that modern-day Azeroth has yet to catch up with." With a considerable number of Magnetic and Mech cards already included in Hearthstone's Year of the Wolf Core set, most classes will have the opportunity to utilize this keyword in unprecedented ways.

Hearthstone introduced Location cards in Murder at Castle Nathria a year ago, and Titans is continuing to enhance them. Georgiou stated, "Locations are here to stay. It was our first time introducing a new card type since Hero cards, and we wanted them to seamlessly integrate into Hearthstone. And I believe we succeeded!" Players have responded overwhelmingly positively to Locations, with each one improving upon the previous. Several iconic locations from Ulduar will be available across multiple classes, including the Prison of Yogg-Saron. This neutral and Legendary Location card can be obtained as a free reward for logging in to Hearthstone.

"Players have mistaken these locations for being a part of the game for a long time! They feel fitting, organic, and incredible, allowing us to expand upon their potential... Legendary locations were a significant step in that direction."

With Forge, Magnetic, Locations, and the mighty Legendary minions, Titans is proving to be an exhilarating and innovative set. The influence of Titans on Hearthstone is expected to be as substantial as it is on World of Warcraft, ensuring that each Titan is faithfully represented by the team. Hearthstone is currently accessible on both Mobile and PC platforms.