On Twitter, Reddit, and Youtube, content is flourishing about Battlegrounds while the game remains a closed beta. Hearthstone's new game mode appeals to players, from the oldest card game enthusiasts to the curious new ones who have come to test the new auto-battler.
Although it is already complete and pleasant to play, many modifications can be made, and no doubt that when the new expansion: Descent of Dragons is released, many new features will be added.
We can already have some ideas on the future improvements that may appear on the game, thanks to a discussion on Twitter between David "SirSalty" Chee, currently first ranking on the Battlegrounds European and Lead Game Designer Mike Donais.
SirSalty suggests several types of improvements: new features, balancing, and quality of life. After many games, professionals and casula players were able to notice several things and partly define the meta. From the best heroes to the best strategies, passing by the least efficient, the large volume of games has revealed what works best in the game mode.
Suggested improvements
To allow a few more strategies, we must strengthen those that already exist. In particular, the Murlocs which are currently weaker than the other existing families. A powerful level 4 Murloc would be required. The Mechs have Junkbot, Annoy-o-Module, and Security Rover, while Beasts have the excellent Cave Hydra — not to mention the many possible boosts. The Murlocs just have Toxfin that give Toxicity to an allied Murloc, but nothing that can't give a direct advantage on the board.
Another possible improvement is the addition of new end of game possibilities — in a similar way to Zapp Slywick — which allows you to manage specific situations. In addition to the end of the game, an increase in the diversity of mid-game strategies would be particularly interesting. The possibility of choosing between an aggro strategy, the rapid improvement of the tavern and the saving of resources would be a good point. Why not create a minion which generates gold at the price of HPs, or another who reduces the cost of the tavern each turn?
What could be better than a new synergy to improve the game? We think of the dragons that are coming very soon and should be present in Battlegrounds. Indeed, we already have cards like Zoobot that improve them, so why not take the plunge? Among the possible ones, we can also have Pirates and other elementary ones!
Balancing
- The level 5 minion: Lightfang Enforcer is one of the best in the game, boosting Mechs, Beasts, and Murlocs. The problem is that the Mechs are already very strong, and this boost makes them even more powerful. Removing it would weaken them a little.
- Second balancing for the Mechs: make Junkbot a servant of level 5 instead of 4, making it more difficult to get.
- Currently, Zerus Phase Shifter is quite weak. Indeed, his randomness can make it indispensable or useless, only thanks to the luck factor. By improving it and allowing it to give only a minion of a higher level than that of your tavern, the random remains present, but more controlled and above all more interesting.
- The Nightmare Amalgam is one of the best minions, if not THE best, in the game mode. Insta picked by all players, it should be more difficult to find and especiallyin higher levels. By shifting it to level 3 or 4, it would be a little less powerful but would remain a must-have.
Quality of life
Small but really interesting improvements for the quality of life are needed. The number of turns played, the total number of games played, the possibility of indicating that you are ready for battle, sometimes avoiding long waits, an overall acceleration of the animation time, which can sometimes cause you to lose a precious second and finally keyboard shortcuts for all the actions in the tavern.
Mike Donais said that the teams were working on some of these features that should appear tomorrow. At the beginning of December, 4 new heroes are expected as well as numerous balancing acts. All we have to do is wait!