Hello everyone and welcome to another Touchstone Tavern, our weekly Hearthstone [] roundup of the best stories and videos. And, as you can see, we are up to issue 99, which is pretty crazy if I'm honest. This week we have some cool guides for Un'Goro budget decks—because we all need cheap things in life—talk about the new player experience, one of the most ridiculous matches ever starring streamer Day9, some issues with the upcoming Wild tournament, and more. It's been quite a busy week overall, and we are glad to be able to bring you all those news in one convenient story. I hope you enjoy both the stories and the videos, and I'll see you all next week for our 100th Touchstone Tavern.
According to , last week's Tavern Brawl showed the writer that the game would be more fun if played with just common and rare cards from the basic and classic sets. Even though players couldn't do many of the flashy things they can now, the game was more balanced and didn't have as much randomness as it does now. What did you think of the "Pauper Mode" from last week? Would you want it to be a permanent mode for the game, or did you miss all the flashy cards and Legendaries?
If you want to see , check out the video below. The popular streamer Day9 got to play a 30-minute long match that shows the craziness of RNG. This Priest Quest Mirror match took forever, with both players running out of cards with almost ten minutes to go in the match. No reason to spoil anything more, but definitely watch the video.
If you tried to start playing Hearthstone today, you'd be in for quite a tricky road because the game is definitely not as accessible as it used to be. As , the developers continue to talk about the ways in which they want to improve the new player experience. Although new player win rates have increased in casual mode, the ranked play experience is still not where the developers want it to be and are looking to improve it. Ben Brode doesn't think it's because new players don't have the same cards as older ones, since even new cards won't help them understand all the new mechanics. Making the new player experience better is a pretty massive task, but it's one that the developers need to get right if they want to continue attracting new players.
According to , Hearthstone players are trapped in a cycle of salt since right after an expansion settles, players start complaining about the game until another expansion releases. It's a 7-step cycle of salt, as the writer describes it, that starts with a new expansion release and goes through infatuation, rage, and so on. The question is, of course, whether this cycle is only seen in a relatively small-but-vocal group rather than the community as a whole. But, I have to agree that this cycle of salt is often present in parts of the community, although I think that's probably the case with other similar games in the age of the internet.
If you enjoy watching Hearthstone streams, check out . The writer talks about the six biggest names on Twitch and why you should be watching each one of them. You have names like Kripp, Dog, Firabat, Thijs, Reynad, and Kibler, all of which are great players in their own right. Any other streamers you'd like to add to the list? If so, please do so in the comments below.
If you're low on dust or money and still want to have competitive Un'Goro decks, check out this , which includes one Standard budget deck for each class. The primary goal of these decks is to offer players with limited collections a way to be competitive. There's a Divine Shield Aggro Paladin, a Jade Rogue, an Elemental Tempo Mage, and more, all of which are cheap enough to construct without having to sell your soul to the highest bidder. Each deck comes with detailed explanation of how to play it, so definitely an article worth your time.
Blizzard announced the $25,000 Wild open tournament this past week, but not everyone is happy with the rules. According , players can only qualify through a legend ranking on the server of their home country, a rule that angered many players, particularly those from New Zealand and Australia, who do their playing on other servers. And if you're a player who's been doing all his or her playing on a different server than the one for your area, you have just a few days to make it to legend if you want to compete in the tournament. So, although everyone was excited about the Wild tournament, some players aren't happy at all.
Pauper Mode: The Way the Game Should be Played
According to , last week's Tavern Brawl showed the writer that the game would be more fun if played with just common and rare cards from the basic and classic sets. Even though players couldn't do many of the flashy things they can now, the game was more balanced and didn't have as much randomness as it does now. What did you think of the "Pauper Mode" from last week? Would you want it to be a permanent mode for the game, or did you miss all the flashy cards and Legendaries?
Day9 May Have Played the Most Ridiculous Match Ever
If you want to see , check out the video below. The popular streamer Day9 got to play a 30-minute long match that shows the craziness of RNG. This Priest Quest Mirror match took forever, with both players running out of cards with almost ten minutes to go in the match. No reason to spoil anything more, but definitely watch the video.
Devs Working on New Player Experience Improvements
If you tried to start playing Hearthstone today, you'd be in for quite a tricky road because the game is definitely not as accessible as it used to be. As , the developers continue to talk about the ways in which they want to improve the new player experience. Although new player win rates have increased in casual mode, the ranked play experience is still not where the developers want it to be and are looking to improve it. Ben Brode doesn't think it's because new players don't have the same cards as older ones, since even new cards won't help them understand all the new mechanics. Making the new player experience better is a pretty massive task, but it's one that the developers need to get right if they want to continue attracting new players.
Players are Trapped in a Cycle of Salt
According to , Hearthstone players are trapped in a cycle of salt since right after an expansion settles, players start complaining about the game until another expansion releases. It's a 7-step cycle of salt, as the writer describes it, that starts with a new expansion release and goes through infatuation, rage, and so on. The question is, of course, whether this cycle is only seen in a relatively small-but-vocal group rather than the community as a whole. But, I have to agree that this cycle of salt is often present in parts of the community, although I think that's probably the case with other similar games in the age of the internet.
The Biggest and Best Twitch Streamers
If you enjoy watching Hearthstone streams, check out . The writer talks about the six biggest names on Twitch and why you should be watching each one of them. You have names like Kripp, Dog, Firabat, Thijs, Reynad, and Kibler, all of which are great players in their own right. Any other streamers you'd like to add to the list? If so, please do so in the comments below.
9 Low Budget Un'Goro Decks
If you're low on dust or money and still want to have competitive Un'Goro decks, check out this , which includes one Standard budget deck for each class. The primary goal of these decks is to offer players with limited collections a way to be competitive. There's a Divine Shield Aggro Paladin, a Jade Rogue, an Elemental Tempo Mage, and more, all of which are cheap enough to construct without having to sell your soul to the highest bidder. Each deck comes with detailed explanation of how to play it, so definitely an article worth your time.
The Wild Tournament Isn't Making Everyone Happy
Blizzard announced the $25,000 Wild open tournament this past week, but not everyone is happy with the rules. According , players can only qualify through a legend ranking on the server of their home country, a rule that angered many players, particularly those from New Zealand and Australia, who do their playing on other servers. And if you're a player who's been doing all his or her playing on a different server than the one for your area, you have just a few days to make it to legend if you want to compete in the tournament. So, although everyone was excited about the Wild tournament, some players aren't happy at all.
Double Devolve RNG
12-Win First Timers
Bugs and WTF Moments #8
Beating Quest Rogue With Priest
Mythbusters #35
StrifeCro's Evolve Shaman
Best Un'Goro Yogg-Saron Moments
Kripp on How to Draft Warrior
Best of Kalimos
Luckiest Opponent Ever
Trolden's Funny and Lucky Moments
The Story of Mana Wyrm
As always, we have some good resources on the site for you in case you are new to the game or simply want to sharpen up your game. There's never such a thing as too much help in Hearthstone, so check out our guides.