Arcane Showdown News

Vortex and Starfall are mighty additions to your deck. Cast Starfall to deal considerable amounts of damage to Tier II and III minions, and use Vortex to drag them away right as they might overpower your Mage.

The Mage Bethanial the Introvert, inventor of the Vortex spell, was inspired by the Gravity Wells that used to plague the Citadel.

These Wells would randomly draw all nearby unsuspecting mages to the center, forcing them to engage in small talk and make eye contact. On the verge of madness from the 164th conversation about the weather (sunny, but humid), Bethanial decided to steal the Well's power and bring it to the dueling grounds.

We're constantly working on improving the cards to make sure you mages are enjoying your duels! Check out these exciting new balance changes:

[h3]Tidal Wave
[/h3]Reduced Mana cost from 3 -> 2

Tidal Wave's damage makes it valuable in the early stages of a duel, and its knockback is useful in later stages of the game. Because of the scaling utility of Tidal Wave, it doesn’t have the raw strength of other damage-dealing spells in the Citadel, such as Fireball and Starfall.

We lowered the Mana cost so mages can continue to find creative ways to harness Tidal Wave's power throughout duels, without spending too much of that hard-earned Mana!

[h3]Heckhound
[/h3]Increased health from 480 -> 550

Heckhound allows mages to easily deal with enemy swarm minions in the late stages of a duel. While Heckhound can deal with the weaker Tier I and Tier II minions with ease, we found that he wasn’t able to go toe-to-toe (or paw-to-paw) with other Tier III heavy hitters.

Giving the Heckhound more health allows him to stick around and deal damage consistently to his enemies.

[h3]Mana Crystal
[/h3]Reduced health from 45 -> 30
Etched Crystal health reduced from 50 -> 35

Mana Crystal is a great way to accelerate your economy without having to use Enchant. Most mages will build their Mana Crystals far away from the danger of the opponent's minions, meaning the main threat to Mana Crystal is spells. Because Structures receive less damage from most spells, your opponent's Mana Crystal can be difficult to overcome.

Lowering Mana Crystal’s health allows more viable, cost-effective counterplay options for mages. But don’t worry, Mana Crystal is still a great way to generate Mana in all stages of a duel, just be careful when and where you play it!

What do you think of these balance changes?

The Alchemist has tested all acids, covered all bases, and is now eager to bring science to the art of dueling!

This Tier II minion's ranged attack can be fatal to defending ground minions, and his potions' leave lingering area damage. Direct him towards Statues and Structures so his concoctions can continue inflicting damage on them. If you dare deal with his madness, his fast cool-down means you can have two on the battleground at once.

Complete this draft event to add him to your deck!

Forged in the smoldering depths of the underworld, the Heckhound is excellent at clearing the dueling grounds. Pair this hound of destruction with ranged minions for an impactful push up your opponent's lanes. Thanks to its low cool-down, you can deploy it again and again until the battlefield is nothing but blazing fire.

This flaming pup makes for a great pet. It's a favorite of the Archmage who constantly spoils it with juicy, meaty snacks.

The snacks' questionable source may unease some, but no one is too keen to complain about having fewer Goblins around.