This is the twelfth major expansion for the core digital collectible card game, Hearthstone, released in August 2019. Requiring the base game, it adds 135 new collectible cards, deepening the existing turn-based strategy gameplay. The narrative shifts to the desert land of Uldum as the League of Explorers confronts Arch-Villain Rafaam. Distinctive features included the Reborn mechanic, allowing minions to revive once, and Plagues, disruptive spells affecting the opponent's deck or hand, significantly refreshing strategic options.
This content represents the twelfth major expansion for the core digital collectible card game, Hearthstone. Released in August 2019, this addition significantly enhances the base game experience by introducing 135 new collectible cards, expanding strategic depth and deck-building possibilities for all players. It is not a standalone title; access requires the base game installed on supported platforms, which include iOS, PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, and Mac.
The atmosphere shifts to the arid, mysterious land of Uldum, following a dramatic turn of events where the villainous League of E.V.I.L. successfully executed their plan to steal the magical city of Dalaran. This expansion sets the stage for a desert adventure steeped in ancient secrets. In response to the escalating threat posed by Arch-Villain Rafaam and his cohorts, the heroic League of Explorers—Reno Jackson, Elise Starseeker, Brann Bronzebeard, and Sir Finley Mrrgglton—have returned to confront the darkness threatening the world.
The primary addition is the substantial influx of 135 new collectible cards. These cards integrate directly into the existing framework of Hearthstone, offering new tools, synergies, and archetypes for players to master across all classes. While this expansion focuses on card additions and narrative progression within the established universe, it does not introduce new standalone game modes or characters outside of the card set itself.
This expansion introduced new keywords and mechanics designed to interact with the Uldum setting. A key feature was the introduction of the Reborn mechanic. Cards with Reborn would return to the board after being destroyed, retaining any buffs or effects they had, but only for one subsequent revival. Additionally, this set featured Plagues, which were special spells that affected the opponent's hand or deck upon being played, adding a layer of disruptive strategy to matches. These mechanics are woven into the existing turn-based strategy framework of the parent game.
As an expansion, this content is fully integrated into the existing Hearthstone ecosystem. The new cards are shuffled into the card pool, and the narrative context informs the flavor and design of the new additions. The scope of this content is substantial, providing a significant refresh to the meta-game and deck construction options, comparable in quality and impact to other major annual expansions for the core title.
The Reborn mechanic offers unique defensive and offensive persistence, forcing players to account for a second life cycle on key minions. Meanwhile, Plagues introduce a direct form of disruption that targets the opponent's resources rather than just their board state, demanding adaptive strategic planning.
This specific content release is a singular expansion. As of the current date, there are no further downloadable content packs or smaller DLCs associated exclusively with this 2019 set. Players access this content through the established card acquisition methods of the main game.
Advice for consumers Game contains images which might be scary or frightening to younger children Brief outline of the game Strategy board game which utilises themed playing cards to defeat the opponents cards. Content specific issues Game features the use of themed playing cards that contain images of characters drawn from the World of Warcraft. The images depicted might be scary or frightening to younger children. Other issues The game features online playing capability which may involve real-time interaction with other players.