Hearthstone is collectable strategy card game where players chose unique heroes and duel their opponents. Each hero has different strengths and weaknesses, and access to special class only cards. Players build decks and play powerful spells and minions in order to win each match.

Details
  • Game: Hearthstone
  • Editor: Hearthcards and Photoshop
  • Team Size: Solo Project
  • Game Mode: 1-2 players
Responsibilities
  • Card design
  • Balancing
  • Prototyping & playtesting
  • Flavor text & sourcing art
Overview

Hearthstone is strategy card game where players choose Warcraft heroes to play as and duel 1v1 against their opponents. Each hero has different strengths and weaknesses, and access to special class only cards. Players build decks and play powerful spells and minions in order to win each match.

Calamity in the Caverns is a 135 card custom expansion for Hearthstone. It introduces our players to Chromie and the Bronze Dragonflgiht as they timetravel around Warcraft's history reliving epic events from the past and future. This expansion builds upon Hearthstone’s lore and uses the Adventure encounters, flavor text, and cards to tell the story of the Caverns in fun and interactive ways.

My Role

I designed, balanced, and playtested all of the Hearthstone cards in this set. The set is themed around Time and the Tanaris zone of WoW. Each class has an additional two playstyle themes that I have created cards to support.



  • Created a new mechanic “Time Flux” that thematically and mechanically fits the set.
  • Built a Design Skeleton file to streamline documentation, prototyping, building, and iteration.
  • Designed a single player adventure that teaches the mechanics of the new set in a controlled environment.
  • Scripted a mechanic tracker to track the various card types and make sure I'm including them at the desired ratios.
  • Design emphasis on creating player stories, build around opportunities, readability, balance, and flavor.
  • Achieved the rank of Legend in Hearthstone to increase my understanding of high level play, competitive balance, card/player interaction, and design pitfalls.
  • Constantly iterating based on feedback from several Hearthstone designers to better match the game's design philosophy.
Loa Strike - A common spell for Shaman that rewards their Overload theme.
Greed - Because players can only hold 10 cards in their hand, this becomes risky if players play . . . greedily.
Holy Shock - Gives the Paladin a choice to heal an ally, or smite an enemy.
Aranhe the Widowmaker - Rewards players for not playing a perfect mana curve. Cost at 4 mana, so you get a full board if played at maximum mana.
Awakened Mummy - I wanted to make the dormant mechanic more flexible. Mummy has powerful stats, but gives your opponent time to prepare.
Cinder - A common spell that becomes a catchup mechanic if the player is losing.
Disturbed Burrow - Gives Druid's the flexibility of many minions which are easy to buff, or a taunt minion to help them survive.
Dunemaul Brewflinger - A silly take on the Ogre's 50% chance to miss, flavored around getting another card drunk.
Furious Gladiator - A nod to WoW's PvP elite the gladiators who recklessly charge into battle. Used as a warrior removal spell.
Mannoroth the Destructor - A push your luck mechanic that embraces the Warlock's deck destruction theme.
Twinfang - A Rogue weapon that disincentives attacking the enemy hero directly.
Time Bomb - A silly trap that will cause your enemy to panic after they play a spell.