Hearthstone new year begins with Voyage to the Sunken City expansion

Published , by Ozzie Mejia

Where can Hearthstone go after eight years that it hasn't gone to already? The answer to that is "under the sea," of course. To kick off a brand new Standard year, Hearthstone's next expansion is Voyage to the Sunken City, which promises some major additions and exciting new features.

Hearthstone: Voyage to the Sunken City takes the game down to the lost city of Zin-Azshari. As one might expect out of an underwater-themed expansion, the new keywords will follow that theme. Yes, that's "keywords," plural, and both of them will change the Hearthstone game in intriguing ways.

The new Dredge keyword will allow players to look at their bottom three cards. They can then select one to bring to the top of their deck. This can be a big deal when trying to find a potentially lethal finisher or a critical counter to an opponent's big play. It can also be combined with some of the new cards that offer a "Sunken" effect, which places something on the bottom of the player's deck.

The other big keyword is Colossal, which features massive minions. These minions are so big, their appendages take up entirely separate cards! Playing the main body will immediately summon the appendages, which means the board can quickly get out of control for those who aren't paying close enough attention.

On top of the new keywords, a new Standard year also means the addition of a new minion type. The Naga will join the ranks of the Beasts, Demons, Mechs, Pirates, and other minion tribes. The Naga will grant bonuses for playing spells while they're in hand. Different Naga will interact differently, depending on the class, so expect to see some potential game-changers introduced with this new expansion.

It won't be long before Hearthstone: Voyage to the Sunken City takes players on an undersea journey. The expansion is set to release on Tuesday, April 12. New cards will gradually be introduced in the weeks ahead on the Hearthstone website. Speaking of new cards, a new Standard year will also mean a revamped Core set, so stay tuned to Shacknews. We'll report on those details as they become available.