Ask Zeriyah Part 3

07/18/2013 05:46 PMPosted by Thon

If a minion has Divine Shield, and gets Polymorphed...does the Sheep have divine shield? Or does divine shield go away because it's no longer in the card text?

When a minion is affected by a transform effect such as Polymorph or Hex, everything about the minion is changed and all effects are removed. For example if a minion has Divine Shield, Blessing of Kings, Blessing of Might and +1/+1, when they are polymorphed they lose everything and become a basic 1/1 sheep.

Hi Zeriyah!

Based one of your posts, I know that you can target Lord Jaraxxus, EREDAR LORD OF THE BURNING LEGION!!! with Sacrificial Pact (formerly Grimoire of Sacrifice), whether he is acting as a minion or a hero.

However, I am unclear as to what happens after he is targeted if he is in the Hero position. It is my assumption that either:
1) Jaraxxus is destroyed, and the player, no longer having a Hero, loses;
2) Jaraxxus is destroyed, and Gul'dan comes back with the same HP he had before summoning Jaraxxus; OR
3) Jaraxxus is destroyed, and Gul'dan comes back with the same HP Jaraxxus had before being destroyed.

Even as a Hero, Jaraxxus is still a demon. If he is the target of Sacrificial Pact, he will be destroyed and the Jaraxxus player will lose the game.

I too am a bit confused by this response. So according to this, if I buff a minion's health, damage it, then silence it, it sounds as if it can't die from that silence. It also sounds as if if I took a 3/3 minion (unbuffed) and damage it for 2 damage and then silence it, it will still be at 1 health.

Am I take to from this that when I silence a health buff off a target, it maintains whatever health it had at the moment of the silence BUT if that's more than it's new maximum health that its health is now set to the new maximum health?

To give an example if I understand this clearly. Let's take Alexstraza, 8/8. Now let's buff her to 12/12 with Blessing of Kings. If I understand correctly, if she was dealt 2 damage, she'd be 12/10 with a max health of 12; if she were to be silenced, she'd become 8/8 with a max health of 8. Next, if she were buffed to 12/12 and took 5 damage, she'd be 12/7 with a max health of 12; if she were to be silenced, she'd become a 8/7 with a max health of 8. Is this understanding correct?

I can give you the way it currently works, but the way buffs, damage and Silence resolve is something we're currently working on to make sure it's concise and intuitive. Since the way it currently works may change, I'd like to come back to this question at a later time. Sorry for the confusion! That's what we're trying to avoid. :)

07/19/2013 03:12 AMPosted by Kargen

Not sure if this has been asked before, but is Animal Companion like the Shaman's hero power in that it cannot summon something that is already on the board (e.g. I have Misha in play, so is Misha no longer able to be summoned by Animal Companion)?

Each minion brought into play with Animal Companion has the same chance to be summoned regardless if one has been summoned previously or is currently in play. Is it entirely possible to have two Misha in play. (Mishae? Mishas?)

Here is the chain that I want to know if it happens with needing clarifications.

-I play Greater Heal
-Opponent has 5 cards equaling 10 Health restore (to opponent).
-Prophet Velen kicks in to double the HEALING to 20
-Auchenai Soulpriest kicks in now to make it 20 DAMAGE

***At this point, now that the HEALING as been converted to DAMAGE, does Prophet Velen kick in again to double the 20 DAMAGE to 40 DAMAGE?

This is a question, like some others, that boils down to which card has priority and also if a card such as Prophet Velen effect can be tapped twice in such a manor.

Interesting if yes, but understand if not. Further clarifications welcomed!

In your example, you would deal 20 damage. The Greater Heal would heal for 10 if your opponent has 5 cards in hand. The healing is turned into damage from the Soulpriest, then is doubled by Prophet Velen.

07/22/2013 07:50 AMPosted by Basylle

Sorry if I missed this somewhere else. If I cast Blessing of Wisdom on an enemy minion, who gets to draw when that minion attacks? I was wondering if this might be used offensively as a deterrent.

The player that cast Blessing of Wisdom will get to draw a card.

these Ask Zeriyah threads wouldn't comment cap so quickly if people just asked and waited for potential blue responses, instead of having long conversations about "what if it's this?" or "What if it's that?"...

post question, move on...eventually Zeriyah may answer it.

Here's an example:
Dear Zeriyah,

Did you pursue working in the game industry from an early age? Or did you sort of fall into it through your pursuit of work in PR/marketing + your love of gaming?

I'm not sure if this is an actual question but I'll answer it anyway!

More of the latter - I greatly enjoy working with people, learning new things from others, sharing interests, ideas, and listening to those passionate about gaming just as much as I am. There's nothing quite like having a shared experience with someone just as interested in something as you are, except now I don't only get to have those experiences, I get to help create more of them for everyone to share in as well. And that's awesome.

...but as a child I was fascinated by eyeballs.

Hi Zeriyah

I have a few questions, that I hope you will answer.

1. If I have a Imp Master on the battlefield with only 1 hp left and I play Commanding Shout. Does the Imp Master's ability still tricker at the end of my turn even that the Imp Master can't go below 1 hp.?

For Imp Master’s ability to trigger, she deals damage to herself. Even though she cannot go below 1 health, the one damage can still be dealt. Since the damage is dealt, the Imp is created and the Commanding Shout prevents the Imp Master from being destroyed.

2. If you have 2 Pint-Sized Summoner on the battlefield, does their abilities stack?

Yes - this question has been answered here.

Quick shaman question. If you have a totem out (like the healing one), you faceless manipulate it to get two and the original one dies then can it still be re-summoned or does the one that got faceless manipulated prevent it from getting re-summoned?

Also, if you brewmaster one into your hand, summon a new one and the re-summoned one (not the re-played one) dies then can you still get another back on the field of the same type with your hero power?

The Shaman’s hero power is based on what is on the battlefield. The only way to get 2 of the same Totem out is to play one from your hand while one of the same is already in play. Regardless of where the totem came from, the hero power will never summon one that is already in play.

07/24/2013 04:46 PMPosted by badjar

If a minion with Overload is summoned by Alarm-O-Bot or similar means does the overload trigger? What if a minion with Divine Shield is hit with Snipe?

The Overload ability works as an additional cost. If the mana cost isn’t paid when the minion enters play, Overload will not go into effect. This means cards that bring minions into play outside of the conventional summoning method, such as Alarm-O-Bot or Ancestral Spirit, will not trigger Overload.

If a minion with Divine Shield is hit with Snipe, the damage will be prevented, Divine Shield will be removed and the minion will enter play.

07/26/2013 11:20 PMPosted by Kkmoiris

Also, let's say we have a Paladin. He has 1 health left. He plays Holy Wrath and draws a Molten Giant. Does Holy Wrath deal 20 damage because Molten Giant's original cost is 20 or does it deal 0 damage because Molten Giant now costs 0?

The Holy Wrath would deal 0 damage. The cost of the Molten Giant is constantly updated even as he is in your deck so when you get the draw it, it will match the cost of when it is in your hand. This is the same for Sea Giant (for minions on the field) and Mountain Giant (with cards in hand) as well.

deathrattle/effect question:

doomsayer + sylvanas windrunner
vs
any minion with ancestral spirit

do deathrattle trigger as "fast" as battlecry affects and sylvanas would have no target or does ancestral spirit trigger before?

In this case, Doomsayer and Sylvanas will trigger and resolve before Ancestral Spirit goes off. Doomsayer will destroy all minions on the board, then Sylvanas' ability will try to take control of a minion. There will be no valid targets in play, and her ability will fizzle. After all that, Ancestral Spirit will bring back the minion.

Hello, Zeriyah!
A few questions for you, plz.

1. Can I heal a minion or a hero with full hp?
2. If I already have a 6 minions on battlefield and play another one (like Murloc Tidehunter) who summon another one too.. what will happen?

1. You can cast a heal on them, but since no damage will actually be healed, effects that trigger when healing is done will not fire.

2. The extra minion will not be cast at all. If there is only 1 available slot left in your minion row, the minion you first cast will fill that spot and the minion it creates will not happen.

08/01/2013 08:06 AMPosted by azj6

Lets say I play a card that increases spell power. Does that spell power effect my spells or both mine and my opponent?

Only your spells.

Holy Wrath
Draw a card and deal damage equal to its cost.

Do I have to choose the target before seeing which card was drawn?

Correct. You will cast Holy Wrath by selecting a target, then the card will be drawn and the damage will be dealt.

Is there someone working on, or going to work on, a comprehensive rulebook, explaining how all the parts of Hearthstone function, and how they interact with each other?

I understand that such a document wouldn't be suitable for publication right now, since the rules are in flux, but I'm wondering if it's planned at all. I would hope that it is, since it's much better to be able to look up a rule and see if a particular combo works, instead of being forced to try it in a game.

And on a similar note, are there plans to have an FAQ for each card, either in the form of in-game tooltips or an online database? So, for example, someone can tell what Ysera's dream cards are, or that Arcane Missiles doesn't interact with Spell Power the same way most spells do, or that Jaraxxus interacts with secrets and triggers differently than most minions.

We will have a basic rules outline, but we do not have current plans for any sort of comprehensive rules FAQ or FAQ per card. It's not really necessary in a digital world. We encourage people to explore different card options and interactions in-game versus friends or the AI rather than pour over a bleak novel of boring rules. Hearthstone should be simple and intuitive enough in itself to not warrant that sort of thing.

07/27/2013 09:53 AMPosted by Shrooomed

Hey Zeriyah, got to ask if it's possible to 'cheat' the arena hero-picking system; i.e. if you don't like the three heroes you are presented with, would force-quitting the game and reloading present you with the same choice, or a different one?

No, you won't be able to cheat the system in that way. The choices won't reset if you exit out of the Arena.

07/29/2013 02:34 PMPosted by LotusBloom

Zeriyah, I don't know if this got overlooked in the forums, so I am putting it here so I know there is a better chance for you to see it. The Illadin on the main page needs to be updated to the new Illadin. Just wanted to point that out, don't know if you have to talk to the page developers to fix it or what needs to be done. I know its not that big of a deal, but I just thought, for new people coming to the site, if they see the old Illadin, they might like his abililty, but will be disappointed when they see the new Illadin. Again, just pointing this out so it can be corrected, not a big deal at all. Thank you for your time and knowlege in these forums Zeriyah. You are a great help to us all.

This is something we're aware of. Thank you!

08/01/2013 12:36 PMPosted by Sounder

Once I've started an Arena deck, are non-Arena game modes locked out until I've finished the run? (I hope not -- a bunch of my playtime will be on the subway doing PVE.)

No, you can leave the Arena at any time in between matches and come back later. You can play any other game mode in the meantime - it won't disturb whatever you have going on in the Arena.

08/01/2013 01:50 PMPosted by Mand

"at any time" does not include during a match, however, correct?

Correct.

First off, let me address some questions people still have regarding Silence and Aura buffs.

Health in Hearthstone works much like it works in World of Warcraft. Imagine a Priest running through Warsong Gulch with 1 Health remaining, only protected by the power of his Power Word: Fortitude. If a Shaman purges away the PW: Fortitude, the Priest's maximum Health decreases, but his current Health isn't affected. He lives to carry the flag another day. This is also true in Hearthstone. Silence effects remove buffs but doesn't affect current Health, unless the new Max Health is lower than the current Health.

Silence effects are technically not heals but it can remove instances of damage. Let's look at some in-game examples:

A 3/3 minion is buffed by Blessing of Kings, making it a 7/7. 5 damage is dealt to the minion, then Silence is cast on it. The minion goes from a 7/2 to a 3/2. Four of the instances of damage was removed along with the Blessing of Kings, and one carried over to the minion.

A 3/3 minion is buffed by Blessing of Kings, making it a 7/7. 1 damage is dealt to the minion, then Silence is cast on it. The minion goes from a 7/6 to a 3/3 with no damage on it. The one instance of damage was removed along with the Blessing of Kings.

This 3/3 minion we are picking on is buffed by a +1/+1 non-Aura effect (like Shattered Sun Cleric), turning it into a 4/4. 2 damage is dealt to the minion, then Silence is cast on it. The minion becomes a 3/2 with 1 damage on it. One instance of damage was removed along with the +1/+1 buff, and one remains on the minion.

Aura effects do not remove instances of damage when they are removed, because Aura effects will still persist through Silence unless the origin of the Aura buff is Silenced.

My opponent's Stormwind Champion is buffing his Murloc Raider, making the Raider a 3/2. I try to Silence the Murloc Raider (ahh why would I ever do that??). The Murloc Raider is still a 3/2 - the Aura is coming from the Champion, and Silencing the Raider won't accomplish much.

After my terrible misplay, I do one damage to the Murloc Raider, bringing him to a 3/1. Then, I kill the Stormwind Champion, eliminating the +1/+1 buff on the Murloc. That instance of damage is not removed with the Aura and remains on the Murloc, who goes back to being a 2/1 (with one damage on him) and dies.

They are not explicitly called Aura buffs, but they are buffs that affect multiple minions simultaneously. Stormwind Champion, Blood Imp, or other minions that have effects such as "your other minions have..." are considered Aura buffs.

These are the kinds of rules clarifications I like. You have explained to us not just how certain interactions work, but the underlying concepts behind how the mechanics themselves work.

Thanks!

You're welcome. Keep in mind that things can (and will) change during the course of the beta and in the alpha testing stages.

So is silence a removal or interrupt ability?
Should not silence prevent a player or minion from using abilities rather than remove buffs?
Is blessing of kings re-applied after the silence effect wears off?

Silence doesn't "wear off" unless that card is returned to your hand. If a card has been Silenced, you can apply more buffs to the minion after the Silence has been cast and those buffs will remain on the minion. Silence isn't a "this minion can never has buffs ever again" spell - it will remove all buffs and text from a card at the time of casting, but that minion can be re-buffed later.

Zeriyah: Plz, i been asking this questions since forever and no one ever answered me right... Will the game be divided by regions? For example, can i play with a guy from US(I'm from Brazil)... Becuz idk if you guys are going to split the game in regions... And plz answer, its not the first person that ask for it, and yet i got no answer... Even if you say: "Sorry we can't talk about this yet" I'll be happy but i can not stand stand here with the hope of an answer and do not gain anything D:

TL:DR: Servers will be separated?

We can't talk about this quite yet, but it will be addressed.

08/09/2013 07:15 PMPosted by Zalajin

CM Zeriyah: Will there be a beta test of the iPad client? Any details you can share with us?

I don't have information on this at this time.

I am not sure if that question was asked before, but there it goes:

Will it be possible to save duels, that i have played? And watch them afterwards?

We will not have a reply mode available at release - we're continuing to monitor community feedback on features they are interested in after release.

08/11/2013 10:08 PMPosted by Rabidwhale

Zeriyah, were you taking the picture in the Hearthstone developers picture posted in the stare of the game post, or did they leave you out because they are mean?

That picture may have been taken before I started working on Hearthstone.

Hello Zeriyah, I have a quick question. Will players have the option of adding notes to a player?

like.... (Zeriyah likes a low mana deck, charging minions) on the persons profile pic.

I always used it in poker, it helped me keep track of players that I run into a lot.

Not at release, but thank you for the suggestion. I'd be happy to communicate that to the devs.

Zeriyah (if you have the time and courage :p) , can you write an article like the "Blizzard's Favorite Cards" one (or a smaller), about which classes Blizzard prefer ? i would like to see them talking about their preferences and mechanics, why they like them.

If you are too busy for it, may i ask what is your prefered gameplay style ? (summons tons of minions, casting spells, defensive play ?)

Thanks :3

Certainly something to consider!

I don't really have a preferred style of play - I enjoy playing a little bit of everything to have a well-rounded experience. I do enjoy fun combos of cards that may interact in weird ways even if they don't win every time. :)

08/14/2013 10:03 AMPosted by Zalajin

CM Zeriyah: Will Hearthstone have server down times for maintenance like other Blizzard games? If so will it correspond with the normal Tuesday maintenance times?

If Battle.net is under maintenance on Tuesday, Hearthstone will also be unavailable for play as it is with our other games.

Hey Zeriyah,

Is it still the plan to reset the constructed MMR ranking weekly?

Any chance we can get a big 'ol news article on how the constructed ranking/ladder/medal system and rewards work?

Thank ye very much.

This may be more appropriate a little bit down the line, but it's a good subject to touch on before the game is out of beta. Thanks!