Let's talk about the Priest Hero Power

#1 - July 31, 2013, 7:43 a.m.
Blizzard Post
Hero Powers are cool features in Hearthstone. They give each hero a distinctive ability that (mostly) fits in with what we think a class should excel at. And although healing in general seems a bit lackluster at the moment problems with the relative strength and weakness of the individual classes can be worked in testing. But there is an issue I have come across with the Priest hero power time and time again. That is, it's often useless at one of most important times it's needed.

It seems like one of the reasons Hero Powers were added into the game was to help alleviate the issue of a bad draw. While not being the best use of resources, it still gives a player something to do any turn they find themselves with at least two spare mana available. And this is often likely to occur on turn two of the game.

So turn two rolls around, the Druid can Shapeshift and can attack a minion or the opposing Hero for 1 gaining 1 armor in the process (Rawr). The Hunter can fire a Steady Shot for 2 directly at the opposing Hero (Boom). The Mage can Fireblast any minion or the opposing Hero for 1, even bypassing taunt (Burrrrrn). The Paladin can Reinforce his position by calling in a 1/1 Silver Hand Recruit (Pallies are pet classes now I guess?). The Rogue can use the her Dagger Mastery to summon a 1/2 weapon and attack a minion or the opposing Hero (Stabby). The Shaman uses Totemic Call to summon a random Totem (FROSTSHO.... crap, I got nothin'). The Warrior can Armor Up and gain 2 armor (Can't Touch This). And the Warlock can Life Tap and draw a card at the expense of 2 health (aka a swift kick in the jubblies).

Finally the Priest can call upon the power of Lesser Heal, and restore 2 health to himself or a minion. And herein lies the problem. To often at this stage of the game, the Priest finds himself with the only option available being to use his Hero Power. But scanning the board reveals no target that the Hero Power would be useful on. So while all the other classes have an admittedly small, cost inefficient means of advancing their agenda, the Priest is left with a completely wasted opportunity. And while this will be resolved as the game advances, it still can put the Priest behind where every other class is at that stage. The problem may still perpetuate for a few turns beyond the second if minions are being traded and no damage is being done to the Priest.

So I am proposing a small addendum to the Priest Hero Power to help make it as effective at all stages of the game as the other classes. While it would still heal a damaged target for 2, if applied to a target already at full health it would add 1 to the maximum HP's of the target. No turn would need to go wasted. It could even prove useful in the later stages of the game, as a strategic move to attempt to push a low max HP but valuable minion out of range of whatever hammer is expected to fall.

Thoughts?
Forum Avatar
Community Manager
#19 - July 31, 2013, 5:29 p.m.
Blizzard Post
If you have Shadowform active and you cast a second Shadowform, your hero power becomes "Deal 3 damage".