Chapter one of Hearthstone’s new solo adventure is finally here and you can play it right now.
Tombs of Terror looks to be one of the most unique solo adventures yet thanks to the introduction of dual-class Heroes. Similar to the Dalaran Heist solo adventure, Tombs of Terror will take fans to a variety of locations from World of Warcraft. If you played WoW, then you may have ran the dungeon that chapter one is based on.
For Tombs of Terror chapter one, we’ll be diving into The Lost City of the Tol’Vir. In WoW, the Lost City of the Tol’Vir is the stronghold of a faction called the Neferset. The Neferset are a faction of Tol’Vir who were loyal to Deathwing at one point in time. Although they were cured of the curse of flesh, the Tol’Vir remain a volatile people.
When beginning the new adventure, Elise will explain that Rafaam has unleashed the Plagues of Uldum and that only you can stop him. You’ll start by investigating the Lost City of the Tol’Vir. When you find it, the city has been overrun by Murlocs. The twist for this chapter is called “Murlocs, Everywhere!”
Chapter one’s starting Hero is Reno Jackson. Reno will act as a dual-class Mage and Rogue Hero. At the beginning of your adventure, you’ll have to select a treasure for Reno to use. Your only option will be Reno’s Lucky Hat, but each Hero has other treasures you can unlock as you play. Reno’s Lucky Hat is a one-cost card that gives a minion +2/+2 and Spell Damage +2. This is exactly the type of card you’d expect to see tailored toward a Rogue and Mage dual Hero.
Reno’s Hero Powers also express traits you’d expect from each of his classes. Reno has three Hero Powers to choose from, but only one will be unlocked when you begin the adventure. Reno’s starting Hero Power is called Amateur Mage. This power costs two mana and deals one damage. If you use this power as a combo, it deals two damage instead. Reno’s other Hero Powers are called Relicologist and Arcane Craftiness. To unlock Relicologist, you’ll need to activate 30 combo effects. To unlock Arcane Craftiness, you’ll need to deal damage with 250 spells.
You’ll have the option to choose one of four starting decks, but only the Novice Spellslinger deck will be unlocked. Additional decks can be unlocked by defeating a certain number of bosses. Your Novice Spellslinger starting deck will have some familiar cards from both the Mage and Rogue classes, like Babbling Book, Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Backstab, and Pilfer. Since this chapter’s twist is Plague of Murlocs, all decks have been invaded by Murlocs.
As you defeat bosses, you’ll be awarded more treasures and cards that you can add to your deck for the remainder of the run. Since there are 78 unique bosses in Tombs of Terror, the variety of bosses you’ll face in a chapter will vary greatly. For this reason, it’s best to build your deck in the most synergistic way possible. You’ll want a deck that can perform well against any potential enemy, just like actual competitive Hearthstone. You’ll want to make sure the extra cards and treasures you select as you play work well together, too.
If you choose a group of cards to add to your deck, for example, you’ll want to make sure those cards synergize with what’s already in your deck. If you’re trying to make a Hero Power-related deck, then choosing the group of cards that buff your Hero Power is a good idea. The same can be said if you’re trying to make a Combo or Deathrattle deck.
Your main challenge when it comes to clearing chapter one will be Vesh, Plague Lord of Murlocs. Each chapter in Tombs of Terror will have an end boss called a Plague Lord. These villains have an absurd amount of health, but don’t let that scare you. These Plague Lord end bosses will have a persistent health pool. This means if Vesh starts with 300 health and you do 50 damage to him during your first run, the next time you make it to Vesh, he’ll only have 250 health.
For this reason, the best way to approach Vesh is to focus on dealing damage. It appears that Vesh will get a new Hero Power every time you drop him by 100 health. His starting Hero Power is called Made of Murlocs, which makes Vesh immune but causes him to take three damage after a Murloc dies. For Vesh’s first 100 health, try to keep a strong board so you can kill as many Murlocs as possible.
After his Hero Power changes, you can attack Vesh directly and try to chunk his health as much as possible. You also won’t be able to mill Vesh, so don’t plan on him running out of cards. Although defeating Vesh will likely take multiple runs, the fight is relatively straightforward after getting past his first Hero Power.
