HearthStone Arena Basics

This post will take you, step by step, through the entire process of playing Arena. Assuming that you have already mastered the basics of Hearthstone, and had some practice in the Arena, this guide will give you all the information you need.

Picking a Hero

Each and every class has a different play style that is defined by their Hero Power, and the class-specific cards (mostly the Common ones, since Rares, Epics, and Legendaries do not come up often during the drafting process). Regardless of your choice, each class can pull off a 12-win Arena – all it takes is a little bit of luck and a great deal of knowledge and skill.

If you are asking yourself what class to choose, this is not something to worry very much about. To begin with, your selection is limited to three classes, and as we said, all classes are capable of great results. That said, we will offer you a brief explanation of each class, and divide them into 4 tiers (based on how strong they currently are, generally speaking, in Arena).

Tier 1 (Excellent): Mage
Tier 2 (Great): Paladin, Druid, Rogue
Tier 3 (Good): Warlock, Priest
Tier 4 (Average): Shaman, Hunter, Warrior

The Draft

Choosing your class will roughly decide your play style, based on the common class cards available to your class and the impact of your Hero Power on the board/game. The starting picks of the draft are likely to define your deck’s tempo, as you will be picking cards based on their value and their impact on the board. As you progress to the later stages of the draft, your picks will be greatly influenced by your current mana curve.

Your starting picks should always be chosen based on their value, regardless of their mana cost, but you need to keep in mind that as the draft progresses, the value of a specific card diminishes by having multiple copies of that card, or having many cards with the same mana cost.For example, imagine that you are drafting a Priest Arena and your first 5 picks are Argent Commander, Mind Control, Temple Enforcer, Shadow Word: Death, and Stormwind Champion. You are nearly set for late game, and you should pay close attention to your mana curve before you commit yourself to the late game so much that you would need to pick every low mana drop regardless of their value in order to support your early game. It is completely fine to grab a second Mind Control or an additional Temple Enforcer, however if you end up having 10+ late game cards, the early game will be difficult, which will allow your opponent to create an advantage that you might not recover from. It is also possible to end up having several Mind Controls in your hand, which you will not be able to use until the late game.

Perceptive Play

Knowing your opponent’s class and its strengths can have a great impact on your gameplay and decision-making. Part of becoming a better player in the Arena is learning to anticipate your opponent’s actions before they happen, and minimize their impact on your game. We will guide you step by step so that you can develop the right mentality for facing each class.

Combat Techniques

When it comes to combat decisions in the Arena, it is often crucial to identify and choose the best option even if several really good ones are presented to you. Below, we will analyse each scenario to help you pick the best approach.

Conclusion

Watching streams and reading guides will certainly help you become a better player, however before you can truly master the Arena, you will need to develop the right kind of mind set that will allow you to see the best possible play when there are several really good options available.

Knowing each class, its strengths and its weaknesses is crucial when it comes down to deck construction during the drafting stages of the Arena. Paying attention to your mana curve and understanding the importance of early game, regardless of the class you play, will always be reflected in the quality of your deck, regardless of the cards available to you. Sometimes you will have the option of picking several Legendaries, or you will be flooded with Epics, while other times you will simply be happy if you got one or two decent Rares. Spreadsheets can help you master the drafting part of the Arena rather fast, however eventually you will develop your own drafting strategies and put your own values to the cards.

Experience and knowledge of each class will help you develop and improve your perceptive play and combat techniques, which are the essential qualities of every Arena master. Luck is certainly present and it might have an impact on your score, however in the long run it comes down to your skill and your skill only.