Hearthstone revamps Arena mode with drafting improvements, quicker runs, and a separate hardcore mode

The long-awaited revamp to Arena Mode in Hearthstone is finally coming, and the improvements are many. Drafting will be improved to add synergies to your decks — perhaps the biggest point of contention many players had with the original iteration of this game mode, while the “basic” Arena mode runs will be much quicker, finishing after only five wins instead of the current twelve.

But more dedicated players will probably prefer the brand new Underground mode, which features the more classic “12-win” experience, as well as the ability to re-draft your deck on a loss. So read on to find out what changes await you, and what to expect from each of the two new Arena game modes.

The Arena is faster, slicker, and (finally) has more drafting synergy

The Arena will be the “basic” mode that most players will play on, but many characteristics you might have gotten used to have been changed or improved. Perhaps the most exciting change to this basic mode is in the drafting process: at the start, you’ll now get to pick a Legendary Group. This is basically a “bucket,” like those you’d find in Dungeon Run or Duels, containing one Legendary card and three additional cards that work with it. That’s right: the starting point for your deck is now a group of four cards that synergize with one another, which will definitely guide players in their future picks (instead of just picking whichever cards are stronger in general).

Runs will also be much faster: it ends after only five wins or two losses, instead of the current twelve wins or three losses. And the rewards after your run ends have also been updated, including card packs from recent expansions and a Tavern Ticket if you reach five wins — which means that it’s now officially possible to “go infinite” (that is, to do well enough on each run that you earn the entrance to the next one).

This mode will feature skill-based MMR, pitting you against players of what the game deems to be a similar skill level. So you should, in theory, neither be able to demolish newbies nor get destroyed by veterans. A good compromise!

And the Arena still costs one Tavern Ticket to enter. Tavern Tickets can be earned by playing the game (in places such as the Rewards Track or the Events), found in bundles, or bought directly with either 150 in-game Gold or 200 Runestones.

The Underground is a hardcore experience more akin to the current game mode

The Underground is going to be the “advanced” mode that will probably appeal to current Arena players — especially the more hardcore ones.

This mode needs to be unlocked first by winning seven cumulative games in The Arena. Once it’s unlocked, The Underground requires two Tavern Tickets to enter, but to compensate for that, it features longer runs — ending after twelve wins or three losses — and bigger rewards.

Drafting in The Underground will begin with a Legendary Group as well, just like in regular Arena mode. If you manage to reach six wins, you’ll get a bonus of 2000 gold — a hefty reward. And players who manage to hit 12 wins will also get a special Spectral Ner’zhul skin, which will certainly be a mark of a skilled draft player.

Perhaps the biggest addition to The Underground that isn’t available in Arena is the ability to re-draft your deck after a loss. Each time you lose a game, you’ll have the option to draft five new cards, and edit your deck! It’s another opportunity for players to display their drafting skills, and end up with a deck that has more synergy.

Unlike The Arena, The Underground will not feature skill-based MMR: instead, you might be pitted against just about anyone, which — according to the developers — should add to the excitement of this game mode.

All of these changes are coming to us in just a few days, when patch 32.4 releases on June 2 — so prepare your Tavern Tickets and maybe give this old mode, a real Hearthstone staple, a new try.