Hearthstone adds Draenei minion type with The Great Dark Beyond expansion

Hearthstone is increasing the number of minion types with the game's latest expansion.

Hearthstone is approaching the end of another Standard year and Blizzard is looking to shake the game up in a big way. The next expansion takes players into The Great Dark Beyond and does more than introduce 145 new cards to the game. It adds a new permanent minion type in the form of the Draenei.

The Draenei have shown up as Hearthstone minions in the past, but this will be the first expansion to formally acknowledge them as their own minion type, joining others like Beasts, Mechs, Pirates, Quilboar, and Naga. What will set the Draenei apart will be their effects that affect subsequent Draenei played, which can vary from additional stats to Discover effects. With the Draenei being added as a new permanent tribe, minions from the past that fit into their description will be retroactively classified.

The Great Dark Beyond is going a little quirky for its expansion keyword. The keyword is Starship, which will allow players to assemble Starship pieces in order to create a vessel with their cumulative effects. Only six classes will get access to class-exclusive Starship cards, but Neutral Starship pieces will allow any class to get in on the action. Those who are into classic keywords can look forward to Spellburst making its return from the Scholomance Academy expansion.

Look for Hearthstone: The Great Dark Beyond to go live on Tuesday, November 5, which should be a relief to American players that may want to tune out the stress caused by certain other events that will be happening that day. Those who want a taste of the next expansion can log in today and pick up the new Nexus-Prince Shaffar legendary card, which is a 3-Cost minion with a Spellburst effect that gives +3/+3 to another minion in-hand and passes the same effect down.