by JR Cook - 10 years ago     show comments

The Hearthstone arena can be exciting, and also incredibly frustrating. For those of us who either can’t or won’t drop a bunch of money on the game, it’s the primary method of obtaining cards, making each run super important to our personal economy. Each arena run puts us closer to that fabled legendary we need to complete our Play Mode weapon of choice, so when it does come time to draft our decks and hop into the fray, it’s a decidedly serious affair.

That’s where things take a turn for the stressful, in a game that should be about having a good time. This article isn’t about rankings, or which cards to pick. It’s more about how to approach the arena from a philosophical standpoint, in order to ensure that while being productive, you’re also having a good time.

5. Respect the RNG

We’re taught as gamers to always be moving forward. We level up, we rank up, we increase our stats. In Play Mode, we start at 25 and move up the ladder. Arena is a different animal. It’s possible to go 10 – 3 in one run, and then 2 – 3 in the next, simply because our masterpiece is less masterful than that of our opponents. We might construct something passable and then run into the guy or gal with four Truesilver Champions, Tirion Fordring and two Consecrations. RNG is a real thing in the arena, and while we never, ever want to blame it for our shortcomings, it’s always a good idea to keep in mind. Sometimes, we’ll just have to live with Goldshire Footman, Wisp and Southsea Deckhand as our options. Try, where possible, to find the comedy in such things, as opposed to turning to anger.

4. Respect the mana curve

Fire Elemental is an outrageously good card, perhaps moreso in the arena where it’s possible to have more than two. That said, just because you’re offered it five times doesn’t mean you should take it five times. Five Fire Elementals mean nothing if you don’t survive long enough to get them out. If you see good, high mana cards and passable low mana cards, and you have more six drops than two drops, you should take the two drop. In the arena, it’s important to have a productive mana curve.

3. Respect your opponent

This really applies to Play Mode too, but it’s an essential rule in arena. When card packs are on the line, nerves get frayed and tempers get tested. Dropping a well-timed Flamestrike can essentially obliterate someone’s chances of victory. Be gracious about it. There’s no need to spam the ‘Thank You’ emote when winning. It’s in poor taste and degrades the community as a whole. Be humble. Greet your opponent, offer them a well-played at the end of a match, regardless of whether or not they actually played well. This sort of decent behavior will breed more of the same in others, resulting in a more enjoyable player base.

2. Respect the turn length

Take the extra two seconds to double check your moves before you do them. You have 90 seconds per turn. You don’t need to use all of those seconds, but it’s wise to spend a couple of extra proofreading. It might be that you come across a better, more productive option. Tunnel vision can at times prevent us from seeing a better play, so try and consider your strategy from multiple angles. I promise it’ll make your arena runs more productive and, as an added bonus, you’ll be less irritated with yourself over foolish mistakes.

1. Set realistic goals

We all want to live the 12 – 0 dream. Realistically though, seven wins gets us a pack and enough gold to hop into the arena again. A perfect score can be a daunting goal, but 7 – 3 is doable with card knowledge and some luck. Aim for a goal that’s realistic for you. Try and push yourself to do better with time, but realize that it’s all about getting better over time. Even the best players started somewhere!

Hopefully these tips can help you not only do better in the arena, but come to enjoy the experience more, regardless of outcome.