Ben Brode answers questions in a new 'Hearthstone Support' video

YouTube

Hearthstone rapmeister Ben Brode took to YouTube today to answer some commonly-asked questions about Blizzard's hit CCG. Will cards be added to the classic set? Is the Coin really the best way to compensate for going second? Why don't bad cards get buffed? And how did Lord Jaraxxus end up in there, anyway?

Some of the questions have been answered previously—we talked about the Molten Giant un-nerf and the possible addition of cards to the Classic set earlier this month—but others relate to the upcoming expansion The Witchwood, or Blizzard's more general plans for the future of the game.

Brode manages to keep all of it entertaining by telling stories and serving up some interesting insights into the decisions that make the game what it is. Hearthstone cards are sometimes nerfed but generally not buffed, for instance, because Blizzard actually wants some "bad" cards in the mix: Having all the cards exist in a narrow, consistent band of quality would diminish the experience, according to Brode, and some players actually enjoy earning victories with cards that most others won't go near. And if that's not your thing the Lord Jaraxxus impression is pretty good, too.

We recently spoke to Brode—who, by the way, is also the Hearthstone game director—about the Year of the Mammoth, Hearthstone's biggest year yet. The Year of the Raven is next.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.