Hearthstone Expansion Escape from Violet Hold Launches July 7

Blizzard announced that Hearthstone’s expansion Escape from Violet Hold will launch on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The set introduces several mechanics that change established deck and play limits, including duplicate Legendary cards, a second Hero Power for some decks, drawing two cards per turn in certain cases, the Prepare keyword and Disguised minions.

The expansion centers on a prison break led by Vanessa VanCleef, daughter of Defias leader Edwin VanCleef. The story places Vanessa and a crew of outlaws inside Dalaran’s maximum-security Violet Hold, where Warden Maiev Shadowsong oversees sealed cells, armored guards and arcane containment units.

Each class receives a Legendary Rulebreaker that alters a core rule. Chainbreaker Hogger duplicates all Legendary cards in a player’s deck at the start of the game, removing the usual one-copy restriction. The Death Knight Rulebreaker Blood Doctor Thal’ena grants a second Hero Power called Vampyr’s Kiss that consumes Corpses rather than mana. Demon Hunter rulebreaker Irida Sinseeker sends a player’s deck into the Void and provides two card draws per turn while offering Lifesteal to offset fatigue damage. The set also includes Moragg, a demon that can open cells and free other demons when combined with Prepare.

Prepare is a new keyword that lets players set up a future turn. Playing a Prepare card onto the deck spends any remaining mana and reduces that card’s future cost by the amount spent plus one. The prepared card returns to the player’s hand on a later turn and can be played at the reduced cost.

Disguised minions can be placed on an opponent’s side of the board. The feature can be used to trigger effects that depend on a minion’s location, such as Enrage triggers, or to create tactical pressure on an opponent’s board state. Promotional examples include a Warrior Disguised Watchman that can be played to the enemy board to activate Enrage effects.

Warden Maiev’s signature effect traps anything a player plays for one turn, then returns it to the battlefield with a buff. Bribe cards grant a strong effect to the caster while giving the opponent a smaller payoff. The set contains cards that interact with an empty deck and with Corpses, creating multiple routes for decks that use fatigue or corpse mechanics.

Blizzard will offer a Pre-Release Tavern Brawl from June 30 at 10:00 a.m. PDT until the expansion launch on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. In that event, players build decks using only Escape from Violet Hold cards, may mix cards from any class in a single deck, and receive temporary trial copies of all common cards from the set for use in the event.

Accounts that log in before the expansion launch receive a free signature Legendary, Vanessa the Ringleader. Additional free cards available through in-game events prior to release include Tunneling Geomancer, Commissary Crook and Deadly Bribe.

Pre-purchase bundles are available until July 7. The Pre-Purchase Mega Bundle contains 80 packs, 10 golden packs, a random signature Legendary, a random golden Legendary, four Tavern Tickets and a High Commander Beatrix Paladin hero skin and card back. The standard Pre-Purchase Bundle includes 60 packs, two random Legendaries and a card back. Purchasing both primary bundles unlocks an option to buy a Sequence Bundle that adds packs and the Warlock Diamond Legendary Moragg.

Escape from Violet Hold will enter Hearthstone’s Standard rotation on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. PDT, when the new cards and mechanics become available to all players.