Source: Blizzard

Blizzard Entertainment's strategy card game, Hearthstone Battlegrounds, kicks off Season 14, 'Gifts of the Dalaran Shadows,' today, August 5 (KST). This massive update introduces new systems and keywords, alongside two new heroes and over 60 new minions.

The centerpiece of this season is the new 'Gifts of the Shadows' gameplay system, which allows players to empower minions with dark magic. Starting on turn 3, players can activate the Gifts of the Shadows button. For 3 gold, they can Discover one of three minions, each possessing a unique Gift of the Shadows, to add to their warband.

New faces joining the fray include Xavius, Lord of Nightmares, and the soul-parasite Trastas. Xavius plays by Discovering minions with Gift of the Shadows abilities every four turns, while Trastas features a 'future power' mechanic: he Discovers a Tier 5 minion at the start of the game, which is then added to his hand on turn 7.

In terms of keywords, 'Use' is being introduced. This keyword grants special abilities to specific minions; players can trigger these by paying gold during the Recruit phase and clicking on the minion on the board. Since each 'Use' ability can only be activated once per turn, timing and efficient gold management will be key factors in determining the outcome of matches.

The volume of content has also increased significantly. Along with over 60 new minions, synergies for various minion types have been reworked, and five new Tavern Spells have been added. The Trinket system from Season 13 remains, with 47 new Trinkets—23 Lesser and 24 Greater—combining with Gifts of the Shadows to expand the range of possible strategies.

The reward structure has also been revamped. The Season 14 Battlegrounds Track includes new cosmetic items, such as Maiev and Vanessa VanCleef skins. Players who purchase the Season Pass can choose from two additional heroes at the start of each game and unlock rewards such as the 'Edge of Time' Legendary Strike effect, 13 hero skins, and a new bartender as they progress. Upgrading to the Season Pass Plus grants all previous rewards, plus one additional hero refresh per game.

Detailed information on Battlegrounds Season 14 is available on the official Hearthstone website, and additional game-related materials can be found in the press center.