Next Hearthstone Expansion, Knights of the Frozen Crown, Turns Everyone Into Death Knights

The next expansion for Hearthstone is Knights of the Frozen Crown, as revealed by Blizzard last night at the Hearthstone Championship Tour. Though it won't add the death knight as a separate playable class, as was popularly rumored, it will add death knights as playable heroes. Don't worry, that makes perfect sense.

The key feature of the expansion is a new card type, the hero card. With one of these legendary cards, you can turn your existing hero into a powered-up death knight version of your hero. Hero cards have battlecries, add armor, and change your hero power.

The hero card introduced at the HCT was Deathstalker Rexxar, which costs 6 mana, gives 5 armor, deals 2 damage to all enemy minions with its battlecry. It also changes the hunter's hero power into "Build-a-beast," which lets him discover two beasts and merges their powers into one gruesome minion.

The Lifesteal keyword, which was already unofficially a part of several minions, is also new to the set. When a card with Lifesteal deals damage, it heals your hero by that same amount. Even a spell, like the priest's Spirit Lash, can have this effect. Deathrattle effects will also be making a big comeback with the expansion.

Finally, you'll have the chance to venture into the Icecrown Citadel itself, as various missions unlock the ability to take on eight bosses. with the final encounter being the Lich King himself. These encounters will be harder than the bosses from adventures, but beating the first one will net you a legendary death knight hero card. Best of all, these encounters will be free when the expansion launches.

Hearthstone: Knights of the Frozen Crown will launch in August, with more previews coming July 24. As with previous expansions, you can pre-order 50 packs right now for $49.99. You can learn more about the expansion on its landing page on the Hearthstone site.