Twist format
Twist format (or Twist) is one of Hearthstone's three game formats in Play mode, replacing Classic format, with the others being Standard format and Wild format. Twist is a regularly rotating format, where each rotation can include curated card pools and special rulesets.[1]
Definition[edit | edit source]
Twist itself is a game format, while individual rotations within it are also officially called formats. Formats are formed from the available card sets that are in rotation. These formats can have unique names, such as "New Age", which includes Core and every card set from the Year of the Phoenix and onwards. Each format within Twist can also have special rules variants, such as disallowing the usage of all neutral cards. Formats can be reintroduced in the future, and they might come back with the same rules variant, a different one, or no rules variant at all.[1]
Some classes may be banned during certain formats, for example due to not having any cards from the card sets that are available. These bans are not considered rules variants by developers, as there may be another rule active besides just having the classes banned.[2]
The symbol for Twist format is a whirlwind surrounded by leaves.
Availability[edit | edit source]
Format[edit | edit source]
For new players, Twist format will be locked away until they complete the New player experience's Apprentice Track system, which is the same way to unlock Wild format. Players must also obtain a card from any Twist expansion.
Cards[edit | edit source]
Cards that can be used in the Twist format are based on the card sets that are currently in rotation. The individual cards can be unlocked normally, from card packs of the corresponding expansions as well as individual purhcases of adventures and mini-sets, which are all available both the in-game Shop and the Blizzard Shop.
Most Twist formats have "Battle-Ready Decks", which are pre-built decks which contain cards from the card sets that are available in the ongoing rotation.[3] Battle-Ready Decks for Twist format can be purchased with gold or real money.[4]
Cards within Twist format can only be unlocked from rewards such as Arena or Ranked play if their sets are also available in Standard format.
Design[edit | edit source]
Variety[edit | edit source]
.jpg)
One intention of the Twist format is to give players' collections more value. For Standard players, most of their cards become unusable after two years, and while they can be played in certain Tavern Brawls (and previously Duels), developers wanted a competitive format where players could use these cards outside of Wild.[5]
While Standard format rotates yearly, and Wild format allows almost every card to be used in combination with each other, both formats are still predictable, and get solved after a while. Twist is meant to be unpredictable, where the changing card pools ensure that no single strategy can dominate the format for more than a few weeks.[5]
Twist got inspiration from Tavern Brawls, but it is intended to be an actual ladder format. Where Tavern Brawl is designed to hold players' interests for a day or two, Twist aims to keep players engaged for a month by featuring tamer rulesets than those of Tavern Brawls.[5]
Balance[edit | edit source]
Twist-exclusive balance is expected to be mostly from card bans, not card changes. This is due to Twist formats only lasting a month, where it's better to simply ban a problematic card for a few weeks until it rotates out of the format again.[6]
Twist is generally expected to get less overall balance support than Standard, but more than Wild.[6]
Current format[edit | edit source]
Twist format is currently offline. List of previous seasons can be seen at #History.
History[edit | edit source]
Formats[edit | edit source]
This section documents the history of Twist formats through each season.
| Season | Format | Start date | End date | Card sets | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Fast Forward | March 1, 2024 | April 1, 2024 |                                   | |
| 7 | Commons | February 1, 2024 | March 1, 2024 |  | |
| 6 | Return to Un'Goro | December 1, 2023 | January 1, 2024 | | |
| 5 | Return to Un'Goro | November 1, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | | |
| 4 | Wonders XL | October 1, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | | |
| 3 | Wonders | September 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | | |
| 2 | New Age | July 1, 2023 | August 1, 2023 | | |
| 1 | New Age | June 27, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Rules variants[edit | edit source]
As of now, Twist has a total of 5 different rules variants.
- ↑ Increasing sets - Starting with Legacy, a new set is added to the pool each day until Showdown in the Badlands.
- ↑ Commons only - Only common cards are eligible in deck-building and generation.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 None - There is no rules variant during this format.
- ↑ XL - Players can include 30-40 cards in their deck, and their starting HP will match their deck size.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 No Neutrals allowed - Neutral cards are banned from both deck-building and generation.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- Twist is the first format to replace another existing format.
- For the collection and Finding Opponent screens, Twist uses Classic format's coloring and assets.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
- Gameplay
Finding Opponent screen in Twist format
The collection in Twist format mode
Crafting a Twist format card
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
- Key art
Wonders key art
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Blizzard Entertainment (2023-06-20). Introducing Hearthstone’s New Mode: Twist!.
- ↑ 27.2 Patch Notes. (2023-08-17).
- ↑ Eric Law (2023-06-20). Hearthstone Developers Explain How Twist is Changing the Game.
- ↑ Celestalon on Twitter (X). (2023-06-20).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Eric Law (2023-06-21). Hearthstone Devs Share How Twist Came to Exist.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 DeckTech on Twitter (X). (2023-07-04).
- Twist format