By Albert Zhou ’22

According to scholars, approximately four thousand years ago, the revolutionary and impactful art known as Hearthstone was developed. The origins of this religion predates human existence, and it birth is clouded in legends and myths. Yet however ancient this lifestyle is, this branch of fine arts is ever present in today’s life, and its presence has influenced the outcomes of many historical events.

Today, millions of people gather each day to celebrate and partake in the ritual of Hearthstone, yet only a select handful are able to climb to the top ranks each season. As the game grows in complexity and its ever-changing strategy evolves, intellectuals and analysts are constantly developing novel theories and concepts in order to rise the ranks. As an avid enthusiast of this craft, I write to you in order to educate and spread teachings of Hearthstone. Extensive research shows several basic methods that play a key role in growing as a player in Hearthstone: skill, time, luck, and the most powerful of all, money.

Firstly, I will address aspects of skill in Hearthstone, and explain how to increase it.

Studies from multiple universities show that skill plays a fairly prominent role in the game, albeit an insignificant amount in comparison to luck and money. After completing the tutorial and as one plays matches, his or her skill will grow as they learn to mulligan, order, trade, attacking, protecting, keeping resources, and predicting your opponents moves. In Hearthstone, the rules are fairly simple: bring your opponent’s life total down from 30 to 0 using spells, minions, and weapons. A skilled artist such as Kolento, Picasso, Tee Grizzley, or Dog will understand that every match is skill intensive.

The next method to improve as a Hearthstone player is simple: it is all about the grind. It is simply impossible to achieve a high status in Hearthstone without spending hours upon hours on it.

Before, I referenced Hearthstone as a religion. If this were true, then its acolytes would be the players, the priests as the developers, and the god as luck. Without Fortuna’s blessing, even a mighty legend ranked player could fall and be vanquished by a mere noob.

I am often asked, “What is the best card in Hearthstone?” The answer is always the same: the credit card. The player who is backed financially wields an unparalleled power in Hearthstone. They say you can’t buy love, but you can buy your way up Hearthstone.

Now that you’ve read the basics to Hearthstone, I encourage you to get in the race start your fruitful career. I hope to see you among the legends soon.

About the author:

Albert Zhou is a renowned Hearthstone streamer. He has hit rank 8 at his best, climbed Mount Everest, been to the moon twice, and founded Epic Games. He encourages all to subscribe to him on Twitch at AZ0412 and add him in Hearthstone at #1647. According to his friends, he is a role model and a peer to be cherished.