Watch Blizzard channel The Blair Witch Project for its latest Hearthstone expansion, The Witchwood

Hearthstone just entered the Year of the Raven, and now we know what to expect from its first expansion. The Witchwood will bring Echo cards, plenty of Worgen, and a new Monster Hunt mode. More Witchwood card reveals will start on March 26, and the expansion will go live in mid-April.

Some of the new cards utilize a new keyword, Echo, that allows them to be played again and again (mana limits allowing); others will feature a new Rush keyword. That works like a modified Charge, letting minions attack other minions - but not the opposing hero - right away. There are also new Worgen cards - my personal favorite - which will swap their health and attack values each turn, and minions that reward you for building a deck using only cards that have either an even or odd cost. 

Then there's that new Monster Hunt mode. "Similar to the Dungeon Run mode from Kobolds & Catacombs, players will defeat bosses and collect their bounties to build a deck that will keep them alive as they venture deeper and deeper into The Witchwood," says Blizzard. "Monster Hunt will release two weeks after The Witchwood launches."

The expansion will bring 135 new cards to the game, and eager beavers can pre-purchase a The Witchwood bundle to get 50 card packs, a card back called In a Dark Wood, and a bonus 20 packs for The Witchwood. Those with smaller bank balances can snag a random Class Legendary and three card packs for free by logging in after The Witchwood launches. 

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Rachel Weber
Managing Editor, US

Rachel Weber is the US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+ and lives in Brooklyn, New York. She joined GamesRadar+ in 2017, revitalizing the news coverage and building new processes and strategies for the US team.