The Great Dark Beyond is Hearthstone's 28th expansion, featuring 145 new collectiblecards released on November 5, 2024.[1] This expansion explores the Great Dark Beyond, World of Warcraft's version of space. When the demonic Burning Legion invaded their planet, the Draenei fled to the stars. Now, these "Exiled Ones" are being chased across the cosmos while they search for a new home.
The Great Dark Beyond introduces a new keyword: Starship. Minions may have the Starship Piece keyword, where when they die, their stats and effect get added to the player's Starship. When ready, the Starship can be used for 5 mana to summon it on board. In addition to Starship, the Spellburst keyword makes a return for this expansion.
The expansion also introduces a brand new permanent minion type - Draenei. Draenei are especially associated with effects that strengthen or add additional effects to the next Draenei played.
Prior to the expansion's release and for one week after its release, players could purchase one or both of the following bundles:
The Great Dark Beyond Bundle costs $49.99 USD; it comes with 60 The Great Dark Beyond card packs, two random Legendary cards, and the Prophet Velen card back.
The The Great Dark Beyond card set features 145 collectible cards, which can be recognized with a special watermark (a planet) behind the card text, not found on other cards.
Fly around The Great Dark Beyond in a shiny new Starship! Throughout The Great Dark Beyond, you’ll find Starship Piece minions. When they die, their stats and effects get added to your in-progress Starship construction. When you’re ready, press the button and Launch your Starship directly onto the board for 5 Mana. You can stack as many pieces as you want before you launch—the sky’s the limit!
Anybody can build a Starship, but six classes in The Great Dark Beyond have dedicated Starship cards: Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Druid, Hunter, Rogue, and Warlock. Each of those classes has a unique name and art for their Starship, representing their role in The Great Dark Beyond.
Exiled from their planet and hunted by the Burning Legion, the Draenei now travel The Great Dark Beyond, searching for a new home. You can help by welcoming them into your Collection as Hearthstone’s newest permanent minion type! The Draenei are known for their hope and community, so many of them affect the next Draenei you play. They are led by the powerful Velen, who exemplifies all his people!
The Great Dark Beyond is bursting with cosmic energy! Cards with the returning Spellburst keyword have an effect that triggers the first time you play a spell. Combine your cards for a well-timed surge in power!
Demons? Demons. While the Draenei search a new home, the Burning Legion seeks only pain and destruction. Somehow, it seems like their forces are endless. Learn to spot the early signs of a Demonic incursion and you just might be able to escape with your life!
The Great Dark Beyond, also known as the Great Dark, Great Beyond, Dark Beyond, or cosmos, is described as the physical universe, an infinite realm composed of innumerable stars, worlds, moons, and mortal civilizations. Azeroth is found in it, and it is merely one of the countless worlds drifting through the cosmos. Its counterpart is the astral plane called the Twisting Nether.
The physical universe is governed by the forces of Order and Disorder, while the forces of Life and Death hold sway over every living thing in it. Pure Light and Shadow dwell in a realm outside the borders of reality, but shades of their presence can be found in the Great Dark. The elements serve as the basic building blocks of all matter in the Great Dark.
For eons, the titans of the Pantheon brought life and order to countless worlds while searching for others of their kind. As its opposite, the demonic armies of the Burning Legion annihilated countless species and entire planets across the cosmos during the course of the Burning Crusade. Concurrently, the Light and the Void have been locked in perpetual conflict since before time itself began, waging their massive battle across countless worlds and affecting millions of lives. The Old Gods, parasitic horrors created by the void lords, grow like cancers within planets to corrupt potential slumbering world-souls, while the holy naaru vowed to bring peace and hope to all mortal civilizations and waylay the forces of darkness.
It is essentially the name given to outer space in the Warcraft universe.
The draenei are an ancient race hailing from the planet of Argus. Pursued across worlds by the relentless demons of the Burning Legion, the draenei have at last found a home on Azeroth among the orderly races of the Alliance. Highly spiritual and with an unusually strong gift for magic, the draenei are a peaceful race, but find themselves fighting not only to defend their new home, but for the survival of their very species.
Long ago, on the planet of Argus, the eredar race arose. They were extremely intelligent and had a natural affinity for magic in all of its forms. Using their gifts, they developed a vast and wondrous society. They were aided in this development by an ancient artifact known as the Ata'mal crystal, a triangular crystal whose origin was a mystery to the eredar, though their legends suggested it had been a gift bestowed upon them in ancient times.
At the height of their society, the eredar's three most prominent leaders, Kil'jaeden, Archimonde, and Velen, were approached by Sargeras, the Fallen Titan. Sargeras claimed he was impressed by the work of the eredar and wanted to supply them with even more power and knowledge in exchange for their loyalty. But while Kil'jaeden and Archimonde readily accepted the deal, Velen had doubts. After touching the Ata'mal crystal in its temple, he had a vision of the future that filled him with dread. He hastened to warn Kil'jaeden and Archimonde, but they dismissed his concerns and proceeded to profess loyalty to Sargeras. Together, the latter transformed a majority of their people into an insidious race of warlocks and later allied themselves with the Burning Legion.
Velen knew he and those who shared his concerns would have to flee Argus, but the impossibility of such a feat brought him to despair. At that time, the Ata'mal crystal started to glow and arose from its pedestal. A voice came to Velen and explained that it was one of the naaru, a race of sapient energy beings bent on stopping the Burning Legion. The naaru offered to take Velen and any other like-minded eredar to safety, and instructed Velen to bring the Ata'mal crystal, revealing that it had been a gift from the naaru in ancient times and a beacon by which the naaru would find Velen and his followers. Deeply relieved, Velen gathered the other eredar loyal to him on the appointed day; they numbered only in the hundreds. With Kil'jaeden and Archimonde hot on their heels, they barely escaped from Argus in the naaru ship Oshu'gun.
Naming themselves the "draenei", or "exiled ones" in the Eredun language, they hid among many worlds and explored much of the cosmos in their quest to find safe harbor. Still, a hell-bent Kil'jaeden would not give up his pursuit. Meanwhile, the enigmatic naaru race blessed the draenei with Light-given knowledge and power. The naaru explained that there were other forces in the cosmos that would stand against the Burning Legion. One day the naaru would forge them into a single unstoppable Army of the Light. Deeply affected by the naaru's words, the draenei vowed to honor the Light and uphold the naaru's altruistic ideals.
When the demonic Burning Legion invaded their planet, the Draenei fled to the stars. Now, these “Exiled Ones” are being chased across the cosmos while they search for a new home. Build your own Starship, command the new Draenei minion type, and battle a demonic threat as you explore The Great Dark Beyond!
On October 9, 2024, the official Hearthstone Twitter posted a teaser video with the quote "What's got the crew so starstruck? Find out tomorrow."[2]
On October 10, the expansion was announced and new cards were revealed.
It's likely that the theme of this expansion was teased by the flavor text of The Galactic Projection Orb: "Look closely in the ball and you'll see the expansion of space and time itself. Or their projections, anyway.", which plays with the wording of "expansion" meaning something that is expanding, as well as Hearthstone expansions.
This section uses content from the Warcraft Wiki.
Prophet Velen.
Starlight Reactor
Biopod
Heart of the Legion
Crystal Welder
Ingenious Artificer
Overzealous Healer
Xor'toth, Breaker of Stars
This section uses content from the Warcraft Wiki.
Twisting Nether.
The Galactic Projection Orb: "Look closely in the ball and you'll see the expansion of space and time itself. Or their projections, anyway.", which plays with the wording of "expansion" meaning something that is expanding, as well as Hearthstone expansions.
