It's in this context that Blizzard has come up with and created an entirely new mode designed to appeal to a wider audience than that traditional WoW Cataclysm Classic audience. WoW cataclysm Gold Battlegrounds is Blizzard's spin on the popular auto-battler genre and all within the familiar framework of CCG mechanics. However, while it may be a an enjoyable and familiar intro to the game of auto-chess WoW Cataclysm Classic veterans, it's not likely to appeal to the game's core player.
Auto-battlers, also known as auto-chess have grown in popularity during the past year, beginning with the introduction of Dota 2 Auto-Chess mod. It's a fundamentally a genre about investing, as you make your plans for purchasing army units to participate in battles that are automated. The game is played during the time between actual battles, however the complexity of purchasing strategies and positioning is overwhelming in high-level game play.
WoW Cataclysm Classic made its reputation on the basis of being a child-friendly, simple-to-learn game that is collectible. The game's mechanics and interface were clearly outlined and, after years of being a CCG-skeptic I found one that was able to introduce my to this genre. A few years later the game has now become routine. The mechanics have built on top of themselves and I've been there from the beginning, and this is why it seems to make sense. Battlegrounds is poised to follow suit for auto-battlers. And like CCGs, I've been keen on understanding the basics of this new genre.
Blizzard is adept at providing clear and easy-to-use interfaces and this is evident in Battlegrounds. The presentation that was the first to be shown at BlizzCon was daunting, as it included an unorganized mix of words and mechanics I didn't have any reference for. The game itself however is extremely welcoming. After a brief instruction on the rules of a game I was able to play an actual game against my fellow players.
As with any auto-battler Battlegrounds is a good value game where you purchase and sell minions, or improve your tavern with game currency to increase your power on the field. Similar to how WoW Cataclysm Classic capped Mana cost at 10 gold, Battlegrounds keeps the amount of coins that are available for play and available upgrades for taverns small. It is unlikely that you will ever have an ebb or flow greater than 10 gold per buying round.
You'll be pitted against seven other opponents, who are performing the same thing rounds, with your players fighting against the opposite team until just one team has minions left. Any team that breaks through causes damage to its opponent, and everyone then heads back to the shop to try the game again. This continues until one player is left. This pattern makes the focus less on the play-order, or deciding whether to strike an opponent's front like the traditional Cataclysm Classic Gold for sale, and more on minion placement and buying strategy.
