Hearthstone is a fantastic game that is fun, exciting to watch, and requires skill.

One argument is that Hearthstone requires more skill than some games because it includes randomness. Ben Brode made this comparison at Blizzcon 2014 during the Hearthstone fireside chat panel with this slide:

I think we can all agree here that chess and Hearthstone are games that require more skill than monopoly or tic-tac-toe. But what is it about the randomness in Hearthstone that makes it “more skilled” than the randomness in Monopoly? I believe that Hearthstone has examples of both unskilled and skilled randomness in it. If Hearthstone is truly going to be a game about skilled randomness, then it needs to make an effort to fix unskilled randomness and poorly designed cards.

This is my attempt to analyze some cards and derive some principles of good card design from the randomness that they exhibit.

Example 1: Webspinner — Skilled Randomness

1 mana for 1/1 with upside with beast subtype. Stat-wise this is pretty balanced. This card is widely considered fun. It is a top tier card.

The randomness associated with the card requires the player spend 1 mana and wait at least one turn (provided other effects are not on the board…).

Board Interaction: The randomness associated with the card requires board interaction. (The webspinner has to die on the board, or some other deathrattle trigger has to occur.)

The randomness associated with the card requires board interaction. (The webspinner has to die on the board, or some other deathrattle trigger has to occur.) Avoidable: The randomness can be avoided by the opponent. (Silence, Mind Control, Stampeding Kodo, etc.)

The randomness can be avoided by the opponent. (Silence, Mind Control, Stampeding Kodo, etc.) Bounded: The card’s randomness is bounded: it can only give you a beast card.

The card’s randomness is bounded: it can only give you a beast card. Good Information: Since the randomness is bounded, the opponent can take a good guess about which card you get when the randomness occurs.

Example 2: Unstable Portal — Unskilled randomness

2 mana spell which returns a random minion for 3 less. Seems balanced from a cost perspective. This card is fun for the player and extremely unpredictable for the opponent. It is a top tier card.

Some Risk: Because the minion returned from the card could cost 0 mana, there’s little risk of playing this card on turn 2 and hoping for a 3 mana creature (which is then instantly playable, you don’t have to wait). There some chance of downside (like drawing a wisp) though.

Because the minion returned from the card could cost 0 mana, there’s little risk of playing this card on turn 2 and hoping for a 3 mana creature (which is then instantly playable, you don’t have to wait). There some chance of downside (like drawing a wisp) though. Not Counterable: Since this is a spell, it’s extremely difficult to counter.

Since this is a spell, it’s extremely difficult to counter. No Board Interaction: The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness.

The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness. Not Bounded: The randomness isn’t bounded by any conditions. It will return *ANY* random creature. It’s impossible for the opponent to know what you got.

The randomness isn’t bounded by any conditions. It will return *ANY* random creature. It’s impossible for the opponent to know what you got. Not Avoidable: The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent.

The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent. Instant: The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait.

The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait. Worthless Information: Even if your opponent knew that you had this card in your hand, that information wouldn’t help him win at all.

Even if your opponent knew that you had this card in your hand, that information wouldn’t help him win at all. The card’s randomness can sometimes be very bad. Spending a card (and two mana) for a wisp feel terrible.

Example 3: Madder Bomber — Skilled Randomness

5/4 creature for 5 mana with a battlecry. Poor stats for a 5 mana creature. This card is widely considered fun. It is not a top tier card, but not bad in arena either.

Has Board Interaction: The card’s randomness interacts with the board and other cards in interesting ways. (Acolyte of Pain, Armorsmith, any enrage creature, etc.)

The card’s randomness interacts with the board and other cards in interesting ways. (Acolyte of Pain, Armorsmith, any enrage creature, etc.) Risky: The card’s randomness can be “tuned” by playing the odds. Leading your opponent to play more creatures then playing Bomber increases the likelyhood of upside.

The card’s randomness can be “tuned” by playing the odds. Leading your opponent to play more creatures then playing Bomber increases the likelyhood of upside. Not Counterable: Very few counters to battlecry effects in Hearthstone mean you can almost always play this card (if you’re willing to take the risk).

Very few counters to battlecry effects in Hearthstone mean you can almost always play this card (if you’re willing to take the risk). Bounded: The card can have significant downside and is risky to play. Thus, the card’s randomness is bounded by the downside.

The card can have significant downside and is risky to play. Thus, the card’s randomness is bounded by the downside. Not Avoidable: The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent.

The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent. Instant: The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait.

Example 4: Dr. Boom — Unskilled Randomness

7 mana creature at 7/7 with two 1/1 boom bots. Does not seem balanced from cost. This card is widely considered not fun. It is perhaps the “best” card in the game right now.

No Risk: It’s very easy to play Dr. Boom. At 7 mana he’s not too expensive, and the boom bots can oftentimes clear the board, even if you’re losing significantly. The boom bots only have upside so there is no risk of playing them.

It’s very easy to play Dr. Boom. At 7 mana he’s not too expensive, and the boom bots can oftentimes clear the board, even if you’re losing significantly. The boom bots only have upside so there is no risk of playing them. Not Counterable: It takes too many resources to instant KO Dr. Boom or silence both boom bots.

It takes too many resources to instant KO Dr. Boom or silence both boom bots. Little Board Interaction: The bots come with 1 attack, which makes it stupid simple to trigger the random effect on them.

The bots come with 1 attack, which makes it stupid simple to trigger the random effect on them. Not Bounded (sort-of): The boom bots can do an extraordinary amount of damage for their cost. At least the damage is limited somehow…

The boom bots can do an extraordinary amount of damage for their cost. At least the damage is limited somehow… Not Avoidable: The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent.

The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent. Not Instant: Usually your opponent will get one turn to try to react.

Example 5 — Deadly Shot — Moderately Skilled Randomness

3 mana spell which insta-kills a random minion. Seems balanced from a cost perspective. Considered a middle tier card. Neither very fun nor unfun.

Risk: Sometimes there are multiple minions on the board and it is impossible to get the ideal scenario where you can insta-kill the large minion you want. You can roll the dice and see if you hit.

Sometimes there are multiple minions on the board and it is impossible to get the ideal scenario where you can insta-kill the large minion you want. You can roll the dice and see if you hit. Not Counterable: Since this is a spell, it’s extremely difficult to counter.

Since this is a spell, it’s extremely difficult to counter. No Board Interaction: The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness.

The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness. Not Bounded: The randomness isn’t bounded by any conditions.

The randomness isn’t bounded by any conditions. Not Avoidable: The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent.

The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent. Instant: The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait.

The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait. Good Information: If the opponent thinks you have this card in your hand, he can change his strategy to flood the board with low cost minions to make this spell worthless.

Example 6 — Nafarian — Moderately Unskilled Randomness

9 mana creature for 8/8 that gives you 2 spells. Seems balanced from a cost perspective. It is a mid to top tier card.

Not Counterable: Very few counters to battlecry effects in Hearthstone mean you can almost always play this card (if you’re willing to take the risk).

Very few counters to battlecry effects in Hearthstone mean you can almost always play this card (if you’re willing to take the risk). No Board Interaction: The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness.

The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness. Bounded (sorta): The randomness is bounded by the spells in your opponent’s hero’s card list. This can be a pretty wide range though. The high mana cost of Nafarion makes it difficult to play.

The randomness is bounded by the spells in your opponent’s hero’s card list. This can be a pretty wide range though. The high mana cost of Nafarion makes it difficult to play. Not Avoidable: The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent.

The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent. Instant: The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait.

The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait. Good Information: The high mana cost of Nafarion means that rushing down your opponent or keeping up pressure is a good idea, if you know your opponent has this card in their hand.

Example 7 — Knife Juggler —Skilled Randomness

2 mana creature for 3/2 with significant upside. Seems balanced from a cost perspective. It is a mid to top tier card.

Counterable: Silence is viable, but for such a low cost / low health minion often isn’t worth it.

Silence is viable, but for such a low cost / low health minion often isn’t worth it. Board Interaction: The opponent can use creatures that trigger effects when damaged to turn this card’s effect against an opponent.

The opponent can use creatures that trigger effects when damaged to turn this card’s effect against an opponent. Bounded: The randomness is bounded by the number of creatures on the board and the number of creatures you can summon.

The randomness is bounded by the number of creatures on the board and the number of creatures you can summon. Avoidable (sorta): The randomness can be mitigated by the opponent by summoning more creatures on the board.

The randomness can be mitigated by the opponent by summoning more creatures on the board. Not Instant: The return on the randomness is not instant, with makes this card weak to removal.

Example 8 — Gnomish Experimenter —Moderately Unskilled Randomness

3 mana creature for 3/2 that draws a card. Seems balanced from a cost perspective. It is a low tier card.

Not Counterable: Very few counters to battlecry effects in Hearthstone mean you can almost always play this card (if you’re willing to take the risk).

Very few counters to battlecry effects in Hearthstone mean you can almost always play this card (if you’re willing to take the risk). No Board Interaction: The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness.

The card does not interact with the board in any meaningful way, which gives the opponent very few options (if any) to counter or anticipate the card’s randomness. Bounded: The randomness is bounded by the relative high cost of the minion’s stats, which trade tempo for card draw and the potential downside of turning minions into chickens.

The randomness is bounded by the relative high cost of the minion’s stats, which trade tempo for card draw and the potential downside of turning minions into chickens. Not Avoidable: The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent.

The randomness cannot be avoided by the opponent. Instant: The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait.

The return on the randomness is instant, there is no need to wait. Requires a deck be built around it, either with lots of spells or relatively low cost creatures where the downside doesn’t effect you as much.

Example 9 — Piloted Shredder —Slightly Skilled Randomness

4 mana creature for 4/3 that gives you a 2 mana creature when it dies. Seems slighly unbalanced from a cost perspective. It is a top tier card.

Counterable (sorta): Silence is about the only viable counter. Still it seems fairly resource expensive to spend a silence on this card.

Silence is about the only viable counter. Still it seems fairly resource expensive to spend a silence on this card. Board Interaction: The deathrattle means there are interesting ways this card can be triggered.

The deathrattle means there are interesting ways this card can be triggered. Bounded (sorta): The randomness is bounded by the 2 mana creature it returns, but the range of 2 mana creatures is so diverse that it’s too much like rolling the dice with little skill involved.

The randomness is bounded by the 2 mana creature it returns, but the range of 2 mana creatures is so diverse that it’s too much like rolling the dice with little skill involved. Not Instant: The return on the randomness requires deathrattle to trigger.

Example 10 — Mechanical Yeti — Skilled Randomness

4 mana creature 4/5 that gives you a Spare Part. Seems balanced from a cost perspective. It is a mid to top tier card.

Counterable: It can be silenced, but it’s probably not worth it.

It can be silenced, but it’s probably not worth it. Board Interaction: You need to trigger the deathrattle to get the effect.

You need to trigger the deathrattle to get the effect. Bounded: The randomness is bounded both by your opponent getting a Spare Part (downside) and by you getting one. Also, there aren’t very many Spare Parts, so your opponent can make a few guesses as to what effects might trigger. (In this way, Spare Parts can be said to be skilled randomness in general.)

The randomness is bounded both by your opponent getting a Spare Part (downside) and by you getting one. Also, there aren’t very many Spare Parts, so your opponent can make a few guesses as to what effects might trigger. (In this way, Spare Parts can be said to be skilled randomness in general.) Not Instant: You need to trigger the deathrattle to get the effect.

Based on this analysis, if I were a card designer at Hearthstone I would make sure anytime a card has randomness to ask these questions: