HEX Update – Our First IQ Winner

Hi HEXers! We’ve been working on bug fixing the next HEX patch as well as continuing progress on the PVE launch (better name TBA, we promise).

Our community and marketing teams have also spent a lot of time with the recently launched $100,000 HEX Invitational. We’ve created a special page for decklists where each weekday you can check out the previous day’s winning Constructed decklists. We also post the IQ decklists, both the top 8 qualifying swiss round decklists and the top 8 draft decklists.

Winner Winner Cluckadon Dinner

Today, we’ve posted a profile for the first qualifying player with whom you’re likely already familiar—Infamousneo. And why does he love HEX?

In terms of the game itself, it’s a true competitive TCG. There is a lot of depth and complexity at every level of the game. More than just taking a deck and playing it, this is the kind of game where you need to understand why and when things are most powerful in order to fully utilize them. Being mechanically sound is important, but there is a lot to be said for intuition and understanding too. The card design is great and there is balance to the point where nearly every play style can be somewhat viable. It’s a deep and complicated TCG that has the room to push the boundaries a little further in terms of card design. It rewards creativity, logic, planning, effort, teamwork and when you don’t want to try so hard it’s just fun to play.

Congratulations to him, the first of the 12 who will battle for their share of the… *let me hear it from the back* $100,000 purse. The man himself stopped by the TinyGrimes stream and provided a ton of Sealed strategy. If you’re playing in Sealed Deck events this weekend, you’ll absolutely want to watch that video.

Invitational Qualifier 2 – 10/17/15 at 8 AM Pacific

And what sealed deck event would that be? Why, it’s the second Invitational Qualifier! For those of you with 10 IQ points to spare, you’ll battle to be the second player to claim your spot here in California this coming February. For those of you looking to build your collection, these Sealed events are also the best way for you to spend your 10 IQ points as you’ll get 6 free booster packs when you build your sealed, plus prizes! We’ll see you this Saturday and good luck to you all.

PVE Preview Cards

This week, let’s focus on two Ruby cards that are coming with the campaign launch. Bloodlust is the perfect card for Orc decks, as those decks are designed to be quick and take advantage of the often-found Rage keyword on Orc troops. With the ability to attack the turn they come in to play, Orc decks are pure gas.

Orc troops can sometimes struggle in the late game as they’re outsized by bigger troops and picked off by a stabilizing opponent. Beatdown decks can find themselves a point or two short in damage to win the match. When your troops have Speed, the opponent has to play carefully as any troop off the top could take a few more points off what’s an already low health total. Plus, you can hold many troops in hand for a surprise alpha strike for the win.

This second card best fits into a more controlling strategy. Ruby isn’t all beatdown. Cards like Heat Wave strike fear into the hearts of even the hardiest Orc gladiators. Add Firegut Zombie to that list.

Zombies are the ultimate form of irony—not actual irony, Alanis Morrisette irony. Though they crave brains, they often lack any intellect and consuming the brains of others doesn’t seem to help. Firegut Zombie doesn’t have a mind for strategy or tactics to identify the best target, but he’s determined to blast someone. He doesn’t play nice with your troops as targets for friendly fire. But, if your side of the board is empty, he’ll definitely smoke one of the enemy troops and at 3 ATK, he’ll kill almost anything played at his cost or lower. Plus, now he provides a 3/2 blocker for you to trade with another troop.

You wouldn’t play these two PVE cards together, but each one gives tools to a specific Ruby-centric strategy and powers them up for dungeon clearing.

October VIP Weekend

October VIP weekend is a week away! It begins Friday, October 23rd. The format is Constructed and prizes are Quash Ridge Tusker AA and Exarch of the Egg AA.

If you are not yet a HEX VIP and don’t want to miss out on these tournaments, you should definitely become one. Head to the in-game store and choose 1 month, 3 months, or 12 months. With your purchase, you get a pack per week of the current set plus tickets to allow entry into these events (tournament entry fees still apply). Players who sign up for the full year also get the exclusive Cerulean Mirror Knight Alternate Art sleeve! See the VIP FAQ for more information.

We know that players are currently without alternate art prizes for last month’s VIP tournament. We apologize for the delay in delivering those to you and will have an update early next week on the status of those prizes.

Start times listed in CEST below:

Friday: 19:00

Saturday: 04:00, 12:00, 20:00

Sunday: 03:00, 18:00

Start times listed in PDT below:

Friday: 10:00 AM, 7:00 PM

Saturday: 3:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 6:00 PM

Sunday: 9:00 AM

Start times listed in EDT below:

Friday: 1:00 PM, 10:00 PM

Saturday: 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 9:00 PM

Sunday: 12:00 PM

Tournament Information

VIP Constructed

Players: 16 minimum – 256 maximum

Format: 4 rounds of Swiss

Entry fee: VIP ticket + 500 plat

Prizes:

4 wins: 10 packs / 2 Alternate Art Card A / 2 Alternate Art Card B

3 wins: 6 packs / 1 Alternate Art Card A / 1 Alternate Art Card B

2 wins: 3 packs / 1 Alternate Art Card A / 1 Alternate Art Card B

1 win: 2 packs

0 wins: 1 pack

HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series (Europe)

The HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series is a weekly 1on1 eSports Tournament Series with a monthly final at the end of the month. The HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series will feature a prize pool of up to €650 for every month, with the winning team of each weekly HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series tournament taking home€100. The top teams of each weekly tournament will receive HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Ranking Points, which will earn them a better seed in upcoming HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Tournaments and a slot in the €250 HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Monthly Final! What are you waiting for?!

• One HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Cup per week

• Saturdays: €100 prize money (winner takes it all) & HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series points

• Monthly finals: €250 prize money

See more at http://play.eslgaming.com/hexshardsoffate/europe/hex-sof/major/beta-cup-series/

HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series (North America)

The HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series is a weekly 1on1 eSports Tournament Series with a monthly final at the end of the month. The HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series will feature a prize pool of up to $650 for every month, with the winning team of each weekly HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series tournament taking home$100. The top teams of each weekly tournament will receive HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Ranking Points, which will earn them a better seed in upcoming HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Tournaments and a slot in the $250 HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Monthly Final! What are you waiting for?!

• One HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series Cup per week

• Sundays: $100 prize money (winner takes it all) & HEX: Shards of Fate Beta Cup Series points

• Monthly finals: $250 prize money

See more at http://play.eslgaming.com/hexshardsoffate/north-america/hex-sof/major/beta-cup-series/

That’s all for this week. Please leave any questions or comments in the forums, and don’t forget to Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitch, and register on our forums.

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