Summary
Over a year ago, Blizzard revealedWarcraft Arclight Rumble, a new tower defense-like mobile game inspired byWorld of Warcraft Classic. Players can collect minis of iconic units, spells, heroes, and villains from theWarcraftuniverse and pit them against recognizable bosses from Azeroth. Though it has since dropped the Arclight from its name,Warcraft Rumbleis finally getting ready to launch on November 3.
The game does not have a steep learning curve, but it does require a surprising amount of strategy and patience, with plenty of difficulty spikes that can leave players frustrated. Luckily, Game Rant had the chance to play duringthe testing periods forWarcraft Rumble. Here’s a breakdown of how the game works, as well as some tips to help players get started on theirWarcraft Rumblejourney.
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How Warcraft Rumble Works
The basic gameplay loop ofWarcraft Rumbleis simple: players start with a base they must protect while mining Gold resources on the map, taking down enemy towers, and eventually defeating theiconicWarcraftboss or bosseson the map. Each map has different mechanics, but they generally work the same way. As players complete maps, they open up new zones, each more difficult than the last.
Players can earn Gold by clearing maps, doing daily quests, claiming login rewards, and via microtransactions. Gold is used to buy new Minis, Talents, and Experience, though players can also level up their Minis via gameplay.Microtransactions inWarcraft Rumbleare time-limited, and while they can speed players along their journey, they can’t pick and choose what they get.
Gold and other currencies can also be earned viahigh-difficulty gameplay inWarcraft Rumble. Some of these currencies can be used to upgrade a Leader and their army, granting them powerful synergies and advantages. Currency can be collected through Dungeons, the Heroic Campaign, other challenging parts of the game.
Warcraft Rumblehas other events that reward currency as well. Arclight Surges let players re-challenge select completed zones with special rules and limitations for extra Gold, andPvP lets them battle otherWarcraft Rumbleplayersfor some incredible events. Players should expect other limited-time events via its seasonal content, such as the ability to unlock the new Sylvanas Leader for the Undead faction through PvP.
Beginner Tips for Warcraft Rumble
Buy One Leader of Each Faction First
Each of the five factions–Alliance, Beast, Blackrock, Horde, and Undead–have several Leaders to pick from, so it can be tempting to snatch up every one that appears in the shop. However, a single team cannot field more than one Leader. Two Leaders of the same faction must be leveled separately, and give no advantage other than different tactics to approach a battle.
That said, having at least one Leader of every faction is extremely important. Once players clear a map with one faction, they can return and clear it using another to earn more Gold via Conquest mode. After the first few zones, players can clear a single map once with each faction to maximize their Gold income.
Ranged unit who slows enemies and empowers Spells.
Maiev Shadowsong
Alliance
Stealthy assassin who becomes cheaper when other Unbound units are played.
Hogger
Beast
Tanky AoE unit that gets faster each time he is summoned.
Old Murk-Eye
Fast, ranged AoE unit that spawns Murloc Tidehunters for each Gold spent after him.
Cheap, ranged caster who roots and shuts down ground enemies.
Rend Blackhand
Blackrock
Flying AoE unit that dismounts when defeated, and makes other Flying units cheaper.
Cairne Bloodhoof
Horde
AoE tank with a stunning strike who gives other Horde units more Health.
Sneed
AoE siege tank that gains Gold when destroying Towers or capturing objectives.
Sylvanas Windrunner
Undead
Ranged unit who summons a Banshee on death, and buffs both Horde and Undead allies.
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Level Leaders First
While leveling other Minis is important, giving experience to Leaders should always take priority. In addition to increasing the Leader’s stats like a normal Troop, a Leader’s level influences an army’s strength directly. The higher the Leader’s level, the stronger their base and towers will be, making it easier to survive more difficult challenges.
Experience is ahot commodity inWarcraft Rumble. With over 60 minis to collect across the five factions, players will undoubtedly want to collect them all. However, players can only field a Leader and six Troops or Spells in an army at a time, so it is better to focus on leveling and buying Talents for a small selection instead. For example, if players already have the Earth Elemental, they may not need another Tower-killing Troop like the Warsong Raider right away. A Leader can field Minis and Spells from other factions, so don’t be afraid to rely on the same Minis across multiple teams.
Master the G.R.I.D.
The three-by-three G.R.I.D. is where players buy Minis, Talents, and Experience for their teams. When players buy from the grid, the rows and columns it shares automatically refresh, replacing the offerings there with others. Additionally, the G.R.I.D. cycles down once a day, eliminating the bottom row and refreshing the top one in the process. Players can move items one slot over for a small Gold fee to preserve them from rotation, but doing so too much can be costly. If a Mini leaves the G.R.I.D., it can always show up again later.
Always Enter the Dungeon
Dungeons inWarcraft Rumbleare multi-stage battles that demand powerful minions and strategies to complete. However, even if one can’t clear an entire Dungeon, players can still earn rewards from any progress they make in the Dungeon. Taking out even one boss during a Dungeon period can help give players an edge for the next one.
Take the Game Slowly
Warcraft Rumblecan be surprisingly hard. Some of the gimmicks on each map can be oppressively difficult to deal with until one’s team is several levels ahead. While clever players might clear a map earlier, there is no shame in leaving and coming back later. Complete some Conquest missions, wait for Daily Quests to refresh, or try out PvP in the meantime.
World of Warcraft
WHERE TO PLAY
World of Warcraft is an incredibly successful MMORPG that has been going strong for almost two decades. It’s one of the highest-grossing franchises in history and is widely considered the most popular MMORPG ever made.
