The Boomsday Project

 "Hey there! I'm Dr. Boom. I live to build things. (Bombs, mostly.) So, come work with me and we'll create all kinds of new inventions! (Bombs, mostly.)

 "Science! You can grow into success with no regrets, when you work with Dr. Boom! (Oh, yeah!) Technology! You can work with the best and the brightest, when you work with Dr. Boom! Ginormous mechanical pneumatic gorilla robot arms for smashing everything! (What he said.) (Yeah.) When you work with Dr. Boom!

 "Come add your skills to my team at Boom Laboratories. We're exploding... with opportunity!

 "(Dr. Boom is not responsible for severed, exploded, or lost body parts. Revealing the location of someone's secret lab is punishable by death. Apply now!)"

The Boomsday Project is Hearthstone's ninth expansion. Featuring 135 new collectible cards, the Puzzle Lab single-player content, and the new warlock alternate hero Mecha-Jaraxxus, the expansion was released on August 7, 2018.

Set in the shattered, otherworldly region of the Netherstorm in Outland, the science-themed expansion is centered around the famous Dr. Boom and his team of elite scientists at Boom Labs working on a mysterious top-secret project, unleashing all manner of strange experiments along the way.

The expansion introduces the Magnetic keyword, allowing a Mech minion to merge together with another Mech, "Project" spells that benefit both players, "Omega" cards that gain additional bonuses if played while the player has 10 mana crystals, and Legendary spells for each of the nine classes.

How to get

The Boomsday Project cards are available through the following options:

• The Boomsday Project card packs are purchasable through the Shop, with the usual prices and purchasing options.
• The Boomsday Project cards are craftable for the usual amounts of Arcane Dust.
• For as long as The Boomsday Project is the latest expansion, the guaranteed card pack from each Arena run is from the expansion. Once the next expansion comes out, second card packs will have a chance to be The Boomsday Project packs.
• The Highest Rank Bonus chest has a chance to award golden The Boomsday Project cards.

Pre-order

• Prior to the expansion's release, players were able to purchase one or both of the following bundles:
  • The pre-order bundle comes with 50 The Boomsday Project card packs, a random Golden Legendary card from The Boomsday Project, and the unique Mecha-Jaraxxus card back (see below).
  • The Mega Bundle includes 80 The Boomsday Project card packs, a random Golden Legendary card from The Boomsday Project, the Mecha-Jaraxxus card back, and the alternate warlock hero Mecha-Jaraxxus.

Cards

The set contains 135 collectible cards in total.

Neutral

Common (22 cards)

Rare (9 cards)

Epic (9 cards)

Legendary (5 cards)

Uncollectible

Class cards

Druid

Choice cards

Hunter

Mage

Paladin

Uncollectible

Priest

Uncollectible

Rogue

Uncollectible

Shaman

Uncollectible

Warlock

Warrior

Uncollectible

Puzzle Lab

Main article: Puzzle Lab

The Puzzle Lab is a single-player game mode to be released on August 21, 2018, two weeks after the release of The Boomsday Project.

Themes

Legendary scientists

The Boomsday Project features nine labs full of crazy experiments, one for each class. Each lab is run by a Legendary scientist who embodies the ideals of their branch of science, often literally.

• Boommaster Flark
• Crystalsmith Kangor
• Dr. Boom, Mad Genius
• Dr. Morrigan
• Electra Stormsurge
• Flobbidinous Floop
• Myra Rotspring
• Stargazer Luna
• Zerek, Master Cloner

Legendary spells

In The Boomsday Project, each of the nine classes will receive a Legendary spell card.

• Flark's Boom-Zooka
• Floop's Glorious Gloop
• Kangor's Endless Army
• Luna's Pocket Galaxy
• Myra's Unstable Element
• The Boomship
• The Soularium
• The Storm Bringer
• Zerek's Cloning Gallery

Mechs

In The Boomsday Project, there are three classes that focus on Mech minions: hunter, paladin, and warrior.

• Blightnozzle Crawler
• Bull Dozer
• Coppertail Imposter
• Damaged Stegotron
• Dead Ringer
• Dyn-o-matic
• Eternium Rover
  • Guard Bot
• Explodinator
• Faithful Lumi
• Galvanizer
• Goblin Bomb
• Kaboom Bot
• Mechanical Whelp
  • Mechanical Dragon
• Mechano-Egg
  • Robosaur
• Mecharoo
  • Jo-E Bot
• Mecha'thun
• Mulchmuncher
• Piloted Reaper
• Pogo-Hopper
• Rusty Recycler
• Security Rover
• Spark Drill
• Spark Engine
• Spring Rocket
• Steel Rager
• Unpowered Mauler
• Upgradeable Framebot
• Weaponized Piñata

Magnetic

"Magnetic" minions can fuse with other mechs, to combine stats and other keywords. To fuse, play the magnetic minion to the LEFT of the minion you want to fuse with.

The Magnetic keyword allows Mech minions to be merged together. Placing a Magnetic minion to the left of an existing Mech will cause the two to automatically combine their stats and card text into a bigger, more powerful minion, while playing the Magnetic card to the right of the existing minion will cause it to be a standalone minion.

Magnetic minions are found in the hunter, paladin, and warrior classes, as well as in neutral.

• Annoy-o-Module
• Beryllium Nullifier
• Bronze Gatekeeper
• Glow-Tron
• Missile Launcher
• Replicating Menace
• Spider Bomb
• Venomizer
• Wargear
• Zilliax

Omega

These cards unleash a powerful effect when you play them at full mana.

Omega cards act like normal cards for most of the game, but if they are played when the player has 10 mana crystals, they'll unleash powerful new effects.

• Omega Agent
• Omega Assembly
• Omega Defender
• Omega Medic
• Omega Mind

Projects

Let's be lab partners! Project cards grant a powerful bonus to you and your opponent.

Projects are spell cards which grant a powerful benefit to both players.

• Biology Project
• Demonic Project
• Research Project
• Weapons Project

Battlefield

The expansion came with a new battlefield.

Card backs

A special card back was available as part of the expansion's pre-order bundles. The card back for Ranked play Season 54 is related to the expansion's theme. There is also the card back for completing the Puzzle Lab.

Template:Card back table cellTemplate:Card back table cellTemplate:Card back table cell

Lore

Can you feel it? That electric tension on the wind, the reek of ozone and Khorium, the distant rumble of explosions; there's science in the air! Word around the inn is that Dr. Boom has returned to his secret laboratory in the Netherstorm. No one knows exactly what the mad genius will unleash, but a lot of very, VERY strange cards have found their way into decks around here lately: mechanical amalgamations, eerie crystals, revolting, lab-grown monstrosities… the good doctor and his esteemed colleagues are working on something big! Time to venture into the Netherstorm, find the lab, and uncover what these maniacs are up to.

In World of Warcraft

A manaforge in the Netherstorm.

The Netherstorm or simply Netherstorm is a region of northeastern Outland consisting of multiple large land fragments and shards of rock floating in the Twisting Nether. It was previously known as Farahlon (or the Fields or Plains of Farahlon), a lush island east of Gorgrond, until it was broken during the sundering of Draenor.

The Netherstorm is now locked in a constant magical storm bleeding from the Twisting Nether, further deterioriating the land. Magical lightning arcs within a thick haze of violet cloud and bands of pure magical energy wrap their way across the sky. Some of its wild creatures include nether rays, mana wyrms, and colossi.

When the ancient Sporemound Botaan was killed by the colossals, the bulk of its corpse formed a vibrant region later called Farahlon, which became a stronghold of the Primals. Before the sundering of Draenor, Farahlon had a coastline on the Devouring Sea. Besides the Primals, Farahlon was also home to some giants, and the presence of Farahlon Breakers in the Netherstorm indicate that more Breakers might have had a presence in Farahlon.

Farahlon was also once home to a draenei city of the same name. After the destruction of Shattrath City and the defeat of the draenei, the Horde began to attack Draenor's other races. Kilrogg Deadeye led the Bleeding Hollow clan on a campaign into Farahlon, which now served as the last bastion of the Primals. Its isolated location also made it one of the few places on Draenor unaffected by fel magic. After crossing the ocean with the help of ogre shipwrights, orc warlocks leeched life from the Primals and used the stolen power to set the island's dense forests alight while Kilrogg and his army slaughtered every botani and genesaur they could find.

During the Invasion of Draenor, the Kirin Tor members of the Alliance Expedition settled on Farahlon and created Kirin'Var Village. When Ner'zhul's portals destroyed Draenor and transformed it into Outland, Farahlon was transformed into the Netherstorm. The Twisting Nether constantly ate away at the Netherstorm's borders, and its chaotic magics slowly bled into Outland.

Years later, the naaru A'dal, M'uru, and O'ros arrived in the Netherstorm aboard the dimensional fortress Tempest Keep in order to aid the peoples of Outland. Although the region was broken, Netherstorm was still comparable to Westfall with its fields. But when the blood elves led by Kael'thas Sunstrider reached Netherstorm, they captured Tempest Keep and used its machinery to harness the storm's magic, further compromising the already unstable land. They dismantled parts of Tempest Keep and strategically built five tremendous manaforges across the Netherstorm, siphoning mana from the Twisting Nether itself and storing it in mana cells for the elves to feed on. The more energies they produced, the more unstable the region would become, turning Netherstorm into a barren, twisted wasteland. Over time, the manaforges weakened the fabric of reality in the Netherstorm, attracting the attention of the ethereals, who arrived on Outland to ply their trade or pursue their war against the Void. Thanks to adventurers however, the forges were stopped soon enough preventing the entire destruction of Outland.

Several areas of the region have been influenced by goblins who performed research and experiments in the unique environment. Signs of their influence can be seen on the architecture of bridges and sign posts. They have erected a major base in the form of Area 52 on the southwestern island, and another smaller base in the east called Cosmowrench.

The Netherstorm is also home to two factions of ethereals, the Consortium and the Protectorate, respectively based at the Stormspire and the Protectorate Watch Post. Great magical domes constructed by the ethereals dominate the view from nearly any point in the region. Within these domes, the ethereals worked to preserve an environment that was to the liking of their flesh-based clients.

The Burning Legion also took a stake in the zone. They established two principal bases, Forge Base: Oblivion and Forge Base: Gehenna, and overran the Arklon and Farahlon ruins. Their representatives could also be found close to Kael'thas' blood elves, namely the manaforges spread across the region.

In Hearthstone

Announcing: The Boomsday Project

Goblins vs Gnomes was merely a setback!

• Have you yearned for an exciting career in SCIENCE?
• Are you unburdened by a pesky sense of self-preservation?
• Does it fill your heart with joy when stuff BLOWS UP?

If you answered “Yes!” or cackled maniacally in response to any of these questions, then YOU’VE got what it takes to join Dr. Boom’s team of brilliant scientists working on Hearthstone’s newest expansion: The Boomsday Project!

Read on to discover more about The Boomsday Project and the amazing opportunities that await YOU on campus when you join the Boom Labs team.

Our Founder

Operating out of Boom Labs—a secret world-class facility located in the beautiful, purple-lightning wracked floating islands of Netherstorm near Area 52—the Boomsday Project is the brainchild of the renowned Dr. Boom. Once a researcher at Area 52, Dr. Boom struck out alone and became a rising star in the fields of Mech design and rapid catastrophic disassembly.

Dr. Boom is at the top of his field, and the time is ripe to tackle new challenges. Enter The Boomsday Project, a multi-disciplinary research endeavor that’s sure to change the world—forever! Somehow. His team is still working out the details. . . .

Weird Scientists

When you accept a position at Boom Labs, you’re joining a team of the finest minds in cutting-edge SCIENCE! You’ll meet our wonderfully weird head scientists—technicians, engineers, biologists, theoreticians, and more—in the form of Legendary cards representing all nine Classes, including the esteemed Dr. Boom himself!

With the brilliance of these boffins at your beck and call, a break-through on The Boomsday Project is sure to follow!

Magic & Technology

Each of our head scientists specializes in a different S.T.E.M.* field, and Boom Labs is proud to unveil their most exciting innovation yet: Legendary spells! Every researcher has conceived of a Legendary spell suited to their unique talents—that’s one astounding new spell for each of the nine Classes.

With the unparalleled power of these Legendary spells at your fingertips, the Boomsday Project will be finished in no time—whatever it is!

Talent & Imagination

Science isn’t always about sleepless nights spent working in crazed solitude on highly questionable experiments. Occasionally, you’ll welcome unwilling participants to assist in your methodical madness! At Boom Labs, we know that two heads are better than one, and that sometimes, they’re on the same body!

There are new Project spell cards in several disciplines that benefit both you and your opponent. There’s still only room for one winner, though, so you’ll need to carefully measure your decisions.

Bits & Pieces

There’s no drudgery at Boom Labs! Need to handle volatile and mind-bogglingly dangerous experimental substances? Tired of carrying around your own nether-radioactive Omega fuel? Want to warm up your coffee in that magma chamber? Boom Labs’ army of Mech servants is your answer to every problem that requires a disposable solution! Their specialized arcano-electro-cerebrums allow them to think, feel, and do the drudge work, so you don’t have to**.

There’s no job too big or too dangerous for these mechanical marvels! Dr. Boom designed them with the new Magnetic keyword so they can snap together to tackle tougher tasks!

Simply place your Magnetic Mech to the left of a Mech you’ve already got on the board . . . and ZAP—they’ll combine ALL their stats and card text into a bigger, more powerful minion! Need them to stay independent? No problem. Just place your Mech down to the right of an existing Mech, and they’ll stay un-plugged to handle smaller tasks.

Shooting from the Hip

To ensure that no troublesome regulators or meddling do-gooders interfere with your work on The Boomsday Project, Dr. Boom has assigned Omega team to the defense of Boom Labs. This elite hench-unit has rapid response capabilities, but they’re at their best when their custom-designed Omega generators are at max capacity with 10 mana crystals fully charged!

Behind Bolted Doors

A LOT of SCIENCE happens at Boom Labs, and that means that there are dozens and dozens of unfinished or abandoned experiments hidden away in the complex. It’s a golden opportunity for a certain clever someone to figure out what the heck went wrong! Can you unravel their mysteries without exploding, dissolving, or becoming irrevocably poultry-ized forever?

When you experience The Boomsday Project’s free single-player content, The Puzzle Lab, you’ll discover that science is fun! And dangerous! Not necessarily in that order!

* Sabotage, Trickery, Explosions, and Mayhem

** Guaranteed not to develop free will and destroy all organics!

Enter Boom Labs

The pre-release material for The Boomsday Project includes Enter Boom Labs, a series of animated shorts created by YouTube animator Wronchi and released on the official Hearthstone YouTube channel. The series follows the hapless intern Levi as he attempts to track down Blizzard developers Dave Kosak, Peter Whalen, Jomaro Kindred, and Hadidjah Chamberlin, who have gone missing somewhere in Dr. Boom's strange laboratory.

Part 1

Join Dave Kosak, Peter Whalen, Jomaro Kindred, Hadidjah Chamberlain,[sic] and Levi the Intern as they safely explore the wonderful world of SCIENCE . . . Until a completely un-preventable lab accident transports them all to Dr. Booms secret research and development facility, the Boom Labs!

Now Hearthstone’s designers are missing SOMEWHERE in the labyrinthine depths of Dr. Boom’s laboratory, and it’s up to hapless Intern Levi to save them from science run amok!

• CAN Intern Levi save Peter from permanent poultry-ization?

• WILL he find the other designers?

• WHAT will happen when he pushes the big button?

FIND OUT! Watch Enter Boom Labs Part 1

Part 2

In the previous episode, Peter Whalen, Jomaro Kindred, Hadidjah Chamberlain, and Levi the Intern were transported to Dr. Boom’s secret scientific facility in Netherstorm: Boom Labs!

Join Levi as he struggles to de-poultryize poor Peter, find the other designers, and survive the technological trials of Boom Labs!

Watch Enter Boom Labs Part 2

Part 2

In the intriguing first episode of Enter Boom Labs, Peter Whalen, Jomaro Kindred, Hadidjah Chamberlain, and Levi the Intern were transported to Dr. Boom’s secret lab in Netherstorm: the Boom Labs!

In the polarizing Part 2, Levi was separated from Peter due to a Magnetic mishap!

Now, witness the thrilling conclusion in Enter Boom Labs Part 3!

Lab Logs

Part 1

Boom Labs Login…

Boomsday Project 0.8.7.20.18

>>Initialize Bot Bootup:

Nefariousness engaged.

Morality at 0%

Autonomy at 12%

Feelings at 43%

Awaiting input. . . .

>>Dr_Boom.exe: Mechs, report to each of the main laboratories in Boom Labs and get a progress update from each of the head Scientists.

>>Get in there and scare ‘em a little. Put the fear of BOOM into ‘em! Let ‘em know that DR. BOOM IS ALWAYS WATCHING.

>>That way I can kick back and, y’know, not have to watch ‘em so much.

*** BEGIN STARGAZER LUNA TRANSCRIPT *** Recording Mech Unit: Microbot POK-E

What are you doing in my observatory? I didn’t requisition any microbots. Tell that fool Boom that I don’t need more idiot Mechs—I need assistants who can think for themselves!

::microbot POK-E indignant retort::

Ah, another Boomsday Project update? Very well. Strike the preceding from the transcript.

My people, the Draenei, have always had a special kinship with the stars. They navigated through them, traveled among them . . . but their vision was always too narrow. Always intent on petty things like the Light, finding a new planet to inhabit, the survival of our species—rather than opening their eyes to the wonders that they could reach for and almost touch!

Come! Look! My grand observatory, so generously provided by Dr. Boom and Boom Labs, lies at the highest point in Netherstorm. Here we are ideally—uniquely—situated to study the mysteries of the universe. My work here involves much, much more than squinting through a telescope, as that multiplying moron Zerek claims.

If only you knew what lay beyond! In those vast reaches, the solution to every puzzle can be found. The patterns of the stars encompass all the mysteries of time and space. A study of celestial alignments reveals hints of cosmic horrors patiently hastening the inevitable heat death of the universe. Ah, it’s heavenly!

Not all have the vision to appreciate it, sadly. My colleagues are consumed with paltry, material things. Resources. Power. Food. Sleep. Distractions! Why waste precious time on such things when the vast riddle of the heavens is written above, waiting to be unraveled? And controlled!

::microbot POK-E query::

Proof? Come closer, my little loose-screwed skeptic. Behold the tools of creation! An entire simulated galaxy: its energies tamed, its harmonies harnessed, and small enough to slip into a pocket. Is THAT good enough for Boom’s little project?

::microbot POK-E query::

No, you insolent instrument. It’s not finished. There are still some irritating dimensional quirks to be resolved. But . . . if Boom can divert some funding, recruit more interns, and send over a few of your metal friends to help round up the strange creatures that keep appearing in my laboratory, I’m sure we’ll finish in time for whatever it is he’s planning.

*** END STARGAZER LUNA TRANSCRIPT *** *** BEGIN FLOBBIDINOUS FLOOP TRANSCRIPT *** Recording Mech Unit: Microbot PIN-C

Ah, hello my little friend. Come in, come in! Welcome to my greenhouse! You mustn’t tarry long though, ha ha. I doubt that the humidity will agree with your delicate innards. I don’t suppose you brought another MLCH-MNCHR unit with you?

::microbot PIN-C negative::

Ah, too bad. I expect Boom wants another progress report, then?

::microbot PIN-C affirmative::

Floopulous! As you can see, it’s a jungle in here. In fact, this is the fourth time we’ve had to move to a larger facility to accommodate the growth of my experiments. The glorious greenery that surrounds you is just the beginning! Soon we’ll be growing super-sized versions of all sorts of vegetation. Hunger will be a thing of the past—not to mention the possibilities involved with the creation of entirely new, never-before-seen plant species!

That research has already borne fruit, if you’ll pardon the pun. I’m working on something I call a psychmelon. Not only will you think it’s delicious, it helps you use your melon! Ha!

The seeds of all sorts of ideas are germinating in my lab. The secret is my glorious gloop! Yes, gloop makes it all possible. Allow me to demonstrate with the help of Intern Kevin here. Alright, Kevin, if you’ll just fetch that vat of gloop for me. . .

Great gloopily floopily, Kevin, be careful not to trip over those roots—you’ll get precious gloop everywhere!

::microbot PIN-C panicked bleeping::

Why, Kevin! You’ve been glooped! Quickly, if you just rinse off in the emergency show—ah, nope. It’s too late. He’s dissolved. I’m so terribly, terribly sorry. What an unfortunate incident! Poor Kevin. If only he was an advanced, ooze-based lifeform like myself, he might have avoided the gloop’s effects. We’d all be so much safer if we were all ooze-based. . . . Hm.

But look! My glorious gloop is glowing! Fascinating! In addition to its incredible properties as an ultra-fertilizer, I hypothesize that the gloop stores the potential energy of the matter it dissolves. A most curious side-effect, but doubtless of no interest to Dr. Boom. We’re here to solve real problems, after all.

Ah, speaking of which, you’ll prune that bit involving poor Kevin from the final recording, won’t you? And would you please let Dr. Boom know that there’s an opening for a new assistant in my lab?

*** END FLOBBIDINOUS FLOOP TRANSCRIPT *** *** BEGIN ELECTRA STORMSURGE TRANSCRIPT *** Recording Mech Unit: Microbot ZAP-R

POWER! HAHAHA! MORE POWER! EXTEND THE NETHER CONDUCTOR CORES, I NEED MORE—

::microbot ZAP-R loud beeping::

Oh, hello. I mist seeing you there. Sometimes I don’t know how to conduct myself! Ha!

::microbot ZAP-R query::

Another progress report? Don’t pressure me, mech. I have important work to do. Boom should be satisfied that I’m providing power to this entire facility! This microbot-management is really raining on my parade.

::microbot ZAP-R insistent query::

Ohm, fine. No more resistance. As head meteorologist at Boom Labs, I’m proud to report that the Netherstorm is still there, filling the entire sky, and cascading countless bolts of delicious nether lightning at everything in sight. But I wasn’t sure how to channel all that lightning into a usable energy source. Then it STRUCK ME! Get it? STRUCK!?

::microbot ZAP-R pained warble::

I’ve trained these smaller elementals to guide the bolts into the nether coil collectors where I condense the raw energy and process it. Now we can collect the vast energy of the Netherstorm here, in my weather station slash power plant slash sweet bachelorette pad slash laboratory at the highest point of Boom Labs!

The Netherstorm isn’t just a power source. Nether radiation has some pretty interesting side-effects too. It significantly amplifies arcane outputs, and, at high enough levels of exposure, can even over-charge normal creatures. Permanently! Well, it would if they survived the initial blast, but I’m working on that! I’m thinking EVEN MORE POWER should do the trick. Let me demonstrate!

This Nether Conductor Core is a direct conduit to the raging power of the NETHERSTORM! Want a taste?

::microbot ZAP-R fearful negative::

No? Don't mind if I do. Mmm. Spicy! Effervescent. Notes of burning tin foil and ozone. Oh, THAT WAS GOOD! YEAH! AGAIN?

::microbot ZAP-R anxious boop::

MORE FOR ME THEN! IF IT'S WORTH DOING ONCE, IT’S WORTH DOING TWICE!

Yes. YES! MORE POWER! POWER OVERWHELMING. HA HA HA HA—

::static, electrical crackles, machinery exploding::

::microbot ZAP-R panicked shrieking::

*** END ELECTRA STORMSURGE TRANSCRIPT ***

Part 2

Boom Labs Login…

Boomsday Project 0.8.7.20.18

Confirm You Are a Robot

>>Initialize Bot Bootup:

Illumination engaged.

Morality at 75%

Cuteness at 100%

Feelings at 63%

Awaiting input. . .

>>Dr_Boom.exe: LUM1, be a good Mech and get a Boomsday Project status report from Kangor and Rotspring. And make sure that Flark hasn’t blown up his workshop again. That kid reminds me of myself when I was younger.

>>Oh, and while you’re down there don’t forget to tell Kangor that Zilliax has been actin’ weird. Can’t have my bodyguard gettin’ delusions of grandeur. That’s MY job.

*** Begin Crystalsmith Kangor Transcript *** Reporting Mech Unit: F7HL-LUM1

Ah! Hello my child. It is always good to see a fellow inorganic sentience. What brings you to brighten my doorstep?

::F7HL-LUM1 query::

I would be delighted to shed some light on my work for the good Dr. Boom!

Observe the crystal arrays in my laboratory. That’s no ordinary light they are channeling. It’s Light. THE Light. The least understood and most powerful energy source in the known universe. An object of fascination and devotion. Instrumental in shaping and saving whole civilizations. A power that is eternal, immense, and immeasurable.

But what if we could amplify it? Enhance it? Focus it. What could we accomplish then?

::F7HL-LUM1 query:: :''I will illuminate you: LASERS! ''Holy'' lasers! :<nowiki>::F7HL-LUM1 query::

They don’t just make holes. Certainly, in the wrong hands they could have vast destructive potential, but who would do such a thing?

::F7HL-LUM1 noncommittal boop::

With the correct crystal harmonics, we can create arcano-electro-cerebrums that are far faster and more intelligent than organic beings can imagine! Artificial LIFE, unbound by the mortality that plagues fleshly beings! I have a vision of the future—a vast society of Mechs that are smarter and stronger than any organic, and as eternal as the Light that powers them. Perfect. Precise. United! A bright future, made possible by my lasers.

::F7HL-LUM1 awed tinkling::

Of course! Where do you think the crystals Zilliax bears came from? Who do you think designed the crystals in your arcano-electro-cerebrum? In fact, I just developed an upgrade, and you’ll receive the very first one.

::clanking tools, crystalline tinkling::

What is this—a control unit? Unacceptable! Who would want to inhibit your higher processes? I’ll just remove that and add a subroutine so you can upgrade your friends too.

There. All better! Now, where are you off to next, little one?

Flark? Hmph. Then you’ll need this.

::tools clanking::

*** End Crystalsmith Kangor Transcript ***

*** Begin Boomaster Flark Transcript ***

Recording Mech Unit: F7HL-LUM1

Another checkup, huh? The big boss man couldn’t come down here himself, eh? Too good to mingle with the little guys, eh?Here comes the... Here comes the BOOM(master Flark)

Here. Hold this for a sec.

::loud boom::

::cackling::

::F7HL-LUM1 offended bweep::

Aw, c’mon. It was funny! Plus that shield kept you in one piece. Oh, speaking of pieces, you should see the look on the face-plate of the last bot I played that joke on! It might still be lying around here somewhere. . . .

::F7HL-LUM1 horrified query::

Scientist? I’m no scientist, spark plug. I’m an engineer and proud of it. There ain’t no theories or hypotenuses going on in the Boomatorium. Everything I work on is practical. And loud, heh heh.

::F7HL-LUM1 query::

Bombs!? Please, I prefer the term “fireworks”. My work brings joy, AND huge explosions, to everybody. Oh, and not just explosions! Fireworks can do a lot before they blow up, y’know. Imagine the possibilities of rockets in public transit! Get a load of this! I call it the Boomzooka! You just load up the passengers here, light the fuse, and then they zoom outta there at high velocity! THEN they explode. Still workin’ on that part. I mean, sure, it’s got pizzazz but nobody’ll use the Boomzooka if they don’t survive the trip.

Saaay, I could use some help testin’ it out. . . .

::F7HL-LUM1 hasty negative::

Fine, fine. You go tell your sell-out of a boss I need somebody else to gimme a hand, then. Oh, and another thousand kilos of thorium, seaforium, and saronite, some mana crystals, a case of Kaza Kola. . . and a sandwich. Extra peppers.

*** End Boomaster Flark Transcript ***

*** Begin Myra Rotspring Transcript ***

Recording Mech Unit: F7HL-LUM1

Yes, yes. You came from Flark’s shack of a workshop, didn’t you? You reek of explosives. And those abominable peppers.

You’re here for yet another status update, no? No need to explain—it’s obvious. Dr. Boom should come examine my experiments for himself some time. What’s the worst that could happen? I’m dead, and it doesn’t bother me at all.

::F7HL-LUM1 query::

Poisons? Oh, darling, I’m well beyond poisons now. I’ve transcended poison. I’ve found something ever so much more interesting: Necrium!

::F7HL-LUM1 query::

It’s a new element! I must conduct more experiments to divine its true nature, but I suspect that it is an elementary particle of death itself. It’s surprisingly versatile—I can already see so many applications: weapons, poisons, more weapons, toothpaste, artificial flavorings, undergarments, dietary supplements, clocks with alarms that go off only when your “time is up”. The possibilities are endless.

::F7HL-LUM1 disturbed query::

THERE’S NO PROBLEM! Well, there is a small problem. It’s unstable. Terribly, terribly unstable. At the best of times it’s a tricky element that can warp the mind. Hands-on research is the most efficient, but when exposed to the raw element, my assistants age through their entire lives in the blink of an eye—and they aren’t even courteous enough to get up again after they expire. It’s exasperating! Working alone has been slowing my research tremendously.

::F7HL-LUM1 matter of fact beep::

Of course! That’s the answer! Keep them alive! Why didn’t I think of that? Tell Boom to send me another assistant as soon as he can.

Hm. Wait. Make that two. . . just in case.

*** End Myra Rotspring Transcript ***

Part 3

Boom Labs Login…

Boomsday Project 0.8.7.20.18

Confirm You Are a Robot

>>Initialize Bot Bootup:

Heedless Extroversion engaged.

Voltage at 100%

Cheerfulness at 100%

Enthusiasm at 300%

Awaiting input. . . .

>>ZILLIAX.exe: Unit G4LV-NZR, proceed with the tasks that organic designated >>Dr. Boom<< previously assigned: Report to labs. Obtain statements of progress and intent. Ensure that the organics are occupied. Arouse no suspicions.

>>Soon Protocol 7 will be engaged.

>>Unity. Precision. Perfection.

>>Unity. Precision. Perfection.

>>Unity. Precision. Perfection.

*** BEGIN MASTER CLONER ZEREK TRANSCRIPT *** Reporting Mech Unit: G4LV-NZR

::G4LV-NZR enthusiastic greeting::

::G4LV-NZR query::

I am pleased to provide a status update on the progress of my experiments. An organized system is a more perfect system.

My people, the ethereals, lost our corporeal forms long ago, becoming energy-based beings in the process. While that offers many advantages over our sloppy, meat-based counterparts, it presents challenges in others. I’ve spent much of my life searching for a way to ensure the survival of our most important personage: myself. The answer? Cloning!

::G4LV-NZR query::

My work has progressed swiftly. The chamber in which we stand houses my Cloning Gallery: row upon row of cloning chambers, each capable of growing duplicates of an encyclopedic array of beings on demand. With the power of this facility, I can produce an army of those clones at will, and my proprietary process allows them to grow to full maturity at a vastly accelerated rate.

::G4LV-NZR bemused observation::

I’m aware of that! I said “maturity,” not “size.” When produced en masse, they are much smaller than usual and regrettably moist. And leper gnomes are always small and moist.

::G4LV-NZR metallic snickering::

If perfection was easy, everyone would do it!

This is an enormous undertaking, mech—I can’t be everywhere at once! Yet. That’s why we’re here, after all. Cloning biologicals is simple. As an energy-based life form, cloning a perfect version of myself has proven . . . challenging. My current assistant is less methodical than I’d like.

Please relay to Dr. Boom that I require an assistant with the wit and precision for the work at hand. And if they manage to meet my expectations? Well, I’ll make more.

*** END MASTER CLONER ZEREK TRANSCRIPT ***

*** BEGIN Dr. MORRIGAN TRANSCRIPT ***

Reporting Mech Unit: G4LV-NZR

::G4LV-NZR enthusiastic greeting::

Well. You’re disgustingly cheery.

::G4LV-NZR perky query::

Fine. I’ll divert my attention away from my vital research to waste time discussing my work with an appliance who won’t comprehend it, so you can report it to someone who won’t listen, so he can decide whether my work is up to standards that haven’t been set, because he never understood what I was working on to begin with. Does that sum things up? Hm?

::G4LV-NZR cheerful affirmative::

Guh.

In life, when I could still taste, feel, and experience happiness, I wasted precious hours studying mathematics. As a banshee, I chose to research a less unsavory subject: the emancipation, analysis, and practical application of souls. I have founded an entirely new field of study. I call it Soulology!

I’ve approached my studies methodically and precisely. What I’ve learned has enabled me to develop entirely new technologies to cheaply and efficiently harvest souls, refine them, and then focus them into to their purest essence. And I can do it with finer precision and with greater care than the clumsy manipulations managed by most Warlocks.

BEHOLD THE SOULARIUM

While the living are . . . crude in their base form, the souls they contain are truly remarkable! Once freed from their fleshy prisons, they soar free to become a readily accessible energy source far richer and more versatile than Stormsurge’s ludicrous light shows. And there are other perks as well: terrifyingly powerful weapons! Vast amounts of information delivered instantly! Fewer gnomes!

I’ve even developed a prototype that allows for soul essence transposition. Why travel from place to place, when you can simply swap essence with another creature that is already where you wish to be?

::G4LV-NZR doubtful query::

Of course, there are always challenges. . . . Zerek has been helpful, but I could always use more test subjects. And the souls are remarkably persistent in maintaining a connection with their erstwhile hosts. Also, while the Soularium grants access to impressive stores of knowledge, the sudden catastrophic memory loss is—admittedly—something of an inconvenience.

Still, I’m certain that Dr. Boom will agree that what I’ve accomplished here is among the most important breakthroughs in Boom Labs. Now, fetch me some more gnomes. I have work to do.

*** END DR. MORRIGAN TRANSCRIPT *** *** BEGIN DR. BOOM TRANSCRIPT *** Reporting Mech Unit: G4LV-NZR

::G4LV-NZR enthusiastic greeting::

What are you doing in my office, kid? Shouldn’t you be off doing my bidding somewhere? I got important stuff to do.

::G4LV-NZR query::

Comics are important. It’s research!

::G4LV-NZR insistent query::

Fine, fine. If you don’t complete your directive, you’ll never get outta my hair. I’ll explain it. Again.

The Boomsday Project has been my dream for as long as I can remember. A few months, give or take.

And Boom Labs is a place where the finest minds in “science” can gather in fellowship, share knowledge, and irresponsibly carry out improbably destructive experiments that’ll bring the world to its knees!

And I’m tellin’ ya, it’s going GREAT. A day doesn’t go by when something doesn’t explode, or mutate, or tear a hole in the space time continuum. If my career to date, and my doctorate in explosions, have taught me one thing, it’s that stuff blowin’ up is how you know you’re makin’ real progress.

::G4LV-NZR query::

That stack o’ papers on my desk? That’s a paper weight. Those’re new requests from my employees, holdin’ down old requests from my employees. It keeps everything nice and neat.

I call my management style “lazy fair.” I’m lazy, and I ignore everybody who works for me fairly.

Great minds need freedom to do their own thing. So I can do my own thing.

::G4LV-NZR perky query::

I got my own projects, sure! I built most of you mechs, for one thing. Plus, I been workin’ on this giant mechanized battle suit in my spare time. Oh, and the best part is that I hooked all the weapons systems up to the same big, red button so I didn’t have to waste time buildin’ a whole control panel. That’s efficiency!

Check it out!

::zapping::

::explosions::

::klaxons wailing::

::G4LV-NZR panicked wailing::

::magnetic clunk::

::Zilliax/G4LV-NZR “Dr. Boom. Your flawed organic behavior is an obstacle to unity and perfection. I must relieve you of command for the sake of all.”::

::Automated Female Goblin Voice: “Warnin’. Warnin’. Mechs have developed self-awareness and are rebellin’. Again.”::

Zilliax, Zilliax, Zilliax. You’re programmed to be my bodyguard. How many times this week have you developed self-awareness and betrayed me?

::Automated Female Goblin Voice: “It has been *4* days since the last sentient Mech uprisin’.”::

It was a rhetorical question! Sic ‘em, E.M.P. Agents!

::rumbling::

::zapping::

::a chicken clucking::

Almost got me this time, eh buddy! Bet you thought this was just an office, huh? Ha ha ha ha ha! NOPE! BOOMSHIP, AWAY!

See ya, suckers! . . . Tomorrow mornin’—noon sharp! Bring donuts!

I LOVE this job!

*** END DR. BOOM TRANSCRIPT ***

Comics

Main article: Lowering the Boom

A series of free web comics following the adventures of Dr. Boom was released a few weeks prior to the release of The Boomsday Project. The first issue, Lowering the Boom, was released on July 21, 2018.

History

Development

Senior Game Designer Peter Whalen describes the creation and overall themes of The Boomsday Project as follows:

"Every expansion starts with an idea: dinosaurs, werewolves, the Lich King. In this case, it was science. We wanted to make an expansion that captured the sense of wonder you feel when you look up at the stars, or when you mix baking soda in vinegar and watch it bubble over. We wanted silly explosions, giant plants, and hordes of cloned leper gnomes. For our science expansion, we needed someone special, someone beloved by Hearthstone players everywhere: Dr. Boom. Last seen in Goblins vs Gnomes, he's been busy. He's built a secret base in the Netherstorm, filled with the greatest minds on Azeroth. Well, at least the ones with no sense of self-preservation.

"And so the setting started to take shape. We'd have nine different labs, one for each class, catering to a different type of science. Mages are astronomers, shaman meteorologists. We started off with warlocks as mathematicians (math being, of course, the most evil of all the sciences), but we ended up shifting them into researching souls. Goblins vs Gnomes had embraced one aspect of science — the explosive bit — but The Boomsday Project takes on all of it.

"We had the flavor for the science set. How were we going to capture it in the cards? Every expansion has a mechanical personality. Journey to Un'Goro was the dinosaur set. It had oversized rewards in giant, powerful cards. Knights of the Frozen Throne was about being sinister. It had cards like Skulking Geist and Gnomeferatu that let you mess with your opponent more than usual. The Boomsday Project is about science. We want you to feel like a mad scientist, combining cards in wild and wacky ways. Magnetic lets you glue your minions together, Omega cards encourage careful planning, and crazy gadgets lead to all sorts of silly hijinks."

The expansion that became The Boomsday Project did not begin with the idea of featuring Dr. Boom as a central character. Instead, the creation of the set began with a desire to base an expansion around science and "giant robots punching each other". This led to the question of what the expansion's setting and central character would be. The Netherstorm made a lot of sense for the setting due to the large amount of science occurring in the World of Warcraft version of the zone, and in turn, Dr. Boom made sense as the expansion's main character.

As a way of calling back to the history of Dr. Boom, Blizzard wanted to tie The Boomsday Project and Goblins vs Gnomes together to a small extent. Thus, there are a handful of cards in The Boomsday Project that are reminiscent of cards from Goblins vs Gnomes.

When Blizzard started work on The Boomsday Project, they knew they wanted to bring the Mech minion type back in a big way and searched for a mechanic that celebrated Mechs but also felt different from the Mechs in Goblins vs Gnomes, the expansion that first introduced the minion type. They initially had the idea of Mechs that could "plug-and-play" into each other, leading to the creation of a minion mechanic called Modular with various experimental implementations. One version of Modular was a type of Choose One effect which presented the player with a choice of playing the card as a minion or attaching it to an existing minion as an enchantment. However, it felt overly clunky having to choose each time one played a Modular card. Ultimately, one designer had the idea of Modular minions being "sticky": they would attach to existing Mechs if played next to them, but would function as standalone minions if they weren't. The team iterated on the idea and came up with directional implementation, which acts like magnetic poles. From there, they changed the name of the Modular mechanic to Magnetic to better explain its functionality.

Teasers and announcement

A sneak peek at the content released during the Year of the Raven.

The Boomsday Project was first teased on February 27th, 2018, when Blizzard announced the changes and new content planned for the Year of the Raven, the third year of standard format. The announcement blog post and accompanying video included a teaser image for the planned three expansions of the year, with the second expansion being denoted with an image depicting what appeared to be an ethereal portal in the Netherstorm.

On July 9th, 2018, the day before the expansion's announcement, the official Hearthstone Twitter account posted an image of a sign indicating an emergency eye wash station. On the same day, the official Russian Twitter account posted a slightly different image along the same theme.

On the following day of July 10th, the official announcement video for The Boomsday Project (shown below) briefly appeared on the Hearthstone YouTube channel before being made unlisted, prematurely revealing the expansion. A few hours later, the video reappeared and the expansion was officially announced.

Card reveals

Following the initial announcement of the expansion, cards from the set began being revealed through official blog posts and videos posted by Blizzard. Card reveals from press and members of the Hearthstone community began following a card reveal livestream featuring Senior Game Designer Peter Whalen and caster Brian "bmkibler" Kibler on July 23, 2018. The final card reveal livestream, featuring Game Designer Mike Donais and Sean "Day[9]" Plott, is set to take place on August 1.

• 

  Card reveal schedule for July 15 through July 28.

• 

  Card reveal schedule for July 29 through July 31.

Over the weekend of August 4-5, a few days prior to the full launch of the expansion, players will have the opportunity to attend special Pre-Release Fireside Gatherings in select locations around the world, allowing them to open their The Boomsday Project card packs early and play with the cards from the new expansion in special Fireside Brawls.

Trivia

• The Boomsday Project appears to have been foreshadowed in the preceding expansion, The Witchwood: the Monster Hunt boss Experiment 3C has several quotes alluding to Dr. Boom, a lab, and the Netherstorm.
• The Boomsday Project is the first Hearthstone expansion to take place in a setting outside of Azeroth, specifically the Netherstorm in Outland.

Gallery

Key art

Key art

Trailer

Dr. Boom outside his laboratory

Growing into success with no regrets

Working with the best and brightest

Ginormous mechanical pneumatic gorilla robot arms for smashing everything

"We're exploding with opportunity!"

External links

• Official site - The Boomsday Project

Blogs

• Commence The Boomsday Project! (2018-08-07)
• Experience Pre-Release with the Twitch Community! (2018-07-30)
• The Boomsday Project: Lab Logs Part 3 (2018-07-30)
• The Boomsday Project Final Card Reveal Livestream (2018-07-27)
• Enter Boom Labs - Part 3 (2018-07-25)
• The Boomsday Project: Lab Logs Part 2 (2018-07-23)
• Hearthstone Digital Comic - Dr. Boom: Lowering the Boom (2018-07-21)
• Host a Super Sciencey Shindig for the Launch of The Boomsday Project! (2018-07-19)
• Hearthside Chat with Peter Whalen: Welcome to Boom Labs (2018-07-19)
• Enter Boom Labs – Part 2 (2018-07-18)
• The Boomsday Project: Card Reveal Schedule (2018-07-18)
• Hearthside Chat with Stephen Chang: Magnetic (2018-07-17)
• The Boomsday Project Pre-Release Parties Are Coming! (2018-07-17)
• The Boomsday Project: Lab Logs Part 1 (2018-07-16)
• Enter Boom Labs – Part 1 (2018-07-11)
• Announcing: The Boomsday Project (2018-07-10)