Hearthstone’s Into the Emerald Dream is getting two new keywords: Imbue and Dark Gifts. It’s also expanding the Choose One keyword.
Last week, Blizzard shared the 2025 Hearthstone roadmap with players. This roadmap reiterated that Year of the Raptor's first expansion is Into the Emerald Dream. Blizzard also announced that the expansion would include card reveals leading up to its release, a pre-release Tavern Brawl, an in-game event, Core Set updates, a new rewards track, and more. Now, however, Blizzard has revealed that Into the Emerald Dream is getting two new keywords: Imbue and Dark Gifts. The expansion is also expanding the Choose One keyword.
Hearthstone expands Choose One keyword
Traditionally, the Druid class has cards with the Choose One keyword to offer lots of flexibility in gameplay. However, Blizzard is now expanding this keyword to more classes. For example, the Warriors class has the Ominous Nightmares Shadow spell. Meanwhile, the Rogue class gets the Barbed Thorn weapon.
How the Imbue keyword works in Hearthstone
In Hearthstone, whenever a Druid, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, and Shaman player uses an Imbue card, they'll get a new Imbued hero power specific to their chosen class. Then, each subsequent time they use their hero power, the numbers in the hero power's text improve.
Let's take a look at the Umbraclaw minion. This Beast belongs to the Hunter class. When played, the Imbue keyword changes the basic Hunter hero power to "Blessing of the Wolf." This hero power gives a random Beast in the player's hand +1 attack and makes it cost 1 mana less. Then, when the player uses the Imbued hero power, the buff becomes +1 attack and the mana reduction becomes 2.
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Hearthstone Dark Gifts keyword explained
Next, we have the new Dark Gifts keyword in Hearthstone. Dark Gifts are essentially power-ups for minions that go with Discover options for the Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Rogue, Warlock, and Warrior classes. A couple of cards with this keyword include Treacherous Tormentor and Darkrider.
According to Blizzard, there are also "10 different Dark Gifts that can be applied to your minion Discover options." Additionally, whenever you Discover with a Dark Gift card, you'll get to choose from Dark Gifts "tied to the three different minions."
- +3 Attack and Lifesteal
- +2/+2 and Elusive
- Costs (2) less, but has -2 Attack. (Only offered on minions whose Attack would not reduce below 1)
- Charge
- When you play this, summon a 2/2 copy of it.
- This minion’s Battlecries trigger twice. (Only offered on minions with Battlecries)
- +4 Health and Taunt
- Reborn. Is Reborn with full health and enchantments.
- +4/+5. Place this card on top of your deck.
- Divine Shield, Windfury
Free Ysera, Emerald Aspect card in Hearthstone
If you log in to Hearthstone now, then you can get the Ysera, Emerald Aspect legendary card for free. This Dragon is a neutral card as well, which means you can add it to any deck.
There are also two copies of the Creature of Madness minion up for grabs via Hearthstone's in-game shop.
Into the Emerald Dream theorycrafting event and more
As for other Hearthstone events to look out for, the aforementioned pre-release Tavern Brawl runs between March 18 and 25, Meanwhile, the Community Days event lets you earn some free card packs between March 18 and 22 Community Days. Finally, there's the Into the Emerald Dream stream kicking off on March 13.
That's all for now. Are you excited about the new Hearthstone expansion? Stick around on esports.gg for more news and updates.
