This meaning of 'hero' is mostly cosmetic, with no gameplay difference between two heroes of the same class. Golden heroes are versions of the classic heroes with gold UI elements, similar to golden cards. One classic hero of each class is available to new players, while alternate heroes are obtainable through purchase or awards. Each hero represents a class, and can be used in any games played with a deck of that type, making each hero a 'skin' for its class. A hero is a collectible individual from Warcraft lore, with its own portrait, personality and style.This meaning of 'hero' pertains specifically to game mechanics within a battle.
If a player's hero dies, they lose that game. Heroes have attributes like Health, take damage, and can sometimes even attack, just as minions do. In Hearthstone, this concept is expressed in three interrelated but distinct ways: A hero is a character in the Warcraft universe representing the player.
