And yes, the swamp in Haven suffers a bit because instead of the beloved snails, all sorts of "zephyrs" (for cyclops) and other phoenix-like creatures drop. On the other hand, there are three stacks at the start, and fans can pick Bron (although his number seems to have been reduced).
And yes, you can play as heroes. Personally, I haven't played online in a while. Although, when I remember how long the matches lasted, and that this was the main reason I stopped playing...
To sell my soul