Quote from Blizzard

Hearthstone balance changes, Battlegrounds updates, and some bug fixes go live today!

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Hearthstone Updates

Dev Comment: Well met! We want to share a quick update covering two things: a small set of balance changes and the current status of Quests. The meta features a wide variety of decks across classes and strategies, balanced well against each other, so we've avoided major changes that could disrupt things ahead of the mini-set launch. Instead, we focused on a couple of play patterns that needed adjustment.

Amirdrassil has been the strongest card in Druid since its release, especially in Owlonius Druid where it fuels the OTK gameplan. This change slows it down and makes it riskier to keep in the mulligan.

Reserved Spot has been enabling explosive early turns in Handbuff Hunter, so we've made it a bit slower and more measured to reduce those blowouts.

We've been following community discussions around the power level of Quests and appreciate everyone who's taken the time to share their thoughts. Our goal this expansion was to bring Quests closer to the level they reached in their first two appearances, rather than the overperformance seen with Questlines in United in Stormwind. For that reason, we're not making further Quest buffs in this patch, but we'll continue monitoring their power level following the mini-set.

Amirdrassil

• Old: 4 mana.
• New: 5 mana.

Reserved Spot

• Old: 3 mana.
• New: 4 mana.

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Battlegrounds Updates

Dev Comment: This patch primarily targets the overperformance of cycling Elementals, Flotsam Flinger Murlocs, and spell-buffing Undead, while also rebalancing Stomping Stegodon Beasts. We're also buffing underperformers such as Goldrinn Beasts, Demons, and Quilboar that synergize with Blood Gems played from hand.

The adjustment to Stomping Stegodon (granting +2 Attack but no Health) is intended to reduce the comp's snowballing potential when minions survive too long in combat, which can lead to frustrating play patterns (especially in Duos). To compensate for the now more fragile Stegodon builds, we're bringing back P-0UL-TR-0N to give the strategy more late-game potential.

We will continue to monitor the meta as it develops and make additional adjustments as needed. Thank you for all you feedback so far on the new season and we'll see you in the Tavern!

Hero Updates

Armor Changes

The following Heroes now have less Armor:

• Ini Stormcoil has 12 Armor, 6 Armor in Duos, and 10 Armor in low ranks
• Millificent Manastorm has 16 Armor, 5 Armor in Duos, and 13 Armor in low ranks
• Fungalmancer Flurgl has 14 Armor, 15 Armor in Duos, and 12 Armor in low ranks
• Ozumat has 15 Armor, 7 Armor in Duos, and 13 Armor in low ranks
• Ragnaros the Firelord has 16 Armor, 13 Armor in Duos, and 14 Armor in low ranks
• Sneed has 18 Armor, and 15 Armor in Duos
• Onyxia has 16 Armor, and 14 Armor in Duos

The following Heroes now have more Armor:

• Master Nguyen has 12 Armor, and 10 Armor in Duos
• Scabbs Cutterbutter has 16 Armor, and 14 Armor in Duos
• Sire Denathrius has 13 Armor, and 11 Armor in Duos
• Elise Starseeker has 15 Armor, and 13 Armor in Duos
• Lich Baz'hial has 20 Armor, and 18 Armor in Duos
• Heistbaron Togwaggle has 14 Armor, and 12 Armor in Duos
• Rock Master Voone has 14 Armor, 15 Armor in Duos, and 12 Armor in low ranks
• Inge, the Iron Hymn has 15 Armor, 10 Armor in Duos, and 13 Armor in low ranks
• Thorim, Stormlord has 15 Armor, and 13 Armor in Duos
• Snake Eyes has 9 Armor, and 7 Armor in Duos
• Marin the Manager has 12 Armor, and 10 Armor in Duos
• Zerek, Master Cloner has 17 Armor, and 15 Armor in Duos
• Farseer Nobundo has 13 Armor, and 11 Armor in Duos
• Loh, the Living Legend has 18 Armor, and 16 Armor in Duos

Minion and Spell Updates

Minion Changes

Nalaa the Redeemer

• Old: 5/7. Whenever you cast a Tavern spell, give a friendly minion of each type +2/+1.
• New: 5/8. Whenever you cast a Tavern spell, give a friendly minion of each type +2/+2.

Stomping Stegodon

• Old: 3/3. Rally: Give your other Beasts +1/+1 and this Rally.
• New: 4/4. Rally: Give your other Beasts +2 Attack and this Rally.

Raptor Elder

• Old: 2/7. Your Beasts have +1/+1. (Improved by each Beast you've summoned this combat!)
• New: 2/8. Your Beasts have +2/+2. (Improved by each Beast you've summoned this combat!)

Mama Bear

• Old: 4/4. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +4/+4.
• New: 5/5. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +5/+5.

Goldrinn, the Great Wolf

• Old: 4/4. Deathrattle: For the rest of this combat, your Beasts have +4/+4.
• New: 5/5. Deathrattle: For the rest of this combat, your Beasts have +5/+5.

Stray Satyr

• Old: 1/6
• New: 2/6

Insatiable Ur'zul

• Old: 4/6. Taunt. After you play a Demon, consume a minion in the Tavern to gain its stats.
• New: 4/7. Taunt. After you play a Demon, consume 2 minions in the Tavern to gain their stats.

Silent Enforcer

• Old: 7/2. Taunt. Deathrattle: Deal 4 damage to all non-Demon minions.
• New: 8/2. Taunt. Deathrattle: Deal 4 damage to all minions (except friendly Demons).

Nimble Hatchling

• Old: [Tier 4]
• New: [Tier 5]

Twilight Watcher

• Old: 3/7. Whenever a friendly Dragon attacks, give your Dragons +1/+3.
• New: 3/8. Whenever a friendly Dragon attacks, give your Dragons +1/+2.

Blue Whelp

• Old: 2/6
• New: 1/5

Lantern Lava

• Old: [Tier 4] 4/4
• New: [Tier 5] 5/5

Gleaming Trader

• Old: 3/6. Divine Shield After a friendly minion loses Divine Shield, your minions have +2 Attack for the rest of this combat.
• New: 3/8. Divine Shield After a friendly minion loses Divine Shield, your minions have +3 Attack for the rest of this combat.

Flotsam Flinger

• Old: 3/6. At the end of your turn, trigger the Battlecries of your minions from Tier 3 or below.
• New: 3/7. At the start of your turn, trigger the Battlecries of your minions from Tier 3 or below.

Magicfin Mycologist

• Old: [Tier 5] 2/8
• New: [Tier 6] 4/8

Bassgill

• Old: [Tier 4] 6/2
• New: [Tier 3] 5/2

Coldlight Diver

• Old: 4/1
• New: 3/1

Greedy Snaketongue

• Old: 3/6
• New: 2/4

Sundered Matriarch

• Old: [Tier 5] 6/3. Whenever you cast a spell, give your minions +1 Health.
• New: [Tier 6] 7/4. Whenever you cast a spell, give your minions +2 Health.

Deep Blue Crooner

• Old: 2/2. Spellcraft: Give a minion +2/+2 until next turn. Improve your future Deep Blues.
• Old: Deep Blues: Give a minion +2/+2 until next turn. Improve your future Deep Blues.
• New: 2/3. Spellcraft: Give a minion +2/+3 until next turn. Improve your future Deep Blues.
• New: Deep Blues: Give a minion +2/+3 until next turn. Improve your future Deep Blues.

Bigwig Bandit

• Old: [Tier 3] 3/4
• New: [Tier 4] 4/6

Lost City Looter

• Old: [Tier 4] 5/5
• New: [Tier 3] 2/2

Captain Sanders

• Old: Battlecry: Make a friendly Pirate Golden.
• New: Battlecry: Make a friendly minion from Tier 6 or below Golden.

Hot-Air Surveyor

• Old: [Tier 5] 5/8
• New: [Tier 4] 3/7

Gem Smuggler

• Old: [Tier 4] 3/4. Battlecry: Play a Blood Gems on all your other minions.
• New: [Tier 5] 4/5. Battlecry: Play 2 Blood Gems on all your other minions.

Friendly Geist

• Old: [Tier 5] 7/3. Deathrattle: Your Tavern spells that gives stats grant an extra +2 Attack this game.
• New: [Tier 4] 6/3. Deathrattle: Your Tavern spells that gives stats grant an extra +1 Attack this game.

Anub'arak, Nerubian King

• Old: [Tier 4] 4/3
• New: [Tier 3] 3/2

Ride-or-Die

• Old: 2/2
• New: 3/2

Eternal Knight

• Old: 5/1. Has +1/+1 for each friendly Eternal Knight that died this game (wherever this is).
• New: 4/1. Has +2/+1 for each friendly Eternal Knight that died this game (wherever this is).

Jelly Belly

• Old: 3/4. After a friendly minion is Reborn, gain +1/+2 permanently.
• New: 2/3. After a friendly minion is Reborn, gain +2/+3 permanently.

Noisul of the Many Faces

• Old: 3/9. Whenever you summon an Undead, give all your Undead +1/+1 permanently.
• New: 4/10. Whenever you summon an Undead, give all your Undead +2/+1 permanently.

Dev Comment: The following minions received text updates to better reflect their intended functionality, with no gameplay changes made.

Sky Admiral Rogers

• Old: Whenever you spend 9 Gold, get a random Bounty. (9 left!)
• New: After you spend 9 Gold, get a random Bounty. (9 left!)

Vine Climber

• Old: After you play an Elemental, give it +2/+2. (Improved by each minion you've played this turn!)
• New: Whenever you play an Elemental, give it +2/+2. (Improved by each minion you've played this turn!)

Holo Rover

• Old: Rally: Get a random Magnetic Mech.
• New: Divine Shield. Rally: Get a random Magnetic Mech.

Spell Changes

Selfish Bounty

• Old: Give a minion +6/+6.
• New: Give your left-most minion +6/+6.

Sanctify

• Old: 2 cost.
• New: 1 cost.

Nimble Wingbeat

• Old: Give a Dragon +10 Health and Windfury.
• New: Give a Dragon +8 Health and Windfury.

Mounting Avalanche

• Old: Sell a friendly minion. Then choose an Elemental to give its stats to.
• New: Sell a friendly minion. Give its stats to your left-most Elemental.

Minion and Spell Pool Changes

Minion Changes

The following Minions have been removed from the minion pool:

• Windfall Tornado
• Mooncatcher
• Young Murk-Eye
• Exceptional Caretaker
• Bannerboar

The following Minions are returning to the minion pool:

• Tardy Traveler
• P-0UL-TR-0N
• Crater Miner
• Mrglin' Burglar
• Accord-o-Tron

Quest Reward Pool Changes

Anima Bribe has been removed from the Quest pool. Wondrous Wisdomball has been added back into the Quest pool.

The following Quest Rewards are easier to complete:

• Rallying Cry
• Tumbling Disaster
• The Golden Hammer
• Snicker Snacks
• Perpetual Incantation

The following Quest Rewards are more difficult to complete:

• Magicfin Relic
• Temporal Tampering

Grim Freshener

• Old: Avenge (3): Gain a free Refresh.
• New: Avenge (2): Gain a free Refresh.

Cycle of Energy

• Old: Avenge (4): Get a random Tavern spell.
• New: Avenge (3): Get a random Tavern spell.

Cooked Book

• Old: After you buy a minion, give it +1/+1 and upgrade this.
• New: After you buy a minion, give it +2/+2 and upgrade this.

Jumbo Warehouse

• Old: At the start of your next turn, gain 8 Gold and choose a Greater Trinket to buy.
• New: At the start of your next turn, gain 4 Gold and choose a Greater Trinket to buy.

Quaint Boutique

• Old: At the start of your next turn, gain 8 Gold and choose a Lesser Trinket to buy.
• New: At the start of your next turn, gain 4 Gold and choose a Lesser Trinket to buy.

Trinket Changes

Behemoth Portrait has been removed from the trinket pool.

Gameplay Updates

In order to allow for enough time to strategize during the more complex turns later in the game, the turn timer has been increased by 10 seconds starting round 9 and after.

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Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where Motley Phalanx did not give permanent stats and returned it to the minion pool.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where Dune Dweller affected opponent's Taverns as well when triggered in combat.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a mismatch between the text and functionality of Golden Goldrinn, the Great Wolf so its stat increase now correctly reflects the intended value.