Blizzard just posted patch notes for 32.2.2, lauching today (most likely around 10 AM PT / 19:00 CET). The patch was already teased yesterday, and sadly, as we expected, it comes with no Constructed balance changes – only Battlegrounds.
However, Constructed players also have a treat of their own – The Embers of the World Tree mini-set is launching around the same time as the patch. A 39-cards mini-set will hopefully shake up the current (admittedly stale) meta.
As for the Battlegrounds, it’s a massive balance update with over 50 Hero/card changes, and even more Trinket changes. The overall goal was to tune down the most powerful strategies (like Tavern Spell Mechs and End of Turn Elementals) while trying to open new viable avenues for all minion types. They’re also getting rid of so-called “pivot” Trinkets (Greater Trinkets for a different minion type than the one you currently have at a discount – the idea was to “pivot” into another strategy in the late game, but it just doesn’t work in the current meta).
Learn more with the full patch notes below:
Battlegrounds updates, bug fixes, and the Into the Emerald Dream Mini-Set, Embers of the World Tree, go live today!
Hearthstone Updates
Scorch your opponents with the Into the Emerald Dream Mini-Set, Embers of the World Tree, unlocking today! The Embers of the World Tree has 38 all-new cards. Get them in Into the Emerald Dream packs, or as a complete 72-card* Mini-Set. Get the normal version for $14.99 or 2000 Gold, or get the all-Golden version for $69.99 or 10,000 Gold. The all-Golden version comes with a bonus Diamond copy of the Fyrakk, the Blazing Legendary minion! You can see cards from the Embers of the World Tree Mini-Set in the official Card Library.
* 4 Legendary cards, 2 Epic card (x2), 16 Rare cards (x2), and 16 Common cards (x2).
Dev Comment: There are no Hearthstone mode balance changes in this patch because we’d like the to see how the new mini-set cards influence the shape of the format before making other changes. The next balance window is coming shortly after launch, which is where we’ll take a look at meta outliers, new or existing. We also have another balance window before the next expansion, in early June, in case we need to make additional adjustments then.
Battlegrounds Updates
Dev Comment: This set of balance changes is primarily aimed at strengthening underperforming compositions and reducing the power of the two strongest compositions in the current meta, Tavern spell Mechs and End-of-Turn Elementals. At the same time, we generally aim to have at least two different options within each type, so we’re also buffing the Tavern-buff cards in Elementals and returning Kangor’s Apprentice to the minion pool. We also made a few Tier swaps for Naga and Demons, in anticipation of their relative power after these adjustments.
We’ve also made a ton of adjustments to Trinkets and are trying out a rule change to Greater Trinket offerings. We’ll be watching game data and player feedback after this change to decide if we should make this a permanent change.
The Greater Trinket slot that used to have a 50% chance to offer an untyped Trinket and a 50% chance of a discounted Trinket will now always offer an untyped Trinket. While the original intent of the “pivot” chance was to create opportunities for novel gameplay, we think the Turn 9 timing in the current meta will likely make a neutral Trinket the more compelling choice on average.
Lesser Trinket Updates
Gem Donation
Old: The first minion you sell each turn plays its Blood Gems on the 2 highest-Tier minions in the Tavern.
New: The first minion you sell each turn plays its Blood Gems on the 3 highest-Tier minions in the Tavern.
Cliffdiver Sticker
Old: At the end of each turn, give your left-most minion +3/+2. (Improved by each Battlecry you’ve triggered this turn!)
New: At the end of each turn, give your left-most minion +3/+3. (Improved by each Battlecry you’ve triggered this turn!)
Weary Portrait
Old: [7 Gold] Get a Weary Mage and a Coilskar Sapper. Your Weary Mages’ Spellcrafts are permanent.
New: [3 Gold] Get a Weary Mage. Your weary Mages’ Spellcrafts are permanent.
Shrine of Evolution
Old: [0 Gold] Transform all your minions into random Tier 3 minions.
New: [2 Gold] Transform all your minions into random Tier 4 minions.
Finley’s Helmet
Old: After each Refresh, give Murlocs in the Tavern +2/+2 and a random Bonus Keyword.
New: After each Refresh, give Murlocs in the Tavern +5/+5 and a random Bonus Keyword.
Sacrificial Altar
Old: [2 Gold] Remove all your minions. Gain 3 Gold for each removed.
New: [4 Gold] Remove all your minions. Gain 4 Gold for each removed.
Vibrant Bubble
Old: [2 Gold] Spellcraft: Give a Murloc 2 random Bonus Keywords.
New: [1 Gold] Spellcraft: Give a Murloc a random Bonus Keyword.
Fountain Pen
Old: Your Elementals that give stats grant an extra +1/+1.
New: Your Elementals that give stats grant an extra +2/+1.
Bleeding Heart
Old: After 7 friendly minions die, get a random Undead.
New: After 8 friendly minions die, get a random Undead.
Archaic Scroll
Old: After you cast 6 spells, get a random Tavern spell.
New: After you cast 7 spells, get a random Tavern spell.
Unholy Sanctum
Old: Whenever you trigger a Deathrattle, give your right-most minion +3/+3 permanently.
New: Whenever you trigger a Deathrattle, give your right-most minion +3/+2 permanently.
Goldgrubber Portrait
Old: [6 Gold] Get a Golden Goldgrubber.
New: [2 Gold] Get a Goldgrubber and an Aureate Laureate.
Eclectic Shrine
Old: [0 Gold] Start of Combat: Give a friendly minion of each different type +2/+2. Improve this permanently.
New: [1 Gold] Start of Combat: Give a friendly minion of each different type +3/+2. Improve this permanently.
Glowing Gauntlet
Old: [1 Gold] Minions in the Tavern have +3/+3.
New: [2 Gold] Minions in the Tavern have +4/+4.
Booty Bay Brew
Old: [0 Gold] Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +1/+2.
New: [2 Gold] Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +2/+3.
Heart of the Forest
Old: [1 Gold] Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1/+1.
New: [2 Gold] Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +2/+1.
Impulsive Portrait
Old: [0 Gold] Get an Impulsive Trickster. Your Impulsive Tricksters’ Deathrattles target adjacent minions.
New: [1 Gold] Get a 6/6 Impulsive Trickster. Your Impulsive Tricksters’ Deathrattles target adjacent minions.
Explorer’s Binoculars
Old: [1 Gold] Get two random Tier 4 minions.
New: [2 Gold] Get three random Tier 4 minions.
Golden Pendant
Old: Make a random friendly minion from Tier 3 or below Golden. At the start of every 2 turns, repeat this.
New: Make a random friendly minion from Tier 3 or below Golden. At the start of each turn, repeat this.
Wicket Tome
Old: [2 Gold] Avenge (4): Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1 Attack this game.
New: [3 Gold] Avenge (3): Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1 Attack this game.
Innkeeper’s Hearth
Old: [1 Gold] Discover a minion of your Tier. Set its stats to 10/10.
New: [3 Gold] Discover a minion of your Tier. Set its stats to 15/15.
Marvelous Mushroom
Old: [2 Gold]
New: [1 Gold]
Blingtron’s Sunglass
Old: [6 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Tarecgosa Sticker
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [2 Gold]
Tough Tusk Sticker
Old: [2 Gold]
New: [1 Gold]
War Drum
Old: [1 Gold]
New: [0 Gold]
Divine Signet
Old: [6 Gold]
New: [5 Gold]
Gritty Portrait
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [7 Gold]
Quilligraphy Set
Old: [2 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Spell-powered Wrench
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Electromagnetic Device
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Yu’lon Sticker
Old: [0 Gold]
New: [2 Gold]
Horn of Summoning
Old: [3 Gold]
New: [2 Gold]
Vash’jir Anemone
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Implicator Portrait
Old: [1 Gold]
New: [0 Gold]
Beetle Band
Now banned from Onyxia.
Primordial Terrarium
Removed from the pool.
Selfless Portrait
Removed from the pool.
Greater Trinket Updates
Blood Golem Sticker
Old: [0 Gold] Whenever a friendly Quilboar dies, summon a Golem with stats equal to its Blood Gems. (2 times per combat.)
New: [4 Gold] Whenever a friendly Quilboar dies, summon a Golem with stats equal to its Blood Gems. (3 times per combat.)
Reinforced Shield
Old: Whenever you summon a minion, give it Divine Shield. (4 timers per combat.)
New: Whenever you summon a minion, give it Divine Shield. (5 times per combat.)
Battle Horn
Old: [0 Gold] Discover a Battlecry minion. Avenge (3): Trigger a friendly Battlecry.
New: [1 Gold] Discover a Battlecry minion. Avenge (2): Trigger a friendly Battlecry.
Hackerfin Portrait
Old: [3 Gold] Get a Hackerfin. Your Hackerfins also trigger at the end of each turn.
New: [4 Gold] Get a Hackerfin. At the end of each turn, trigger your Hackerfins’ Battlecries.
Heart of the Forest
Old: [0 Gold] Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +2/+2.
New: [2 Gold] Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +3/+3.
Toxic Stinger
Old: [3 Gold] At the end of each turn, give a random friendly Murloc +7/+7 and Venomous.
New: [2 Gold] At the end of each turn, give a random friendly Murloc +10/+10 and Venomous.
Fountain Pen
Old: [2 Gold] Your Elementals that give stats grant an extra +2/+2.
New: [3 Gold] Your Elementals that give stats grant an extra +4/+2.
Feral Talisman
Old: Your minions have +6/+4.
New: Your minions have +8/+5.
Extravagant Scale
Old: [0 Gold] When you spend 20 Gold, double your minions’ Attack. (Once per game.)
New: [2 Gold] When you spend 20 Gold, double your minions’ Attack. (Twice per game.)
Innkeeper’s Hearth
Old: [0 Gold] Discover a Tier 6 minion. Set its stats to 20/20.
New: [2 Gold] Discover two Tier 6 minions. Set their stats to 20/20.
Booty Bay Brew
Old: Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +3/+4.
New: Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +4/+5.
Hogwash Basin
Old: Start of Combat: Play 4 Blood Gems on all your minions.
New: Start of Combat: Play 3 Blood Gems on all your minions.
Wizard’s Pipe
Old: Whenever you cast a Tavern spell, give your minions with no type +6/+6.
New: Whenever you cast a Tavern spell, give your minions with no type +5/+5.
Poet Portrait
Old: [0 Gold] Get a Persistent Poet and a Prized Promo-Drake.
New: [4 Gold] Get a Persistent Poet, a Prized Promo Drake, and a Bronze Steward.
Wicked Tome
Old: Avenge (4): Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1/+1 this game.
New: Avenge (3): Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1/+1 this game.
Theotar Sticker
Old: After you play a minion with no type, give a friendly minion of each type +5/+5.
New: After you play a minion with no type, give a friendly minion of each type +6/+6.
Gilded Anchor
Old: [0 Gold] At the end of each turn, give your Golden minions +6/+6.
New: [1 Gold] At the end of each turn, give your Golden minions +8/+8.
Artanis Sticker
Now only Immortal or Mothership can be offered.
Mecha-Jaraxxus Sticker
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Behemoth Portrait
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Rivendare Portrait
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Dazzling Dagger
Old: [3 Gold]
New: [2 Gold]
Bronze Timepiece
Old: [2 Gold]
New: [6 Gold]
Czarina Portrait
Old: [8 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Shaker Portrait
Old: [3 Gold]
New: [6 Gold]
Electromagnetic Device
Old: [6 Gold]
New: [4 Gold]
Beetle Band
Old: [6 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Thaumaturgist Portrait
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [6 Gold]
Aggem Sticker
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [5 Gold]
Unholy Sanctum
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [5 Gold]
Bristlebach Portrait
Old: [6 Gold]
New: [7 Gold]
Nazjatar Postcard
Old: [3 Gold]
New: [4 Gold]
Fancy Spellbook
Old: [2 Gold]
New: [3 Gold]
Balladist Portrait
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [6 Gold]
All-Purpose Kibble
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [6 Gold]
Butcher’s Sickle
Old: [8 Gold]
New: [7 Gold]
Turbocharged Drill
Old: [5 Gold]
New: [4 Gold]
Boom’s Monster Portrait
Old: [6 Gold]
New: [5 Gold]
Great Boar Sticker
Old: [1 Gold]
New: [2 Gold]
S’Thara Sticker
Old: [1 Gold]
New: [0 Gold]
Nether Pendant
Old: [1 Gold]
New: [0 Gold]
Eye of Sargeras
Old: [4 Gold]
New: [5 Gold]
Guiding Candle
Old: [3 Gold]
New: [4 Gold]
Hero Updates
Hero Power Update
Dinotamer Brann
Old: Passive. After you buy 6 Battlecry minions, get a Brann Bronzebeard. (Once per game.)
New: Passive. After you buy 5 Battlecry minions, get a Brann Bronzebeard. (Once per game.)
Armor Reductions
Forest Lord Cenarius now has 12 Armor and 9 Armor in Duos.
Buttons now has 13 Armor at higher ranks and 9 Armor in Duos, still has 10 Armor at lower ranks.
Minion and Spell Updates
Minion Pool Changes
Low Flier, Arm of the Empire, and Slippery Slider have been removed from the minion pool.
General Drakkisath, Hunter of Gatherers, Adaptive Ancestor, Coast Guard, Kangor’s Apprentice, Darkcrest Strategist, Handless Forsaken, and Daggerspine Thrasher have been added to the minion pool.
Minion Changes
Tauren Spiritwalker
Old: 6/5. You cast 1 spell each turn twice.
New: 7/5. You cast 1 Tavern spell each turn twice.
Silithid Burrower
Old: 5/1. Deathrattle: Give your Beasts +1/+1. Avenge (3): Improve this by +1/+1 permanently.
New: 5/4. Deathrattle: Give your Beasts +1/+1. Avenge (1): Improve this by +1/+1 permanently.
Gentle Stag
Old: Whenever you summon a minion in combat, give your right-most Beast +2/+2 permanently.
New: Whenever you summon a minion in combat, give your right-most Beast +3/+3 permanently.
Valiant Tiger
Old: 4/3. Taunt. Deathrattle: Give your right-most Beast +4/+3 permanently.
New: 5/5. Taunt. Deathrattle: Give your right-most Beast +5/+5 permanently.
Ashen Corruptor
Old: [Tier 4] 5/5
New: [Tier 5] 6/6
Shadowdancer
Old: [Tier 5] 5/2
New: [Tier 4] 4/2
Fire-forged Evoker
Old: Start of Combat: Give your Dragons +1/+1. After you cast 2 Tavern spells, improve this.
New: Start of Combat: Give your Dragons +2/+1. After you cast a Tavern spell, improve this.
Spirited Whimsydrake
Old: [Tier 5]
New: [Tier 4]
Greenskeeper
Old: 2/7
New: 4/8
Bronze Steward
Old: 7/3. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Give your other Dragons +7 Attack.
New: 10/2. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Give your other Dragons +10 Attack.
Technical Element
Old: [Tier 5] 10/10
New: [Tier 2] 4/5
Amplifying Lightspawn
Old: [Tier 6] 5/9. At the end of your turn, your Elementals that give stats grant an extra +1/+1 this game.
New: [Tier 5] 3/8. At the end of your turn, your Elementals that give stats grant an extra +1 Health each turn. (Swaps to Attack next turn!)
Lokholar, Frostforger
Old: [Tier 5] 7/5. At the end of your turn, give your other minions +2/+2.
New: [Tier 6] 8/5. At the end of your turn, give your other Elementals +3/+2.
Blazing Greasefire
Old: At the end of your turn, give Elementals in the Tavern +3/+2 this game.
New: At the end of your turn, give Elementals in the Tavern +4/+4 this game.
Dancing Barnstormer
Old: Battlecry and Deathrattle: Give Elementals in the Tavern +2/+2 this game.
New: Battlecry and Deathrattle: Give Elementals in the Tavern +4/+4 this game.
Land Lubber
Old: [Tier 3]
New: [Tier 2]
Electron, Powered Up
Old: 5/5. After you cast 2 Tavern spells, Magnetize a 3/3 Satellite to all your Mechs.
New: 6/6. At the end of your turn, Magnetize a 3/3 Satellite to all your Mechs.
Ancestral Automaton
Old: Has +2/+2 for each other Ancestral Automaton you’ve summoned this game (wherever this is).
New: Has +3/+2 for each other Ancestral Automaton you’ve summoned this game (wherever this is).
Grimscale Elegist
Old: 2/1
New: 3/2
Shoalfin Mystic
Old: Battlecry: Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1 Health this game.
New: Battlecry: Your Tavern spells that give stats grant an extra +1/+1 this game.
Gormling Gourmet
Old: 2/2
New: 4/3
Apprentice of Sefin
Old: [Tier 4] Battlecry: Give a Murloc +4/+4 and a random Bonus Keyword.
New: [Tier 5] At the end of your turn, gain +4/+4 and a random Bonus Keyword.
Hackerfin
Old: 6/3. Battlecry: Give your other minions +3/+3 for each Bonus Keyword they have.
New: 5/3. Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +1/+1. (Improved by each different Bonus Keyword in your warband!)
Coilskar Sapper
Old: 5/4
New: 3/2
Weary Mage
Old: [Tier 3] 4/1
New: [Tier 4] 5/1
Slumber Sorcerer
Old: [Tier 5]
New: [Tier 4]
Defiant Shipwright
Old: [Tier 3] 3/6
New: [Tier 2] 2/5
Starry-eyed Explorer
Old: 3/4
New: 5/5
Goldgrubber
Old: 2/2. At the end of your turn, gain +2/+2 for each friendly Golden minion.
New: 3/3. At the end of your turn, gain +3/+3 for each friendly Golden minion.
Dastardly Drust
Old: 5/4. Whenever you get a Pirate, give your other minions +1/+1. Give Golden ones +2/+2 instead.
New: 6/4. Whenever you get a Pirate, give your minions +1/+2. Give Golden ones +2/+3 instead.
Glowgullet Warlord (Golden only)
Old: Deathrattle: Summon two 1/1 Quilboar with Taunt. Play 2 Blood Gems on them.
New: Deathrattle: Summon two 2/2 Quilboar with Taunt. Play 2 Blood Gems on them.
Dreaming Thornweaver
Old: 2/6
New: 2/8
Corrupted Bristler
Old: [Tier 3]
New: [Tier 4]
Darkgaze Elder
Old: [Tier 6] 6/7. Whenever you spend 6 Gold, play a Blood Gem on three friendly Quilboar.
New: [Tier 5] 5/6. Whenever you spend 6 Gold, play a Blood Gem on all your Quilboar.
Three Lil’ Quilboar
Old: [Tier 5] Deathrattle: Play 3 Blood Gems on your Quilboar.
New: [Tier 6] Deathrattle: Play 3 Blood Gems on all your Quilboar.
Dev Comment: The text update is a non-functional change just for clarity.
Anub’arak, Nerubian King
Old: [Tier 4] 4/3
New: [Tier 3] 3/2
Drustfallen Butcher
Old: 2/8. Avenge (5): Get a Butchering.
New: 2/9. Avenge (4): Get a Butchering.
Noisul of the Many Faces
Old: 2/9. Whenever you summon an Undead, give four friendly Undead +1/+1 permanently.
New: 3/9. Whenever you summon an Undead, give all friendly Undead +2/+1 permanently.
Catacomb Crasher
Old: 5/10. Whenever you would summon a minion that doesn’t fit in your warband, give your minions +1/+1 permanently.
New: 6/10. Whenever you would summon a minion that doesn’t fit in your warband, give your Undead +2/+2 permanently.
Arcane Behemoth
Old: Taunt. After you sell an Elemental, gain half its stats.
New: Taunt. After you sell an Elemental, gain its stats.
Spell Changes
Natural Blessing
Old: Choose a minion. Give all minions that share a type with it +2/+2.
New: Choose a minion. Give all minions that share a type with it +3/+3.
Seafood Stew
Old: Give a minion +1/+1 for each Bonus Keyword it has.
New: Give a minion +1/+1. Repeat for each different Bonus Keyword in your warband.
Bug Fixes and Game Improvements
[Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where players who got Creature of Madness from opening an Into the Emerald Dream Pack (meaning, after the initial claim period) only got one copy instead of two. After this fix is live, we will do a separate grant to affected players so that they get their second copy.
[Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug with Floating Watcher causing lag in late-game Demon compositions.
[Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where Spirited Whimsydrake could pull minions that were no longer in the minion pool.
[Battlegrounds] Made a text-only correction to Guzzle the Goop.
[Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where Hackerfin was missing its VFX.
A Hearthstone player and writer from Poland, Stonekeep has been in a love-hate relationship with Hearthstone since Closed Beta. Over that time, he has achieved many high Legend climbs and infinite Arena runs. He's the current admin of Hearthstone Top Decks.
