(Update: Live Now!) Patch 22.2.2 Is Coming Out Today! Big Battlegrounds Balance Changes, Duels Update & Hotfixes

Blizzard has just announced an unexpected update. Update: The patch is live now on both PC and mobile! It looks like it's a client-only update on mobile so you don't have to download anything from the store, which means that they could push it out together with a PC patch.

The patch focuses mostly on Battlegrounds balance changes. Over 30 buddies are getting nerfed or buffed, which should heavily impact the Battlegrounds meta. Hamuul Runetotem is also removed from the minion pool, which will make some late-game strategies a bit weaker. Additionally, we're getting some smaller changes to Duels (nerf to one of Vanndar's Hero Powers, moving some overperforming Treasures to Ultra Rare pool) and general bug fixes.

Read full patch notes below:

Patch 22.2.2, launching today, includes balance changes for Battlegrounds and Duels, along with a handful of bug fixes.

Battlegrounds Updates

MINION POOL CHANGE

• Archdruid Hamuul has been removed from the minion pool.

BUDDY CHANGES
Elementium Squirrel Bomb (Millificent Manastorm’s Buddy)

• Old: Deathrattle: Deal 4 damage to a random enemy minion. Repeat for each of your Mechs that died this combat. → New: Deathrattle: Deal 3 damage to a random enemy minion for each of your Mechs that died this combat.

Eclipsion Illidari (Illidan Stormrage’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] “Wingmen” also gives “Immune while Attacking” for one attack only. → New: [Tavern Tier 3] Your first minion that attacks has “Immune while Attacking” for one attack only.

Snack Vendor (A.F. Kay’s Buddy)

• Old: At the end of your turn, give your Tavern Tier 3 minions +1/+1. → New: At the end of your turn, give your Tavern Tier 3 minions +1/+2.

Captain Fairmount (Cariel Roame’s Buddy)

• Old: At the end of your turn, give three random friendly minions +1/+1. → New: At the end of your turn, give five random friendly minions +1/+1.

Ticket Collector (Tickatus’s Buddy)

• Old: Battlecry: Discover a Darkmoon Prize from the most recent Prize turn. → New: Battlecry: Discover a Darkmoon Prize from the next Prize turn.

Muckslinger (Shudderwock’s Buddy)

• Old: After you play a minion, add a Battlecry minion to Bob’s Tavern. → New: After you play a minion, add a Battlecry minion to Bob’s Tavern. Give it +2/+2.
• [Golden version] Old: After you play a minion, add two Battlecry minions to Bob’s Tavern. → New: After you play a minion, add a Battlecry minion to Bob’s Tavern. Give it +4/+4.

Crabby (Tavish Stormpike’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 5 Attack, 3 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 4] 2 Attack, 3 Health

Karl the Lost (George the Fallen’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 7 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 4] 3 Attack, 4 Health

Baby Elekk (Xyrella’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]

Mishmash (The Curator’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 3] 2 Attack, 2 Health

Valithria Dreamwalker (Ysera’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 4] 6 Attack, 4 Health

Master Gadrin (Vol’jin’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] → New: [Tavern Tier 4]

Arfus (The Lich King’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]

Tuskarr Raider (Patches the Pirate’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] → New: [Tavern Tier 4]

Bilgewater Mogul (Trade Prince Gallywix’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] → New: [Tavern Tier 4]

Sparkfin Soothsayer (Fungalmancer Flurgl’s Buddy)

• Old: 7 Attack, 5 Health → New: 5 Attack, 4 Health

Asher the Haberdasher (Dancin’ Deryl’s Buddy)

• Old: 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: 2 Attack, 2 Health

Magnus Manastorm (Millhouse Manastorm’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]

Unearthed Underling (Lich Baz’hial’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] → New: [Tavern Tier 4]

Hunter of Old (Tess Greymane’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 4] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]

Warden Thelwater (Scabbs Cutterbutter’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 4] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]

Flight Trainer (Galewing’s Buddy)

• Old: 4 Attack, 3 Health → New: 5 Attack, 4 Health

Baby Kodo (Guff Runtetotem’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 4] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]

Lady Sinestra (Deathwing’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 3 Attack, 8 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 1 Attack, 6 Health

Lil’ K.T. (Mr. Bigglesworth’s Buddy)

• Old: 5 Attack, 2 Health → New: 5 Attack, 4 Health

Jr. Navigator (Elise Starseeker’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 4 Attack, 5 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 4 Attack, 4 Health

Sklibb, Demon Hunter (Aranna Starseeker’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 5 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 4 Attack, 4 Health

Piloted Whirl-O-Tron (Sneed’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] → New: [Tavern Tier 2]

Apostle of Galakrond (Galakrond’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 5 Attack, 7 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 3 Attack, 5 Health

Sr. Tomb Diver (Reno Jackson’s Buddy)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 7 Attack, 3 Health → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 4 Attack, 1 Health

Evergreen Botani (Forest Warden Omu’s Buddy)

• Old: 7 Attack, 6 Health → New: 9 Attack, 7 Health

Duels Updates

• Battle Totem, Disks of Legend, and Totem of the Dead were are all moved from Treasure Pool 2 to Treasure Pool 2 Ultra Rare (for real this time).

Battle Tactics (Vanndar Stormpike’s Hero Power)

• Old: Reduce the cost of Neutral minions in your hand that cost (4) or more by (2). → New: Reduce the cost of two Neutral minions in your hand that cost (4) or more by (2).

Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

• Lowered the difficulty of the Snowclaw, High Justice Grimstone, Captain Galvangar, Lokholar the Ice Lord, and Drek’Thar Heroic Bounties, and both Normal and Heroic versions of the Louis Philips Bounty.
• Increased the maximum number of Bladestorm activations from 30 to 50.
• Fixed a bug where Golden Kil’rek would always give two copies of the same Demon when its Deathrattle was triggered.
• Fixed a bug where Spirit of Air’s Deathrattle would sometimes apply to enemy minions.

Source