36.2.2 Patch Notes

Patch 36.2.2 releases today with balance updates for Hearthstone and Battlegrounds.

Reminder: Make sure to tune in August 19 at 10:00 a.m. PDT for our next Dev Update video on YouTube for more info on Hearthstone, Battlegrounds, new Class Sets, and more!

DISCOVER

HEARTHSTONE

BATTLEGROUNDS

BUG FIXES

Hearthstone Updates

Dev Comment: Well met! We’ve been closely monitoring player feedback and gameplay data since the last balance update. While the current top decks are relatively close in power level, many players have expressed frustration with some of the format’s most common play patterns and the lack of variety among competitive options. Since our balance strategy is about more than just card stat power levels, we’re making several significant changes aimed at reducing those frustrations and opening the door for a wider range of strategies to succeed.

• Old: 1/4.
• New: 1/3.
• Dev Comment: Maiev has often felt difficult to answer when played on Turn 2. Reducing her Health should create more opportunities for counterplay while maintaining her buffing power.

• Old: [1 mana] 1/3.
• New: [2 mana] 2/3.

• New: “Mug’s Magic” Hero Power gain “(Unlocks on turn 3.)”
• Dev Comment: One of the most common player frustrations we’ve seen is how quickly Mug Shaman can snowball games, so we’re delaying access to Mug’s Hero Power until Turn 3.

• Old: [5 mana] Replay all 1-Cost cards you played this game (targets enemies if possible).
• New: [4 mana] Summon each 1-Cost minion you’ve played this game.
• Dev Comment: We’ve continued to hear feedback about the repetitive nature of Confront the Tol’vir and the amount of value it can generate from a single card. Changing it to work only with minions puts a natural cap on its potential while also reducing the card draw and sustain that allowed Hunter to keep pressure on opponents for extended periods past what we would typically expect from an aggressive deck.

• Old: Deal 5 damage split among all enemies.
• New: Deal 4 damage split among all enemies.

• Old: [3 mana]
• New: [5 mana]
• Dev Comment: Similar to Mug Shaman and Maiev, Jade Guardians can often create insurmountable board states earlier than we would like. We’re increasing the mana cost to maintain its high-value output, but push those massive turns later.

The above cards will be eligible for a full dust refund for two weeks following Patch 36.2.2.

Dev Comment: On the buff side, our focus was primarily on underperforming decks and classes that have struggled to keep pace with the current format. Rather than relying entirely on straightforward stat increases, many of these changes reshape cards to better support the strategies they’re meant to enable. In some instances, the mana cost of cards increased so that we could significant increase the overall power of the card’s effect!

As with any patch intended to significantly shake up the metagame, there’s always some uncertainty about where things will ultimately land. We’ll be paying especially close attention to how the format develops after these changes go live. The next major update will be the release of Class Sets, followed by another scheduled balance pass, giving us additional opportunities to make adjustments as the meta continues to evolve. We’re looking forward to seeing what new decks emerge and hearing your feedback along the way.

• Old: Battlecry: Pick an upgraded counterfeit to replace your coins this game. Get 2.
• New: Battlecry: Pick an upgraded counterfeit to replace your coins this game. Get 3.

• Old: Discover a Battlecry minion.
• New: Discover a Battlecry minion. It costs (1) less.
• Dev Comment: With some of Mug Shaman’s strongest tools being scaled back this patch, we’re restoring Blazing Invocation to its original power level.

• Old: [3 mana]
• New: [2 mana]

• Old: Battlecry: Send your deck to the Void. At the start of your turns, get two cards from the Void.
• New: Battlecry: Send your deck to the Void, except 1 card. At the start of your turns, get two cards from the Void.

• New: Now has Taunt

• Old: [3 mana] Deal 2 damage to all minions. If you have 25 or more cards in your deck, deal 2 more.
• New: [5 mana] Deal 2 damage to all minions twice. If you have 25 or more cards in your deck, this costs (2) less.

• Old: At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to all other minions; Plume of Vulcanos: 1/4.
• New: At the end of your turn, deal 3 damage to all other minions; Plume of Vulcanos: 1/5.

• Old: [4 mana] 4/4. If you’ve cast a spell this turn, cast a random Mage Secret.
• New: [5 mana] 4/3. If you’ve cast a spell this turn, cast two random Mage Secrets.

• Old: 1/3.
• New: 1/4.

• Old: [4 mana] Summon a random 4-Cost minion. (Improved by your hero attacks this game.)
• New: [5 mana] Summon two random 3-Cost minions. (Improved by your hero attacks this game.)

Battlegrounds Updates

Dev Comment: We hope you’ve been enjoying the new season so far! There are a lot of balance changes in this patch, so let’s jump right in.

Starting with the biggest change: Tasty Lobster. Tasty Lobster has been both highly prevalent and remarkably consistent in the early meta, to the point where it can feel like it’s crowding out other strategies. As a result, we’ve gone with a substantial nerf by halving the power of its Deathrattle. We’ve also decided to keep Hoarding Hyena banned for now. Once we see how these and the other changes settle, we may revisit that decision if it turns out we’ve hit Lobsters too hard.

Most of the other minion changes are focused on helping underperforming minion types while spreading power more evenly among those that are already succeeding. One of the more ambitious changes in this patch is aimed at Quilboar. As a minion type, Quilboar have generally been underperforming, with Jailbird Juggernaut being the notable exception. We’re trying something big by moving Jailbird Juggernaut to Tier 7 while moving both Sanguine Refiner and Sanguine Champion down to Tiers 5 and 6. Our goal is to give Quilboar a meaningful boost without concentrating too much of that power into a single minion.

Most of our Trinket and Dark Gift changes this patch are focused on smoothing out power levels by raising the floor and lowering the ceiling on some outliers. This should help reduce some of the high-roll moments while still leaving plenty of room for the wild and memorable games that make Battlegrounds special.

As always, we’ll continue monitoring the meta and making adjustments as needed. We’ll see you in the Tavern!

Inge, the Iron Hymn – Major Hymn

• Old: Give a minion Attack equal to your Tier. (Swaps to Health next turn!)
• New: Twice per turn, give a minion Attack equal to your Tier. (Swaps to Health next turn!)

• Old: 12 Armor.
• New: 6 Armor.

Minion Pool Changes

Returning Minions

• Felfire Conjurer
• Gentle Djinni
• Tad

Removed Minions

• Flourishing Frostling
• Scourfin

Minion Changes

• Old: 2/2. Taunt. Deathrattle: Give a friendly minion of each type +2/+2 permanently.
• New: 3/3. Taunt. Deathrattle: Give a friendly minion of each type +3/+3 permanently.

• Old: 8/8. Activate (2): Set another minion’s stats to 40/40.
• New: 10/10. Activate (2): Set another minion’s stats to 50/50.

• Old: 12/12. Rally: Give a friendly minion of each type +12/+12 permanently.
• New: 15/15. Rally: Give a friendly minion of each type +15/+15 permanently.

• Old: 1/3.
• New: 1/4.

• Old: Taunt. Deathrattle: Give two friendly Beasts +1/+1. Improve your future Tasty Lobsters.
• New: Deathrattle: Give a random friendly Beast +1/+1. Improve your future Tasty Lobsters.

• Old: 3/5. Rally: Give your other minions +4/+2.
• New: 3/6. Rally: Give your other minions +4/+1.

• Old: 7/8. After a friendly minion attacks, your Beetles have +3/+3 this game. Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Beetle.
• New: 6/7. After a friendly minion attacks, your Beetles have +5/+5 this game. Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Beetle.

• Old: [Tier 4] 3/6.
• New: [Tier 5] 4/7.

• Old: [Tier 5] 6/6.
• New: [Tier 4] 5/6.

• Old: [Tier 5] 6/3. Deathrattle: Get 2 copies of Methodical Madness.
• New: [Tier 4] 4/2. Deathrattle: Get a Methodical Madness.

• Old: 3/6. After your hero takes damage, give your Demons +3/+2.
• New: 3/3. After your hero takes damage, give your Demons +3/+3.

• Old: 5/5. After your hero takes 4 damage, get a random Tavern spell that gives stats.
• New: 6/6. After your hero takes 3 damage, cast Shiny Ring.

• Old: 10/10. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Minions in the Tavern have +5/+5 this game.
• New: 8/8. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Give minions in the Tavern +8/+8 this game.

• Old: 3/5. Start of Combat: Cast Shiny Ring.
• New: 2/4. Start of Combat: Cast Shiny Ring twice.

• Old: 4/3. Battlecry: Your Elementals give an extra +1 Attack this game.
• New: 3/2. Battlecry: Your Elementals give an extra +2 Attack this game.

• Old: 6/1. Deathrattle: After the Tavern is Refreshed this game, give a random minion in it +3/+3.
• New: 5/1. Deathrattle: After the Tavern is Refreshed this game, give a random minion in it +4/+4.

• Old: 2/4. After you sell an Elemental, gain +2/+2.
• New: 4/4. After you sell an Elemental, gain +4/+4.

• Old: 4/4. Battlecry: After the Tavern is Refreshed this game, give a random minion in it +7/+7.
• New: 5/5. Battlecry: After the Tavern is Refreshed this game, give a random minion in it +10/+10.

• Old: [Tier 5] 7/7.
• New: [Tier 4] 6/6.

• Old: 4/10. Rally: Your Elementals give an extra +1/+2 this game.
• New: 5/10. Rally: Your Elementals give an extra +2/+2 this game.

• Old: [Tier 5] 4/5. Taunt. Deathrattle: Get a random Elemental.
• New: [Tier 6] 5/6. Taunt. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Get a random Elemental.

• Old: 5/10. After you buy a minion, give it +10/+10 and double its stats. (Once per turn.)
• New: 10/10. After you buy a minion, give it +20/+20 and double its stats. (Once per turn.)

• Old: 5/1.
• New: 2/1.

• Old: 4/4. Activate (1): The next Magnetization to this minion this turn is doubled.
• New: 5/2. Divine Shield. Activate (1): The next Magnetization to this minion this turn is doubled.

• Old: [Tier 5] 6/6. Whenever you cast a spell on a Mech, Magnetize a 6/6 Satellite to it.
• New: [Tier 4] 4/4. Whenever you cast a spell on a Mech, Magnetize a 4/4 Satellite to it.

• Old: 3/3. Whenever you play a Mech, Magnetize a 3/3 Satellite to it and improve this.
• New: 5/5. Whenever you play a Mech, Magnetize a 2/2 Satellite to it and improve this.

• Old: 2/5.
• New: 2/6.

• Old: 2/5.
• New: 5/5.

• Old: 5/3. Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +2 Attack. (Improved by each Mrrglton you played this game!)
• New: 4/2. Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +3 Attack. (Improved by each Mrrglton you played this game!)

• Old: 3/5. Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +2 Health. (Improved by each Mrrglton you played this game!)
• New: 2/4. Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +3 Health. (Improved by each Mrrglton you played this game!)

• Old: 3/6. Whenever you cast a spell on this, give the left-most minion in your hand +6/+6.
• New: 4/6. Whenever you cast a spell on this, give the left-most minion in your hand +8/+8.

• Old: 2/7. After you play a card from Tier 3 or below, give your Murlocs +2/+2.
• New: 3/8. After you play a card from Tier 3 or below, give your Murlocs +3/+3.

• Old: 3/2.
• New: 5/2.

• Old: 2/2. Spellcraft: Give a minion +1/+1 until next turn. (Improved by every 4 spells you’ve cast this game!)
• New: 1/2. Spellcraft: Give a minion +1/+1 until next turn. (Improved by every 3 spells you’ve cast this game!)

• Old: 6/4. Activate (1): Cast a random Tavern spell (targets this if possible).
• New: 5/3. Activate (1): Cast 2 random Tavern spells (targets this if possible).

• Old: [Tier 5]
• New: [Tier 4]

• Old: 4/3. Deathrattle: Give your Naga +2/+2. (Improved by every 4 spells you’ve cast this game!)
• New: 4/2. Deathrattle: Give all your Naga +2/+1. (Improved by every 3 spells you’ve cast this game!)

• Old: 3/3. Whenever you cast a spell on a Naga, give your minions +3/+3.
• New: 6/3. Whenever you cast a spell on a Naga, give your minions +2/+3.

• Old: 5/4. After you play a Naga, gain +1/+1. (Improved by every 4 spells you’ve cast this game!)
• New: 6/4. After you play a Naga, gain +2/+2. (Improved by every 3 spells you’ve cast this game!)

• Old: Once this deals 40 damage, get a Golden Touch. (40 left!)
• New: Once this deals 35 damage, get a Golden Touch. (35 left!)

• Old: 5/6. Activate (1): Gain 2 Gold next turn.
• New: 2/4. Activate (1): Gain 3 Gold next turn.

• Old: 8/8. Has +8/+8 for each Golden minion you’ve played this game (wherever this is).
• New: 7/7. Has +7/+7 for each Golden minion you’ve played this game (wherever this is).

• Old: [Tier 4]
• New: [Tier 5]

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

• Old: [Tier 6] 3/10.
• New: [Tier 5] 2/8.

• Old: [Tier 5] 2/7.
• New: [Tier 7] 6/15.

• Old: [Tier 7] 18/3.
• New: [Tier 6] 9/3.

• Old: 1/6. Rally: Your Undead have +2 Attack this game (wherever they are).
• New: 2/6. Rally: Your Undead have +1 Attack this game (wherever they are).

• Old: 2/7. Avenge (3): Get a Butchering.
• New: 2/9. Avenge (4): Get a Butchering.

Spell Changes

• Old: [2 Cost] Give a friendly minion of each type +2/+2.
• New: [3 Cost] Give a friendly minion of each type +4/+4.

• Old: After the Tavern is Refreshed this game, give a random minion in it +6/+6.
• New: After the Tavern is Refreshed this game, give a random minion in it +8/+8.

• Old: Give your minions +1/+1. Repeat for your Dragons. Repeat for your minions with Divine Shield.
• New: Give your minions +2/+1. Repeat for your Dragons. Repeat for your minions with Divine Shield.

Trinket Pool Changes

Lesser Trinket Pool Changes

The following have been removed from the Lesser Trinket Pool:

• Maxwell Sticker
• Sacrificial Altar

Greater Trinket Pool Changes

The following have been removed from the Greater Trinket Pool:

• Double Stitch Needle
• Maxwell Sticker
• Deathtouch Apple
• Balladist Portrait
• Lavish Cape

Maldraxxus Dagger will now be offered less often.

Lesser Trinket Cost-Only Changes

• Copper Coil: 1 → 3
• Ophidian Staff: 3 → 5
• Fish Portrait: 0 → 2
• Staff of the Scourge: 3 → 5
• Bleeding Heart: 2 → 3
• Baleful Incesnse: 3 → 4
• Jailer Sticker: 3 → 4
• Floating Candle Set: 2 → 3
• Cursed Crystal: 2 → 3
• Rewinder Portrait: 1 → 3
• Grifter Portrait: 6 → 3
• Glowing Crystal: 4 → 1
• Frigid Blossom: 2 → 0
• Nomi Sticker: 1 → 0
• Innkeeper’s Stein: 2 → 1
• Splinter of Aurum: 4 → 2
• Great Boar Sticker: 1 → 0
• Timeworn Candelabra: 2 → 1
• Glass of Perspective: 3 → 2
• Eye of Dalaran: 4 → 2
• Defensive Shell: 2 → 1
• Lionfish Portrait: 3 → 1

Lesser Trinket Text Changes

• Old: [4 Cost] Lesser Trinket.
• New: [2 Cost] Greater Trinket.

• Old: At the end of your turn, give your minions +2/+2. (Improved by Golden minions you’ve played this game!)
• New: At the end of your turn, give your minions +2/+1. (Improved by Golden minions you’ve played this game!)

• Old: [6 Cost] Lesser Trinket.
• New: [2 Cost] Greater Trinket.

• Old: [1 Cost] Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +4/+3.
• New: [3 Cost] Whenever you spend Gold, give two friendly Pirates +3/+3.

• Old: [4 Cost] The first two Battlecry minions you buy each turn cost (2) less. (2 left!)
• New: [2 Cost] The first two Battlecry minions you buy each turn are free. (2 left!)

• Old: Gain 8 Gold. Your next Trinket is a Lesser Trinket.
• New: Gain 10 Gold. Your next Trinket is a Lesser Trinket.

• Old: [2 Cost] Whenever you trigger a Battlecry, give your left- and right-most minions +3/+3.
• New: [3 Cost] Whenever you trigger a Battlecry, give your left- and right-most minions +5/+5.

• Old: Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +5/+5.
• New: Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +6/+6.

Greater Trinket Cost-Only Changes

• Soul Fermenter: 3 → 5
• Eternal Portrait: 4 → 5
• Maldraxxus Dagger: 6 → 7
• Jailer Stikcer: 2 → 4
• Rivendare Portrait: 2 → 3
• Nazjatar Postcard: 6 → 7
• Beatboxer Portrait: 5 → 6
• Assembler Portrait: 2 → 3
• Groundbreaker Portrait: 3 → 5
• Trailblazer Sticker: 2 → 4
• Bronzebeard Portrait: 2 → 3
• Baller Portrait: 5 → 6
• Felsteel Cleaver: 2 → 0
• Honeycomb Ring: 3 → 1
• Slamma Sticker: 5 → 3
• Multilayered Shield: 4 → 2
• Fang Anklet: 5 → 3
• Secret Schematic: 2 → 0

Greater Trinket Text Changes

• Old: [4 Cost] Get a Golden Enterprising Escapee. Your Lockboxes open 2 turns sooner.
• New: [6 Cost] Get a Golden Enterprising Escapee. Your Lockboxes open 1 turn sooner.

• Old: Get a Maw Caster. Whenever you destroy a minion outside combat, get a 3-Gold Coin Pouch.
• New: Get a Maw Caster. Whenever you destroy a minion outside combat, gain 2 Gold.

• Old: At the end of your turn, give your minions +4/+4. (Improved by Golden minions you’ve played this game!)
• New: At the end of your turn, give your minions +4/+2. (Improved by Golden minions you’ve played this game!)

• Old: [3 Cost] At the end of your turn, trigger all friendly Deathrattles.
• New: [5 Cost] At the end of your turn, trigger your two left-most Deathrattles.

• Old: [3 Cost] After you sell 5 minions, get a random Elemental. (5 left!)
• New: [2 Cost] After you sell 6 minions, get a random Elemental. (6 left!)

• Old: [0 Cost] Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +6/+7.
• New: [2 Cost] Whenever you spend Gold, give two friendly Pirates +6/+6.

• Old: At the end of your turn, get 2 copies of the last Tavern spell you cast.
• New: At the end of your turn, get 3 copies of the last Tavern spell you cast.

• Old: At the end of each turn, give your two left-most minions +1/+1. (Improved by your Battlecries triggers this game!)
• New: At the end of each turn, give your two left-most minions +1/+2. (Improved by your Battlecries triggers this game!)

• Old: Start of Combat: Gain the stats of the minion to the left.
• New: Start of Combat: Gain the Attack of the minion to the left.

• Can now be offered starting Turn 8

• Can now be offered starting Turn 9

• Old: Permanently keeps stats and Bonus Keywords gained in combat.
• New: Permanently keeps Bonus Keywords and double stats gained in combat.

• Can now be offered between Turns 5 and 8

• Can no longer be offered after Turn 9

• Can now be offered starting Turn 5

• Old: +2/+2. In 2 turns, double this minion’s stats.
• New: +4/+4. In 2 turns, double this minion’s stats.

• Can no longer be offered after Turn 7

• Old: Deathrattle: Give this minion’s Attack to another friendly minion.
• New: +10 Attack. Deathrattle: Give this minion’s Attack to another friendly minion.

• Old: Deathrattle: Give this minion’s Health to another friendly minion.
• New: +10 Health. Deathrattle: Give this minion’s Health to another friendly minion.

• Can now be offered between Turns 7 and 11

• Old: At the end of your turn, gain [+1/+2, +2/+2, +3/+3].
• New: At the end of your turn, gain [+2/+2, +2/+3, +3/+4].

• Can now be offered starting Turn 3

• Old: max 5. Whenever you play a card, gain +2 Attack.
• New: max 6. Whenever you play a card, gain +3 Attack.

• Old: max 5. Whenever you play a card, gain +2 Health.
• New: max 6. Whenever you play a card, gain +3 Health.

• Can now be offered between Turns 7 and 8

• Can now be offered between Turns 9 and10

• Can now be offered starting Turn 3

• Can no longer be offered after Turn 11

• Old: +4/+4.
• New: +5/+5.

• Has been banned from the following minions:
• Titus Rivendare
• Roaring Recruiter
• Cage Gnawer
• Banana Slamma
• Lurking Leviathan
• Snazzy Phantom
• Barrier Banshee
• Ravaging Scorpid
• Balinda Stonehearth
• Deathstrider

• Can now be offered on Glowscale

• Can no longer be offered by Tras’tath’s hero power

• Appearance rate for new Trinkets has been reverted to the normal amounts.
• Turn timers have been slightly reduced in Solo Mode.
• Boom-in-a-Box has been banned from all Dark Gifts.
• The Dark Gift glow FX has been removed from Double Vision, Gilded, and Incubation after the minion’s stats have doubled.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed lag with Silent Deliverer’s FX.
• Fixed a bug where Silent Deliverer’s FX could play more times than intended.
• Fixed a bug where Butcher’s Sickle displayed a Deathrattle tooltip.
• Fixed a bug where Enterprising Escapee had a Legendary border.
• Fixed a bug where the Dark Gift, Transcendence, could be offered on Battlecry or Choose One minions.
• Fixed a bug where the wording of the Dark Gift, Toreth’s Blessing, implied that its effect could stack.
• Fixed a bug where the textboxes of cards that generated Lockboxes were missing the word ‘instead’.
• Fixed a bug where Sneed’s Hero Power minion, Sneed’s New Shredder, could summon minions outside of combat.
• Fixed a bug where the Dark Gift, Steady Growth, could display as giving +0/+0.
• Fixed a bug where the Dark Gifts Hostility, Resilience, and Incubation did not always correctly double the stats of minions.
• Fixed a bug where Torrential Ruiner and Gatekeeper Amalgam could give stats while in the Tavern.
• Fixed a bug where Lovely Locket could re-cast Eyes of the Earth Mother to make a Tier 5 or higher minion Golden.
• Fixed a bug where a trigger of Mummifier via Deathstrider could give Reborn to a Rally minion that died by attacking and instantly revive itself.
• Fixed a bug where completing Aranna Starseeker’s hero power condition during the Recruit Phase would cause the hero to disappear after combat.
• Fixed a bug where Butchering would trigger its buff multiple times with Balinda Stonehearth in play, despite not having a valid target to kill after the first cast.
• Fixed a typo in Turbo Hogrider’s textbox.