Update 28.4.1, rolling out today, contains balance changes Hearthstone And Battleground mode!
Hearthstone Updates
Comment from the development team: This is our first balance update since the deployment of the Deep Sea Exploration mini-set, which we want to support in two ways: 1) reducing the power and popularity of decks that were already in the majority prior to arrival. mini-set and which continues, in our opinion, to be very present in the meta; and 2) reducing the effect of certain cards in the mini-set that do not have the desired effect.
As for improvements, the new meta is a little too fresh for us to have a clear idea, but we are monitoring the game closely and will be sure to make any necessary changes in our next update. Balance. Some of the cards we’re adjusting will leave Standard Mode when the next expansion comes out, so we’ll revisit them when it’s time to determine if these changes need to be brought back when they leave Game Mode.
Velaroc the Liar (created by Velaroc Windblade)
- Previously: 3/6.
- Now: 3/3.
A broken straggler
- Previously: Battlecry: Your next minion with Deathrattle costs (1) less crystal, but dies as soon as it is played.
- Now: Battlecry: The next minion with Deathrattle dies as soon as it is played.
Development Team Comment: Unearth Thief is a perfect example of a pre-mini-set deck whose power we want to tone down to make room for new strategies. We’re happy to see that the recent update to Velaroc makes this much-loved deck easier to play, and we don’t want to go back, but it’s clearly too powerful and popular right now. These changes to Velaroc and Broken Stragler soften the explosive potential of Unearth Thief in the early game; The fun appeal of the deck is retained, but the opponent now has a better chance of countering it.
Cactus assembly
- Previously: Find a minion with 2 mana crystals. Summons 1/2 a copy of it.
- Now: Find a 2 mana crystal minion. Summons a 1/1 copy of it.
An angel of nature
- Previously: Battlecry: If you cast a Nature Spell with this card in hand, give +1/+2 to your other minions.
- Now: Battlecry: If you cast a nature spell with this card in hand, give your other minions +1/+1.
Earth pendant
- Before: Find a minion from your deck. Gains an amount of armor equal to its cost.
- Now: Find a minion from your deck. Restores an amount of HP equal to its cost to your hero or heroine.
Broken reflection
- Before: Choose a minion. Adds a copy to your hand, your deck, and the board.
- Now: Choose a minion. Adds a copy to your deck and board.
River Trail
- Previously: (2 mana crystal).
- Now: (4 mana crystal).
Comment from the development team: In this update, we wanted to look at some of the more powerful archetypes of the Druid class. The Cactus Assembly card, very present in Druid decks, needs a little power adjustment. Changes to Messenger of the Wild make it easier to counter Trent Druid decks early in the game. For its part, Pendant of Earth has been a very good defensive tool later in the game, but it’s less powerful now, as it can’t be used to actively smooth the board in the early game. Broken reflections reflect a bit too much and lead to repetitive gameplay, so we removed one of those reflections. In the end, we’ve toned down the power of River Trial somewhat, as it’s clear that it’s no fun facing highly competitive, meta-breaking decks like Windmill Druid. We want to keep these types of cards for players who enjoy this type of play, but we don’t want them to dominate the meta.
Endless Boogie
- Before: (3 mana crystals) Summons two minions worth 1 crystal from your Deck. Final: Taunts them.
- Now: (4 mana crystals) Summons two minions worth 1 crystal from your Deck. Ultimate: Summons another.
Grace of the Gardens
- Previously: Give minion +5/+5 and Divine Shield. Cost (1) fewer crystal holy spells for each mana crystal spent on the game.
- Now: Give the minion +4/+4 and Divine Shield. Cost (1) fewer crystal holy spells for each mana crystal spent on the game.
Comment from the development team: The mini-set has greatly strengthened the paladin class. Since its deployment, Endless Boogie has made it into most decks, so we’re slowing it down a bit while adjusting the endgame to compensate. We are also setting up Grace Gardens to reduce its explosive potential from the hand. Additionally, we’re monitoring cards like Fongifouille, but we’re waiting to see how players use them before deciding on possible future adjustments.
Thaddeus, monstrosity
- Previously: provocation. Your Odd Spend card is worth (4) fewer crystals. (The polarity changes in each turn!)
- Now: provocation. Your Odd Spend card is worth (2) fewer crystals. (The polarity changes in each turn!)
Development Team Comment: Strictly speaking, the combo-based style of play isn’t bad, and Thaddeus doesn’t particularly stand out for its power, but it’s been a part of Standard Mode for a long time and is integrated into , for sure. deck, it allows removal in one turn with little controllability. So we think it’s time to put it back together and observe how it evolves in game mode.
You will be able to recover the full dust value of the above map versions for 2 weeks after the release of update 28.4.1. In addition, there was an issue during the dust refund period of Update 28.2.1 and 28.2.3, cards that may later be offended will remain for two weeks after the release of Update 28.4.1. For clarity and simplicity, the normal two-week period will resume with this and subsequent updates.
Pyrotechnician is no longer excluded from standard mode.
Updates for Battleground Mod
Comment from the development team: We’ve modified this card as well as some economy-related spells to avoid a mechanic that allows players to buy dozens of spells at once at low levels. We’ve also adjusted Hawkstrider Herald and removed Tribute of Titus to reduce the frequency and power spikes of late-game beast-based strategies.
modified cards
Kel’Thuzad the Archlich
- Before: Destroys and resummons an undead on the left at the end of your turn.
- Now: Destroy the undead on the left at the end of your turn and restart its carbon copy.
- Comment from the development team: This is a purely textual change and does not affect how the game works.
Moroz, Regent of Death
- Before: 6/1. reincarnation Deathrattle: Gives +2/+6 to your undead.
- Now: 5/1. reincarnation Deathrattle: Give your undead +1/+5.
Peregrine Hawk Herald
- Previously: (Level 5) 5/2.
- Now: (Level 6) 6/2.
Mystical Sporoptera
- Previously: 5/1.
- Now: 3/1.
Freshwater pirates
- Previously: (Level 2) 3/4.
- Now: (Level 3) 4/5.
- Dev Team Comment: The Freshwater Pirate minion is back in the list.
Spiky Jazz
- Previously: 1/3.
- Now: 2/3.
Geoimage Rugg
- Previously: 3/6. Each time a Blood Gem is played on this minion, play a Blood Gem on another allied minion.
- Now: 4/6. Divine shield. Each time a Blood Gem is played on this minion, play a Blood Gem on another allied minion.
Spiny Ringer
- Previously: 3/1.
- Now: 5/1.
Paint spreader
- Previously: 3/2.
- Now: 5/3.
transient vitality
- Previously: (Level 4) Gives minions +6/+6 until next turn.
- Now: (Level 3) Gives minions +7/+7 until next turn.
Shiny ring
- Previously: (Level 3).
- Now: (Level 2).
breeding stick
- Previously: (3 gold coins).
- Now: (2 gold coins).
Primary staff
- Previously: (Level 4).
- Now: (Level 5).
Dream Embrace
- Previously: (Level 5).
- Now: (Level 4).
Planar telescope
- Previously: (Level 4).
- Now: (Level 3).
Sufficiency
- Previously: (Level 2).
- Now: (Level 3).
A natural blessing
- Before: Choose a minion. Gives +3/+2 to all minions sharing a type with it.
- Now: Choose a minion. Gives +2/+2 to all minions sharing a type with it.
Spell list changes
- Reckless Investment, Leafing, and Titus’ Tribute have been removed from the spell list.
Arena Updates (New)
Arena’s offering rates have been adjusted.
- Forge of Wills and transfer students have been removed from the draft pool.
- Butch, Amalgamate, Mage Armor and Krusty, Crustacean have been removed from the treasure pool.
- The appearance rate of all mini-set cards has been increased.
- The appearance rate of Sludge on Wheels has decreased.
- The appearance rate of Kobold Miner and Burrow Buster has been reduced to Rogue and Warlock.
Bug fixes and improvements
- (Hearthstone) Fixed an issue with the StoneShadow Prowler that could cause infinite loops. Now, when a weapon is “surrendered”, the Ranger will no longer have it, meaning that he will return the weapon upon the first activation of Deathrattle.
- (Hearthstone) Fixed an issue where Show of Light would display the wrong text and not work correctly when cast from a source other than your hand (for example, with VoidWrite).
- (Battlegrounds) Fixed an issue where the gold version of the warning scarab’s enchantment banner did not display the correct bonus amount.
