Update: We misspoke earlier on how you calculate your multiplier. We were off by 1!
Update 2: Looks like your MMR can increase your star bonus. (Source)
Hearthstone's ranked play is getting a huge overhaul! Originally announced with the Year of the Phoenix information almost two weeks ago, the changes are going live with start of the April 2020 season. Here is everything you need to know.
Hearthstone's Ranked League System
No longer do we have only a numerical place on the ladder, but we've now got individual leagues much like other titles.
- There are 5 leagues - Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.
- Everyone will start in Bronze at the beginning of each season.
- Each league has 10 individual ranks from 10 - 1. Each rank requires 3 stars to move through.
- The Legend rank has not changed and is the progression after Diamond 1.
- New players have their own league that spans 40 ranks.
A feature that still remains from the previous ranked system is the introduction of ranked floors. These are ranks at which once hit, you cannot decrease from during that month.
- Ranks 10 and 5 within each named league are your floors.
- Rank 10 is your "promotional rank floor". Congratulations, you made it.
- Rank 5 is your "non-promotional rank floor" - you still have work to do.
- You cannot get knocked out of Legend once you get there.
Unlike previous iterations of Hearthstone's Ranked System, everyone's matches are now decided based on a matchmaking rating (MMR). Prior to the April ranked changes, your opponents were chosen by what rank you were on the ladder with no prior experience taken into account.
- This allows them to reset everyone back down to Bronze 10 each season yet everyone still plays with opponents at their previous skill level.
- With MMR-based games, things get fairer everywhere on the ladder.
- Good luck sitting at Bronze 10 Legend players while you grind newbies for portraits - it won't be happening.
Here is an image with all the new ranks laid out.
The Ranked Stars Explained
Another part of the system is the ranked star bonuses, which have been updated and now use a multiplier to get you back up to your rank from the previous season.
- Each season your rank starts at Bronze 10.
- When a new ranked season starts, you earn a star multiplier based on your previous rank.
- The maximum star multiplier you can earn is 11. That comes from reaching Legend.
- When you reach a ranked floor (10 or 5) your star multiplier decreases by 1, slowing down your progression.
- Your multiplier will be gone by the time you reach your previous season's rank.
- You cannot lose your multiplier by losing games.
In the previous ranked system, going on a win streak rewarded you with a bonus star. This remains a feature of the new system and helps push you up to the top even more. If you went on a win streak and had a multiplier of 10, you'd be gaining 20 stars! Each rank has 3 stars so you would jump up 6 ranks thanks to that streak and multiplier.
There is an easy way to figure out what your base multiplier for the next season is. Simply add up the number of ranked floors you hit and subtract 1 (it can't go below 1). You may also gain additional multiplier based on your previous MMR. If you're Silver 5, you've hit 4 ranked floors which would give you a star multiplier of 3. Legend players will receive a star multiplier of 10, unless you are "high legend" which gives you a multiplier of 11. If you get close to a ranked floor, you should do your best to hit it to speed up your progression in the next season.
Better Rewards Than Ever Before
Of course, it wouldn't be a proper overhaul without also focusing on the rewards. We've got your usual end-of-season rewards but also, first-time bonuses each time you hit a ranked floor!
- As soon as you hit 5 wins each season, you will now receive your monthly card back reward - no more waiting!
- The first-time bonuses reward classic cards and packs to help new players.
- End of season rewards that reward packs give you packs for the latest expansion.
- End of season rewards are additive. Hitting a rank floor gives you those rewards and the ones before it!
- Since this is a new system, everyone can earn the first-time rewards!
Hearthstone Ranked End of Season Rewards
Here is a table that shows you exactly what you will receive at the end of the season based on your rank.
| Rank Floor | Latest Expansion Packs | Rare Cards | Epic Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Silver 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Silver 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Gold 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Gold 5 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Platinum 10 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| Platinum 5 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Diamond 10 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| Diamond 5 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| Legend | 5 | 7 | 1 |
Hearthstone Ranked First Time Rewards
Here's a table showcasing the first-time rewards, also seen above.
| Rank Floor | Reward |
|---|---|
| Bronze 5 | 1 Classic Pack |
| Silver 10 | 4 Random Classic Rare Cards |
| Silver 5 | 1 Classic Pack |
| Gold 10 | 4 Random Classic Rare Cards |
| Gold 5 | 1 Classic Pack |
| Platinum 10 | 1 Random Classic Epic Card |
| Platinum 5 | 1 Classic Pack |
| Diamond 10 | 1 Random Classic Epic Card |
| Diamond 5 | 1 Classic Pack |
| Legend | 1 Random Classic Legendary Card |
Closing Thoughts
The new ranked system is a welcome change to Hearthstone. The reward changes mean that higher ranked players are getting more rewards than ever which makes shooting for higher ranks a good goal for all players. Although it may feel weird getting reset each month to Bronze 10, it incentives playing so that you don't have to regrind the entire ranked ladder because you decided to not play for a month.
Comments
FYI you can click on your rank and get a ladder rewards overview:
edit: now seems to be a video in the article showing this. If it was there when I posted this and I missed it - my apologies!
It was, though there may have been an issue which prevented some from seeing it and instead a blank spot was in its place. I made a tweak so it didn't do that anymore.
#Hackerman
Jk, mind explaining what the fix is? For me it comes up as blank :-/
Do bonus stars apply already in the first month
yes
Check top right of this picture from my Asia account
This ranked system will be a joke!
Badum-tsss!
I regret nothing.
After over 6 years of the same - with little to no updates, other than rank floors & variable stars per ranks - this seems like a refreshing change
There is minor misinformation. Bonus for Legend is 10. 11 is for high legend.
Do you have a Blizzard source on this? I haven't come across anything on it.
Also this twit: https://twitter.com/Celestalon/status/1240360229113483264
But obviously this month it's not working as described. I got 10x bonus for rank 5 and 8x bonus for rank 15 on other account.
It's from reddit, but it's supposed to be from some Blizzard employee.
"It's 1 more bonus star per rank:
Legend = 10x stars per win
Diamond 5 = 9x
Diamond 10 = 8x
...
Silver 5 = 3x
Silver 10 = 2x
Bronze 5/10 = 2x
You may additionally get a bigger Star Bonus if your MMR is higher than others at your rank (so high legend players could get 11x Star Bonus). This also helps players who reach legend one month and only play enough to reach Bronze 5 the next month. They will get a Star Bonus closer to that of a Legend player."
And it means that if your MMR high enough you'll get +1 star.
I got bonus 10 stars for getting Rank 5.
Well, it's Blizzard - Anyfin Can Happen
So if i get this right, then that means you can make a smurf account and obliterate the ladder cause the game will just put you up against new players. Am i right? Or have I misread something
That's no different from how it works now. New players and smurfs already go in the same place. It's just that there was also the occasional veteran who would slip down to lower ranks, which won't be an issue anymore. So, basically this problem is lessened.
This has allways been possible and has no real purpose. With this system, it isn‘t possible anymore to smurf with a real account thoug and that’s amazing for new and casual players.
If you're obliterating new players, you'll quickly gain MMR and no longer be playing against new players.
Thanks for the great article.
I believe that on the ladder, the MMR system will be used until you've used up your star bonus (at which point you are near your previous rank). Once there, matchmaking is based on current rank.
Actually, as they have stated it you will still be 15 stars from your previous rank when your star bonus has been used up, but reasonably close I guess. Also, although I haven't read anything about it, an interesting consequence of this system must be that when you get to those 15 stars and start getting matched by rank rather than MMR, you can only face players at the same or at a lower skill level (since those at higher skill levels will still be matched by MMR in that section of the ladder).
I guess you’re right. Well thanks For answering my question :