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
https://twitter.com/Celestalon/status/1240359536554160128?s=19
That's great news to hear, thank you! Then my fears are dispelled.
Which card gave face to gold level 6?
face seems familiar but i cant connect it to any card. Can you help?
Khadgar
Thanks man.
Gold Level six is represented by Kadghar's card from the Rise of Shadows expansion :)
Classic legendary for first time to legend! I always felt like that should have been the case anyway, glad to see that it's materialized. Competition in April is going to be fierce!
Is it correct that the other card rewards will no longer be golden?
Are we sure that MMR is used for matchmaking all the time? The blog post said MMR is used *while you have a star multiplier*:
So as I read that, you're matched my MMR while you have a bonus (i.e. while you're climbing back to last month's rank), but once you've used up your bonus, you're playing against people your own rank (and MMR isn't used). So--per this post's example--if a legendary player just sits at Bronze 10-6 month after month, they'll be sniping against beginners like they do now.
I'm sure the MMR stuff will help reduce unfair match making, but unfortunately Blizzard can't completely stop people from being assholes. Because if that's what they are, that's what they are and how they'll always continue to act.
It'll be very interesting to see if the new MMR-based matchmaking will result in a noticeably different experience in game.
That's also something I am very curious about. Also it will interesting to see how much I can bring myself to grind every month after losing my rank over and over again...
Not sure if this monthly grind will be fun yet.
Are these rewards separate for standard and wild or does the highest of the 2 count?
You get rewards for the better rank of these tw
This is the most excited I've been for something Hearthstone in ages. I can't wait to rank up with Reno's Riches.
Is it ungrateful to say that I preferred the previous end of season rewards? Dust-wise, this is less value. It was more fun, too, to receive a random golden card and see if I had hopes of keeping it - an unfailable gamble, since you'd get 400 dust if you couldn't!
I also don't like how similar this system is to other systems. It feels less Hearthstone-y. And as MisterKnott said, there doesn't seem to be cohesion between the portraits used. (though Dr. 7 being Diamond 7 gives me a giggle)
It's nice that they're trying something new, though, and I have hopes that this rank progression will prove better for new and old players. Even if I worry that it will feel more stagnant - better players will be back where they were quickly, and newer players won't get the occasional challenge of someone greatly above their skill level.
How do you compare dust value? I don't think there is any rank where the new reward is worse than the old system if you count disenchant value.
Do we know yet what multiplier we get based on our current rank? In the old system
Your 'old system' finishing rank for March will give the following bonus for April's climb using the new system:
below rank 20 = 1x (i.e. no bonus)
rank 20+ = 2x
rank 15+ = 4x
rank 10+ = 6x
rank 5+ = 8x
rank Legend = 10x
rank "High Legend" = 11x
Source: OldGuardian
Anyone know if the random rare cards will follow the no duplicate rule?
I would assume they do, seeing how the whole thing is based on collection.
Would be pretty weird if rewards like these worked independently.