Starting with the release of Hearthstone’s next expansion (but applying to ALL Hearthstone card packs)
Will the change apply to unopened packs that were earned or bought BEFORE the change goes live?
Yes, the non-duplicate rules will apply to all packs--regardless of when they were purchased--once the new expansion goes live.
Keep in mind that if you've opened any packs in a given set, that you won't be guaranteed a Legendary within the first 10 packs of that set you open after the change is live.
Can you/another CM confirm if this will apply to currently owned packs? So if someone has 10 classic packs when the patch goes live then the packs won't contain any duplicate legendaries when opened unless the person already has all classic legendaries?
That's correct. Packs that you own or purchase now will follow the new rules when they go into effect with the upcoming expansion.
Using your example, keep in mind that if you've opened any Classic packs before, you wouldn't be guaranteed a Legendary within those first 10 packs.
Once the changes take effect, will they apply to existing sets as well? In other words, will these new duplicate-card rules apply to Classic, Old Gods, Gadgetzan, and Un'Goro packs as well?
Correct! The changes goes into effect with the next expansion, but will apply to all sets.
Wait, just making sure I understand the wording correctly. So we CAN open a pack that has 2 copies of the same card in it, but we will never see 3 of the same card in a single pack?
At that point is it completely random regardless of what in the collection is golden or not?
Lets say I have every legendary golden except for 1 normal one (eg. Hemet)
When I open my next pack that has a golden legendary, is it entirely random which I get or is it going to be hemet because he is my only non-gold?
The game just checks to see if a given Legendary is in your collection.
So, in your example, you'd have a full set of Legendary minions for the set, and all the future packs from that set you opened would have the potential for a random normal or golden legendary from the same set.
Every time you open a legendary card it will be guaranteed to be one that you don't have before.
Everyone will be guaranteed to open a new legendary card within the first ten packs of the new set.
Both of these changes will start when the next expansion hits.
I have to say that these changes are great even if they are long overdue!
EDIT: /u/rend- pointed out an important additional note about duplicate cards from this Battle.net post:
In addition, you will never open more copies of any card in a pack than you can use in a single deck—no more opening three or more of the same common, rare, or epic card in one pack!
Don't forget that you'll no longer open more than 2 copies of any single card in a given pack either!
What if I open 8 packs from MSG before the change goes live and I have 2 more will I get a Legendary within this two or ? Making packs in total 10 since the start of the set ?
Unfortunately, no. If you've opened any packs of a set before the change goes live, you won't receive a Legendary in your first 10 packs.
However, you will get that legendary for any new sets that come out, and for any sets that you never acquired any packs for.
Daxxarri
It won't in a significant way until a new set is released. Then this change will make it faster to amass a complete collection of a given set.
Daxxarri
Yes, the non-duplicate rules will apply to all packs--regardless of when they were purchased--once the new expansion goes live.
Keep in mind that if you've opened any packs in a given set, that you won't be guaranteed a Legendary within the first 10 packs of that set you open after the change is live.
Daxxarri
That's correct. Packs that you own or purchase now will follow the new rules when they go into effect with the upcoming expansion.
Using your example, keep in mind that if you've opened any Classic packs before, you wouldn't be guaranteed a Legendary within those first 10 packs.
Daxxarri
Correct! The changes goes into effect with the next expansion, but will apply to all sets.
Daxxarri
That's correct.
Daxxarri
The game just checks to see if a given Legendary is in your collection.
So, in your example, you'd have a full set of Legendary minions for the set, and all the future packs from that set you opened would have the potential for a random normal or golden legendary from the same set.
Daxxarri
Correct!
Daxxarri
If you've got all the legendaries in a given set (golden or non-golden), then any legendary cards you open in packs afterward will be random.
Daxxarri
Don't forget that you'll no longer open more than 2 copies of any single card in a given pack either!
Daxxarri
They'll work like any other Set. After the pack changes go in when the expansion arrives, your old TGT and GvG packs will also benefit.
Daxxarri
Correct. You won't get more than two in a single pack, but you can still open duplicates of Common, Rare, and Epic cards in future packs.
Daxxarri
Unfortunately, no. If you've opened any packs of a set before the change goes live, you won't receive a Legendary in your first 10 packs.
However, you will get that legendary for any new sets that come out, and for any sets that you never acquired any packs for.