Today’s 17.6 patch brings pre-purchase for Hearthstone’s newest expansion, Scholomance Academy! With it comes a handful of Battlegrounds updates, balance changes, and game improvements.

Battlegrounds Hero Pool Updates

NEW HERO

Tess Greymane

• Bob’s Burgles [Cost 1]

• Refresh Bob’s Tavern with minions from your last opponent’s warband.

Players with Battlegrounds Perks will have early access Tess Greymane before the hero is formally released on July 28.

RETURNING HEROES

King Mukla

• Bananarama [Cost 1]

• Get 2 Bananas. At the end of your turn, give everyone else one.

Dinotamer Brann

• Battle Brand [Cost 1]

• Refresh Bob’s Tavern with Battlecry minions.

UPDATED HEROES

Aranna Starseeker

• Demon Hunter Training [Passive]

• Old: After you Refresh 7 times, Bob always has 7 minions. → New: After you Refresh 5 times, Bob always has 7 minions.

Captain Hooktusk [Cost 0]

• Trash for Treasure

• Old: Remove a friendly minion. Discover one from a Tavern Tier lower. → New: Remove a friendly minion. Get a random one from a Tavern Tier lower.

Battlegrounds Minion Pool Updates

• Pirates are no longer guaranteed to appear in every Battlegrounds game.

NEW MINION

Amalgadon

[Tier 6, All] 6 Attack, 6 Health

• Battlecry: For each different minion type you have, Adapt randomly.

UPDATED MINION

• Goldrinn, the Great Wolf

• Old: [Tier 5] → New: [Tier 6]

Balance Updates

The following craftable cards will be eligible for a full dust refund for two weeks after the 17.6 patch goes live.

Dragonqueen Alexstrasza

• Old: Battlecry: If your deck has no duplicates, add 2 other random Dragons to your hand. They cost (0). → New: Battlecry: If your deck has no duplicates, add 2 other random Dragons to your hand. They cost (1).

Corsair Cache

• Old: Draw a weapon. Give it +1/+1. → New: Draw a weapon. Give it +1 Durability.

Metamorphosis

• Old: Swap your Hero Power to "Deal 5 damage." After 2 uses, swap it back. → New: Swap your Hero Power to "Deal 4 damage." After 2 uses, swap it back.

Kayn Sunfury

• Old: 3 Attack, 5 Health → New: 3 Attack, 4 Health.

Warglaives of Azzinoth

• Old: [Cost 5] → New: [Cost 6].

Dragoncaster

• Old: [Cost 6] → New: [Cost 7].

Fungal Fortunes

• Old: [Cost 2] → New: [Cost 3].

Galakrond, the Nightmare

• Old: Battlecry: Draw 1 card. It costs (0). → New: Battlecry: Draw 1 card. It costs (1).

Galakrond, the Apocalypse (Rogue)

• Old: Battlecry: Draw 2 cards. It costs (0). → New: Battlecry: Draw 2 cards. They cost (1).

Galakrond, Azeroth’s End (Rogue)

• Old: Battlecry: Draw 4 cards. It costs (0). → New: Battlecry: Draw 4 cards. They cost (1).

Game Improvements & Bug Fixes

• When random card back is selected, you will now see a randomized card back every time you open a pack and every time you open the Crafting menu.
• The UI has been updated with an icon on the top right that will indicate when you’re offline.