In the middle of all the new expansion hype, Hearthstone's Battlegrounds is also getting an update in today's patch. Here are the major changes:
- Armor system returns! The heroes have been divided into 7 Tiers, and they will get 0-10 Armor at the start of the lobby depending on which Tier they belong.
- New Hero: Ambassador Faelin.
- Passive Hero Power: Skip your first turn. Discover a Tier 2, 4, and 6 minion to get at those Tiers.
- Faelin's Buddy: Submersible Chef.
- [Tavern Tier 4] 4 Attack, 3 Health. Battlecry: Add a random Tier 1, 3, and 5 minion to your hand.
- Shudderwock's Hero Power costs (1) again.
- Four new minions have been added, and Murloc Tidehunter, Old Murk-Eye, and Maexxna have been removed from the minion pool.
- Five minions have gotten updates to their stats or effect.
For full details, check the official patch notes below.
Quote From Blizzard Battlegrounds Updates
SYSTEM UPDATE
The Battlegrounds Armor System is back! Now that we’ve had some time with our Buddies, we’ve assessed how Buddies and Armor will interact and think it is a good time for Armor to return. At the start of this patch, these will be the armor ranges and placements:
Tier 1 (0 Armor)
- A. F. Kay
- Bru’kan
- Cariel Roame
- Chenvaala
- Dancin’ Deryl
- Dinotamer Brann
- Elise Starseeker
- Fungalmancer Flurgl
- George the Fallen
- Guff Runetotem
- King Mukla
- Lord Barov
- Lord Jaraxxus
- Malygos
- Millificent Manastorm
- Onyxia
- Patches the Pirate
- Ragnaros the Firelord
- Tamsin Roame
- Tavish Stormpike
- Trade Prince Gallywix
- Vol’jin
- Xyrella
- Yogg-Saron, Hope’s End
- Ysera
Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)
- Al’Akir
- Alexstrasza
- Cookie the Cook
- C’Thun
- Death Speaker Blackthorne
- Deathwing
- Kael’thas Sunstrider
- Maiev Shadowsong
- Millhouse Manastorm
- Mutanus the Devourer
- Nozdormu
- Overlord Saurfang
- Scabbs Cutterbutter
- Sir Finley Mrrgglton
- The Curator
- The Great Akazamzarak
- The Lich King
- Tickatus
- Y’Shaarj
- Zephrys, the Great
Tier 3 (3-6 Armor)
- Arch-Villain Rafaam
- Captain Hooktusk
- Forest Warden Omu
- Greybough
- Rokara
- Silas Darkmoon
Tier 4 (4-7 Armor)
- Captain Eudora
- Edwin VanCleef
- Kurtrus Ashfallen
- Lich Baz’hial
- Master Nguyen
- N’Zoth
- Patchwerk
- Rakanishu
- Reno Jackson
Tier 5 (5-8 Armor)
- Drek’Thar
- Galakrond
- Galewing
- Illidan Stormrage
- Jandice Barov
- Queen Wagtoggle
- Sindragosa
- Skycap’n Kragg
- Tess Greymane
- The Rat King
Tier 6 (6-9 Armor)
- Ambassador Faelin
- Infinite Toki
- Mr. Bigglesworth
- Pyramad
- Vanndar Stormpike
Tier 7 (7-10 Armor)
- Aranna Starseeker
- Shudderwock
- Sneed
- Varden Dawngrasp
Just like before, we will continue to monitor gameplay after the system goes live and might end up making adjustments in future updates.
NEW HERO
Ambassador Faelin
- Expedition Plans
- Passive. Skip your first turn. Discover a Tier 2, 4, and 6 minion to get at those Tiers.
Players with Battlegrounds Perks will have early access to the new Hero before it is formally released on March 31.
NEW BUDDY
Submersible Chef (Ambassador Faelin’s Buddy)
- [Tavern Tier 4] 4 Attack, 3 Health. Battlecry: Add a random Tier 1, 3, and 5 minion to your hand.
UPDATED HERO
Shudderwock
- Snicker-snack
- Old: [Costs 2] → New: [Costs 1]
NEW MINIONS
Swampstriker
- [Tavern Tier 1, Murloc] 1 Attack, 4 Health. After you summon a Murloc, gain +1 Attack.
Tad
- [Tavern Tier 2, Murloc] 2 Attack, 4 Health. When you sell this, add another random Murloc to your hand.
Baby Krush
- [Tavern Tier 5, Beast] 7 Attack, 7 Health. Whenever this attacks, summon a 9/9 Devilsaur to attack the target first.
Friend of a Friend
- [Tavern Tier 6] 5 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Discover a Buddy.
Some things are best left between you and your bestie. Buddies for the following heroes can’t be Discovered by Friend of a Friend: Bru’kan, Captain Hooktusk, Galewing, Jandice Barov, Kael’thas Sunstrider, King Mukla, Maiev Shadowsong, Malygos, Master Nguyen, Mutanus the Devourer, Overlord Saurfang, Silas Darkmoon, Tavish Stormpike, The Curator, The Rat King, Varden Dawngrasp, Onyxia, Queen Wagtoggle, Cookie the Cook, and Skycap’n Kragg.
MINION POOL UPDATE
- Murloc Tidehunter, Old Murk-Eye, and Maexxna have been removed from the minion pool.
UPDATED MINIONS
Acolyte of C’Thun
- Old: [Tavern Tier 1] 2 Attack, 2 Health. → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 2 Attack, 3 Health.
Reanimating Rattler
- Old: [Tavern Tier 5] 7 Attack, 3 Health. → New: [Tavern Tier 4] 5 Attack, 3 Health.
Strongshell Scavenger
- Old: [Tavern Tier 5] → New: [Tavern Tier 4]
Mythrax the Unraveler
- Old: At the end of your turn, gain +1/+2 for each minion type you control. → New: At the end of your turn, gain +2/+2 for each minion type you control.
Nosy Looter
- Old: 7 Attack, 6 Health. → New: 9 Attack, 8 Health.
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Comments
Am I missing something with Swampstriker? It's just a much better Murloc Tidecaller unless tidecaller was removed ages ago and I didn't notice
Tidecaller has been gone for a few patches now.
Oh well... rip Maexxna. Yes, she was part of "scam" builds, but damn did she serve a purpose of being a Poisonous unit for Beasts and as another one for everyone to use instead of the rather lackluster Spore. Also perplexed by the Acolyte buff.
Acolyte is Tier 2 now.
Oh right. If so, that is a welcome change, actually. Acolyte was the best unit to prevent taking chip damage at turns 1-2, and with it going up a Tier, those first two turns now get to be more of the mindgames that they usually are against players who didn't have Acolyte.
About time Maexxna got the boot. Some interesting additions that will definitely change things up a bit.
Murloc Tidehunter getting kicked out is a big deal tho, that should be interesting how will that change up the early game, also losing the Acolyte from Tier 1. But i guess they might be making room for Nagas.
Don't think Tidehunter is that relevant since leveling on turn 2 isn't even that good anymore. Acolyte was warranted though probably, guy carries the early game way too hard and is part of the reason why it's so easy to lose health early on.
Its not relevant for the most part for the level up on 2, but you still want to do a 6-gold play on your 5-gold turn, be it to buy two minions or to level and buy a minion.
Poor Maexxna, punished for the sins of the snake.
Looking forward to the Dwarven-quest. Maybe some creative quests instead of the usual tribes, but Dwarves are not a tribe. So I dont think so.
The new patch also changed the Tavern Brawl this week from "Blood Magic" to "Party Portals!".
sounds like a bug