Hearthstone's Mercenaries got some big news alongside today's card reveals and other announcements, and we've recapped the important points for you below.

Coming with this patch (23.0):

  • A big task system rework - completing a task will automatically give you the next task for that Mercenary!
    • Mysterious Stranger appearance rate will be smaller since the tasks are overall easier to get.
    • Leaving task slots open will still give you a new daily task.
    • Larger Task System Rework is being planned.
  • New Mercenary added - Murky (Epic Fighter).
    • Obtainable for free via the upcoming Sunken City Reward Track.
  • 22 Mercenaries received balance updates or reworks!

Blizzard also gave some insight for the future of the mode:

  • Mercenaries will have its big updates in X.4 patches in the future - next one in a few months.
    • This includes new Mercenaries, Bounties, and Tasks.
    • Events, balance changes, and bug fixes can and will happen in other patches as well.
  • They're planning for a way to spend excess coins.
    • This should get implemented later this year.
    • Your max level Mercs will gain new specialized traits and power.
  • They're also working on an expansive new end-game system to challenge your whole collection.

You can read all the details in the quotes below.

Quote From Blizzard

Mercenaries Updates

TASK SYSTEM REWORK

Starting with Patch 23.0, completing one Task in a Mercenary’s Task progression will automatically move you on to the next Task in that Mercenary’s progression. You can then continue that Mercenary’s Task progression until you have completed all Tasks for that Mercenary!

The Mysterious Stranger was initially designed and intended to give you more Tasks, but since that will now mostly happen automatically, we are reducing his appearance rate. He will still appear occasionally so that you can get more Tasks if you abandon a Task or complete a Mercenary’s Task progression. You will also still be able to get random new Tasks if you leave any normal Task slots open for the daily Task refresh.

The intent of this system update is to give players more of the Tasks they want, and more Tasks overall, while allowing players to explore more engaging gameplay patterns. We hope this new system will be an improvement for players trying to progress specific Mercenaries, or anybody who is always looking for the next Task to complete. We will monitor how this new system works, and make adjustments if needed, but we are also working on an even larger Task System rework that we are hoping to share more information about later on this year.

NEW MERCENARY

Murky (Epic Fighter)

  • 11/79 Maxed Stats
  • Abilities
    • Slime Time 5 (Nature): (Speed 4) Deal 12 damage to an enemy. Give it Taunt until the end of next turn.
    • Bubbly Bobble 5 (Nature): (Speed 4, Cooldown 1) Restore 13 Health to an adjacent Murloc. Swap places and both gain Divine Shield. Nature Combo: Repeat this.
    • Pufferfisher 5: (Speed 7, Cooldown 1)
      • (Murloc) 15 Attack, 10 Health. Deathrattle: Deal damage equal to this minion’s Attack to 3 random enemies.
  • Equipment
    • Time to Krill 4: Passive: Whenever a friendly Murloc Attacks an enemy with Taunt, give them +4 Attack.
    • Slippery When Wet 4: Passive: After one of your characters loses Divine Shield or Frozen, its next ability is (3) Speed faster.
    • March of the Murlocs 4: Battlecry: Summon 2 10/10 Murlocs.

HS_Patch_23p0_Mercs_Murky_GIF_180x219_SW01.gif

Murky is available for free as part of the Voyage to the Sunken City Rewards Track. Murky portraits are available as part of the Voyage to the Sunken City Tavern Pass. Murky and his portraits will be available for purchase in Mercenaries products after the end of the Voyage to the Sunken City expansion period.

 

MERCENARY BALANCE UPDATES AND REWORKS

Baron Geddon

  • Old: 10/82 Maxed Stats → New: 10/86 Maxed Stats
  • Molten Blade (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Heating Up deals 4 more damage. → New (Rank 4): Heating Up deals 7 more damage.

King Mukla

  • Dinner Time
    • Old (Rank 5): Speed 2, Cooldown 1 → New (Rank 5): Speed 1, Cooldown 1
  • Refreshing Bananas (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Bananas give an additional +4 Health. → New (Rank 4): Bananas give an additional +5 Health.
  • Radioactive Bananas (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Bananas give an additional +2 Attack → New (Rank 4): Bananas give an additional +4 Attack.

Xyrella

  • Atonement
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 15 damage. +3 damage each time you restore 20 Health. → New (Rank 5): Deal 20 damage. +3 damage each time you restore 20 Health.
  • Robes of Purity (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Atonement requires 5 less healing to upgrade. → New: Atonement requires 10 less healing to upgrade.

Scabbs Cutterbutter

  • Old: 11/77 Maxed Stats → New: 13/81 Maxed Stats
  • SI:7 Contract (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Tactical Strike’s Combo effect deals 4 more damage. → New: Tactical Strike’s Combo effect deals 8 more damage.
  • Honing Rod (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 1): Shadow Blade gives +4 Attack first. → New: Shadow Blade gives +10 Attack first.

Millhouse Manastorm

  • Old: 6/69 Maxed Stats → 6/74 Maxed Stats
  • Greater Arcane Missiles
    • Old (Rank 5): Shoot three missiles at random enemies that deal 15 damage each. → New (Rank 5): Shoot three missiles at random enemies that deal 20 damage each.
  • Arcane Powder (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Arcane Explosion deals 4 more damage. → New (Rank 4): Arcane Explosion deals 5 more damage and enemies lose Stealth.

Cariel Roame

  • Old: 11/78 Maxed Stats → New: 12/78 Maxed Stats
  • Crusader’s Blow
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Deathblow: Restore 40 Health. → New: Attack an enemy. Deathblow: Restore 60 Health.
  • Tome of Light (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Passive: While this Merc has Taunt, it has +8 Attack. → New (Rank 4): Passive: While this Merc has Taunt, it has +12 Attack.

Uther

  • Blessing of Protection
    • Old (Rank 5): Restore 10 Health to a friendly character and give them Taunt this turn. → New (Rank 5): Restore 14 Health to a friendly character and give them Taunt this turn.
  • Lightbringer (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Hammer of Justice deals 4 more damage and slows the target by (2) Speed more. → New (Rank 4): Hammer of Justice deals 6 more damage and slows the target by (2) Speed more.
  • Gleaming Pauldrons (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Avenging Wrath deals 4 more damage. → New (Rank 4): Avenging Wrath deals 8 more damage.

Garrosh Hellscream

  • Old: 11/84 Maxed Stats → New: 12/84 Maxed Stats
  • Orcish Banner (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Battle Shout also restores 10 Health to your Orcs. → New (Rank 4): Battle Shout also restores 15 Health to your Orcs.

Captain Galvangar

  • Old: 11/71 Maxed Stats → New: 11/79 Maxed Stats
  • Rending Cleave
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. If it has not acted this turn, apply Bleed (8) to it and adjacent enemies. → New (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. If it has not acted this turn, apply Bleed (12) to it and adjacent enemies.
  • Drek’Thar’s Boon (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Fatal Strike also applies Bleed (5). → New (Rank 4): Fatal Strike also applies Bleed (10).

Wrathion

  • Old: 12/73 Maxed Stats → New: 12/79 Maxed Stats
  • Creeping Madness
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Next turn they must use a different ability or take 20 damage. → New (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Next turn they must use a different ability or take 25 damage.
  • Black Dragon Scales (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Tail Swipe also applies Bleed (5). → New (Rank 4): Tail Swipe also applies Bleed (10).

Vanessa Van Cleef

  • Old: 10/75 Maxed Stats → New: 13/75 Maxed Stats
  • Burgle Barrage
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Combo: Steal 5 Attack from them. → New (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Combo: Steal 5 Attack from them first.
  • Extra Pockets (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): After using Makeshift Weaponry, this Merc keeps up to 5 Attack. → New (Rank 4): After using Makeshift Weaponry, this Merc keeps up to 10 Attack.

Tyrande

  • Arcane Salvo
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 8 damage to two random enemies. → New (Rank 5): Deal 12 damage to two random enemies. If any die, repeat this.
  • Elune’s Charm (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Arcane Shot deals 5 more damage. → New (Rank 4): Arcane Shot deals 15 more damage if the enemy has already acted.

Varian Wrynn

  • Splitting Strike
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Deathblow: Give your Humans +12 Attack. → New (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. Deathblow: Give your Humans +15 Attack.
  • Heroic Leap
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 14 damage to an enemy. Your other Humans are permanently (1) Speed faster. → New (Rank 5): Deal 14 damage to an enemy. Your other Humans in play and bench are permanently (1) Speed faster.
  • Retaliation
    • Old (Rank 5): After an enemy Attacks this turn, gain +5 Attack and Attack it. → New (Rank 5): After an enemy Attacks this turn, gain +5/+5 and Attack it.
  • War Banner (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Retaliation also gives an additional +4 Attack. → New (Rank 4): Retaliation gives an additional +2/+10.

Gul’dan

  • Rain of Destruction
    • Old: Speed 8, Cooldown 1 → New: Speed 8, Cooldown 0.
  • Staff of Chaos (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Passive. After an Orc dies, gain +4 Fel Damage. → New (Rank 4): Passive. After an Orc or Demon dies, gain +4 Fel Damage.

Trigore

  • Frenzied Attack
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. If this took damage this turn, deal 12 damage to a random adjacent enemy. → New (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. If this took damage this turn, deal 16 damage to a random adjacent enemy.
  • Backlash
    • Old (Rank 5): The next time an enemy damages an adjacent ally, gain +5 Attack and deal this Merc’s Attack damage to them. → New (Rank 5): Gain +5 Attack. Each time an enemy damages an adjacent ally this turn, deal this Merc’s Attack damage to them.

Sneed

  • Old: 7/77 Maxed Stats → New: 9/77 Maxed Stats
  • Activate Saw
    • Old (Rank 5): Gain +6 Attack for 2 turns. Attack a random enemy. → New (Rank 5): Gain +9 Attack for 2 turns. Attack a random enemy.
  • Skull Dust (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Bzzz!!! Gains Bleed (5). → New (Rank 4): Bzzz!!! Gains Bleed (10).
  • Extra Blades (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Sneed starts with Activate Blades active for 1 turn. → New (Rank 4): Battlecry: Start with Activate Saw 5 active for 2 turns.

Edwin, Defias Kingpin

  • Assassin’s Blade
    • Old (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. If it hasn’t acted yet this turn, gain +5 Health and Attack it again. → New (Rank 5): Attack an enemy. If it hasn’t acted yet this turn, gain +10 Health and Attack it again.
  • Kingpin’s Bounty
    • Old: Speed 4, Cooldown 2. → New: Speed 4, Cooldown 1.
  • Black Flag (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Passive: Adjacent Pirates are (4) Speed faster. → New (Rank 4): Passive: Your other Pirates are (4) Speed faster.
  • Even Shares (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Kingpin’s Bounty restores 10 more Health and affects all friendly characters. → New (Rank 4): Kingpin’s County restores 15 more Health and affects all friendly characters.

Thrall

  • Lightning Storm
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 10 damage to all enemies. → New (Rank 5): Deal 10 damage to all enemies. They lose Stealth.

Mannoroth

  • Howl of Terror
    • Old (Rank 5): Reduce the Attack of all enemies by 15 this turn. → New (Rank 5): Reduce the Attack of all enemies by 15 this turn. They lose Stealth.

Ragnaros

  • DIE, INSECTS
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 22 damage to a random enemy. Deathblow: Repeat this. → New (Rank 5): Deal 22 damage to a random enemy. It loses Stealth. Deathblow: Repeat this.

Warmaster Voone

  • Axe Throw
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 8 damage to an enemy and one of its neighbors. → New (Rank 5): Deal 10 damage to an enemy and one of its neighbors. They lose Stealth.

Varden Dawngrasp

  • Flurry
    • Old (Rank 5): Deal 6 damage to 3 random enemy Mercs. They are (2) Speed slower next turn. → New (Rank 5): Shoot three missiles at random enemies that deal 7 damage each and slow for (2) Speed next turn.
  • Chilling Amulet (Equipment)
    • Old (Rank 4): Deathrattle: Deal 8 damage to all enemies. Freeze a random enemy until the end of next turn. → New (Rank 4): Deathrattle: Deal 14 damage to all enemies and Freeze a random enemy.

 

ADDITIONAL UPDATES

  • While on a Bounty, the Campfire node will now allow work with one click instead of requiring it be selected and then entered.
  • Vaelstrasz’s Bounty rewards will now be able to grant Murky Coins instead of Lady Anacondra Coins.
  • Multiple stacks of Bleed will now be combined into a total Bleed count that can be reduced by healing, instead of erased entirely.
  • Bleed damage will no longer be able to deal Critical damage.
  • Adjusted Mercenary card display and screen space for better Ability previews.

Quote From Blizzard

The Future of Hearthstone Mercenaries

You may have noticed that the Mercenaries game mode added only one new Mercenary in Patch 23.0: the slippery murloc, Murky—available for free on the Rewards Track. That’s because Mercenaries will be shifting its release cadence in the Year of the Hydra.

Mercenaries will continue to have updates like events, balance changes, bug fixes, and general improvements in every patch, but the team will be shifting its major content beats to the X.4 patches. That means that the next bunch (and we do mean bunch) of new Mercenaries, Bounties, and Tasks will come in a few months. This shift will allow Mercenaries to have its own big moment like the other major modes do, and will allow the team to focus more efforts on the types of improvements that the community has been asking for.

Throughout this year, the team has plans for a way to spend excess coins, an expansive new end-game system to challenge your whole collection, and a series of improvements to the Task system, as well as more events and the continuation of regular updates to Bounties, Zones, Mercenaries. The first of those Task system updates, and a slew of Mercenary balance changes, are going live right away with Patch 23.0, and that’s just the beginning!

More From Year of the Hydra

Blizzard has plenty of new information to share about Year of the Hydra including the remaining cards for Voyage to the Sunken City.