Patch 36.0.3 launches today with balance updates for Hearthstone, Arena, and Battlegrounds.
Check out our latest Dev Update on YouTube! The Hearthstone Design Team covers the first major balance patch for Escape from Violet Hold, a tease for the next Battlegrounds season, and more.
Hearthstone Updates
Dev Comment: Escape from Violet Hold has shaken up the meta in a big way, and we’ve loved seeing so many new cards making an impact. At the same time, we’ve seen a few classes start to fall behind, including Warlock, Death Knight, Priest, and Demon Hunter. Overall, class and deck diversity are lower than we’d like, especially at high ranks, so this patch is focused on opening up more options.
To help with that, we’re improving a large number of Escape from Violet Hold cards, with a particular focus on supporting underperforming classes. Azalina Soulsever is also receiving one of the biggest updates we’ve ever given a card, complete with an all-new Start of Game effect.
We’re also making adjustments to several of the current top-performing decks, such as Two-Cost Rogue and Mug Shaman, focusing on early blow-outs.
In Wild, Warlock was already quite powerful before Escape from Violet Hold, and Godfrey the Betrayer as further increased its overwhelming presence. Because of this, we’re taking some larger swings, with an outright ban to Godfrey and nerfs to several other key cards for Warlock decks. We’ll be monitoring to see what happens after these large changes and made continued follow ups as needed.
As always, we’ll be watching closely to see how the meta develops.
Standard Balance Changes
Vanessa the Ringleader
- Old: [6 mana] 4/4.
- New: [7 mana] 4/3.
- Dev Comment: Vanessa was one of the strongest enablers in Rogue and was creating powerful early snowballs too consistently. This change slows her down and makes those swing turns easier to answer.
Blazing Invocation
- Old: Discover a Battlecry minion. It costs (1) less.
- New: Discover a Battlecry minion.
- Dev Comment: Blazing Invocation was accelerating some of Shaman’s strongest plays too efficiently. Removing the discount slows those turns down while preserving the card’s core identity. Shaman’s strength has put the class firmly on our radar, and we’ll continue to monitor its performance as we see how this change plays out, including the impact of other early-game minion generators.
Warptooth
- Old: If three friendly characters take damage on one of your turns, summon this from hand or deck.
- New: If four friendly characters take damage on one of your turns, summon this from hand or deck.
- Dev Comment: Warptooth was hitting the battlefield too easily and creating explosive damage turns. Requiring additional setup should give opponents more time to respond.
Lotus Troublemaker
- Old: Battlecry: Deal 2 damage to a random enemy. Shoot 1 time! (While holding this, play cards for 2 Mana to shoot more!)
- New: Battlecry: Deal 1 damage to a random enemy. Shoot 1 time! (While in hand or deck play cards for 2 Mana to shoot more!)
- Dev Comment: Lotus Troublemaker is a key piece in the new 2-cost Rogue. Its overall power level looks about right, but the difference between drawing it early and drawing it late can cause extreme gaps in that power, leading to frustration for both players. This change helps smooth out that draw variance while also reducing the speed of the burst damage.
Confront the Tol’vir
- Old: [4 mana]
- New: [5 mana]
The above cards will be eligible for full dust refunds for two weeks following Patch 36.0.3.
Blood Doctor Thal’ena
- Old: [5 mana]
- New: [4 mana]
Sawbones
- Old: [6 mana] 6/4.
- New: [5 mana] 5/3.
Emergency Surgery
- Old: Choose an enemy minion. Summon three 3/1 Undead with Lifesteal that attack it.
- New: Choose an enemy minion. Summon four 3/1 Undead with Lifesteal that attack it.
The Living Plague
- Old: [7 mana] 7/7.
- New: [6 mana] 8/8.
Imp Gang Stooge
- Old: Deathrattle: Put a 9/9 Demon with Taunt and Lifesteal on the bottom of your deck.
- New: Deathrattle: Put two 8/8 Demons with Taunt and Lifesteal on the bottom of your deck.
Annihilation
- Old: [9 mana]
- New: [8 mana]
- Dev Comment: This buff in addition to the Imp Gang Stooge change aims to give Warlock a powerful late-game swing turn.
Moragg
- Old: [10 mana]
- New: [9 mana]
Stardust Scythe
- Old: [2 Durability]
- New: [3 Durability]
Vicious Voidscale
- Old: Deathrattle: Get a Void Soul.
- New: Battlecry and Deathrattle: Get a Void Soul.
Irida Sinseeker
Tras’tath, Soul Parasite
Azalina Soulsever
- New: Your starting health is 40…
- Dev Comment: Azalina Soulsever has stolen souls, decks, and now Prince Renathal’s effect! The extra Health should give you more time to turn your opponent’s cards against them.
Karov the Broken
Enthralled Shade
- Old: [3 mana] 4/3.
- New: [2 mana] 3/2.
- Dev Comment: Enthralled Shade was intended to be an efficient tool for Azalina decks, but even those decks weren’t playing it. Reducing the cost will make its discount more appealing for that archetype.
Rampaging Hound
Sewer Swimmer
- Old: [5 mana] 5/4.
- New: [4 mana] 4/3.
Wild Balance Changes
Godfrey the Betrayer
The Soularium
- Old: [1 mana]
- New: [2 mana]
Elwynn Boar
- Old: Deathrattle: If you had 7 Elwynn Boars die this game, equip a 15/3 Sword of a Thousand Truths.
- New: Deathrattle: If you had 10 Elwynn Boars die this game, equip a 15/3 Sword of a Thousand Truths.
Swiftscale Trickster
- Old: [4 mana] 2/2.
- New: [6 mana] 4/4.
- Dev Comment: Swiftscale Trickster enabled some of Wild’s strongest mana-cheating turns. Increasing its cost reduces those early power spikes while keeping the card available for future experimentation.
Arena Updates
We’ve increased the appearance rate of Escape from Violet Hold cards in Arena to offer more opportunities to play with the new cards. We’ll continue monitoring how this change impacts the Arena experience and use those findings to help inform future Arena updates.
Battlegrounds Updates
Dev Comment: With the next Battlegrounds season just around the corner, we wanted to avoid making large-scale balance changes that could have unintended effects on the upcoming meta. Instead, we’re taking a lighter approach and focusing on low-risk adjustments, along with a few significant power outliers.
Overall, the minion types are in a pretty healthy spot right now, so this patch is mainly focused on toning down Mechs and giving Elementals and Quillboar a boost.
There are also a few popular strategies we chose not to address this time, such as Rylak Metalhead and Back to Back, as we already have changes planned for them next season.
We’ll have more to share very soon. Until then, we’ll see you in the Tavern!
Minion and Spell Pool Changes
Returning Minions
Removed Minions
Minion Changes
Ingenious Inventor
- Old: [Tier 5]
- New: [Tier 6]
Silky Shimmermoth
- Old: Whenever this takes damage, your Beetles have +2/+1 this game. Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Beetle.
- New: Whenever this takes damage, your Beetles have +2/+2 this game. Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Beetle.
Fearless Foodie
- Old: [Tier 4]
- New: [Tier 3]
Vinespeaker
- Old: [Tier 6] 7/8. After a friendly Deathrattle minion dies, your Blood Gems give an extra +1 Attack this game.
- New: [Tier 5] 5/6. After a friendly Deathrattle minion dies, your Blood Gems give an extra +2 Attack this game.
Prophet of the Boar
Sanguine Refiner
- Old: 3/10. Rally: Your Blood Gems give an extra +1/+1 this game.
- New: 3/11. Rally: Your Blood Gems give an extra +1/+2 this game.
Glowing Cinder
- Old: [Tier 3] 3/1. Deathrattle: Your Elementals give an extra +1 Health this game.
- New: [Tier 4] 4/1. Deathrattle: Your Elementals give an extra +2 Health this game.
Sand Swirler
- Old: [Tier 4] 5/3.
- New: [Tier 3] 4/3.
Wrath Weaver
- Old: 1/4. After you play a Demon, deal 1 damage to your hero and gain +2/+1.
- New: 1/3. After you play a Demon, deal 1 damage to your hero and gain +2/+2.
Trinket Changes
Lesser Trinket Pool Changes
Removed
- Tiger Carving
- Alliance Keychain
Greater Trinket Pool Changes
Removed
- Tiger Carving
- Vinespeaker Portrait
Lesser Trinket Cost Only Changes
Cost Increases
- Eternal Portrait: 5 → 6
- Cursed Crystal: 1 → 2
- Sous Chef Sticker: 1 → 2
- Transcribing Typewriter: 1 → 2
Cost Decreases
- Minion Bait: 2 → 1
- Glowing Gauntlet: 2 → 1
- Rendle Sticker: 1 → 0
- Rusty Trident: 2 → 1
- Jewelry Box: 1 → 0
- Automaton Portrait: 2 → 1
- Beetle Band: 1 → 0
- Nomi Sticker: 2 → 1
- Mama Bear Sticker: 1 → 0
- Lucky Tabby: 3 → 1
- Pocket Cyclone: 2 → 0
- Water Wheel: 2 → 1
- Scrapsmith Portrait: 1 → 0
- Great Boar Sticker: 2 → 1
- Rewinder Portrait: 2 → 1
- Comfy Coffin: 5 → 3
- Enigmatic Headstone: 3 → 1
- Maxwell Sticker
- Old: Tier 3/4/5 cost 1/3/5 Gold
- New: Tier 3/4/5 cost 0/2/4 Gold
Lesser Trinket Changes
Defiler Portrait
- Old: [0 Gold] Get a Woodland Defiler. Fodders in the Tavern have +2/+2.
- New: [1 Gold] Get a Woodland Defiler. Fodders in the Tavern have +4/+4.
Quilligraphy Set
- Old: Avenge (4): Your Blood Gems give an extra +1 Health this game.
- New: Avenge (3): Your Blood Gems give an extra +1 Health this game.
Bubble Crown
- Old: Once you cast 10 spells, your Tavern spells give an extra +4/+4. (10 left!)
- New: Once you cast 12 spells, your Tavern spells give an extra +4/+4. (12 left!)
Archaic Scroll
- Old: After you cast 6 spells, get a random Naga. (6 left!)
- New: After you cast 7 spells, get a random Naga. (7 left!)
Greater Trinket Cost Only Changes
Cost Increases
- Nazjatar Postcard: 5 → 6
- Protective Ring: 2 → 3
- Deathtouch Apple: 3 → 4
- Powder Keg: 2 → 4
- Beatboxer Portrait: 4 → 5
- Wicked Tome: 4 → 5
- Lava Lamp: 1 → 3
Cost Decreases
- Soul Fermenter: 4 → 3
- Rivendare Portrait: 3 → 2
- Lorewalker Scroll: 1 → 0
- Pocket Cyclone: 2 → 1
- Quilligraphy Set: 4 → 1
- Thornspike Pauldron: 2 → 1
- Gilnean Thorned Rose: 2 → 1
- Fang Anklet: 6 → 5
- Murky Sticker: 3 → 2
- Czarina Portrait: 5 → 3
- Wildfeather Duster: 3 → 1
- Faerie Dragon Scale: 4 → 3
- Redeemer Portrait: 2 → 1
- All-Purpose Kibble: 2 → 0
- Maxwell Sticker
- Old: Tier 3/4/5 cost 1/3/5 Gold
- New: Tier 3/4/5 cost 0/2/4 Gold
Greater Trinket Changes
Bettle Band
- Old: Avenge (6): Summon two 2/2 Beetles. Give them Taunt.
- New: Avenge (7): Summon two 2/2 Beetles. Give them Taunt.
Baller Portrait
- Old: Get a Temperature Shift. After you play 9 Elementals, repeat this. (9 left!)
- New: Get a Temperature Shift. After you play 10 Elementals, repeat this. (10 left!)
Booty Bay Brew
- Old: Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +5/+6.
- New: Whenever you spend Gold, give a friendly Pirate +6/+7.
Defiler Portrait
- Old: Get a Woodland Defiler. Fodders in the Tavern have +10/+10.
- New: Get a Woodland Defiler. Fodders in the Tavern have +15/+15.
Innkeeper’s Hearth
- Old: Discover two Tier 6 minions. Set their stats to 20/20.
- New: Discover two Tier 6 minions. Set their stats to 30/30.
Deathtouch Apple
- Old: [3 Cost] After a friendly Undead is Reborn, give it Reborn. (3 times per combat.)
- New: [4 Cost] After a friendly Undead is Reborn, give it Reborn. (3 times per turn.)
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