Patch 33.4.2 is live. This update includes a set of targeted Hearthstone card buffs, a midseason balance pass for Battlegrounds, adjustments to several Quests and Quest rewards, hero armor changes, and a few bug fixes.
Hearthstone Updates
Dev note: The meta is generally balanced, so this patch focuses on targeted buffs to underperforming cards from the Day of Rebirth Mini-Set and a few cards that support Quest strategies.
Card Changes
Khelos (Buffed)
New: Khelos now has Taunt.
Dev comment: This preserves Khelos’ synergy with Dissolving Ooze while making it a stronger standalone minion.
Mirrex, the Crystalline (Buffed)
Old: While in your hand, this is a 3 Attack / 3 Health copy of the last minion your opponent played.
New: While in your hand, this is a 3 Attack / 4 Health copy of the last minion your opponent played.
Possessed Animancer (Buffed)
Old: [6 mana]
New: [5 mana]
Dev comment: Making Possessed Animancer cheaper improves its usability and synergy with partners such as Asphyxiodon.
Asphyxiodon (Buffed)
Old: 6 Attack / 10 Health.
New: 6 Attack / 12 Health.
Ritual of Life (Buffed)
Old: Discover a 3-Cost minion. Summon a 2 Attack / 2 Health copy of it.
New: Discover a 3-Cost minion. Summon a 2 Attack / 3 Health copy of it.
Ankylodon (Adjusted)
Old: [8 mana] 7 Attack / 7 Health.
New: [6 mana] 7 Attack / 5 Health.
Dev comment: This change makes Ankylodon more attractive for Hunter Discover effects and Quest Hunter, while altering its survivability.
Longneck Egg (Buffed)
Old: Deathrattle: Summon a 1 Attack / 2 Health Beast. Give your minions +1/+1.
New: Deathrattle: Summon a 3 Attack / 3 Health Beast. Give your minions +1/+1.
Costume Merchant (Buffed)
Old: 1 Attack / 3 Health.
New: 2 Attack / 4 Health.
Tortotem (Buffed)
Old: [2 mana] 0 Attack / 4 Health.
New: [1 mana] 0 Attack / 3 Health.
Dev comment: Lowering its cost helps Tortotem contribute to the Shaman Quest earlier and enables faster minion generation.
Battlegrounds Updates
Dev note: This midseason pass reduces the prevalence of Quilboar and Elementals, while strengthening Undead, Beasts, Dragons, Mechs, and Murlocs. Quest difficulty has also been tuned to lower variance (for example, Unlikely Duo now triggers on buying instead of playing).
Pool Adjustments
The following minions have been removed from the pool:
- Stray Satyr
- Carbonic Copy
- Scourge Harvester
- Canopy Swinger
- Sharp-Eyed Sabretooth
- Merciless Mammoth
The following minions have been returned to the pool (with adjustments listed below):
- Saltscale Honcho
- Gentle Djinni
- Young Murk-Eye
Minion Changes
Razorfen Vineweaver (Adjusted)
Old: [Tier 4] 4 Attack / 4 Health. Rally: Play 3 permanent Blood Gems on this.
New: [Tier 5] 5 Attack / 5 Health. Rally: Play 3 permanent Blood Gems on this.
Roadboar (Adjusted)
Old: 3 Attack / 2 Health. Rally: Get 3 Blood Gems.
New: 3 Attack / 4 Health. Rally: Get 2 Blood Gems.
Champion of Sargeras (Nerfed)
Old: 12 Attack / 12 Health. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Minions in the Tavern have +5/+5 this game.
New: 10 Attack / 10 Health. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Minions in the Tavern have +4/+4 this game.
Raptor Elder (Buffed)
Old: 2 Attack / 8 Health. Your Beasts have +2/+2. (Improved by each Beast you've summoned this combat!)
New: 2 Attack / 7 Health. Stealth. Your Beasts have +3/+2. (Improved by each Beast you've summoned this combat!)
Stomping Stegodon (Adjusted)
Old: 4 Attack / 4 Health. Rally: Give your other Beasts +2 Attack and this Rally.
New: 3 Attack / 3 Health. Rally: Give your other Beasts +3 Attack and this Rally.
Mama Bear (Buffed)
Old: 5 Attack / 5 Health. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +5/+5.
New: 6 Attack / 6 Health. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +6/+6.
Goldrinn, the Great Wolf (Buffed)
Old: 5 Attack / 5 Health. Deathrattle: For the rest of this combat, your Beasts have +5/+5.
New: 6 Attack / 6 Health. Deathrattle: For the rest of this combat, your Beasts have +6/+6.
River Skipper (Nerfed)
Old: 2 Attack / 1 Health. When you sell this, get a random Tier 1 minion.
New: 1 Attack / 1 Health. When you sell this, get a random Tier 1 minion.
Saltscale Honcho (Adjusted)
Old: [Tier 1] 3 Attack / 3 Health. After you play a Murloc, give a friendly Murloc other than it +1 Health.
New: [Tier 2] 5 Attack / 2 Health. After you play a Murloc, give a friendly Murloc other than it +2 Health.
Mrglin' Burglar (Buffed)
Old: 6 Attack / 6 Health. After you play a Murloc, give a friendly minion and a minion in your hand +3/+3.
New: 8 Attack / 6 Health. After you play a Murloc, give a friendly minion and a minion in your hand +4/+3.
Young Murk-Eye (Adjusted)
Old: 9 Attack / 6 Health. At the end of your turn, trigger the Battlecry of an adjacent minion.
New: 10 Attack / 5 Health. At the end of your turn, trigger the Battlecries of adjacent Murlocs.
Grease Bot (Adjusted)
Old: 2 Attack / 5 Health. Divine Shield. After a friendly minion loses Divine Shield, give it +2 Attack / +1 Health permanently.
New: 2 Attack / 4 Health. Divine Shield. After a friendly minion loses Divine Shield, give it +2 Attack / +2 Health permanently.
Utility Drone (Adjusted)
Old: 4 Attack / 5 Health. At the end of your turn, give your minions +1/+1 for each Magnetization they have.
New: 3 Attack / 5 Health. At the end of your turn, give your minions +2/+1 for each Magnetization they have.
Charging Czarina (Adjusted)
Old: 6 Attack / 3 Health. Divine Shield. Whenever you cast a Tavern spell, give your minions with Divine Shield +2 Attack.
New: 5 Attack / 3 Health. Divine Shield. Whenever you cast a Tavern spell, give your minions with Divine Shield +3 Attack.
Mechagnome Interpreter (Nerfed)
Old: 2 Attack / 4 Health. Whenever a friendly Magnetic minion is played or Magnetized, give it +2 Attack / +2 Health.
New: 2 Attack / 3 Health. Whenever you play or Magnetize a Mech, give it +2 Attack / +1 Health.
Prized Promo-Drake (Buffed)
Old: 2 Attack / 2 Health. Start of Combat: Give your Dragons +3/+3.
New: 1 Attack / 1 Health. Start of Combat: Give your Dragons +4/+4.
Roaring Recruiter (Buffed)
Old: 2 Attack / 6 Health.
New: 2 Attack / 8 Health.
Tarecgosa (Buffed)
Old: [Tier 3] 4 Attack / 4 Health.
New: [Tier 2] 3 Attack / 3 Health.
Twilight Watcher (Adjusted)
Old: 3 Attack / 8 Health. Whenever a friendly Dragon attacks, give your Dragons +1 Attack / +2 Health.
New: 3 Attack / 7 Health. Whenever a friendly Dragon attacks, give your Dragons +1 Attack / +3 Health.
Noisul of the Many Faces (Adjusted)
Old: [Tier 6] 3 Attack / 9 Health.
New: [Tier 5] 2 Attack / 8 Health.
Oranomonos, the Wilted (Adjusted)
Old: [Tier 5] 3 Attack / 8 Health. After a friendly minion is Reborn, your Undead have +1 Attack this game (wherever they are).
New: [Tier 6] 4 Attack / 9 Health. After a friendly minion is Reborn, your Undead have +2 Attack this game (wherever they are).
Campfire Shadow (Adjusted)
Old: [Tier 5] 6 Attack / 4 Health.
New: [Tier 4] 4 Attack / 2 Health.
Gentle Djinni (Adjusted)
Old: [Tier 6] Taunt. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Get a random Elemental.
New: [Tier 5] Taunt. Deathrattle: Get a random Elemental.
Spell Changes
Sanctify (Buffed)
Old: Give your minions with Divine Shield +5 Attack.
New: Give your minions with Divine Shield +7 Attack.
Azerite Empowerment (Buffed)
Old: Give your minions +4 Attack / +4 Health.
New: Give your minions +3 Attack / +3 Health, twice.
Quest Changes
The following Quests are now easier to complete:
- Reenact The Murder
- Round Up the Suspects
- Crack the Case
The following Quest is now harder to complete:
- Dust For Prints
Quest Card Changes
Unlikely Duo (Buffed)
Old: Quest: Play 5 (minion type) or (minion type).
New: Quest: Buy 4 (minion type) or (minion type).
Quest Reward Changes
The following Quest Rewards are now easier to obtain:
- Smelting Chamber
- Bloodsoaked Tome
- Beyond the Mirage
- Magicfin Relic
- Yogg-tastic Tasties
- Timeline Acceleration
Quest Reward Card Changes
Untold Riches (Nerfed)
Old: Get a 7-Gold Coin Pouch. Increase your maximum Gold by 7.
New: Get a 5-Gold Coin Pouch. Increase your maximum Gold by 5.
Perpetual Incantation (Buffed)
Old: Your Tavern spells give an extra +1 Attack / +1 Health. (+1/+1 can be earned endlessly!)
New: Your Tavern spells give an extra +2 Attack / +1 Health. (+2/+1 can be earned endlessly!)
Hero Updates
The following heroes have had their armor values increased.
- Galewing — 10 Armor and 8 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Vol'jin — 17 Armor, 14 Armor in Duos, and 15 Armor in low ranks (Buffed)
- Maiev Shadowsong — 15 Armor, 13 Armor in Duos, and 18 Armor in low ranks (Buffed)
- Kurtrus Ashfallen — 15 Armor and 12 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Sir Finley Mrrgglton — 14 Armor and 12 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Galakrond — 17 Armor and 15 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Guff Runetotem — 12 Armor and 10 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Tess Greymane — 18 Armor and 16 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Shudderwock — 12 Armor and 10 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Dinotamer Brann — 18 Armor and 16 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Skycap'n Kragg — 17 Armor and 15 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Y'Shaarj — 17 Armor and 15 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Rakanishu — 18 Armor and 16 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
- Kerrigan, Queen of Blades — 14 Armor and 12 Armor in Duos (Buffed)
Bug Fixes
- [Arena] Fixed a bug where Anachronos, Frostmourne, and Barak Kodobane didn't have Legendary buckets. They have been returned to the card pool.
- [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where the pop-up Reward Scroll said "Sharp-Eyed Lookout" when receiving Staff of the Endbringer.
On HSLeaderboard, these changes are likely to nudge a few underrepresented decks into viability and shift midseason Battlegrounds dynamics—we’ll be watching ladder data for the next few days.