Hearthstone Patch 36.2 brings a targeted Demon Hunter nerf, Battlegrounds Season 14, free event cards, Heroic Tavern Brawl, new shop offers, and a substantial collection of bug fixes.
Hearthstone Balance Update
The recent Demon Hunter buffs pushed the class further than intended. Patch 36.2 rolls back part of Vicious Voidscale’s previous improvement while Blizzard continues to monitor the wider meta.
Vicious Voidscale (Nerfed)
- Old: Battlecry and Deathrattle: Get a Void Soul.
- New: Deathrattle: Get a Void Soul.
Vicious Voidscale is eligible for a full dust refund for two weeks after Patch 36.2.
Battlegrounds Season 14
Battlegrounds Season 14: Dark Gifts of Dalaran begins August 4 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The season introduces Dark Gifts, Activate minions, Lockboxes, Fishbait, two Heroes, an expanded Trinket pool, and a large minion and Tavern Spell refresh.
Dark Gifts
- Starting on Turn 3, players can spend 3 Gold to Discover 1 of 3 minions, each paired with a unique Dark Gift.
- The Dark Gift button can be used once per turn and up to 3 times per game.
- Available offerings improve on later turns.
- The system includes 43 unique Dark Gifts.
Activate Keyword
- Activate abilities are triggered by spending Gold during the Recruit Phase.
- Click an Activate minion in your warband to use its ability.
- Each Activate ability can be used once per turn.
Lockbox and Fishbait
- Lockbox: Pirate strategies can find Lockboxes containing Golden minions. These unlock on later turns unless released early.
- Fishbait: Beast strategies can attack during the Recruit Phase, with a reward for the minion that takes the bait.
Seasonal Pool Refresh
- Minions: 96 removed, 62 new, and 31 returning.
- Tavern Spells: 5 removed, 5 new, and 4 returning.
- Lesser Trinkets: 23 new.
- Greater Trinkets: 24 new.
- Trinkets remain available alongside Dark Gifts.
New Heroes
- Nightmare Lord Xavius — Feel Devastation
- Tras'tath, Soul Parasite — Void Power
General Battlegrounds Changes
Venomous (Adjusted)
Venomous now specifies that it destroys the first minion damaged during each combat. This supports Recruit Phase attacks without consuming the effect before regular combat.
- Old: Destroy the first minion this deals damage to.
- New: Destroy the first minion this deals damage to each combat.
Chromadrake (Adjusted)
Chromadrakes have left the Tavern pool, although certain minions and Trinkets can still generate them.
- Old: One of five Tier 3 Dragons with various Battlecries.
- New: One of five Dragons with various Battlecries.
Large Stat Display
Numbers containing more than four digits will now use a condensed display, making heavily scaled warbands easier to read.
Season 14 Battlegrounds Rewards Track
Season 13 ends and Season 14 begins on August 4. Battlegrounds Ratings will reset, and earned but unclaimed Season 13 rewards will be claimed automatically.
The Season Pass immediately unlocks +2 Hero options at the beginning of each game. Its track includes the Violet Hold Legendary Strike, 13 additional Hero Skins, a new Bartender, and other cosmetics. Season Pass + includes the Season Pass rewards and one Hero re-roll per game.
Levels 1–10
- Level 1: 0 XP, 0 cumulative XP — Season Pass: 2x Hero Slots.
- Level 2: 20 XP, 20 cumulative XP.
- Level 3: 20 XP, 40 cumulative XP — Free Track: 2x BG Tokens.
- Level 4: 20 XP, 60 cumulative XP — Season Pass: 5x BG Tokens.
- Level 5: 30 XP, 90 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Rec Time A.F.Kay Rare Hero Skin.
- Level 6: 30 XP, 120 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Dalaran Escape - Aya Blackpaw Epic Emote.
- Level 7: 30 XP, 150 cumulative XP — Free Track: 2x BG Tokens.
- Level 8: 30 XP, 180 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Off Duty Maiev Legendary Hero Skin.
- Level 9: 40 XP, 220 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Prison Sous-Chef Cookie Rare Hero Skin.
- Level 10: 40 XP, 260 cumulative XP — Season Pass: 5x BG Tokens.
Levels 11–20
- Level 11: 40 XP, 300 cumulative XP — Free Track: Death's Head Blackthorn Rare Hero Skin.
- Level 12: 50 XP, 350 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Arch-Warden Rafaam Epic Hero Skin.
- Level 13: 50 XP, 400 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Dalaran Escape - Advocate Cariel Rare Emote.
- Level 14: 50 XP, 450 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Street Racer Sneed Rare Hero Skin.
- Level 15: 50 XP, 500 cumulative XP — Free Track: 2x BG Tokens.
- Level 16: 60 XP, 560 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Violet Hold Rare Strike.
- Level 17: 60 XP, 620 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Vanessa VanCleef Epic Bartender.
- Level 18: 60 XP, 680 cumulative XP — Season Pass: 5x BG Tokens.
- Level 19: 60 XP, 740 cumulative XP — Free Track: Dalaran Escape - Prosecutor Tamsin Rare Emote.
- Level 20: 60 XP, 800 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Prison Warden Omu Rare Hero Skin.
Levels 21–30
- Level 21: 60 XP, 860 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Smuggler Hooktusk Rare Hero Skin*.
- Level 22: 60 XP, 920 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Dalaran Escape - Aronist Rakanishu Epic Emote*.
- Level 23: 60 XP, 980 cumulative XP — Free Track: Carny Silas Rare Hero Skin*.
- Level 24: 60 XP, 1040 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Getaway Galewing Epic Hero Skin*.
- Level 25: 60 XP, 1100 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Crime Master Voone Rare Hero Skin*.
- Level 26: 60 XP, 1160 cumulative XP — Season Pass: 5x BG Tokens.
- Level 27: 60 XP, 1220 cumulative XP — Free Track: Dalaran Escape - Judge Jailer Epic Emote*.
- Level 28: 60 XP, 1280 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Violet Hold Epic Strike*.
- Level 29: 60 XP, 1340 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Dalaran Escape - Lovestruck Illidan Rare Emote*.
- Level 30: 60 XP, 1400 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Sewerwock Rare Hero Skin*.
Levels 31–40
- Level 31: 60 XP, 1460 cumulative XP — Free Track: 2x BG Tokens.
- Level 32: 60 XP, 1520 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Advocate Cariel Epic Hero Skin*.
- Level 33: 60 XP, 1580 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Dalaran Escape - Carny Silas Rare Emote*.
- Level 34: 60 XP, 1640 cumulative XP — Season Pass: 5x BG Tokens.
- Level 35: 60 XP, 1700 cumulative XP — Free Track: Prosecutor Tamsin Epic Hero Skin*.
- Level 36: 60 XP, 1760 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Inspector Holmes Legendary Hero Skin*.
- Level 37: 60 XP, 1820 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Arsonist Rakanishu Rare Hero Skin*.
- Level 38: 60 XP, 1880 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Dalaran Escape - A.F.Kay Epic Emote*.
- Level 39: 60 XP, 1940 cumulative XP — Free Track: Jade Lotus Goya Legendary Hero Skin*.
- Level 40: 60 XP, 2000 cumulative XP — Season Pass: Violet Hold Legendary Strike*.
*These rewards become available after the Patch 36.6 update.
Zuramat's Rampage! Event
The Zuramat's Rampage! event runs from August 4 through August 25. Completing its in-game quests awards free cards, packs, and a Mage Hero Skin.
Event Rewards
- 1x Watfin*, normal and Golden version.
- 2x Desperate Bribe*, normal and Golden version.
- 2x Soul Immolation*, normal and Golden version.
- 4x Violet Hold Packs.
- 2x Golden Violet Hold Pack.
- Escape Artist Millhouse Hero Skin for Mage.
*After the event, these cards can be obtained by owning an Escape from Violet Hold pack starting with Patch 36.4.
Heroic Tavern Brawl
Heroic Tavern Brawl returns from August 12 through August 19. Players use Standard decks built from their own collections.
- Entry: 1000 Gold.
- Run limit: Continue until 12 wins or 3 losses.
- Rewards: Determined by the run's final performance.
Battle.net Shop Rewards and Offers
- From August 4 through August 25, a free Escape from Violet Hold gift can be claimed from the Battle.net Shop each week.
- A new weekly reward appears every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. PDT.
- Starting August 4, the shop offers a special deal on the Legendary Night Warrior Tyrande Bundle.
- Early access to the Legendary Landmarks Signature Bundle also begins August 4.
Qixi Turalyon and Qixi Alleria Cosmetics
Darkmoon Faire Treasures features Qixi-themed Turalyon and Alleria Hero Skins from August 11 through September 8.
Qixi Turalyon Mythic Hero Skin
This Mythic Hero Skin includes a Qixi-themed appearance and custom entrance, Hero Power, attack, spellcasting, victory, and defeat animations.
Qixi Alleria Diamond Hero Skin
This Diamond Hero Skin includes a Qixi-inspired appearance with custom entrance, emote, Hero Power, attack, victory, and defeat sequences.
Darkmoon Faire Treasures can award Pets, Mythic Skins, Signature cards, Hero Skins, and other prizes. The first pull is free; later pulls cost Runestones. Every pull awards a prize, and pricing changes as the available prize collection rotates.
Bug Fixes and Game Improvements
Unity and System Requirements
- Hearthstone has moved to a newer Unity version, changing the game's minimum system requirements.
Hearthstone
- Fixed Krul the Unshackled's Battlecry leaving the board visually dimmed for the remainder of a match.
- Fixed Shadow of Demise being playable without a valid effect after a non-spell card was played.
- Fixed Sinestra allowing the Essence generated by Dragon Soul, Shattered to be cast twice.
- Fixed only one Mana Burn effect applying when two copies were played during the same turn.
- Fixed Prepare incorrectly activating Agamaggan's effect.
- Fixed a game-start issue involving Priest decks containing both Azalina Soulsever and Medivh the Hallowed.
- Fixed a second Conjuration Specialist being able to target itself while Mayor Noggenfogger was present.
- Fixed Stormfury visually showing 2 damage instead of the correct Spell Damage-adjusted amount.
- Fixed Ascendance allowing a damaged Time-Twisted Seer to provide permanent Spell Damage for the rest of the game.
- Fixed an issue preventing Tombs of Terror from starting.
- Fixed opponents being able to identify Secrets cast by The Origin Stone through the history bar.
- Fixed Jailbird no longer receiving Cost reductions after interacting with Wizened Truthseeker.
- Fixed Memoriam Manifest summoning Onyxia's Wing before Arisen Onyxia appeared.
- Fixed Violet Punisher failing to steal Taunt from certain minions.
- Fixed The Hero's Welcome not activating Rangari Scout's effect.
- Fixed Siphoning Growth granting 16 Armor instead of 8 while Niri of the Crater was in play.
- Fixed Mountain Map offering two minion choices rather than three.
- Fixed Jailhouse Manastorm summoning minions that cost more than 10 Mana.
- Fixed Prince Renathal and Timethief Rafaam being unable to appear together in the same deck.
- Fixed Dire Fate effects that grant Windfury, Taunt, or Charge not applying to summoned minions.
- Fixed Conflux Crasher dealing damage to an enemy minion after that minion had already died.
- Fixed Zilliax Deluxe 3000 being guaranteed as the next draw after its own Deathrattle shuffled it into the deck.
- Fixed Helpless Hatchling's Deathrattle reducing the Cost of Beasts that already cost 0.
- Fixed Headmaster Kel'Thuzad failing to add Mr. Bigglesworth to hand under certain board conditions.
- Fixed Rampaging Hound displaying Beast instead of Elemental Beast.
- Fixed Winterspring Whelp's Frost visual effect triggering twice while The Origin Stone was in play.
Arena
- Fixed card dragging during Arena Redraft on Loss leaving a duplicate card image behind.
- Fixed Golden Hero Powers appearing as non-Golden versions during Arena drafting.
- Fixed a crash that could occur on iPad after conceding an Arena match.
Battlegrounds
- Fixed Catacomb Crasher gaining Down in the Catacombs while it was still in the Tavern.
- Fixed missing or incorrect Hand Protection for Feline Fortune.
- Fixed Hand Protection for the interaction between Timewarped Secrecy and Secret Sinstone.
- Fixed Hand Protection for Yogg-Tastic Pastry's Hand of Fate result.
- Fixed Moroes, Steward of Death granting incorrect stats when created by Build-An-Undead.
- Fixed Timewarped Wargear losing its base stats after being Magnetized onto another minion.
- Fixed The Eye of Dalaran not being awarded after its conditions were completed.
- Fixed Timewarped Interpreter granting +3 Attack / +2 Health instead of +3 Attack / +3 Health.
- Fixed the Maxwell Sticker Greater Trinket granting the wrong Buddy while the Greater Pouches Anomaly was active.
- Fixed Tripled Sand Swirler and Glowing Cinder showing incorrect card text when combined with Elemental of Surprise.
Collection
- Fixed the Violet Hold Card Back incorrectly displaying the name “Kirin Tor” in the Collection.