Patch 23.6, launching today, sets the stage for Murder at Castle Nathria, Hearthstone’s next expansion! The patch also includes updates to Battlegrounds, Mercenaries, Arena, and more.

Pre-Purchase Murder at Castle Nathria

Hearthstone’s next expansion, Murder at Castle Nathria, is coming on August 2! This anima-Infused mystery takes place in the Shadowlands, where murder is most foul. It’s up to you, and the great detective Murloc Holmes, to scour new Location cards for clues as to which of the 10 suspects killed the great Sire Denathrius!

Murder at Castle Nathria includes 135 new cards surrounding the murder mystery and the 10 guests at the center of it. You can learn more in the Murder at Castle Nathria Announcement blog. Two pre-purchase options are available now to kickstart your inquiry once the expansion launches.

Pre-purchase

Log in and Get Prince Renathal for Free

Log in to Hearthstone now to get your first hint of what Murder at Castle Nathria holds with the free Prince Renathal Legendary minion!* This powerful noble lets you start the game at 40 life and build a 40-card deck! Add him to your collection and see what you can do when you have more space to work with.

* Limited one per account. After Patch 24.6, Prince Renathal will be granted upon opening your first Murder at Castle Nathria card pack instead of upon logging in.

Battlegrounds Updates

General Updates

• Darkmoon Prizes are back! From now until the next Battlegrounds Season, Darkmoon Prizes will appear in 25% of games. Several of the Darkmoon Prizes have been adjusted since their last appearance.
• The number of copies of each Tier 1 minion was reduced from 16 to 15.
• The following Battlegrounds Perks are being extended until the next Battlegrounds Season (instead of the next Standard expansion): Discover from 4 Heroes; Hero Early Access (if any Early Access eligible heroes are released in that time); and Advanced Stats. Visual Emotes will remain until the next Standard expansion, at which point all Battlegrounds Players will receive the base visual emotes. Stay tuned for more details on changes to Battlegrounds Perks and rewards before the next Battlegrounds season!

New Hero

Lady Vashj (Armor Tier 1)

• Relics of the Deep
  • [1 Gold] Discover a Spellcraft spell of your Tier or lower. Passive: Your first one each turn is permanent.

Players with Battlegrounds Perks will have early access to Lady Vashj ahead of her formal release on July 11.

Hero Updates

Bigglesworth

• Bigglesworth’s Hero Power will now give a Consolation Coin whenever a player dies with no minions.

Cariel Roame

• Conviction now targets more minions at each rank: two random friendly at Rank 1; four random friendly minions at Rank 2; and all friendly minions at Rank 3.

Drek’Thar

• Old: Choose a friendly minion. It copies the Attack of your highest Attack minion until next turn. → New: Choose a minion. It copies the Attack of the highest Attack minion until next turn.

• Dev Comment: Drek’Thar and Vanndar now can target and can copy from any minion, including minions in Bob’s Tavern.

Guff Runetotem

• Old: Armor Tier 7 → New: Armor Tier 4
• Old: [1 Gold] Give a friendly minion of each Tavern Tier +1/+1. → New: [2 Gold] Give a friendly minion of each Tavern Tier +3/+2.

Overlord Saurfang

• Old: Give +2 Attack to the next minion you buy this turn. (Upgrades each turn!) → New: Give +2 Attack to the next minion you buy. (Upgrades each turn!)

• Dev Comment: The effect now carries over between turns.

Sindragosa

• Old: Freeze a minion in Bob’s Tavern. Frozen minions get +2/+1 each turn. → New: Freeze a minion in Bob’s Tavern. Passive: At the end of your turn, Frozen minions get +2/+1.

• Dev Comment: This is not a functional change. This is just to more clearly distinguish the active from the passive parts of the Hero Power.

Sneed

• Old: Armor Tier 7 → New: Armor Tier 1
• Old: [2 Gold] Give a friendly minion: “Deathrattle: Summon a random minion of the same Tavern Tier.” → New: [1 Gold] Give a friendly minion: “Deathrattle: Summon a random minion of a lower Tavern Tier.”

Vanndar

• Old: Choose a friendly minion. It copies the Health of your highest Health minion until next turn. → New: Choose a minion. It copies the Health of the highest Health minion until next turn.

Y’Shaarj

• Old: Start of Combat: Summon a minion from your Tavern Tier. Add a copy of it to your hand. → New: Start of Combat: Add a minion from your Tavern Tier to your hand. Summon a copy of it.

• Dev Comment: This means that the minion will be added to your hand even if there is no board space to summon it.

New Minions

Tavern Tipper [Tavern Tier 1]

• 2 Attack, 2 Health. If you have any unspent Gold at the end of your turn, gain +1/+2.

Silverback Patriarch [Tavern Tier 1, Beast]

• 1 Attack, 4 Health. Taunt.

Sparring Partner [Tavern Tier 2]

• 3 Attack, 2 Taunt. Battlecry: Give a minion Taunt.

Kooky Chemist [Tavern Tier 2]

• 4 Attack, 4 Health. Battlecry: Swap the Attack and Health of a minion.

Yrel [Tavern Tier 2]

• 1 Attack, 5 Health. After this attacks, give a friendly minion of each minion type +1/+2.

Atramedes [Tavern Tier 4, Dragon]

• 3 Attack, 6 Health. Whenever this attacks, deal 3 damage to the target and its neighbors.

Wargear [Tavern Tier 4, Mech]

• 5 Attack, 5 Health. Magnetic.

Tunnel Blaster [Tavern Tier 4]

• 3 Attack, 7 Health. Taunt. Deathrattle: Deal 3 damage to all minions.

Uther, the Lightbringer [Tavern Tier 6]

• 5 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Set a minion’s Attack and Health to 15.

Minion Pool Updates

• Shifter Zerus and Iron Sensei have been returned to the minion pool.
• Acolyte of C’Thun, Menagerie Mug, Unstable Ghoul, Budding Greenthumb, Screwjank Clunker, Prestor’s Pyrospawn, Defender of Argus, and Mechano-Egg have all been removed from the minion pool.

Minion Updates

Bannerboar

• Old: 1 Attack, 4 Health. At the end of your turn, play a Blood Gem on adjacent Quilboar. →  New: 1 Attack, 3 Health. At the end of your turn, play a Blood Gem on adjacent minions.

Annihilan Battlemaster

• Old: 3 Attack → New: 5 Attack

Soul Devourer

• Old: Battlecry: Choose a friendly Demon. Remove it to gain its stats and 3 Gold. → New: Battlecry: Consume a friendly Demon to gain its stats and 3 Gold.

• Developer Comment: This is not a functional change. This change is only to make the text better match existing effects.

Grease Bot

• Old: [Tavern Tier 4] 3 Attack, 6 Health. After a friendly minion loses Divine Shield, give it +1/+1 permanently. →  New: [Tavern Tier 6] 4 Attack, 7 Health. Divine Shield. After a friendly minion loses Divine Shield, give it +3/+2 permanently.

New and Updated Darkmoon Prizes

Several Darkmoon Prizes have been updated since they last appeared in Battlegrounds:

The Good Stuff

• Old: Give minions in Bob’s Tavern +2 Health for the rest of the game. →  New: Give minions in Bob’s Tavern +1 Attack for the rest of the game.

I’m Still Just a Rat in a Cage

• Old: Double a minion’s Attack. →  New: Give a minion +2 Attack, then double its Attack.

Great Deal

• Old: For the rest of the game, reduce the cost of upgrading Bob’s Tavern by (3) at the end of your turn. →  New: Reduce the cost of upgrading Bob’s Tavern by (6).

The Bouncer

• Old: Give a friendly minion +5/+5 and Taunt. →  New: Give a friendly minion +6/+6 and Taunt.

B.A.N.A.N.A.S.

• Bananas now have a 50% chance to be a Big Banana (no change to card textbox).

Additionally, Big Banana has been removed from the Darkmoon Faire Prize pool, and two new prizes have been added:

Banana Bunch (Prize turn 1):

• Add 2 Bananas to your hand.

• Dev Comment: These Bananas have a 50% chance to be Big Bananas as well.

Mindflayer Goggles (Prize turn 3):

• Steal all minions in Bob’s Tavern. Then Refresh it.

Finally, players who are in the bottom half of the scoreboard are no longer more likely to get better Prizes.

Mercenaries Updates

Login Now to Get Three Free Portraits!

Any player who has completed the Mercenaries tutorial* will receive special Portraits for Tyrande Whisperwind, Millhouse Manastorm, and Xyrella! These Portraits are a thank you to everyone who has tried out Mercenaries since its launch. We know that you’ve all been eagerly waiting to see what major changes we’ve been working on this year, including what you’ll be able to do with your excess coins.

Later this year, we’ll be adding a system that will let you exchange some of your excess coins for random coins for a Merc you own but haven’t yet Maxed. We’re also still working on the end-game content that was hinted to in the Year of the Hydra announcement, including a way to use excess coins to add power and personalized traits to your Maxed Mercs, all of which we still expect a bit further down the line.

It has taken us a little longer than we’d hoped to implement these systems, but we wanted to let you know we have a clear plan on our goals for these projects, we are actively working on them, and they are coming. We consider this to be our highest priority in Mercenaries development; we just need some more time to make sure it’s done correctly.

* This is a one-time award for accounts that have already completed the Mercenaries tutorial when Patch 23.6 launches. Those players will automatically have these portraits added to their Collection. These Portraits may become available to other players through other means at a later time.

New Limited-Time Event: Yogg-Saron

The Old Gods continue their onslaught as Yogg-Saron turns its many maws towards Mercenaries. You will be able to take on MADNESS itself in this limited-time event, starting on June 30. The event will consist of 10 special Tasks centered around the Old God Yogg-Saron. Two new event Tasks can be unlocked on each of the first five days of the event, but you have until July 15 to complete all 10 Tasks. Completing all 10 Tasks will get you the Yogg-Saron Mercenary, a random Golden Yogg-Saron Portrait, the Diamond Yogg-Saron Portrait, and 700 Mercenary Coins! Naga, Casters, and a couple of Night Elves will be integral in this battle.

New Mercenary:

Yogg-Saron (Legendary Caster)

• Old God
• 10/80 Maxed Stats
• Abilities:
  • Lunatic Gaze 5 (Shadow): (Speed 2) Deal 15 damage to an enemy, or restore 15 Health to a friendly character. Randomly swap the Speeds of their Abilities.
  • Mind Yoggle 5 (Shadow): (Speed 6) Give a friendly character +5 Attack this turn. They Attack a random enemy. Old Gods’ abilities Refresh (1) for each Attack so far this turn.
  • Oh My Yogg 5 (Shadow): (Speed 15, Cooldown 15) Randomly use 5 other Abilities from Mercs in play with random targets.
• Equipment:
  • Piercing Gaze 4: Lunatic Gaze does an extra 5 damage.
  • Lash of Hysteria 4: Mind Yoggle gives an extra +5 Attack.
  • Awakening Roar 4: Battlecry: Old Gods’ abilities Refresh (4).

Yogg-Saron coins have replaced Garrosh Hellscream Coins as the reward for the Garrosh Hellscream Bounty (in the Sunken City Zone). Yogg-Saron and its Portraits will not initially be obtainable through packs or crafting. Yogg-Saron and its Portraits all be obtainable through normal means in a patch after the event ends. Y’Shaarj and its Portraits can now be obtained through all normal means.

Arena Updates

When Patch 23.6 launches, all current Arena runs will end and a new Arena season will begin. The eligible card sets will rotate so that the following sets will make up the Arena card pool:

• Core
• The Boomsday Project
• Descent of Dragons
• Forged in the Barrens
• United in Stormwind
• Fractured in Alterac Valley
• Voyage to the Sunken City
• Taverns of Time

Wait. Rewind. What was that last one?

That’s Right, Taverns of Time Returns to Arena!

The Arena-only set, Taverns of Time, is returning to Arena with several adjustments to update the set for the game’s current state. Murozond has been removed from the set—he can’t be trusted messing with time, honestly—and many of the set’s other 28 cards have had their costs or stats adjusted.

The Fire Festival is Back

Starting on June 30, join in a special Fire Festival chain of seven Legendary Quests! Complete all seven Quests to earn a Standard Packs, a Card Pack for each of Fractured at Alterac Valley, Voyage to the Sunken City, and Murder at Castle Nathria, a Mercenaries Pack, a Battlegrounds hero skin, and a Warrior hero skin.

New Features—Expanded Recent Players List and In-Game Reporting

Recent players capabilities have been expanded and improved in the friends list. Now, there will be a dedicated section at the top of your friends list that includes last opponent, former friends, new friends, your current opponent, and more.

Additionally, we’re happy to share that player-reporting will soon be added to the in-game friends list menu! You’ll be able to report players from the recent players list (including your current opponent) or from your friends list. Grounds for reporting will include inappropriate names, inappropriate chats, and inappropriate gameplay. We’re putting the finishing touches on this feature, so you’ll see hints of it in the game with this patch, and it’ll become available soon!

Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

• Artist credits have been added to additional art pieces.
• Fixed a bug causing deck changes to not carry over when made between different devices and/or while making changes offline.
• Fixed a bug where Brilliant Macaw copied Gigafin’s Deathrattle with its Battlecry.
• Fixed a bug where Glowscale’s Spellcraft’s temporary Divine Shield could remove a minion’s permanent Divine Shield.
• Lowered the requirements for Y’Shaarj’s Tasks 3 and 10.
• Fixed a bug causing “Complete a Bounty at Level 30” Tasks to sometimes not complete as written.
• Fixed a bug preventing all “kill two enemies in one turn” Tasks from tracking.
• Fixed various bugs with Diamond Portrait voicelines.
• Fixed a bug where the Heroic Queen Azshara Bounty did not unlock after the completion of the normal Fish of N’Zoth Bounty.
• Fixed a bug preventing Queen Azshara’s Bleed and Freeze Abilities from working in her Bounty Boss encounter.
• Fixed various text, visual, and functional bugs with several Mercenaries Abilities, including bugs with Maiev’s Imprison Ability and Queen Azshara’s Mage Paramount Ability.
• Fixed a bug where the Ice Block Talisman Equipment would trigger even if the owner had Divine Shield that would have protected it.
• Fixed a bug with the removal of Stealth if all characters have Stealth.
• Fixed a bug in Duels where Brann’s Dino Tracking Hero Power could cause disconnects.
• Fixed a bug where Zephrys’s Lamp caused the client to crash in the Tombs of Terror.
• Added deck copying functionality to Duels. Fixed a bug preventing deck codes from working with certain heroes.
• Miscellaneous other performance improvements, text updates, and bug fixes.