26.0.2 Hearthstone Patch Notes – Nerfs to Death Knight, Demon Hunter & Paladin, Battlegrounds Balance Updates, Arena Microadjustments, Bug Fixes

Blizzard has just dropped an unexpected hotfix patch (26.0.2). Usually, those go out a week or so after the expansion’s release at the earliest, but it looks like they’ve decided that the current power levels need some immediate adjustments. And I have to agree – some of the decks definitely stand out in a league of their own, ruining the early meta a bit (doubly so because strong Death Knight builds play nearly exactly the same as they did last expansion, making them less interesting to face). They hit the three best performers with this patch, although pretty lightly. Still, it’s very surprising to see a patch only 3 days after launch.

The patch includes three Constructed nerfs (Construct Quarter, Vengeful Walloper and Lightray), a lot of Battlegrounds balance updates, as well as Arena microadjustments, and some bug fixes. This means that they touched nearly every single game mode with this one. Sadly, they didn’t address the Wild issue yet – Twig of the World Tree is dominating the format now that you can tutor it with Instrument Tech. I expect them to do something about it in the next patch, but it would be nice to address the problem at least temporarily. In its current state, Wild is very difficult to play.

It’s a data-only patch so it should be available on mobile right away with no extra wait like with the bigger updates.

Check out the full patch notes below:

Patch 26.0.2 is a data-only hotfix patch launching today with updates to Hearthstone, Battlegrounds, and Arena, plus bug fixes.

HEARTHSTONE UPDATES

Card Changes

Construct Quarter

• Old: 3 Durability
• New: 2 Durability

Vengeful Walloper

• Old: 6 Mana
• New: 7 Mana

Lightray

• Old: 9 Mana
• New: 10 Mana

BATTLEGROUNDS UPDATES

Armor Changes

Heroes Getting More Armor

• A.F. Kay: 18
• Galewing: 14
• George the Fallen: 13
• Illidan Stormrage: 14
• Ini Stormcoil: 15 at higher ranks (no change at lower ranks)
• Lord Jaraxxus: 18 at higher ranks, 7 at lower ranks
• Millificent Manastorm: 14 at higher ranks (no change at lower ranks)
• Onyxia: 14
• Patches the Pirate: 14 at higher ranks (no change at lower ranks)
• Professor Putricide: 14
• Rakanishu: 18
• Sir Finley Mrrgglton: 10
• Tavish Stormpike: 15 at higher ranks, 10 at lower ranks
• The Jailer: 15
• Millhouse Manastorm: 10

Heroes Getting Less Armor

• Bru’kan: 12
• Enhance-o Mechano: 8
• E.T.C., Band Manager: 10
• Kurtrus Ashfallen: 12
• Maiev Shadowsong: 9 at higher ranks (no change at lower ranks)
• Master Nguyen: 12
• Queen Wagtoggle: 10
• Scabbs Cutterbutter: 10
• Silas Darkmoon: 10
• Skycap’n Kragg: 11
• Sneed: 12
• The Rat King: 9
• Zephrys, the Great: 10
• Millhouse Manastorm: 6

Note: Millhouse Manastorm now has less Armor at higher ranks, but more Armor at lower ranks.

Buddy Updates

The following Buddies have been adjusted to be more powerful:

Snow Elemental (Chenvaala)

• Old: Tavern Tier 4
• New: Tavern Tier 3

Vaelastrasz (Alexstrasza)

• Old: Tavern Tier 4
• New: Tavern Tier 3

Talent Scout (E.T.C., Band Manager)

• Old: Tavern Tier 5
• New: Tavern Tier 3

Coilfang Elite (Lady Vashj)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] 4 Attack, 3 Health
• New: [Tavern Tier 1] 3 Attack, 2 Health

Sub Scrubber (Ini Stormcoil)

• Old: Tavern Tier 5
• New: Tavern Tier 4

Piloted Whirl-O-Tron (Sneed)

• Old: Tavern Tier 3
• New: Tavern Tier 2

Festergut (Professor Putricide)

• Ticking Abomination has been removed from the Festergut minion pool. (It is still in the minion pool for Professor Putricide’s hero power, Build-An-Undead).

The following Buddies have been adjusted to be less powerful:

Nightmare Ectoplasm (Mutanus the Devourer)

• Old: [Tavern Tier3] 5 Attack, 4 Health
• New: [Tavern Tier 4] 4 Attack, 3 Health

Raging Contender (Captain Hooktusk)

• Old: Tavern Tier 4
• New: Tavern Tier 5

Living Nightmare (Kurtrus Ashfallen)

• Old: [Tavern Tier 2] 5 Attack, 3 Health
• New: [Tavern Tier 3] 6 Attack, 4 Health

Waxadred, the Drippy (Heistbaron Togwaggle)

• Old: Tavern Tier 4
• New: Tavern Tier 5

Shady Aristocrat (Sire Denathrius)

• The Quest Discovered will now be more difficult to complete.

Minion Updates

Dr. Boombox

• Old: Tavern Tier 4
• New: Tavern Tier 5

ARENA UPDATES

Card appearance rates were adjusted. High power class cards for Death Knight, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, and Shaman will appear less frequently. High power class cards for Demon Hunter and Warrior will appear more frequently. The Countess, Fel’dorei Warband, Deal with a Devil, and Astalor, Bloodsworn are no longer be able to be drafted.

BUG FIXES AND GAME IMPROVEMENTS

• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Sketchy Stranger would only offer 2 options if you were playing as a Secret class.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where cards gained by Fight Over Me were not tagged as copied from your opponent.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug causing mouse-over tooltips to sometimes disappear. This bug fix includes a temporary mitigation until the next full client patch.
• [Duels] Fixed a bug where Scourge Strike was sometimes literally unplayable.
• [Arena] Fixed a bug where new Core Set cards were not in the eligible card pool.

Source