(Live Now) Hearthstone 28.0 Patch Notes – Showdown in the Badlands, Pre-Release Theorycrafting, Catch-Up Packs, In-Game Event, Updates To All Modes, Bug Fixes

Update: Looks like patch has some undocumented changes to Arena drafting. After the update, every 1st Arena pick will be a Legendary card, and after that you’re guaranteed to not get any more Legendaries. They’re testing it for the sake of Badlands Highlander cards – if you draft one, you know that you have it from the get-go and you can plan a deck around it (not pick any duplicates). Titan cards will also be banned from the drafting. (Source)

Update #2: The patch is now live on PC. It should be released on mobile within the next few hours.

Blizzard just posted full patch notes for the upcoming 28.0 update. It launches tomorrow and contains the data for the upcoming expansion, Showdown in the Badlands. The patch itself is actually pretty content-light, but it’s only a week away from the new expansion, so that’s when things should get exciting. Here’s a quick summary of the patch:

• Showdown in the Badlands – The patch contains data for the new expansion, which launches on November 14. You can still pre-order it if you’re interested. Learn more about it with our guide.
• Pre-Release Theorycrafting – Content creators from all around the world were invited to play the expansion earlier. They will stream with the early access to new cards, but they will only be able to build decks following special rules (at least 10 new Badlands cards). Twitch drops will be active – earn up to 2 Badlands packs for watching. I will remind you about it closer to the actual event.
• Catch-Up Packs – Catch-up packs are a new type of packs that are meant for new/returning players. They will contain more cards the fewer cards you own. Badlands Catch-up packs unlock on November 14 and contain cards from the other 5 expansions currently in Standard. Learn more about them with our guide.
• New In-Game Event – Wanted: Dead or Alive is a new in-game event launching on November 20. Earn the new Catch-up packs, regular Badlands packs as well as a new Trader Rafaam Warlock Hero (not sure why they did two Warlock Heroes from events in a row, but hey).
• Constructed Updates – Stitched Giant will now only cost 1 Unholy Rune instead of 2. Anomalies are now disabled, you need to play Cho'gall, Twilight Chieftain to get them now.
• Battlegrounds Updates – Anomalies will continue until Patch 28.2, but no new ones will get introduced. You can also now toggle multiple favorite Strikes and Game Boards in your collection.
• Duels Updates – A new Duels season is launching with some updates to card bucket system (adventures will now count as a part of another expansion) and card pools. Descent of Dragons + Galakrond’s Awakening will be added to the pool with the patch, and then the new Badlands expansion on November 14.
• Arena Updates – A new season launches tomorrow (November 7) with patch launch. Make sure to have an active run if you want a free Tavern Ticket.
• Twist Updates – After the current season ends, Twist will be down for two months (December, January) and it will be brought back again in February with new rules. Having another break, even longer than the previous one, is a bummer.
• Bug Fixes & Game Improvements – Just like always, the patch launches with a lot of bug fixes and smaller QoL features.

Learn more in the full patch notes below:

Patch 28.0, launching tomorrow, saddles up for Showdown in the Badlands to come to Hearthstone on November 14!

The Showdown in the Badlands is About to Begin!

Hearthstone’s next expansion, Showdown in the Badlands, is riding into Hearthstone on November 14. The new 145-card expansion includes the new Quickdraw and Excavate keywords, Legendary outlaws, and more! See all the new cards in the official Card Library today. This is your last chance to wrangle your Pre-Purchase bundle, only available until the expansion goes live next week!

With the launch of Showdown in the Badlands comes a new Rewards Track, filled with treasures like XP boosts, cards, card packs, and a motherlode of Gold. Eureka! Check out our Rewards Track Refresh blog for details.

Pre-Release Theorycrafting on November 9-10

Join us as your favorite content creators fire off their first shots at the new expansion, before its official launch on November 14. Invited players will be streaming their participation on their own personal streams, so make sure that you’re following your Hearthstone creators and tune in when they go live!

• NA/LATAM/EMEA players will play on November 9, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (PT)
• APAC players will play on November 10, 2:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (PT) / 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. (KDT)

All participants need to include at least 10 Showdown in the Badlands cards in their decks (that can be 10 individual cards, 5 duplicates, or anything in between).

Your favorite posse of casters is also returning for their TheoryCASTING stream on the official Hearthstone Twitch channel. Join them as they bounce between games from all the participating players and provide their expert analysis.

• Lorinda, Edelweiss, Sottle, and Raven are back on November 9, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT)

Twitch Drops will be enabled category-wide from November 9, 9:00 a.m. to November 10, 9:00 a.m. (PT), so you can watch any Hearthstone stream you’d like and earn up to 2 Showdown in the Badlands Packs! Just make sure you link your Twitch and Battle.net accounts for your watch time to award drops. In addition to category-wide Twitch Drops, all participating streamers will have Pre-Purchase Mega Bundle codes to give away to their respective audiences during the event!

Hearthstone Updates

Anomalies Update

Yogg-Saron has been contained once again! Anomalies will no longer appear in 1/4 of matches. Anomalies will now only appear if one or both players have Cho-Gall, Twilight Chieftain in their deck at the start of the game.

Card Updates

Stitched Giant

• Old: [Double Unholy Runes]
• New: [Single Unholy Rune]

Catch-Up Packs Unlock on November 14

Catch-Up Packs are a new type of pack that was announced at BlizzCon. Each Catch-Up Pack has a variable number of cards in it, based on your collection—up to 50 per pack! Login after Patch 28.0 goes live for 2 free Catch-Up Packs.* Catch-Up Packs have also been added to the Showdown in the Badlands Pre-Purchase Bundles, and more! Check out our dedicated Catch-Up Packs blog for more information.

* Available until Patch 29.0.

In-Game Event—Wanted: Dead or Alive!

Outlaws and crooks ride rampant in the Badlands. Starting on November 20, get deputized and start chasing their bounties! From November 20-December 5, complete Event Quests to earn Event XP on the special event rewards track. Complete the rewards track to earn 2 Showdown in the Badlands Packs, 4 Catch-Up Packs, and the Trader Rafaam Warlock Hero Skin.

Battlegrounds Updates

• There are no new Anomalies coming with Patch 28.0, but Anomalies will continue to be in all games until the next Battlegrounds Season begins in Patch 28.2.
• No more choosing between favorites! You can now toggle multiple favorite Strikes and Boards, to get a random one of your favorites at the start of each game.

Duels Updates

Season Update

On November 7, the current Duels season will end, ratings will be reset, and current runs will be concluded. At that time, Descent of Dragons and Galakrond’s Awakening will be added to deckbuilding and card pool offerings. Showdown in the Badlands will also become available in all card pool offerings at that time, but will not be available for initial deckbuilding until the launch of the expansion on November 14.

Bucket System Update

Adventure card sets will no longer have their own buckets. Instead, they’ll be rolled into an expansion set bucket. Curse of Naxxramas will be added to the Goblins vs. Gnomes bucket; One Night in Karazhan will be added to the The Grand Tournament bucket; Galakrond’s Awakening and Blackrock Mountin will be added to the Descent of Dragons bucket; and The League of Explorers will be added to the Saviors of Uldum bucket.

Card Pool Updates

• The following card is banned from deckbuilding and all buckets:
  • Arcane Amplifier*
• The following cards are banned from all draft buckets, but are legal for initial deckbuilding:
  • Embiggen
  • The Amazing Reno*
  • Goru the Mightree
  • Nozdormu the Timeless
  • All 5 forms of Galakrond*
  • Waxadred*
  • Flik Skyshiv*
  • Maw and Paw
  • Rheastrasza
  • Theldurin the Lost
  • Tae’Thalan Bloodwatcher
  • Spirit of the Badlands
  • Reno, Lone Ranger*

* These cards are also banned from Discover and random generation effects.

Minion Update

Sr. Navigator

• Old: Whenever you target this minion with a spell that costs (2) or more, add a copy of the spell to your hand.
• New: After you target this minion with a spell that costs (2) or more, restore 3 Health to another random friendly minion.

Arena Updates

On November 7, with Patch 28.0, all current Arena runs will end and a new Arena season will begin. The eligible sets will rotate so that the following sets will make up the Arena card pool:

• Core
• Showdown in the Badlands
• Caverns of Time
• TITANS
• Path of Arthas
• Descent of Dragons
• Saviors of Uldum

Twist Updates

Journey to Un’Goro has come to Twist for the November season, now live! Head to Twist now to dino-size your climb. After the November season, Twist will be temporarily disabled for the December and January seasons. We look forward bringing Twist back in February with a fun new season!

Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

• [General] Addressed various localization issues.
• [Hearthstone] Void Scripture will no longer reveal a Secret selected and immediately cast by its effect.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where a Reborn trigger counted as summoning an extra time.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where a doubled Celestial Shot would result in an extra damage buff.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where certain cards were able to Discover different set versions of themselves.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Crusader’s Aura was missing its “turns left” indicator.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Shadowtouched Kvaldir’s effect wouldn’t be spent if it was used to pop a Divine Shield.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug with Shadowtouched Kvaldir and Overheal effects.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Conjurer’s Calling didn’t work with Fanottem, Lord of the Opera.
• [Battlegrounds] The Yogg-iseum Anomaly will no longer be able to roll Curse of Flesh on the first turn of the game.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where the Anomaly for the match couldn’t be seen on mobile devices during Hero Select.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where Sea Witch Zar’jira’s Spellcraft spell made a base copy instead of an exact copy.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where a minion with Reborn couldn’t re-gain Reborn after it lost Reborn from being attacked by Sin’dorei Straight Shot.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where, if one player disconnected during a game with the Yogg-isseum Anomaly, the same result would then be spun every turn for the rest of the game.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed an issue causing disconnects.
• [Duels] Deathcharger and Joras Thuldoom have had their minion types updated.
• [Duels] Fixed a bug where Aviana would appear in Duels buckets.
• [Features] Spacebar input now works with the Mass Pack Opening feature.
• [Features] Fixed a bug where if you opened 12+ Legendary cards with Mass Pack Opening Harth would be so flabbergasted that the summary screen would show an empty Legendary banner.
• [Progression] We’ve adjusted the amount of Rewards Track experience gained from playing in Mercenaries.
• [Progression] Fixed various bugs with the reworked tutorial.
• [Cosmetics] Fixed bugs with the appearance of Rafaam’s Legendary Skin on Android devices.
• [Cosmetics] Fixed a bug with Wallflower Halveria’s Hero Power animation.
• [Cosmetics] Fixed a bug with Omen’s Hero Power animation.
• [Achievements] Fixed a bug where the “What We Heal in the Shadows” Achievement didn’t properly track AoE effects.
• [Achievements] Fixed a bug where the “The Answer May Shock You” Achievement didn’t properly track.
• [???] Fixed issues with the Mystery puzzles.
• Misc. other bug fixes and game improvements.

Source