Hearthstone’s Patch 23.2 is launching next Tuesday (May 10) and Blizzard just shared some details about it. X.2 patches are big Battlegrounds updates and this one isn’t different. Just like players have expected, a new minion type – Naga – is coming to the game mode. We’re also getting a new keyword and some other changes. Here’s a quick summary:
- Update: Buddies Rotate Out – While it wasn’t announced in the initial blog post, Kripp interviewed Battlegrounds designer Dom, who confirmed that Buddies will be gone from the game mode in Patch 23.2 to shake things up and make more room for the Naga.
- Rise of the Naga – It’s the first Battlegrounds season, coming with a rating reset and many other new additions.
- New Minions – 16 minions of the new Naga minion type + 5 other new minions and 2 returning ones. 6 minions will be removed from the pool.
- New Keyword: Spellcraft – A minion with Spellcraft will add a temporary spell to your hand on play and then every turn. The spell only lasts for one combat and then will go back to your hand at the start of your next Recruit phase (as long as the Spellcraft minion is still in your warband).
- New Hero – Queen Azshara will be added to Battlegrounds.
- Card Reveals – New minions, on top of the few we got in this blog post, will be revealed over the next few days through official sources and content creators.
- Lobby Legends – Noblegarden – A new Lobby Legends tournament will happen next weekend, May 14-15.
Learn more from the official blog post below:
Bow down before Queen Azshara, for soon her army of Naga will flood into Battlegrounds! Patch 23.2, launching on May 10, will bring with it the first ever Battlegrounds Season, Rise of the Naga. The new season will bring a Battlegrounds Rating reset, a new hero, and an entire new minion type, the Naga!
New Minion Type: Naga
Naga are spell-thirsty minions that are drawn to magic. They tend to give you spells or get more powerful when spells are played around them.
New Keyword: Spellcraft
Some Naga have the unique new keyword, Spellcraft! Minions with the Spellcraft keyword grant a temporary spell each turn. That spell can give your minions a buff that lasts until the start of your next Recruit phase.
The Queen Comes for the Crown
Queen Azshara will be the newest hero to come to Battlegrounds. The Highborne Queen and her people were cursed to live out their days as vengeful Naga. After transforming into Naga Queen Azshara, wave after wave of Naga will be under your command! Do you have what it takes to lead them to victory?
Master the Magic
The Naga were destroyed by their inability to control their own insatiable thirst for magic. Don’t fall victim to the same fate! Here are few tips about how to play with Naga and Spellcraft to best channel their power:
- Each Spellcraft minion generates a Spellcraft spell every turn.
- Spellcraft effects only last until your next Recruit phase. That means that each turn you get to choose where you put your spells for the next Combat.
- Spellcraft spells leave your hand at the end of your turn—if you don’t use them, you lose them!
- Spellcraft spells are generated as soon as you play the Spellcraft minion, and at the start of each Recruit phase.
- If your hand is full, Spellcraft spells will “wait” until there is a free space in your hand, instead of getting destroyed or being delayed a turn.
- Golden Spellcraft minions will generate Golden versions of the Spellcraft spells, with double the effect.
- Some Naga care about when you play spells. That includes Spellcraft spells as well as things like Coins, Blood Gems, and triple rewards.
The Naga Await
In total, 5 minions will be removed from the minion pool with Patch 23.2, to be replaced with 16 new Naga minions, 5 other new minions, and 2 returning favorites! More Naga will be revealed over the coming days, along with Developer Insights and other tidbits. Tune in as some of your favorite content creators preview some of the upcoming minions and mechanics before all updates are revealed on May 9.
- May 5, 12 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. GMT – Kripp
- May 6, 10 a.m. PT/ 5 p.m. GMT – Edcuated Collins/Shadybunny
- May 6, 12 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. GMT – CarryPotter
- May 7, 9 a.m. PT/ 4 p.m. GMT – 小孩无敌 (Kid Invincible)
- May 7, 12 p.m. PT/ 7 p.m. GMT – NinaisNoob
Make sure to also keep an eye on PlayHearthstone for daily recaps, art showcases, and more during this reveal weekend!
Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends
Be sure to watch 16 of the best Battlegrounds players in the world as they showcase Queen Azshara and the new Naga minions in Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends – Noblegarden on May 14 – 15, on YouTube and Twitch! For future Lobby Legends-hopefuls, a Battlegrounds reset means a new season, and the fourth Battlegrounds: Lobby Legends qualifying period will take place May 10 – May 31. Follow Hearthstone Esports on Twitter for updates, future event announcements, and tournament details!
In the Kripp reveal, one of the devs confirmed that Buddies will be removed from BGs when the patch hits next week.
In a way I am kind of glad they are going. For some of the buddies, the effects were nice, but losing that one space in the warband really could make a difference in having a good solid synergistic warband.
I really hope they come back in the future, even though some were way better than others they really made for some fun plays and gave something you could reliably strategize with.
I have mixed feelings about them. For a while they added an aspect to the game, but once it was figured out, it got dull really fast.