Patch 25.6, launching today, sets the stage for Hearthstone’s next expansion: Festival of Legends! The patch also brings Battlegrounds Buddies back with an updated system, new friends, and more. So grab your Buddy and your pre-purchase bundle, the show is about to begin!

Pre-Purchase Festival of Legends

Hearthstone’s next expansion, Festival of Legends, is coming this April! Azeroth’s greatest musician, E.T.C., is putting together a massive music festival, featuring the best artists in 11 different musical genres—each with its own Legendary musician minion and song spell. Grab your gear and prepare for the opening act, it’s almost time for the Festival of Legends!

Festival of Legends is jam-packed with 145 new collectible cards. You can learn more in the Festival of Legends Announcement blog. Two pre-purchase options are available now so that you don’t miss a beat when the expansion launches.

Pre-purchase

Log in and Get E.T.C., Band Manager for Free!

Log in to Hearthstone now for your first steps towards stardom with the free E.T.C., Band Manager Legendary card!* With E.T.C., you can form a three-piece band while building your deck and then call any band member up to the stage when the time is right. Try-outs are now open! What cards are making it into your band?**

* Limited one per account. After Patch 26.6, E.T.C., Band Manager will be granted upon opening your first Festival of Legends pack, instead of upon logging in.

** E.T.C.’s band follows deckbuilding rules for the deck E.T.C. is in—so you can’t use the band to get extra copies of a Legendary card, or cards from another class. Any card can be in the band, not just minions, but certain cards don’t have what it takes to make the band. Cards with Start of Game effects, Maestra of the Masquerade, Whizbang the Wonderful, Zale Shadowcloak, and the Galakrond forms are banned from the band at launch. The Galakronds are expected to be un-banned in a future update, after some bug fixes. Additionally, E.T.C., Band Manager can’t be drafted in Arena and does not appear in Duels deckbuilding or card buckets.

Card Updates

Test Subject has been unbanned in Wild and has had its text updated.

• Old: Deathrattle: Return any spells you cast on this minion to your hand.
• New: Deathrattle: Shuffle any spells you cast on this minion into your deck.

Test Subject will be eligible for a full dust refund for two weeks following Patch 25.6.

Join the Headliner’s Tour

On Warm up for the Festival of Legends with a special in-game event. Choose one of three headliners to follow on tour as they make their way to the Festival of Legends. From March 14 to March 28, you can complete daily and special Event Quests to earn Event XP towards your selected event Rewards Track. The Event Quests offered will correspond to the classes represented in your chosen Rewards Track. Complete the event Rewards Track to earn three class packs, one Festival of Legends pack, and a hero skin of your selected headliner!

Don’t worry about missing the other headliners’ shows, the hero skins that you do not earn will be available for purchase in the in-game shop during Patch 26.0.

New Battle Bash: Corgi Cup Collection

A new Battle Bash is here for Corgle fans everywhere! This limited-time curated collection* of Battlegrounds cosmetics includes ten Corgi Cup themed items: an Epic Strike, an Epic Board, five different Epic Hero Skins, a Rare Bartender, and two sets of three Rare Emotes. Purchasing the Battle Bash will immediately unlock 2 Hammers you can use to Bash for random prizes from the collection. Each Top 4 finish during the Battle Bash period unlocks another Hammer.

On March 21, a new Battle Bash is coming for Corgle fans everywhere! That means everyone has a random chance to score their favorite prize for free! It also means that players purchasing the Battle Bash will only need seven Top 4 finishes during the Battle Bash period to unlock all the prizes.

* Each Battle Bash collection will only be available as a whole collection for a limited time. However, individual items within the collection may become available at a later time. For more details, see the full disclosures site.

Battlegrounds Updates

General Updates

• Battlegrounds Buddies are back for the mid-season update!
• Heroes now have 30 starting Health (except for Patchwerk) and Armor Tiers are being removed. Instead of a range of Armor, each hero will have a set amount of Armor, from 5-20.
• The starting Cost to upgrade from Tavern Tier 4 to Tavern Tier 5 has increased from 9 Gold to 11 Gold.
• Some Buddies had their minion types adjusted to match the minion type updates since Buddies were last in the Tavern.

Buddies are Back and Better than Before!

Buddies are returning for every hero that had a Buddy last time they were around. Heroes that didn’t already have their Buddy are making a new friend!

Buddies work a little bit differently this time around. Instead of a complicated Buddy Meter, there’s now a Buddy Button that you can press at any time to get your Buddy. The Buddy Button’s initial cost is based on your Buddy’s Tavern Tier, and is reduced by 3 Gold each time you win or tie a combat, or reduced by 2 Gold each time you lose a combat.

Like with the previous Buddy Meter, the Buddy Button can be activated up to twice per game. The first time you press the Button, you’ll get one copy of your Buddy; the second time you press the Button, you’ll get two copies. The cost to press the Button resets and is slightly increased after you press it the first time.

Tavern Tier	Initial Cost	Reset Cost
1	11	13
2	13	15
3	15	17
4	17	19
5	19	21
6	21	23

New Hero

E.T.C., Band Manager

• Hero Power - Sign a New Artist (4 Gold): Discover a Buddy. (Unlocks at Tier 2.)
  • Dev Comment: To avoid unwanted and ineffective interactions, the “Sign a New Artist” Buddy pool has the same limitations as Friend of a Friend.

• Buddy – Talent Scout (Tavern Tier 5)
  • 4 Attack, 4 Health. Battlecry: Make a Buddy Golden.

E.T.C., Band Manager will be guaranteed in every game for the first 2 weeks after the launch of Patch 25.6.

Hero Power Updates

Shudderwock – Snicker-snack

• Old: [1 Gold] Add a 1/1 Shudderling to your hand that repeats all Battlecries you’ve played. (Twice per game).
• New: [0 Gold] Trigger a friendly minion’s Battlecry.
• Dev Comment: Shudderwock is still banned in Beast lobbies.

Queen Wagtoggle – Wax Warband

• Old: [1 Gold] Give a friendly minion of each minion type +1/+1.
• New: Passive. Start of Combat: Give 3 friendly minions of different types stats equal to their Tavern Tiers.

New Buddies

Queen Azshara – Imperial Defender

• [Tavern Tier 3, Naga] 2 Attack, 4 Health. Whenever you cast a Spellcraft spell on a different minion, you also cast it on this.

Ozumat – Tamuzo

• [Tavern Tier 3, Beast] 4 Attack, 4 Health. Avenge (2): Upgrade ‘Tentacular’ by +1/+1.

Lady Vashj - Coilfang Elite

• [Tavern Tier 2, Naga] 3 Attack, 4 Health. After a Spellcraft minion appears in Bob’s Tavern, get a copy of its spell.

Heistbaron Togwaggle – Waxadred, the Drippy

• [Tavern Tier 4, Dragon-Elemental] 7 Attack, 5 Health. Battlecry: Refresh Bob’s Tavern with the highest Tier minion from each opponent’s last Warband.

Murloc Holmes – Watfin

• [Tavern Tier 3, Beast] 2 Attack, 6 Health. After you guess correctly with ‘Detective for Hire,’ get a plain copy of the minion.

Sire Denathrius – Shady Aristocrat

• [Tavern Tier 2] 2 Attack, 2 Health. Battlecry: Discover a Quest. Complete it to get a 8-Gold Coin Pouch.
• Note: Due to a bug found late in patch development, Sire Denathrius (and Shady Aristocrat) will be temporarily banned at launch.

Sylvanas Windrunner – Nathanos Blightcaller

• [Tavern Tier 5, Undead] 3 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Remove a friendly minion. Give its stats to its neighbors.

The Jailer – Mawsorn Soulkeeper

• [Tavern Tier 3, Undead] 3 Attack, 3 Health. Deathrattle: Summon 3 random Tier 1 minions.

Enhance-o Mechano – Enhance-o Medico

• [Tavern Tier 2, Mech] 2 Attack, 3 Health. Minions in Bob’s Tavern with Taunt, Reborn, Divine Shield, or Windfury have +1/+1 for each.

Professor Putricide – Festergut

• [Tavern Tier 4, Undead] 5 Attack, 2 Health. Deathrattle: Summon a random Undead Creation.

Teron Gorefiend – Shadowy Construct

• [Tavern Tier 3, Undead] 3 Attack, 4 Health. After a friendly minion dies, give its neighbors +1/+1.

Buddy Effect Updates

Drek’Thar - Frostwolf Lieutenant

• [Tavern Tier 3] 7 Attack, 4 Health. Avenge (3): Minions in Bob’s Tavern have +1 Attack for the rest of the game.

Vanndar Stormpike – Stormpike Lieutenant

• [Tavern Tier 3] 4 Attack, 7 Health. Avenge (2): Minions in Bob’s Tavern have +1 Health for the rest of the game.

Elise Starseeker – Jr. Navigator

• [Tavern Tier 2] 3 Attack, 3 Health. Battlecry: Reduce the Cost of your Hero Power by (2).

Galewing – Flight Trainer

• [Tavern Tier 3] 3 Attack, 4 Health. Your flightpaths trigger twice.

Queen Wagtoggle – Elder Taggawag

• [Tavern Tier 4] 5 Attack, 3 Health. Battlecry: Gain 1 Gold for each minion type you control.

Silas Darkmoon – Burth

• [Tavern Tier 4] 3 Attack, 6 Health. Whenever you Discover a minion, give it +4/+4 and upgrade this by +1/+1.

Aranna Starseeker – Sklibb, Demon Hunter

• [Tavern Tier 2] 4 Attack, 4 Health. After you buy a minion, your next Refresh costs (0).

The Lich King – Arfus

• [Tavern Tier 3, Beast-Undead] 4 Attack, 3 Health. After a friendly minion is Reborn, give it this minion’s Attack.

Trade Prince Gallywix – Bilgewater Mogul

• [Tavern Tier 3] 6 Attack, 3 Health. Choose One – Give a minion +1 Attack for each Gold you’ve spent this turn; or +1 Health.
• Dev Comment: A few Buddies had their effects changed from Battlecry effects to functionally similar effects so that their gameplay would generally stay the same, but they wouldn’t be too powerful with Brann.

Tickatus – Ticket Collector

• [Tavern Tier 4] 6 Attack, 6 Health. When you sell this, Discover a Darkmoon Prize from the next prize turn.

Yogg-Saron – Acolyte of Yogg-Saron

• [Tavern Tier 3, Murloc] 5 Attack, 4 Health. When you sell this, spin the Wheel of Yogg Saron.

Cariel Roame – Captain Fairmount

• [Tavern Tier 4] 7 Attack, 5 Health. Choose One - ‘Conviction] gives an additional +2 Attack for the rest of the game; or +2 Health.

Millificent Manastorm – Elementium Squirrel Bomb

• [Tavern Tier 4, Mech] Deathrattle: Deal 2 damage to a random enemy minion for each of your Mechs that died this combat.

Master Nguyen – Lei Flamepaw

• [Tavern Tier 1] 2 Attack, 5 Health. ‘Power of the Storm’ offers 3 options instead of 2.

Captain Hooktusk – Raging Contender

• [Tavern Tier 1] 4 Attack, 2 Health. ‘Trash for Treasure’ offers 3 options instead of 2.

New Minions

Poetic Pen Pal

• [Tavern Tier 2] 2 Attack, 4 Health. Battlecry: Reduce the Cost of your next Buddy by (2).

Leeching Felhound

• [Tavern Tier 3, Demon] 3 Attack, 3 Health. This costs Health to buy instead of Gold.

Fireworks Fanatic

• [Tavern Tier 4] 4 Attack, 3 Health. Whenever you get a minion you already have, give your minions +1/+1.
• Dev Comment: This effect triggers whenever a minion is added to your hand, through any means, when you already have a minion of the same name either in play or in your hand.

Dr. Boombox

• [Tavern Tier 4, Mech] 7 Attack, 1 Health. Deathrattle: Deal 7 damage to the 2 nearest enemy minions.

Sly Raptor

• [Tavern Tier 4, Beast] 1 Attack, 3 Health. Deathrattle: Summon another random Beast. Set its stats to 7/7.

Gem Smuggler

• [Tavern Tier 4, Quilboar] 3 Attack, 4 Health. Battlecry: Play a Blood Gem on all your other Quilboar.

Bonemare

• [Tavern Tier 5, Undead-Beast] 5 Attack, 5 Health. Battlecry: Give a friendly minion +4/+4 and Taunt.

Minion Updates

Shell Collector

• Old: 3 Attack, 1 Health
• New: 2 Attack, 1 Health

Annihilan Battlemaster

• Old: Battlecry: Gain +1 Health for each Health your hero is missing.
• New: Battlecry: Gain +2 Health for each Health your hero is missing.
• Dev Comment: This change is to compensate for the decrease in Heroes’ maximum base Health.

Minion Pool Updates

• Tarecgosa has been moved from Tavern Tier 3 to Tavern Tier 4.
• Rendle the Mistermind, Kaboom Bot, Savannah Highmane, and Houndmaster have been removed from the minion pool.
• Archdruid Hamuul was also removed from the minion pool.

Armor and Buddy Tier Updates

With the updated Buddy System, most Buddies have adjusted Buddy Tavern Tiers. Additionally, Armor Tiers are now gone. Instead of a range of Armor, Heroes have a set amount of Armor every game, between 5 and 20. Every Hero’s new Armor amount and Buddy Tier are as follows:

* These Heroes have the largest winrate disparities between lower-MMR and higher-MMR players. To account for this, their Armor totals will be different in higher-MMR lobbies, as follows: Dancin’ Deryl will have 15 Armor; Ini Stormcoil will have 13 Armor; Maiev will have 10 Armor; Patches the Pirate will have 14 Armor; and Ysera will have 10 Armor.

Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

• [Hearthstone] Updated Multicaster’s card text to indicate how many cards it will draw (no functional change).
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Gnome Muncher would always attack the enemy hero in the case of a tie.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Queensguard counted spells that were Countered.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Choose One effects could target Dormant minions.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Scourge Rager died before being counted as being Played or Summoned.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Talented Arcanist’s effect would apply to spells discarded by the first spell played.
• [Hearthstone] Fixed a bug where Avian Watcher did not gain Taunt from its effect.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug where Enhancification effects are not preserved by Magnetic.
• [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug that could cause more than 7 minions to fit on the board.
• [Mercenaries] Improved performance on mobile and low-spec devices.
• [Mercenaries] Fixed a visual bug with the Old Gods’ Diamond Portraits.
• [Mercenaries] Fixed bugs with several Treasures and Abilities that did not function as intended.
• [Solo Content] Fixed a bug where completing a Book of Heroes would not grant the crown over the completed class.
• [Social] Added Battlegrounds opponents to the “Recent Opponents” list.
• [Social] Minor graphical improvements to the Friends List user interface.
• [Cosmetics] Fixed a bug with the animations in the Varian Wrynn legendary skin.
• [Shop] Added support for the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD).
• [Shop] Fixed a bug where the shop was closed for some players on Windows devices.
• [Shop] Fixed a bug where the Leeroy emote was not included when purchasing the Corgi Cup Fanatics emotes.
• [Achievements] Fixed a bug with The Grind Never Stops achievement would not count if the cards were played on different turns.
• [General] Fixed a bug causing crashes on Android devices.
• [General] Fixed miscellaneous localization and card text issues.
• Misc. other bug fixes, text updates, and game improvements.