A total of 31 cards were changed in one of the most popular Hearthstone modes. The balance was simply off in every way.
One of the most popular game modes in Hearthstone is “Battlegrounds”. It’s basically an auto-battler influenced by the tactical decisions of the players. Buying and selling minions, proper arrangement, and accurate weighing are factors that make this game mode so exciting.
Recently, Blizzard expanded this mode with a new feature, the “Buddies”. However, this completely disrupted the balance, leading to over 30 of them being revised.
What happened in Hearthstone? The Buddies were meant to be a new tactical game element in the Hearthstone Battlegrounds mode. These are special minions that players unlock during the game – first a regular version and later a golden version. Each of these Buddies has its own power, which typically works well with the hero power.
However, since the introduction of the Battlegrounds Buddies, chaos has ensued. Some of it seemed intentional, but the balance of the minions was simply not optimal.
What was the consequence? Just a few days after the introduction of the Battlegrounds Buddies, there were noticeable changes. A total of 31 Buddies were revised to varying degrees. Some Buddies only had their tavern tier adjusted (which can interact with other cards and effects), while in other cases, the stats and effects were completely overhauled.
Some notable examples include:
- The Snack Vendor (Buddy of A. F. Karla) now grants minions of tavern tier 3 +1 / +2 at the end of the turn instead of just +1 / +1.
- Captain Hellsteed (Buddy of Cariel Roame) now grants 5 random minions +1 / +1 instead of just 3 random minions.
- The Ticket Collector (Buddy of Tickatus) now discovers a Darkmoon prize from the next prize turn, instead of a prize from the last prize turn.
- Valithria Dreamwalker (Buddy of Ysera) now has stats of 6 / 4 instead of 3 / 3.
- Lady Sinestra (Buddy of Deathwing) now has stats of 1 / 6 instead of 3 / 8.
- Experienced Tomb Raider (Buddy of Reno Jackson) now has stats of 4 / 1 instead of 7 / 3.
You can view all the changes and adjustments for all 31 cards on the official Hearthstone page.
What else is happening in Hearthstone? Aside from the patch, many players are currently waiting for the upcoming mini-set of the current expansion “Divided in Alterac Valley”. The expansion is likely past the halfway point of its life cycle and new cards are needed to bring “fresh air” into the current meta and to shorten the waiting time for the three new expansions in 2022.
Have you checked out the Battlegrounds mode again? What do you think of the Buddies and their effects?
