Patch 24.6 Preview - Big 1st of November Announcement Confirmed, Hallow's End, Battlegrounds Event, Loaning Decks & More
We've just got quite a big preview of the upcoming 24.6 Patch that is coming next Tuesday, November 1st as well as confirmation of the Twitch event.
Quote from blizzardPatch 24.6 is nearly upon us, and it’s a big one! To cram it all in, we’re giving a sneak peek at some of the new features and more to look out for, coming soon.
Twitch Drop for Announcement Stream!
It all kicks off on November 1 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on our Announcement Stream, where we’ll reveal Hearthstone’s next expansion and more! Tune in to Twitch.tv/playhearthstone for just 15 minutes of the roughly 30-minute Announcement to earn a free Murder at Castle Nathria pack, but make sure you show up on time because you’ll want to catch the whole show! If you haven’t done so already, be sure to link your Battle Net and Twitch account to be eligible for Drops.
Hallow’s End is Nearly Upon Us
Hallow’s End is coming with Patch 24.6. We go big this year with some fun new things and the return of some old fan favorites. Details will be shared soon!
New Battlegrounds Battle Bash
With Patch 24.6, we’re introducing a fun new way to get Battlegrounds cosmetic items: Battle Bash. Each Battle Bash has a curated, limited time collection of Battlegrounds cosmetics,* including at least one Legendary item! Purchasing access to the Battle Bash means you earn one “Hammer” with each Top 4 finish during the Battle Bash period. Each Hammer is then be used to Bash for a random prize from that Battle Bash collection!
This first Battle Bash is the Hallows End Collection, featuring 10 items, including two Legendary items (one Legendary Board and one Legendary Strike) and more. Entry to this Battle Bash can be purchased for money or 1000 Runestones, and players will immediately get two Bashes with purchase.
On top of that, all players get one random Bash for free! That means everybody gets a holiday treat, whether they want to participate or not, and that those who do buy entry need seven Top 4 finishes to get all 10 prizes.
Mercenaries Task Rework and Renown System
Starting in Patch 24.6, we’ll be updating our Tasks system. Tasks have been an important part of Mercenaries since the mode first launched. We like that Tasks are a way for players to get free Coins, Packs, and more to help grow their collection and strengthen their Mercs as they play. We’ve improved the Task system a couple times since launch, making it much easier for players to get new Tasks and keep the Task chain rolling. Starting in Patch 24.6, we’re opening them up even more: all Task Chains will available at all times!
Task progress will be determined by the Mercs actively in your Party at that time. That means you can choose exactly which Task chains you want to work on, and when, and progress up to six Tasks chains at once!
In Patch 24.6, we’re also introducing a new Renown system that will let players exchange excess coins for coins of Mercs they own, but haven’t yet Maxed. Your excess coins can be converted to Renown at any time, then exchanged at the Campfire. With Tasks now being available at all times, the Campfire daily reset will instead feature offers to exchange Renown for coins for Mercs they haven’t Maxed. The daily reset will also include some miscellaneous general Mercs Tasks, not tied to any current Task Chain, mixed in with those Renown exchange offerings.
Keep an eye out for the 24.6 Patch Notes, coming soon, for more information about Renown and the new Task updates!
Loaner Decks for New and Returning Players
Starting with Patch 24.6, new and returning players* will have an upgraded free deck experience. Instead of being immediately asked to choose a free deck to rejoin the ladder with, they will be able to test six loaner decks for one week before selecting one to permanently add to their collection for free! We’re excited that this will give new and returning players a variety of options to immediately jump onto the ladder with, and help them make a more informed decision about how they want to reignite their collections.
* Includes players who didn’t play the Murder at Castle Nathria expansion. See the official post for decklists and eligibility details.
That’s all we have to share right now. Make sure you tune in to the Announcement Stream on November 1, at 10 a.m. Pacific for the rest of the big news. We’ll see you there!
Thank goodness.
I thought they'd never get around to monetising the game!
Well done Blizzard!
It's cosmetics bro... Be mad at the $15 they charge for selecting from 4 heroes. Not stuff that has no effect on anything. I pity the people you interact with in real life.
There are so many cosmetics it's unclear what class I'm even playing against anymore. The game has no style anymore.
Same, I now have to look at what's said in the top-left corner of the screen in order to know what class I'm playing against. Thank god Maestra rogue went out of fashion and you no longer have to mulligan for rogue all the time, regardless of the class you see.
Hopefully, they're smart enough to always keep duel class Arena, one of the best events. Period.
My sister thinks smacking buttons with a hammer to get prizes is stupid. I personally think it fits battlegrounds.
Yes. It is stupid because it is not a wallet or an icon like: "please insert coin or please insert 10 bucks". Who pays with a hammer?
I think you justifiably red to much into my non acutely sed comment because I did not think she was wrong.
The "miscellaneous general Mercs Tasks" seem like a nice way to fill in the gap after you've finished the task chain but aren't quite maxed, or to earn additional Renown. The party requirements add an interesting twist to the process, so you can't just bench a dude and burn through everything with the same old Fire team.
Hmmm it looks like they just have to be in the party somewhere when they say that you can progress 6 at a time. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd assume that you can still use your favorite trio and progress the three in the back :)
I mean it's just cosmetics. That is literally the most inane thing you can get upset about. Maybe go outside and interact with real people a little more.
They always "push" monetizing, even if you just lay on bed and accept everything they give. I admire everyone who stand against their monetizing plans. You forgot the most important thing, we are their products. If we dont play their games, they have only 1 choice by using bots. That will kill the game and I think they are smart enough to avoid it
Sometimes you need more learning, to understand it, instead of blaming someone by "go outside", "interact with real people". Did you graduate? Am I talking to a kiddo? 😏
Cosmetics are a big incentive for gamers to keep playing. A goal to reach so to speak. Hearthstone barely offers anything cosmetic for gold anymore. Basically all you can play for these days is card packs and the monthly card back.
Acting like cosmetics don't matter by parroting the "it's just cosmetics" phrase when this stuff is obviously a huge seller and therefore proves you wrong is just childishly ignorant.
Most gamers LOVE cosmetics. That's just a fact. We used to play games and earn cool cosmetics, imagine that. But that was way before your time on this earth I suppose.
"I mean it's just cosmetics" is a sooo stupid argument. So, let's make all games like random casinos of cosmetic to purchase where you feel like in a random supermarket of overpriced shit where you can get what you pay only by luck, and you feel constantly scammed. Yes, let's sell random shit, battle pass and 10 bucks for every try as roulette. Let's catch some addictive players and let's scam their saving in crappy things. Let's also change the money. Otherwise, it is not a casino, with runestone (instead of fiches) to make people to lose track of their in-game spending and to keep their surplus.
It seems a good experience to play, don't you think? Also, because, now, the amount of money you can spend on this shit is out of control.
"Stand against" monetization? Making whiny comments on a fansite isn't standing against anything. You can't stand against monetization any more than you can protest gravity.
If you are a totally free player, you mean NOTHING to Blizzard. They need you the way a cat needs fleas. They only put up with you on off-chance that you might convert to a paying customer someday. In the unlikely event that queue times get too long, they can always broaden the matchmaking criteria.
1)We are getting the Halloween update the day after halloween...
2)Can we expect wild balance changes finally? Cause the mode is currently unplayable since the top decks are mill druid, secret mage, and cancer priest.
They propably are preparing for new expansion, and already know, what can be too strong with new cards, archetypes.
1000 runestones for the battle bash? Ten bucks is kind of expensive for a gacha pull.
You get one "pull" for free, 10 bucks gives you two more "pulls" and after paying every top4 win gives you another "pull". So 10 bucks + 7 top4 wins gets you everything, which makes this a pretty good deal if you ask me.
This is about as far from true gacha as random rewards can get.