All you need to know about the Hearthstone Battlegrounds patch 26.4.3 changes.

Hearthstone's patch notes for 26.4.3 are here! We can now take a look at the Battlegrounds balance changes. The Curator, an original fan-favorite hero that had fallen away from glory, is now back for its Venomous revenge. We also explain Aranna Starseeker’s recent bug, go into Rylak Metalhead's nerf, and talk about a Demons nerf plus the Undead and Quilboar buffs. Read on for more details.

Hero changes

The Curator might be back on the menu. The tiny Amalgam from its Hero Power is now Venomous. Therefore, it now has a viable late-game effect. It destroys the first minion it deals damage to. The change is very welcome since the all minion types token was previously akin to Mistake, which is a basic Tavern Tier 1 unit.

The Curator Venomous Hero Power (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
The Curator Venomous Hero Power (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

It's also an ironic change as the Hearthstone patch notes for 26.4.3 bring nerfs to its Standard counterpart, The Purator.

E.T.C., Band Manager ranks S-tier in the the pro community's tierlist. A deserved nerf hits his Buddy — now only available in the late game after moving to Tier 5.

E.T.C., Band Manager Buddy (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
E.T.C., Band Manager Buddy (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

E.T.C.’s hero power, Sign a New Artist, respects that Tavern Tier you’re currently at, so raising Talent Scout’s Tier means that it can’t be Discovered until later in the game.

Battlegrounds developer comment

This prevents early snowballing, as other game-changing Buddies will not become Golden as easily.

Aranna Starseeker's new Hero Power (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Aranna Starseeker's new Hero Power (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Aranna Starseeker’s recent bug meant she required 16 Refreshes for the Tavern to fill up. Her Hero Power, Demon Hunter Training, has changed to "Passive. After 16 friendly minions attack, the first minion you buy every turn is free.” You could say she received Castle Nathria training since this passive is very similar to Sire Denathrius and the larger concept of Battlegrounds Quests.

Minion ability changes in Hearthstone Battlegrounds 26.4.3

First, we shall address the spicier Battlegrounds balance changes — those that modify a minion’s ability. We’ll leave stat changes or Tavern Tier balancing for later. Most importantly, Scrap Scraper’s effect now triggers at the end of your turn instead of Avenge (4). This is another measure against the snowball effect, where an early Scrap Scraper Discover coupled with a few Reborns grant an unfair advantage.

Scrap Scraper (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Scrap Scraper (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Another minion that's related to the end of a turn, Upbeat Duo, moves up to Tier 5 in yet another attempt to prevent early highrolls. Finding it early meant triples upon triples. Meanwhile, the Quilboar Bongo Bopper now grants two Blood Gems after every turn, instead of just one.

End-of-turn minion (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Bongo Bopper (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Only Drakkari Enchanter can multiply these end of turn effects. Will we be seeing more of the ice troll?

Stat changes

We called the end-of-turn effects flat, but spoke too soon. Now comes an army of stat changes. With the above nerfs targeting snowball enablers, it's now time for underused late-game strategies to receive buffs. Minions such as Young Murk-Eye, Gusty Trumpeter, Eternal Summoner, Lightfang Enforcer, Bristleback Knight, Utility Drone, and Polarizing Beatboxer have their stats slightly increased.

Young Murk-Eye (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Updated minion (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Eternal Summoner (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Updated minion (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Bristleback Knight (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Updated minion (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Updated minion (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Undead “revival” in Hearthstone Battlegrounds 26.4.3

Perhaps the most underwhelming strategy of all, buffing Undead via Sister Deathwhisper, now has a stronger outcome. Your Undead board now gains +1/+3, up from +1/+2. Moreover, the whole Undead tribe gets a rebalance. Eternal Knight follows Eternal Summoner with an Attack increase, and so do Scarlet Skull and Xylo-bones. Let’s also not overlook Rot Hide Gnoll’s return, replacing Incorporeal Corporal.

Sister Deathwhisper (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Eternal Knight changes (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Scarlet Skull (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Xylo-bones (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Undead balance changes (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Radio Star (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Rot Hide Gnoll (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

The Undead tribe’s previous highlight, “triple” token Handless Forsaken, now has less Health. However, the change will likely not affect the combo of Reborn and Anub’arak, as Health has never been their forte. Radio Star’s stats are also taken down a notch, but who needs stats when you get economy instead?

Quilboars’ Blood Gem enablers buffed, but Rylak Metalhead hit instead

Another underused tribe, Quilboar, gets its second Blood Gem buffer, Prickly Piper, down to Tavern Tier 3, also home to Moon-Bacon Jazzer. Beefing up Blood Gems has never been this easy! However, Moon-Bacon Jazzer’s key enabler, the Battlecry-doubling Rylak Metalhead, heads up to Tier 4. You win some, you lose some!

Prickly Piper (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Rylak Metalhead nerf (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Demons core enablers nerfed

Demons might not be the most reliable tribe, but when you find Soul Rewinder, they hit hard. Coupled with Malchezaar, Prince of Dance, the strategy allowed additional free rolling to get other pieces and triples. This got much harder, as this Prince of Refreshes takes his moves to Tier 4.

Malchezaar, Prince of Dance (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
oul Rewinder (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Other balance changes in Hearthstone Battlegrounds patch 26.4.3

In a quiet change, Fleet Admiral Tethys now requires you to spend an additional Gold. Therefore, inflation hits Pirates. Humming Bird and Flourishing Frostling also have more Health now.

Fleet Admiral Tethys (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Humming Bird (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Flourishing Frostling (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Other balance changes (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

What’s next for Battlegrounds?

The goal of patch 26.4.3 in Battlegrounds seems clear: reducing early snowball effects. Time will tell whether such strategies will still prevail.

Hopefully, we may report back with positive outcomes within our Hearthstone news and guides section. Make sure to visit esports.gg for all the latest esports news as well. See you next time in Bob’s Tavern.