Online digital collectible card video game Hearthstone has just received its Patch 32.0, marking the final preparations for the launch of its upcoming 145-card expansion, Into the Emerald Dream, and the new Year of the Raptor game board.
As it happens, the Into the Emerald Dream expansion will go live on March 25 and will include the new Imbue and Dark Gift keywords, Legendary Wild Gods, and more, the game’s publisher and development studio Blizzard Entertainment said on March 17.
Moreover, the expansion launch will be accompanied by a new Rewards Track, loaded with treats like XP boosts, Gold, cards, and card packs. And the best part? You can get a launch gift of five free packs – four Year of the Pegasus packs, and one Into the Emerald Dream pack, available for claim in the in-game Shop between March 25 and April 15.
Patch 32.0 and what it offers
In terms of Hearthstone’s Patch 32.0, it includes updates to cards, such as:
- Dreadhound Handler: Stats changed from 2/2 to 2/1.
- Infestor: Now a 4/2 (previously 3/2); Deathrattle effect modified to grant +1 Attack to Zerg minions for the rest of the game.
- Hydration Station: Mana cost increased from 8 to 10.
- Alien Encounters: Summoned Beasts’ stats reduced from 2/5 to 2/4; cost reduction mechanic remains based on the number of Discovered cards.
- Painter’s Virtue: Lifesteal attribute removed; retains the effect of granting +1/+1 to minions in hand after hero attacks.
- Holy Glowsticks: Effect now deals 4 damage to a minion (previously any target); retains Lifesteal and cost reduction if a Holy spell was cast that turn.
- Timewinder Zarimi: Condition for extra turn now requires playing 8 other Dragons (previously summoning).
- Raza the Resealed: Reworked to shuffle copies of 5 random friendly minions that died into your deck, costing 0 mana.
These adjustments aim to balance the game environment as certain cards transition into Wild and others remain in Standard.
A Battlegrounds update includes Captain Bonerender moved from Tavern Tier 4 (5/5 stats) to Tavern Tier 5 (6/6 stats), and a new Arena season begins, incorporating into the card pool the Into the Emerald Dream set, The Great Dark Beyond (plus the Arena-only card, Wayward Probe) set, Perils in Paradise set, Whizbang’s Workshop set, and Core Set (updated at expansion launch).
An additional Arena-only card, Fleeing Treant, has also arrived. Several low-performing cards have been removed from the draft pool to enhance the drafting experience.
Solving other issues
Finally, the patch addresses several issues, including fixing the missing text on Pixel devices, capping ‘Evolve’ effects at 10 mana to prevent unintended transformations, ensuring locations that summon minions clear before summoning when using the last charge – accommodating full boards, and resolving multiple visual and functional bugs across different game modes.
For a comprehensive list of changes and detailed information, refer to the official 32.0 Patch Notes.
Into the Emerald Dream Pre-Release Tavern Brawl
Aside from the launch of Patch 32.0, today marks the beginning of the Into the Emerald Dream Pre-Release Tavern Brawl, which will go on until the expansion’s release on March 25, and during which you’ll be able to crack open your packs early, build a deck, and participate in a mini competition to win more Into the Emerald Dream prizes.
Everyone qualifies for one free entry in this tavern brawl after which the entries will cost 2 Tavern Tickets, 300 Gold, or 400 Runestones. Either way, each run will require you to lock in a deck and then play until you get 6 wins or 3 losses, and get prizes based on your performance.
Furthermore, the eligible card pool includes the Core and Even Set (both before rotation), The Great Dark Beyond (sans Heroes of StarCraft), as well as Into the Emerald Dream. Finally, you can check an extended 5-day Community Days event to earn more packs to use in the brawl.
Elsewhere, the gaming industry has gotten another, rather exciting update, as the team behind PUBG: Battlegrounds announced a whole new roadmap for this year, which includes a bunch of major world updates, including the Destructible Terrain feature – just to name a few.
Featured image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment Hearthstone website.
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