Hearthstone 23.2.2 update buffs Xhilag of the Abyss, nerfs Drek’Thar: patch notes

Activision Blizzard’s massively successful card game Hearthstone is getting a brand new update with a slew of new card changes, Battlegrounds updates, and much more.

Ever since its release back in March 2014, Hearthstone has proven time and again to be one of Activision Blizzard’s most successful properties.

As a result, the development team has dedicated serious effort to staying on top of game balance with continuous updates and features to build upon the strong foundation the game launched with.

Now Activision Blizzard has launched the 23.2.2 update patch, adjusting some strong cards like Drek’Thar, Dragonbane Shot, and many more.

Blizzard Entertainment

Drek’Thar was given a nerf to reduce the number of minions aggressive decks could summon.

Update 23.2.2 patch notes

Perhaps the most notable nerf comes in the form of the aggressive minion card Drek’Thar. Following this update, Drek’Thar will no longer summon 2 minions from the deck if conditions are met, but one.

• Read More: Hearthstone devs break down Voyage to the Sunken City’s new mechanics

Players will want to make note of this change in particular, as this will certainly make a difference in many of the aggressive decks Drek’Thar is used in.

In terms of buffs, Xhilag’s Stalk was buffed to deal 1 more damage, Azsharan Saber gained an additional Attack and Health, and Whirlpool was reduced to 8 mana among other changes.

Below is a list of the full patch notes for Hearthstone’s May 19 23.2.2 update:

Blizzard Entertainment

Xhilag’s Stalk was buffed, meaning players can now use it to deal more damage to enemies.

Card Updates

The following cards have had their power adjusted down:

Drek’Thar

• Old: Battlecry: If this costs more than every minion in your deck, summon 2 of them. → New: Battlecry: If this costs more than every minion in your deck, summon one of those minions.

Multi-Strike

• Old: [Costs 1] → New: [Costs 2]

Dragonbane Shot

• Old: [Costs 2] → New: [Costs 3]

The above craftable cards will be eligible for full dust refunds for two weeks following Patch 23.2.2 (the only version of Drek’Thar that is craftable is the normal, non-golden version). Any players who own Diamond Drek’Thar at the time that the patch goes live will automatically receive 3,000 Gold when they log in as a refund.

The following cards have been buffed:

Xhilag’s Stalk (part of Xhilag the Abyss)

• Old: At the end of your turn, deal 1 damage to an enemy. → New: At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to an enemy.

Harpoon Gun

• Old: After your hero attacks, Dredge. If it’s a Beast, reduce its Cost by (2). → New: After your hero attacks, Dredge. If it’s a Beast, reduce its Cost by (3).

Pet Collector

• Old: 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: 4 Attack, 4 Health

Azsharan Saber

• Old: 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: 4 Attack, 3 Health

Sunken Saber (generated by Azsharan Saber)

• Old: 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: 4 Attack, 3 Health

Blackwater Behemoth

• Old: [Costs 8] → New: [Costs 7]

Whirlpool

• Old: [Costs 9] → New: [Costs 8]

Shadowcloth Needle

• Old: [Costs 2] → New: [Costs 1]

Serpent Wig

• Old: Give a minion +1/+1. If you played a Naga while holding this, add a Serpent Wig into your hand. → New: Give a minion +1/+2. If you played a Naga while holding this, add a Serpent Wig into your hand.

Tooth of Nefarian

• Old: [Costs 3] → New: [Costs 2]

SI:7 Smuggler

• Old: Battlecry: Summon a random 0-Cost minion. (Improved for each other SI:7 card you have played this game). → New: Battlecry: Summon a random 1-Cost minion. (Improved for each other SI:7 card you have played this game).

Wildpaw Gnoll

• Old: [Costs 6] 3 Attack, 5 Health → New: [Costs 5] 4 Attack, 5 Health

Tess Greymane

• Old: [Costs 8] → New: [Costs 7]

Hench-Clan Burglar

• Old: 4 Attack, 3 Health → New: 4 Attack, 4 Health

Sira’kess Cultist

• Old: 2 Attack, 3 Health → New: 3 Attack, 4 Health

Dragged Below

• Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 3]

Azsharan Scavenger

• Old: [Costs 3] 3 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Costs 2] 2 Attack, 3 Health

Sunken Scavenger (generated by Azsharan Scavenger)

• Old: [Costs 3] 3 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Costs 2] 2 Attack, 3 Health

Bloodscent Vilefin

• Old: [Costs 4] 4 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Costs 3] 3 Attack, 4 Health

Battlegrounds Updates

Hero change:

Fungalmancer Flurgl (Gone Fishing hero power)

• Old: Passive: After you sell a minion, add a random Murloc to Bob’s Tavern. → New: Passive: After you sell 2 minions, add a random Murloc to Bob’s Tavern.

Hero Armor changes:

• Al’Akir, Galakrond, George the Fallen, and Malygos have been moved to Armor Tier 1.
• Death Speaker Blackthorn, Fungalmancer Flurgl, Ini Stormcoil, Lord Barov, Maiev Shadowsong, Queen Azshara, Rokara, and Tickatus have been moved to Armor Tier 2.
• Edwin VanCleef has been moved to Armor Tier 4.
• Deathwing, Elise Starseeker, and Kurtrus Ashfallen have been moved to Armor Tier 5.
• Aranna Starseeker and Skycap’n Kragg have been moved to Armor Tier 6.
• Onyxia and Queen Wagtoggle have been moved to Armor Tier 7.

Minion changes:

Snail Cavalry

• Old: 5 Attack, 2 Health → New: 4 Attack, 2 Health

Lava Lurker

• Old: 2 Attack, 5 Health → New: 2 Attack, 4 Health

Shoal Commander

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

Stormscale Siren

• Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 5 Attack, 4 Health. At the end of your turn, your Spellcraft minions cast their spells on themselves. → New: [Tavern Tier 5] 6 Attack, 5 Health. At the end of your turn, you cast your Spellcraft minions’ spells on them.
• Dev Comment: The effect text update is not a functional change, but just a rephrasing to make the card text better match how the effect currently functions. 

Critter Wrangler

• Old: 5 Attack, 7 Health. After you cast a Spellcraft spell on a minion, give it +2/+2. → New: 5 Attack, 6 Health. After you cast a Spellcraft spell on a minion, give it +2/+1.

Tidemistress Athissa

• Old: 7 Attack, 8 Health. After you cast a spell, give four friendly Naga +1/+1. → New: 7 Attack, 3 Health. After you cast a spell, give three friendly Naga +1/+1.

Orgozoa, the Tender

• Old: 5 Attack, 9 Health → New: 3 Attack, 7 Health

Darkgaze Elder

• Old: After you spend 4 Gold, play a Blood Gem on four friendly Quilboar. → New: After you spend 5 Gold, play a Blood Gem on four friendly Quilboar.

Young Murk-Eye

• Old (normal): At the end of your turn, adjacent Murlocs trigger their Battlecries. → New: At the end of your turn, the Murloc to the left of this triggers its Battlecry.
• Old (golden): At the end of your turn, adjacent Murlocs trigger their Battlecries twice. → New: At the end of your turn, adjacent Murlocs trigger their Battlecries.

Duels Updates

• Removed the Dragon Affinity Passive Treasure.
  • Dev Comment: Good night, sweet prince. Til we meet again.
• Tuned the synergy rules for Emerald Goggles and Fire spell school Passive Treasures.

Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

• Improved connectivity surrounding Discover effects.
• Fixed a bug where a temporary Divine Shield from Glowscale could remove a minion’s permanent Divine Shield.
• Fixed a bug where applying a Spellcraft to a magnetic minion in Bob’s tavern then makes that buff permanent.
• Fixed a bug causing Mercenaries Portraits (mostly Rexxar Portraits) to disappear. Players who earned an additional copy of a Portrait while it was temporarily missing will receive a random Portrait from that Merc, instead (or Coins for that Merc if all Portraits are already owned).
• Updated the text in the Upgrade to Golden feature U.I. to better match functionality.
• Fixed an error that caused people who selected the “random” card back to have that function unchecked when they first logged in after Patch 23.2.

While not a staggering amount of major changes, this will surely shake up Hearthstone’s current meta in some ways as players learn to adjust and build decks around these new buffs and nerfs.