Hearthstone Patch 20.8 adds United in Stormwind pre-purchase alongside Battlegrounds and Duels updates

Hearthstone’s Patch 20.8 is going live today, marking the beginning of the United in Stormwind reveal season.

The next expansion following Forged in the Barrens continues the storyline that was introduced for the Year of the Gryphon, on top of adding multiple new cards, keywords, and mechanics. In addition, players can pick up the free Flightmaster Dungar card by logging in.

In the meantime, there are many updates happening to both the Battlegrounds and Duels game modes. For Battlegrounds, many heroes are being introduced and adjusted to be more viable or less top tier. Aside from the playable heroes, multiple minions are getting rebalanced to receive buffs. In addition, Blizzard has teased the next major days for events like the Fyre Festival and the next two chapters of the Book of Heroes and Book of Mercenaries.

Here are all of the changes coming with Hearthstone Patch 20.8.

Pre-purchase United in Stormwind

United in Stormwind will launch worldwide on Aug. 3 with 135 new cards. You can find the full schedule for card reveals, and see which cards were announced today, by visiting the card library.

The United in Stormwind mega bundle includes 80 United in Stormwind card packs, five Golden United in Stormwind card packs, two random United in Stormwind Golden Legendary cards, the Lady Katrana Prestor Mage Alternate Hero, the Lady Katrana Prestor card back, the Ve’nari Alternate Battlegrounds Bartender (pre-purchase), and Battlegrounds Perks.

The United in Stormwind pre-purchase bundle includes 60 United in Stormwind packs, two random United in Stormwind Legendary cards, and the Lady Katrana Prestor card back.

Bartender Ve’nari will also be available for pre-purchase before United in Stormwind goes live as a stand-alone item and can only be redeemed once per account. Bartender Ve’nari will be usable in-game, in the Battlegrounds game mode, no later than Aug. 31. Battlegrounds Perks are available upon purchase and expire at the end of the United in Stormwind expansion cycle.

Log in and get Flightmaster Dungar for free

Flightmaster Dungar is a three-mana 3/3 Legendary neutral minion that reads “Battlecry: Choose a flightpath and go Dormant. Awaken with a bonus when you complete it.”

Near or far, Flightmaster Dungar can take you wherever you need to go. Log into Hearthstone after Patch 20.8 goes live to receive Flightmaster Dungar for free, available to play immediately. Limited one per account.

Westfall is a flightpath that says “In 1 turn, summon a 2/2 adventurer with a random bonus effect.” Ironforge is a flightpath that reads “In 3 turns, restore 10 health to your hero.” Eastern Plaguelands is a flightpath that says “In 5 turns, deal 12 damage randomly split among enemies.”

Battlegrounds updates

New hero

Kurtrus Ashfallen

• Final Showdown
  • [Passive] Buy 3 minions in 1 turn to give them +2/+2 and progress this.
• Gain Momentum
  • [Passive] Buy 4 minions in 1 turn to give your hand and board +2/+2 and progress this.
• Close the Portal
  • [Passive] Buy 5 minions in 1 turn to give all your minions this game +2/+2.

Players with Battlegrounds Perks will have early access to Kurtrus before it’s formally released on July 15.

New minion

Archdruid Hamuul

Returning and removed heroes

• The Lich King has returned to the Battlegrounds Hero pool. There must always be a Lich King.
• Shudderwock has been temporarily removed from the Battlegrounds Hero pool.

• Galakrond
  • Galakrond’s Greed
    • Old: [Costs 0] Replace a minion in Bob’s Tavern with a minion from a higher Tavern Tier. → New: [Costs 1] Choose a minion in Bob’s Tavern. Discover a higher Tier minion to replace it.
• Trade Prince Gallywix
  • Smart Savings
    • Old: [Costs 1] Add a Gold Coin to your hand. → New: [Passive] After you sell a minion, get 1 extra Gold next turn. (Can exceed 10)
• Maiev Shadowsong
  • Imprison
    • Old: Make a minion in Bob’s Tavern Dormant. After 2 turns, get it with +1 Attack. → New: Make a minion in Bob’s Tavern Dormant. After 3 turns, get it with +1/+1.

Updated heroes

• Edwin VanCleef
  • Sharpen Blades
    • Old: Give a minion +1/+1 for each minion you’ve bought this turn. → New: Give a minion +2/+1 for each minion you’ve bought this turn.
• Dinotamer Brann
  • Battle Brand
    • Old: [Costs 1] Refresh Bob’s Tavern with Battlecry minions. → New: [Passive] After you buy 5 Battlecry minions, add Brann Bronzebeard to your hand. (Once per game)
• Illidan Stormrage
  • Wingmen
    • Old: Start of Combat: Your left and right-most minions attack immediately. → New: Start of Combat: Your left and right-most minions gain +2 Attack and attack immediately.
• Sindragosa
  • Stay Frosty
    • Old: [Passive] At the end of your turn, Frozen minions get +2/+1. → New: [Costs 0] Freeze a minion in Bob’s Tavern. Frozen minions get +2/+1 every turn.
• Guff Runetotem
  • Natural Balance
    • Old: Give a friendly minion of each Tavern Tier +2/+1. → New: Give a friendly minion of each Tavern Tier +1/+1.
• Overlord Saurfang
  • For the Horde!
    • Old: Give +1 Attack to the next minion you buy this turn (Upgrades each turn!) → New: Give +2 Attack to the next minion you buy this turn. (Upgrades each turn!)
• N’Zoth
  • Avatar of N’Zoth
    • Old: Start the game with a 1/1 Fish that gains all your Deathrattles in combat. → New: Start the game with a 2/2 Fish that gains all your Deathrattles in combat.
• The Curator
  • Menagerist
    • Old: Start the game with a 1/2 Amalgam with all minion types. → New: Start the game with a 2/2 Amalgam with all minion types.
• King Mukla
  • Bananarama
    • Big Banana rate increased to 50% (up from 33%).

Minion updates

• Deflect-o-Bot
  • Old: Divine Shield. Whenever you summon a Mech during combat, gain +1 Attack and Divine Shield. → New: Divine Shield. Whenever you summon a Mech during combat, gain +2 Attack and Divine Shield.
• Lieutenant Garr
  • Old: 8 Attack, 1 Health → New: 8 Attack, 8 Health
• Refreshing Anomaly
  • Old: 1 Attack, 3 Health → New: 1 Attack, 4 Health
• Bigfernal
  • Old: 4 Attack, 4 Health → New: 6 Attack, 6 Health
• Razorgore, the Untamed
  • Old: 2 Attack, 4 Health → New: 4 Attack, 6 Health
• Pack Leader
  • Old: 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: 3 Attack, 4 Health
• Mama Bear
  • Old: 4 Attack, 4 Health. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +4/+4. → New: 5 Attack, 5 Health Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +5/+5.
• Soul Juggler
  • Old: 3 Attack, 3 Health → New: 3 Attack, 5 Health
• Nathrezim Overseer
  • Old: 2 Attack, 3 Health → New: 2 Attack, 4 Health

Darkmoon Prizes return in 25 percent of games

Darkmoon Prizes are returning and will appear in one out of every four Battlegrounds matches. Games featuring Darkmoon Prizes happen at random and aren’t guaranteed to show up in every fourth match you play. It’s possible to have several games in a row with Darkmoon Prizes or several games without.

Darkmoon Prizes updates

• Might of Stormwind
  • Old: Give your minions +1/+1. → New: Give 3 random friendly minions +1/+1.
• The Good Stuff
  • Old: Give minions in Bob’s Shop +1 Health for the rest of the game. → New: Give minions in Bob’s Tavern +2 Health for the rest of the game.
• Great Deal
  • Old: For the rest of the game, reduce the cost of upgrading Bob’s Tavern by (2) at the end of your turn. → New: For the rest of the game, reduce the cost of upgrading Bob’s Tavern by (3) at the end of your turn.
• I’m Still Just a Rat in a Cage
  • Moved to from Prize Turn 3 to Prize Turn 2.

Duels updates

• Passive Treasures Cannabalism, Rally the Troops, Orb of Revelation, Band of Bees, and From the Swamp have been moved to Treasure Pool 2.
• Dragonblood
  • Old: After a friendly Dragon dies, give your minions +1/+1. → New: After a friendly Dragon dies, give your minions +1/+2.
• Hold the Line
  • Old: Your Taunt minions have +2 Attack during your opponent’s turn. → New: Your Taunt minions have +3 Attack during your opponent’s turn.
• Invigorating Light
  • Old: After you play a Holy spell, restore 1 Health to all friendly characters. → New: Whenever you play a Holy spell, give +1 Health to all friendly minions.
• Cannibalism
  • Old: Whenever a friendly minion dies, give your minions +1 Attack. → New: Whenever a friendly minion dies, give adjacent minions +1 Attack.
• Rally the Troops
  • Old: After you play your first Battlecry card in a turn, draw a card. It costs (3) less. → New: After you play your first Battlecry card in a turn, draw a card. It costs (2) less.
• Endurance Training
  • Old: Your Taunt minions cost (2) less, but not less than (1). → New: Your Taunt minions cost (3) less, but not less than (1).
• Orb of Revelation
  • Old: After your first Discover in a turn, reduce the cost of spells in your hand by (2), but not less than (1). → New: After your first Discover in a turn, reduce the cost of spells in your hand by (1), but not less than (1).
• Special Delivery
  • Old: After you play a Rush minion, summon a copy with 1 Health remaining. → New: After you play a Rush minion, summon a copy with 1 Health.
• Corrupted Felstone
  • Old: Whenever you cast a Fel spell, give a minion in your hand +2/+2. → New: Whenever you cast a Fel spell, give a minion in your hand +3/+2.
• Flame Waves
  • Old: At the end of your turn, deal damage to all enemies for each Fire spell you’ve cast this turn. → New: At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to all enemies for each Fire spell you’ve cast this turn.
• Band of Bees
  • Old: Your minions that cost (2) or less have Poisonous. → New: Whenever you play a minion that cost (2) or less, give it Poisonous.
• From the Swamp
  • Old: Whenever an enemy dies, raise a 1/1 Bloated Zombie. → New: After the first enemy dies each turn, raise a 1/3 Bloated Zombie.

Fire Festival returns July 6

Tiki Ragnaros is a skin you’ll be able to use in Battlegrounds down the road.

The Fire Festival is back. This year, Ragnaros is throwing a house party in the Firelands. Complete Legendary quests for up to six Year of the Phoenix packs and finish all seven quests to earn the Druid of the Flame Malfurion Hero Skin. Ragnaros’ Fire Festival Tavern Brawl will return on July 7, and on July 14, a completely revamped Burndown Brawl will take its place.

New cosmetic coins incoming

Stormwind is big on Trade, so you’ll need a lot of coins. Fortunately, two new Collectible Coins will become available on Aug. 3. Collect all 135 United in Stormwind cards to add the Lordaeron Coin to your collection.

Blizzard will reveal the second coin when it provides an update on what to expect from the Rewards Track for United in Stormwind in late July.

Book of Mercenaries Kurtrus coming July 13

“Kurtrus Ashfallen had a vision. He saw a Warlock in the Barrens summoning the dreadlord Anetheron, an evil demon who took everything from Kurtrus during the Third War. Abandoning his fellow Demon Hunters, Kurtrus sets out to stop the Warlock. On the way, he joins forces with Cariel Roame, Paladin of the Silver Hand, who hopes to find her long-lost sister in the Barrens. What they find on Dreadmist Peak, heart of the demon-worshipping Cult of the Burning Blade, will be revealed in Book of Mercenaries Kurtrus, launching on July 13. Defeating all 8 bosses in this linear adventure will reward 1 Demon Hunter pack, containing only Demon Hunter cards from Standard.”

Book of Heroes Gul’dan coming July 20

“Gul’dan himself would admit that he is no hero, but his villainous exploits are equally legendary. Banished from his original clan, he made a pact with a demon to get his revenge, and later oversaw the creation of the Horde, the Dark Portal, and the first death knight. All the while, Gul’dan was eager to see how much power he could obtain before it caught up with him…Defeating all 8 bosses in this linear adventure will reward 1 Warlock pack, containing only Warlock cards from Standard.”

Bug fixes and game improvements

• A Daily Quest has been added for Nozdormu Day, which will appear on the 15th of every month if you have an available Daily Quest slot.
• Fixed a bug where Dark Inquisitor Xanesh was missing its keyword tooltip for Corrupted.
• Fixed a bug where the card generation animation would play twice if granted a ranked spell from Onyx Magescribe.
• Fixed a bug where High Abbess Alura would take no damage after casting Eye of C’thun with her Spellburst effect, despite VFX showing damage taken.
• Fixed a bug Southsea Scoundrel was not drawing a card for the opponent if the card was a ranked spell.
• Fixed a Battlegrounds bug where picking a non-Golden Tough Tusk with Mr. Bigglesworth’s Hero Power would give the minion permanent Divine Shield.
• Fixed a Battlegrounds bug where Tough Tusk would retain Divine Shield on defeated player’s boards.
• Fixed a Battlegrounds bug where Dynamic Duo would lose its stats after being tripled if Vol’jin’s Hero Power was used on it at any point.
• Fixed a Battlegrounds bug causing Reborn Rights (The Lich King’s Hero Power) to permanently give a minion Reborn under certain circumstances.
• Fixed a bug with Book of Mercenaries Guff where incorrect VO would play when target buffing friendly minions.
• Fixed a bug with Book of Mercenaries Guff where Lady Anacondra would sometimes cast Serpent’s Bite on an already Poisonous minion.
• Fixed a bug with Book of Mercenaries Guff where the AI would sometimes not attack with Deviate Nightmare if it was their only minion.
• Fixed a bug with Book of Mercenaries Xyrella where Garona’s Hero Power read “…Kingslayers” instead of “…Kingsbane”.
• Fixed a bug with Book of Heroes Anduin where Lightspawn could be discovered with a 3-mana cost.
• Fixed a bug where the last two class challenges for some Adventures were not accessible on mobile devices.
• Fixed a bug where Golden Core Set cards drafted in Arena would not be Golden once in a match.
• Fixed a bug where the XP earned indicator was not showing on the end of match screen.
• Fixed a bug where the XP earned indicator would not play the level up animation after leveling.
• Fixed a bug where some players would be queued for a Casual game when intending to queue for Ranked.
• Fixed a bug where ranked medals would persist on the friends list, even after a friend had logged off.
• Fixed a bug where a notification for the last Legendary a friend opened would be displayed after adding a new friend, regardless of how long ago the Legendary had been obtained.
• Fixed a bug in the profile page where the tooltip for Arena wins was incorrect.
• Fixed a bug where the Sir Annoy-O Hero Skin entrance animation was missing trumpets.

Players can sign into Hearthstone and get Flightmaster Dungar for free when Patch 20.8 goes live later today. Players who are excited for United in Stormwind can either purchase the standard bundle, which has 60 packs, for $49.99 or gain access to Lady Katrana Prestor and Ve’nari Alternate Battlegrounds Bartender through the mega bundle to get 80 packs for $79.99.