All Hearthstone Duels Updates for Patch 23.0 - The League of Explorers, Hero Selection Expands, Retired Heroic Runs, Treasures, & More

Just recently on March 26 we were treated to a special Duels reveal by the one and only RegisKillbin, teasing some of the big updates then on the horizon (The League of Explorers!). It was a small yet welcome break from all the new expansion cards; at least for anyone quite fond of this little game mode that could. And now the day has come when all of that (plus much more) went live with the arrival of the pre-expansion Patch 23.0. 

Here is a quick simple list of various things of note: 

• New Heroes - also known as the old favorites from The League of Explorers!  
• New Passive Treasures & Treasure Updates.
• Hero Selection should now offer us a choice of 5 Heroes at the start of a run, up from the original 4 slots. 
• League of Explorers and Saviors of Uldum join the Duels family.
• Duels Season suddenly coming to an end - Heroic runs in progress should have been compensated with a Tavern Ticket. 
• Voyage to the Sunken City cards can be randomly found in Card Buckets! 
• Some Core Set cards might not be available until April 12, when the expansion launches.

So put on your most fanciest explorer hats and let's go over all these new changes and additions to make sure nothing can escape our watchful eyes!

New Heroes

You know them, chances are that you also already love them. Or happen to suffer from actual nightmares over all the Reno Jackson decks haunting your memories. We hope it's not the latter in any case! Here are their new improved dual-class Duels versions: 

Quote From Blizzard

NEW HEROES

The League of Explorers have come to Duels! Each of the four members of the league is a special dual-class hero that combines two different classes in fun and interesting ways. Reno Jackson is a Mage/Rogue, Sir Finley is a Paladin/Shaman, Elise Starseeker is a Druid/Priest, and Brann Bronzebeard is a Hunter/Warrior. When you pick one of those heroes, you’ll have access to cards from both their classes in creating your starter deck and picking your buckets.

For the first time ever, the new hero powers and signature treasures can be unlocked either by playing Duels or by unlocking those same hero powers and treasures in the Saviors of Uldum solo content: Tombs of Terror. Any hero powers or signature treasures that were already unlocked in Tombs of Terror will automatically be unlocked in Duels. Players who previously purchased Tombs of Terror can access it in the “Solo Adventures” Mode. Players who do not already own the Tombs of Terror can purchase that content from the Wild section of the in-game and web shops.

Reno Jackson has three new hero powers that you can unlock as you play:

• Amateur Mage
  • [Costs 2] Deal 1 damage. Combo: Deal 2 instead.
• “Relicologist”
  • [Costs 1] Your next spell this turn has Spell Damage +2.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 cards that cost 3 or less.
• Arcane Craftiness
  • [Costs 2] Fire two missiles that deal 1 damage each. If any minion dies, repeat this.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Use your hero power 30 times.

Reno Jackson also has 6 signature treasures that you can unlock as you play:

• Reno’s Lucky Hat
  • [2 Mana Spell] Give a minion +2/+2 and Spell Damage +2.
• Reno’s Crafty Lasso
  • [2 Mana Weapon] 3 Attack, 2 Durability. After your hero attacks, copy a card from your opponent’s hand.
• Reno’s Magical Torch
  • [2 Mana Spell] Deal 4 damage. Combo: Shuffle a copy of this into your deck that deals 2 more damage.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from Saviors of Uldum.
• Sr. Tomb Diver
  • [4 Mana Minion] 5 Attack, 5 Health. Battlecry: If you played 5 Secrets this game, your Hero Power becomes ‘Discover a Treasure’.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from The Sunken City.
• Lei Flamepaw
  • [4 Mana Minion] 2 Attack, 6 Health. After your first spell each turn, cast it again (on the same target).
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from Saviors of Uldum.
• The Gatling Wand
  • [5 Mana Spell] Deal 3 damage split randomly among all enemy minions (improves for each spell you’ve cast this game).
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from The Sunken City.

Sir Finley has three new hero powers that you can unlock as you play:

• New “Recruits”
  • [Costs 2] Summon a 2/2 Amalgam Explorer.
• Bubble Blower
  • [Costs 1] Discover a Shaman or Paladin minion with Battlecry. Overload: (1).
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Battlecry cards.
• Power Up!
  • [Costs 2] Give a minion Divine Shield and Windfury.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 20 Dredge cards.

Sir Finley also has 6 signature treasures that you can unlock as you play:

• Finley’s Pith Helmet
  • [2 Mana Spell] Give all friendly minions +2 Health. Shuffle this card into your deck.
• Maxwell, Mighty Steed
  • [5 Mana Minion] 3 Attack, 5 Health. Rush. Reborn. Has +2 Attack for each other minion on the battlefield.
• Truesilver Lance
  • [5 Mana Weapon] 3 Attack, 1 Durability. Lifesteal. After you Overload, gain +1 Durability.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from Saviors of Uldum.
• Sr. Scout
  • [5 Mana Minion] 6 Attack, 6 Health. Rush, Windfury. At the end of your turn, deal 6 damage to a random enemy minion.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from The Sunken City.
• Karl the Lost
  • [8 Mana Minion] 6 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Summon six Silver Hand Recruits and give all friendly minions Taunt and Divine Shield.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from Saviors of Uldum.
• Scales of Justice
  • [5 Mana Spell] Transform all minions into 1/1 Murlocs. Fill your hand with random Murlocs that cost (1).
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from The Sunken City.

Elise Starseeker has three new hero powers that you can unlock as you play:

• Elise’s Might
  • [Costs 2] Choose One: +2 Attack this turn; or Gain 2 Armor.
• Druidic Teaching
  • [Costs 2] Restore 2 Health, then draw a card if the target is at full Health.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 40 spells.
• Starseeker
  • [Passive] After you cast 3 spells in a turn, add a ‘Moonfire’ to your hand.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Attack 10 times with your hero.

Elise Starseeker also has 6 signature treasures that you can unlock as you play:

• Starseeker’s Tools
  • [4 Mana Spell] Discover a minion and a spell. They cost (2) less.
• Elise’s Machete
  • [5 Mana Weapon] 3 Attack, 3 Durability. After your hero attacks, summon two 2/2 Treants. Give them Rush.
• Addarah
  • [7 Mana Minion] 3 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Shuffle all enemy minions into your deck.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from Saviors of Uldum.
• Sr. Navigator
  • [5 Mana Minion] 2 Attack, 10 Health. Whenever you target this minion with a spell that costs (2) or more, add a copy of the spell to your hand.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from The Sunken City.
• Academic Research
  • [3 Mana Spell] Start of Game: Draw this. Gain 1 Mana Crystal. (Upgrades each time a friendly minion dies).
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from Saviors of Uldum.
• Staff of Renewal
  • [10 Mana Spell] Resurrect 5 friendly minions with the highest Cost. Give them Taunt.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from The Sunken City.

Brann Bronzebeard has three new hero powers that you can unlock as you play:

• Spread Shot
  • [Costs 2]: Deal 1 damage, then 1 damage to the enemy hero.
• Well Equipped
  • [Costs 2]: Equip a random weapon and set its Durability to 1.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 15 weapons.
• Dino Tracking
  • [Passive]: At the start of your turn, Discover which card you draw.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Discover 30 times.

Brann Bronzebeard also has 6 signature treasures that you can unlock as you play:

• Ol’ Faithful
  • [3 Cost Weapon] 4 Attack, 2 Durability. After your hero attacks, deal 1 damage to all enemies.
• Brann’s Saddle
  • [3 Cost Spell] Give a friendly Beast +3/+3 and ‘Deathrattle: Give Brann’s Saddle to another friendly Beast.’
• Titan-Forged Grapnel
  • [4 Cost Spell] Destroy 2 random enemy minions. Gain Armor equal to their combined Attack.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from Saviors of Uldum.
• Sr. Excavator
  • [5 Cost Minion] 3 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Draw 3 cards. Any minions you draw cost (4) less.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class minions from The Sunken City.
• Flo Slatebrand
  • [6 Cost Minion] 4 Attack, 4 Health. Battlecry and Deathrattle: Add a random Treasure to your hand.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from Saviors of Uldum.
• Brann’s Epic Egg
  • [7 Cost Minion] 0 Attack, 3 Health. After this takes damage, summon King Krush.
  • Duels-only unlock criteria: Play 25 Class spells from The Sunken City.

Remember that the solo adventure content from the Saviors of Uldum expansion - Tombs of Terror - can be used as an alternative to help with these unlocks. Your progress there should count retroactively, some current bugs notwithstanding.

New Passive Treasures

All belonging to Pool 1, as it happens:

Treasure Updates

Brace yourselves, it's a handful: 

Quote From Blizzard

For the Alliance and For the Horde

• The unlock criteria for these two signature treasures have been removed.
• Dev Comment: Okay, 200 was a bit much, wannit?

• Old: 2 Attack, 3 Health → New: 2 Attack, 5 Health

• Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 3]

• Old: Discover a Choose One card. Choose One cards and powers have both effects combined until end of turn. → New: Discover two Choose One cards. They have both effects combined. Shuffle this card into your deck.

• Old: Steal up to 3 Attack and Health from an enemy minion. Give those stats to a random friendly Beast. → New: Steal up to 4 Attack and Health from an enemy minion. Give those stats to a random friendly Beast.

• Old: After you play a spell, summon a random minion of the same Cost. It dies when it takes damage. → New: After you play a spell, summon two random minions of the same Cost that die when they take damage.

• Old: Deathrattle: Draw a Dragon, Murloc, and Mech. They cost (2) less. → New: Deathrattle: Draw a Dragon, Murloc, and Mech. They cost (3) less.
• Dev Comment: Oh wow! Menagerie got better with this!

• Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 3]

• Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 3]

• Old: [Costs 3] → New: [Costs 2]

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

• Old: Whenever your Health changes on your turn, summon a copy of this minion. → New: Rush. Whenever your Health changes on your turn, summon a copy of this minion.

• Old: [Costs 5] → New: [Costs 4]

• Old: [Costs 6] → New: [Costs 4]

• Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 3]

• Old: 4 Attack, 5 Health. Your Eclipse spells cost (0). → New: 4 Attack, 6 Health. At the end of your turn, add a random Eclipse spell to your hand. Your Eclipse spells cost (0).

• Old: 3 Attack, 5 Health. → New: 3 Attack, 6 Health.

• Old: [Costs 6] → New: [Costs 5]
• Dev Comment: More buffs to Menagerie!

• Old: At the end of your turn, deal 2 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 enemy minions for each Fire spell you’ve cast this turn.
• Dev Comment: Hey, you know who you are, yes, you, look what you made me do to my boy.

• Moved from Treasure Pool 2 to Treasure Pool 2 Ultra Rare

Also, one Hero Power update: 

Quote From Blizzard

Vile Concoction (Infiltrator Lilian’s Hero Power)

• Old: Give a minion Poisonous. Combo: Also give it Stealth for 1 turn. → New: Give a minion Poisonous. Combo: Also give it +1/+1 and Stealth for 1 turn.

Bucket and Card Updates

Quote From Blizzard

• The Menagerie bucket has been removed.
  • Dev Comment: Nooooo! How could we do this right when we give it buffs?!
• New buckets have been added for Voyage to the Sunken City archetypes.
• Also on April 5, both the League of Explorers and the Saviors of Uldum expansions will be added to the eligible card pools for deckbuilding, buckets, and Discover effects.
• Voyage to the Sunken City will be added to card buckets and Discover effects with the patch on April 5, but will not be able to be used in initial deckbuilding until the set launches on April 12.
• All Core Set cards that are rotating out of the Core Set will be banned from April 5 until the Core Set updates on April 12. Core Set cards that will remain in the Core Set after the update will still be playable, as will any non-Core versions of any rotating cards that are eligible from another set. Learn more about the Core Set update in the Year of the Hydra blog.

To reiterate, you can come across new expansion cards as you choose from various card buckets between games, but don't expect that chance to be very high with so many sets in the card pool at this point. Discover effects can create even more unexpected chaos. 

And yes, that Core Set distinction might cause a headache or two for anyone trying to keep track of what's eligible and what's not.

General 

Last but certainly not least. Duels players kept asking to be able to choose from more Heroes at the start of a run, and we've now taken that first step towards a larger inclusion: 

Quote From Blizzard

• On April 5, the current Duels season will end, ratings will be reset to 0, and ongoing runs will be concluded.
• The new heroes […] will be available on April 5, with the new Duels season.
• You will now be able to select from 5 different heroes at the start of a run, instead of 4.

Also apparently the Duels season has suddenly come to an abrupt end, to the surprise of most everyone (?) out there. That means that if you had an unfinished Heroic run, you should be given any rewards for the amount of total wins you were at, plus a free Tavern Ticket.

We certainly weren't aware this was meant to happen, so we never got a chance to run one of our usual reminders. Alas. In this case the worst case scenario for some people was nothing lost, nothing gained in the process.

Excited to jump into the refreshed Duels mode once again? Just which Explorer is your spirit animal? 

More From Year of the Hydra

Blizzard has plenty of new information to share about Year of the Hydra including the remaining cards for Voyage to the Sunken City.

• All 46 New Voyage to the Sunken City Card Reveals
• All Card Flavor Text for the Voyage to the Sunken City Hearthstone Expansion
• Everything You Need to Know About Hearthstone's Year of the Hydra & Core Set
• Future of Hearthstone Battlegrounds in 2022 - Seasons, E-Sports, New Keywords, Progression System and More
• Hearthstone Mercenaries Receives Big Updates in Patch 23.0 - Task System Rework, Balance Updates, & More!
• All Hearthstone Duels Updates for Patch 23.0 - The League of Explorers, Hero Selection Expands, Retired Heroic Runs, Treasures, & More
• Drek’Thar and Loatheb Are the Latest Cards To Join Hearthstone’s Diamond Club
• Our Wild Thoughts on the 24 Reverted Card Nerfs in Hearthstone's Year of the Hydra
• Open a Voyage to the Sunken City Pack in our Pack Opener