by JR Cook - 1 month ago     show comments

Patch 36.0 drops on June 30, and with it comes the most significant shake-up to the Pre-Release Tavern Brawl we’ve seen in years. The new format strips away class restrictions entirely and gives everyone free trial copies of all Common cards from Escape from Violet Hold to experiment with before the expansion officially launches on July 7.

Here’s the twist: you can only build decks using cards from the new expansion. No Core cards, no Whizbang shenanigans, just pure Escape from Violet Hold. That’s a bold move that should make the Pre-Release feel genuinely different instead of just testing your new cards in the same old meta shells. Card generation still pulls from the full Standard pool though, so expect some wild moments when Discover effects start firing.

New Card Back for Flawless Runs

The Pre-Release achievement structure is getting an upgrade too. Going 6-0 without a single loss now rewards the Jailbreak Brawler card back alongside 2 Tavern Tickets. That’s on top of the existing 6-win achievement that hands out packs and tickets. It’s a genuine skill test and the first time we’ve seen a perfect run achievement outside of normal Arena modes.

One entry is free, then it’s 2 Tavern Tickets, 300 Gold, or 400 Runestones per run. Rewards scale with wins as usual, maxing out at 6 wins or bottoming out at 3 losses. If you grabbed the Mega Bundle, you also get Signature Vanessa the Ringleader now (she generates Signature cards when possible, which is absurdly fun when you’re already ahead).

Arena Season Resets with New Hero Skin

Arena players have something to chase this season: the Nefarious Nemsy Hero Skin for hitting 12 wins in Underground. After you unlock it, subsequent 12-win runs grant 2 Golden Escape from Violet Hold packs instead. The card pool rotates in the new expansion a week early on June 30, covering Escape from Violet Hold, Across the Timeways, Whizbang’s Workshop, Festival of Legends, Murder at Castle Nathria, Core Set, and Event Set.

The patch also introduces a fresh Rewards Track loaded with packs, Gold, and XP boosts. Year of the Scarab players who’ve hit Legend six times can finally claim the Eternal Scarab card back through the “Myth of the Scarab” achievement (if you’ve already completed it, just visit the achievement page to grab it).

Community Days run alongside the Pre-Release Tavern Brawl starting June 30, giving you a chance to watch creators experiment with wild new archetypes and earn extra packs to fuel your own runs. Whether you’re chasing that perfect 6-0 or just want to mess around with Rulebreaker cards early, this is shaping up to be one of the better Pre-Release events in recent memory.

Source: Hearthstone Official Patch Notes