by JR Cook - 2 months ago     show comments

Patch 36.6 dropped today, kicking off the countdown to Reign of the Black Empire, Hearthstone’s next expansion launching October 20. This set takes us back to ancient Azeroth when the Old Gods ruled the world and the Titan-forged armies rose to stop them. The expansion features 135 new collectible cards, a new Old Gods mechanic, and the Assemble keyword that lets you build custom minions.

Pre-purchase bundles are live right now. Pick up both the standard and Mega Bundle to get a free Random Golden Legendary from the new set, and unlock the option to grab the Pre-Purchase Sequence Bundle with the exclusive Diamond Isiset. If you really want to go all-in, buying all three bundles gets you the Way of the Monk Coin, your first look at Hearthstone’s upcoming Monk class arriving in 2027.

Pre-Purchase Bundles and What’s Inside

The Mega Bundle is headlined by Signature Legendary Drest’agath, an ancient aberration that draws an Old God from your deck or grants you a random one if none remain. It also includes 90 packs, the Golden Legendary C’Thun, Eye of the Empire, and a stack of cosmetics. If you’re hunting that perfect setup for marathon deck-building sessions, the HyperX Cloud III Wireless keeps you comfortable through long grinds with excellent sound isolation.

Everyone who logs in right now gets the M.O.T.H.E.R. Legendary card for free. After Patch 37.6, you’ll need to own a Reign of the Black Empire pack to claim it, so grab it early if you haven’t already.

The Black Market Returns With Limited-Time Cosmetics

The Black Market runs from September 15 through October 13, letting you spend Bloodstones (earned through Ranked play) on packs and cosmetics. The vendor prices shift whenever they feel like it, so check back often because today’s deal could cost double tomorrow. During the final week (October 6-13), you can’t earn more Bloodstones but you can haggle with vendors to lower prices if you’re just short of that last item.

Available items include four Reign of the Black Empire packs, the Taelan Fordring Signature Legendary, and hero skins like Broxigar for Demon Hunter, Yogg-Ramen for Mage, and Champion Tyrande for Priest. Bloodstones don’t carry over between Black Market events, so spend everything before October 13 or lose it.

War of Old & New Event and Free Cards

From October 6-20, the War of Old & New event gives you three Reign of the Black Empire cards you can actually play before the expansion launches. Complete event quests to unlock both regular and Golden versions of Arrival of the Old Gods, Arrival of the Titans, and Dark Terraforming, plus two Tavern Tickets and the Zek’voz Priest hero skin.

A new Legendary Quest Chain runs September 29 through October 20. Play Ranked games to earn a Reign of the Black Empire pack at Step 1 and a Golden pack at Step 2. If you’re serious about climbing the ladder, the Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed is the pro-grade wireless headset used by esports players worldwide.

Battlegrounds Gets Aberrations on September 22

Patch 36.6.1 launches September 22 with Aberrations, Battlegrounds’ newest minion type. Built around discard synergies, Aberrations grow stronger as you work toward awakening a Deity. Each time a friendly Aberration dies, it advances your Deity’s progress. After three sacrifices, either C’Thun or Y’Shaarj (chosen randomly at game start) joins the fight with a game-changing effect.

Aberrations will appear in every lobby for the first two weeks. While they’re in the pool, Naga are temporarily rotated out, and Naga-specific heroes and cards won’t be available. For the full Battlegrounds breakdown, check Blizzard’s complete overview.

Source: Hearthstone Official Site