Everything we know about the Naga in Hearthstone

Hearthstone is getting its first-ever Battlegrounds Season entitled Rise of the Naga. There will be a Battlegrounds Rating reset, a whole new minion type (Naga), and a brand new hero. All of the changes take effect May 10 after the patch at 1pm PT / 4pm ET.

Minion Pool changes in Battlegrounds

Hearthstone Battlegrounds will remove Champion of Y'Shaarj, Deadly Spore, Amalgadon, Seafood Slinger, and Captain Flat Tusk from the minion pool to make room for the new minions coming. Nightmare Amalgam (now Tier 3) and Bristleback Knight (now with 5 attack) will be rejoining the minion pool eventually.

Three other minions will return to the game on top of 16 new Naga minions being introduced. The Naga Minions and their special abilities are as follows:

• Mini-Myrmidon - Tavern Tier 1
  • 1 Attack and 3 Health.
  • Spellcraft: Give a minion +2 Attack until the next turn.
• Shell Collector - Tavern Tier 1
  • 3 Attack and 1 Health.
  • Battlecry: Add a Gold Coin to your hand.
• Deep-Sea Angler - Tavern Tier 2
  • 2 Attack and 2 Health.
  • Spellcraft: Give a minion +3 Health and Taunt until the next turn.
• Snail Cavalry - Tavern Tier 2
  • 5 Attack and 2 Health.
  • Once per Turn: After you cast a spell, gain +2 Health.
• Lava Lurker - Tavern Tier 2
  • 2 Attack and 5 Health
  • The first Spellcraft spell cast on this each turn is permanent.
• Stormscale Siren - Tavern Tier 3
  • 5 Attack and 4 Health.
  • At the end of your turn, your Spellcraft minions cast their spells on themselves.
• Shoal Commander - Tavern Tier 3
  • 2 Attack and 2 Health.
  • Spellcraft: Give a minion +1/+1 for each friendly Naga until the next turn.
• Pashmar the Vengeful - Tavern Tier 3
  • 4 Attack and 5 Health
  • Avenge (3): Get a Spellcraft spell of your Tier or lower.
• Waverider - Tavern Tier 4
  • 2 Attack and 8 Health.
  • Spellcraft: Give a minion +1/+1 and Windfury until the next turn.
• Eventide Brute - Tavern Tier 4
  • 5 Attack and 4 Health.
  • After you cast a spell, gain +1/+1.
• Eelbound Archer - Tavern Tier 4
  • 4 Attack and 4 Health.
  • Spellcraft: Give a minion +8 Attack until the next turn.
• Reef Explorer - Tavern Tier 4
  • 3 Attack and 3 Health.
  • Battlecry: Discover a minion from a minion type you don't control.
• Leeroy the Reckless - Tavern Tier 5
  • 6 Attack and 2 Health.
  • Deathrattle: Destroy the minion that killed this.
• Critter Wrangler - Tavern Tier 5
  • 5 Attack and 7 Health.
  • After you cast a Spellcraft spell on a minion, give it +2/+2.
• Corrupted Myrmidon - Tavern Tier 5
  • 2 Attack and 2 Health.
  • Start of Combat: Double this minion's stats.
• Glowscale - Tavern Tier 5
  • 4 Attack and 6 Health with Taunt.
  • Spellcraft: Give a friendly minion Divine Shield until the next turn.
• Tidemistress Athissa - Tavern Tier 6
  • 7 Attack and 8 Health.
  • After you cast a spell, give four friendly Naga +1/+1.
• Orgozoa, the Tender - Tavern Tier 6
  • 5 Attack and 9 Health.
  • Spellcraft: Discover a Naga.
• Darkgaze Elder - Tavern Tier 6
  • 6 Attack and 7 Health.
  • After you spend 4 Gold, play a Blood Gem on four friendly Quilboar.
• Mantid Queen - Tavern Tier 6
  • 5 Attack and 5 Health with Poisonous.
  • Start of Combat: For each of your minion types, gain +5/+5, Windfury, Divine Shield, or Taunt.
• Young Murk-Eye - Tavern Tier 6
  • 8 Attack and 5 Health.
  • At the end of your turn, adjacent Murlocs trigger their Battlecries.

Related: What are Buddies in Hearthstone Battlegrounds?

Brand new hero in Hearthstone

The newest Battlegrounds hero will be Queen Azshara, her special skill is Azshara's Ambition, which is Passive. The skill says, "When your monsters on the field reach 30 total Attack, begin your Naga Conquest," which essentially means that if all friendly minions on the field have a combined total of 30 attack, then Queen Azshara will transform into Naga Queen Azshara.

Azshara can discover Nagas, so the motivation to transform is to be able to use the more spell-focused Naga minions.

Related: How do Buddy tier levels work in Hearthstone Battlegrounds?

How do you play with Naga in Battlegrounds?

The Naga specialize in magic, and the lore states that this love of magic was their downfall. Their way of playing is unique to them and here's what's been revealed so far:

• Spellcraft minions generate spells as soon as they are played and at the beginning of every Recruit phase.
  • Their effect lasts for one turn only, so you can choose where to put your spells for the next combat turn each turn.
  • If you don't use a spellcraft spell at the end of your turn, it is lost.
• Spellcraft spells that do not have a space in their hand will "wait" until they have one instead of being destroyed or delayed.
  • Spellcraft minions that are Golden will create golden versions of the spells, which basically means they will have double the effect.

For more on Hearthstone, check out Best Hearthstone Decks or Fastest way to fill up the Buddy meter in Hearthstone Battlegrounds here on Pro Game Guides.