One of the least-understood mechanics of Battlegrounds is the Minion Pools. However, recently one of the Hearthstone Game Designers of the Battlegrounds team finally shed some light on the long-disputed mechanics behind the Minion Pools, including when minions re-enter the pool, what does and doesn’t remove minions from the pool, and how it is actually possible to exceed the initial limits of each tier of minion in Battlegrounds.
The basics of the Battlegrounds Minion pool
The basics here are simple. At the start of each game of Battlegrounds, there are a limited number of each unit available in the game-wide minion pool. Any player who purchases removes a copy of that minion from the pool, and when they sell that unit, it re-enters the available pool of minions in Bob’s shop. The higher Tavern-Tier, the fewer copies of a minion are available in the total pool.
Tavern Tier
Total Minions Available
Copies of Each unit
One
19
16
Two
27
15
Three
27
13
Four
24
11
Five
24
9
Six
21
7
Hearthstone Battlegrounds Minion Pool Data
If we count up the total number of copies for each unit, we can say the total unit pool is approximately 1896 total units before the start of a game. That number in practice is smaller due to each Battlegrounds lobby excluding three out of the eight tribes.
When do sold minions re-enter the minion pool?
One of the interesting insights Dom (DCalkosz) provided was when minions re-enter the minion pool. Unlike what people expected, minions re-enter the minion pool almost immediately after a player sells them. The common belief was that the minion pool would refresh at the start of each round. We learn from that is you should consider when you sell certain units that could benefit your opponent matters. If you have to get rid of a popular or strong unit, it is better to sell it later in the round as most players start playing their turn immediately after the combat phase.
That possible advantage becomes exceedingly important for Tavern-Tier Five & Six units since far fewer copies of those minions are available in total.
How to break the limits of the available minions?
Dom left us with a final insight by confirming the rumor that Arch-Villian Rafaam can exceed the limit of the available minion pool. I’ll Take That! always generates an additional copy of the first minion you kill from your opponents’ board, even if there are no more currently available. Most people assumed it worked that way, but here is where it gets really interesting. If you sell the copy generated through I’ll Take That! there are now additional copies of the card available in the minion pool for the remainder of the match. And not only that but Faceless Taverngoer and Murozond have the same ability. That information, overall, is extremely useless, but now you know!
Mewwy wanted to add to the article that other generators like the abilities from Tess Greymane, Zephrys the Great, and Reno Jackson don’t affect the available minion pool in the same way. Tess Greymane & Zephrys the Great’s abilities, for example, only have the opportunity to pick from the available minions. Reno Jackson and his ability Gonna Be Rich! don’t affect the available minion pool at all past the initial purchase & selling of that unit.
I hope you all enjoyed this very different style of Battlegrounds content from us. Let us know what you think, and we may explore some more of the lesser-known game mechanics of Battlegrounds. For now, please take a look at the fantastic guides from Mewwy and HZ, as they have both put in a large amount of work to get you the latest Hero guides for Battlegrounds!
One of the least-understood mechanics of Battlegrounds is the Minion Pools. However, recently one of the Hearthstone Game Designers of the Battlegrounds team finally shed some light on the long-disputed mechanics behind the Minion Pools, including when minions re-enter the pool, what does and doesn’t remove minions from the pool, and how it is actually possible to exceed the initial limits of each tier of minion in Battlegrounds.
The basics of the Battlegrounds Minion pool
The basics here are simple. At the start of each game of Battlegrounds, there are a limited number of each unit available in the game-wide minion pool. Any player who purchases removes a copy of that minion from the pool, and when they sell that unit, it re-enters the available pool of minions in Bob’s shop. The higher Tavern-Tier, the fewer copies of a minion are available in the total pool.
If we count up the total number of copies for each unit, we can say the total unit pool is approximately 1896 total units before the start of a game. That number in practice is smaller due to each Battlegrounds lobby excluding three out of the eight tribes.
When do sold minions re-enter the minion pool?
One of the interesting insights Dom (DCalkosz) provided was when minions re-enter the minion pool. Unlike what people expected, minions re-enter the minion pool almost immediately after a player sells them. The common belief was that the minion pool would refresh at the start of each round. We learn from that is you should consider when you sell certain units that could benefit your opponent matters. If you have to get rid of a popular or strong unit, it is better to sell it later in the round as most players start playing their turn immediately after the combat phase.
That possible advantage becomes exceedingly important for Tavern-Tier Five & Six units since far fewer copies of those minions are available in total.
How to break the limits of the available minions?
Dom left us with a final insight by confirming the rumor that Arch-Villian Rafaam can exceed the limit of the available minion pool. I’ll Take That! always generates an additional copy of the first minion you kill from your opponents’ board, even if there are no more currently available. Most people assumed it worked that way, but here is where it gets really interesting. If you sell the copy generated through I’ll Take That! there are now additional copies of the card available in the minion pool for the remainder of the match. And not only that but Faceless Taverngoer and Murozond have the same ability. That information, overall, is extremely useless, but now you know!
Mewwy wanted to add to the article that other generators like the abilities from Tess Greymane, Zephrys the Great, and Reno Jackson don’t affect the available minion pool in the same way. Tess Greymane & Zephrys the Great’s abilities, for example, only have the opportunity to pick from the available minions. Reno Jackson and his ability Gonna Be Rich! don’t affect the available minion pool at all past the initial purchase & selling of that unit.
I hope you all enjoyed this very different style of Battlegrounds content from us. Let us know what you think, and we may explore some more of the lesser-known game mechanics of Battlegrounds. For now, please take a look at the fantastic guides from Mewwy and HZ, as they have both put in a large amount of work to get you the latest Hero guides for Battlegrounds!
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