Hearthstone Wiki
Register
Advertisement
The Grand Tournament
"From east to west, heroes are sent, seeking glory in the greatest of events... there are knights on noble steeds; those who will bring them to their knees; there are monsters to test their mettle at every turn. Legends will rise based on their merits - there's even pirates riding parrots! It's The Grand Tournament!"
Wild format
Wild icon
With the arrival of the Year of the Mammoth, The Grand Tournament is now a Wild format card set, which means cards from the The Grand Tournament will no longer be playable in Standard format matches. For more information, see Game format.

The Grand Tournament is the second expansion to Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, featuring 132 collectible cards, as well as 19 uncollectible cards. The expansion was released August 24, 2015, shortly after 10am PDT/7pm CEST.

Based around World of Warcraft's Argent Tournament, the expansion features a strong Hero Power theme, with numerous ways to modify, augment and replace Hero Powers, and introduced the first full keyword since the game's launch, Inspire - a special kind of triggered effect which activates each time the controlling hero uses their Hero Power. It also introduced a new non-keyword mechanic, Joust. When activated, this ability causes a minion to be revealed from each player's deck, and if the player who initiated the Joust has the higher mana cost minion, a special effect is activated, depending on the Joust minion.

In addition to new cards, the expansion saw changes to the Quest Log and Ranked Play mode, and the introduction of the Highest Rank Bonus chest. Arena was for the first time changed to award random card packs, previously only awarding those from Goblins vs Gnomes.

The expansion introduces numerous characters and races from the Argent Tournament and Northrend in general, such as the tuskarr, val'kyr and kvaldir.

The release of the expansion was preceded by Grand Tournament Match, a special Grand Tournament-themed Tavern Brawl designed to showcase the expansion's two new mechanics: Inspire and Joust. The Brawl allowed players access to certain cards from the expansions before they were otherwise available, through special pre-made decks. The Brawl opened August 19 and closed August 24, several hours before the release of the expansion.

The expansion's data was added to the game with Patch 3.0.0.9786, on August 18, 2015.

How to get[]

The Grand Tournament craftable cards can be obtained by one of the following methods:

  • Opening card packs with the usual prices and purchasing options
    The Grand Tournament Pack
    Wild Pack
    Golden Wild
  • Crafting for the usual amounts of Arcane Dust depending on the cards' rarity
Uncraftable cards

These specific cards can be obtained through other means. For more information, see their respective articles.

    Pre-order
    • Prior to the expansion's launch, players were able to pre-purchase a bundle of 50 cards packs for real money only.[1] This will also grant a special card back. Players were not able to open the packs until the expansion was released, although they were displayed in the Open Packs screen tied with a ribbon.[2]
    • The pre-order bundle cost $50 USD/€44.99 EUR/£34.99 GBP.[2][3]
    • The pre-order bundle was only available once per region for each account.[4]

    Cards[]

    The Grand Tournament set features 132 collectible cards (9 for each class, except 10 for hunter, and 50 collectible neutral cards). The set also includes 10 replacement Hero Powers (1 for each class, plus an additional one for shamans). The Grand Tournament cards can be recognised by the shield marking behind the card text, not found on other cards.

    Customize this list

    Neutral

    AT 133
    AT 082
    AT 097
    AT 089
    AT 094
    AT 084
    AT 087
    AT 083
    AT 092
    AT 095
    AT 100
    AT 114
    AT 093
    AT 085
    AT 111
    AT 091
    AT 096
    AT 119
    AT 090
    AT 101
    AT 102
    AT 103
    AT 105
    AT 109
    AT 110
    AT 115
    AT 106
    AT 086
    AT 108
    AT 112
    AT 088
    AT 080
    AT 117
    AT 121
    AT 017
    AT 113
    AT 118
    AT 099
    AT 098
    AT 120
    AT 131
    AT 129
    AT 122
    AT 127
    AT 124
    AT 132
    AT 128
    AT 123
    AT 070
    AT 125

    Related cards

    HERO 10bp2
    HERO 11bp2t
    NEW1 009
    AT 132 ROGUEt
    CS2 050
    CS2 101t
    CS2 152
    CS2 051
    CS2 058
    HERO 05bp2
    HERO 06bp2
    HERO 08bp2
    HERO 11cbp2
    HERO 09bp2
    HERO 03bp2
    HERO 07bp2
    HERO 01bp2
    HERO 04bp2
    HERO 02bp2
    AT 099t

    Druid

    AT 037
    AT 042
    AT 040
    AT 038
    AT 039
    AT 041
    AT 044
    AT 043
    AT 045

    Related cards

    CS2 013t
    AT 037t
    AT 042t
    AT 042t2
    OG 044c

    Choice cards

    AT 037a
    AT 037b
    AT 042a
    AT 042b

    Hunter

    AT 059
    AT 060
    AT 058
    AT 056
    AT 010
    AT 062
    AT 061
    AT 057
    AT 063t
    AT 063

    Mage

    AT 007
    AT 006
    AT 001
    AT 003
    AT 002
    AT 005
    AT 004
    AT 008
    AT 009

    Related cards

    AT 005t

    Paladin

    AT 074
    AT 075
    AT 076
    AT 073
    AT 077
    AT 104
    AT 078
    AT 079
    AT 081

    Related cards

    CS2 101t

    Priest

    AT 055
    AT 013
    AT 011
    AT 015
    AT 116
    AT 012
    AT 016
    AT 014
    AT 018

    Rogue

    AT 029
    AT 030
    AT 028
    AT 031
    AT 033
    AT 032
    AT 035
    AT 034
    AT 036

    Related cards

    GAME 005
    AT 035t
    AT 036t

    Shaman

    AT 053
    AT 052
    AT 046
    AT 048
    AT 047
    AT 049
    AT 051
    AT 050
    AT 054

    Related cards

    NEW1 009
    CS2 050
    CS2 051
    CS2 058
    AT 050t

    Warlock

    AT 024
    AT 026
    AT 020
    AT 021
    AT 022
    AT 023
    AT 019
    AT 025
    AT 027

    Warrior

    AT 064
    AT 068
    AT 066
    AT 071
    AT 069
    AT 065
    AT 067
    AT 130
    AT 072

    Battlefield[]

    The expansion brought with it a new battlefield, with a chance to be used for any regular match. Set at the Grand Tournament itself, the battlefield features spectators, a food tent, and both ranged and melee target practice.

    For more details on the battlefield and its interactable features, see Battlefield#The Grand Tournament.

    Battlefield - The Grand Tournament

    Card backs[]

    A special card back was available as part of the expansion's pre-order bundle. The card back for Ranked play Season 17 also matches the expansion.

    The Grand Tournament
    CardBack31
    No longer available
    Pre-ordering 50 Grand Tournament card packs

    After the fall of the Lich King, it was suggested that we celebrate then go home. Those of us who stayed decided to continue the Tournament with a new mission: FUN!

    Tournament Grounds
    Card back-Tournament Grounds
    No longer available
    Achieving Rank 20 in Ranked Season 17 (August 2015)

    All over The Grand Tournament's grounds, you can find knights at jousting practice. Poor target dummies. So much senseless hay shed on the path to glory...

    Changes to existing gameplay[]

    For a list of all changes made with the accompanying patch, see Patch 3.0.0.9786. Major system changes are listed below.

    Arena[]

    • With the release of the expansion, the Arena no longer rewards exclusively Goblins vs Gnomes card packs, but instead randomly awards Classic, Goblins vs Gnomes, or Grand Tournament packs, with a higher chance of rewarding Grand Tournament packs.[2][5]

    Ranked Chest[]

    Ranked Chest

    The new Ranked Chest display

    We love receiving feedback from the Hearthstone community. One thing that we’ve been hearing a fair bit of is that, when playing on the Ranked Play ladder, people often feel hesitant to continue playing after reaching a particularly good rank. It simply feels like too much of a step backwards if they lose a rank or two. Based on that feedback, we’re making a change that we think will help put players’ minds at ease so that they can continue enjoying Ranked Play and pursuing even greater heights.
    Beginning this month, each player’s Quest Log will display the highest rank they have reached during the month and recognize their accomplishment. Additionally, we’ll be awarding players who progress past rank 20 with some minor rewards as a way of congratulating them for their achievements. Eligible players will receive a treasure chest at the end of each season containing the season’s Ranked Play card back, one or more golden cards, and some Arcane Dust. What’s in the chest is determined by your highest rank over the course of the season.[6]

    For details on the Ranked Chest system, see Ranked#Rewards.

    Themes[]

    Hero Powers[]

    "Hero Powers are the manifestation of heroic prowess and play a major role in The Grand Tournament. Many of the valiant minions who will be joining your cause with this expansion have a knack for meddling with Hero Powers, making some stronger, some weaker, and changing some around entirely! The Grand Tournament introduces exciting new ways to bolster and change them that will make Hero Powers more heroic than ever."[7]

    The Grand Tournament features an unprecedented number of effects which modify or replace Hero Powers. The effects themselves also exceed previous mechanics, reducing mana cost, increasing damage, and even allowing them to be used multiple times per turn.

    Inspire[]

    Main article: Inspire
    "The courageous deeds of champions have long served as a source of inner strength for others, and witnessing a hero’s gallantry in action can be enough to inspire even the lowliest of squires to great feats of strength."[8]

    The expansion will add a new keyword - Inspire. Essentially a kind of triggered effect, minions with Inspire will activate a special effect each time the controlling hero uses their Hero Power. Cards such as The Grand TournamentFrost Giant offer Hero Power synergy in other forms.

    Joust[]

    Main article: Joust

    The expansion also introduces a new non-keyword mechanic, Joust. When activated, this ability causes a minion to be revealed from each player's deck, and if the player who initiated the Joust has the higher mana cost minion, a special effect is activated, depending on the Joust minion. This is primarily activated by Battlecry effects, but some cards use others such as Deathrattle to start Jousts.

    Spell Damage[]

    The expansion significantly expands the availability and importance of Spell Damage for mages, with a number of cards such as The Grand TournamentArcane Blast and The Grand TournamentMaster of Ceremonies adding new synergies for the ability.

    Knights[]

    The expansion thematically features numerous mounted characters, with The Grand TournamentKodorider even summoning a separate The Grand TournamentWar Kodo mount minion.

    Paladins[]

    The expansion has a sub-theme of paladins, with cards like The Grand TournamentSilver Hand Regent and The Grand TournamentGrand Crusader granting heroes of all classes access to cards previously limited to the paladin class. This is intended to help the expansion to feel "paladin-y".[9]

    Tuskarr[]

    The expansion introduces the first tuskarr to Hearthstone, with three tuskarr minion cards included: The Grand TournamentRefreshment Vendor, The Grand TournamentTuskarr Totemic and The Grand TournamentTuskarr Jouster.

    Val'kyr[]

    The expansion introduces the first val'kyr to Hearthstone: the twins The Grand TournamentFjola Lightbane and The Grand TournamentEydis Darkbane.

    Pirates[]

    The expansion features the second legendary Pirate card - The Grand TournamentSkycap'n Kragg - bringing additional Pirate-synergy, as well as The Grand TournamentBuccaneer.

    Lore[]

    The Grand Tournament - cuteness
    "Fueled by friendly competition and fun, the Grand Tournament is a marvelous event where the greatest heroes in the land put their mastery on display before adoring crowds."[7]
    "Knights of all shapes and sizes from far and wide come together at the Grand Tournament to complete for fame and glory! Years ago, the Argent Crusade started the tournament as a way to find champions fit to take on Azeroth’s greatest villains. Now that the Frozen North is less perilous (and a tad bit warmer), the Grand Tournament has a playful side to it. Ogres, Pirates, Dragons, and even Murlocs have sent their finest Knights, ready to strut their stuff and show what they’re made of—all in the name of fun!"[2]
    "When the Lich King and his undead Scourge threatened the world, the Argent Crusade called upon Azeroth’s mightiest heroes to prove their mettle in a magnificent tournament. Knights of all races flocked to Northrend, vying for glory in epic battles against fearsome monsters. Though the Lich King’s evil has been vanquished, the Grand Tournament continues… the competitive atmosphere’s just a bit more playful than it used to be.
    And why shouldn’t the show go on? Would-be champions are arriving in droves from all over the world, hankering to prove their worth and claim the honor of flying their colors in the name of victory!"[10]
    "The Grand Tournament is more than just a test of skill and valor; it’s also a whimsical mash-up of celebration and carnival. At this tournament, you’ll find just as much fun and excitement outside the arena as you do on the field!
    There’s the jousting arena, of course, where the clash of armor and the roar of the crowd can be heard. That’s where you’ll find the stars of the show, the noble knights, basking in the adoration of the crowd. But there’s so much more to delight the senses: you’ll feast your eyes on elaborately decorated tents and pavilions in a rainbow of dazzling colors, you’ll thrill to performers and games, and your mouth will water at the delicious aroma of fresh baked festival pies that fills the air everywhere you go!"[11]

    Several years ago, when the Lich King Arthas and his undead Scourge threatened the whole world, the Argent Crusade called upon Azeroth’s mightiest heroes to prove their mettle in a series of trials called the Argent Tournament. Knights of all races journeyed to the bitterly cold continent of Northrend, vying for glory in epic battles against fearsome monsters. Those who prevailed in this magnificent tournament joined together to face the Lich King himself. These elite heroes managed to defeat him and, in doing so, saved Azeroth from total destruction.

    But what of those who did not prevail? Well, they trudged home and went back to their lives. But now, a few years later, many are eager to redeem themselves. Now that Northrend is less perilous (and a tad bit warmer), they have returned to the frozen north to participate in another tournament: the Grand Tournament. There’s no Lich King to defeat this time – this is simply for bragging rights and redemption. [12]

    Following the success of the Argent Tournament's efforts to defeat the Lich King, adventurers decided to keep on the tournament, albeit in a slightly more light-hearted format. Invitations were sent out to heroes across Azeroth and beyond, although the range of competitors arriving for the new tournament exceeded everyone's expectations, with parrot-riding pirates, armor-clad murlocs and even ethereals!

    The Argent Tournament[]

    Argent Tournament - Crusader's Coliseum

    The Crusader's Coliseum, the central arena area for the Tournament.

    Lich King - poster

    The Lich King awaits the victors of the Tournament.

    Released with World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King, the Argent Tournament saw adventurers and heroes gathering as they prepared to assault the Lich King's Icecrown Citadel.

    Set in the frozen continent of Northrend, the Tournament also saw the accidental summoning of LegacyLord Jaraxxus by Wilfred Fizzlebang.

    Revolving around the campaign against the Lich King, Wrath of the Lich King has strong themes of the undead, and frost magic. It introduced the nerubians, as well as the tuskarr, the vyrkul and the valkyr, and featured battle with the blue dragonflight, as well as re-animated proto-dragons.

    Wowpedia iconThis section uses content from Wowpedia.

    The Argent Tournament is a world event that was introduced in Patch 3.1 and is found northeast of Sindragosa's Fall in Icecrown at an area called the Argent Tournament Grounds.

    On the purpose of the Argent Tournament itself, Highlord LegacyTirion Fordring makes the following announcement from the stage to the east of the Ring of Champions at the top of every hour:

    Combatants of the Alliance and Horde! You are welcome under the banner of the Argent Crusade.
    To the south lies our goal. We will march to the Citadel and cut out the heart of the Scourge where it dwells.
    But this is no task to be taken lightly.
    A massive attack with every able-bodied man would end in needless slaughter. Every soldier lost would rise as the enemy. Azeroth would be left defenseless against the undead threat.
    Instead, we require a small, concentrated strike force for the attack to succeed. For that reason, we have created the Argent Tournament.
    Within these walls, you will be tested. Your skill in combat will be matched against the fiercest dangers Northrend has to offer under the watchful eyes of your leaders.
    Your prowess, your might, and your cunning will be under close watch. These games will determine the best Azeroth has to offer.
    The victors will take their rightful place in the assault upon the Citadel. We will stand together in the face of evil, and Arthas WILL fall!

    History[]

    Teasers[]

    Argent Tournament - scroll

    Courtesy of PC Gamer

    Invitation

    In early July, Blizzard began sending out special invites to selected press.[13] Opening the small cardboard tube caused a literal fanfare to play - matching the theme from the Argent Tournament.[14] The tube contained a scroll, bearing the following message:

    Champions are gathering from around the world to witness the next exciting thing Hearthstone has in store. News travels far and wide in search of brave new faces ready to answer the call to arms — Are you one of them?
    Muster for battle and mark July 22 on your calendar. The next bit of news won’t come by carrier pigeon — thankfully, we have much better ways of communication now. Victory awaits.[13]
    A Rattlin' Rally
    Stablemaster full

    Quel'dorei Steed by Tyson Murphy

    On July 8, 2015, a new Innkeeper's Tale blog was released, which appeared to be a teaser for the expansion. The blog specifically describes a large gathering, with everyone wearing plate - even the magic users and murlocs. There is also mention of a unicorn, which may be a general nod to the mounted Argent Crusade, or something more specific. The blog ends by teasing that all will be revealed soon.

    The Inn is the kind of place that will always welcome anyone and everyone who’s willing to play fair and have fun, so we get all sorts here. Still. . . Some crowds leave a real impression!
    Today was somethin’ else! The air was filled with the happy hubbub of folks dueling away and enjoying one another’s company, no matter where they hailed from; nothing too out of the ordinary. The funny thing was, most of ‘em were wearing the shiniest armor you ever saw—including the magic-using types! I even saw murlocs all geared up in plate, clankin’ about like wee fishy-smellin’ mechs. I’ll never forget the young Dwarven lass leadin’ a majestic unicorn around the common room! That seemed to make the other patrons nervous, since getting impaled is usually inconvenient, but they had nothin’ to worry about.
    Soon enough, everyone finished their brews (even the unicorn!), wrapped up their Hearthstone games, and got back to whatever journey they were on. It was an inspiring sight, and I admit that I was sorry to see ‘em go.
    I have to wonder where they were all headed. Of course, the Inn has a knack for putting itself right where the excitement is, so I reckon I’ll be findin’ out soon enough![15]

    The official tweet sharing the blog read "The Champion’s path ALWAYS begins with a trusty steed to bear them safely on their adventures!"[16]

    Champions
    Argent Tournament - teaser pic3

    On July 9 the official Hearthstone Twitter account tweeted an image of a female blood elf, apparently holding a horn or trumpet. The image was accompanied by the message, "Champions are individuals who courageously answer the call of those who require their aid!"[17] The German language version of the tweet read, "Ein Champion ist jemand, der all seine Mitstreiter in einem Wettbewerb übertroffen hat. [A champion is someone who has outdone all his comrades-in-arms in a competition]"[18][19]

    On July 14 another official tweet featured an image of a female troll, with the message, "Champions are varied, and come in all shapes and sizes! They’re masters of many different disciplines!".[20] July 16 saw an image of a male pirate, with the message, "Champions are sometimes even pirates with barrels for feet, although admittedly that’s rare!",[21] while July 20 featured an image of a male human paladin with the text, "No matter their differences, all champions pursue valor, glory, and most importantly, FUN."[22]

    Argent Tournament - sword
    Sword in the snow

    On July 15 a sword was added to the official site's menu bar. Opening loading the main page, the sword falls from above the window down into a pile of snow, becoming thoroughly embedded in the menu bar. The sword remains there, with occasional golden sparks appearing from the blade. This is the same location previously to tease the announcement of Blackrock Mountain, with the presence of a fire elemental.

    This again agreed with the Argent Tournament theme, with the tournament set in the snowy continent of Northrend.

    Announcement[]

    The expansion was officially announced by Eric Dodds at a special event at The Folsom Street Foundry, San Francisco, on July 22, 2015. Following the initial presentation, a series of showmatches were played between Trump, Amaz and Firebat, with commentary by Frodan and Kripparian. 15 cards were initially showcased, including those revealed through the showmatches.

    Trivia[]

    • The Grand Tournament was at the time Hearthstone's largest post-launch content release, with 132 collectible cards and 148 cards in total.
    • The teaser package for the expansion was first opened by PC Gamer on July 2, 2015 - the same date on which the game's first adventure, Curse of Naxxramas, was released one year earlier.
    • Cards were revealed through a combination of third-party reveals, blogs and voting. The latter allowed players to choose between two possible cards, with only the card art and type displayed, through casting a vote on the official site. In the case of legendary votes, by tweeting using the #TGTLegendary hashtag, players could slowly fill a bar which at 100% would result in both cards being revealed instead of just one. Most of the cards were revealed in the run up to the expansion, with the remaining portion revealed as part of a special live stream on August 14 with Ben Brode and Frodan, and on Facebook immediately afterwards.[citation needed]
    • The announcement of the expansion was preceded by Hearthstone's first adverts - taking place in and around arena matches in what appeared to be a medieval jousting tournament. However, the resemblance was purely coincidental.[23]

    Gallery[]

    Card voting
    "Champions" banners

    Videos[]

    References[]

    External links[]

    Advertisement