Yep. There's a shift in the way they design cards. I've a hard time putting it into word (*), but I'm under the impression they want :
- cards to be nuanced. I.E. You no longer get a fixed value out of one card. Deckbuilding, state-of-the-match, and opponent's counterplay should matters.
- archetype to be pluridimensionnal. A decklist may be good at doing one thing; But it should be built around several "package".
Which should hopefully do good for the fairness and health of the game.
Warlock is a good illustration of these change; it got two curses added these two last expansion : Agony and Abyssal Curse :
They fundamentally do the same thing : deal ever-increasing FAAACE! damage.
They could both - theorically - be abused, individually, in "meme-y" way. But the agony package (Tamsin + elekk + curse) has [empyrically] proven to be weak. And the abyssal one is currently prophetized to be as bad.
They don't exactly synergize with one another; but they do synergize with Tamsin Roame. (Their relationship to opponent's drawing and overdrawing is... interesting and somewhat conflictual)
I think those two package will see play; but never alone, as the sole selling point of a decklist. I can picture a deck playing both, a murlock deck playing agony for the oracle synergy, control deck playing abyssal alongside their spellcost disruption card, etc. They will perhaps not T1 decks , but CCG are not only about those anyway. (if your only focus is ranked gaming... well, you're a debat point for another day)
IF they had made only one type of curse, (like Curse of agony shuffling 3 abyssal curse instead, or the abyssal package dealing fatigue damage), or add another card later then it could be different. We're talking about self-increasing damage here, adding more source/flexibity can tip the scale - quickly -, and make the whole resulting package overpowered/abusable.
Libram was a similar experiment. It was arguably fun and fair while it lasted. But releasing a whole new set of libram-themed cards to standard could murder the whole package balance in wild. It would devolve into a 0-cost clown-fiesta deck with 90% of card being libram-related. Think balance-druid, but the opponent is not even invited to the mana-cheat party.
( * Damn, these few paragraph has costed me two hours already ! And nobody will even read them :-( )
I do enjoy this approach to the card reviews. Reviewing grouped cards paired with the new core set really helps to understand what archetypes will be good in the upcoming meta. Keen to see more of these types of reviews going forward.
Alas, I was incorrect as the amount of new cards introduced into the core set is somewhat...small. Also, some mech synergistic cards were removed from the 2021 core set like Cogmaster so honestly have no idea what Team 5's philosophy is around the core set anymore.
From what I understand with Arena rotations, they try group sets thematically, like how the current rotation is dragon focused with the release of Onyxia's Lair.
As for this rotation, personally I'd group the league of explorers sets together. So instead of UiS and FaV, we should have Un'goro and SoU
I have to say I am deeply annoyed they decided to include Alterac Valley in this rotation.
It's not a bad expansion for Arena (honorable kill is an excellent mechanic), but those carss dominated the meta for the past half a year and I was looking forward to some change, finally.
Stormwind rotated when Alterac came out, why can't Alterac rotate now?
I think in most case it won't be that much of a great deal, except for the draw 2, which is nice. There will be some great greedy play too, but mostly just drawing minions ;)
Would you rather fight one Whale-sized Goldfish, or 100 Goldfish-sized Whales?
Thought they had said having learned from previous mistake and going into a different way, ei. no more mana cheating? Guess it doesn't apply to the current expansion(s); oh well, a bran new (0) mana minion that refresh mana - will see play, for sure!
You are certainly right that this doesn't fit Resurrect priest, as you'd also risk diluting your rez-pool with the lure by itself, but this being said, it still has potential in a minion base/tempo deck, where you could swing the game around with? It isn't the strongest colossal minion, but it isn't weak either.
This is needed even more now with an additional 4 heroes from Sunken City, now we have 6 heroes (7 if you include Diablo) in duels that we can't theory craft decks for because we can't select the heroes, hero powers or signature treasures in the deckbuilder.
New Paladin Spell - Radar Detector
Cogmaster was removed probably because the new Mech synergy introduced with Sunken City only works with... well... Mechs, and not tribeless minions.
If you take a look at cards like Radar Detector and Trench Surveyor, you'll notice that Cogmaster would actually be detrimental to your gameplan.
A Wild Review of Voyage to the Sunken City's Warlock Cards Coming to Hearthstone
Yep. There's a shift in the way they design cards. I've a hard time putting it into word (*), but I'm under the impression they want :
- cards to be nuanced. I.E. You no longer get a fixed value out of one card. Deckbuilding, state-of-the-match, and opponent's counterplay should matters.
- archetype to be pluridimensionnal. A decklist may be good at doing one thing; But it should be built around several "package".
Which should hopefully do good for the fairness and health of the game.
Warlock is a good illustration of these change; it got two curses added these two last expansion : Agony and Abyssal Curse :
They fundamentally do the same thing : deal ever-increasing FAAACE! damage.
They could both - theorically - be abused, individually, in "meme-y" way. But the agony package (Tamsin + elekk + curse) has [empyrically] proven to be weak. And the abyssal one is currently prophetized to be as bad.
They don't exactly synergize with one another; but they do synergize with Tamsin Roame. (Their relationship to opponent's drawing and overdrawing is... interesting and somewhat conflictual)
I think those two package will see play; but never alone, as the sole selling point of a decklist. I can picture a deck playing both, a murlock deck playing agony for the oracle synergy, control deck playing abyssal alongside their spellcost disruption card, etc. They will perhaps not T1 decks , but CCG are not only about those anyway. (if your only focus is ranked gaming... well, you're a debat point for another day)
IF they had made only one type of curse, (like Curse of agony shuffling 3 abyssal curse instead, or the abyssal package dealing fatigue damage), or add another card later then it could be different. We're talking about self-increasing damage here, adding more source/flexibity can tip the scale - quickly -, and make the whole resulting package overpowered/abusable.
Libram was a similar experiment. It was arguably fun and fair while it lasted. But releasing a whole new set of libram-themed cards to standard could murder the whole package balance in wild. It would devolve into a 0-cost clown-fiesta deck with 90% of card being libram-related. Think balance-druid, but the opponent is not even invited to the mana-cheat party.
( * Damn, these few paragraph has costed me two hours already ! And nobody will even read them :-( )
How Will Druid Perform in the Year of the Hydra? Hearthstone Core Set & Sunken City Review
Good point, but there's always playtesting to find out!
How Will Shaman Perform in the Year of the Hydra? Hearthstone Core Set & Sunken City Review
I do enjoy this approach to the card reviews. Reviewing grouped cards paired with the new core set really helps to understand what archetypes will be good in the upcoming meta. Keen to see more of these types of reviews going forward.
New Paladin Spell - Radar Detector
Alas, I was incorrect as the amount of new cards introduced into the core set is somewhat...small. Also, some mech synergistic cards were removed from the 2021 core set like Cogmaster so honestly have no idea what Team 5's philosophy is around the core set anymore.
New Hearthstone Arena Rotation With 'Voyage to the Sunken City' - Don't Forget Your "Free" Tavern Ticket!
From what I understand with Arena rotations, they try group sets thematically, like how the current rotation is dragon focused with the release of Onyxia's Lair.
As for this rotation, personally I'd group the league of explorers sets together. So instead of UiS and FaV, we should have Un'goro and SoU
New Hearthstone Arena Rotation With 'Voyage to the Sunken City' - Don't Forget Your "Free" Tavern Ticket!
I have to say I am deeply annoyed they decided to include Alterac Valley in this rotation.
It's not a bad expansion for Arena (honorable kill is an excellent mechanic), but those carss dominated the meta for the past half a year and I was looking forward to some change, finally.
Stormwind rotated when Alterac came out, why can't Alterac rotate now?
A Wild Review of Voyage to the Sunken City's Warlock Cards Coming to Hearthstone
I'm afraid Curse of Agony will carry you way further than Hakkar :
- Easier to draw (2 card vs 1 legendary)
- Easier to play (1 mana vs 9)
- Agony token card will be drawn more consistently than the first Hakkar's blood.
- You don't rig your own deck.
- It synergise with Tamsin Roame (and she synergise with Dragged Below and Abyssal Wave)
It's a shame, because Hakkar really have that Timmy-esq aura to it, that make us want him to be viable :-/
New Neutral Minion - Selfish Shellfish
That would have to be Silence or Mill ^^
How Will Shaman Perform in the Year of the Hydra? Hearthstone Core Set & Sunken City Review
Anchored totem is a pretty good addition to even totem shaman in wild, while all your hero power totem costs 1.
New Priest Spell - Illuminate
... (0) mana card always spook me a little. This is not good news ..
New Priest Minion - Queensguard
The Naga/Spell synergy could be an interesting add to Priest playstyle.
Kinda looking forward to try it out
New Priest Spell - Switcheroo
I think in most case it won't be that much of a great deal, except for the draw 2, which is nice. There will be some great greedy play too, but mostly just drawing minions ;)
Would you rather fight one Whale-sized Goldfish, or 100 Goldfish-sized Whales?
New Priest Spell - Whispers of the Deep
Don't let your meme be ... silenced ?
New Priest Minion - Handmaiden
Mana refresh, now draw engine ?! Priest is getting some cool standard goodies this time around : hyped!
New Priest Spell - Azsharan Ritual
The harmonious silence surrounding the ritual was unceremoniously <i>BROKEN</i> when <i>HAROLD</i> began eating stale potato chips.
New Priest Spell - Whirlpool
.. Aren't they bringing back Reno and highlander-decks to the core set ? ^^
New Priest Minion - Priestess Valishj
Thought they had said having learned from previous mistake and going into a different way, ei. no more mana cheating? Guess it doesn't apply to the current expansion(s); oh well, a bran new (0) mana minion that refresh mana - will see play, for sure!
New Priest Minion - Blackwater Behemoth
You are certainly right that this doesn't fit Resurrect priest, as you'd also risk diluting your rez-pool with the lure by itself, but this being said, it still has potential in a minion base/tempo deck, where you could swing the game around with? It isn't the strongest colossal minion, but it isn't weak either.
How Will Druid Perform in the Year of the Hydra? Hearthstone Core Set & Sunken City Review
You can target your own Immune minions. That's why Raid Boss Onyxia+Provoke works.
Updated: Hearthstone Rolls Out Patch 23.0.1 - Hotfixes for Pandaren Importer, Diamond Loatheb Achievement, Battlegrounds & Duels, Plus More
And this is why I visit this site multiple times per day.
Excellent content. Thanks!!
Collection page not working again
I have the same problem. My collection won't load at all/can't see any of the cards on the page.
How Will Paladin Perform in the Year of the Hydra? Hearthstone Core Set & Sunken City Review
Twin-fin Fin Twin might be an interesting addition to a handbuff deck.
Update Heroes for Hearthstone Duels Deckbuilding
This is needed even more now with an additional 4 heroes from Sunken City, now we have 6 heroes (7 if you include Diablo) in duels that we can't theory craft decks for because we can't select the heroes, hero powers or signature treasures in the deckbuilder.
New Paladin Minion - Seafloor Savior
I'm not sure I get the reference in this flavor text:
"TURTLE PROCURED. ADMINISTRATING BANDAGES AND KISSES. BOO BOO MUST BE ELIMINATED."