We don't know yet how Grandmasters will be replaced. They're simply tweaking it a little for its final year in 2022 -- which is why it looks similar to its current form --, and I assume a brand new system will be implemented in 2023.
Season 1, running this February and March, will consist of all 48 Grandmasters competing in a truncated four-week season.
That means that it will occur before rotation, which is unprecedented. Up to now, the first 4 months of the year were essentially dead in terms of competitive Hearthstone, the only event of note being a Masters Tour weekend (there was also this one year where Worlds took place in late January).
I hope this -- along with the 'democratization' initiative mentioned by Abar -- signals a willingness to spread competitive events throughout the year instead of concentrating them in the spring and summer.
My dream would be integrating the various Hearthstone modes into top Standard tournaments. Not all six of them simultaneously, of course -- that would just be confusing --, but have two or three of them throughout the year, including the World Championship. In effect, Hearthstone tournaments would become like "triathlons" that showcase the best overall players.
The addition of Battlegrounds to competitive play is a good first step, but it's still separate from the main tournaments, and therefore easy to dismiss.
On a completely unrelated note, I believe the YouTube esports deal is set to expire at the beginning of 2023, so having a brand new competitive structure implemented at the same time as a return to Twitch would be welcome by many.
This site is impossible. WTF do I get to my hearthstone collection? This information is useless when the user cant find the JSON screen. Fire whoever is organizing this page and get someone in here that can make this crap easy to find.
For what it's worth, I'd say most Masters Tours this year were very watchable and pretty fun. Even though I might not've personally enjoyed playing or facing some of the decks the players were using a lot. The viewing experience for esports can be surprisingly different/better. Casters and the production alone add a lot of quality when the metagame itself might be lacking.
Im not surprised that they eventually folded GMs. From the start there were problems relating to relegation, how some can be relegated and promoted back within weeks, and the fact that it breeds a form of complacency. Some GMs simply weren't trying, having reached the goal and guaranteed money for a few weeks. Not to mention that ever since GMs were started we've seen plenty of big names just retiring from hearthstone. Not a nice view at all.
I was hoping they'd just bring back those one shot tournaments like trinity series (which was great, because for once we're listening to the players, not casters), or a tournament with different rules. Sadly unlike the old days, there just aren't enough interest around that someone other than blizz would arrange it. I still miss seatstory back in the 2016s.
Probably wouldn't, because team5 doesn't work on wild balance. So either it'll expose wild as horribly imbalanced, or the decks will continue to be the same bar a few changes here and there for 4 months.
The difference is that it's much easier to hit the middleground with nerfs than with buffs since they have more data about overpowered than underpowered cards. It's generally also easier to overshoot balance changes and the worst case of "destroying a deck" is still better than "creating a new problem".
But in reality, we see mutanus being in many decks and yet voljin is not.
I love control decks, I always try to find viable control decks. Vol'jin is run in Control Priest (see Zetalot's list). Owl was so prevalent that it was run as a 2nd win condition.
In my opinion, buffing voljin to 4 or 3 even would neither slow the meta down, nor will it make control decks viable.
Of course it won't. Not by itself. Nerfs are clearly more effective in changing the meta, even the devs said that.
I never said it would slow the meta by itself, but a buff would be the most welcome change.
I don't think that they are replacing it with anything. It will have an abbreviated final year and be gone. I am not sure what you think is the "Awesome Bowl" here but World Championship and Masters Tour are not new. And Lobby Legends is battlegrounds and sounds like it will be a weekend tournament not a weekly season.
I was asking for clarification. No need to be rude or crass with statements like "not sure what you think". Don't be an ass.
I don't think that they are replacing it with anything. It will have an abbreviated final year and be gone. I am not sure what you think is the "Awesome Bowl" here but World Championship and Masters Tour are not new. And Lobby Legends is battlegrounds and sounds like it will be a weekend tournament not a weekly season.
I've played 15 matches with the deck and I feel like having only 1 ignite is just screwing yourself over. Having to cast it, put it back in the deck, and then redrawing it, takes so much time. Yeah, if you are fast you can do 30 damage in a turn. It's pretty much impossible to do any more then that with this build though. If you can't do it fast enough because you have to wait for other effects to resolve or your opponent has more then 30 health, you are fucked. I lost a match to a warlock because I had to kill Malganis first to remove the immune effect. I've lost to warriors and druids because I can't burn through their armor fast enough. And those loses feel extra bad because the only reason you lose those matches is because you chose to run 1 ignite and your chandler is just sitting there doing nothing because there are no other flame spells to draw left in the deck. Having a second ignite in the deck resolves this and increases the dps by so much that I could have won those matches most likely.
I think your build is great, except for this fact. You are just screwing yourself over by running 1 ignite and just putting up with HS's shitty animations. I decided to cut one of the tradeable cards for a second ignite. I feel like this changes the deck to a true OTK deck now that you are more easily able to do more then just 30 damage.
Grandmasters was too tough to get into and there were less opportunities for good players to make any money playing competitive Hearthstone because of it. Better players should, in theory, always get into the paid events now and they have a higher chance of getting into relevant events which means it won't feel so bad to not be a GM.
I'm confused. I don't really follow the competitive esports side of hearthstone, but I'm confused as the actual reason they are sunsetting "grandmasters" but seem to be replacing it with something similar.
It's like saying "Hey we are sunsetting the super bowl, and instead calling it the Awesome Bowl.....that's pretty much the only difference." Unless I'm misunderstanding something nothing will functionally change how people are put into the tournament?
Community before expansion released: "These combo decks are too strong, The new altarac decks and archetypes won't see play if you don't nerf the OTKs"
Blizzard: "Don't worry about that, we expect Shattered in Altarac valley to change the meta in a big way."
Pro players: "Keep playing stormwind OTK decks during THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!" (And sometimes an aggro deck that also already existed in stormwind)
Blizzard when they see the decks that pro players are bringing: "*insert surprised pikachu face*"
Wow blizz REALLY got embarrased with this. These are THE best HS players, and their using only a couple new cards. This really shows how little of an impact Shattered in altarac valley made, how little Blizzard understands the word "balanced", and how Stormwind was way too powerful of a set. And also, were talking about the decks the best HS players are bringing to THE WORLD CHAMIONSHIP 2021! And the only "new" Deck is OwlTK warlock and that deck uses the same "shell" as the Demon seed warlock.
The world championship is supposed to get people into playing HS and show how much fun HS is. But instead this will just scare them away when they see this uninteractive gameplay. This is such a big blunder on Blizzards part. It honestly makes me feel sad to see the game in this state. :(
Let's hope the upcoming balance changes make a huge impact, otherwise i fear that Altarac might become Rastakhan's Rumble 2.0
Couldn't find the inspiration earlier this week, so I snuck this in at the last moment.
Remember, we're looking for increased costs - changing a card completely, even into one that costs more, wouldn't count for this prompt.
Didn't notice this part until it was too late, so I hope it still counts since it still increases the cost required for the Battlecry and doesn't transform them in-hand.
I hope they buff Magister Dawngrasp into a decent card at least. It's crazy how Dreadlich Tamsin clears the board, draws 3, starts a self-summoning engine and gives you a better hero power for only 6 mana, while you need so much setup for Dawngrasp to achieve much less, like they deliberately made the card awful. If you want to achieve consistency with it, you need to build your deck in a specific way and play all the spells before the hero card, without cheating them out with Iceblood Tower or Clumsy Courier. Even if you manage to setup everything, the best you can do in standard is something like Fire Sale, Arcane Intellect and Ice Barrier, without being allowed to play weaker targeted spells or spell generators like Wand Thief if you're aiming for consistency. Otherwise it's just a random targeting fiesta. There is so much build-around required for Dawngrasp, offering underwhelmingly little to no reward or purpose for trying to do so.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
We don't know yet how Grandmasters will be replaced. They're simply tweaking it a little for its final year in 2022 -- which is why it looks similar to its current form --, and I assume a brand new system will be implemented in 2023.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
I just realized something:
That means that it will occur before rotation, which is unprecedented. Up to now, the first 4 months of the year were essentially dead in terms of competitive Hearthstone, the only event of note being a Masters Tour weekend (there was also this one year where Worlds took place in late January).
I hope this -- along with the 'democratization' initiative mentioned by Abar -- signals a willingness to spread competitive events throughout the year instead of concentrating them in the spring and summer.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
My dream would be integrating the various Hearthstone modes into top Standard tournaments. Not all six of them simultaneously, of course -- that would just be confusing --, but have two or three of them throughout the year, including the World Championship. In effect, Hearthstone tournaments would become like "triathlons" that showcase the best overall players.
The addition of Battlegrounds to competitive play is a good first step, but it's still separate from the main tournaments, and therefore easy to dismiss.
On a completely unrelated note, I believe the YouTube esports deal is set to expire at the beginning of 2023, so having a brand new competitive structure implemented at the same time as a return to Twitch would be welcome by many.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
One can still dream.
Oaah, not about true balance in wild but a $$ Blizz tourney.
How To: JSON Importer for Hearthstone Collection
This site is impossible. WTF do I get to my hearthstone collection? This information is useless when the user cant find the JSON screen. Fire whoever is organizing this page and get someone in here that can make this crap easy to find.
All the Hearthstone World Championship 2021 Decklists - 32 Pro Decks From Alterac Valley
For what it's worth, I'd say most Masters Tours this year were very watchable and pretty fun. Even though I might not've personally enjoyed playing or facing some of the decks the players were using a lot. The viewing experience for esports can be surprisingly different/better. Casters and the production alone add a lot of quality when the metagame itself might be lacking.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
Im not surprised that they eventually folded GMs. From the start there were problems relating to relegation, how some can be relegated and promoted back within weeks, and the fact that it breeds a form of complacency. Some GMs simply weren't trying, having reached the goal and guaranteed money for a few weeks. Not to mention that ever since GMs were started we've seen plenty of big names just retiring from hearthstone. Not a nice view at all.
I was hoping they'd just bring back those one shot tournaments like trinity series (which was great, because for once we're listening to the players, not casters), or a tournament with different rules. Sadly unlike the old days, there just aren't enough interest around that someone other than blizz would arrange it. I still miss seatstory back in the 2016s.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
Probably wouldn't, because team5 doesn't work on wild balance. So either it'll expose wild as horribly imbalanced, or the decks will continue to be the same bar a few changes here and there for 4 months.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
Ooohhh, don't be too 'crass'! You may get another infantile responce.
Annoyed With Noninteractive Decks? Hearthstone Will See Card Buffs and More Balance Changes in a Future Update
The difference is that it's much easier to hit the middleground with nerfs than with buffs since they have more data about overpowered than underpowered cards. It's generally also easier to overshoot balance changes and the worst case of "destroying a deck" is still better than "creating a new problem".
Quitting HS
ohw okay sorry my reaction was the indeed just rude sorry ,
got a little bit tred of i leave hs topics
Annoyed With Noninteractive Decks? Hearthstone Will See Card Buffs and More Balance Changes in a Future Update
I love control decks, I always try to find viable control decks. Vol'jin is run in Control Priest (see Zetalot's list). Owl was so prevalent that it was run as a 2nd win condition.
Of course it won't. Not by itself. Nerfs are clearly more effective in changing the meta, even the devs said that.
I never said it would slow the meta by itself, but a buff would be the most welcome change.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
His reply didn't seem rude at all. Don't be a baby.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
I was asking for clarification. No need to be rude or crass with statements like "not sure what you think". Don't be an ass.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
I don't think that they are replacing it with anything. It will have an abbreviated final year and be gone. I am not sure what you think is the "Awesome Bowl" here but World Championship and Masters Tour are not new. And Lobby Legends is battlegrounds and sounds like it will be a weekend tournament not a weekly season.
Ignite Combo OTK Mage. 99-28 (78%) record from Bronze to Legend
I've played 15 matches with the deck and I feel like having only 1 ignite is just screwing yourself over. Having to cast it, put it back in the deck, and then redrawing it, takes so much time. Yeah, if you are fast you can do 30 damage in a turn. It's pretty much impossible to do any more then that with this build though. If you can't do it fast enough because you have to wait for other effects to resolve or your opponent has more then 30 health, you are fucked. I lost a match to a warlock because I had to kill Malganis first to remove the immune effect. I've lost to warriors and druids because I can't burn through their armor fast enough. And those loses feel extra bad because the only reason you lose those matches is because you chose to run 1 ignite and your chandler is just sitting there doing nothing because there are no other flame spells to draw left in the deck. Having a second ignite in the deck resolves this and increases the dps by so much that I could have won those matches most likely.
I think your build is great, except for this fact. You are just screwing yourself over by running 1 ignite and just putting up with HS's shitty animations. I decided to cut one of the tradeable cards for a second ignite. I feel like this changes the deck to a true OTK deck now that you are more easily able to do more then just 30 damage.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
Grandmasters was too tough to get into and there were less opportunities for good players to make any money playing competitive Hearthstone because of it. Better players should, in theory, always get into the paid events now and they have a higher chance of getting into relevant events which means it won't feel so bad to not be a GM.
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
I'm confused. I don't really follow the competitive esports side of hearthstone, but I'm confused as the actual reason they are sunsetting "grandmasters" but seem to be replacing it with something similar.
It's like saying "Hey we are sunsetting the super bowl, and instead calling it the Awesome Bowl.....that's pretty much the only difference." Unless I'm misunderstanding something nothing will functionally change how people are put into the tournament?
Blizzard Unveils Hearthstone Esports Plans for 2022 - 3 Million Dollars, More Ladder Focus, Grandmasters Cancelled
A Wild tournament, even if with symbolic prizing, would be a welcome sight.
All the Hearthstone World Championship 2021 Decklists - 32 Pro Decks From Alterac Valley
I did want to make that 'joke', but the title was deemed as potentially confusing.
Achievement Hunting: Alterac edition (featuring bugs from the smol indie company series & Knuckles)
Since you need a buff deck , Stubborn Suspect + return Youthful Brewmaster , Brightwing in standard
in wild Wyrmrest Purifier , Prince Malchezaar
in duels , but im not expert how to force things ..
All the Hearthstone World Championship 2021 Decklists - 32 Pro Decks From Alterac Valley
Community before expansion released: "These combo decks are too strong, The new altarac decks and archetypes won't see play if you don't nerf the OTKs"
Blizzard: "Don't worry about that, we expect Shattered in Altarac valley to change the meta in a big way."
Pro players: "Keep playing stormwind OTK decks during THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!" (And sometimes an aggro deck that also already existed in stormwind)
Blizzard when they see the decks that pro players are bringing: "*insert surprised pikachu face*"
Wow blizz REALLY got embarrased with this. These are THE best HS players, and their using only a couple new cards. This really shows how little of an impact Shattered in altarac valley made, how little Blizzard understands the word "balanced", and how Stormwind was way too powerful of a set. And also, were talking about the decks the best HS players are bringing to THE WORLD CHAMIONSHIP 2021! And the only "new" Deck is OwlTK warlock and that deck uses the same "shell" as the Demon seed warlock.
The world championship is supposed to get people into playing HS and show how much fun HS is. But instead this will just scare them away when they see this uninteractive gameplay. This is such a big blunder on Blizzards part. It honestly makes me feel sad to see the game in this state. :(
Let's hope the upcoming balance changes make a huge impact, otherwise i fear that Altarac might become Rastakhan's Rumble 2.0
Worth Every Penny - Card Design Competition Discussion Thread
Remember, we're looking for increased costs - changing a card completely, even into one that costs more, wouldn't count for this prompt.
Didn't notice this part until it was too late, so I hope it still counts since it still increases the cost required for the Battlecry and doesn't transform them in-hand.
I'll see what happens.
Good luck everyone!
Annoyed With Noninteractive Decks? Hearthstone Will See Card Buffs and More Balance Changes in a Future Update
I hope they buff Magister Dawngrasp into a decent card at least. It's crazy how Dreadlich Tamsin clears the board, draws 3, starts a self-summoning engine and gives you a better hero power for only 6 mana, while you need so much setup for Dawngrasp to achieve much less, like they deliberately made the card awful. If you want to achieve consistency with it, you need to build your deck in a specific way and play all the spells before the hero card, without cheating them out with Iceblood Tower or Clumsy Courier. Even if you manage to setup everything, the best you can do in standard is something like Fire Sale, Arcane Intellect and Ice Barrier, without being allowed to play weaker targeted spells or spell generators like Wand Thief if you're aiming for consistency. Otherwise it's just a random targeting fiesta. There is so much build-around required for Dawngrasp, offering underwhelmingly little to no reward or purpose for trying to do so.
All the Hearthstone World Championship 2021 Decklists - 32 Pro Decks From Alterac Valley
32 pro decks from *United in Stormwind