While talking about the reasoning behind Patch. 19.2's balance changes, Hearthstone Game Designer Alec Dawson answered a question regarding potential unnerfs with the next Standard rotation.
Quote From Alec Dawson We’ll look at all previously nerfed cards [that will rotate] sometime early next year and make a call then.
These are all the nerfed cards that will leave Standard during the next rotation.
- Rise of Shadows - EVIL Miscreant, Archivist Elysiana, Conjurer's Calling.
- Saviors of Uldum - Mogu Fleshshaper, Bloodsworn Mercenary, Tortollan Pilgrim, Dinotamer Brann.
- Descent of Dragons - Corrupt Elementalist, Faceless Corruptor, Fiendish Rites, Scion of Ruin, Ancharrr, Dragon's Pack, Invocation of Frost, Necrium Apothecary, Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, Bad Luck Albatross, Galakrond, the Nightmare, Dragoncaster.
- Galakrond's Awakening - Frenzied Felwing.
- Demon Hunter Initiate - Eye Beam, Battlefiend, Altruis the Outcast, Twin Slice (although including it in the nerf list is debatable), Blade Dance.
Looking at the list, we can clearly see that it's quite a mixed bag. There are cards that, despite being nerfed, are still being played in Wild (EVIL Miscreant, Battlefiend), cards that could return to see play if unnerfed (Mogu Fleshshaper, Dragoncaster) and cards that would never see play even if back to their former glory (Archivist Elysiana).
Here are our personal top 5 cards we think should be reverted once the rotation takes place to kick off the next Hearthstone year.
1) The Wildtamer
It hasn't been long since Patch 19.2 hit the game servers and bumped this card's cost up to 8 mana, but let's be honest, Hunter struggles to see play in Wild with 7 mana Dinotamer Brann, so we don't think reverting it to its original form will make anyone lose their sleep.
Sure, at 8 mana it should be a nice buff to Highlander Even Hunter, but we believe that is not the best way to help Rexxar.
2) The Nightmare
Galakrond, the Nightmare's ability to draw and play 0-cost cards were used in a few different Wild decks before July's patch hammered the card. While Odd Rogue used it as a refuel for late-game burst, Galakrond covered an important role in Reno Rogue, allowing players to set up powerful combos turn after turn and gain the edge against aggressive opponents.
Valeera is not in the worst shape possible right now, as Odd Rogue and Kingsbane Rogue are good lists, and C'Thun, the Shattered Rogue is seeing experimentation, but we do think she deserves some love.
3) The Tempest
Back in December 2019, almost half the Standard players were playing this deck, while the other half was hating on it and trying to counter it. It was definitely overtuned and deserved to be nerfed, but maybe the devs overdid it.
While Shaman's problem is not entirely linked towards Galakrond, the Tempest's power level (many people are asking for an Evergreen set's overhaul, just like the one Priest received almost a year ago), we think that reverting the whole package during the rotation will make many players happy and will give Thrall a few more fun tools to tinker with in Wild.
4) The (Dragon)Queen
Another card that has almost disappeared from Wild after its last change - Dragonqueen Alexstrasza used to give an immediate and (most of the time) game-winning advantage, allowing the players to play big bodies with strong effects for free. However, in its current form, it is just a 9 mana 8/8 with no impact on the board when played on curve, which is not what you want to see in Hearthstone's eternal format.
Just to be clear: Dragonqueen Alexstrasza received two nerfs ("can't generate itself" and "Dragons generated cost (1)"), and we're talking about reverting the latter.
5) The Birb
This minion was originally created as a tech against Highlander builds, but later in time, it became clear that other archetypes such as No Minion Mage and especially Pure Paladin were forced to take the bullet for someone else's faults. Around April 2020, many decks used to run it just because it had an acceptable cost and its effect was at the very least the equivalent of two bad draws for the opponent - the devs recognized that this tech card was not used in the way it was supposed and had to bump its cost from 3 to 4 mana.
On the other hand, Wild sees Reno Priest as one of the best performing archetypes, and Reno Warlock and Reno Mage are strong too, so why not use the rotation as a chance to help the players to tech against these decks?
Honourable Mentions
- Mogu Fleshshaper - A nice gift to Evolve Shaman.
- Scion of Ruin - Galakrond Menagerie Warrior is already somewhat playable.
- Necrium Apothecary - Deathrattle Rogue and Dane would deeply appreciate it.
Which cards do you think deserve to be unnerfed when they get relegated to Wild? Let us know in the comments below!
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Comments
Tbh I'd just unnerf Alex.
We don't need any of the other cards unnerfed.
In particular, the Birb should stay as it is and Raza Priest should be nerfed instead.
Other Reno decks are ok (considered the general meta balance of power) and don't need any bullying: just give OTK decks a slightly better margin (by nerfing Raza Priest) and all will settle.
Btw, A Reno Priest back to Dragon or N'zoth package could still easily run Illucia for combo disruption... The fact current Raza Priest don't even bother with such a card is telling of the distorted state of things atm.
And the Birb is not the correct solution.
I'm also not sure of full Galakrond unnerf. Maybe one card for Shaman, but all of them, no thanks. (And I am a fan of Galakrond Warrior and Tempo in general, but the powercreep would be just too much).
Some toxicly retarded stuff like Big Priest, Big Shaman and secondarily Odd Paladin will still be there, but hopefully in a contained population.
Agree with the Galas and Bird. Rogue GK created very cool shenanigans in wild w/ pillager. Shaman needs love where ever it can get it. It also won’t be broken in wild.
Bird at three would give much needed counter play to Reno decks. Reno decks will always be oppressive in the eternal format as the HL cards so broken in card design. Odd decks (and others) would run bird and I think this would lessen Reno Priests grip on format.
DQA - awful and lazy card design. Leave as is.
Brann - meh, whatever. Double Krush is lame. 8 seems fine to me.
The can't generate itself parrt on Alexstraza seems a little bit unnecesary on wild due to the high quantity of Dragons we have on wild. Having she back on hand seems something more memeístic than useful also if you keep the restriction of 1 mana generated dragons.
They cannot undo that nerf anyway because they made it so cards cannot randomly generate themselves anymore. Alex was the special case that put the idea out there, but Renew and Nature Studies forced it into being a general rule.
Good point, totally forgot the true reason why they "nerfed" it.
I think a better question is which cards should NOT be un-nerfed. Many of the cards received nerfs because they were dominating the meta, but significantly fewer received nerfs because they were over-tuned initially (which means they are still seeing play in their current iteration). The cards that were over-tuned in the first place are the cards I think are more interesting to discuss--generally, these over-tuned cards are still seeing play in their current form.
Cards I don't think should be un-nerfed:
On the fence about un-nerfing:
Anything I didn't mention could safely be un-nerfed in my opinion. The only card I didn't discuss that might still cause problems if un-nerfed is Necrium Apothecary, but I don't think the extreme high-roll of the card's potential is too ridiculous for wild (maybe someone could prove otherwise if the card is reverted).
These are just my opinions, so feel free to disagree!
Cards can't genereate themselves now (patch 18.0.1), so unnerfed Alexstasza also wouldn't. She can be unnerfed.
I am in favor of reverting to when she couldn't generate herself, but I completely forgot that it would be a non-issue with the 18.0.1 patch; nice catch!
Alex was NEVER ovewpored in wild, and the main highlander deck priest was cutitng ehr before nerfs atlready and nowaay would NOT RUN IT AT AL
And Also eye beam sees Zero wild play at all and its by no means a amzing card there and if was 0 again and blizz doenst fix bug with baku it wouldnt be run anyway adn odd dh is onyl wild dh deck
And all shaman galakrond cards should be unnerferd,while ti was breakign standard it was justa middle of road deck in wild ti wasnt issue at all.
Definitely not Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, Wild already has enough highrolls and singleton decks.
Also not Mogu Fleshshaper, Evolve highroll needs to die in a fire.
She was being cut before nerf alreayd, a turn 9+ highrol is nothing in wild aggro druid can still create as much/more stats then alex can by tyrn 2/3
And priets has NO NEED for alex,biggest aid she'd give would be hunter and mage NOT priest.
The problem with evolve is you can cheat on mana. Mogu Fleshshaper for example can be reduced to less than it orginal cost but will be evolve to a 10 mana card, it doesn't make sense. Nevertheless Strongman when corrupted cost 0 and will be evolved into a 1 mana card not a 8 mana card. It seems weird that one take into account the reduced cost and the other one don't. It needs an update.
That's because Strongman transforms into a new card with a base 0 mana cost while Mogu Fleshshaper only gets discounted.
Dragonqueen was already getting cut from lists before its nerf, I think its fine
Its 100% Fine and with lorekepeer being a thing priest wants her/needs her even less.
She'd help reno mage and reno hunter, Reno lock doesnt need her either as has n'zoth and guldan already .
Would only make weaker /less spopulair decks better