After our initial post about patch notes and separate post about Echo mechanic update, Blizzard stealthily added information to the blog about another game mechanics change regarding evolving and devolving effects.
Until the patch, devolving a 0-cost minion had no effect at all with the minion retaining all buffs and damage taken. The same was true for evolving minions with mana costs of 12, 20, and 25. After the patch, evolving effects will cause these minions to be rerolled into minions of the same cost.
What do you think about the change? I'm just waiting for a video clip of Shirvallah + Unstable Evolution combo.
Quote From Blizzard
- Cards that “transform a minion into a random one that cost (1) more/less”, like Evolve or Devolve, will now always reroll the minion, even if no minion exists in the target-cost minion pool. The minion will be rerolled at the nearest possible cost. Examples:
- When you Devolve a Target Dummy, because there is no negative-cost minion, it will transform into a random 0-cost minion.
- When you Evolve a Shirvallah, the Tiger, because there is no 26-cost minion or another 25-cost minion, it will transform into a new Shirvallah the Tiger.
Comments
They'll likely print another card with a base cost of 25 just to stop shirv doing that but then again, a shaman 1 cost spell and a paladin 25 cost is pretty hard to get together. Witch's cauldron is probably the only way it could happen.
The actual impact on gameplay is kinda irrelevant for changes like this. You can call it good or bad, but realistically it's only going to have fringe impact for now outside of Wild (where it'll matter primarily because Devolve remains a strong pseudo-removal tool for Shaman).
What actually matters is whether it increases clarity, consistency and intuitive...ness (not a word, but....). This is a design change, not a balance one, and should be considered accordingly. So, does it make sense to a relatively uninformed player that things work this way rather than the old way?
Personally, I'd say that yes, this does make things more intuitive. Any kind of evolve effect says, at its core, 'replace these minions with other ones' to an uninformed player. It is entirely logical to expect that evolving (or devolving) a minion should always do that, irrespective of whether they're at a specific mana threshold. Furthermore, to be able to evaluate what can and can't be evolved/devolved would require a player to have a strong working knowledge of high-cost cards - given Mountain Giant's base cost, for example, it's not entirely unreasonable for an uninformed player to expect there to be something at a higher cost, even if they don't know what it is.
So, yes, I'm in favour. Though I do have to question... why now?
Welp, here goes the only counter to Shaman's devolve that I had in a form of the Wisps of the Old Gods in Quest Druid...
I have fond menories of dropping Spikeridged Steed onto a hexed Frog, and when the shaman tried to devolve away the buff, they realized their mistake and conceded. RIP
It's a good change ofc.
But a strictly minor one (although it's a pretty important buff), whereas Evolve-like mechanics are still generally problematic and abused (where they consider the original cost of discounted minions).
There is still only one card to get Lackeys for the good classes, isn't there? Else, there could be a few combos to get your Shirvallah a new divine shield, and a new attack. But like this, it's just not consistent enough, and before you shuffle an EVIL cable rat, for another chance for a witchy Lackey, it's way better to shuffle the big Tiger.
I guess it's important they try and be consistent with this, as there is the evolve lackey in the pool for another year at least; plus, all the wild stuff.
But why?
You meant "But why could a 0 mana minion used to keep his buff when being devolved?"
I know right - Glad they are fixing it
Oh, you re right, i forgot about this thing, actually i m playing a lot on even shaman in wild and sometimes i can't devolve some random murloc or mech, but it s so rare scenario, but i m ok with it. It's strange addition anyway. looks like someone in test office couldn't devolve some target dummy:D Or idk.
This is kind of a buff to Evolve effects. Now you can clear a 7-attack minion with a Mountain Giant, and restore it to full health.
I initially was hoping this was finally a change to cards retaining mana cost on the board. That's what really needs to be addressed.
I agree with this. Cards thats cost decreased in hand should keep their decreased mana cost on board.
That's not so hard to do, right ? I am still waiting for this since Conjurer's Calling abusements.
lol same, I thought "yes, this dumb mechanic will finally adressed"
but I guess they still want Mogu to steamroll games at turn 3.
Hopefully it will be nerfed pretty quickly once DoD drops. Sadly they aren't going to address the mechanic problem. They'll only nerf Mogu. Then next year, they'll print more problematic cards. Hopefully eventually their hand will be forced.
Good change iin My opinion