In a server-side hotfix for Hearthstone today, we're seeing a Standard ban of Splish-Splash Whelp, the temporary removal of Thorim, Stormlord from Twist, and a couple bug fixes. Due to this being a hotfix, no data update is required on your client, so no downloads!
Quote From GnomeSayin Today we will be rolling out a small server-side hotfix patch with a couple bans and a couple bug fixes:
- [Hearthstone] Splish-Splash Whelp is banned in Standard.
o Dev Comment: Since our last balance patch, Druid has emerged as a warping force in the meta, and both a power and play experience outlier. We’re banning Splish-Splash Whelp as one of the class’s strongest cards for accelerating them to their early power plays. This is a temporary emergency action that we’re taking until we’re able to re-evaluate and adjust in our next planned balance pass (after the launch of Perils in Paradise). Any cards that are weakened at that time will get our usual dust refund treatment.- [Twist] Thorim, Stormlord has been temporarily removed due to a bug. He is expected to be returned to the Hero Pool with Patch 30.0.
- [Twist] Fixed a bug where some Heroes sometimes had the wrong Health.
- [Battlegrounds] Fixed a bug that would sometimes cause crashes.
What do you think of the ban against Splish-Splash Whelp? Have you had trouble against Dragon Druid players? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments
TBH, Blizzard should have banned Doomkin coz it's the combo druid that's really the problem. Poor dragon druid is basically dead now too 😟
Doomkin is more of a win-more piece to the deck, though, and is more matchup dependent; it excels against control but is wasted against faster decks. The Whelp, though, is universally good. I'm told it has the highest mulligan and starting-hand win rates of any card in the deck, which checks out.
Wow, pretty severe action. Can't say it's unwarranted, though-- hybrid Druid is a pretty ridiculous deck.