The Hearthstone Basic and Classic set nerfs have finally be revealed! These changes are going to have an everlasting affect on the way Hearthstone is played for years to come. This is the biggest thing to happen to Hearthstone since Curse of Naxxramas was released. I don’t mean to get too hyperbolic, but these nerfs are incredibly important in the world of Hearthstone!
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Discuss the Nerfed Cards
Here’s Blizzard’s official statement on the nerfs:
As the Year of the Kraken approaches, the time has come to reveal the results of our Basic and Classic card review. We focused on Basic and Classic cards because those sets will form the foundation of both formats for years to come. It took much careful consideration to arrive here, but we believe that—between our own analysis and reading plenty of community feedback—we’ve identified the right cards to change.
There’s a simple guiding principle that underlies each of the changes you’re about to see: New card releases should have an impact on Standard and enrich Wild, to make sure that Hearthstone is always as dynamic, fresh, and fun as it can be.
Read on for the details!
Druid Cards
The most popular Druid decks are consistently composed of the same big chunk of Druid cards. That puts a damper on deckbuilding creativity and has left the Druids feeling stagnant. We want to inject some life into Druid deckbuilding, so we’re adjusting some of the worst offenders.It’s important to point out that, in general, we like that Classes in Hearthstone have signature cards that appear in decks frequently, since they help give each Class its identity. We also still think it’s good for some signature Class cards to be in Druid decks, too. For example, Innervate and Wild Growth embody the Druid’s unique strength, so we’ve chosen not to adjust them.
Ancient of Lore
Drawing cards is powerful in Hearthstone, and Ancient of Lore easily found its way into nearly every popular Druid deck. We’d like Druid players to feel that other cards can compete with Ancient of Lore, so we’ve reduced the number of cards drawn from 2 to 1.
Force of Nature
The new version of Force of Nature lowers its mana cost by 1, but removes Charge and makes the summoned Treants permanent—like the other Treants that Druids summon. This change also removes the powerful one-turn combo of Force of Nature and Savage Roar. Now, opponents will have a chance to deal with the threat that the Treants represent, and it won’t feel mandatory to always include the combo.
Keeper of the Grove
Keeper of the Grove is a strong and versatile minion that combines Silence with solid stats, which made the decision to include it in every Druid deck virtually automatic. Whether or not to introduce a source of Silence to a deck should require some decision making, so Keeper of the Grove shouldn’t be a default choice for all Druid decks. Its stats have been changed from 2/4 to 2/2.
Silence & Removal
Speaking of Keeper of the Grove, Silence and minion removal are potent effects in Hearthstone. Currently, some removal options are too widely played, are attached to minions with efficient stats, or are simply too powerful. While removal is an important part of Hearthstone, it also makes playing big, exciting minions less rewarding. We are adjusting some of these cards so that the decision to add them to your deck comes with a cost, especially if you don’t end up finding an ideal target for them. These changes should help make cards with high attack or cool effects more interesting too.Ironbeak Owl
Ironbeak Owl is a staple source for an inexpensive Silence in many decks. In line with our overall goal to make Silence effects more costly, Ironbeak Owl is moving from 2 to 3 mana.
Big Game Hunter
Big Game Hunter represents an inexpensive source of removal that is packaged with a minion. It’s efficient enough that some Heroes with powerful Class-based removal cards choose to run the neutral Big Game Hunter. We’re increasing the cost of the card from 3 mana to 5 mana.
Hunter’s Mark
Hunter’s Mark is an important option for Hunters, but it’s too efficient at 0 mana. We are increasing its cost to 1.
Blade Flurry
Blade Flurry is a problem because it enables both board clear and heavy burst damage, and it’s also an obstacle to adding better cards for Rogues. To address these issues, the cost of Blade Flurry is moving from 2 to 4 mana, and it will now only affect minions, so that Rogues have to choose between removing threats or damaging the enemy Hero.
Powerful Neutral Minions
Strong, widely-played neutral cards can stifle deck-building decisions and homogenize decks. These cards also make it more difficult to create new cards that can compete with them. We’re adjusting these neutral cards so that other cards can become compelling replacements, and open the door for more of a deck’s power to come from its Class identity.Knife Juggler
Knife Juggler should be a good choice in decks that play many cheap minions, but with 3 Attack, it is played almost universally. We’re reducing Knife Juggler’s Attack from 3 to 2, so this card will move into a more specialized role in the decks that include it, instead of always being among the best choices for a 2 mana-cost minion.
Leper Gnome
Leper Gnome is powerful for its cost, finds its way into almost every aggressive deck, and requires no further deck building decisions to be effective. We’d like other 1 mana minions to be more compelling, so we’re reducing its Attack from 2 to 1.
Arcane Golem
Charge is an ability we’ve learned to use sparingly. Arcane Golem has been a staple in many aggressive and ‘one turn kill’ combo decks, and its drawback is rarely relevant. We’re addressing both issues by removing Charge and increasing Arcane Golem’s Health, while leaving its drawback. Arcane Golem will now be a 3 mana 4/4 with Battlecry: Give your opponent a Mana Crystal.
Molten Giant
Molten Giant is an interesting card, but it’s too easy for players to reduce its mana cost to 0. We’re increasing Molten Giant’s mana cost to 25 to increase the risks players must take to get a free Giant. The changes to Force of Nature and Arcane Golem will make dropping to low health somewhat less risky as well, which helped spur this change.
Master of Disguise
The ability of Master of Disguise to grant permanent Stealth has been a design obstacle for a long time, so we are changing Master of Disguise to only grant Stealth until the next turn. This change opens up exciting options for future cards.
Thanks for reading along as we’ve explored the decisions that have shaped these cards. These changes will arrive as part of Hearthstone Patch 5.0. Then be sure to join us on April 26 for the arrival of Hearthstone’s newest expansion: Whispers of the Old Gods, the introduction of formats, and the beginning of the Year of the Kraken!
Honestly I’m pretty fine with all of these. The only ones I’m pretty salty about are AOL because he was awesome and kind of molten giant bc I crafted some a while ago. I’m glad blizzard didn’t destroy any of the cards (except for arcane golem which is dumb anyway and maybe leper gnome) but did a good job of making them still playable but not auto includes. My only real problem is that I was hoping to dust some stuff but none of it was hit hard enough to be unplayable. Even FoN is still pretty good in tokens.
I am a little sad about blade furry but hopefully blizz makes good on their promise to make new good Rouge cards.
We’re now certain that Blizz’s pushing for more late-game action with this nerf. Be prepared to spend double the time on each game…
The nerf does really keep things refreshing, if you stop being class-biased. Like REALLY……
Don’t you ever get bored playing the same deck over and over again??? Yeah, Blade Fury, FoN, AoL and Arcane Golem’s nerfs are pretty drastic, but seriously, if BF gets +1 mana cost; FoN gets 2/1 Treants or +1 mana cost (or both); AoL gets -2 health, AG becomes 4/1 or costs +1 mana, would it make any difference? They’d still be used without hesitation in their respective dominating decks. What you really want when you nerf is to make people think twice, or even THRICE, about including them. Or to push players to come out with other new, different/interesting ideas of play.
Yes, druids/rouges are massively nerfed, but honestly, if you’re good enough, create an alternate druid/rouge deck and show the world with style that you can still kick butt with the nerfs. Wouldn’t that bring you a greater sense of achievement/satisfaction? Also, you never know, it seems like the WotOG have got pretty solid Druid cards. And if all else fails, there are so many other classes waiting to suck in those creative juices of yours, so go out there and have fun! 🙂
As for basic cards, most can be replaced easily… Use a Spellbreaker – you don’t silence much on turn 2 or 3 anyways; BGH’s fine, you don’t get many 7-attack targets at turn 3 or 4, do you? Some common cards (i.e. Leper Gnome, Ironbeak Owl) ARE pretty OPed. They should be rares, not common (I know the colour doesn’t change anything though). But they ought to be nerfed, if you ask me…
However, one minor thing I thought is unfair about nerfs is that some cards ARE meant to be OPed because they’re rares/epics/legendaries. Like for the AoL, it’s at most a blue after the nerf. Not a purple anymore. On the other hand, that’s why you get to dust it for full value shortly after the nerf… But again, you can’t please everyone, so I think Blizzard’s already done a great job so far.
All in all, there are always pros and cons, and if no one’s forcing you to play the game really… If you’re against this, you’re free to leave the game. The popularity of the HearthStone in years to come will naturally show if their choices in such “adjustments” were the right ones.
IMHO, if one wants want to fully enjoy the game, one should try to embrace the change and challenge ourselves by creating new decks/tactics/combos, overcoming these “nerfs”. Enjoy!!
Dr Boom is going to dominate Wild even more with the BGH change. RIP.
Where is the most annoying card in Hearthstone called Divine Favor? Just one nerf to cure the cancer.
In general I am pretty happy with these nerfs the leper gnome one and the knife juggler were great and I think these cards (at least juggler) will still be played the same goes for bgh and owl. The molten giant one is a little upsetting I think it should be 23 or 23 mana but that’s just me. The master of disguise nerf is nessecary just to have the creation of future cool cards. Arcane golem will now never be played it is worse than dancing swords if that is possible miracle rogue could just use leeroy from noe on. As a player since open beta who started off with combo druid these nerfs are pretty fair. The best one is FON and this could actually be a positive change it helps with board control a key element of druid. The ancient should heal for 6 since they took away a card. Keeper should be a 2/3 a 2/2 for 4 just won’t see play
Oh and the blade flurry nerf is outrageous. It should’ve been either 4 mana with the same text. Or 2 mana with the new text not both. It especially isn’t an issue since tinker’s is going away (unless the add a new super op weapon buff card)
Hunter’s mark pretty balanced probs will see some play after the expansion
Where is power overwhelming on this list????
RIP Scaled Nightmare into Master of Disguise.
The Nerf is basically killing a couple of tournament favorite decks; midrange Druid/Oil Rouge/Face Hunter/Gaint Warlock. etc, neither to said; maybe Blizzard want more of a late game play type of game which can feature all those high cost legendary minions. i wish Blizzard would do justice and nerf secret Paladin & freeze mage. Maybe for paladin mysterious challenger is 6 5/5 and only bring 3 random secrets to from deck. for freeze mage ice block should have a time count down, if ice block is not active within 3 turns automatic active ice block on your next time. example if you pull ice block of mad scientist on turn 2, it will pop on turn 6.
No more Mad Scientist for Standard play, so no need for nerf. Freeze mage will be out of the meta. Ice block is not very useful in most decks otherwise.
I agree with you on Mysterious Challenger though… However, Secrets Paladin’s not too dominating anymore in the latest metas as most decks have means of suppressing/removing secrets. Also, you never know how the WotOG will affect the meta. Only Blizzard does. I guess we’ll find out soon! 😉
RIP Druid you won’t be missed
I can’t wait to get all the extra dust! I’ve been hoarding these guys for a while!
Buck Flizzard. Did they play their game?
Ancient of Lore – OK. I like it.
Force of Nature – Meh. Probably unplayeble. My way to nerf combo was roar(3)->roar(4). So double combo you will almost never see.
Keeper of the Grove – Meh. 2/3 would be enough. Now its bad. RIP druids.
Ironbeak Owl – My version – 3 mana 2/2. Mana nerf – is what this card was needed. but what about stats? Hello Silencer.
Big Game Hunter – OK. I like it.
Hunter’s Mark – OK. Feels reasonable.
Blade Flurry – JUST WHY? Mana nerf is stupid. Prepare for jokes about new class. Blizzard just killed rogue.
Knife Juggler – Still broken. My version – 3/2, but juggles every time you LAY minion (no summon, no deathrattle, no battlecry, no spell).
Leper Gnome – OK. Probably unplayeble. I’ll prefer argent squire or 2/1 now.
Arcane Golem – Nerf was unreasonable. Now free dust.
Molten Giant – Free dust. Blizzard doesn’t play their games confirmed.
Master of Disguise – Who cares?
basically all of these cards are now unplayable and mage and warrior decks will take over the meta
No nerfs to mage/warrior ? These classes have always been powerful since the launch of Hearthstone, and hardly ever had a nerf.
As a Rogue player, the Blade Flurry nerf is obviously an outrage.
I can understand and live with raising the cost to 4, but ALSO eliminating the damage to the face? AND losing Tinker in Wild? Thanks a lot.
So few people play Oil Rogue… I can’t understand why it would even be picked on.
blade should of been 1 mana less + add alex and triton nerf
Finally make enough dust to make my first meta deck (druid) and it was nerfed. Yes it needed some nerf but this. There are many cards that are needing big nerf like tyrion and its completely fine for you ?
I don’t think Midrange is necessarily dead, just no more threat of a nasty 1-turn combo, which is fair and consistent like what we saw with Patron Warrior prior to Warsong nerf.
I am mostly socked by Ancient of Lore and Arcane Golem (though I am not unhappy with Arcane Golem’s nerf, actually quite happy with it). I think Ancient of Lore was fairly costed/stated for the effects it gave so I don’t see why it should be nerfed because it’s a constant in Druid Decks. Keeper will probably still see play, but as a 1 off instead of as an automatic put 2 into almost every deck for Druid.
No shield slam nerf, No alex nerf. Whaaaaaaaaat?? 4 mana blade flurry is overkill seriously
Be ready for Druid rage Blizzard. Nice changes though, everything made sense in my opinion and I think having longer games is advantageous to everyone.
Even blade flurry?
Why did they nerf Master of Disguise and not something actually good like Tirion??
“The ability of Master of Disguise to grant permanent Stealth has been a design obstacle for a long time, so we are changing Master of Disguise to only grant Stealth until the next turn. This change opens up exciting options for future cards.”
Nobody plays Master of Disguise tho
Its so gimmicky
The midrange druid just got shot in the head. I was wondering how they were going to deal with it, since it would murder the other high-cost decks. So they killed it. I cry for my wasted dust.
yep
This is how Blizzard pushes for BeastMode Druid…