The patch was just released on PC. Just like always, it might take some more time for mobile release. Update: Looks like mobile is also out!
Blizzard has just announced an unexpected patch – 22.4.3. It’s launching tomorrow and it includes some balance changes.
In Constructed, it nerfs Kazakusan. LOCUSTS were removed from his treasure pool. That’s probably the strongest treasure you could pick, so the card’s overall power level should go down. Kazakusan will be disenchantable for full crafting cost for 2 weeks after patch’s release. SI:7 Smuggler got “fixed”, but the fix is also a nerf, so it will also have a full dust refund. Previously the card counted itself, so even if you didn’t play any SI:7 cards this game, you still summoned a 1-drop etc. It will no longer count itself, so you will start at 0.
In Battlegrounds, a bunch of buddies got nerfed or buffed. Also Tamsin’s Hero Power got buffed significantly (but her buddy was nerfed to compensate, it seems like). It should bring all the Heroes closer in terms of win rate.
We also have some bug fixes.
Check out full patch notes below:
Patch 22.4.3, launching tomorrow, includes balance changes to Battlegrounds and Standard.
Standard Updates
The following cards have been adjusted down in power:
Kazakusan
- LOCUUUUSTS!!! Has been removed from the pool of Treasures that can be Discovered.
Dev Comment: We’re making a small adjustment to reduce the amount of focus that Kazakusan’s treasure hoard has on from-hand damage. Removing LOCUUUUSTS!!! from the Discover pool will allow for a bit more back-and-forth for both players after Kazakusan has been played.
SI:7 Smuggler
- Old: Battlecry: Summon a random minion with Cost equal to the amount of SI:7 cards you’ve played this game. → New: Battlecry: Summon a random 0-cost minion (Upgraded for each SI:7 card you have played this game).
Dev Comment: Smuggler is receiving an effect change to account for improper wording on release. The new wording should now properly track the Cost of the minion which will be summoned while Smuggler remains in hand. Along with this, SI:7 Informant is receiving a wording change to correctly state that it only counts other SI:7 minions that have been played.
The cards listed above will be eligible for a full dust refund for 2 weeks after the 22.4.3 patch goes live.
The following card’s text has been adjusted for clarity (no functional change):
SI:7 Informant
- Old: Battlecry: Gain +1/+1 for each SI:7 card you’ve played this game. → New: Battlecry: Gain +1/+1 for each other SI:7 card you’ve played this game.
Battlegrounds Updates
General Update:
- There is now a Buddy Meter bonus granted when you defeat Kel’Thuzad (a dead hero).
Hero Update:
Tamsin Roame
- Fragrant Phylactery
- Old: [Costs 1] Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its stats to all your others. → New: [Costs 0] Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its stats to four friendly minions.
Buddy Updates:
Elder Taggawag (Queen Wagtoggle’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 4] 4 Attack, 3 Health. Whenever you play a minion of a type you don’t control, trigger your Hero Power. → New: [Tavern Tier 3] 5 Attack, 4 Health. Whenever you play a minion of a type you don’t control, trigger your Hero Power. (2 left this turn.)
Unearthed Underling (Lich Baz’hial’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 4] 4 Attack, 4 Health. Whenever your hero takes damage, this minion gains +2/+2 instead. → New: [Tavern Tier 3] 3 Attack, 3 Health. Whenever your hero takes damage, this minion gains +3/+3 instead. (2 left this turn.)
Master Gadrin (Vol’jin’s Buddy)
- Old: 8 Attack, 5 Health. At the end of your turn, adjacent minions copy this minion’s Attack. → New: 6 Attack, 5 Health. At the end of your turn, the minion to the left of this copies this minion’s Attack.
Spirit Raptor (Bru’kan’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 2] → New: [Tavern Tier 3]
Barov’s Apprentice (Lord Barov’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 2] 4 Attack, 3 Health. → New: [Tavern Tier 3] 5 Attack, 4 Health.
Dev Comment: Although Lord Barov’s average power level was reasonable, some games had extreme results when enough wagers were won. This change aims to slow down the power spike in those cases.
Monstrosity (Tamsin Roame’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 0 Attack, 12 Health. → New: [Tavern Tier 4] 0 Attack, 14 Health.
Jr. Navigator (Elise Starseeker’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 2] At the start of your turn, get a ‘Recruitment Map’ and reduce the cost of your Maps by (1). → New: [Tavern Tier 3] At the start of your turn, get a ‘Recruitment Map.’ Your Maps cost (1).
Hunter of Old (Tess Greymane’s Buddy)
- Old: [Tavern Tier 3] 6 Attack, 4 Health. → New: [Tavern Tier 2] 5 Attack, 3 Health.
Bug Fixes & Game Improvements
- Fixed a bug where Elder Taggawag was able to trigger limited-use Hero Powers when you’re out of charges.
- Fixed a bug where Mysterybox (from the Wheel of Yogg-Saron) and Elder Taggawag did not function with Hero Powers that target specific minions.
- Fixed a bug where Mysterybox did not function with the “I Spy” Hero Power.
- Fixed a bug where the Twice as Nice Hero Power could give buffs to minions in Bob’s Tavern (such as when a Mama Bear is in Bob’s Tavern and a Beast is copied).
- Updated Yu’lon’s “Enveloping Mist” Ability from Arcane to Nature Spell School.
So what got skipped over was Yu’lon’s Enveloping Mist going from Arcane to Nature, which I find somewhat hilarious in that it completely scuppers Old Guardian’s build for Heroic Lokholar with only Beasts/Dragons, because it no longer activates the Arcane Combo for Blink Fox.
Now I’m certainly forgiving towards the Mercenaries mode as a whole, but the amount of annoyance certain missions required with the forced builds and high counts of failure, the event could genuinely have been more thought out instead of looking like it was designed to completely screw over most players. Casters-only Anointed Blades, I’m looking at you.
Holy crap, what an awful way to nerf a card. Just remove it from the game? This case isn’t bad, but if this becomes more common… “a new legendary is problematic? just remove it andgive 1600 dust, my job is done!”
Kazakusan isn’t broken on it’s own. But given that druid somehow ALWAYS plays it once they reach 8/9 mana (you’re like 6/7) makes it broken.
Frustrating dealing with monstrous boards and fireballs to the face every single turn
I don’t think Kaz even needed this nerf. I’ve had fairly even matches with Kaz against and with the Ramp Druid deck.
2 cards I think are overpowered are Wildpaw Cavern and the 2 cost reducing Druid Beasts.
Delusional
Upset you lost some games against a card and a deck anyone can put together?
Trash.
Delusional about Cavern and and the second card. I really don`t mind kazak, ramp is the problem
Once again, the devs make a very minor adjustment to a very broken card and act like they solved the problem. As long as whoever is signing your paycheck is happy, it’s all good right?
Who said Kaz is broken? It’s a good card, but the best cards in ALL late game Druid decks are Guff and his ramp buddies. If we delete Kaz from the game, Druid still has a multitude of options, and will out value every deck so long as it doesn’t die and finds Guff.
If roughly a third of all the decks out there right now are playing a card, there’s a good chance the reason is because it’s OP. For the low low cost of jack shit you get 10 game winning cards shuffled into your deck. How is that not broken?
Kazakusan: This is not a nerf, only small adjustment, the only viable class to play it is Druid right now. Removing Locust might extend a little bit the mirror matchup. Next Standard Year maybe Guff won’t have turbo ramp tools, let’s see.
SI:7: Quest Rogue is a fun deck, and less polarizing than Ramp Druid, will remain strong until rotation.