Balance Patch 20.0.2 Is Live! 9 Constructed Nerfs (Druid, Paladin, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior, Neutral), 5 Buffs (Mage, Hunter) + Battlegrounds Changes

Blizzard has just announced a balance update (20.0.2) coming later today. Yes, you’ve read that right – the patch should be out roughly an hour from when I’m posting this – around 19:00 CET or 10 AM PT (of course, just like always, mobile release might get pushed back by up to a few hours). Update: The patch is out on PC, and it looks like mobile release happened much faster this time, players are reporting that it’s already live. So it should be up on all platforms!

The patch is mostly meant to address the state of the Alterac Valley meta, which looks too similar to Stormwind and is too combo-heavy. On top of 9 nerfs, we’re also getting 5 buffs – mostly to Big Spell Mage, but also a very needed one to Hunter’s Hero card.

On top of Constructed update, we’ve also got some Battlegrounds balance changes – mostly some Armor changes, but also changes to Sneed’s and Tamsin’s Hero Powers + two minion nerfs (Prized Promo-Drake, Dazzling Lightspawn).

Arena fans should also be happy to know that Abominable Lieutenant got banned in the format – the card was wrapping the meta around itself this expansion.

And Mercenaries got an interesting update too – now every Level 30 Heroic Bounty will contain at least one pile of Legendary Coins, making it easier to farm some of them and feel the harder bounties more rewarding overall.

Here’s a full list of Constructed balance changes:

Nerfs

• Celestial Alignment – Now costs 8 mana (up from 7).
• Alliance Bannerman – Now has 1 health (down from 2).
• Efficient Octo-bot – Now costs 3 mana (up from 2).
• Snowfall Guardian – Now costs 6 mana (up from 5).
• Touch of the Nathrezim – Now heals for 3 (down from 4).
• Runed Mithril Rod – Now costs 5 mana (up from 4).
• Bloodsail Deckhand – Now has 1 health (down from 2).
• Irondeep Trogg – Now summons a base copy of Irondeep Trogg (no longer summons an exact copy with buffs etc.)
• Mo'arg Artificer – Now is a 3 mana 2/5 (from 2 mana 2/4).

Buffs

• Magister Dawngrasp – Now costs 7 mana (down from 8).
• Arcane Burst (Dawngrasp’ Hero Power) – Now deals 2 damage as a base (down from 1 damage).
• Grey Sage Parrot – Now is a 6 mana 4/5 (from 8 mana 6/6).
• Wildfire – Now buffs the Hero Power for entire game (persists through Hero Power switches).
• Summon Pet (Beaststalker Tavish‘s Hero Power) – Now costs 2 mana (down from 3).

And here you can find them in visual form:

Check out full patch notes below:

Patch 22.0.2, launching today, includes balance changes for Standard and Battlegrounds, a system update for Mercenaries, and more!

Standard Balance Updates

Dev Comment: We’re coming up on two weeks since the launch of Fractured in Alterac Valley and, while players are still finding success with quite a variety of strategies, we want to open up the format further. This patch is mainly focused on weakening some of the stronger, combo-centric strategies that have had long-term success throughout the Year of the Gryphon.

The following cards have been adjusted down in power:

Celestial Alignment

• Old: [Costs 7] → New: [Costs 8]
  • Dev Comment: Although Celestial Alignment is not usually a card used for from-hand, burst damage, it does frequently allow for absurd turns that happen a little earlier than we feel is healthy. Moving it up a mana should allow for more setup and counterplay before Celestial Alignment is cast.

Alliance Bannerman

• Old: 2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 1 Health
  • Dev Comment: Paladins have a very consistent, powerful package of cards that they can include in quite a few distinct strategies. Alliance Bannerman is one of these cards that can fit into a wide range of decks. Lowering its Health by one should tone down Paladin decks by a small amount across the board.

Efficient Octo-bot

• Old: [Costs 2] → New: [Costs 3]
  • Dev Comment: Efficient Octo-bot has been a little too efficient at the upper echelons of play. We’re slowing it down as part of the general goal of toning down the power level of combo strategies.

Snowfall Guardian

• Old: [Costs 5] → New: [Costs 6]
  • Dev Comment: Snowfall Guardian was designed with the intent of giving Freeze Shaman decks a powerful tool, but it is a little too efficient at locking up the board, especially when combined with cards like Brilliant Macaw. Moving it up one mana should soften the power of this interaction.

Touch of the Nathrezim

• Old: Deal 2 damage to a minion. If it dies, restore 4 Health to your hero. → New: Deal 2 damage to a minion. If it dies, restore 3 Health to your hero.
  • Dev Comment: Touch of the Nathrezim is meant to be a solid removal option for slower Warlock decks, but the overall Health restoration in Warlock is slightly too high. This is meant to be a softer change that leaves Warlock with a powerful removal option, but reduces overall Warlock healing capabilities enough to bring that aspect of the class back in line.

Runed Mithril Rod

• Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 5]
  • Dev Comment: Runed Mithril Rod was an incredibly strong tool in the first few days after the launch of Fractured in Alterac Valley. While players were able to find a counter to it in cards like Rustrot Viper, we believe going up a Mana here will lead to healthier play patterns for the game overall.

Bloodsail Deckhand

• Old: 2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 1 Health
  • Dev Comment: We’re reverting our previous change to Bloodsail Deckhand. Questline Warrior ended up slightly stronger than intended, and we believe it will continue to find success after this change. 

Irondeep Trogg

• Old: After your opponent casts a spell, summon a copy of this. → New: After your opponent casts a spell, summon another Irondeep Trogg.
  • Dev Comment: Irondeep Trogg has the capability of running away with games very early when combined with minion buffs like Noble Mount or Doggie Biscuit. Taking into account the rest of the changes we’re making with this patch, we want to adjust Trogg to remain a viable counter to early spells, but to better match the targeted power level of the format as a whole.

Mo’arg Artificer

• Old: [Costs 2] 2 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Costs 3] 2 Attack, 5 Health
  • Dev Comment: Mo’arg Artificer does too much, too efficiently for decks with large amounts of removal. Increasing its cost by one will make the card a little less efficient as a tool for cheap clears, large amounts of life gain, and combo finishers.

The collectible cards listed above will be eligible for a full dust refund for 2 weeks after the 22.0.2 patch goes live. Bloodsail Deckhand is not eligible for the dust refund, because it’s a Core Set card, not a collectible one.

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Dev Comment: Alongside the changes above, we’re also making a couple adjustments aimed at powering up slower Mage decks and the less powerful Hero Cards.

The following cards have been adjusted up in power:

Beaststalker Tavish

• Old: [Hero Power Costs 3] → New: [Hero Power Costs 2]

Grey Sage Parrot

• Old: [Costs 8] 6 Attack, 6 Health → New: [Costs 6] 4 Attack, 5 Health

Magister Dawngrasp

• Old: [Costs 8] → New: [Costs 7]
• Old: Hero Power: Deal 1 Damage. Honorable Kill: Gain +2 Damage. → New: Hero Power: Deal 2 Damage. Honorable Kill: Gain +2 Damage.

Wildfire

• Old: Increase the damage of your Hero Power by 1. → New: Increase the damage of your Hero Power by 1 this game.
  • Dev Comment: This is a minor rework to make it so that Wildfire will now persist after swapping Hero Powers. Although we don’t envision this being dramatically impactful, we do think it will allow for a smoother gameplay experience with Hero Power changing cards like Magister Dawngrasp.

Battlegrounds Balance Updates

HERO UPDATES

Sneed

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 1 (0 Armor) to Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)
• Sneed’s Replicator
  • Old: [Costs 1] → New: [Costs 2]

Tamsin

• Fragrant Phylactery
  • Old: [Costs 0] Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its Health to all your others. → New: [Costs 1] Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its stats to all your others.

Scabbs Cutterbutter

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 2 (2-5 Armor) to Tier 1 (0 Armor)

Cariel Roame

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 6 (6-9 Armor) to Tier 7 (7-10 Armor)

Deathwing

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 4 (4-7 Armor) to Tier 5 (5-8 Armor)

Millificent Manastorm

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 3 (3-6 Armor) to Tier 5 (5-8 Armor)

Overlord Saurfang

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 6 (6-9 Armor) to Tier 7 (7-10 Armor)

Patches the Pirate

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 3 (3-6 Armor) to Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)

Trade Prince Gallywix

• Armor Tier changed from Tier 4 (4-7 Armor) to Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)

MINION UPDATES

Prized Promo-Drake

• Old: 5 Attack, 5 Health → New: 3 Attack, 3 Health

Dazzling Lightspawn

• Old: 4 Attack, 5 Health → New: 2 Attack, 5 Health

Mercenaries Update

• All Heroic Level 30 Bounties will now include at least one pile of Legendary Coins (chosen from the selection of Coins designated for each Bounty) as part of their Bounty completion rewards.

Arena Update

• Abominable Lieutenant is no longer draftable in Arena.

Bug Fixes & Game Improvements

• The base versions of Drek’Thar and Vanndar are now eligible for full dust refunds. We will be doing a separate update later on patch day to grant additional Arcane Dust to players who already disenchanted either card.
• Fixed a bug where the Duels treasure Impcredible Trousers did not properly shuffle the imp portals.

Source