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[Xanathus]

And hilariously, Face Shaman is completely unaffected and will likely dominate ladder since other classes lose their defensive cards to stop it...

 

[Nirolak]

I almost she'd a tear for the last one. The Dr stayed Balanced until the day they had to remove it from the game!

Don't worry, his legacy can live on in Wild forever.

In case anyone missed the article on that note, you can play Hearthstone the old way and still do ranked/casual/quests/etc.

 

[gutshot]

Wow, no more creepers/minibot and muster. This actually guts secret pally.

The main thing that sticks out reading that is Druid since they've always used basically the same cards forever, the combo really will need to change with this. But it's definitely an exciting turn.

Assuming no nerf to combo, Druid should be pretty good in Standard. Just swap in Mounted Raptors for Shades, Yeti for Shredders and another AoW for Boom.

I'm also confident that Secret Paladin will still dominate Standard ladder. You just swap out Minibot and Muster for whatever is the best 2 and 3 drops still available, and replace Avenge with another secret or run less. It still works because other classes will also have less powerful cards available.

Agreed. Looks like we will have to wait until 2017 until we are finally rid of Mysterious Challenger.

 

[ViviOggi]

inb4 it's still 9 deck slots per format

 

[bjaelke]

Lightbomb, Zombie Chow, Sludge Belcher, Velen's Chosen and Deathlord. Goodbye my love.

 

[Nirolak]

inb4 it's still 9 deck slots per format

It's 18 total so unless you only intend to play one format, it kind of is.

 

[TetraxShards]

Could Miracle Rogue actually make a comeback? Most of it is standard legal, and with Oil now gone they need a new archetype.

I don't even play Rogue, but Blizzard really needs to throw them a bone now. I'd love an excuse to play them, I need those golden Tazdingos.

 

[FeD.nL]

Wow, no more creepers/minibot and muster. This actually guts secret pally.

The main thing that sticks out reading that is Druid since they've always used basically the same cards forever, the combo really will need to change with this. But it's definitely an exciting turn.

The arrival of Standard format will also be an excellent time for us to take stock of Hearthstone. While normally we’re quite conservative about making balance changes to Hearthstone cards (and we’ll continue to be in the future), we’re planning to take the new Hearthstone year as a golden opportunity to re-evaluate a number of cards in the Basic and Classic card sets, including class cards, and make some long-considered adjustments.

I think any card in the basic/classic set that limits design space for a class (FoN/SR for example) will get changed (read: nerfed into the ground). I really dont think they want to limit themselves going forward by having critical parts of a deck in the basic/classic sets.

 

[Fersis]

Hopefully they nerf some of the Basic/Classic Hunter cards cuz Face Hunter is gonna dominate without healbot

 

[ViviOggi]

It's 18 total so unless you only intend to play one format, it kind of is.

As in you can't freely distribute decks but pick a format, then get to the same old 9-deck selection screen, so you don't even gain anything by focusing on one format.

 

[Xanathus]

And no Healbot, Void Callers, Nerubian Eggs, Haunted Creeper, Dark Bomb, Imp-losion, Mal'ganis means ALL types of Warlocks, Reno, Handlock, Demon Zoo, are completely fucked.

At this point I can say that if there aren't huge balance changes to other cards, a lot of classes are completely unviable on ladder.

 

[CarbonatedFalcon]

Hopefully they nerf some of the Basic/Classic Hunter cards cuz Face Hunter is gonna dominate without healbot

Funnel Cakes?

And 18 Deck Slots I think is plenty for the most part.

 

[veryslowhand]

wait so naxx and GvG will be just useless?

 

[Ashodin]

Shaman will be top tier, Mark my words. In standard.

 

[Nirolak]

As in you can't freely distribute decks but pick a format, then get to the same old 9-deck selection screen, so you don't even gain anything by focusing on one format.

With how the UI looks that would be kind of odd, but not impossible:

 

[Haunted]

a new page of deck slots oh my

 

[Shiver]

mech holocaust

 

[Dahbomb]

I have to assume other balance changes are incoming because no way stuff like Secret Paladin and Combo Druid should be allowed to exist in this new format.

I think aside from this the only two other problematic cards that exist are Knife Juggler and Divine Favor. Can't wait to see these revised balanced changes.

 

[Nirolak]

Thinking about Priest cards, I believe that Dragon Priest is probably favored again now that Lightbomb is gone.

Their value drops are also really strong without Sludge Belchers to force worse trades or Shredders.

 

[ViviOggi]

With how the UI looks that would be kind of odd, but not impossible:

Oh I didn't see that screenshot/mockup yet. Relief

 

[Tomcat]

And no Healbot, Void Callers, Nerubian Eggs, Haunted Creeper, Dark Bomb, Imp-losion, Mal'ganis means ALL types of Warlocks, Reno, Handlock, Demon Zoo, are completely fucked.

At this point I can say that if there aren't huge balance changes to other cards, a lot of classes are completely unviable on ladder.

that's why I will probably stay on wild. As a f2p player I have invested on specific good cards that don't want to lose in order to play inferior decks.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

Pouring one out for my Malganis

 

[Professor Lich]

Hopefully we get some looks at how they are changing Classic and Basic cards soon so we can get a little bit of a better idea how things are going to be come Standard.

Also nice title change.

 

[ViviOggi]

Board clear + removal expansion up next

Believe

 

[Dahbomb]

I am looking at the GvG and Naxx list, I am almost taken a back by the amount of bull crap Deathrattle/RNG fest cards they introduced. Like these formats had stuff like CRACKLE AND IMPLOSION in them.

I guess Knife Juggler would be a lot weaker anyway without Muster and Implosion.

 

[Shiver]

I have to assume other balance changes are incoming because no way stuff like Secret Paladin and Combo Druid should be allowed to exist in this new format.

I think aside from this the only two other problematic cards that exist are Knife Juggler and Divine Favor. Can't wait to see these revised balanced changes.

secret paladin without minibot, muster and avenge? yeah, don't think it will be that much of a problem anymore.

 

[Nirolak]

I am looking at the GvG and Naxx list, I am almost taken a back by the amount of bull crap Deathrattle/RNG fest cards they introduced. Like these formats had stuff like CRACKLE AND IMPLOSION in them.

I guess Knife Juggler would be a lot weaker anyway without Muster and Implosion.

Juggler is a card that goes back to benefiting decks that flood via cheap minions instead, so I imagine they will leave it alone to help out archetypes like Zoo.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Fucking finally they did it, i'll probably go back and play for the new expansion. Sucks that they leave arena alone, but maybe the new basic rebalance could help in that regard too.

Roar is totally gonna cost 4. Magma rager incoming 6/1? ?? ?

 

[FeD.nL]

So if I understand correctly regarding the rotation:

Spring 2016 (Year of the Kraken):

BRM
TGT
LOE
Basic
Classic
New set
(New adventure)
(New adventure)

Then Spring 2017 (Year of the ...)

BRM
TGT
LOE

rotate out?

 

[Ladekabel]

Knife Juggler will shine with Ball of spiders!

 

[Apathy]

I feel bad for the free to play newbies. They will be stuck in the wild ladder being farmed by people that just want to play secret/murloc paladin. This is going to frustrate people into leaving the game or frustrate them into having to buy into the new expansion.

 

[Dahbomb]

secret paladin without minibot, muster and avenge? yeah, don't think it will be that much of a problem anymore.

They still have Uldaman, Horserider, Knife Juggler, Murloc Knight, Secret Keeper, Divine Favor, and other cards to work with. You can still make an aggro Secret Pally list and do well, just replace those slots with other stuff.

Dr 6 is still going to be godlike if it's unchanged.

 

[inky]

No more Shielded Minibot, No more Muster. No more Mad Scientist.

Thanks Jebus!

Warrior will probably go back to using Arcanite Reaper :O

 

[bjaelke]

Hunter can start playing Desert Camel without the opponent pulling a Zombie Chow every damn time.

 

[Dragner]

I'm also confident that Secret Paladin will still dominate Standard ladder. You just swap out Minibot and Muster for whatever is the best 2 and 3 drops still available, and replace Avenge with another secret or run less. It still works because other classes will also have less powerful cards available.

yeah probably, but we will have still a full new expansion, I foresee a dark future for paladin, druid and mage on that one. Probably mayor Warrior, shaman and rogue buffs.

 

[Drkirby]

Now more naxx card

I think making the Adventures completely unpurchasable is a bad idea though. Blizzard should still offer them for like $10.

 

[Cat Party]

I'm thinking that the spring expansion will include some replacements for cards being cycled out. Not straight up copies, but cards that fill a similar role. There will be anti aggro cards to replace chow, deathlord/belcher, and healbot, for example.

 

[gutshot]

Pretty hilarious that after all this time and bullshit excuses like how they need to do lots of testing and iteration on UI decisions, more deck slots was achieved by the simple addition of a scroll bar.

Never change, Blizz!

 

[FeD.nL]

Guys DK in the new set?!

It’s really, really cool. We think you’ll like it. You’ll find out what it is soon™

Really, really cool? As in Northrend freezing cool?

 

[bjaelke]

Now more naxx card

I think making the Adventures completely unpurchasable is a bad idea though. Blizzard should still offer them for like $10.

that would just cause confusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QUWOaV7NkM

 

[ViviOggi]

I feel bad for the free to play newbies. They will be stuck in the wild ladder being farmed by people that just want to play secret/murloc paladin. This is going to frustrate people into leaving the game or frustrate them into having to buy into the new expansion.

Why would they be stuck in Wild? Standard is the default format and will have a lower "entry fee" (time or money) since decks won't require single wings from a billion different adventures.

 

[ricelord]

she's gonna raise from the grave, mark my words.

 

[Drkirby]

Better yet, let people play the old Adventures for free, just give no cards anymore.

 

[Apathy]

Now more naxx card

I think making the Adventures completely unpurchasable is a bad idea though. Blizzard should still offer them for like $10.

They will probably give them away or something.

 

[Tathanen]

Let's not forget, people. The same day all these cards go away, a whole new expansion comes out. The gaps may be immediately filled, there's no way to predict just how this'll affect things.

 

[Dragner]

i would believe for DK as a class if classic rotated out and they released a new classic set with the new class already, but without that you cant release a new class with that few cards available to it.

 

[Warxard]

Rogues are godlike now

 

[ViviOggi]

They will probably give them away or something.

All old adventure cards will become craftable.

 

[Dahbomb]

Rogues are godlike now

They don't have Oil though.

 

[Pooya]

How will purchasing Adventures work?
You will be able to purchase Adventures that are part of the current Standard format normally. Adventures that are not part of Standard will no longer be available for purchase. If you already own at least one wing of such an Adventure, you’ll have the option to unlock the remaining wings using in-game gold

so you can still buy Naxx with gold, but you can then dust the cards but then...

Note that you can also craft and disenchant cards from Standard format Adventures, as long as you’ve already earned them by completing the necessary challenges.

So if you want to craft an adventure card, you have to buy the adventure first I'm guessing. Then you can dust or craft at will?

say I can't craft majordomo unless I get second wing of blackrock but after that I can dust majordomo and craft it back if I'm crazy. Did I get that right?

I think it's interesting, say for 700 gold you get a whole lot of dust from 4th wing of Naxx for example. New players could use that, it's worth spending 700 gold to get 1000 dust.