The new expansion is only a couple of weeks old and we’ve already seen a meta changing balance update from Blizzard. Normally with card changes we’re left scratching our heads at some of the choices for change, but not this time. All 5 of these changes are meta breaking; all 5 cards feature in tier 1 decks. As a massive Hearthstone fan, I think it’s fair to say that this has been one of the boldest balance changes in Hearthstones history. Let’s take a look at the changes.
Wild Growth – Will cost 3 mana. (Up from 2)
Nourish – Will cost 6 mana. (Up from 5)
Blizzards reasons for nerfing both Wild Growth and Nourish are that they feature in pretty much every deck, meaning the card feels repetitive. It’s a great decision and one I was very happy to see. Although I’ve enjoyed playing Druid over the years, there comes a point that you want to see something different from a class – not just playing with, but also playing against. For me, this change was long overdue.
Level Up! – Will cost 6 mana. (Up from 5)
Odd Paladin having Level Up at its disposal meant that it was insanely powerful (think secret Paladin from 3 years ago). This change means that Odd Paladin will no longer be the force it was before, but may be still playable. Even Paladin, however, might have just received the buff it needed to make it a tier 1 deck.
Saronite Chain Gang – Now reads: Taunt. Battlecry: Summon another Saronite Chain Gang.
Not only a nerf to Shudderwock Shaman but also Keleseth decks, this change was the most unexpected of the 5. Blizzard stated that playing multiple Shudderwocks in a single game can be frustrating, and they are right. For shaman, it’s a huge nerf. For decks like Keleseth Rogue or Battlecry Rogue, Chain Gang is probably still good enough to play.
Leeching Poison – Will cost 1 mana. (Down from 2). Now reads: Give your weapon Lifesteal this turn.
I hate playing against Kingsbane Rogue, it’s mega frustrating. This nerf will shake things up quite nicely and it remains to be seen if Kingsbane Rogue is still a viable deck. Blizzard has said that Rogue shouldn’t have a persistent healing effect, and they’re probably right. I look forward to seeing other Rogue archetypes on ladder in the future.
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