While talking about the reasoning behind Patch. 19.2's balance changes, Hearthstone Game Designer Alec Dawson answered a question regarding potential unnerfs with the next Standard rotation.
Quote From Alec Dawson We’ll look at all previously nerfed cards [that will rotate] sometime early next year and make a call then.
These are all the nerfed cards that will leave Standard during the next rotation.
- Rise of Shadows - EVIL Miscreant, Archivist Elysiana, Conjurer's Calling.
- Saviors of Uldum - Mogu Fleshshaper, Bloodsworn Mercenary, Tortollan Pilgrim, Dinotamer Brann.
- Descent of Dragons - Corrupt Elementalist, Faceless Corruptor, Fiendish Rites, Scion of Ruin, Ancharrr, Dragon's Pack, Invocation of Frost, Necrium Apothecary, Dragonqueen Alexstrasza, Bad Luck Albatross, Galakrond, the Nightmare, Dragoncaster.
- Galakrond's Awakening - Frenzied Felwing.
- Demon Hunter Initiate - Eye Beam, Battlefiend, Altruis the Outcast, Twin Slice (although including it in the nerf list is debatable), Blade Dance.
Looking at the list, we can clearly see that it's quite a mixed bag. There are cards that, despite being nerfed, are still being played in Wild (EVIL Miscreant, Battlefiend), cards that could return to see play if unnerfed (Mogu Fleshshaper, Dragoncaster) and cards that would never see play even if back to their former glory (Archivist Elysiana).
Here are our personal top 5 cards we think should be reverted once the rotation takes place to kick off the next Hearthstone year.
1) The Wildtamer
It hasn't been long since Patch 19.2 hit the game servers and bumped this card's cost up to 8 mana, but let's be honest, Hunter struggles to see play in Wild with 7 mana Dinotamer Brann, so we don't think reverting it to its original form will make anyone lose their sleep.
Sure, at 8 mana it should be a nice buff to Highlander Even Hunter, but we believe that is not the best way to help Rexxar.
2) The Nightmare
Galakrond, the Nightmare's ability to draw and play 0-cost cards were used in a few different Wild decks before July's patch hammered the card. While Odd Rogue used it as a refuel for late-game burst, Galakrond covered an important role in Reno Rogue, allowing players to set up powerful combos turn after turn and gain the edge against aggressive opponents.
Valeera is not in the worst shape possible right now, as Odd Rogue and Kingsbane Rogue are good lists, and C'Thun, the Shattered Rogue is seeing experimentation, but we do think she deserves some love.
3) The Tempest
Back in December 2019, almost half the Standard players were playing this deck, while the other half was hating on it and trying to counter it. It was definitely overtuned and deserved to be nerfed, but maybe the devs overdid it.
While Shaman's problem is not entirely linked towards Galakrond, the Tempest's power level (many people are asking for an Evergreen set's overhaul, just like the one Priest received almost a year ago), we think that reverting the whole package during the rotation will make many players happy and will give Thrall a few more fun tools to tinker with in Wild.
4) The (Dragon)Queen
Another card that has almost disappeared from Wild after its last change - Dragonqueen Alexstrasza used to give an immediate and (most of the time) game-winning advantage, allowing the players to play big bodies with strong effects for free. However, in its current form, it is just a 9 mana 8/8 with no impact on the board when played on curve, which is not what you want to see in Hearthstone's eternal format.
Just to be clear: Dragonqueen Alexstrasza received two nerfs ("can't generate itself" and "Dragons generated cost (1)"), and we're talking about reverting the latter.
5) The Birb
This minion was originally created as a tech against Highlander builds, but later in time, it became clear that other archetypes such as No Minion Mage and especially Pure Paladin were forced to take the bullet for someone else's faults. Around April 2020, many decks used to run it just because it had an acceptable cost and its effect was at the very least the equivalent of two bad draws for the opponent - the devs recognized that this tech card was not used in the way it was supposed and had to bump its cost from 3 to 4 mana.
On the other hand, Wild sees Reno Priest as one of the best performing archetypes, and Reno Warlock and Reno Mage are strong too, so why not use the rotation as a chance to help the players to tech against these decks?
Honourable Mentions
- Mogu Fleshshaper - A nice gift to Evolve Shaman.
- Scion of Ruin - Galakrond Menagerie Warrior is already somewhat playable.
- Necrium Apothecary - Deathrattle Rogue and Dane would deeply appreciate it.
Which cards do you think deserve to be unnerfed when they get relegated to Wild? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments
Honestly, I wouldn't mind if they unnerfed all of those cards when they rotate to wild. The majority of them, like the galakrond ones, won't make any gamebreaking decks anyway. Just fun tier 2 decks for wild's standards.
The only ones that are debatable are the birb, but priest can get all the hate it deserves if you ask me, and the demon hunter cards. But these demon hunter cards are only a small portion of what made odd demon hunter as strong as it was so I see no big issue there either.
Let "wild be exactly that: Wild!" for once, Blizzard.
Exactly let wild be wild. But blizz doesnt seem set on what want wild to be really.
ANd if twin slice was reverted it would make odd dh weaker even not stronger.
I don't think Prime Galakrond Shaman will ever be an issue in Wild. Sure, it was quite powerful back in the day, but Wild is a on a whole other level.
it was good in wild when Galakron was at full power though
It was usable and like mid/low tier 2.
It was alrigth deck,not to good ,not to weak pretty middle of the road.
And was absolutly a non issue, wasnt back then and would be even less now as wild has only gotten stronger.
exactly it wouldnt be an issue a tall,while it was breaking standard in half gala shaman it was like mid tier 2in wild and wimd has onyl gotten stronger since.
But deck if fullly unnerfed(which it100% should) would be a non issue might not even make tier 2anymore btu atleast it would be a playable deck again.
I would love to see Galakrond Shaman in its full power against high meta decks like Highlander Priest and Darkglare Warlock. We've only seen unnerfed Galakrond Shaman for like a week, I think wild will be a much better environment for a deck like that.
No point to reverting Brann.
It's a lot easier to make a highlander in Wild.
And the card was NEVER an issue in wild at all it was genery tier 3/4 deck and Brann was nerfed for STANDARD not WILD.
what is no point in is keeping brann nerfed casue it for Standard, if nerf was doen for standard when card is wild only it should be unnerfed.
On the other hand, Dinotamer Brann was nerfed because of Standard, while it was perfectly fine in Wild: in fact, Hunter is trash tier over there.
Hunter is perfectly fine in Wild if you ever played secret highlander Hunter.
Hunter doesn't need a strong presence is wild like priest, paladin, mage, & warlock
It has enough representation each season in standard.
Hunter lacks board clear and thus will always be weak to Aggro Druid/Pally
I can assure you that highlander is viable in Wild as a midrange.
Reverting Brann won't be the same as a Raza revert.
Reverting Brann won't be the same as reverting Raza, but that is an even stronger argument in favor of reverting Brann.
If a card is nowhere near breaking a format, then it should not be held back.
Giggling Inventor
5 mana Giggling Inventor was and probably still is a very strong card, that can easily shut down aggro for at least a turn.
Dinotamer Brann is one of the best cards of a class that doesn't see play in Wild at all (if you don't consider decks that are tier 3 or below).
See the difference?
I agree on all but Albatross, that card should stay nerfed, ti wasnt just anti reno it was anti evrything id rather they buff it stats a bit at 4mana then unnerf it to 3,the card was anti reno but just anti evrything as it gave them 2 compeltly dead draws which is always good,it wasnt run cause anti reno at all it was just auto include if could run it basicly.
IMO ALL galakrond /galakrond related cards should be unnerfed for wild, inclduing scion of ruin and Fiendish rit(not like gala lock is good in wild)
Alex should be unnerfed,priest wouldnt run her would make mage and hunter and rare reno rogue better.
Brann is obviious.
Necrium would be fine in wild and would make a Deathrattle rogue actully good in wild and if does become a giant issue can always be unnerfed but as t its gonna stay a dead card at 5mana.
Conjurers calling should be unnerfed aswell,wasnt issue in wild was hardly run and main use i renember was in the pretty niche ODD mage to sue with creepers and was ahrdly broken in wild + wild has more ways to deal with the giant before can be conjured.
eyebeam and Blade dance should be unnerfed aswell, same for dragoncaster was absolute non issue in wild and only nerfed for standard. And would make more decks possible if now in future + make reno mage better.
Bloodsworn mercenary would be fine to unnerf, wasnt ever the problem it was in standard at all and its not a super common card in wild before or after nerf would be safe to unnerf would be bit better tempo and remoin same for finsiher/combo uses.
Elysiana would aslo be 100% fine for wild it wouldnt be used just like now isnt.
But ontop fo rotating cards being unnerfed i hope i relaly hope unerf a bunch of wild only cards like bonemare and chaingang(like did spitefull last time )
And for wild like 90% of cards could be safly unnerfed,wild is way higher power lvl then standard thigns that breka standard in half basicly rarly are even tier 1 in wild.
The only significant un-nerf in the list is Tortollan Pilgrim while the rest is pretty much underpowered in a format that houses so many answers. Wild needs so much weeding that unnerfing cards at this point is basically adding work if they ever decide to balance the format.
And unnefing is balance aswelll and are more then pilgrim that would see play if unnerfed lol, like albators r scion or brann,or the rogue galakrond.
And wild doesnt need weeding its needs buffs and unnerfs,if want a weaker format play standard,wild si suspsoed to eb wild ,for old decks and cards and the strongest of strongest.
I would be so happy if they make the bird viable again. Yes, it is a strong card, but for wild no op at all compared to way, way stronger cards in this format.
Conjurer's calling should be reverted, it was only busted because of MG on 3 in standard and neveer great in Wild
So much chaos to be had by unnerfing. Just my opinion, but no matter what, if anything, get reverted back to it's former glory there are going to be people that complain.