23.4.3 Patch Notes

Patch 23.4.3, launching June 16, consists of stability modifications to Standard, Battlegrounds, and Mercenaries, plus extra!

Card Updates

Dev Comments: We have numerous huge Standard stability modifications coming this patch (and one for Wild!) which are trying to perform just a few totally different objectives. First, we need to decrease the facility stage of probably the most highly effective decks within the present metagame – Fel Demon Hunter and Control Warrior variants. Roughly half of the modifications on this patch are balance-motivated and meant to focus on the winrates of those decks immediately.

The remainder of the modifications on this patch usually are not primarily motivated by energy stage, however are as an alternative centered on bettering the play-against expertise of among the extra polarizing playing cards within the sport.

The following playing cards have been adjusted to have their energy diminished:

Shield Shatter

Old: Deal 5 injury to all minions. Costs (1) much less for every Armor you’ve gotten. → New: Deal 4 injury to all minions. Costs (1) much less for every Armor you’ve gotten.

Tidal Revenant

Old: Battlecry: Deal 5 injury. Gain 8 Armor. → New: Battlecry: Deal 5 injury. Gain 5 Armor.

Nellie’s Pirate Ship (the Colossal appendage summoned by Nellie, the Great Thresher)

Old: Taunt. Deathrattle: Add Nellie’s Pirate crew to your hand. They Cost (1). → New: Taunt. Deathrattle: Add Nellie’s Pirate crew to your hand. They Cost (1) much less.

From the Depths

Old: [Costs 3] → New: [Costs 4]

Dev Comment: Both Charge Warrior and Control Warrior variants have been overperforming on the ladder, and pattern in the direction of increased and better winrates the additional up the ladder you climb. These decks share a number of key playing cards, and this batch of modifications is meant to decrease the winrates of each these archetypes. We don’t need or anticipate these decks to vanish fully after the modifications, however we do hope that among the extra irritating performs that they’re able to (similar to Nellie creating 1-cost Mr. Smite) will probably be eliminated or weakened going ahead.

Caria Felsoul

Old: [Costs 6] 6 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Transform right into a 6/6 copy of a Demon in your deck. → New: [Costs 7] 7 Attack, 7 Health. Battlecry: Transform right into a 7/7 copy of a Demon in your deck.

Battleworn Vanguard

Old: 2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 1 Health

Dev Comment: Demon Hunter has been the opposite standout winrate class for the reason that launch of the newest mini-set. Although we’re completely satisfied to see the brand new and improved Xhilag making a splash, we aren’t as enthusiastic about Caria getting used to cheat out a replica of Xhilag forward of schedule. In addition to slowing down that interplay, we’ve shaving one Health off Battleworn Vanguard so as to decrease the percentages that it sticks early and snowballs the sport.

Wildpaw Gnoll

Old: 4 Attack, 5 Health → New: 3 Attack, 5 Health

Dev Comment: Rogue has been one of the performed lessons in Standard, and it didn’t really feel proper for us to hit the opposite standard lessons with out taking a small quantity of energy out of Rogue. Wildpaw Gnoll has been a difficult card for us to get proper, however we’re optimistic that the newest change to it should go away each the cardboard and the category in the correct place.

Lightforged Cariel

Old: [Costs 7] → New: [Costs 8]

Dev Comment: We are completely satisfied to see hero playing cards pack a late sport punch for his or her lessons, however felt like Cariel was offering that energy a flip sooner than she ought to have been. Paladin is in a reasonably wholesome spot within the present metagame, and with the remainder of the modifications we’re seeing on this patch, we anticipate issues to remain that means.

Spitelash Siren

Old: [Costs 4] 2 Attack, 5 Health → New: [Costs 5] 2 Attack, 6 Health

Dev Comment: Spitelash Siren is a enjoyable and attention-grabbing card for Naga mage decks, however we felt that it was able to successfully ending video games in a means that didn’t go away sufficient room for counterplay. We are hoping that by transferring this impact again one flip, opponents of the cardboard may have extra time to work together with the large boards it’s able to producing.

Earthen Scales

Old: [Costs 1] → New: [Costs 2]

Dev Comment: Druid hasn’t been a dominant class for the reason that mini-set, however it could actually nonetheless be fairly irritating to lose to. We felt Earthen Scales was doing an excessive amount of for a one-mana card, and that rising its price by 1 the category must be somewhat simpler to assault within the mid-game.

Lightning Bloom

Old: Gain 2 Mana Crystals this flip solely. Overload: (2). → New: Refresh 2 Mana Crystals. Overload: (2).

Dev Comment: As we tracked gameplay following the mini-set, we observed considerations about sport experiences in Wild, notably on the subject of Big Shaman decks. These decks can typically ramp out huge threats very early, which might make video games really feel like non-games. We rapidly recognized Lightning Bloom as the cardboard which was creating probably the most issues for the format each within the short-term and long-term, so we’re making an aggressive adjustment to it.

Mr. Smite

Old: [Costs 6] → New: [Costs 7]

Dev Comment: Mr. Smite is a robust, game-ending card that doesn’t have to be fairly as highly effective as he’s on curve. This change will hopefully make the cardboard somewhat extra tolerable within the mid-game, whereas additionally slowing down the assorted combos he’s concerned in.

School Teacher

Old: 5 Attack, 4 Health → New: 4 Attack, 3 Health

Dev Comment: Though we’re typically proud of the sorts of gameplay that School Teacher gives, a card with a premium Battlecry impact doesn’t additionally have to have premium stats. We anticipate this card to nonetheless see loads of play, however we hope that it gained’t be fairly as ubiquitous as it’s now.

Any craftable variations of the playing cards listed above will probably be eligible for full mud refunds for 2 weeks following Patch 23.4.3 (Core Set variations of playing cards which can be within the Core Set, and the Golden variations of School Teacher that got as a part of the Voyage to the Sunken City Rewards Track, usually are not craftable).

Battlegrounds Updates

Hero Power Updates

Onyxia Broodmother – Broodmother

Old: Avenge (4): Summon a 2/1 Whelp. It assaults instantly. → New: Avenge (4): Summon a 3/1 Whelp. It assaults instantly.

Ozumat – Tentacular

Old: Passive. Start of Combat: Summon a 2/2 Tentacle with Taunt. (Upgrades after you promote a minion!) → New: Passive. Start of Combat: Summon a 2/2 Tentacle with Taunt. (Gains +1/+1 after you promote a minion!)

Dev Comment: This will not be a practical change; this alteration is only for readability.

Pyramad — Brick by Brick

Old: [Costs 1] Give a random pleasant minion +4 Health. → New: [Costs 0] Give a minion +2 Health. (Gains +1 Health every flip you don’t use this!)

Tamsin Roame — Fragrant Phylactery

Old: Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its stats to 4 pleasant minions. → New: Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its stats to 5 pleasant minions.

Armor Tier Updates

The following heroes had been adjusted to have extra armor, and at the moment are within the following armor tiers:

Al’Akir, Ambassador Faelin, Galakrond, Malygos, and Vol’jin are in Armor Tier 2.

C’Thun is in Armor Tier 3.

Bru’kan, Edwin VanCleef, Fungalmancer Flurgl, and Queen Azshara are in Armor Tier 5.

Deathwing, Elise Starseeker, Illidan Stormrage, Lord Jaraxxus, and Tess Greymane, are in Armor Tier 6.

Aranna Starseeker, Cariel Roame, King Mukla, Overlord Saurfang, Rakanishu, The Curator, and The Rat King are in Armor Tier 7.

The following heroes had been adjusted to have much less armor, and at the moment are within the following armor tiers:

Alexstrasza, Death Speaker Blackthorn, Ini Stormcoil, Maiev Shadowsong, Patches the Pirate, Shudderwock, The Lich King, Trade Prince Gallywix, and Xyrella are in Armor Tier 1.

Reno Jackson is now in Armor Tier 2.

Dinotamer Brann is now in Armor Tier 3.

Minion Updates

Bubblette

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

Tarecgosa

Old: Tavern Tier 4 → New: Tavern Tier 3

Coldlight Seer

Old: Tavern Tier 4 → New: Tavern Tier 3

Shoal Commander

Old: 1 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 2 Health

Waverider

Old: Spellcraft: Give a minion +1/+1 and Windfury till subsequent flip. → New: Spellcraft: Give a minion +2/+2 and Windfury till subsequent flip.

Critter Wrangler

Old: 5 Attack, 6 Health. After you forged a Spellcraft spell on a minion, give it +2/+1. → New: 5 Attack, 7 Health. After you forged a Spellcraft spell on a minion, give it +2/+2.

Corrupted Myrmidon

Old: 2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 3 Attack, 3 Health

Tidemistress Athissa

Old: 7 Attack, 3 Health → New: 7 Attack, 8 Health

Mercenaries Updates

Alexstrasza:

Dragonqueen’s Gambit
- Old: Cooldown 2 → New: Cooldown 1

The Lich King

Death Coil
- Old: Cooldown 1 → New: Cooldown 0

Yu’Lon:

Jadeflame Buffet
- Old: Cooldown 1 → New: Cooldown 0

Tidemistress Athissa:

Wave Crush
- Old: Speed 7 → New: Speed 6

Riptide:
- Old: Cooldown 1 → New: Cooldown: 0

Rexxar:

Old: 11/72 Maxed Stats → New: 11/82 Maxed Stats

Xuen, the White Tiger

Equalizing Strike
- Old: Speed 7 → New: Speed 5

Captain Hooktusk

Cutthroat Negotiation
- Old: Speed 7 → New: Speed 2

Uther

Blessing of Protection
- Old: Speed 3 → New: Speed 1

Bug Fixes and Game Improvements

Zarjira’s Upstart Acolyte Equipment Freeze impact will now not set off if your complete enemy board is already Frozen. This will probably be a brief repair till the impact could be up to date to learn “The first time a friendly character is frozen each turn, Freeze a random enemy.”