So quite a few forums have been created about the next rotation being huge. There was a considerable power creep up through Kobolds and that seemed to get pulled way back in the Year of the Raven. Then the new team seemed to clean up the balance of some evergreen cards in a controversial but solid move to shake up the game. So based on no new cards, only what the rotation will be taking out lets try and guess what decks will be good and what decks will be dead.
Priests: Poor priests, so dependent on expansions due to a relatively weak evergreen set. They have finally scraped a few decks into the upper tiers after the latest round of nerfs gave them the space they needed. However it's going to be a short lived (although very potent) ride. Shadow Visions, spellstone, psychic scream, as well as a few other key cards are all going away. Mass Hysteria will be around but priest is going to lose so many cards needed for the better decks. I expect Anduin to drop back to the meme tier.
Hunter: Hunters are going to stay solid. DK Rexxar will be a huge loss, especially against control decks. However I think they have been getting more than enough solid cards to make them a force even into the next expansion. Spell hunter will be dead but beast and maybe even mech hunter will see huge play. Also expect some really nice midrange decks as well as some pretty potent aggro tools.
Paladin: You can't keep odd paladin down so expect that to be a thing until Baku is rotated. However I think that control varieties will really take off. I've been playing a lot of control decks with different varieties and I think the biggest losses will be the DK (lifesteal weapon was always a huge swing for me) and the 6 mana enchant. The 1 mana 1/1 taunt/divine shield will also be heavily missed and the Stonehill Defender is just sick in paladin. Despite that I see Kangor's Endless Army creeping into the meta.
Shaman: It always feels on the verge of being great in standard and I think that's where it will stay. Tier 2 and 3 decks will remain the norm as we won't see many important cards leaving the field for shaman. The exit of the volcano and the death of the substandard elemental cards in mammoth will not really effect shaman greatly.
Warrior: Control warrior for days! Odd warrior is going to be a damned wall to deal with. The potent Dr. Boom hero card ensures lots of late game value after stacking armor. With many of the natural counters to control warrior going away (priest decks and DK Rexxar being particularly potent) clear the way for a new god tier deck. I wouldn't be surprised to see Rush and Mech decks creep into tier 2 as well.
Druid: Hello darkness my old friend. They are bad and they will get worse. I haven't made any comments about what decks will need in the new expansion but let me just say this about Druid... it will need a lot. The evergreen nerfs have obviously been huge and although blizzard created quite a few new archtypes in the year of the raven none have panned out very good. Solid tier 1/2 decks since alpha have finally caught up to druid who will join priest in 'expansion dependent hell'.
Rogue: Oh rogue, my most played class. I'm saddest to say I think it will be mid-tier but not interesting. Mammoth had lots of fun toys to play with although they aren't game breaking. As a deck builder the cards rotating out will be the saddest losses for me. Solid power, huge nerf on fun.
Warlock: Solid as solid can be. I expect a strong resurgence of zoo as well as solid control matchups and even decks being the norm. The loss of the DK and defile will likely be the biggest hits but don't cry for Warlock. Tier 1/2 will probably still be the norm.
Mage: Odd mage will be great, honestly the DK is the only huge loss. Aggro decks have begun becoming popular again but I think the warrior boom is going to kill burn decks. Tier 2/3 likely with maybe the odd variety creeping to tier 1.
Quite a good read actually. I'll be pleased to see Priest back into Meme Tier should it happen. But let's not forget that there's a whole new set coming and who knows what goes through the minds of Team5?
As for Warrior and Warlock, I'm ecstatic at the moment as the Control variations of these Classes are my favourite to play by a long chalk. HandLock has been my favourite deck in Hearthstone since, well, 2014, and I was an unashamed Wallet Warrior player back in the day as well.
Interesting points. You clearly have spent a good amount of time with each class and understand what makes them good as well as their drawbacks, I look forward to seeing if your predictions were correct.
Whatever the next meta is though, I know i'm going to be pretty much in the spot I am in now: getting curb stomped by tier 1 decks because I don't have enough of the legendaries to make them.
Control Shaman will dominate. Krag'Wa, Hagatha, Shudderwock are insane value generators. Even Odd warriors will not be able to keep up during late-game stages. And as we know, other classes will lose their hero cards.
So quite a few forums have been created about the next rotation being huge. There was a considerable power creep up through Kobolds and that seemed to get pulled way back in the Year of the Raven. Then the new team seemed to clean up the balance of some evergreen cards in a controversial but solid move to shake up the game. So based on no new cards, only what the rotation will be taking out lets try and guess what decks will be good and what decks will be dead.
Priests: Poor priests, so dependent on expansions due to a relatively weak evergreen set. They have finally scraped a few decks into the upper tiers after the latest round of nerfs gave them the space they needed. However it's going to be a short lived (although very potent) ride. Shadow Visions, spellstone, psychic scream, as well as a few other key cards are all going away. Mass Hysteria will be around but priest is going to lose so many cards needed for the better decks. I expect Anduin to drop back to the meme tier.
Hunter: Hunters are going to stay solid. DK Rexxar will be a huge loss, especially against control decks. However I think they have been getting more than enough solid cards to make them a force even into the next expansion. Spell hunter will be dead but beast and maybe even mech hunter will see huge play. Also expect some really nice midrange decks as well as some pretty potent aggro tools.
Paladin: You can't keep odd paladin down so expect that to be a thing until Baku is rotated. However I think that control varieties will really take off. I've been playing a lot of control decks with different varieties and I think the biggest losses will be the DK (lifesteal weapon was always a huge swing for me) and the 6 mana enchant. The 1 mana 1/1 taunt/divine shield will also be heavily missed and the Stonehill Defender is just sick in paladin. Despite that I see Kangor's Endless Army creeping into the meta.
Shaman: It always feels on the verge of being great in standard and I think that's where it will stay. Tier 2 and 3 decks will remain the norm as we won't see many important cards leaving the field for shaman. The exit of the volcano and the death of the substandard elemental cards in mammoth will not really effect shaman greatly.
Warrior: Control warrior for days! Odd warrior is going to be a damned wall to deal with. The potent Dr. Boom hero card ensures lots of late game value after stacking armor. With many of the natural counters to control warrior going away (priest decks and DK Rexxar being particularly potent) clear the way for a new god tier deck. I wouldn't be surprised to see Rush and Mech decks creep into tier 2 as well.
Druid: Hello darkness my old friend. They are bad and they will get worse. I haven't made any comments about what decks will need in the new expansion but let me just say this about Druid... it will need a lot. The evergreen nerfs have obviously been huge and although blizzard created quite a few new archtypes in the year of the raven none have panned out very good. Solid tier 1/2 decks since alpha have finally caught up to druid who will join priest in 'expansion dependent hell'.
Rogue: Oh rogue, my most played class. I'm saddest to say I think it will be mid-tier but not interesting. Mammoth had lots of fun toys to play with although they aren't game breaking. As a deck builder the cards rotating out will be the saddest losses for me. Solid power, huge nerf on fun.
Warlock: Solid as solid can be. I expect a strong resurgence of zoo as well as solid control matchups and even decks being the norm. The loss of the DK and defile will likely be the biggest hits but don't cry for Warlock. Tier 1/2 will probably still be the norm.
Mage: Odd mage will be great, honestly the DK is the only huge loss. Aggro decks have begun becoming popular again but I think the warrior boom is going to kill burn decks. Tier 2/3 likely with maybe the odd variety creeping to tier 1.
uhhh
Tl;Dr?
-Gematria :3
Thanks pal, way to contribute.
error: attention span not detected
I wish odd mage died like his users brain cells
Wow. That's.... . Aggressive?
Quite a good read actually. I'll be pleased to see Priest back into Meme Tier should it happen. But let's not forget that there's a whole new set coming and who knows what goes through the minds of Team5?
As for Warrior and Warlock, I'm ecstatic at the moment as the Control variations of these Classes are my favourite to play by a long chalk. HandLock has been my favourite deck in Hearthstone since, well, 2014, and I was an unashamed Wallet Warrior player back in the day as well.
Mind you, Beast Hunter could be a blast to play with Untamed Beastmaster and Master's Call.
I'm looking forward to the Rotation.
4/3/19 RIP Keith Flint. 😔
I’m sensing a midrange player (my experience of what odd mage dominates)
Interesting points. You clearly have spent a good amount of time with each class and understand what makes them good as well as their drawbacks, I look forward to seeing if your predictions were correct.
Whatever the next meta is though, I know i'm going to be pretty much in the spot I am in now: getting curb stomped by tier 1 decks because I don't have enough of the legendaries to make them.
Control Shaman will dominate. Krag'Wa, Hagatha, Shudderwock are insane value generators. Even Odd warriors will not be able to keep up during late-game stages. And as we know, other classes will lose their hero cards.