Since standard was announced, Sometimes I thought about the fact that Basic and Classic set will stay with us until HS dies and I came to the conclusion that classic and basic set should be as balanced as possibile (no useless cards /or broken cards)and should also identify the class.
I decided to write this discussion to share my opinion on cards of this sets, starting with basic cards. I won't comment on every single basic card, only ones that I would change (and I'll explain why) because it would take too long (but if you have question on why I didn't mentioned a card, fell free to ask). I know that blizzard will never (probably, you can never say never when talking of blizzard decisions) buff cards, but well, here's my thoughts on basic cards, divided by class:
Druid:
Innervate: Refresh 2 Mana Crystals. Guess they had reason to change it to "gain 1 mana" instead of refresh 2 mana crystals, but I don't really get it. Also, "Refresh 2 Mana Crystals" would be more similar to what the innervate spell does in WOW.
Ironbark Protector : Why this is a class card but has stats of a neutral one? I would change it to an 8/9 (not that this changes much, but I think that gives the idea to new players that class cards have a bit more value than neutral ones).
Hunter:
Multi-Shot: Probably increase the damage to 4 from 3 (since it's random and splitted) would be make the card a playable card sometimes.
Starving Buzzard: Since the nerf, that was unplayable. I understand that you have to be cautious giving hunter card draw, but seriously, this card is a joke as it is. I would suggest 3 mana 2/1 and make his effect trigger only on minion played from hand (at least you could see it in some funny meme snowflipper penguin decks).
Mage:
Mage set is kinda fine. Fireball is a bit overtuned compared to other damage cards, but I guess that's part of mage identity (big damage spells, like meteor)
Paladin
Light's Justice: I don't really know about this... As it stands now, it won't see the play probably ever. Make it a 2 mana 2/2 weapon with "Battlecry: give divine shield to your hero" would probably be cool, but I'm not sure. It would make the card have more identity, that's for sure.
Priest:
I really can't find a card here that never saw play. Like mage, those cards are totally fine
Rogue:
Same here as for Priest, all cards here saw play and give the idea of what a Rogue should do in Hearthstone. The only problem is the lack of minions, but I guess that's "Rogue identity" as well (decks based on a lot of spells).
Shaman:
Basic set for Shaman is a disaster.
Ancestral Healing: This card... is useless. I guess they wanted to give the idea of the shaman that heals the tank, but it's not really the case. I would change the effect to "full heal a taunt minion and draw a card". It's a 0 mana draw a card, but it's a lot conditional but it could be changed to 1 mana if too strong. Also, with this effect, you have the idea that you're healing your tank (taunt).
Totemic Might: I would change nothing on this card. You won't belive me, but I see the potential in this card on a totem based deck that could exist if more totems were available.
Rockbiter Weapon: back to 1 mana and the effect should be "+3 attack to a character for this turn. can't attack heroes for this turn). Dommhammer-combo problem solved.
Windfury: It's not used, but I fear that reduce its mana cost or add some effects to the cards would make it not fine anymore, so I have no suggestions for this.
Windspeaker: Understatted. 4/4 for 4 mana with "Battlecry: give a minion windfury until the end of the turn" would be kinda better.
Warlock:
Sacrificial Pact: if it was something like "destroy a friendly demon and restore 8 health to your hero" it would make more sense. Also, the interaction with Jaraxxus is kinda stupid.
Warrior:
Charge: make it cost 0, 1 mana and a card for this kind of effect is just not worth it.
Warsong Commander: If they don't want to revert it (which i admit wouldn't be a good idea), make Warsong a 3/3.
Neutral:
Frostwolf Grunt: 2/3 probably? I don't think it would see play anyway.
War Golem So, river crockolisk is a 2/3 for 2, chillwind yeti is a 4/5 for 4, the ogre a 6/7 for 6... but this is a 7/7 for 7. Make it a 7/8, come on.
PS: Please consider the fact that I took in account only basic cards while doing this, they're not meant to be competitive or broken, but to give a starting player a good idea on the value that a card should have at a certain cost and in a specific class. It is possible that I failed on everything and I couldn't be more wrong. I accept any constructive criticism.
The point of an evergreen set is not to concrete or force strategies, but to ensure that players can keep a decent collection going on as sets rotate, aiding free to play experiences.
The classic set has already proven too powerful many times. Even an unassuming card like a 2/3 taunt for 2 will limit design space later down the line when they decide to make Taunt Warrior an archetype for an expansion.
It's also really important that the classic cards can't build a good deck by themselves. This is why they removed Ice Lance, Power Overwhelming and Conceal - with them around, you could build solid freeze, zoo and miracle decks until the game dies, and if these are ever dominant then no-one's playing the new cards, so the format stagnates.
The point of an evergreen set is not to concrete or force strategies, but to ensure that players can keep a decent collection going on as sets rotate, aiding free to play experiences.
The classic set has already proven too powerful many times. Even an unassuming card like a 2/3 taunt for 2 will limit design space later down the line when they decide to make Taunt Warrior an archetype for an expansion.
It's also really important that the classic cards can't build a good deck by themselves. This is why they removed Ice Lance, Power Overwhelming and Conceal - with them around, you could build solid freeze, zoo and miracle decks until the game dies, and if these are ever dominant then no-one's playing the new cards, so the format stagnates.
I understand your point. But I think that cards in an evergreen set cards should all have some purpose, not be just wasted slots, since this way some classes always need stronger cards from new expansion or they become complete trash. At the same time the fact that some classic and basic cards are stronger than some of other classes results in those classes having always the same playstyle and getting less good cards from expansions, like hunter always played aggro or midrange (and when some already good class get something good it needs to be nerfed, like druid). What I'm saying is that all cards in an evergreen set should be kinda on the same level, so it's easier to make balanced expansions. Also, is not fun to have useless slots in this set, since most of the useless cards will never see the light of the day and classes that have those cards will basically play with less cards forever.
Complaining that Basic cards are "useless" ... totally misses the point of Basic cards.
They are meant to be cards you cut your teeth on, then replace as your collection improves.
The only time there's a problem is when a Basic card is an autoinclude for all archetypes of a given class. (Fiery War Axe, Innervate)
I simply don't think they should be useless. And if so, they should all be useless, not that some classes have the advantage of having useful basic cards. Also, I don't think they're intended to be useless, since a lot of them are played. I'm not complaining anyway, I know that Blizzard would never do something like buff cards and I'll play HS anyway.
Since standard was announced, Sometimes I thought about the fact that Basic and Classic set will stay with us until HS dies and I came to the conclusion that classic and basic set should be as balanced as possibile (no useless cards /or broken cards)and should also identify the class.
I decided to write this discussion to share my opinion on cards of this sets, starting with basic cards. I won't comment on every single basic card, only ones that I would change (and I'll explain why) because it would take too long (but if you have question on why I didn't mentioned a card, fell free to ask). I know that blizzard will never (probably, you can never say never when talking of blizzard decisions) buff cards, but well, here's my thoughts on basic cards, divided by class:
Druid:
Innervate: Refresh 2 Mana Crystals. Guess they had reason to change it to "gain 1 mana" instead of refresh 2 mana crystals, but I don't really get it. Also, "Refresh 2 Mana Crystals" would be more similar to what the innervate spell does in WOW.
Ironbark Protector : Why this is a class card but has stats of a neutral one? I would change it to an 8/9 (not that this changes much, but I think that gives the idea to new players that class cards have a bit more value than neutral ones).
Hunter:
Multi-Shot: Probably increase the damage to 4 from 3 (since it's random and splitted) would be make the card a playable card sometimes.
Starving Buzzard: Since the nerf, that was unplayable. I understand that you have to be cautious giving hunter card draw, but seriously, this card is a joke as it is. I would suggest 3 mana 2/1 and make his effect trigger only on minion played from hand (at least you could see it in some funny meme snowflipper penguin decks).
Mage:
Mage set is kinda fine. Fireball is a bit overtuned compared to other damage cards, but I guess that's part of mage identity (big damage spells, like meteor)
Paladin
Light's Justice: I don't really know about this... As it stands now, it won't see the play probably ever. Make it a 2 mana 2/2 weapon with "Battlecry: give divine shield to your hero" would probably be cool, but I'm not sure. It would make the card have more identity, that's for sure.
Priest:
I really can't find a card here that never saw play. Like mage, those cards are totally fine
Rogue:
Same here as for Priest, all cards here saw play and give the idea of what a Rogue should do in Hearthstone. The only problem is the lack of minions, but I guess that's "Rogue identity" as well (decks based on a lot of spells).
Shaman:
Basic set for Shaman is a disaster.
Ancestral Healing: This card... is useless. I guess they wanted to give the idea of the shaman that heals the tank, but it's not really the case. I would change the effect to "full heal a taunt minion and draw a card". It's a 0 mana draw a card, but it's a lot conditional but it could be changed to 1 mana if too strong. Also, with this effect, you have the idea that you're healing your tank (taunt).
Totemic Might: I would change nothing on this card. You won't belive me, but I see the potential in this card on a totem based deck that could exist if more totems were available.
Rockbiter Weapon: back to 1 mana and the effect should be "+3 attack to a character for this turn. can't attack heroes for this turn). Dommhammer-combo problem solved.
Windfury: It's not used, but I fear that reduce its mana cost or add some effects to the cards would make it not fine anymore, so I have no suggestions for this.
Windspeaker: Understatted. 4/4 for 4 mana with "Battlecry: give a minion windfury until the end of the turn" would be kinda better.
Warlock:
Sacrificial Pact: if it was something like "destroy a friendly demon and restore 8 health to your hero" it would make more sense. Also, the interaction with Jaraxxus is kinda stupid.
Warrior:
Charge: make it cost 0, 1 mana and a card for this kind of effect is just not worth it.
Warsong Commander: If they don't want to revert it (which i admit wouldn't be a good idea), make Warsong a 3/3.
Neutral:
Frostwolf Grunt: 2/3 probably? I don't think it would see play anyway.
Raid Leader: 3/2 probably would make it playable.
Ironforge Rifleman: Elven Archer is a 1/1 deal 1. Why this isn't a 3/2 at least?
Magma Rager: There must always be a meme king...
Silverback Patriarch: poor guy, it wouldn't be played even if it was a 2/4...
Dragonling Mechanic: the Dragonling could be a 2/2 and no one would complain about it.
Stormpike Commando: Since make it 4 mana would be too broken (/jk) it would be fine as a 4/3.
Booty Bay Bodyguard: 4 mana.
War Golem So, river crockolisk is a 2/3 for 2, chillwind yeti is a 4/5 for 4, the ogre a 6/7 for 6... but this is a 7/7 for 7. Make it a 7/8, come on.
PS: Please consider the fact that I took in account only basic cards while doing this, they're not meant to be competitive or broken, but to give a starting player a good idea on the value that a card should have at a certain cost and in a specific class. It is possible that I failed on everything and I couldn't be more wrong. I accept any constructive criticism.
The point of an evergreen set is not to concrete or force strategies, but to ensure that players can keep a decent collection going on as sets rotate, aiding free to play experiences.
The classic set has already proven too powerful many times. Even an unassuming card like a 2/3 taunt for 2 will limit design space later down the line when they decide to make Taunt Warrior an archetype for an expansion.
It's also really important that the classic cards can't build a good deck by themselves. This is why they removed Ice Lance, Power Overwhelming and Conceal - with them around, you could build solid freeze, zoo and miracle decks until the game dies, and if these are ever dominant then no-one's playing the new cards, so the format stagnates.
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Complaining that Basic cards are "useless" ... totally misses the point of Basic cards.
They are meant to be cards you cut your teeth on, then replace as your collection improves.
The only time there's a problem is when a Basic card is an autoinclude for all archetypes of a given class. (Fiery War Axe, Innervate)
"Why, you never expected justice from a company, did you? They have neither a soul to lose nor a body to kick." -- Lady Saba Holland