Priest's hero power is useless at the start of the game. Nortshire Cleric makes the hero power a viable option at the turn 2. But i agree with the rest. Hunter's upcoming 1/3, 1 mana minion which allows you to use your hero power on minions can be added to that list.
I agree that 1-drops seem to need the extra stat to be worth a card, also because of the hero power.
But stats and mana do follow a linear pattern. There isn't a single 2 or more cost minion in the game to have more than the allowed number of stats without some sort of a drawback. And even among the 1-drops, most of them follow the rule of max 3 stats. If the base amount of stats for 1-drops was 4, I would understand. But right now only some 1-drops arbitrarily get 4 stats, and I was just wondering what the logic behind it might be.
Hearthstone has very clearly been in a power creep for years now. Released cards are substantially growing in power. It’s their way of boosting pack sales by forcing people to need the cards to stay relevant but we are beginning to feel the consequences.
I agree that 1-drops seem to need the extra stat to be worth a card, also because of the hero power.
But stats and mana do follow a linear pattern. There isn't a single 2 or more cost minion in the game to have more than the allowed number of stats without some sort of a drawback. And even among the 1-drops, most of them follow the rule of max 3 stats. If the base amount of stats for 1-drops was 4, I would understand. But right now only some 1-drops arbitrarily get 4 stats, and I was just wondering what the logic behind it might be.
I do agree that some 1-drops are more powerful than they should be, but If 1-drops were statted in the same way that other cards were, then they would see little to no play. Compare Voidwalker and Goldshire Footman.
Similarly, if high-cost cards were statted like lower-cost cards, then they would also see no play. Sure, a 2-mana (3/3) is great, but a 10-mana (11/11) would be garbage.
It's good you pointed out at cards that summon other cards. These cards all seem to break the curve - Silver Hand Knight (a Classic common card) is 12 stats for 5 mana (max stats for 5 is 11). But it seems Blizzard decided a 4/4 and a 2/2 is less than a 6/6 (maybe because of mass removal). So I can see the logic behind it.
Swamp Kind Dred and Deathwing, Mad Aspect are both above the curve, but they do have a "drawback".
Good spot on Malorne; he does break the curve. I think it's the only card (there might be others) that costs more than 1 mana and surpasses vanilla stats without a drawback (and I do realize many cards are far stronger, but they do need synergy).
Back to the 1-drops, I do have the impression that there is no clear answer. I do agree that 1-drops would generally see little play if they weren't good enough, but there were also several 1-drops that saw play and didn't need to break the stat-per-mana ratio (some even ended up being nerfed).
Maybe one day Blizzard will shed some light on the subject, possibly explaining why they decided to allow for 1 mana 1/3s. Or, maybe, one day there will be no more 1 mana 1/3s in the game. Remember, when 1 mana 1/3s were made, Fiery War Axe was still 2 mana (and still able to kill everything on curve).
Maybe I just care too much about inherent game balance. Not that it matters much with the direction HS is taking today. It's just something that always puzzled me.
Thank you all for your replies, have a good day.
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I was always wondering why certain 1-drops are allowed to break the curve.
The number of stats per mana seems to be (1 mana - 3 stats; 2 mana - 5 stats; 3 mana - 7 stats ...)
But there are 1-drops which not only have 4 stats, they also have powerful effects (Northshire Cleric, Mana Wyrm (pre-nerf), Eternium Rover ...)
I don't think Blizzard ever explained the logic behind it.
Priest's hero power is useless at the start of the game. Nortshire Cleric makes the hero power a viable option at the turn 2. But i agree with the rest. Hunter's upcoming 1/3, 1 mana minion which allows you to use your hero power on minions can be added to that list.
Shōsei
Stats and mana cost do not follow a linear pattern. 1-drops have to be stronger because cards themselves are resources.
I agree that 1-drops seem to need the extra stat to be worth a card, also because of the hero power.
But stats and mana do follow a linear pattern. There isn't a single 2 or more cost minion in the game to have more than the allowed number of stats without some sort of a drawback. And even among the 1-drops, most of them follow the rule of max 3 stats. If the base amount of stats for 1-drops was 4, I would understand. But right now only some 1-drops arbitrarily get 4 stats, and I was just wondering what the logic behind it might be.
Hearthstone has very clearly been in a power creep for years now. Released cards are substantially growing in power. It’s their way of boosting pack sales by forcing people to need the cards to stay relevant but we are beginning to feel the consequences.
Saronite Chain Gang, Doppelgangster, Big-time Racketteer, Swamp King Dred, Malorne, Deathwing, Mad Aspect + many others.
I do agree that some 1-drops are more powerful than they should be, but If 1-drops were statted in the same way that other cards were, then they would see little to no play. Compare Voidwalker and Goldshire Footman.
Similarly, if high-cost cards were statted like lower-cost cards, then they would also see no play. Sure, a 2-mana (3/3) is great, but a 10-mana (11/11) would be garbage.
It's good you pointed out at cards that summon other cards. These cards all seem to break the curve - Silver Hand Knight (a Classic common card) is 12 stats for 5 mana (max stats for 5 is 11). But it seems Blizzard decided a 4/4 and a 2/2 is less than a 6/6 (maybe because of mass removal). So I can see the logic behind it.
Swamp Kind Dred and Deathwing, Mad Aspect are both above the curve, but they do have a "drawback".
Good spot on Malorne; he does break the curve. I think it's the only card (there might be others) that costs more than 1 mana and surpasses vanilla stats without a drawback (and I do realize many cards are far stronger, but they do need synergy).
Back to the 1-drops, I do have the impression that there is no clear answer. I do agree that 1-drops would generally see little play if they weren't good enough, but there were also several 1-drops that saw play and didn't need to break the stat-per-mana ratio (some even ended up being nerfed).
Maybe one day Blizzard will shed some light on the subject, possibly explaining why they decided to allow for 1 mana 1/3s. Or, maybe, one day there will be no more 1 mana 1/3s in the game. Remember, when 1 mana 1/3s were made, Fiery War Axe was still 2 mana (and still able to kill everything on curve).
Maybe I just care too much about inherent game balance. Not that it matters much with the direction HS is taking today. It's just something that always puzzled me.
Thank you all for your replies, have a good day.