Hearthpwn

I've seen several suggestions as to how to nerf the snake (most unreasonable, as killing a card that an entire archetype is built around is as bad as making it too strong). 

I have thought about how to change the card, and what the problems are with it. Most people seem to want to lower its amount of Health stolen, but in the matchups where it is really strong, I don't think dropping it to 8 really changes too much. 

What I think they should do, is just make its effect go off at end of turn, rather than be a battlecry. This would, in very niche situations, make it stronger than it is now if it lives (very, very unlikely to ever happen). But ultimately, removes the ability to bounce hold a wincon off of it.

This preserves the initial intent of the card, being an instant 20 Health swing, while also removing it's un-interactive aspects.

decent idea

Just reduce health steal from 10 to 5. Games with 5 brewmasters are idiotic, no matter how weak will they nerf it, it should be halved.

How about dropping it's number down to 5, but add "deal another five if you excavated 8 times this game", like The Azerite Scorpion? Still combo material, but pushed further back in the match.

Quote from ZagniefMaster >>

Just reduce health steal from 10 to 5. Games with 5 brewmasters are idiotic, no matter how weak will they nerf it, it should be halved.

 

 Lol this is just killing the card and nothing more. 

I'm thinking this (health steal from 10 to 5) is the easiest solution, and still deserving for a tier 4.

Without a nerf, a health steal from 10 is effectively a difference of 20 hp... he is 10hp harder to kill, and you are 10hp easier to kill.
Which is really overpowered.

We don't want the meta to become an aggro one because everyone is trying to kill off warlock asap.
And kill off all the highlander decks who need a bit more turns to have some Reno fun. =)

probably make it cost 6

I think increasing the cost would be enough. That would buy a lot of time which gives decks time to pressure or draw into hand disruption. It's only really annoying right now because they can play it 3 times by like turn 8.

I doubt they're going to increase the cost considering all the azerite legendaries are 4 mana 5/5. no need to break the theme and increasing the cost doesn't really fix the issue. Reducing it to 5 damage or honestly just a complete rework would be better. It's an incredibly unhealthy card for the game in its current state regardless of how good it is, because as long as it exists control or combo decks will be significantly worse. It's either aggro, or warlock.

The problem is that if they nerf the card too much, Warlock won’t stand a chance in the current meta. 

Deal 5 damage to all enemies, gain health of the total damage done.

Quote from Netw777 >>

Deal 5 damage to all enemies, gain health of the total damage done.

 Ah, 4 mana 5/5 Battlecry cast Flamestrike and gain 20-30 health. I think that is even more busted than the current iteration. 

i mean why is it not just a normal lifesteal? the reason its so busted is because it actually takes away your max health, there is absolutely no way to play around it. at least if it was life steal yo ucould heal back up. 

Snake is too slow anyways. Just make a hyper aggro deck and enjoy

Go ahead and kill it already. My launch experience has been facing: Warlock, Warlock, Warlock, Warlock, Druid, Warrior, Warlock, Warlock, Warlock, DK, Warlock, Warlock, Warlock.

Utterly ridiculous card and just insanely toxic. Not only is the card stupid broken, warlock also got the best excavate cards in the game and they have insane removal to back it up.

Increase the mana cost of the excavate spell to 2 mana, decrease the Attack value of the excavate taunt to 2 and increase the cost of the Snake to… 5 ?

this is my bet on the nerfs. I think the design of the snake is dumb (because it polarises meta even more) but they will probably not change it

They could change it to something related to fatigue now that i think about it.

I think the main problem with the Azerite Snake is the "steal" part. So my best bet it that they'll nerf it to just deal damage instead (probably with lifesteal) and bring it down from 10 to 5, but your suggestion is also very likely that it will be an "end-of-turn" or "deathrattle" effect rather than a "battlecry" to stop or at least slow down the combo and give the opponent the possibility to clear it.

It literally took people less than 8 hours to figure out and all play Excavate Warlock in day 1 of expansion, thanks the design team for knowing how to ruin the expansion so quick.

After experiencing various opposite decks, Azurite Snake is fine. The other decks just as busted. Leave it alone.