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Update 11:57PM EDT: Added blue tweets.
Leeroy Jenkins & Starving Buzzard Changes Confirmed
Earlier this morning, some people noticed changes to Leeroy Jenkins and Starving Buzzard. These changes were quickly reverted on the server side but it seems that they were intended changes and will be going live on or around September 22nd.
Quote from ZeriyahBoth before and after the release of Curse of Naxxramas: A Hearthstone Adventure, we have been monitoring card balance as more Hearthstone games are played along with the new cards that have been added. After careful consideration we have decided to make balance changes to Leeroy Jenkins (Neutral) and Starving Buzzard(Hunter).
The following balance changes will be made in an upcoming patch:
- Leeroy Jenkins now costs 5 (up from 4)
- Starving Buzzard now costs 5 (up from 2) and now has 3 Attack and 2 Health (up from 2 Attack and 1 Health)
Leeroy Jenkins created a strategy that revolved around trying to defeat your opponent in one turn without requiring any cards on the board. Fighting for board control and battles between minions make an overall game of Hearthstone more fun and compelling, but taking 20+ damage in one turn is not particularly fun or interactive. This was occurring when Leeroy was used in combination with other cards like Power Overwhelming, Faceless Manipulator, Cold Blood, Shadowstep, and Unleash the Hounds, among others.
The amount of cards Starving Buzzard allowed Hunter players to draw ultimately ended up being too excessive for its low cost. This change will allow the Hunter’s opponent more time to react to both the Starving Buzzard and the cards drawn by its power.
Expert cards that are being changed can be disenchanted for their full cost for a limited time once this balance change goes live. The currently targeted date of this balance change is September 22nd.
After these balance changes go live on September 22nd, we will not be making additional card changes between September 22nd and the Hearthstone World Championship at BlizzCon.
We will continue to make balance changes to Hearthstone only when we feel they are completely necessary in order to increase the variety of cards seen at all levels of play and make Hearthstone a more fun and interactive game for everyone.
Blue Tweets
Twitter, and the rest of the Hearthstone community outlets have been on fire this evening with questions and various emotions. Below are some important tweets from the Hearthstone team on the nerfs.
Quote from Blizzard on TwitterI cant stop thinking how Buzzard nerf is just too much, I believe in your balance team but this seems like a overnerf.
It's possible. But if I had to choose a card to over-nerf, it'd be buzzard! :) (But we'll see, time will tell!)
Coupled with maybe Hunter's Mark from 0 to 1 mana cost.
Didn't want to change too much right now. It's important that game feels stable. - Ben Brode (Source)You say it's possible that the Buzzard nerf is overkill. Does that mean you'd be open to a buff later if the change kills hunters?
I don't think this will kill hunters :) - Ben Brode (Source)My thoughts on Buzzard nerf: Gadegetzan Auctioneer is a 4/4 for 5. Buzzard is 3/2 for 5. Similar abilities. Can't buzzard be 3 health @ 5mana?
We tested lots of numbers and this felt best :) - Ben Brode (Source)Buzzard, 2 or 3 mana, 2-1 "Whenever a beast dies, draw a card." - what's wrong with going this route?
Our balance team tried a lot of options - we feel pretty good about the one we settled on. Give it a try! - Ben Brode (Source)Can Leeroy be a 7/2 for 5 please I'm kinda gonna miss him
He's still around! - Ben Brode (Source)
You're right still good at 5 manaWhy no Flare nerf? i wanna play my secrets pally already.
Buzzard nerf is indirect flare nerf. You might see less Hunter, which means you run into flare less.
Also, less Hunters might mean less reason to run flare for remaining hunters, since less secrets to run into.
That said, we are still looking at Flare. It's possible we could see a change to it in the future, if it's still frustrating. - Ben Brode (Source)Buzzard should be 2/1 for 3 battlecry draw a card. Draw 2 if you have a beast in play
That's a pretty different card. We could make that card, too! It's very different, emotionally, though. - Ben Brode (Source)Just to clarify, we will get to disenchant these for full value after the changes, right?
Buzzard is basic and cannot be disenchanted. Leeroy can be disenchanted for full cost once the change goes live. - Zeriyah (Source)
1: Leeroy nerf? Alright, no problem with that
2: Buzzard nerf? Wtf is this? 5 mana cost for a 3/2 draw beast? That nerf will kill this card i swear, make it a 2/2 3mana cost or 3/2 4 mana or 2/3 4 mana, but 5 mana cost is just a wtf nerf, might as well delete it entirely ima just use that effin auctioneer (sarcasm), if your to nerf our buzzard, nerf that auctioneer too, no?
Ive maining hunter since launch and yes it was op and still is (less), but cmon Blizz, youre just killing it now QQ
Im a hunter and im ok with a Buzzard nerf, but to make i t a goddamn 5 mana cost for a 3/2 thats effin bs, make it idk : 3 mana and 2/2 or 4 mana and 3/2 but 5 mana for this crap is just horrible, makes me wanna quit....
Ikr, this is bs, i mean ive been playing this class since launch and yes it was op and had nerfs, but this one is overkill, make it 3 or 4 mana, fml...
UtH was a minor nerf meant to curtail the overuse of the Hunter without breaking the strategy. We've since learned that doesn't work. Hunter was simply too damn easy to play, with obvious and easily accesable synergies, and a powerful payoff. Now your gonna need some skill instead of hiding behind the Hunter's can't miss recipe.
Today is a glorious day.
So glad I kept my recently acquired Leeroy #2. Cant wait to get a value Sylvanas / Alexstraza :D
Well, At least ill get 3200 Dust for my golden Leeroy :)
does it really work that way? because I have a golden one as well and have been wondering.
that's what blizzard does i guess. keep nerfing cards the community whines about until a class is virtually unplayable. oh well. grats zoo players.
I don't think the devs ever explicitly said it was overkill, they just conceded that it may be a bit too much. But they also said they tried a lot of different stats and costs and this is what worked out best. Anywho, guess we'll see how it works out! I never liked how dependent hunters were on buzzard unleash combo maybe we see some interesting variations of hunter on the horizon.
I wonder what all those hunters are gonna be using in the empty 2 mana slot now :-D seriously though, they might as well get rid of the card altogether... or, I don't know, make it interesting, replace it with a spell that lets you draw based on how many beasts you have on board with a scaled mana cost or something, this is just making it an obsolete minion... Weird how they're having a really tough time balancing hunter properly, though, UtH has been changed, what, 3 times now? If they really wanna promote more control-orientated play other things need to be changed, the hero power comes to mind as a prime example, I'm not saying it makes decks other than aggro inefficient, but aggro decks certainly benefit from it most...
The Leeroy nerf is "okay", Buzzard nerf is plain retarted.
To increase the mana cost by 1 for Leeroy still makes him playable and still you going to use him the way like before, only some combinations won't be possible anymore. Its okay and fair, probably was needed.
A Buzzard nerf was needed, but from 2 to 5 mana with 3/2 stats?? There is no other creature around 5 mana which is weak like this. Thats really fucked up and i am sure them going to change it soon enough.
for anyone who thinks the buzzard nerf is okay and hunter will be still playable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx5yLgyE-hs
YES!!! Finally!! I'm pretty sure a lot of players were really frustrated with this almost hunter exclusive meta. Thanks Blizzard!
YES!!! Finally!! I'm pretty sure a lot of played was really frustrated with this almost hunter exclusive meta. Thanks Blizzard!
At this pace it's not to long before Angry Chicken becomes the best card in all decks....... :)
HAHAHA good changes, I love it. I am sick of Hunters.
RIP Miracle...
Such a fun deck.
ANYONE bitching and moaning about the buzzard nerf can kindly just stop, there was nothing balanced around potentially drawing 12 cards. (two best case scenario combos, but still hunters get usually 2-4 per combo on avg anyways i'd say... and for all you hur-durrs out there that's a buzzard plus 6 dog UTH, twice for 2 pairs of the combo) that kind of draw power and turn around is what makes hunter that 'RETARD BRAINLESS AUTO PILOT PLZ NERF OP' consistency, its already strong and consistent as is...
How many times have you played hunter and were scared to commit to trying to win because of a UTH Buzzard combo turn around? (on turn 5 no less? arguably the turning point for when a match is decided... have you ever played zoo as a hunter and had the combo and literally took the abuse to turn 5 so you could out card advantage him for days and force him to pretty much concede cause hes going card by card and you are freaking out you have no space in your hand? pfft plz. The buzzard needed to get the hell outta here. I also EXTREMELY agree with the flare thoughts... A little absurd for a card to break traps, AND draw a card for 1. Its NEVER bad, worst case scenario its a 1 mana cycle and everyone can agree that's good. like REALLY good. They are master of traps and master of breaking them too? kinda bullshit seeing as like 4 classes uses secrets to fucking begin with... that's all I gotta say
Thank you based Blizzard for these nerfs. I extremely look forward to the meta change. Starving Buzzard RIP IN PEPPERONIS
Yeah it was OP because you could draw up to 12 cards (10 max though???)...I've never seen it, but...then you get to play those 12 (10) cards on your next turn. That sounds unfair to me also...when has this EVER happened ??