Patch 18.0.2 - Balance Changes - Kael'thas, Illucia & Battlegrounds
Blizzard announced the first Balance changes for Scholomance Academy, including some Balance changes for Battlegrounds.
Tuesday Update: Patch now LIVE.
Quote from Alec DawsonMindrender Illucia was quite strong, stronger than what we want out of cards like Mindrender Illucia (Star Student Stelina, Glide, etc.). We expected players to continue to learn how to take advantage of her, especially in the early game.
Quote from Alec DawsonKael'thas Sunstrider created too many turns that didn't feel like they should be possible. This change is aimed at eliminating some of those non-games that could occur because of his ability.
Quote from BlizzardIn the coming days we’ll be releasing a balance patch that includes a slew of Battlegrounds updates, adjustments for two minions in Standard, and handful of bug fixes.
Standard Balance Updates
Kael’thas Sunstrider
- Old: Every third spell you cast each turn costs (0). → New: Every third spell you cast each turn costs (1).
Mindrender Illucia
- Old: [Cost 2] → New: [Cost 3]
Mindrender Illucia will be eligible for a full dust refund for two weeks after the 18.0.2 patch goes live.
Battlegrounds Minion Updates
- Gentle Megasaur has been removed from the Battlegrounds minion pool.
- Arcane Cannon has been removed from Battlegrounds minion pool.
Rabid Saurolisk
- Old: 3 Attack, 2 Health → New: 4 Attack, 2 Health
Rat Pack
- Old: [Tier 2] → New: [Tier 3]
Pack Leader
- Old: [Tier 3] → New: [Tier 2]
Monstrous Macaw
- Old: 3 Attack, 2 Health → New: 4 Attack, 3 Health
Primalfin Lookout
- Old: [Tier 5] → New: [Tier 4]
- Now only Discovers minions from your current Tavern Tier or below.
Nat Pagle, Extreme Angler
- Old: Overkill: Summon a 0/2 Treasure Chest. → New: After this attacks and kills a minion, add a random minion to your hand.
- Minions generated are from your Tavern Tier or below.
Mama Bear
- Old: [Tier 6] 5 Attack, 5 Health. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +5/+5.→ New: [Tier 5] 4 Attack, 4 Health. Whenever you summon a Beast, give it +4/+4.
Goldrinn, the Great Wolf
- Old: Deathrattle: Give your Beasts +4/+4. → New: Deathrattle: Give your Beasts +5/+5.
Battlegrounds Hero Updates
- Lady Vashj has been removed from the Battlegrounds Hero pool.
Captain Eudora
- Buried Treasure
- Old: Dig for a Golden minion! (4 Digs left.) → New: Dig for a Golden minion! (5 Digs left.)
Reno Jackson
- Gonna Be Rich!
- Old: [Cost 2] → New: [Cost 0]
The Lich King
- Reborn Rites
- Old: [Cost 1] → New: [Cost 0]
Galakrond
- Galakrond’s Greed
- Now freezes the minion added to Bob’s Tavern.
Bugs Fixes & Game Improvements
- Fixed a visual bug with Archwitch Willow’s play animation.
- Fixed a bug where Southsea Strongarm was showing incorrect art.
- Fixed a bug where casting Puzzle Box of Yogg-Saron with Rattlegore on board would cause the game to freeze.
- Fixed several technical bugs that would cause the game to crash.
Kael'thas is dominant in wild even in his current form, I doubt they'll revert this nerf.
Yeah it´s so great watching your opponent the hole turn casting spell after spell in your face to finish you in one turn starting at T3-5 most of time. I´m glad they will finally change this.
That's all the nerfs? Not even Lighting Bloom or Guardian Animals?
Only problem is this makes Murlocs completely unplayable. They really needed to replace Megasaur with something or they should have just removed Murlocs. Still better than live, though.
We can live in a world where murlocs do not exist :^)
you can still play murlocs, but you must go for stats now, buff attack and health, it is posible to play them, the change just make them not to be the total overloards of the late game
Murlocs are the only race that can get permanent DS and Poisonous and it took them this long to realize that's too good. They can still stat higher than Demons and Beasts while having a full Poison team so they're definitely not unplayable or even bad.
wow Battlegrounds playable again? count me in !!!
seems like very good balancing so far IMHO
Called the Kael nerf.
thats why they gave him to us for free no refunds
Why are they calling it changes for Standard? Kael'thas gets a lot of run in Wild too.
I play a lot of Mechathun in wild. Delaying the combo to turn 9 might essentially kill the deck viability.
And honestly, I haven't seen Illucia as oppressive at all.
the fuck are these nerfs? i need dust
Blizzard's new balancing ways are nice. In the past it was either no nerfs for ages or the sledgehammer that obliterated any chance of the card still being played. They seem to have gone for more delicate work lately, small changes that when not successful can be augmented further. The only outlier in this regard has been Shaman Galakrond nerfs.
Unpopular opinion- Illucia is fine. Sure, its a crazy effect that can win games but most of the time its a dead card in hand. Another point to make is that it is a very skill intensive card. You can't just throw it out and expect to win on the spot.
Yeah, I'm not really sure where this is coming from. I haven't seen a lot of anger and crying about Illucia. Guardian Animals, Potion of Illusion, and Tortollan Pilgrim are far more worthy of nerfs currently. The first for power level, the other two to destroy the NPE of that particular combo deck.
I agree altho I think it's good that she went to 3 mana. When you have high value cards like Soul Mirror or Murozond you really do not want to play her even if it would be good as you can just get countered and end up in a worse position. And uf you have Galakrond you cant play her but then you have dillemma if you tempo out Galakrond or to wait till he gets to the max power level and value but then you might lose a good Illucia turn. And against combo deck you might just do a useless play which cost you the game or by not playing lose to the combo. It is a high skill level card