22.0.2 Patch Notes - Balance Changes (BG, Constructed), Arena Update, Bug Fixes & More
Blizzard just announced 22.0.2 Patch Notes that will go live later today. Let's take a look at what's new.
Quote from BlizzardPatch 22.0.2, launching today, includes balance changes for Standard and Battlegrounds, a system update for Mercenaries, and more!
Standard Balance Updates
Dev Comment: We’re coming up on two weeks since the launch of Fractured in Alterac Valley and, while players are still finding success with quite a variety of strategies, we want to open up the format further. This patch is mainly focused on weakening some of the stronger, combo-centric strategies that have had long-term success throughout the Year of the Gryphon.
The following cards have been adjusted down in power:
Celestial AlignmentAlliance Bannerman
- Old: [Costs 7] → New: [Costs 8]
- Dev Comment: Although Celestial Alignment is not usually a card used for from-hand, burst damage, it does frequently allow for absurd turns that happen a little earlier than we feel is healthy. Moving it up a mana should allow for more setup and counterplay before Celestial Alignment is cast.
Efficient Octo-bot
- Old: 2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 1 Health
- Dev Comment: Paladins have a very consistent, powerful package of cards that they can include in quite a few distinct strategies. Alliance Bannerman is one of these cards that can fit into a wide range of decks. Lowering its Health by one should tone down Paladin decks by a small amount across the board.
Snowfall Guardian
- Old: [Costs 2] → New: [Costs 3]
- Dev Comment: Efficient Octo-bot has been a little too efficient at the upper echelons of play. We’re slowing it down as part of the general goal of toning down the power level of combo strategies.
Touch of the Nathrezim
- Old: [Costs 5] → New: [Costs 6]
- Dev Comment: Snowfall Guardian was designed with the intent of giving Freeze Shaman decks a powerful tool, but it is a little too efficient at locking up the board, especially when combined with cards like Brilliant Macaw. Moving it up one mana should soften the power of this interaction.
Runed Mithril Rod
- Old: Deal 2 damage to a minion. If it dies, restore 4 Health to your hero. → New: Deal 2 damage to a minion. If it dies, restore 3 Health to your hero.
- Dev Comment: Touch of the Nathrezim is meant to be a solid removal option for slower Warlock decks, but the overall Health restoration in Warlock is slightly too high. This is meant to be a softer change that leaves Warlock with a powerful removal option, but reduces overall Warlock healing capabilities enough to bring that aspect of the class back in line.
Bloodsail Deckhand
- Old: [Costs 4] → New: [Costs 5]
- Dev Comment: Runed Mithril Rod was an incredibly strong tool in the first few days after the launch of Fractured in Alterac Valley. While players were able to find a counter to it in cards like Rustrot Viper, we believe going up a Mana here will lead to healthier play patterns for the game overall.
Irondeep Trogg
- Old: 2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 1 Health
- Dev Comment: We’re reverting our previous change to Bloodsail Deckhand. Questline Warrior ended up slightly stronger than intended, and we believe it will continue to find success after this change.
Mo'arg Artificer
- Old: After your opponent casts a spell, summon a copy of this. → New: After your opponent casts a spell, summon another Irondeep Trogg.
- Dev Comment: Irondeep Trogg has the capability of running away with games very early when combined with minion buffs like Noble Mount or Doggie Biscuit. Taking into account the rest of the changes we’re making with this patch, we want to adjust Trogg to remain a viable counter to early spells, but to better match the targeted power level of the format as a whole.
- Old: [Costs 2] 2 Attack, 4 Health → New: [Costs 3] 2 Attack, 5 Health
- Dev Comment: Mo'arg Artificer does too much, too efficiently for decks with large amounts of removal. Increasing its cost by one will make the card a little less efficient as a tool for cheap clears, large amounts of life gain, and combo finishers.
The collectible cards listed above will be eligible for a full dust refund for 2 weeks after the 22.0.2 patch goes live. Bloodsail Deckhand is not eligible for the dust refund, because it's a Core Set card, not a collectible one.
Dev Comment: Alongside the changes above, we’re also making a couple adjustments aimed at powering up slower Mage decks and the less powerful Hero Cards.
The following cards have been adjusted up in power:
Beaststalker TavishGrey Sage Parrot
- Old: [Hero Power Costs 3] → New: [Hero Power Costs 2]
Magister Dawngrasp
- Old: [Costs 8] 6 Attack, 6 Health → New: [Costs 6] 4 Attack, 5 Health
Wildfire
- Old: [Costs 8] → New: [Costs 7]
- Old: Hero Power: Deal 1 Damage. Honorable Kill: Gain +2 Damage. → New: Hero Power: Deal 2 Damage. Honorable Kill: Gain +2 Damage.
- Old: Increase the damage of your Hero Power by 1. → New: Increase the damage of your Hero Power by 1 this game.
- Dev Comment: This is a minor rework to make it so that Wildfire will now persist after swapping Hero Powers. Although we don’t envision this being dramatically impactful, we do think it will allow for a smoother gameplay experience with Hero Power changing cards like Magister Dawngrasp.
Battlegrounds Balance Updates
HERO UPDATES
SneedTamsin
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 1 (0 Armor) to Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)
- Sneed’s Replicator
- Old: [Costs 1] → New: [Costs 2]
Scabbs Cutterbutter
- Fragrant Phylactery
- Old: [Costs 0] Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its Health to all your others. → New: [Costs 1] Start of Combat: Destroy your lowest Health minion. Give its stats to all your others.
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 2 (2-5 Armor) to Tier 1 (0 Armor)
Cariel Roame
Deathwing
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 6 (6-9 Armor) to Tier 7 (7-10 Armor)
Millificent Manastorm
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 4 (4-7 Armor) to Tier 5 (5-8 Armor)
Overlord Saurfang
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 3 (3-6 Armor) to Tier 5 (5-8 Armor)
Patches the Pirate
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 6 (6-9 Armor) to Tier 7 (7-10 Armor)
Trade Prince Gallywix
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 3 (3-6 Armor) to Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)
- Armor Tier changed from Tier 4 (4-7 Armor) to Tier 2 (2-5 Armor)
MINION UPDATES
Prized Promo-DrakeDazzling Lightspawn
- Old: 5 Attack, 5 Health → New: 3 Attack, 3 Health
- Old: 4 Attack, 5 Health → New: 2 Attack, 5 Health
Mercenaries Update
- All Heroic Level 30 Bounties will now include at least one pile of Legendary Coins (chosen from the selection of Coins designated for each Bounty) as part of their Bounty completion rewards.
Arena Update
- Abominable Lieutenant is no longer draftable in Arena.
Bug Fixes & Game Improvements
- The base versions of Drek'Thar and Vanndar are now eligible for full dust refunds. We will be doing a separate update later on patch day to grant additional Arcane Dust to players who already disenchanted either card.
- Fixed a bug where the Duels treasure Impcredible Trousers did not properly shuffle the imp portals.
I was laughing because i knew Irondeep Trogg would be the first to get nerfed even before this expansion dropped, no idea what they we're thinking releasing it originally. It was like a Undertaker in the Naxx days. You put a single buff on it and how do you clear them all in time?
Minion combat
Hey everyone! The big nerf to pirate warrior was a success! Earlier I faced one and was able to ping off their 2/1 on turn 2 with my hero power and successfully saved 2 damage to face which didn't matter at all because Defias Cannoneer is still stupidly overpowered and Mr. Smite burst damage post quest completion is just balls!
We can all go back to enjoying the game again. Whew!
Changes are pretty good imo
How do you dare to say something good about Hearthstone? Don't you know where you are? You must have lost your mind.
The only people that lost their minds are the ones that think these changes fixed the meta. they did nothing and if you played at high ladder you would know this.
What is your idea about Trogg replacement in paladin decks now ? Some random 1-drop card ? (Righteous Protector)
This depends on concrete archetype in paladin. There is no universal answer.
Aaaand we're back to FatigueLocks, Pirate Warriors and probably to Quest Hunters too.
Oh boy, can't wait to see how that new upcoming expansion "Fractured in Alterac Valley" is gonna shake up the meta!
Fatigue Lock is based on Rod too, so if Rod is too slow for Owl Lock now, so is for Fatigue Lock.
Owl Lock still OP, rank 3 to legend today, only 3 lose
Sure, that's why Owl Lock and Fatigue Lock, according to HSReplays, are T4 decks with a 45% and 40% win rate after the nerf?
https://hsreplay.net/meta/
I don't even play constructed anymore but judging by your weekly opinions I'm guessing Blizzard might want to look into nerfing some of those quest cards
And Warlock is still a fucking cancer, ty Blizzard.
But what i can expect from the company that does not test shit.
The fact that my post is downvoted just proves my point.
I wish all warlock players to go and suck off pirate warrior players, happy new year, cunts.
Cards are op cause the effect, not the stats lel
Bannerman probably would be played even if its stats were 1/1
It would. Grimestreet Outfitter was played. Bannerman costs 1 more to draw a card that is guaranteed to be buffed by its effect.
Refund is now live?
It is live now. Go dust them.
Moarg and Octobot should go to 4. Never want to see them again.