25.0.3 Patch Notes - Balance Changes For Constructed & Sire Denathrius Obtainability Change
Blizzard just published Patch Notes 24.6.2 featuring Constructed balance changes as well as Sire Denathrius obtainability change.
Added Change
(This is not the final solve for this interaction, still temporary, just better to leave it this way instead of totally banned for the moment. Hoping to get a more final fix out next week that preserves both cards' functionality, without going infinite.)
— Celestalon (@Celestalon) December 10, 2022
Quote from BlizzardPatch 25.0.3 is a data-only patch going live today with updates to two Standard cards.
Card Updates
Dev Comment: We set up this balance window to address any changes we wanted to make immediately after the expansion launched. Shockspitter is exactly that type of card, ending games sooner, more easily, and more consistently than we intended. Sire Denathrius is a card we have had our eyes on for some time, but we wanted to see how he performed in the new expansion first. With a couple days of data, we can see that it is still a very popular and polarizing card, warping early meta development in a way we want to address before the World Championship (December 16-18).
This balance update was reserved for only the most standout cards immediately after expansion unlock. We’ll continue to keep our eye on how the metagame develops and make any further adjustments needed in our next balance window, reserved for a few weeks from now.
Sire Denathrius
- Old: Lifesteal. Battlecry: Deal 5 damage amongst enemies. Endlessly Infuse (1): Deal 1 more.
- New: Lifesteal. Battlecry: Deal 5 damage amongst enemies. Endlessly Infuse (2): Deal 1 more.
Shockspitter
- Old: [Costs 2]
- New: [Costs 3]
The above craftable cards will be eligible for a full dust refund for two weeks following Patch 25.0.3. As a reminder, regular Sire Denathrius was a free card and can’t be crafted or disenchanted.
Other Hearthstone Updates
- Players who did not receive the uncraftable Legendary Sire Denathrius last expansion cycle will now be granted it upon opening their first Murder at Castle Nathria pack (along with Prince Renathal, which is already obtained in that way). It will be removed from the “Long Live the King” Achievement in a future patch to complete this swap over. As this is a grant of an uncraftable Legendary, there is no gameplay impact for any players who unlock him two different ways during that time period.
Our own graphics for these changes [Click on the image to enlarge it]
March of the Lich King Card List & Expansion Guide
Learn more and see all the cards in our dedicated Card List.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)It will certainly prevent the turn 7 OTK.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)2 to 3 mana for the Shockspitter makes it a little harder to one turn kill but it can still be done. now decks will need a little more control in them since they have to wait until 9 or 10 mana to do the combo.
side note.. now it's a great time to disenchant my 20 copies of the card ;)
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Tbh this is more fair as by the time the Hunter would be able to do the OTK you’d be dead already anyway. The hunters could take a 50 health DK down to zero in just 10 turns with the 2 mana ShockSpitter
tbh though Shockspitter isn’t the core problem, Brann is. But we’re stuck with Brann for another 4-5 months until the next Core rotation happens
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)This fixes zero issues with Druid.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)It cuts their Denathrius bomb damage in half. It fixes quite a few issues.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)I have no idea what the Denathrius nerf will do to the meta, but one thing is for certain: the meta will change. A lot.
Also, new players can now actually get Sire Denathrius now! Prior, the way to unlock Denathrius was... by dealing 600 damage with Denathrius. I shouldn't need to tell you the problem here.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)4 months too late - Astalor is what sire should have been, you have to play it twice before the final pay out, YOU KNOW they have it in their hand because of it, the dmg is capped at 8+8 and you KNOW the only way they can get more is with brann - I.E its well signaled that this is going to happen - with sire among other problems with the card is that you've no idea if they have it in their hand and sometimes it doesn't matter because guff druid will kill you with some other bullshit 20 mana combo.
These changes are too little too late.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Good nerfs. More will be needed, but a solid start.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Shockspitter still needs a nerf to deal damage to minions only. Make Brann a battlecry or HoF him
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Standard never fails to ruin a good Wild card lol
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Wild is irrelevant and should never be taken into consideration when making balance adjustments. Stay mad.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Wild chads : dont ever complain, uses any cards, have fun, say well played when OTK'D
Standard virgins : cry every 2 weeks for nerf, ragequits when OTK'D, watches streamers instead of playing
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)I still think a Brann is a problematic card too.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Brann limits design space for every battlecry minion that they print. But either way, shockspitter would work at 2 mana even without bran.
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Finally :
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)RE NA THAL
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Nah I'm goo, I wanna be able to play fun off-meta/meme decks without dying to braindead aggro pre turn 5
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Posted Dec 9, 2022 (March of the Lich King)Wow! That patch was unexpected but its welcome!