The most recent Hearthstone expansion, Scholomance Academy, has received its first batch of balance changes. A long-awaited nerf to two cards in Standard and multiple revisions in the Battlegrounds shake up the meta. A total of three BGs heroes and eight minions are getting the changes that would render the players feel like its a brand-new game.
The Battlegrounds Makeover
Perhaps the most significant change the developers have made to the newest Hearthstone game mode yet. Murloc’s tier six minion, Gentle Megasaur, has been removed entirely from the minion pool. As it stands before, murlocs have been the best tribe in the game with its late-game scaling. Paired with Brann Bronzebeard, the Megasaur adapts all your minion on board twice that can be a divine shield and poisonous.
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The tier two-unit Arcane Cannon has a 2/2 stat that can’t attack but deals two damage to a random minion after adjacent unit attacks. The minion is fairly poor-performing when it comes to the late game but is extremely powerful and even overpowering in the early stages of the match. Players will have to find a substitute for this kind of power as this has been removed from the pool, too.
A few other changes that are just as impactful follows:
- Rabid Saurolisk: From 3 attack, 2 health to 4 attack, 2 health Rat Pack: From Tavern Tier 2 to Tier 3 Pack leader: From Tavern Tier 3 to Tier 2 Monstrous Macaw: From 3 attack, 2 health to 4 attack, 3 health Primalfin Lookout: From Tavern Tier 5 to Tier 4; and now only Discovers minions from your current Tavern Tier or below Nat Pagle, Extreme Angler: Now has a new effect that reads, “After this attacks and kills a minion, add a random minion to your hand.” These random minions also respect your current Tavern Tier. Mama Bear: From Tavern Tier 6, 5 attack, 5 health that gives +5/+5 when you summon a beast to now a Tier 5, 4 attack, 4 health that provides +4/+4. Goldrinn, the Great Wolf: From its deathrattle effect that gives beasts +4/+4 to now buffs +5/+5.
On top of all these, Lady Vashj is taking a break from the Battlegrounds. Captain Eudora’s hero power has been changed to five digs for a Golden minion from four. Reno Jackson’s Gonna Be Rich! hero power now costs 0 from two, as well the Lich King’s Reborn Rites. Galakrond’s hero power, Galakrond’s Greed, now freezes the minion added to Bob’s Tavern.
Minor Standard Changes
This patch has not abandoned standard players too. The ever so famous and turn-winning plays of Kael’thas Sunstrider has been changed to every third spell the player casts costs one mana that turn, instead of 0. Mindrender Illucia is nerfed to cost three mana from two.