Live Balance Changes - Aug 13
The following live balance changes will be applied at 10:00 AM Pacific on August 13th:
[h2]Starting Life: 2 → 1[/h2]
After the last pass at starting life totals for Paths, most look to be in a better spot. Turn of Seasons was moved from +1 to +2 in that patch in anticipation of the impact of the other life total changes. It's overperforming at 2 so we're putting it back to 1.
[h2]COST: 2B → 2BB[/h2]
Arctic Pyre, like Knoll of Conquest, represents a bit too much power for Rainbow's End decks. While we do enjoy the cards we can create when doing enchantments that spawn minions on Awaken, we're reigning each of these back in just a bit.
[h2]...deal 2 damage to your opponent. → ...deal 1 damage to your opponent.[/h2]
As stated above, just removing a bit of power from Pyre and Knoll and moving the damage deal to face should make it a little less likely you have to contest this every time it's played.
[h2]COST: 7GG → 8GG[/h2]
Iku-Turso is a pretty large body for 7 mana so we're pushing it to 8 to slow down the power curve of the Dreni top end a bit.
[h2]COST: 6GG → 7GG[/h2]
Some more slowing of the Dreni top end. This did leave us with no 6 cost green spells so we're moving Sanguine Steel to 6, as it's not performed well since it was released.
[h2]COST: 7GG → 6GG[/h2]
Moving Terminal Calculus to 7 left a gap in the curve that we decided to fill by moving Sanguine Steel down. We don't expect this to make the card significantly better but now it might be worth thinking about.
[h2] 1/4 → 1/3[/h2]
Venomfang Mutant's large defensive stat line was contributing to rogue aggro strategies being hosed by control decks just a bit too often. Reducing its health should allow for more clean kills where aggro decks aren't throwing all their bodies to a field of 2 Venomfang Mutants.
[h2]...deal 2 damage to the minion... → deal 3 damage to the minion...[/h2]
Orange has been fairly weak for a while now so we're making a few targeted buffs to some of its lesser-played cards.
[h2]Divination 4 → Divination 5[/h2]
This change is particularly exciting. Lamp of Wonders was definitely not a weak card before but wasn't really showing up outside of Rainbow's End decks. We think this in conjunction with a change we're making to Notarize Reality could make for some neat use for Lamp outside Rainbow decks while also still giving some help to Rainbow decks affected by the nerfs to Arctic Pyre and Knoll of Conquest.
[h2]COST: 2O → 1O[/h2]
Moving Notarize Reality to 1 is a little scary. We have this dream where some new aggro strategies around using Notarize on 1 to hit a buffed minion on 2 could open up some playability for some otherwise lesser-played 2-drops. This is one we'll keep a close eye on and follow up on if needed.
[h2]6/3 → 6/5[/h2]
Arcanovore was launched in a weaker state due to how potentially large it gets. We've found that to not be the case in practice and will move some additional power into the initial body.
[h2]2/5 → 2/6[/h2]
Giving Comb Trader an extra health should make it a bit stickier and more likely you can live your item-flinging dream more than once.
[h2]COST: 3PP → 2PP[/h2]
This change is not going to affect when Mirror Pack is played but will give you the 1 extra mana for aforementioned item-flinging dreams.
Any copies of Arctic Pyre, Knoll of Conquest, Iku-Turso, Terminal Calculus, or Venomfang Mutant that were crafted on or after July 25th will be eligible for a full refund.
Turn of Seasons
[h2]Starting Life: 2 → 1[/h2]
After the last pass at starting life totals for Paths, most look to be in a better spot. Turn of Seasons was moved from +1 to +2 in that patch in anticipation of the impact of the other life total changes. It's overperforming at 2 so we're putting it back to 1.
Arctic Pyre
[h2]COST: 2B → 2BB[/h2]
Arctic Pyre, like Knoll of Conquest, represents a bit too much power for Rainbow's End decks. While we do enjoy the cards we can create when doing enchantments that spawn minions on Awaken, we're reigning each of these back in just a bit.
Knoll of Conquest
[h2]...deal 2 damage to your opponent. → ...deal 1 damage to your opponent.[/h2]
As stated above, just removing a bit of power from Pyre and Knoll and moving the damage deal to face should make it a little less likely you have to contest this every time it's played.
Iku-Turso
[h2]COST: 7GG → 8GG[/h2]
Iku-Turso is a pretty large body for 7 mana so we're pushing it to 8 to slow down the power curve of the Dreni top end a bit.
Terminal Calculus
[h2]COST: 6GG → 7GG[/h2]
Some more slowing of the Dreni top end. This did leave us with no 6 cost green spells so we're moving Sanguine Steel to 6, as it's not performed well since it was released.
Sanguine Steel
[h2]COST: 7GG → 6GG[/h2]
Moving Terminal Calculus to 7 left a gap in the curve that we decided to fill by moving Sanguine Steel down. We don't expect this to make the card significantly better but now it might be worth thinking about.
Venomfang Mutant
[h2] 1/4 → 1/3[/h2]
Venomfang Mutant's large defensive stat line was contributing to rogue aggro strategies being hosed by control decks just a bit too often. Reducing its health should allow for more clean kills where aggro decks aren't throwing all their bodies to a field of 2 Venomfang Mutants.
Shimmer on the Sand
[h2]...deal 2 damage to the minion... → deal 3 damage to the minion...[/h2]
Orange has been fairly weak for a while now so we're making a few targeted buffs to some of its lesser-played cards.
Lamp of Wonders
[h2]Divination 4 → Divination 5[/h2]
This change is particularly exciting. Lamp of Wonders was definitely not a weak card before but wasn't really showing up outside of Rainbow's End decks. We think this in conjunction with a change we're making to Notarize Reality could make for some neat use for Lamp outside Rainbow decks while also still giving some help to Rainbow decks affected by the nerfs to Arctic Pyre and Knoll of Conquest.
Notarize Reality
[h2]COST: 2O → 1O[/h2]
Moving Notarize Reality to 1 is a little scary. We have this dream where some new aggro strategies around using Notarize on 1 to hit a buffed minion on 2 could open up some playability for some otherwise lesser-played 2-drops. This is one we'll keep a close eye on and follow up on if needed.
Arcanovore
[h2]6/3 → 6/5[/h2]
Arcanovore was launched in a weaker state due to how potentially large it gets. We've found that to not be the case in practice and will move some additional power into the initial body.
Comb Trader
[h2]2/5 → 2/6[/h2]
Giving Comb Trader an extra health should make it a bit stickier and more likely you can live your item-flinging dream more than once.
Mirror Pack
[h2]COST: 3PP → 2PP[/h2]
This change is not going to affect when Mirror Pack is played but will give you the 1 extra mana for aforementioned item-flinging dreams.
Any copies of Arctic Pyre, Knoll of Conquest, Iku-Turso, Terminal Calculus, or Venomfang Mutant that were crafted on or after July 25th will be eligible for a full refund.