It’s not often that a Hearthstone patch is basically all nerfs, but the latest patch 24.3 slows down many of the game’s problematic cards in the current meta, including some rare Wild nerfs.
Right out the gate, we’re seeing nerfs for Warrior. Warrior has dominated higher ranks in recent weeks thanks to a reworked Kazakuzan card which allows them to close out a game after controlling all of their opponent’s threats. While Kazakuzan isn’t seeing any nerfs this patch, Control Warrior’s other tools like From the Depths and, most notably, the “Colossal” minion Nellie The Great Thresher is receiving a massive nerf. See the details below.
Nellie’s Pirate Ship (the Colossal appendage summoned by Nellie, the Great Thresher)
Old: Taunt. Deathrattle: Add Nellie’s Pirate crew to your hand. They Cost (1). → New: Taunt. Deathrattle: Add Nellie’s Pirate crew to your hand. They Cost (1) less.
Colossal was a keyword added in the latest Voyage to the Sunken City expansion for Hearthstone. The Colossal keyword is accompanied by a “+” indicator and a number, telling players that the minion actually adds extra bodies to the board. These bodies typically have effects that synergize with the base creature.
In the case of Nellie The Great Thresher, Nellie has a Battlecry to select three pirates to add to Nellie’s ship. When Nellie’s ship died, these pirates were added to your hand and would only cost 1 Mana. This allowed players to pick expensive pirates like Mr. Smite (who gives all pirates Charge) and do a lot of damage with only 3 Mana. This new nerf puts a stop to this instant riposte after already forcing players to answer Nellie herself.
Another key change is a change to Lightning Bloom, a Druid-Shaman dual-class card that used to give 2 Mana and Overload for 2 Mana next turn (Overload locks these mana crystals for a turn, exchanging power now, for a lack of Mana next turn).
Instead of adding these crystals, Lightning Bloom now “Refreshes” them. Meaning Lightning Bloom requires players to have empty Mana Crystals to work.
Lightning Bloom
Old: Gain 2 Mana Crystals this turn only. Overload: (2). → New: Refresh 2 Mana Crystals. Overload: (2).
What’s unique here is that Lightning Bloom has rotated out of the Standard format. It’s not often cards get altered after transitioning to Wild, but the card has been so impactful, the Hearthstone team made the decision to nerf it.
