Preview of Balance Changes for 3.13

[Gondorian]

Hi, all!

We're very pleased to announce balance changes coming in 3.13.


SHATTERED FATES

Bloodfang - Ability changed to "5SE: Target ally with claw attack in your hand is summoned at no cost, and it gains +1 base attack and +1 health if it is a Wulven ally." (from "5SE: Target Wulven ally in your hand is summoned at no cost, and it gains +1 base attack and +1 health.").

Gravemonger - Ability changed to "When Gravemonger is summoned while there are at least 6 cards in a graveyard, you may exile target card in a graveyard and Gravemonger gains +2 base attack and +2 health." (from "When Gravemonger is summoned while there are at least 6 cards in your graveyard, you may exile target card in your graveyard and Gravemonger gains +2 base attack and +2 health.").

Ravager Zealot - Stats changed to 2/5 (from 3/3). Ability changed to "When Ravager Zealot is summoned, you may destroy target item or ability you control; if you do, Ravager Zealot gains haste and then takes 1 damage." (from "When Ravager Zealot is summoned, you may destroy target item or ability you control; if you do, Ravager Zealot gains haste.").

Embers of the Just - Ability changed to "Attach to target opposing ally and that ally is set ablaze. If Embers of the Just is targeted and destroyed on your turn, target opposing hero or ally takes 4 arcane damage and you draw a card." (from "Attach to target opposing ally and that ally is set ablaze. If Embers of the Just is targeted and destroyed on your turn, it is returned to your hand and target opposing hero or ally takes 4 arcane damage.").


LOST LANDS

Sabreen - Ability changed to "While Sabreen is the only ally you control, she has haste. 1: Target card in your hand is discarded: target opposing ally takes 2 arcane damage." (from "While Sabreen is the only ally you control, she has haste. 1: Target card in your hand is discarded: target opposing ally takes 3 arcane damage.")

Towering Brute - Ability changed to "Towering Brute has +2 attack while damaged. Opposing allies with cost 3 or less have -2 attack the turn they are summoned." (from "Towering Brute has +2 attack while damaged. Towering Brute has +2 attack while in combat with allies with cost 3 or less.")

Eternal Troll - Ability changed to "When Eternal Troll is killed while no friendly Eternal Troll entered play this turn, it is returned to play." (from "When Eternal Troll is killed while it didn't enter play this turn, it is returned to play.").

Aldmor Sentry - Abiity changed to "Aldmor Sentry can't be disabled, and opposing allies have meek the turn they are summoned. 2SE: Target non-Aldmor ally is disabled for 2 turns." (from "While no opposing hero has more shadow energy than your hero, Aldmor Sentry has defender. 2SE: Target non-Aldmor ally is disabled for 2 turns.")

Ancient of Aldmor - Base attack reduced to 1 (from 9). Ability changed to "For each Aldmor ally you control, Ancient of Aldmor costs you 1 less resource to summon. Ancient of Aldmor has +X attack, where X is the amount of shadow energy your hero has stored." (from "For each Aldmor ally you control, Ancient of Aldmor costs you 1 less resource to summon. Ancient of Aldmor has -X attack, where X is the greatest shadow energy of all opposing heroes.").

Thriss Crucible - Ability changed to "When Thriss Crucible is targeted and destroyed, it is returned to play as a readied Ravager ally with 2 claw base attack and 5 health and then takes 1 damage." (from "When Thriss Crucible is targeted and destroyed, it is returned to play as a readied Ravager ally with 3 base attack and 3 health.").

Groundshift - Ability changed to "Duration 1. When Groundshift is summoned, the active location is exiled. Heroes and allies lose all passive abilities." (from "Duration 1. Sustain 1HP. When Groundshift is summoned, the active location is exiled. Opposing allies lose all passive abilities.").

Shadow Cannon - Cost reduced to 4cc (from 5cc).

Lorhon: Twilight Encampment - Non-controller ability changed to "0SE: If an opposing Twilight ally was killed this turn, all friendly allies gain +1 health." (from "0SE: If an opposing Twilight ally was killed this turn, all friendly allies gain +1 health and this location is exiled.").

Sosilo: Brother's Landing - Turn Number reduced to T4 (from T5).

Anmor: Garina Road - Turn Number reduced to T4 (from T5).

Irum: Lightning Quarry - Non-controller ability changed to "2SE: All allies take 2 damage. Shuffle this location into its owner's deck." (from "2SE: All allies take 2 damage. Exile this location.").

Racksul: Warped Desert - Controller ability changed to "0SE: The next card owned by an opposing player to be exiled this turn is placed in your hand." (from "0SE: The next card to be exiled this turn is placed in your hand.").

Yahari: Valley of Doom - Controller ability activation cost up to 4SE (from 3SE).


Feel free to comment below with your thoughts!

[Gondorian]

(Reserved for any clarifications)

Clarification on Eternal Troll:

This is basically a weaker form of just making it unique, since we identified the usage of multiples as the problem with it.

1) If you only ever had 1 Eternal Troll out at a time, it behaves exactly the same as before.

2) If you have 1 or more Eternal Trolls out at the start of the turn and you summon another one that turn, then none of them will be able to be revived because a friendly Eternal Troll has entered play this turn.

3) If you have 2 or more Eternal Trolls out at the start of the turn, and one is killed during the turn, then that one will be revived. After that, the other(s) won't be because a friendly Eternal Troll has already entered play this turn.

4) If multiple friendly Eternal Trolls are killed "at the same time" (e.g. Tidal Wave), then the first in SRO will be revived, but the rest will go to the graveyard.

[liathis]

Could you give an example of the change of the Eternal Troll, I'm not sure I follow completely . Thanks

[RandomGuy]

Yay balance changes!

[Deja Vu]

Could you give an example of the change of the Eternal Troll, I'm not sure I follow completely . Thanks

Example: You have two Trolls on the board. I kill the 1st troll, it comes back to play. I then kill the 2nd troll, it stays in the graveyard and the same goes for the other one. So instead of having to kill the two trolls 4 times, you'll only have to kill them thrice.

EDIT: Surprise Bloodfang buff is awesome!

[Gondorian]

Example: You have two Trolls on the board. I kill the 1st troll, it comes back to play. I then kill the 2nd troll, it stays in the graveyard and the same goes for the other one. So instead of having to kill the two trolls 4 times, you'll only have to kill them thrice.

You got it! I added a clarification to post 2 while you were replying!

[Kosmiker]

Bloodfang: A welcomed buff, time will tell if it's enough to bring back the big bad wolf into the game.

Embers: Exactly the kind of fix I supported, away with the recursive ability.

Sabreen: It's still Sabreen, some will like it and others will say it wasn't enough. I don't mind.

Towering Brute: From a beast into a tool (shadow needed something anti haste with all the zalshards around).

Eternal Troll: Fixes the "too many on board" problem.

Aldmor Sentry: Another tool against the zalshards and more. Good buff, I'm sure more sentrys will be seen now.

Ancient of Aldmor: Fair enough.

Groundshift: Ouch! Not sure about this one... if our own allies are gonna suffer then the 1HP sustain should have gone too.

Shadow Cannon: Who knows? Still needs a solid deck that works with it.

Lorhon: No idea if it's good or bad, time will tell.

Sosilo: Meh

Garina: Meh

Irum: Gives some strenght to the location, welcomed buff.

Racksul: Now with only half the value might cripple some exile decks.. not sure it was the right move because any narrowing of the type of decks/strategies isn't good.

Yahari: Still a good board wiper even if a bit more expensive.

[dejvo]

What is the point of releasing LL when all the cards are nerfed and get no use at all? Also, why do you ask for our opinions when they are disregarded? Vast majority said the troll is ok, and now it is nerfed for no reason. Thanks for making Sosilo T4, to bad you killed it with 3.12 nerf.

[neratza713]

Which monster with claw did you have in mind when changing bloodfang's ability? Not that I complain, at least it is something, but with the current pool what can I get for 5 SE that has an immediate impact on board? Ogloth? No. Brakkong? nah. So, unless an ally with claw attack enters with the next set with either haste or an ablity similar to furrior terror or forgotten horror, this buff will not help him at all.

Why the change in Racksul: Warped Desert ? It was mediocre at best, since its secondary abillity is quite powerful, benefiting the opponent more most of the times.

Embers of the just got a major hit. Maybe to answer my previous question, there would be an option to maybe get an embers with racksul and Wizent's Prayer but not anymore. At least jericho will have some more flavor now and unfortunately go down on the tier list. Unless he gets a way to get his hands on the graveyard.

Rest of the changes are interesting.

[itachiuchiha]

Finally Less destruction in card then my imagination thanx gondo but just wana say pls dont nerf sabreen again bc people not gonna like her after nerf too