Ban and Balance Update: 12/24

Ban List Changes

Ashnaar, Frost Herald, Broderick Langforth, and Magistrix Dianas will be added to the Classic Ban List, and some Reborn cards will be changed, effective Thursday, December 19th.

The following cards remain banned in these formats:

Classic:

• Aquatic Form

• Ashnaar the Frost Herald

• Azaloth

• Blizzard

• Broderick Langforth

• Hesriana

• Magistrix Dianas

• Unending Breath

• Winter Veil Disguise Kit
  
  Contemporary:

• Ashenvale**

• Bottled Light

• Etched Dragonbone Girdle

• Grglmrgl

• Leader of the Pack

• Legacy of the Horde**

• Lord Kur’talos Ravencrest**

• Mazu’kon**

• Sava’gin the Reckless

• The Last Relic of Argus**

• Viewless Wings

• Winter Veil Disguise Kit

Ban List Suspect Testing

The Suspect Testing list is a new thing we are trying, and a sort of grey zone adjacent to the ban list. Wavestorm Totem and Retainer Marcus have the potential to be banned. Anub’arak, the Traitor King and Envoy of Mortality are temporarily unbanned. We will take a look at results over the next few Classic tournaments and do some testing over the next 6 months, and then revisit the Suspect Testing list.

Nerfed Card Changes

The Raid keyword has been changed. It now reads: Raid (When another ally you control attacks, if this ally can attack, you may exhaust it. If you do, the attacking ally has +X ATK, where X is this ally’s ATK +1 for each keyword both allies have.)

• Warlord’s Command: Raid change.

• Blackrock Flamebender: Raid change.

• Blackrock Grunt: Health reduced from 3 to 2.

• Gobblosh Heckyell, Warsong Wannabe: Raid change.

• Kargath Bladefist, Shattered Hand Warlord: ATK reduced from 7 to 5.

• Thunderlord Beastmaster: Raid change.

• Thunderlord Farseer: Raid change.

• Thunderlord Grunt: Raid change.

• Thunderlord Warbringer: Raid change.

• Warsong Battlesinger: Raid change.

• Warsong Farseer: Raid change.

• Warsong Grunt: Raid change.

• Warsong Packleader: Added “Clan or Monster Hero Required.”

• Warsong Raider: Raid change. Changed triggered power condition to “another ally you control” instead of “an ally you control.”

• Warsong Wolfrider: Raid change.

• Liu Sageflower: Added “Basic” to activation power.

• Wei Wei: Added “Basic” to activation power.

• Warsong War Wolf: Raid change.

• Tal’rak, Bloody Skull of the Thunderlords: Raid Change

• Frostfire Ridge: Added Capacity of 3.

• Shadowmoon Valley: Added Capacity of 3.

Rules & Superficial Changes

• Unholy Power: Changed to CZE errata.

• Reinforced Steel: Changed to CZE errata.

• Agent Connelly: New alternate art.

• Between a Saurok and a Hard Place: The player now shuffles all cards revealed before putting them on the bottom of their deck.

• Bros Before Hozen: Changed “tag” to “ally type.”

Buffed Card Changes

• Grommash Hellscream, Iron Horde Warlord: Changed cost reduction from 4 for 4 clan-named cards you control, to 1 for 1 clan-named card you control. Changed “Garrosh and Clan allies you control have Dominate: Draw a card.”

• Lunar Inspiration: Now triggers when it enters play.

• Nether Blast: Added “may” to target ally.

• Inebriating Brew: Changed from Basic to Instant.

• Stagger: Now triggers only on your turn, instead of every turn. Adjusted amount that is removed to be less confusing.

• Cloak and Dagger: Completely redesigned. The previous version was worse in every way to Smoke Screen.

• Ancient Amani Longbow: Changed cost from 4 to 3.

• Jade Serpent Staff: Changed cost from 3 to 2.

• Ogre Mage Staff: Now triggers when you deal damage, not before.

• Storm-Stave of Antonidas: Added +1 magical damage.

• Wu Lai, Bladed Fan of the Consorts: Changed ATK from 1 to 2.