Hearthstone releases patch 23.4.3

Developer Comments on the Map Update

There are a lot of big balance changes coming to Standard (and one for Wild!) in this update that aim to achieve several different goals. First, we want to lower the power level of the strongest decks in the current metagame, the Fel Demon Hunter and Control Warrior variants. Approximately half of the changes in this patch are related to balance and are aimed directly at the win rate of these decks.

The rest of the changes in this patch aren't primarily about power level, but instead focus on improving the experience of playing against some of the most polarizing cards in the game. The following cards have been changed to reduce their power.

Map update

• Shield Shatter Old: Deals 5 damage to all minions. Costs (1) less for each Armor you have. → New: Deal 4 damage to all minions. Costs (1) less for each Armor you have
• Tidal Revenant Old: Battlecry: Deals 5 damage. Gain 8 armor. → New: Battle Cry: Deals 5 damage. Get 5 armor

• Nellie's Pirate Ship Old: Provocation. Deathrattle: Add Nelly's Pirate Crew to your hand. They cost (1). → New: Provocation. Deathrattle: Add Nelly's Pirate Crew to your hand. They cost (1) less.
• From the Depths Old:[Cost 3]→ New:[Cost 4]
• Caria Felsoul Old:[Cost 6]6 Attack, 6 Health. Battlecry: Transform into a copy of a 6/6 Demon from your Deck. → New:[Cost 7]7 Attack, 7 Health. Battlecry: Transform into a copy of a 7/7 Demon from your Deck
• Battleworn Vanguard Old2 Attack, 2 Health → New: 2 Attack, 1 Health
• Wildpaw Gnoll Old: Attack 4, Health 5 → New: Attack 3, Health 5
• Lightforged Cariel Old:[Cost 7]→ New:[Cost 8]
• Spitelash Siren Old:[Cost 4]2 Attack, 5 Health → New:[Cost 5]2 Attack, 6 Health
• Earthen Scales Old:[Cost 1]→ New:[Cost 2]
• Lightning Bloom Old: Gain 2 Mana this turn only. Overload: (2). → New: Refresh 2 Mana Crystals. Overload: (2)
• Mr. Smite Old:[Cost 6]→ New:[Cost 7]
• School Teacher Old: Attack 5, Health 4 → New: Attack 4, Health 3

Update on the Battlegrounds

Hero Power Update

• Onyxia Broodmother-Broodmother Old: Vengeance (4): Summons a 2/1 Whelpling. Attacks immediately. → New: Vengeance (4): Summons a 3/1 Whelpling. Attacks immediately.
• Ozumat-Tentacular Old: passive. Combat Start: Summon a 2/2 Tentacle with Taunt. (Upgrades after selling a minion!) → New: Passive. Combat Start: Summon a 2/2 Tentacle with Taunt. (Gets +1/+1 after selling a minion!)
• Pyramad-Brick by Brick Old:[Cost 1]Give a random friendly minion +4 damage. health. → New:[Cost 0]Gives the minion +2 health. (Gets +1 health every turn when you're not using this!)
• Tamsin Roame-Fragrant Phylactery Old: Start of Combat: Defeat the lowest health minion. Transfer its stats to four friendly minions. → New: Combat Start: Eliminate the lowest health minion. Give its stats to five friendly minions.

Hero Armor Tier Update

The following heroes have been changed to have more armor and are now in the following Armor Tier:

• Al'Akir, Ambassador Faelin, Galakrond, Malygos and Vol'jin are now in Armor Tier-2.
• C'Thun is now in Armor Tier-3.
• Bru'kan, Edwin VanCleef, Fungalmancer Flurgl, and Queen Azsharaare now in Armor Tier-5.
• Deathwing, Elise Starseeker, Illidan Stormrage, Lord Jaraxxus, and Tess Greymaneare now in Armor Tier-6.
• Aranna Starseeker, Cariel Roame, King Mukla, Overlord Saurfang, Rakanishu, The Curator, and The Rat Kingare now in Armor Tier-7.
• The following heroes have been changed to have less armor and are now in the following Armor Tier:
• Alexstrasza, Death Speaker Blackthorn, Ini Stormcoil, Maiev Shadowsong, Patches the Pirate, Shudderwock, The Lich King, Trade Prince Gallywix, and Xyrella are now in Armor Tier-1.
• Reno Jackson is now in Armor Tier-2.
• Dinotamer Brann is now in Armor Tier-3.

Creature Update

• Bubblette Old: Attack 2, Health 5 → New: Attack 5, Health 4
• Tarecgosa Old: Tavern Level 4 → New: Tavern Level 3
• Coldlight Seer Old: Tavern Level 4 → New: Tavern Level 3
• Shoal Commander Old: 1 attack, 2 health → New: 2 attack, 2 health
• Waverider Old: Spellcraft: Gives minion +1/+1 and Windfury until next turn. → New: Spellcraft: Gives minion +2/+2 and Windfury until next turn.
• Critter Wrangler Old: 5 Attack, 6 Health. After you cast Spellcraft on a minion, give it +2/+1. → New: 5 attacks, 7 health. After you cast Spellcraft on a minion, give it +2/+2.
• Corrupted Myrmidon Old: 2 attack, 2 health → New: 3 attack, 3 health
• Tidemistress Athissa Old: AP 7, HP 3 → New: AP 7, HP 8

Mercenary Update

• AlexstraszaDragonqueen's Gambit Old: Cooldown 2 → New: Cooldown 1
• The Lich Kingdeath coilOld: cooldown 1 → New: cooldown 0
• Yu'LonJadeflame Buffet Old: cooldown 1 → New: cooldown 0
• Tidemistress AthissaWave Crush Old: Speed 7 → New: Speed 6 Riptide Old: Cooldown 1 → New: Cooldown 0
• Rexxar Old: max stats 11/72 → New: max stats 11/82
• Xuen, the White TigerEqualizing Strike Old: Speed 7 → New: Speed 5
• Captain HooktuskCutthroat Negotiation Old: Speed 7 → New: Speed 2
• UtherBlessing of Protection Old: Speed 3 → New: Speed 1

Bug fixes and game improvements

• Zarjira's Upstart Acolyte Equipment Freeze effect will no longer trigger if the entire enemy board is already frozen. This will be a temporary fix until the effect is updated to read "The first time you freeze a friendly character every turn, freeze a random enemy."
• Fixed an issue where Reno's Treasure Inspector Equipment would sometimes not work.
• Fixed various localization issues in different modes and languages.