The Cubelock is under attack: Blizzard nerfs numerous cards in Hearthstone to improve the meta. The current expansion “The Witchwood” had only a minor impact on top decks.
There are some annoying decks in Hearthstone. Some of them are just time-wasters, like the Gruesome Mal’Ganis variant. Other decks are extremely strong and played by many. If the community doesn’t develop a suitable counter, Blizzard has to step in. Among those suffering from the upcoming nerf wave is the Cubelock.
What is the Cubelock? The Cubelock aims to quickly get an army of powerful demons on the field. Accordingly, its deck largely consists of expensive cards. It got its name from the Carnivorous Cube. With the right combo, it summons high-level demons for free.
What has changed? For the Cubelock to use its combo, it needs a powerful demon on the field. The card Possessed Lackey was often used for this. If the Warlock played this on turn 5, the end of the game was usually clear. The card now costs 6 mana after the update and delays the combo by one turn.
The second change concerns the Dark Pact. This card helps to trigger deathrattle effects. In addition, it heals the player for 8 health points. This healing will be reduced to 4 with the patch.
How does the change affect? The community has previously discussed increasing the mana cost of the Possessed Lackey. The change seems simple, but it makes a big difference. With one additional turn, powerful cards for countering the Cubelock are unlocked. Moreover, the Warlock must be able to delay the game for another turn.
Paladins and Rogues are also suffering
It’s not just the Cubelock that is unpopular. There are several other decks that are hated by the community. Blizzard is also addressing these.
This change affects Paladins: From Blizzard’s perspective, there are three popular Paladin decks. The Murloc Paladin, the odd, and the even Paladin. The even Paladin and the Murloc Paladin are particularly strong.
By increasing the mana cost of the card Rallying the Troops from 4 to 5, it is no longer playable in the even Paladin. At the same time, the card is slightly weaker in other Paladin decks.
This change affects Rogues: Rogues with the Crystal Core were nerfed once already. However, Blizzard believes that wasn’t enough. Therefore, all minions in Quest Rogue will now have stats of 4/4 instead of 5/5.
Sea Witch of the Naga and Malevolent Summoner also nerfed
Due to the set rotation, the Malevolent Summoner became significantly more powerful. Blizzard compensates for this by increasing its mana cost from 6 to 7. The nerf to the Sea Witch of the Naga is even stronger. Its mana cost rises from 5 to 8.
When will this happen? The nerfs will come with the next patch. Blizzard wants to wait until the end of the HCT playoffs. The last playoff games will be played on May 19 and 20. So it should be next week.
Are you satisfied with these upcoming changes, or should Blizzard have done something differently?
Get all the important information about the latest expansion of Hearthstone: The Witchwood is here – what you need to know
