Today (9/19/2017) is the day that the 9.1 Hearthstone “Balance” patch is live. Balance, the spec in World of Warcraft named for the ability of a Druid to embrace both the solar and lunar powers to blast their foes with magical powers doing extreme damage. Unfortunately for Hearthstone players, 9.1 “Balance” is far from these mystical destructive forces for our nature-loving Malfurion players.
The Jade Golem deck has become one of the most feared decks in Hearthstone, and though beatable, poses a LOT of threat which doesn’t slow down. The ability to continuously grow a Jade Golem army while cycling more ways to produce more and more powerful Giants of tree-hugging green death is definitely cause for concern to keep a healthy standard format. However, I feel Blizzard has gone too far with their attempt to even the playing field and instead has taken the staple card and core concept of the druid deck and took a nerf ax to it like a lumber jack during clear-cutting. The question becomes when a Jade Golem falls in the forest, does it make a sound?
In this video, I break down each of the 9.1 “Balance” patch changes and look at Blizzard’s reasoning and other options they considered. Some of the changes I can stand behind but you will find out quickly and often that 1 of the core changes of this update I’m completely and wholeheartedly against; not because I play the card or even enjoy the decks it is in, but because it is a core piece to an entire class which has been with us since launch. The card has no place to be changed in the way they did or in the ways they considered as alternatives. What card is it? The Card that I feel Blizzard has turned their back on in a poor attempt to become Wizards of the Coast and their knee-jerk bannings in their Magic Modern Format?
Here’s a hint: Turn 1: Innervate, Innervate, Jade Blossom, Wild Growth. A turn that even a squirrel would say “Wow! That’s nuts!”