Update

Hearthstone's Dean Ayala chats about cutting Arena cards in the next patch

Without balance, we'll fall

Hearthstone's Dean Ayala chats about cutting Arena cards in the next patch

As I'm sure you guys have seen recently, Hearthstone's Dean Ayala has been chatting about what's coming next for Arena on the game's blog page. On top of making newcomers to the mode feel at less of a disadvantage when choosing classes, it looks like the team's got some other big changes in store.

To elaborate on the classes problem, Ayala writes that though the three classes available at the beginning are supposed to be balanced, the past two updates have seen Mage and Rogue bouncing back and forth as the top two most played and most powerful classes with Paladin sitting in like an awkward third wheel.

To help balance things out a little, Blizzard has decided to banish some of the more powerful cards, similar to Clash of Clans' balance update last month. Not all of them however. Apparently the strong spells and weapons provide some excitement and unpredictability in Arena, so breathe a sigh.

In addition to leaving these cards alone, iconic cards will also be untouched as they are more versatile regardless of your level. It looks like that on top of the more powerful cards headed for the chop, the lower-performing cards are next in line to get cut to make room for more commonly utilised ones.

So far the cards to say bye-bye to are:

Mage

- Forgotten Torch
- Snowchugger
- Faceless Summoner

Rogue

- Goblin Auto Barber
- Undercity Valiant

Paladin won't see any changes. Shaman

- Vitality Totem
- Dust Devil
- Totemic Might
- Ancestral Healing
- Dunemaul Shaman
- Windspeaker

Warlock

- Anima Golem
- Sacrificial Pact
- Curse of Rafaam
- Sense Demons
- Void Crusher
- Reliquary Seeker
- Succubus

Druid

- Savagery
- Poison Seeds
- Soul of the Forest
- Mark of Nature
- Tree of Life
- Astral Communion

Warrior

- Warsong Commander
- Bolster
- Charge
- Bouncing Blade
- Axe Flinger
- Rampage
- Ogre Warmaul

Hunter

- Starving Buzzard
- Call Pet
- Timber Wolf
- Cobra Shot
- Lock and Load
- Dart Trap
- Snipe

Priest

- Mind Blast
- Shadowbomber
- Lightwell
- Power Word: Glory
- Confuse
- Convert
- Inner Fire

Check out Hearthstone's full blog post here to learn more.

Emily Sowden
Emily Sowden
Emily is Pocket Gamer's News Editor and writes about all kinds of game-related things. She needs coffee to function and begrudgingly loves her Switch more than she lets on.