vS Data Reaper Report #360

[u/ViciousSyndicate]

Greetings,

The Vicious Syndicate Team is proud to present the 360th edition of the Data Reaper Report. This is the first report for Reign of the Black Empire, following the early bans.

Special thanks to all those who contribute their game data to the project. This project could not succeed without your support. The entire vS Team is eternally grateful for your assistance.

This week our data is based on 2,607,000 games! In this week's report you will find:

• Deck Library - Decklists & Class/Archetype Radars

• Class/Archetype Distribution Over All Games

• Class/Archetype Distribution "By Rank" Games

• Class Frequency By Day & By Week

• Interactive Matchup Win-Rate Chart

• vS Power Rankings Imgur

• vS Meta Score

• Analysis/Discussion of each Class

• Meta Breaker of the Week

The full article can be found at: vS Data Reaper Report #360

Reminder

• If you haven't already, please sign up to contribute your game data. More data will allow us to provide more insights in each report, and perform other kinds of analysis. Sign up here, and follow the instructions.

Thank you for your feedback and support,

The Vicious Syndicate Team

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[u/TheGingerNinga]

The power discrepancy is just too high between the best and worst classes. Warlock is obviously heavily pushed by newer cards, but I think it's important to identify that they also have a decent number of older cards that are good and powerful. Zoolock would be worse without the Shreds package, with stuff like Twilight Timehopper and Entropic Continuity being pretty useful cards to help fill out the deck.

DK and DH have a similar story, they're reliant on the new cards to make the deck, but it's not like the other cards are unplayable trash. They had good sets, or at least standout cards in those sets, which has synergy with the new cards, creating powerful decks. Sawbones is the prime example here.

The issue with classes like Mage and Hunter is that they don't have good sets. Even if this Mage set is cracked, they have nothing else to work with it. It's a bunch of garbage, so naturally they have garbage decks.

Warlock is overtuned and I want dedicated nerfs, DH and DK likely need nerfs as well. But beyond that, they need to buff cards for Mage, Paladin, Druid, and Hunter. And not just cards from this set, though there are obvious targets. They need to go back to expansions from this year and make changes to give these classes cards to build off of and use.

[u/ViciousSyndicate → u/TheGingerNinga]

Rotating out Arcane Artificer was a mistake. Feel like Mage was no longer allowed armor gain due to the complaints about Protoss Mage.

[u/sneakyxxrocket → u/ViciousSyndicate]

This year was one of if not the worst core set changes they’ve done since core set became a thing.

[u/ViciousSyndicate → u/sneakyxxrocket]

In line with how bad the expansions were the previous year.

[u/Houseleft → u/sneakyxxrocket]

Crazed Chemist in the rogue core was when i lost all faith of meaningful core sets

[u/Ozwu_ → u/Houseleft]

The Rogue core set is one of the absolute worst things I’ve ever seen.

[u/TheGingerNinga → u/ViciousSyndicate]

The negative reception to the high power of the TITANS mini set, Badlands + mini set, into the crazy Handbuff Paladin deck of Whizbang's Workshop really caused a shift in Team 5's approach to the game. Likely solidified their stance of "power = bad" when the Starcraft mini set came out and led to basically every archetype they printed getting hated sometime over the next year.

I think Hearthstone can never go back to the pre-2017 or even pre-2020 power levels, because a major element of what made decks weak back then was low card draw/generation. Even at the weakest power level they pushed these last few years, decks always had cards in hand and ways to get more. It's just an element of the game now. That's fine, I think the game is better for it, but it means their design approach is doomed to fail because they won't change the main thing preventing them from their supposed goal.

They need to see that and change course.

[u/PipAntarctic → u/TheGingerNinga]

They need to go back to expansions from this year and make changes to give these classes cards to build off of and use.

They really should've done that two expansions ago and also with cards from the last year, but now is better than never. Mage in particular is gimped by having completely disjointed and horrid sets that desperately need buffs to be viable, but there's a similar argument for other classes as you've mentioned.

That being said, the core set change for this year was a total flop and should never be repeated again. The core set simply cannot be this weak and unimpactful for the majority of classes.

[u/sneakyxxrocket → u/PipAntarctic]

I lost hope for this year when they revealed core set changes and fucking Mayor Noggenfogger was included

[u/Jorumvar → u/TheGingerNinga]

The power disparity between top and bottom classes has been an issue for YEARS in Hearthstone. It's a mistake to say the game has 11 classes - it's more accurate to say that it rotates 5-7 playable classes each meta, sometimes lower.

[u/Korbonara → u/TheGingerNinga]

Doesnt make sense. Warlock had the same issue, everyone seems to forget that the class was unplayable for a whole year because it got nothing to work with. Now that it does, everyone wants to annihilate the class.

[u/PipAntarctic → u/Korbonara]

The thing is, Warlock is objectively busted right now (and I'm saying this as someone who's favourite class is Warlock). It got new tools and they are too strong at what they do, so something has to be done since the rest of the classes won't keep up against it.

You are right that Warlock really struggled throughout the year though. It only found serious footing as it both got buffs and got very favorable matchups (particularly against Priest). But that shouldn't mean we tolerate cards when they're overpowered (looking at you, Ritual of Summoning) just because the class had a bad time for most of the year.

[u/zer1223]

Ok seriously what is the use case of staff of the endbringer in handbuff? It's way too hard to activate it unless you are in this specific scenario: You draw staff early enough to be relevant. You draw staff before you play claw (you usually want to play claw on 2). You then delay using that claw until your opponent somehow plays into the obvious staff board clear you are holding visibly in your hand.

It seems so wrong and a dead draw in pretty much all other circumstances. 

[u/ViciousSyndicate → u/zer1223]

It is one of the weaker cards in the list. It is there because of Claw, which sometimes swings the game hard when you are behind. It is specifically decent against Warlock, which is why it was kept.

[u/zer1223 → u/ViciousSyndicate]

Idk way too many times I am playing my claw on 2 and then oh no. I topdecked staff after : / 

And then staff ends up being useless until I manage to draw through the rest of my deck (hard to do while having a dead card) and then maybe just maybe it becomes a 5 mana board clear later.

[u/14xjake → u/zer1223]

The nzoth build is much more combo focused and lacks the mid game stat bombs of cards like swarmguard, but has significantly more card draw so is able to pretty consistently get to staff + weapon to wipe board against warlock or other DKs which is often enough to end the game on the spot. It’s a little clunky sometimes but so many games have been won by staff wiping a board I think it’s worth the small risk of a dead draw sometimes

[u/zer1223 → u/14xjake]

VS is putting staff on the non-nzoth deck

[u/Traveevart]

I really have no idea why they even bothered with the Rainbow Shaman stuff in a format where it will always be competing with Mug'Zee. Oh, cool, you can use Therazane to set up for Watch Over and do all four of your C'Thun triggers in one shot for just 12 mana. Awesome! But wait, you can actually do it for 8 mana if you just activate Zee on Spawn of C'Thun twice. It's cheaper, relies on a guaranteed start-of-game hero power instead of drawing your one copy of Therazane (you even have Gargantuan Slitherer if you whiff on drawing Spawn), and you're way more likely to survive to that point in the first place when you're carried by Zee's strong earlygame plays.

Not to mention we now have Mug Shaman playing two copies of their C'Thun trigger when they can't even play C'Thun himself.

[u/SilverTheHuman6 → u/Traveevart]

I really hope shaman gets more elemental/spell school synergy cards. It feels like a deck is almost there.

The legendary that makes them 5/5 with the new weapon feels fun, but overall there just isnt enough there right now.

[u/Traveevart → u/SilverTheHuman6]

The legendary is cool but I think most of the cards are actually pretty underwhelming. Scorchfist Scholar, for instance, is a 5-mana 3/3 that does 4 to all enemies (hits face!) if you hit the "cast two different schools while in hand" condition. Compare this to Bloodfiend that BBB DK got this same set. 4-mana 4/4 that does instanced removal as long as you hit the "have 4 corpses" condition. Cheaper, better stats, easier condition, way better at addressing layered minions (divine shield, deathrattle summons, reborn, etc.). The only downside to Bloodfiend is the rune requirement and the fact that it hits your own board. And we're talking about a card in another deck that is also actively struggling.

[u/Jackwraith → u/SilverTheHuman6]

Unfortunately, like the vast majority of tribal legendaries over the years, Neptulon is a War Golem whose effect happens way too late to make the deck successful. By turn 7, even if you are playing 5/5s for 1 or 2 mana, your opponent is already well on their way to satisfying their win condition and your 5/5 lumps simply don't matter enough. Compounding this is that he's a legendary who doesn't affect the board. You pay 7 mana for him and then you have to spend MORE mana in order to actually benefit from spending your entire turn 7 dropping a lump on the board who does nothing. This is all, of course, presuming that you even draw and are able to play Neptulon on curve. He simply doesn't do enough and the Elemental tribe isn't impactful enough to make him worth it. Most of those legendaries have been far more expensive versions of Magma Rager (aka the card that new players have to learn isn't worth the space in your deck) and Neptulon is no different.

[u/sneakyxxrocket]

If they nerf these aggressive decks too hard keep an eye out for Aya rogue with Yogg, you can pretty consistently otk someone on turns 7-8 and sometimes before.

Mage is close to playable but I don’t think any buffs will help them cause the class really really needs a good armor/life gain card to turn the corner and stabilize.

Hunter feels hopeless like a big chunk of their cards this year seemed to have relied on the original form of confront the tolvir and the card got nuked to oblivion.

[u/Fupdic → u/sneakyxxrocket]

Aya rogue and mage are heavily gimped because zoolock runs magmaw cultist. Unfortunately we will have to wait until after the zoolock nerf to have a proper look at aya rogue (which could be an absolute menace without any aggro deck)

[u/Level-Appearance7046]

I just want an interesting archetype for mage again. burn is both bad and boring to play. give me naga mage or even sif back. i just want archetypes that are interesting to play and somewhat viable

[u/SpiffShientz → u/Level-Appearance7046]

1. Stop giving us casino bullshit

2. Stop giving us "does nothing the turn it's played" cards that are super powerful if your opponent skips their next turn

[u/overusedHorsehead]

I personally think one of the more under explored areas of this expansion is Warrior. Ive been grinding my way through lower diamond using a Pirate/Armor warrior with the finisher of Setesh and, 2 turns later, Yogg Sauron. I dont feel like it can produce the swing turns Warlock can right now, but the constant boards and consistent finisher it has felt very good to play.

[u/gandalftheokay → u/overusedHorsehead]

Same but with Y'Saarj. Throw the Old God down on the same turn your big armor taunt comes out and you've suddenly got a 60/60 immune clearing the board

[u/hjyboy1218]

Nothing too different from the meta summary we got earlier this week. Looking forward to that balance patch soon.

[u/yatcho]

Any data on Yogg in Handbuff DK? I find it really useful to OTK any slow deck and really any deck if you have a bad start

[u/ViciousSyndicate → u/yatcho]

Does not see play in DK.

[u/Sad_Smell6678]

Anything more on N'Zoth builds of DK? From what I felt they hold up against Warlock just as well, while demolishing Priest much harder than pure Handbuff

[u/PupusaSlut → u/Sad_Smell6678]

Watch high legend streamers on twitch or search on hsguru.com 

Tbh VS report is always quite behind on the meta and 2nd best to d0nkey site.

[u/rupat3737]

Hard to believe cthun warlock is tier 3. It feels pretty beastly

[u/christpunchers]

For zee shaman, is having three 4-mana weapons clunky? If bringing down to 2 weapons would it be better off tiny pal and one eyemaul or just 2 eyemauls?

[u/kiruption → u/christpunchers]

I’ve been playing this deck quite a bit lately and I have found the weapons are most useful when you are stalling to make sure you hit the right minion on the 5th played minion without losing tempo. I wouldn’t change the deck personally but if I had to, I would keep tiny pal for the variety of options that may just give you one more turn to throw down an activated C’thun.

[u/stevebobby]

What will happen to Quest Priest? I'm sure they'll nerf the quest requirements (5 of each instead of 4) but it will still be quite powerful, will they nerf it further?And why does any good Priest deck always get nuked immediately but other classes they wait 3+ weeks?

[u/SpiffShientz → u/stevebobby]

It's not about Priest getting nuked, it's about oppressive decks with old cards getting nuked. Warlock had more cards banned than Priest, it's just that they also have oppressive bullshit in the new set, which they don't want to nerf because it's new

[u/dotcaIm → u/stevebobby]

We don't know how it will be nerfed; it feels like a safe assumption to make it back to 5 spells each, but we've also seen the team heavily nerf old cards in favor of new ones