The Hearthstone meta, post-Unleash-the-Hounds

It is a gloomy day for Hunter fans, and a joyful one for anti-Hunter players following Blizzard Entertainment’s new announcement about an upcoming balance change for Hearthstone. The infamous Unleash the Hounds card will have its mana cost increased from 2 to 3.

Unleash the Hounds has always been known for its role as a game-changer for Hunters, as a combination with Starving Buzzard on a board full of opponent minions will result in a massive payoff of cards drawn, allowing the Hunter to make an instant comeback.

This card’s lack of weaknesses is evident in the Hunter’s viability at all ranks of the ladder; its cheap cost allows it to synergize with other cards like Timber Wolf or Hunter’s Mark for an immediate and effective blow to the opponent.

Before this recent change in the meta, Hunter dominance had ground the usually creative Hearthstone deck-building community to a halt. Fortunately, the game designers were quick enough to pick up the need for a fix!

What does the new Unleash the Hounds card spell for the meta game?

This Hunter nerf will probably result in the return of Shaman and Warlock decks, as they are generally weak against Hunters but now have a greater fighting chance. The current meta is presently at its most varied since Hearthstone’s release; Hunters are not seen as often as expected, and people are tinkering with all nine classes available in the game.

With the breathing space afforded by the new change, it is a great time now to explore the different decks you have in mind. One may yet be the next dominant one!

Silfer is a passionate gamer, who wishes to grow gaming communities and the eSports scene; he is also the founder of Hearthstone Alley.

(Image sources: 1, 2)