Hearthstone Core set: What's in and what's out for 2021
Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Over the last few weeks, Blizzard has indicated that Hearthstone will fundamentally change starting with the new Standard year. The Basic and Classic sets are going away, heading off to live in Wild. Standard players will now find a brand new base set of cards called the Core set, one that will see new cards rotate in and out on a yearly basis. On Thursday, Blizzard revealed the Core set and now all that's left is to see what's coming in and look at what's going out.
Shacknews has the full list of Core cards listed below, a list taken from the Hearthstone website. We're also going to compare this to the Basic and Classic sets in order to point out which of the old cards are leaving Standard play with the launch of the Year of the Gryphon.
Demon Hunter
Legendary
(2) Kor'vas Bloodthorn (2/2) - Charge, Lifesteal: After you play a card with Outcast, return this to your hand.
Epic
(3) Eye Beam (Fel) - Lifesteal: Deal 3 damage to a minion. Outcast: This costs (1).
(5) Warglaives of Azzinoth (3/3) - After attacking a minion, your hero may attack again.
Rare
(2) Feast of Souls (Shadow) - Draw a card for each friendly minion that died this turn.
(2) Sightless Watcher (3/2) (Demon) - Battlecry: Look at 3 cards in your deck. Choose one to put on top.
(4) Raging Felscreamer (4/4) - Battlecry: The next Demon you play costs (2) less.
(8) Illidari Inquisitor (8/8) (Demon) - Rush: After your hero attacks an enemy, this attacks it too.
Common
(1) Battlefiend (1/2) (Demon) - After your hero attacks, gain +1 Attack.
(1) Crimson Sigil Runner (1/1) - Outcast: Draw a card.
(2) Chaos Strike (Fel) - Give your hero +2 Attack this turn. Draw a card.
(2) Spectral Sight - Draw a card. Outcast: Draw another.
(3) Aldrachi Warblades (2/2) - Lifesteal
(3) Coordinated Strike - Summon three 1/1 Illidari with Rush.
(3) Gan'arg Glaivesmith (3/2) (Demon) - Outcast: Give your hero +3 Attack this turn.
(4) Ashtongue Battlelord (3/5) - Taunt. Lifesteal
(5) Chaos Nova (Fel) - Deal 4 damage to all minions.
Here are the cards from the Basic and Classic sets that have been removed from the Demon Hunter Core set:
(1) Shadowhoof Slayer (2/1) (Demon) - Battlecry: Give your hero +1 Attack this turn.
(3) Satyr Overseer (4/2) (Demon) - After your hero attacks, summon a 2/2 Satyr.
(3) Soul Cleave - Lifesteal: Deal 2 damage to two random enemy minions.
(5) Glaivebound Adept (6/4) - Battlecry: If your hero attacked this turn, deal 4 damage.
(8) Inner Demon - Give your hero +8 Attack this turn.
Druid
Here are the cards included in the Core Druid set:
Legendary
(8) Cenarius (5/8) - Choose One: Give your other minions +2/+2; or Summon two 2/2 Treants with Taunt. (Note: This card's cost has been reduced from its previous 9 mana.)
Epic
(5) Force of Nature (Nature) - Summon three 2/2 Treants.
(7) Ancient of War (5/5) - Choose One: +5 Attack; or +5 Health and Taunt.
Rare
(0) Innervate (Nature) - Gain 1 Mana Crystal this turn only.
(2) Mark of the Wild (Nature) - Give a minion Taunt and +2/+3. (Note: This card has been adjusted to give a minion +2/+3 instead of +2/+2.)
(4) Nordrassil Druid (3/5) - Battlecry: The next spell you cast this turn costs (3) less.
(6) Nourish (Nature) - Choose One: Gain 2 Mana Crystals; or Draw 3 cards.
Common
(0) Pounce - Give your hero +2 Attack this turn.
(1) Enchanted Raven (2/2) (Beast)
(2) Power of the Wild - Choose One: Give your minions +1/+1; or Summon a 3/2 Panther.
(3) Feral Rage - Choose One: Give your hero +4 Attack this turn; or Gain 8 Armor.
(3) Landscaping (Nature) - Summon two 2/2 Treants.
(3) Wild Growth (Nature) - Gain an empty Mana Crystal.
(4) Soul of the Forest (Nature) - Give your minions "Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Treant."
(5) Druid of the Claw (5/4) - Choose One: Transform into a 5/4 with Rush; or a 5/6 with Taunt. (Note: Changed from "Transforme into a 4/4 with Charge; or a 4/6 with Taunt.)
(5) Menagerie Warden (4/4) - Battlecry: Choose a friendly Beast. Summon a copy of it.
Here are the cards from the Basic and Classic sets that have been removed from the Druid Core set:
(0) Moonfire - Deal 1 damage.
(1) Claw - Give your hero +2 Attack this turn. Gain 2 Armor.
(1) Savagery - Deal damage equal to your hero's Attack to a minion.
(2) Wrath - Choose One: Deal 3 damage to a minion; or 1 damage and draw a card.
(3) Healing Touch - Restore 8 Health.
(3) Mark of Nature - Choose One: Give a minion +4 Attack; or +4 Health and Taunt.
(3) Savage Roar - Give your characters +2 Attack this turn.
(4) Bite - Give your hero +4 Attack this turn. Gain 4 Armor.
(4) Keeper of the Grove (2/2) - Choose One: Deal 2 damage; or Silence a minion.
(4) Swipe - Deal 4 damage to an enemy and 1 damage to all other enemies.
(5) Starfall - Choose One: Deal 5 damage to a minion; or 2 damage to all enemy minions.
(6) Starfire - Deal 5 damage. Draw a card.
(7) Ancient of Lore - Choose One: Draw a card; or Restore 5 Health.
(8) Gift of the Wild - Give your minions +2/+2 and Taunt.
(8) Ironbark Protector (8/8) - Taunt
Hunter
Here are the cards included in the Core Hunter set:
Legendary
(9) King Krush (8/8) (Beast) - Charge
Epic
(1) Lock and Load - Each time you cast a spell this turn, add a random Hunter card to your hand. (Note: Cost down from 2 mana.)
(2) Snake Trap - Secret: When one of your minions is attacked, summon three 1/1 Snakes.
Rare
(1) Tracking - Discover a card from your deck. (Note: Changed from "Look at the top 3 cards of your deck. Draw one and discard the others.")
(2) Selective Breeder (1/1) - Battlecry: Discover a copy of a Beast in your deck.
(6) Cairne Bloodhoof (5/5) - Deathrattle Summon a 5/5 Baine Bloodhoof. (Note: Both Cairne and Baine have had their Attacks increased to 5 from 4.)
(6) Gadgetzan Auctioneer (4/4) - Whenever you cast a spell, draw a card.
(6) High Inquisitor Whitemane (5/7) - Battlecry: Summon all friendly minions that died this turn. (Note: Stats have been reduced to 5/7 from 6/8, Cost has been reduced to 6 mana from 7 mana.)
(7) Baron Geddon (7/7) (Elemental) - At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to ALL other characters. (Note: Health increased to 7 from 5.)
(7) Barrens Stablehand (5/5) - Battlecry: Summon a random Beast. (Note: Stats increased to 5/5 from 4/4.)
(7) Nozdormu the Eternal (8/8) (Dragon) - Start of Game: If this is in BOTH players' decks, turns are only 15 seconds long.
(7) Stormwatcher (4/8) (Elemental) - Windfury
(7) Stormwind Champion (7/7) - Your other minions have +1/+1. (Note: Stats increased to 7/7 from 6/6.)
(8) Arcane Devourer (4/8) (Elemental) - Whenever you cast a spell, gain +2/+2. (Note: Stats changed to 4/8 from 5/5.)
(9) Alexstrasza the Life-Binder (8/8) (Dragon) - Battlecry: Choose a character. If it's friendly, Restore 8 Health. If it's an enemy, deal 8 damage.
(9) Malygos the Spellweaver (4/12) (Dragon) - Battlecry: Draw spells until your hand is full.
(9) Onyxia the Broodmother (8/8) (Dragon) - At the end of each turn, fill your board with 1/1 Whelps.
(9) Sleepy Dragon (4/12) (Dragon)
(9) Ysera the Dreamer (4/12) (Dragon) - Battlecry: Add one of each Dream card to your hand.
(10) Deathwing the Destroyer (12/12) (Dragon) - Battlecry: Destroy all other minions. Discard a card for each destroyed.
(12) Clockwork Giant (8/8) (Mech) - Costs (1) less for each card in your opponent's hand.
We'll have more to say about Hearthstone's new Core set, as well as the upcoming Forged in the Barrens expansion. Stay tuned to Shacknews for the latest.