Legend Story Studios (LSS) announced a surprise Flesh and Blood Banned & Restricted update Thursday, taking action on one card in Classic Constructed.
Zephyr Needle, a Dagger from Crucible of War, is getting banned on January 31 due to its degenerate play patterns, in particular with some new cards from The Hunted.
This rare Dagger has been problematic in the past with Zen, Tamer of Purpose, but now with the retrieve ability from The Hunted, its downside is negated for little cost other than playing cards you would already want to play with heroes like Ira.
Senior Game Designer, Bryan Gottlieb, and Flesh and Blood creator, James White, spotted the problem with retrieve and Zephyr Needle in development of The Hunted, noting that the weapon would probably need to banned after the set’s release. LSS is taking action on the card now, rather than waiting on the previously scheduled B&R update that was set for March 4.
The article also notes that going forward, there will be more windows for B&R updates during prereleases for sets to get out ahead of potential problematic cards.
Zephyr Needle will remain legal in Blitz as Ira no longer is legal in the format after hitting Living Legend. LSS will still monitor the card to make sure it isn’t an issue with another hero.
This change goes into effect January 31. Read the official announcement from LSS.
