Core Set 2025 was just announced and, as always, it comes with a lot of cards rotating in and out of it. A total of 70 cards rotate out and exactly 70 cards take their place – around 25% of the entire Core Set. That’s slightly below average, although not by much (for the last couple of years that number was closer to 80).
2026 Core Set includes six brand new cards – two for Death Knight (Consumption and Death's Advance), one for Shaman (Rehgar Earthfury), one for Priest (Calia Menethil), one for Druid (Ulfar), and finally one for Demon Hunter (Tichondrius). While it’s hard to judge their strength in vacuum, a couple of them look really interesting (in particular Priest’s one).
This time the Core Set rotation will be very light on card buffs. Only 7 cards are getting changed, one of which is a text-only change (The Curator got its wording adjusted). Out of all the buffs, I think that Shaman’s Witch's Apprentice has to be the most interesting one, as the card went down from 1 to 0 mana.
We’re also getting quite a lot of staple cards rotating out. The biggest one is definitely Shadowstep, but here are some other notable exclusions: Swipe, Brawl, Shield Slam, Corpse Explosion, Stitched Giant, Arcane Artificer, Crusader Aura, Eviscerate, Al'Akir the Windlord, and Gnomelia, S.A.F.E. Pilot. As you can see, a lot of high power level Core cards that have seen a lot of play during their time in Standard will be gone after rotation.
Anyway, here’s a list of all the cards rotating out and the ones that will replace them. Below that, you can also find a full list of card changes. I’ll publish a full, updated list of cards in Core Set 2026 soon, once we get the official images.
Death Knight
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
- Boneguard Commander
- Corrupted Ashbringer
- Consumption (NEW)
- Alexandros Mograine
- Death's Advance (NEW)
- Corpse Farm
Demon Hunter
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Changed:
- Wrathspike Brute is now a 3/6 (previously 2/6).
Druid
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Hunter
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
- Call of the Wild
- Pressure Plate
- Headhunter's Hatchet
- Halazzi, the Lynx
- Augmented Porcupine
- Dragonbane
Changed:
- Halazzi, the Lynx is now a 4 mana 4/2 with Rush (previously 5 mana 3/2, no Rush).
Mage
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Changed:
- Deep Freeze is now 7 mana (previously 8 mana).
Paladin
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Priest
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Rogue
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Changed:
- Shaku, the Collector now gives cards from another class (previously from opponent’s class).
Shaman
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Changed:
- Witch's Apprentice now costs 0 mana (previously 1 mana).
Warlock
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Warrior
Rotating out:
Rotating in:
Neutral
Rotating out:
- Kobold Geomancer
- Youthful Brewmaster
- Nerubian Egg
- Gnomelia, S.A.F.E. Pilot
- Menagerie Jug
- Cornelius Roame
- Vicious Slitherspear
- Vulpera Scoundrel
- Wisp
- Octosari
- Ragnaros the Firelord
Rotating in:
- Merch Seller
- Micro Machine
- Witchwood Grizzly
- Swamp Leech
- Lake Thresher
- Small-Time Buccaneer
- Imprisoned Vilefiend
- Keymaster Alabaster
- Brightwing
- Avatar of Hearthstone
- Mayor Noggenfogger
Changed:
- Brightwing – Now costs 2mana (previously 3 mana).
- The Curator – Wording-only change (no longer read “draw from your deck”).
Card Changes
And here’s a single image rounding up all of the card changes:
