Hearthstone Keywords and Mechanics Guide

Hearthstone is an easy game to learn, but a difficult one to master.

This difficulty is the result of the sheer number of cards available to players. New cards are constantly being added to the game, bringing with them new keywords, mechanics, and interactions with older cards.

One way to handle this complexity is to memorize and understand what each keyword means and what each ability does. This will give you a better understanding of the game, both in terms of how to build your deck, and how to play with it effectively.

To this end, we’ve collected all the common and not-so-common Hearthstone keywords and abilities into a single, comprehensive guide.

What are Keywords in Hearthstone?

Keywords are phrases that appear on Hearthstone cards. They clarify how the cards’ mechanics work.

There are also abilities that lack an official keyword but are still used throughout the game to represent certain mechanics.

We’ve divided Hearthstone keywords into five main categories:

1. Standard keywords
2. Other keywords
3. Generation abilities
4. Other abilities
5. Boss and Tavern Brawl abilities

1. Standard Keywords

These are the standard keywords found on most cards.

Battlecry

This effect is triggered when you play the card from your hand.

Choose One

Choose between multiple effects stated on the card.

Combo

This effect is triggered when you play the card from your hand if you already played a card in the current turn.

Deathrattle

This effect is triggered when the minion dies.

Discover

Choose one of three random class cards.

Divine Shield

Absorbs the next source of damage and is then removed.

Freeze

Freezes a character. Frozen characters can’t attack or block for a turn.

Lifesteal

Damage dealt by this card restores Health to the controlling hero.

Poisonous

A minion damaged by a Poisonous minion is destroyed.

Outcast

Triggers an effect if the card is the right-most or left-most card in your hand.

Overload

Reduces your Mana Crystals on the next turn by the amount specified on the card.

Rush

A minion with Rush can attack enemy minions as soon as summoned.

Secret

After you play a Secret spell card, it remains hidden until something activates its trigger condition, revealing it and triggering its effect.

Silence

Removes all card text, enchantments, and abilities from the targeted minion.

Stealth

Until they attack or deal damage, minions with Stealth may not be directly targeted by enemy attacks, spells, or abilities. Stealth is removed after attacking or dealing damage.

Spell Damage

Increases the damage of your spells by the amount specified on the card.

Taunt

Enemies must attack minions with Taunt before they can attack any non-Taunt characters.

Windfury

The player can attack twice each turn.

2. Other Keywords

The following keywords only appear in specific sets or are used very sparingly.

Adapt

Choose one of three possible upgrades from a list of ten.

Casts When Drawn

The spell card is automatically cast for no mana when drawn from your deck. The next card in the deck is then drawn.

Charge

A minion with Charge can attack enemy characters as soon as summoned.

Choose Twice

Allows the player to choose two options from a list.

Corrupt

The card gains an additional effect if the player played a more expensive card this turn.

Counter

Counters a spell that was just cast, preventing its effects.

Dormant

The minion becomes a Permanent until certain conditions are fulfilled.

Echo

Adds another copy of the card to the hand after it’s played. The copy disappears at the end of the turn. Echo can be replayed indefinitely during a turn.

Frenzy

A one-time effect that activates the first time the minion survives damage.

Immune

Prevents all enemy interaction with the target, including damage.

Inspire

An effect that activates each time the controlling hero uses their Hero Power.

Invoke

If a version of Galakrond is in the deck, Invoke triggers his Hero Power and upgrades him.

Magnetic

Playing a Magnetic minion to the left of a Mech merges the two cards together, combining their stats and effects.

Mega-Windfury

Can attack four times each turn.

Overkill

An effect that activates when dealing more damage to a minion than is needed to kill it.

Passive

Cards provide a continuous, global effect to the game via an aura.

Quest

A special type of spell card that does not take effect until certain requirements are met, granting a reward upon completion. Quests start in the mulligan.

Reborn

The first time a minion dies, it returns to life with one Health remaining.

Recruit

Summons a random minion from the player’s deck.

Sidequest

A special type of spell card that grants a reward once certain requirements are met. Sidequests do not start in the mulligan.

Spellburst

A one-time effect that activates the first time the controller casts a spell.

Start of Game

An effect that activates at the start of the game.

Twinspell

Casting this spell puts another copy of the card into your hand, but without the Twinspell ability.

3. Generation Abilities

These abilities are specific to several cards that generate minions.

Death Knight

Cards summoned by the Lich King and Arfus. They have their own class.

Jade Golem

Each Jade Golem summoned during a game has +1/+1 more than the previous one.

Lackey

1 mana 1/1 minion with Battlecry.

Piece of C’Thun

Playing four Pieces of C’Thun will shuffle C’Thun, the Shattered into the player’s deck.

Spare Part

One-mana spells with minor benefits.

4. Other Abilities

These abilities don’t have specific keywords attached to them. They are common effects and abilities found on cards.

Can’t Attack

Prevents a minion from attacking.

Can’t Attack Heroes

Prevents a minion from attacking heroes.

Card Draw Effect

Causes the player to draw cards from their deck.

Cast Spell

Casts a spell on behalf of the controlling player.

Copy

Copies an existing card.

Deal Damage

Deals damage to a character.

Destroy

Destroys a minion, weapon, secret, or hero without dealing damage to it.

Disable Hero Power

Causes both players to be unable to use their Hero Power.

Discard

Causes the player to discard from their hand.

Elusive

Elusive minions can’t be targeted by spells or Hero Powers.

Enchant

Modifies the statistics or card text of one or more cards. May be temporary, permanent, or ongoing.

Enrage

When damaged, this minion gains the Enraged effect.

Equip

Equips the hero with a weapon.

Force Attack

Forces a character to attack.

Forgetful

Forgetful minions have a 50% chance of attacking the wrong enemy.

Gain Armor

The controlling hero gains Armor.

Generate

Generates a new card and places it in the player’s hand.

Highlander

Take effect when a deck has no duplicates.

Increment Attribute

Adds or subtracts a value from something’s Attack, Health, Cost, or Durability.

Joust

Reveals a random card from each player’s deck. If the player who initiated the Joust produces a card with a higher mana cost, they win the Joust, activating a secondary effect. Both cards are then shuffled back into their respective decks.

Mind Control Effect

Transfers ownership of the targeted minion.

Modify Cost

Alters the mana cost of another card or Hero Power.

Multiply Attribute

Multiplies something’s Attack, Health, or Cost by some value.

No Durability Loss

The possessing hero’s weapon does not lose any Durability during their turn.

Permanent

Permanent “minions” lack mana cost, Attack and Health, cannot be targeted, are immune to all effects except their own, cannot be targeted by effects, and take up a space on the battlefield.

Playerbound

Provides a permanent effect bound to the player.

Put into Battlefield

Directly places a card from the player’s deck or hand into the battlefield (without triggering Battlecry).

Put into Hand

Draws cards of a specific type directly from the player’s deck and places them into the player’s hand.

Refresh Mana

Refills empty Mana Crystals.

Remove from Deck

Removes cards directly from the player’s deck.

Replace

Replace one card with another, without destroying or discarding the original card.

Restore Health

Heals a character, increasing their Health by the stated amount.

Return

Returns the target minion to its owner’s hand.

Set Attribute

Assigns a new value for something’s Attack, Health, or Cost.

Shuffle into Deck

Shuffles a card into a player’s deck.

Spend Mana

Spends mana in addition to the normal mana Cost to produce an extra effect.

Summon

Summons the specified minion(s). Distinct from simply playing a minion card from the hand, this ability is found on spells and minions.

Transform

Changes a minion into something, replacing the previous card.

Transform in Hand

At the start of the controlling player’s turn, changes a card into something else while it is in the player’s hand.

Unlimited Attacks

Allows the possessing hero to attack an unlimited number of times each turn.

5. Boss and Tavern Brawl Abilities

These abilities are only found on Boss enemies and in the Tavern Brawl mode.

Auto-Cast

Causes the Hero Power to be used automatically at the start of each turn, provided the hero has enough mana.

Auto-Attack

Causes the minion to attack automatically at the end of the turn, targeting the minion or minions directly across from it. The minion cannot be commanded to attack or prevented from attacking.

Shrine

Whenever the minion would be destroyed, removed from the field, or Silenced, it instead becomes dormant for three turns.

Conclusion

Understanding Hearthstone keywords and mechanics is essential for mastering the game. If you can’t memorize them all, this guide serves as a useful reference.