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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:
- Standard keywords
- Other keywords
- Generation abilities
- Other abilities
- 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.