How keywords work

A keyword is a shortcut: instead of describing the whole effect, the card shows the name in bold, and the game explains it when you hover over it. Some describe when something happens (Battlecry, Deathrattle), others describe a permanent trait (Taunt, Stealth).

Silence effects remove every keyword and buff from a minion. That is why cards relying on Deathrattle or auras are hit hardest by it.

Keywords from A to Z

Battlecry

An effect that happens when the card is played from your hand.

The Battlecry only triggers when it is played from hand, so plan the order of your plays so the effect has a good target.

Charge

Can attack any target on the turn it is played.

Charge lets you hit the enemy hero the turn it lands, so it is often saved to close out the game.

Choose One

Pick one of two effects when you play the card.

Colossal

Summons extra appendages alongside it.

Combo

A bonus if you already played another card this turn.

Corrupt

Upgrades when you play a higher-cost card while holding it.

Deathrattle

An effect that happens when the minion dies.

Thanks to its Deathrattle, the card keeps giving value even when destroyed; watch out for Silence effects, which cancel the bonus.

Discover

Choose one of three cards to add to your hand.

Discover adds flexibility: pick the option that solves the current game’s problem, not necessarily the strongest card.

Divine Shield

The first time it takes damage, ignore it.

Divine Shield lets it trade into an enemy minion without losing health, so it often wins two trades instead of one.

Dredge

Look at the bottom 3 cards of your deck and put one on top.

Echo

Can be played repeatedly in the same turn.

Elusive

Can’t be targeted by spells or Hero Powers.

Being Elusive, it can only be answered by attacks or untargeted effects, which makes it hard to remove.

Excavate

Digs up increasingly better treasures each time.

Forge

Pay 2 mana while it is in your hand to upgrade it.

Freeze

The target loses its next attack.

Frenzy

Triggers the first time the minion survives damage.

Honorable Kill

A bonus when it kills a minion by dealing exactly lethal damage.

Infuse

Upgrades after friendly minions die while it is in your hand.

Inspire

Triggers after you use your Hero Power.

Lifesteal

Damage dealt also heals your hero.

Lifesteal turns damage into healing, which helps a lot against decks trying to win fast.

Magnetic

Can be played to the left of a Mech to merge with it.

Manathirst

A bonus if you have the listed number of mana crystals.

Miniaturize

You also get a 1-mana miniature version of the card.

Outcast

A bonus if the card is the leftmost or rightmost in your hand.

Overheal

Triggers when the character is healed past full Health.

Overkill

A bonus when it deals more damage than needed to kill.

Overload

Locks some of your mana next turn.

Poisonous

Destroys any minion damaged by it.

Poisonous lets even a small minion kill a giant, making the card great for favorable trades.

Quest

Starts in your opening hand and grants a reward once completed.

Quickdraw

A bonus if played the same turn it was drawn.

Reborn

Returns to life with 1 Health the first time it dies.

Reborn forces the opponent to spend two answers to clear it from the board.

Rush

Can attack minions on the turn it is played.

With Rush, the card trades with an enemy minion right away, helping you retake the board the same turn.

Secret

Stays hidden until its condition happens on your opponent’s turn.

Secrets work best when the opponent can’t tell which one is active; vary the order you play them to keep them guessing.

Sidequest

A short objective that grants a reward once completed.

Silence

Removes all card text and buffs from a minion.

Spell Damage

Increases the damage of your spells.

Spellburst

Triggers once after you cast a spell.

Starship Piece

Can be added to a Starship that you launch later.

Stealth

Can’t be attacked or targeted until it attacks.

With Stealth, the opponent can’t easily remove it before its first attack, which guarantees at least one hit.

Taunt

Enemies must attack this minion before hitting other targets.

Taunt shields your hero and frailer minions, and it is especially valuable against aggressive decks, which must spend attacks to get through.

Titan

Uses three special abilities instead of attacking, one per turn.

Tradeable

Can be shuffled back into your deck for 1 mana to draw another card.

Being Tradeable, the card never sits dead in hand: if it isn’t the right moment, swap it for another card.

Twinspell

Leaves a copy without this effect in your hand when cast.

Windfury

Can attack twice each turn.

With Windfury, every point of Attack counts twice, which makes it dangerous when buffed.