Adapt
Pick one of three random upgrades for the minion.
Example: You choose Taunt from three offered upgrades for your minion.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Hearthstone / Standard
Glossary
Official game vocabulary, strategy terms and technical jargon in one alphabetical glossary.
Glossary and slang
The Glossary combines official game vocabulary with strategy and technical jargon, such as tempo, tutor, card advantage and “play to your outs.” Slang has its own section for informal expressions, jokes and reactions, such as “never lucky,” SMOrc and “yoink.”
Both lists are alphabetical. Each Glossary definition includes a short example. The blue category badges at the bottom of each Glossary entry explain how the term is used. Each category has its own box.
How to read glossary categories
Each entry’s categories describe how the term is used. A label does not establish current Standard availability or tell you how strong a deck is.
- OFFICIAL
- A game term used for a rule, card property, interface feature or game system. It is not necessarily a keyword.
- OFFICIALKEYWORD
- A named card mechanic with rules explained by its text or tooltip.
- OFFICIALRULES TEXT
- A printed trigger or condition, such as Start of Game, that is not necessarily a separate keyword.
- OFFICIALSYSTEM
- A resource, card type, deck restriction or named card family, such as Corpses or Locations.
- COMMUNITY
- Player vocabulary for strategies, actions or deck patterns, such as tempo or aggro.
- COMMUNITYSLANG
- Informal, humorous or abbreviated player language; it does not establish a rule.
- DATA
- A statistic, measurement or tracking concept. Its meaning depends on the source and filters.
- PROBABILITY
- A concept about random outcomes, likelihood or uncertainty.
- TOURNAMENT
- A competition term or event procedure. Its application depends on the event’s rules.
Multiple badges mean overlapping uses. For example, a term with OFFICIAL and COMMUNITY badges describes a game concept also used as player shorthand. DATA and PROBABILITY badges connect statistics with uncertainty. Read each badge using the explanation above.
More about vocabulary and strategy guides →343 of 343 terms
Aggro
A deck that tries to win fast. It uses strong early plays, quick attacks, and damage to the enemy hero.
Example: You play small minions early and attack the enemy hero to win quickly. In an aggro deck, replacing those early plays with many costly cards can weaken that plan.
COMMUNITY
All-in
A play or deck that puts nearly everything into one big push. It may have little left if that push fails.
Example: You spend your last three cards filling the board. One enemy clear could leave you with nothing.
COMMUNITY
AoE (area of effect)
Short for area of effect. It means an effect that hits several heroes or minions, rather than just one.
Example: A spell deals 2 damage to every enemy minion, hitting three minions at once.
COMMUNITY
APM
Short for actions per minute. Players use it for turns with many quick plays. Card animations and the turn timer limit how much you can do.
Example: You need to play ten cheap cards before your turn ends, so you must act quickly.
COMMUNITY
Archetype
A group of decks with much the same plan. Aggro tries to win fast. Control tries to win later. Other types include combo, midrange, tempo, and attrition.
Example: Two decks use different cards, but both play small minions and attack early. Their shared aggro plan puts them in the same archetype.
COMMUNITY
Armor
Armor takes damage before your hero's Health does. It usually has no fixed upper limit.
Example: Your hero has 3 Armor and takes 5 damage. You lose the Armor and 2 Health.
OFFICIAL
At least one
The chance of getting one or more of the cards you want. One way to find it is to subtract the chance of getting none from 100%.
Example: One of the ten cards left in your deck can save you. Drawing two gives a 20% chance to find it.
PROBABILITY
Attack
The damage a hero or minion deals when it attacks. A hero usually needs a weapon or another effect to gain Attack.
Example: A minion with 3 Attack deals 3 damage when it hits an unprotected enemy hero.
OFFICIAL
Attack token
A term borrowed from other games. Hearthstone has no attack token. Players may mean that they can make threats and force the other player to react.
Example: Your minions are ready to attack, but Hearthstone does not give you a separate attack token.
COMMUNITY
Attrition
A plan to win a long game. You use up the other player's cards, threats, or damage, then win with what you have left.
Example: You answer each enemy threat until their hand is empty, then win with your remaining cards. Saving one answer for a later threat helps your attrition plan last longer.
COMMUNITY
Aura
An effect that lasts while its source is active. The affected numbers or abilities change when that source enters or leaves play.
Example: An aura gives your other minions +1 Attack. They lose that bonus when its source leaves play.
OFFICIAL
Bait
Use a threat to draw out a certain answer. This can help protect a more important card you plan to play later.
Example: You play a medium threat to draw out a destroy spell before playing your bigger threat.
COMMUNITY
Ban
In a tournament, a ban removes a chosen deck from a match. Blizzard can also ban a card from Standard for a time.
Example: Before a tournament match, you ban your opponent's Warrior deck so they cannot use it that match.
OFFICIALTOURNAMENT
Battlecry
This effect happens when you play the card from your hand.
Example: You play a minion whose Battlecry draws a card. The card draw happens as you play it.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Best-of-three / best-of-five (Bo3 / Bo5)
In a best-of-three match, the first player to win two games wins. In best-of-five, you need three wins. Each event sets its own deck and ban rules.
Example: You win two games and lose one. That wins a best-of-three match, but not a best-of-five.
TOURNAMENT
Board
The area where minions, Locations, and other objects stay in play. Each player usually has seven spaces.
Example: You have two minions and a Location in play. They occupy three spaces on your board.
OFFICIAL
Board clear
An effect that removes most or all of the enemy minions. Players may also call it a clear, sweep, or AoE.
Example: Your opponent has four small minions. One spell removes all four.
COMMUNITY
Board control
Having more say over attacks, trades, and which minions stay alive on the board.
Example: Your minions can remove the enemy's only minion and still leave you with attackers. You can choose a useful trade or push damage, while the enemy must rebuild their board.
COMMUNITY
Board first
Deal with the board before making a slower play for later value. This advice often matters when both decks fight through minions.
Example: You remove a dangerous enemy minion before spending mana to draw more cards.
COMMUNITY
Board lock
All seven board spaces are full. Another minion or Location cannot enter until a space opens.
Example: You have seven minions in play. You need to open a space before adding another.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Bonus Effect
A helpful ability picked at random from a set list. A patch can change which abilities are on that list.
Example: A card gives your minion a Bonus Effect. The game picks its new ability from the allowed list.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Bounce
Return a card or object to a hand. Playing it again counts as a new play and may trigger its play effects again.
Example: You return your minion to your hand, then play it again to use its Battlecry once more.
COMMUNITY
Breakpoint
A number that changes what a play can do. For example, one extra Health may let a minion live through a board clear.
Example: A 3-Health minion dies to 3 damage. Raising it to 4 Health lets it survive that same hit.
COMMUNITY
Bribe
A strong effect, or one with a low cost, that also gives the other player something in return.
Example: You use a Bribe card for its strong effect, while your opponent gets the gift written on the card.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Buff
An effect that raises a card's stats or gives it a benefit. A balance buff is a change Blizzard makes to improve a card in a patch.
Example: A +1/+1 effect turns your 2/2 minion into a 3/3.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Burn
Damage you can usually deal straight from your hand. It is often used to finish the enemy hero.
Example: The enemy hero has 3 Health. You finish them with a spell that deals 3 damage.
COMMUNITY
Burst
A lot of damage dealt in one turn or a short time. It often comes from cards in hand.
Example: Two spells deal 4 damage each to the enemy hero, for 8 damage in one turn.
COMMUNITY
Cantrip
A card or effect that draws a card to replace itself, usually with little extra cost to your plan.
Example: You play a small spell that also draws a card, replacing the card you just spent.
COMMUNITY
Card advantage
How many useful cards you gain compared with how many you spend. More cards are not always better if those cards are weak or hard to use.
Example: One spell removes two enemy minions that each came from a card. You spent one card to answer two, but still need enough Health and board strength to survive.
COMMUNITY
Card generation
Making cards that were not in your starting deck. These cards often show a Created by label.
Example: An effect adds a new spell to your hand without taking it from your deck.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Card pool
The set of cards that can be used for a deck or chosen by a certain effect, such as Discover.
Example: An effect offers only Dragons. A Beast cannot appear in that effect's card pool.
OFFICIAL
Cast
To make a spell's effect happen. A spell cast by another effect was not always played from your hand.
Example: Another card casts a spell for you. The spell happens even though you did not play it from your hand.
OFFICIAL
Casts When Drawn
When you draw this card, it casts itself for free. Its effect happens, then you draw a card to replace it.
Example: You draw a card with Casts When Drawn. Its spell happens, then you draw a replacement card.
OFFICIALRULES TEXT
Ceiling
The best result a card, deck, player, or random effect could reach. Compare this with its floor, or low-end result.
Example: A random spell can deal up to 6 damage. Getting all 6 is its damage ceiling.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Charge
This minion can attack as soon as it enters play. It can attack the enemy hero too.
Example: You play a minion with Charge and attack the enemy hero with it that same turn.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Cheat / mana cheat
Use a card sooner or for less mana than its printed cost would normally allow.
Example: A discount lets you play a card that normally costs 8 mana for only 5.
COMMUNITY
Choose One
When you play the card, pick one of its two listed effects.
Example: A card offers damage or healing. You choose healing because your hero needs Health.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Choose Thrice
Make a Choose One choice three times. You may pick the same choice again unless the card says you cannot.
Example: You make three choices, picking the first option twice and the second option once.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Class
Your hero's class sets which class cards you can use and your starting Hero Power. Most classes can use Neutral cards.
Example: Choosing Mage gives you Mage cards and the Mage's starting Hero Power.
OFFICIAL
Class card
A card normally limited to its listed class or classes when you build a deck. Some card effects make exceptions.
Example: You can put a Mage-only card in a Mage deck, but normally not in a Warrior deck.
OFFICIAL
Class Set
A smaller card release made for certain classes. Its cards belong to a larger parent expansion.
Example: A smaller release adds cards for selected classes instead of adding cards for every class.
OFFICIAL
Clear
A short name for a board clear: an effect that removes most or all enemy minions.
Example: Your spell destroys the enemy's three minions. Players call that a clear.
COMMUNITY
Clock
How many turns a threat is likely to need to win the game if the other player does not stop it.
Example: The enemy has 12 Health. Your minions deal 4 damage each turn, giving you a three-turn clock if nothing changes.
COMMUNITY
Coin, The
A spell that costs 0 mana and gives you one extra Mana Crystal for that turn. The second player gets it after choosing their starting hand.
Example: You have 2 mana and use The Coin. You can now play a card that costs 3 mana.
OFFICIAL
Colossal +X
Each time this minion is summoned, it also summons its listed extra parts. X tells you how many parts it has.
Example: With enough board space, summoning a Colossal +2 minion also summons its two extra parts.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Combo
The card gets its listed bonus if you have already played another card that turn.
Example: You play a cheap spell first, then a Combo card to activate its bonus effect.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Concede
Give up the game. The game ends at once, and you take the loss.
Example: You choose Concede from the game menu. The game ends and counts as your loss.
OFFICIAL
Conditional removal
An answer that removes a minion only if a rule is met. That rule may involve its stats, damage, type, or the board.
Example: A destroy spell works only on damaged minions. You must damage an untouched target before using it.
COMMUNITY
Conquest
A tournament format where you must win with each required deck that was not banned. Once a deck wins, you stop using it for that match.
Example: Your Mage deck wins a game. You must use another eligible deck for your next game in the match.
TOURNAMENT
Control
A deck that tries to stay alive, remove threats, and save enough cards to win later.
Example: You remove early threats and heal, then use a large late-game threat to win. A control deck still needs a way to finish once it is safe.
COMMUNITY
Copy
Another version of a card or object. The copy effect and game rules decide which stats and effects it keeps.
Example: An effect adds a copy of a minion to your hand. The original minion stays where it was.
OFFICIAL
Core Set
A free set of cards loaned to players for use in the game. The set can change. Loaned cards are not yours to keep forever.
Example: You add an available Core card to your deck without crafting a separate copy.
OFFICIAL
Corpse
A friendly minion usually gives you one Corpse when it dies. Death Knight cards can spend Corpses for effects.
Example: A friendly minion dies and gives you a Corpse. A Death Knight effect can spend it later.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Counter
Stop a card or effect so that it does not do anything.
Example: A counter effect stops your opponent's spell before that spell can do its job.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Counterqueue
Pick a deck to beat the decks you expect to meet in Ranked play. The decks near your rank may differ from the wider game.
Example: You keep meeting fast decks, so you choose a deck built to defend against early minions.
COMMUNITY
Created by
A label showing that an effect made the card during the game. It did not come from the starting deck.
Example: A generated spell shows Created by under its name, telling you which effect made it.
OFFICIAL
Curve / mana curve
How a deck's cards are spread across mana costs. It also means your plan for spending mana on each turn.
Example: You plan to play a 1-cost card, then a 2-cost card, then a 3-cost card on your first three turns. When checking the curve, also ask whether those cards help on those turns: a cheap spell with no useful target may not.
COMMUNITY
Cycle
Use cheap card draw to move through your deck and reach the cards you need sooner.
Example: You use two cheap draw effects to move through your deck toward your finishing card.
COMMUNITY
Damage
An attack or effect that takes away Health or Armor. Destroying a minion or setting its Health to a number is not the same as dealing damage.
Example: A spell hits a 5-Health minion for 2 damage. It has 3 Health left.
OFFICIAL
Dead card
A card you cannot use well in the current game state. It may have no legal target or cost too much for what it does.
Example: You hold a spell that destroys a weapon, but your opponent has no weapon.
COMMUNITY
Deathrattle
This effect happens when the minion dies or the weapon is destroyed.
Example: A minion dies, and its Deathrattle summons a small replacement minion.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Deck
The pile you draw cards from. A normal deck has 30 cards. You can usually use two copies of each card, but only one of each Legendary. Some card effects change these limits.
Example: You build a normal 30-card deck, then draw cards from it during the game.
OFFICIAL
Deck code
A string of letters and numbers that lets you copy or share a decklist.
Example: You copy a shared deck code and paste it into the game to import the card list.
OFFICIAL
Deck thinning
Draw or remove cards to leave fewer cards in your deck. This may make it easier to find the cards that remain.
Example: An effect draws your only weapon. Your deck is now smaller, making each remaining card easier to find.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Deck tracker
An extra app that tracks your deck, draws, and known plays. Tournament rules may limit which helper apps you can use.
Example: Your tracker shows that one copy of your damage spell is still somewhere in your deck.
COMMUNITYDATA
Develop
Add a minion or another lasting threat to the board so it can help on later turns.
Example: You play a minion now so it can threaten an attack on your next turn.
COMMUNITY
Discard
Remove a card from your hand without playing it.
Example: An effect discards a spell from your hand. You lose that spell without casting it.
OFFICIAL
Discover
Pick one of three random cards or choices from the effect's allowed list.
Example: Three spells appear. You pick the healing spell because you need to survive.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Disguised minion
A minion whose text lets you choose which side of the board it enters: yours or the other player's.
Example: You choose the opponent's side when playing a Disguised minion, so it enters their board instead of yours.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Disruption
An effect that gets in the way of the other player's plan. It may change their cards, costs, board, or order of plays.
Example: An effect makes the enemy's planned combo card cost more, delaying their big turn.
COMMUNITY
Divine Shield
The minion ignores the first damage it would take. It then loses the shield.
Example: A shielded minion takes a 4-damage hit. It loses the shield and none of its Health.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Don’t play around everything
Plan for answers the other player is likely to have. Trying to avoid every possible answer can make your own play too weak.
Example: You keep enough attackers to threaten a win instead of weakening your board to avoid every possible clear.
COMMUNITY
Dormant
The minion takes up a board space but cannot act, attack, be targeted, or take damage until it wakes up.
Example: A Dormant minion occupies a board space, but you cannot attack with it until it wakes up.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Draw
Take the top card of your deck into your hand. If your hand is full, the card is lost. If your deck is empty, you take Fatigue damage.
Example: You move the top card of your deck into your hand at the start of your turn.
OFFICIAL
Draw engine
A card or group of cards that keeps drawing more cards for you.
Example: A minion draws a card whenever you play a spell, so several cheap spells keep your hand supplied. When planning draw, remember that this engine needs both the minion and spells to work.
COMMUNITY
Drawn win rate
The share of games won when a card was drawn. The deck, opponent, and turn all affect this number. Long games also give more time to draw the card.
Example: In a sample of 100 games where a card was drawn, its deck won 60. Its drawn win rate is 60%.
DATA
Dual-class card
A card that either of its two named classes can use, as long as the format and set rules allow it.
Example: A card marked for Hunter and Warlock can go in either class's eligible deck.
OFFICIAL
Duplicate
A second card with the same name. Extra copies matter for Legendary limits. Some effects need a deck with no repeated cards.
Example: You add two cards with the same name to your deck. The second is a duplicate.
OFFICIAL
Durability
How many uses a weapon or Location has left. Using it normally takes away one Durability.
Example: A weapon has 2 Durability. After one normal attack, it has 1 left.
OFFICIAL
Early game
The first few turns. Cheap plays and your starting hand strongly affect who gets ahead.
Example: On turn two, you play a cheap minion to help fight for the board.
COMMUNITY
Effect
Something the game or a card does to change the game state. An effect usually does as much as it can, even if part of it cannot happen.
Example: A card says to restore 3 Health. That healing is the card's effect.
OFFICIAL
Elusive
Spells and Hero Powers cannot pick this as a target. It can still be hit by attacks and some other effects.
Example: The enemy cannot aim a spell at your Elusive minion, but can still attack it with a minion.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Empty Mana Crystal
A Mana Crystal that raises your maximum mana but is not ready to spend yet. It usually fills on a later turn.
Example: You gain an empty Mana Crystal. Your maximum mana rises, but that crystal gives no mana to spend yet.
OFFICIAL
Enabler
A card or effect that helps another card or combo work.
Example: A discount card makes your costly combo affordable in one turn. It is the enabler; the cards that deal the winning damage are the payoff.
COMMUNITY
End-of-turn effect
An effect that happens as the named player's turn ends. If several effects happen, the game's order rules decide which goes first.
Example: You press End Turn, and your minion's end-of-turn effect restores Health.
OFFICIAL
Engine
A card or group of cards that keeps giving you useful things, such as cards, damage, stats, or lower costs.
Example: A minion keeps adding a useful card to your hand each turn while it stays alive. Protecting it can earn more cards over time, but you still need useful plays if the enemy removes it.
COMMUNITY
Equip
Put a weapon in your hero's weapon slot. If you already have a weapon, the new one destroys the old one.
Example: You play a weapon card. Its Attack and Durability appear beside your hero.
OFFICIAL
Event Set
A group of cards tied to an event or release. Blizzard's current set rules decide where you can use them.
Example: You check a card's set label and find that it belongs to Event rather than a main expansion.
OFFICIAL
Evergreen keyword
A keyword used in many sets, rather than mainly in one set. This is a design and player term.
Example: Taunt appears in many different sets, so players call it an evergreen keyword.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Expansion
A major release of cards sold in packs. Its cards stay in Standard until rotation unless the rules change.
Example: CATACLYSM introduces a large new set of cards, rather than just changing existing cards.
OFFICIAL
Expected value (EV)
The average result you would expect over many tries, after counting how likely each result is. It is not just the best possible result.
Example: An effect deals either 2 or 4 damage with equal odds. Its average damage over many uses is 3.
PROBABILITY
Fabled
Adds two special companion cards to your starting deck. The Fabled card and both companions use three normal deck spaces in all.
Example: Adding a Fabled minion also adds its two companion cards, using three deck spaces in all.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Fabled companion
One of the special cards added to your starting deck by Fabled or Fabled+. Each companion uses a normal deck space.
Example: Your deck contains a Fabled minion and the two special cards it brought along. Those extra cards are its companions.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Fabled+
Adds nine special companions to your starting deck. Fabled+ is its own keyword, not a Fabled card that levels up. Rafaam and his nine companions use ten spaces in his 40-card deck.
Example: Timethief Rafaam brings nine companions. Rafaam and those companions use ten of his deck's spaces.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Face
A player term for the enemy hero. To go face means to damage that hero instead of attacking minions.
Example: You attack the enemy hero instead of an enemy minion. Players call that going face.
COMMUNITY
Face tank
Let your hero's Health or Armor take damage. This often happens when your hero attacks a minion with a weapon.
Example: Your armed hero attacks a 3-Attack minion and takes the 3 damage instead of risking a friendly minion.
COMMUNITY
Fatigue
Damage you take when you try to draw from an empty deck. It starts at 1, then rises by 1 with each failed draw.
Example: With an empty deck, your first failed draw deals 1 damage. The next failed draw deals 2.
OFFICIAL
Favorable matchup
A deck pairing in which you are expected to win more than half the games. The exact decks and the players' skill affect this.
Example: In an imaginary test, your deck wins 60 of 100 games against one opponent deck. That pairing looks favorable.
DATAPROBABILITY
Finisher
A card or set of plays used to deal the last damage and win the game.
Example: You save a damage spell to deal the final 4 damage after your minions lower the enemy's Health.
COMMUNITY
Flex slot
A deck space that is not needed for the main plan. You can change it to fit your needs or the decks you face.
Example: You replace an optional minion with extra healing because you keep facing fast decks. This is a flex slot if changing it leaves your main winning plan intact.
COMMUNITY
Float mana
End a turn with mana you could have spent. This can be a mistake or a choice to save a card.
Example: You have 5 mana but spend only 3. You end the turn floating 2 mana.
COMMUNITY
Flood
Quickly fill the board with many minions or objects, rather than a few large ones.
Example: One effect summons four small minions, quickly filling much of your board.
COMMUNITY
Floor
The worst or usual low-end result of a card, deck, or random effect. Compare it with the ceiling, or best result.
Example: A random effect gives between one and three cards. Getting just one card is its floor.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Follow card / Follow chain
A design term used in Patch 36.4. A spell can pass its effect to a card in hand that you can play. Playing that card may keep the chain going that turn. Follow is not a bold keyword.
Example: A spell passes its effect to a card in your hand. You play that card to continue the chain that turn.
OFFICIAL
Freeze
The frozen hero or minion misses its next chance to attack.
Example: You Freeze an enemy minion before their turn. It misses its next chance to attack.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
From hand
An effect you can use from your hand. You do not need a friendly minion or other object to survive from a past turn first.
Example: Your board is empty, but you can still deal damage by playing a spell from your hand.
COMMUNITY
Full clear
Remove every enemy minion that matters to the play, rather than leaving part of the board alive.
Example: Your spell removes all four enemy minions, leaving their board empty.
COMMUNITY
Game plan
Your plan for how the deck will start, stay alive, use its cards, and win.
Example: Your plan is to survive the early turns, draw your combo, then win with one big damage turn. A clear deck plan tells you why the list needs defense, draw and finishing cards.
COMMUNITY
Generated card
A card made by an effect during the game, rather than drawn from your starting deck. It may have a Created by label.
Example: A Discover effect gives you a spell that was not in your starting deck.
OFFICIAL
Going first / going second
The first player chooses from three starting cards. The second chooses from four, then gets The Coin.
Example: Going second, you choose from four starting cards and then receive The Coin.
OFFICIAL
Good-stuff deck
A deck built mostly from cards that are strong on their own. It relies less on one special group of cards working together.
Example: You choose useful minions, draw and removal because each card helps on its own, without one special combo.
COMMUNITY
Graveyard
A player name for the game's record of destroyed objects. Hearthstone does not normally let you open and view a graveyard.
Example: A resurrection effect can bring back a minion that died earlier because the game remembers its death.
COMMUNITY
Grind
Try to win a long game through many small gains while the other player runs out of cards or answers.
Example: You keep answering threats and gaining one extra card at a time until your opponent runs out.
COMMUNITY
Hand
The cards you hold, normally hidden from the other player. The usual limit is ten. A card drawn or returned to a full hand is lost.
Example: You hold a minion, a spell and a weapon. Those three cards make up your hand.
OFFICIAL
Hand-read
Use clues to guess what is in the enemy's hand. Watch what they keep, play, make, and save. Also note useful plays they skip.
Example: Your opponent keeps one card for several turns. You suspect it is a costly threat, but cannot know for sure.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Handbuff
An effect that raises a minion's stats while it is in your hand. Handbuff decks build their plan around these effects.
Example: A +1/+1 effect changes a 2/2 minion in your hand into a 3/3 before you play it.
COMMUNITY
Hard mulligan
Replace most or all of your starting cards to improve your chance of finding a key card or group of cards.
Example: You replace all three costly starting cards while searching for a cheap early play.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Hard removal
An answer that destroys, transforms, or fully stops a minion. It does not need to deal enough damage to beat the minion's Health.
Example: You destroy a healthy 8/8 minion with one spell instead of needing to deal 8 damage.
COMMUNITY
Health
How much life a hero or minion has left. A hero at 0 Health or less loses unless an effect changes the result as it finishes.
Example: Your hero has 20 Health and takes 3 damage with no Armor. You now have 17 Health.
OFFICIAL
Herald
Summons a Soldier with an effect from a class Colossal's extra part. Every second use of Herald improves that effect, up to four uses. Deathwing has a special version.
Example: You play a Herald minion and summon a Soldier. Your second Herald use improves the Soldier's effect.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Hero
The main character you play as. Your hero has a class, Health, Armor, and a Hero Power. It may also be able to attack.
Example: Your Mage portrait is your hero. Enemy attacks against it reduce your Armor or Health.
OFFICIAL
Hero card
A card that replaces your current hero. It often gives you Armor, a Battlecry effect, and a new Hero Power.
Example: You play Deathwing, Worldbreaker, replacing your current hero with Deathwing.
OFFICIAL
Hero Power
An ability your hero can usually use once each turn. Most starting Hero Powers cost 2 mana. Demon Hunter's costs 1.
Example: You spend 2 mana on Mage's starting Hero Power to deal 1 damage.
OFFICIAL
Hidden information
Things you cannot fully see, such as the enemy hand, deck order, future random results, or hidden Secrets. The board and past plays are mostly public.
Example: You see that the opponent holds four cards, but cannot see which four cards they are.
OFFICIALPROBABILITY
High roll
A much better random result or set of draws than usual. A low roll is the opposite.
Example: A random effect gives you its strongest possible minion just when you need a threat.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Highlander / no duplicates
A rule or bonus that checks for no cards with the same name in a deck. Highlander is a player term, not a bold keyword on cards.
Example: You remove the second copy of a spell so your deck meets a no-duplicates condition.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Highlander / singleton
A deck with only one copy of each card name. These decks often gain a bonus for having no duplicates.
Example: Your 30-card deck uses 30 different card names, with no name appearing twice.
COMMUNITY
Homebrew
A deck you made yourself or changed a lot, rather than copying a well-known decklist.
Example: You build your own deck around a card you enjoy, rather than copying a published list.
COMMUNITY
Hybrid
A deck that mixes two or more plans, such as tempo with combo, or midrange with control.
Example: Your deck can win with early minion attacks or switch to a late combo if those attacks fail.
COMMUNITY
Hypergeometric distribution
A math tool for finding draw odds in a deck. It counts draws where each card stays out of the deck after you draw it.
Example: With two wanted cards among ten remaining cards, you calculate the chance of finding at least one in two draws.
PROBABILITY
I had no outs
A claim that no draw or effect could have saved the game. Check your remaining chances before giving up; you may still have a way to win.
Example: Only healing could save you, but none of your remaining cards or usable effects can provide it.
COMMUNITY
Immune
This hero or minion cannot take damage. The enemy also cannot choose it as a target while it is Immune.
Example: Your hero is Immune when a damage effect hits it, so it takes no damage.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Imp-formant
A named 3/3 Demon with Lifesteal from Azeroth's Most Wanted. When drawn, it is summoned for the other player. Imp-formant is a token's name, not a keyword or minion type.
Example: You draw an Imp-formant from your deck, and its 3/3 Demon appears on your opponent's board.
OFFICIAL
Imp-formant / Trial
An Imp-formant is a 3/3 Lifesteal Demon that is summoned for the other player when drawn. A Trial is a spell you build and set the timing for with Godfather Kazakus.
Example: Drawing an Imp-formant gives your opponent its Demon; a Trial is instead a spell made through Kazakus's choices.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Include rate
The percent of tracked decks that use a card. Check which decks and players the data includes.
Example: If 25 of 100 tracked decks use a card, its include rate in that sample is 25%.
DATA
Inevitability
An edge that should win the game if it goes long enough and neither player changes the plan.
Example: You have a repeat source of threats while the opponent has only a few answers left, giving you the long-game edge.
COMMUNITY
Infinite
Slang for a loop that can repeat, or seems to never run out. Many so-called infinite combos still have a limit.
Example: You can keep copying a card back to your hand. Players call it infinite, though mana and turn time still limit you.
COMMUNITY
Initiative
Being the player who makes threats and forces the other player to react.
Example: You play a threatening minion, and the opponent must spend their next turn removing it.
COMMUNITY
Interaction
Cards or plays that stop, limit, or fight against what the other player is doing.
Example: You Freeze an enemy attacker to delay its damage and give yourself another turn.
COMMUNITY
Internal MMR
A hidden skill score. The game uses it to help find players for you to face. You usually cannot see the exact score.
Example: Two players at different visible ranks may face similar opponents because their hidden skill scores are close.
OFFICIAL
Jade Golem
Your first Jade Golem is 1/1. Each later one you summon has 1 more Attack and 1 more Health than the last.
Example: After summoning a 1/1 Jade Golem, your next Jade Golem is 2/2 and the next is 3/3.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Keep
Choose to hold a card from your starting hand instead of replacing it.
Example: You leave a useful 1-cost minion in your starting hand instead of replacing it.
OFFICIAL
Kept percentage
How often players kept a card when they could choose it in their starting hand. This shows their choices, not just how strong the card is.
Example: Players keep a card in 80 of the 100 starting hands where it is offered. Its kept percentage is 80%.
DATA
Key card
A card that is very important to how a deck works, finds its pieces, beats an opponent, or wins.
Example: Your combo cannot finish the game without its damage doubler, making that card a key piece.
COMMUNITY
Kill turn
The turn when a deck can deal enough damage to win. Players often use it to describe how fast a combo is.
Example: Your combo first becomes affordable on turn eight, so turn eight could be your kill turn.
COMMUNITY
Known information
Facts both players can see or have been shown, such as the board, played cards, and where a card came from.
Example: The enemy played a healing spell last turn. You know that copy has been used.
OFFICIAL
Ladder
The Ranked system. You move up through the ranks, from Bronze to Diamond. After that comes Legend.
Example: You win Ranked games and climb from Silver toward Gold on the ladder.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Late game
The later turns, when players have more mana. Big threats, repeat effects, Fatigue, and long-game plans matter more.
Example: On a later turn, you have 10 mana and choose between playing a large threat or drawing more cards.
COMMUNITY
Legend
The highest Ranked league. Your shown place in Legend is tied to your matchmaking rating.
Example: You climb beyond Diamond 1 and enter Legend, where the game shows a numbered placing.
OFFICIAL
Legendary
The highest card rarity. A normal deck can have only one copy of each Legendary card.
Example: You add one copy of a Legendary minion; normal deck rules do not let you add a second copy.
OFFICIAL
Lethal
A set of legal plays that wins the game right now. This usually means taking the enemy hero to 0 Health.
Example: The enemy has 5 Health and no protection. Your ready attackers can deal 5 damage, winning this turn.
COMMUNITY
Lifesteal
When this source deals damage, your hero heals for the same amount.
Example: Your Lifesteal minion deals 3 damage. Your hero, missing at least 3 Health, heals for 3.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Line
One possible order of plays, either in this turn or over several turns.
Example: One line draws a card before attacking. Another line attacks first, then uses the draw spell.
COMMUNITY
Lineup
The decks you bring to a tournament that uses several decks. Choose them with the likely opponents and ban rules in mind.
Example: You bring Mage, Warrior and Hunter decks to a tournament. Together they form your lineup.
TOURNAMENT
List / decklist
The exact cards in a deck and how many copies it uses. An archetype is the broader kind of deck it belongs to.
Example: You share the names and copy counts of every card in your deck so a friend can rebuild it.
COMMUNITY
Live draw
A card that would help you a lot if you drew it now. A dead card would do little or nothing.
Example: You are low on Health. Drawing your healing card would help right now, making it a live draw.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Local meta / pocket meta
The decks you meet at a certain rank, time, server, event, or group. They may differ from the decks seen across the whole game.
Example: Most of your recent opponents use fast decks, even though those decks are less common across the whole game.
COMMUNITYDATA
Location
A card that uses a board space. Using its ability costs 1 Durability and normally makes it rest for one turn before you can use it again.
Example: You use a Location's ability. It loses 1 Durability and normally rests before its next use.
OFFICIAL
Lock
A short player term with several meanings. It may mean a full board, a plan that stops enemy plays, or the Warlock class.
Example: Someone says their board is locked because all seven spaces are full.
COMMUNITY
Low roll
A much worse random result or set of draws than usual. A high roll is the opposite.
Example: A random effect can give a large minion, but you receive its smallest possible minion instead.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Mana
The main resource you spend to use cards and Hero Powers. Your usable mana usually refills each turn.
Example: You have 4 mana and play a card costing 3. You have 1 mana left for that turn.
OFFICIAL
Mana cheat
Use a card for less mana, or sooner, than its printed cost would normally allow. Players also call this cheat.
Example: A cost-reduction effect lets you play a normally 7-cost card for 4 mana.
COMMUNITY
Mana Crystal
One point of your maximum mana. You usually gain one filled crystal each turn, up to the normal limit of ten.
Example: Your maximum mana rises from four crystals to five, letting you spend up to 5 mana after they refill.
OFFICIAL
Mana efficiency
How much useful work you get from your mana. This can mean minions, cards, damage, or another benefit.
Example: With 5 mana, you play a 3-cost minion and a useful 2-cost spell, spending all 5 on helpful plays.
COMMUNITY
Mass removal
An effect that removes many enemy minions at once. It is also called a board clear.
Example: One damage spell kills several small enemy minions rather than choosing a single target.
COMMUNITY
Matchmaking Rating (MMR)
A mostly hidden skill rating used to pick Ranked opponents. It is different from the rank you see on screen.
Example: A hidden skill rating helps the game choose your opponents, even though your screen only shows your visible rank.
OFFICIAL
Matchup
How two decks play against each other. Players often describe a matchup by how likely each deck is to win.
Example: Your fast minion deck faces a deck with many board clears. Their plans shape how you should play this game.
COMMUNITYDATA
Matchup spread
How a deck is expected to do against several other decks. More games and a clear player group make the estimates more useful.
Example: In an imaginary test, your deck beats Deck A often but struggles against Deck B. Both results belong in its matchup spread.
DATA
Mega-Windfury
This hero or minion can attack up to four times in one turn.
Example: A ready minion with Mega-Windfury can attack four times that turn if nothing stops it.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Meta / metagame
The decks people use, how common they are, and how they do against each other. The meta can differ by rank or player group.
Example: Many players use control decks, so others start choosing combo decks that can beat them.
COMMUNITYDATA
Midgame
The middle part of a game. It comes after the first few turns and before the late game. Strong plays and taking back the board often matter here.
Example: On turn five, you remove an enemy threat and play a medium-sized minion to take back the board.
COMMUNITY
Midrange
A deck with strong minions and a flexible plan. It defends against fast decks and attacks slower ones.
Example: You trade against a fast deck, but attack the hero when facing a slower deck. This midrange plan changes your role based on which player needs to win sooner.
COMMUNITY
Mill
A plan to empty the enemy deck or make them lose cards by drawing into a full hand. It can win when they run out of cards or take Fatigue damage.
Example: You force an opponent with a full hand to draw another card, causing that card to be lost.
COMMUNITY
Mini-set
A smaller card release that belongs to an expansion. You can usually buy it as a bundle, get its cards in that expansion's packs, or craft them.
Example: Echoes of the Infinite adds a smaller batch of cards to Across the Timeways.
OFFICIAL
Minion
A card that normally takes a board space and has Attack and Health. It can attack once it is ready.
Example: You play a 2/3 minion. It takes a board space and can normally attack starting on a later turn.
OFFICIAL
Minion type
A label on a minion, such as Beast, Demon, Dragon, Mech, Murloc, Naga, Pirate, Quilboar, Totem, Undead, or All. Some cards work with certain types.
Example: A card says Beast beneath its text. An effect that helps Beasts can apply to it.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Minion type / tribe
A tag that puts a minion in a group. Some cards help other cards in that group. Tags include All, Beast, Demon, Draenei, Dragon, Elemental, Mech, Murloc, Naga, Pirate, Quilboar, Totem, and Undead.
Example: A buff for Dragons helps a minion tagged Dragon but normally not one tagged only Beast.
OFFICIAL
Miracle
A deck name for big turns built from cheap cards, lower costs, card draw, and effects that grow as you play more cards.
Example: You chain cheap spells, draw more cards and lower costs to build one unusually large turn.
COMMUNITY
Mirror
A game where both players use the same kind of deck. Their exact card lists may still differ.
Example: Both players bring the same kind of control deck, creating a control mirror.
COMMUNITY
Misplay
A choice or mistake in carrying out a play that lowers your chance to win compared with a better play you could have made.
Example: You attack the hero before noticing that trading would have stopped the enemy's winning attack.
COMMUNITY
Mulligan
The chance to replace starting cards. The first player sees three cards; the second sees four. Replaced copies are set aside while you get new cards, then shuffled back.
Example: You replace a costly starting card to try to find something useful for the first few turns. Keep an early answer when it fits the matchup; a powerful card you cannot use soon may belong back in the deck.
OFFICIAL
Mulligan win rate
The share of games won when a card was among the first offered cards, whether kept or replaced. Check the site's definition; trackers may count this differently.
Example: A tracker records 60 wins in 100 games where a card was in the initial offered hand, giving 60% by that definition.
DATA
Narrow
Useful only against a few decks or in a few game states. This often describes a card chosen to answer one special problem.
Example: A weapon-destroying card helps against weapons but does little when the opponent never equips one.
COMMUNITY
Natural draw
A normal draw from the top of the deck. It is different from finding a set type of card, creating one, or placing one on top first.
Example: You draw the unknown top card of your deck at the start of the turn, without an effect choosing its type.
COMMUNITY
Nerf
A patch change that makes a card weaker. Some changed cards can be turned into Dust for their full cost for a short time.
Example: A patch raises a card's cost from 3 mana to 4, making it harder to fit into a turn.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Netdeck
To copy a decklist you found online, or the copied deck itself. The word can be neutral or used as an insult.
Example: You copy an online decklist and import its deck code into your collection.
COMMUNITY
Neutral card
A card that most classes can use. Format rules and special card rules still apply.
Example: An eligible Neutral minion can usually go in both your Mage deck and your Warrior deck.
OFFICIAL
Niche tech
A card added to answer a less common but important threat or deck.
Example: You add a special answer to a rare combo because you keep meeting it in your tournament group.
COMMUNITY
Off-meta
A deck or card choice that is not common in the current game. Uncommon does not always mean weak.
Example: You use an unusual deck that few players in your current rank group are playing.
COMMUNITY
On curve
Make a play that fits the mana you have for that turn or follows your deck's planned mana costs.
Example: On your 3-mana turn, you play the 3-cost minion you planned to use there.
COMMUNITY
On the play / on the draw
Terms borrowed from other card games for going first and going second. In Hearthstone, the second player also gets The Coin.
Example: You go first, so another card-game player says you are on the play. Your opponent is on the draw.
COMMUNITY
One-drop, two-drop, etc.
A card, often a minion, you plan to play for that much mana. A two-drop usually means a card for a 2-mana turn.
Example: A minion you plan to play for 2 mana is your deck's two-drop.
COMMUNITY
Open decklists
Event rules that let each player see the other's full deck list. You know which cards they brought, but not which are in hand.
Example: Before a match, you read the enemy's decklist and learn which removal cards they brought, but not what is in hand.
TOURNAMENT
Opener
Your starting hand and early draws. It can also mean the cards your deck uses for its first few turns.
Example: Your first cards include a 1-cost minion and a 2-cost minion, giving you plays for your first two turns.
COMMUNITY
OTK (one-turn kill)
A set of plays that wins in a single turn. An OTK often works without needing minions left over from the turn before.
Example: With no starting board, your combo deals all 30 damage to an unprotected enemy hero in one turn.
COMMUNITY
Out
A draw, random result, or set of plays that can save you or give you a way to win.
Example: Your only way to survive is to draw a Taunt minion. That draw is an out.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Out-tempo
Get so far ahead with quick, useful plays that the other player cannot both answer you and build their own plan.
Example: You add a minion while cheaply removing theirs, forcing them to spend another turn catching up.
COMMUNITY
Outvalue
Gain or save more useful cards and other resources than the other player over a long game.
Example: Your repeat card maker keeps supplying threats after the enemy uses their last removal spell.
COMMUNITY
Overcommit
Spend more cards on a board or plan than you need. You risk losing too much to one clear or effect that stops your plan.
Example: You play your last three minions despite already having enough attackers. One clear now removes everything.
COMMUNITY
Overdraw / burn
Lose a card because it tries to enter a full ten-card hand. Burn here means a lost card, not damage to a hero.
Example: You already hold ten cards. Drawing another card loses that card instead of adding it to your hand.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Overload (X)
Locks X of your Mana Crystals on your next turn, so you cannot use them then.
Example: Overload (2) locks two crystals next turn. If you then have five crystals, only three are usable.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Package
A small group of cards that work together inside a larger deck.
Example: You add two minions that make small tokens and a buff that strengthens those tokens as one card package. When building a synergy group, check that each piece still helps when you draw it alone.
COMMUNITY
Pass
End your turn without making another play. You may do this to save cards for later.
Example: You choose to save your removal spell and end the turn without playing it.
COMMUNITY
Patch
An update to the game. It may change cards, rules, which cards you can use, opponents you face, or game content.
Example: A game update changes a card's cost and fixes a broken interaction. Those changes arrive in a patch.
OFFICIAL
Payoff
A card or effect that rewards you for meeting a rule, building your deck a certain way, or setting up other cards.
Example: You fill your board with small minions, then play a card that rewards you for having many minions. That card is the payoff, while the token makers help set it up.
COMMUNITY
Permanent
A player term for an object that stays on the board, such as a minion or Location.
Example: A Location stays on the board after you play it, unlike a spell that resolves and leaves play.
COMMUNITY
Pilot
To play a deck. Its pilot is the player using it. A hard-to-pilot deck may need tricky choices or many quick actions.
Example: Two people use the same deck, but choose different trades. Each person is piloting the deck differently.
COMMUNITY
Ping
A small damage effect, usually 1 damage. It can finish a weak minion or help another effect work.
Example: You deal 1 damage to an enemy minion with 1 Health, finishing it off.
COMMUNITY
Play
Use a card from your hand and pay its costs. An effect that summons a minion, equips a weapon, or casts a spell does not always count as playing that card.
Example: You drag a minion from your hand onto the board and pay its cost. You have played that card.
OFFICIAL
Play around
Choose a play that lowers the harm from a likely enemy answer. Weigh that chance against what your safer play gives up.
Example: You keep one minion in hand instead of putting everything on the board, reducing the loss from a likely clear.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Play rate
How often a card, deck, or class appears in tracked play. Check whether the site counts games, decklists, or something else.
Example: In an imaginary sample, a deck appears in 20 of 100 games. Its game-based play rate is 20%.
DATA
Play to your outs
Pick the play that leaves a real chance to win. When far behind, that may mean hoping for a rare draw instead of choosing a safer loss.
Example: You set up enough damage that drawing your last damage spell next turn could win, even though a safer play cannot.
COMMUNITY
Played win rate
The share of games won when a card was played. It can be misleading: players may use that card mostly when they are already ahead.
Example: A finishing card is played mainly in winning games. Its high played win rate does not prove it helps in every situation.
DATA
Pocket meta
The decks you face in your own small part of the game, such as your rank or server. Also called a local meta.
Example: At your rank, seven of your last ten opponents used minion-heavy decks, shaping which answers you want.
COMMUNITYDATA
Poisonous
If this source deals any damage to a minion, that minion is destroyed. It must deal more than 0 damage.
Example: Your Poisonous minion deals 1 damage to an unprotected 8-Health enemy minion, destroying it.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Polarized matchup
A matchup where one deck wins far more often than the other. A deck with many very good and very bad matchups is called polarized.
Example: In an imaginary test, Deck A beats Deck B eight times out of ten. That pairing looks strongly one-sided.
DATAPROBABILITY
Power creep
New cards becoming stronger than old cards over time. They may do more, cost less, or work in more ways.
Example: An imagined new card gives the same stats as an older card at a lower cost, making the older option less appealing.
COMMUNITY
Prepare
Drag this card onto your deck to spend all your remaining mana. Its cost drops by that amount plus 1. It returns to your hand right away for a later play.
Example: You Prepare an 8-cost card with 2 mana left. You spend those 2 mana and reduce its cost by 3, to 5.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Prepared / Shattered
Labels for cards changed by Prepare or Shatter. Prepared and Shattered are not extra keywords of their own.
Example: Your discounted Prepare card is labeled Prepared; a card split into hand pieces is labeled Shattered.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Pressure
Damage or a growing lead that forces the other player to answer you.
Example: Your attackers threaten 8 damage next turn, forcing the opponent to defend instead of drawing cards.
COMMUNITY
Proactive / reactive
A proactive card builds your own plan. A reactive card answers or limits the other player's plan.
Example: Playing your own threatening minion is proactive. Destroying an enemy threat is reactive.
COMMUNITY
Proc
A short player term for making an effect trigger or meet its required condition.
Example: You cast a spell that activates your minion's spell-triggered effect. Players say the spell procced it.
COMMUNITY
Pull / Rat
Force a card, usually a minion, out of the enemy hand. This can stop a Battlecry or break up a combo. Rat is a player nickname for this kind of play.
Example: You force the enemy's combo minion out of their hand, then remove it before they can use it as planned.
COMMUNITY
Punish
Use the right answer to take advantage of a slow, risky, easy-to-guess, or mistaken play.
Example: The enemy fills the board with weak minions, and your board clear removes all of them with one card.
COMMUNITY
Qualifier
An event or Ranked path that gives players a place, or points toward a place, in a later competition.
Example: You place high enough in a qualifying event to earn a spot in a later tournament.
TOURNAMENT
Quality of draw
How useful your drawn cards are. Drawing more cards is not the same as drawing the right cards.
Example: You draw a cheap removal spell while behind on the board. It helps more than another costly minion would.
COMMUNITY
Queue
To ask the game to find you an opponent. The queue can also mean the players and decks you keep meeting.
Example: You press Play in Ranked, asking the game to find an opponent.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Queue dodge
Wait before starting another game, or switch decks, to try to avoid a player or a bad group of matchups.
Example: After several tough matches against one deck, you wait before searching again, though it does not guarantee a different opponent.
COMMUNITY
Quilboar
An official minion type. Some effects help or use minions with this label.
Example: A minion is labeled Quilboar. An effect that buffs Quilboar minions can include it.
OFFICIAL
Ramp
Get more mana, filled Mana Crystals, or big plays sooner than the normal turn-by-turn pace.
Example: You gain an extra Mana Crystal early, letting you play a large minion sooner than the normal mana pace.
COMMUNITY
Random effect
An effect whose result the game picks from an allowed list. Check that list and the effect's rules to learn what can happen.
Example: A spell picks one of three enemy minions at random, rather than letting you choose which it hits.
OFFICIALPROBABILITY
Rank
Your shown place in Ranked play. The ranks are Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Legend.
Example: Your Ranked badge reads Gold 5. That is your visible rank.
OFFICIAL
Rank floor
A rank you cannot fall below through losses that season. The numbered leagues have floors at ranks 10 and 5.
Example: You reach Gold 5. Losing games cannot send you below that floor during the same season.
OFFICIAL
Reach
Damage you can use to finish the enemy beyond what is already on your board. It often comes from cards in hand.
Example: The enemy removes all your minions, but a damage spell in hand can still finish their last 3 Health. That reach lets you win without needing another minion to survive a turn.
COMMUNITY
Reborn
The first time this minion dies, it comes back with 1 Health. It does not keep normal buffs or other added effects.
Example: Your Reborn minion dies for the first time and returns with 1 Health, without Reborn.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Redraw
A new card offered when you replace a starting card. You cannot get that same copy back right away, but you can get a second copy with the same name.
Example: You replace a starting 6-cost card and receive a 2-cost card as its replacement.
OFFICIALPROBABILITY
Refill
Get more cards, minions, or another resource after you have spent what you had.
Example: After playing most of your hand, one draw effect gives you three new cards to use.
COMMUNITY
Removal
A card or effect that removes, stops, or moves an enemy threat out of the way.
Example: You use a destroy spell to take a dangerous enemy minion off the board.
COMMUNITY
Resource
Something you can spend or save to help win. Cards, Mana, and Health are examples. Others include Armor, board space, Durability, Corpses, and time.
Example: You spend mana to draw cards and some Health to survive an attack. Mana, cards and Health are all resources.
COMMUNITY
Resurrect / rez
Summon a minion that died earlier. The card's exact text decides which dead minions it can bring back.
Example: A friendly minion dies. Later, an effect summons that kind of minion again from the record of earlier deaths.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Rewind
After seeing a random result, choose to keep it or undo it and try again. The new result may be different.
Example: A Rewind card gives a poor random result. You undo that result and try again, accepting that the new result may also be poor.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
RNG
Short for random number generation. Players use RNG to mean random effects in the game. It can also mean a good or bad result from those effects.
Example: A random target effect hits the enemy hero instead of a minion. Players describe that outcome as RNG.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Roll
A random result. To reroll is to pick or try again, when an effect allows it.
Example: A random card-making effect produces one card. That particular result is your roll.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Rope / roping
The burning rope that shows your turn is nearly over. Roping means using almost all your time, on purpose or by accident.
Example: The burning rope appears while you are still deciding how to attack, warning that your turn is almost over.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Rotation
The yearly change that moves older expansion sets out of Standard. A new Hearthstone year and Core Set update usually happen then too.
Example: At a new Hearthstone year, an older expansion leaves Standard, so a deck using it needs changes.
OFFICIAL
Rulebreaker
A card that clearly changes a normal rule. It may change deck size, allowed classes, copy limits, or maximum mana.
Example: A Rulebreaker changes the usual one-card turn draw to two cards, as its text allows.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Rune
Death Knight symbols called Blood, Frost, and Unholy. The runes you choose decide which cards can share a deck.
Example: A card needs two Frost runes, so it cannot go into a Death Knight deck with only one Frost rune.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Runes
Blood, Frost, and Unholy symbols used to build Death Knight decks. Your chosen mix limits which cards you can add.
Example: You choose two Blood runes and one Unholy rune, limiting which Death Knight cards your deck can contain.
OFFICIAL
Rush
This minion can attack other minions right away. Rush does not let it attack the enemy hero on the turn it is summoned.
Example: You play a Rush minion and attack an enemy minion immediately, but Rush alone cannot let it attack the hero that turn.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Sample size
How many games or decks a number is based on. A small or specially chosen group gives a less steady estimate.
Example: A deck report uses 2,000 recorded games. Its sample size is 2,000 games.
DATAPROBABILITY
Secret
A spell that stays hidden until its listed event happens on the other player's turn. It then triggers on its own.
Example: An enemy Secret waits face down until your action meets its condition, then reveals itself and triggers.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Secret zone
The area that holds Secrets and Sidequests. Together, they normally have a limit of five active objects.
Example: Your active Secret appears above your hero, in the area used for Secrets and Sidequests.
OFFICIAL
Sequence / sequencing
The order of your plays. Changing that order can change draws, costs, random choices, triggers, targets, and what you know.
Example: You draw a card before spending your remaining mana, so you can consider the new card in your plan.
COMMUNITY
Set
A named group of cards, such as Core or an expansion. Sets help decide how you get cards and where you can use them.
Example: The collection labels one card Core and another Across the Timeways. They belong to different sets.
OFFICIAL
Shatter
Splits a card into pieces at opposite ends of your hand. Play the cards between them to bring the pieces together and join their effects. You may also play either piece alone.
Example: A drawn card splits into pieces at both ends of your hand. Playing the cards between them lets the pieces join.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Shell
The main cards that keep a deck's plan working. Other card groups and special answers can change around this core.
Example: You keep the deck's main draw and removal cards while changing a few optional threats. Those core cards form the shell, so refining the list starts with checking what each one supports.
COMMUNITY
Shuffled payload
A card or token put into a deck for later. Read its text: drawing it, casting it when drawn, and summoning it when drawn are different things.
Example: An effect puts a special card into your deck. Its later draw can activate the effect written on that card.
OFFICIALSYSTEM
Sideboard
Extra cards tied to a special deck-building card. Use them only as that card allows. Normal Hearthstone decks do not have a pile for swaps between games.
Example: A special card lets you choose from cards stored outside your starting deck; you access them only through its effect.
OFFICIALTOURNAMENT
Sidequest
A small quest spell that gives a reward when you meet its goal. You draw it normally; it is not promised in your starting hand.
Example: You play a Sidequest, meet its listed goal over later turns and receive its reward.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Silence
Removes a minion's card text and most buffs or other added effects.
Example: You Silence a buffed Taunt minion. It loses Taunt and the removable buff.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Singleton
A deck with only one copy of each card name. This is also called Highlander.
Example: You use one copy of each card name rather than filling your deck with pairs.
COMMUNITY
Skill ceiling / skill floor
Skill floor means how much skill you need to use something well at a basic level. Skill ceiling means how much more a skilled player can get from it.
Example: A deck is easy to start using, but experts gain extra wins through careful choices: a low floor and a high ceiling.
COMMUNITY
Soft counter
A deck that has an edge but does not win easily every time. It can also mean an answer that limits a plan without fully stopping it.
Example: A deck's healing helps against damage spells, giving it an edge without making those games automatic wins.
COMMUNITYDATA
Soft taunt
A minion the enemy feels they must remove because it is dangerous, even though it does not have Taunt.
Example: A minion keeps drawing cards for you, so the enemy feels forced to remove it even though it has no Taunt.
COMMUNITY
Spell
A card whose effect happens when cast. Most spells then leave play instead of taking up a board space.
Example: You play a damage spell. It deals its damage without staying on the board as a minion.
OFFICIAL
Spell Damage
An ability that raises damage from spells it applies to. It does not raise every kind of damage.
Example: Your Spell Damage bonus makes a damage spell hit harder, but does not raise your minion's Attack.
OFFICIAL
Spell Damage +X
While this bonus is active, your spells that deal damage deal X more damage.
Example: With Spell Damage +1 active, a spell that normally deals 3 damage deals 4.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Spell school
A spell's group: Arcane, Fel, Fire, Frost, Holy, Nature, or Shadow. Some spells have no school.
Example: A spell marked Fire can count toward an effect that checks whether you cast a Fire spell.
OFFICIAL
Spot removal
An answer that removes one target, rather than many at once.
Example: You use a spell to destroy one large enemy minion, leaving their other minions alone.
COMMUNITY
Stabilize
Get safe enough to deal with the enemy's threats. Your board, Health, and cards can now help you hold on.
Example: You clear the attackers and heal, leaving the enemy without enough immediate damage to finish you.
COMMUNITY
Standard
A format using sets from this Hearthstone year and the last. It also uses current Core and Event cards and linked card releases. Rotation and special rules change which cards are allowed.
Example: When building a Standard deck, you choose cards from the sets and releases currently allowed in that format.
OFFICIAL
Star Bonus
Extra Ranked stars for wins at the start of a season. The bonus drops as you reach rank floors. The game still uses a skill rating to pick opponents.
Example: With a x3 Star Bonus, one regular win earns three stars before any separate win-streak bonus.
OFFICIAL
Start of Game
An effect checked before the first turn. Any rule written on the card must still be met.
Example: A card checks its deck-building condition before the first turn and activates its Start of Game effect if you qualify.
OFFICIALRULES TEXT
Starting hand
The first cards you get to keep or replace. The first player gets three cards. The second gets four.
Example: Going first, you are offered three cards to keep or replace before play begins.
OFFICIAL
Stats / statline
A minion's Attack and Health. The numbers printed on the card may differ from its current numbers because of buffs or other effects.
Example: A minion shown as 3/4 has 3 Attack and 4 Health.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Stealth
The enemy cannot attack or choose this minion as a target. This lasts until it attacks or loses Stealth another way.
Example: Your Stealth minion is safe from direct enemy targeting until it attacks and loses Stealth.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Sticky
Hard to remove for good. A sticky minion may leave another minion, have protection, or come back after it dies.
Example: The enemy destroys your minion, but its Deathrattle leaves another minion behind.
COMMUNITY
Summon
Put a minion onto the board. If an effect summons it instead of you playing it, its Battlecry usually does not happen.
Example: A spell puts a minion onto your board. You summoned it without playing that minion from your hand.
OFFICIAL
Summoned When Drawn
When you draw this card, it is summoned instead of going into your hand.
Example: You draw a card with Summoned When Drawn. It enters a board instead of becoming a normal card in your hand.
OFFICIALRULES TEXT
Sweep / sweeper
Another name for a board clear: an effect that removes most or all enemy minions.
Example: A damage effect removes three small enemy minions together. Players call it a sweep.
COMMUNITY
Swing turn
A turn that greatly changes who is ahead in minions, Health, cards, or speed of play.
Example: You remove two enemy threats and add your own large minion in the same turn, taking the lead.
COMMUNITY
Swiss
A tournament system where players with similar records face each other over several rounds. One loss does not knock you out right away.
Example: After two wins and one loss, you are paired with another player near the same record for the next round.
TOURNAMENT
Synergy
Cards or effects that become more useful when they work together or share a trait.
Example: One card makes small minions and another buffs all of them. They work well together, but the buff does little on an empty board: useful synergy still needs enough cards to set it up.
COMMUNITY
Tall
A board with one or a few large minions. A wide board has many minions instead.
Example: Your board has one 8/8 minion instead of several small minions.
COMMUNITY
Tank
Let your hero take a hit with Health or Armor. This can keep a minion safe or save a card you need.
Example: You let your hero take a small hit this turn so you can save your removal for a larger threat.
COMMUNITY
Target
The hero, minion, or object a player chooses for an effect. Random hits and effects on all or nearby objects do not choose targets in the same way.
Example: You choose a damaged friendly minion for your healing spell. That minion is the spell's target.
OFFICIAL
Taunt
Enemy attacks must hit a legal Taunt target first, if one is there.
Example: An enemy minion must attack your legal Taunt minion before it can attack your unprotected hero.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Tech card
A card you add to answer a certain deck or problem you expect to face.
Example: You add a weapon-destroying card because weapons are common among the decks you face. It may help those matchups but do less elsewhere, so record your results before keeping the change.
COMMUNITY
Telegraph
Give strong clues about your next play through the cards you hold, the order of your plays, or how you spend your resources.
Example: You keep saving a costly card while gaining mana, giving the enemy a clue that a big play is coming.
COMMUNITY
Tempo
Getting ahead right now by using mana and cards well. Your plays force the other player to spend their turn catching up.
Example: You remove an enemy minion and play your own attacker cheaply, leaving the opponent to catch up. You improve the board right away, even if the play does not leave you with more cards.
COMMUNITY
Tempo deck
A deck that builds threats, then uses cheap answers to stay ahead and keep the enemy reacting.
Example: You build an early board, then use cheap answers to keep your attackers alive and the enemy reacting.
COMMUNITY
Temporary
If a Temporary card is still in your hand when the turn ends, it is discarded.
Example: An effect adds a Temporary spell to your hand. If you still hold it when the turn ends, it is discarded.
OFFICIALRULES TEXT
Theorycraft
Build or judge decks and plays before enough real games have been played to show how well they work.
Example: Before testing a new card, you draft a deck and predict which other cards will work well with it. Turn that theory into a question you can test, such as whether you draw its support cards often enough.
COMMUNITY
Threat
A card or object that will cause too much damage or gain too much value if the enemy leaves it alone.
Example: A minion would deal 6 damage next turn if left alive, making it a threat the enemy must consider.
COMMUNITY
Tier / tier list
Groups of decks ranked by how strong they seem in a certain meta. Check the method, ranks, number of games, and dates behind the list.
Example: A report places its strongest tested decks in Tier 1 and weaker groups below, using that report's data and method.
COMMUNITYDATA
Titan
Has three abilities that can each be used once. When it could attack, use one unused ability instead. After all three are used, it can attack normally.
Example: You use one of your Titan's abilities now, then choose a different unused ability on its next usable turn.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Token
An object made by an effect that you do not normally collect as a card on its own. A token deck tries to build a board of many minions.
Example: A spell summons three small minions that you did not put into your starting deck as separate cards.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Topdeck
The card you draw from the top of your deck. Players often use this word when that draw solves a problem or wins the game.
Example: At the start of your turn, the top card you draw is the removal spell you need.
COMMUNITY
Topdeck lethal
Draw the card you need at the start of the turn to deal the last damage or make a winning play work.
Example: The enemy has 3 Health. Your next draw is a usable 3-damage spell, letting you win immediately.
COMMUNITY
Trade
Use a minion or card to remove another one. A good trade leaves you ahead in cards, mana, stats, or board position.
Example: Your 3/4 attacks an enemy 2/3. Their minion dies and yours survives with 2 Health.
COMMUNITY
Tradeable
Drag the card into your deck and pay 1 mana to draw a card in its place.
Example: You spend 1 mana to Trade a card you do not need and draw a card in its place.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
Trial (Kazakus)
A special spell made by Godfather Kazakus. You choose its effects and its length or cost timing. Trial is part of that card's design, not a keyword used across the game.
Example: You choose the effects for a Trial with Godfather Kazakus, then choose its offered timing or cost option.
OFFICIAL
Tribe
A player word for a minion type, such as Beast or Dragon.
Example: A player calls Dragons a tribe when discussing cards that help Dragon minions.
COMMUNITY
Trigger
An event that starts an effect. More than one effect may start from the same event. The game has rules for their order.
Example: A friendly minion dies, activating an effect that says to draw a card when a friendly minion dies.
OFFICIAL
Turn
The time when one player takes actions. A normal turn starts with mana refilling and a card draw, and lasts up to 75 seconds.
Example: Your mana refills, you draw a card and make your plays, then press End Turn.
OFFICIAL
Tutor
Use an effect to find a card that meets a rule, instead of simply drawing the unknown top card of your deck.
Example: An effect draws a weapon from your deck; with one weapon left, it finds that weapon. This can improve consistency, but several eligible weapons may still give you the wrong one for your plan.
COMMUNITY
Two-for-one
Use one card or resource to deal with two of the enemy's cards or useful objects.
Example: One spell destroys two enemy minions, using one of your cards to answer two of theirs.
COMMUNITY
Unconditional removal
An answer that works on most targets without a special condition. Protection effects and other game rules may still stop it.
Example: A spell says to destroy a minion, so the target does not need to be damaged or below a certain size.
COMMUNITY
Undercurve
Make a play that costs less mana than you have. You may give up power now to save a card or use a better play order.
Example: With 6 mana available, you play a 4-cost minion and save your expensive card for later.
COMMUNITY
Underdog
A player or deck expected to win less than half the time in a game, match, or event.
Example: In an imaginary matchup, your deck is expected to win only four games out of ten, making you the underdog.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Undiscounted / base cost
The card's normal cost before effects change or set that cost.
Example: A card normally costs 5 mana but currently costs 3 after a discount. Its base cost is still 5.
OFFICIAL
Unfavorable matchup
A deck pairing in which you are expected to win less than half the games. The exact decks and players affect the odds.
Example: Your deck struggles against a deck's many board clears, making that pairing harder than most of your other matchups.
DATAPROBABILITY
Uninteractive
A player's view that a plan gives the enemy very few useful ways to answer it.
Example: A player feels a combo is uninteractive because their deck has few ways to stop it before its winning turn.
COMMUNITY
Unique
A loose player term for using only one copy of a card. It may refer to singleton decks or Legendary limits. It is not a general rarity or keyword.
Example: Your normal deck contains one copy of a Legendary card rather than two copies of that same name.
COMMUNITY
Unspent mana
Mana you could still use when your turn ends. It does not carry into the next turn unless an effect says it does.
Example: You end your 4-mana turn after spending only 3. The unused 1 mana does not carry over.
OFFICIAL
Uptrade
Use a smaller or cheaper card to remove a larger or more costly one.
Example: Your cheap 3-Attack minion destroys a more costly enemy minion that has only 3 Health left.
COMMUNITY
Utility
Useful effects besides damage. A card might draw, heal, use Silence, make cards, move things, or block an enemy plan.
Example: A card that can heal or Silence gives you useful choices beyond simply dealing damage.
COMMUNITY
Value
How much useful help you get for the cards and mana you spend. Value often matters most in a long game.
Example: One card heals your hero and draws another card, giving two useful benefits for the card you spent.
COMMUNITY
Value trade
A minion trade where your attacker stays alive, or where you gain more than you spend.
Example: Your 4/5 attacks an enemy 3/4. Their minion dies and yours remains as a 4/2.
COMMUNITY
Vanilla
A minion with no card text. Players may also use it when judging the stats a plain minion should have for its cost.
Example: A minion has 2 Attack, 3 Health and no card text. It is a vanilla minion.
COMMUNITY
Variance
How much results can differ because of chance. Draws, foes, and random effects can change your results even when your choices are just as good.
Example: The same deck draws cheap cards in one game and expensive cards in the next, leading to different starts.
PROBABILITY
Virtual card advantage
An edge from making enemy cards useless. Neither hand has to get bigger or smaller for this to help.
Example: Your opponent holds weapon removal, but your deck uses no weapons, so that card gives them little help.
COMMUNITY
Weapon
A card your hero can equip to attack. It has Attack and Durability. An attack normally uses one point of Durability.
Example: Your hero equips a 3-Attack, 2-Durability weapon and can normally attack with it twice before it breaks.
OFFICIAL
Whiff
Fail to get the card, target, or result you wanted from a draw, Discover choice, created card, or random effect.
Example: You hope Discover offers healing, but all three offered cards do something else.
COMMUNITYPROBABILITY
Who’s the beatdown?
Ask which player needs to attack and force the game to end. Picking the wrong role can lead to too many trades or a slow game you cannot win.
Example: The opponent has a stronger late game, so you need to pressure their hero and try to finish sooner.
COMMUNITY
Wide
A board or plan with many minions. A tall board uses fewer, larger minions instead.
Example: You have five small minions on the board rather than one large minion.
COMMUNITY
Win condition / wincon
The main way your deck plans to win, such as a group of cards, a strong board, or a burst of damage.
Example: Your deck plans to survive until two combo cards can deliver the finishing damage. That win condition explains why you include defense and draw instead of filling every slot with more damage.
COMMUNITY
Win rate
Wins divided by games played. Check which games were counted. Ranks, dates, decks, and foes can all change what the number means.
Example: You win 12 of 20 games. Your win rate across those games is 60%.
DATAPROBABILITY
Win-more
A card that is best when you are already ahead but does little to get you ahead or help you catch up.
Example: A huge board buff helps when you already have many minions, but does little after the enemy clears your board.
COMMUNITY
Windfury
This hero or minion can attack up to two times in one turn.
Example: Your ready Windfury minion attacks once, then makes a second legal attack that turn.
OFFICIALKEYWORD
With Coin / without Coin
Separate results for going second and going first. The second player has more starting cards and The Coin, so the results may differ.
Example: A report lists your games going second under With Coin and your games going first under Without Coin.
DATA
X-drop
A card meant to fit a turn with X mana. A three-drop is a card you plan to use for 3 mana.
Example: You call a minion planned for a 4-mana turn a four-drop.
COMMUNITY
X-for-one
Use one card or effect to deal with X enemy cards or resources. For example, a three-for-one uses one card to answer three.
Example: One spell removes three enemy minions. That play is a three-for-one.
COMMUNITY
X-mana
A way to write a cost when the number can change, or to describe a card that costs the stated amount of mana.
Example: A card costing 4 mana is a 4-mana card; X stands for whichever cost number you mean.
COMMUNITY
XL deck
A deck with more than the usual 30 cards because a card effect allows it. That effect sets the size and which formats allow it.
Example: A special card's rules allow your deck to contain 40 cards instead of the normal 30.
COMMUNITY
XP
Short for experience points. XP moves you along the Rewards Track. It does not give battle resources or raise your Ranked skill rating.
Example: Completing a quest gives XP and moves you closer to the next reward on the Rewards Track.
OFFICIAL
Year of [name]
Blizzard's name for a Hearthstone year. A new year usually brings Standard rotation and changes to the Core Set.
Example: A new named Hearthstone year begins, bringing its Standard rotation and Core changes.
OFFICIAL
Yellow glow
A glow that tells you a card or Hero Power can be used. It does not mean using it is a good choice.
Example: A card glows to show you can use it, but you still need to decide whether that play helps.
OFFICIALCOMMUNITY
Zero-mana card
A card that costs 0 mana right now. You may still need the right target, space, or other play conditions to use it.
Example: You play a card costing 0 mana without spending mana, while still meeting its target and other requirements.
OFFICIAL
Zone
A place used by the game rules, such as your deck, hand, board, Secret area, or weapon slot. The game also tracks objects that left play.
Example: A spell starts in your deck, moves to your hand when drawn, then leaves your hand when played.
OFFICIAL
Zone change
A card or object moving from one game area to another. It may count as a new object and lose buffs, damage, or other stored details.
Example: A minion returns from the board to your hand, changing zones and losing its normal board buffs and damage.
OFFICIAL
Zoo
A fast deck that fills the board with small minions. It uses good trades, buffs, and new cards to keep attacking. Zoo often means Warlock, but other classes can use a similar plan.
Example: You play several cheap minions, make good trades and use buffs to keep attacking through the board.
COMMUNITY