Area of effect

Area of effect (AoE) is the term for an effect which affects all characters of the specified type. Common targets for AoEs include all enemy minions, all minions, and all characters.

AoE is defined in contrast to 'single-target' and 'multiple target'. While AoEs may affect multiple targets, they have no limit to the number of targets affected, and their targets are determined by the nature of the AoE (e.g., "all minions") rather than by selecting a set number of individual targets. Positional effects function as limited-area AoEs, but in game terms are multiple target effects. AoEs are distinguished from multi-targets spells such as Arcane Missiles and Cleave, which are essentially multiple single-target effects.

The term AoE refers solely to the effect's target and does not describe its actual outcome. The most common types of AoE are healing and damage-dealing spells.

Notes[edit | edit source]

AoEs affect all valid targets simultaneously. However, triggers resulting from each character affected are still applied one at a time, in the order the minions were played.
AoEs affect all targets before any related triggers are activated. For example a Circle of Healing will heal all minions before any Northshire Clerics will begin to activate.

Strategy[edit | edit source]

The effect of an AoE on a given target is not diminished by the presence of more targets. This means that AoEs are generally more valuable the more valid targets are in play, since the AoE takes full effect on all of them. Damage-dealing AoEs can be very effective for tackling large groups of minions. AoEs tend to be most effective against large groups of weak minions, and least effective against small numbers of powerful minions.

AoEs can be very useful for dealing damage to targets with Stealth. Although stealthed minions cannot be targeted directly, AoEs will still affect them. Mage is a class with strong AoE damage abilities, but all classes have some form of AoE available.

Types[edit | edit source]

Below is a breakdown of the many types of AoE.

AoE damage
- Damage all characters
  - Hellfire, Abomination, Baron Geddon*, Dread Infernal*, Ysera Awakens*, Flame Leviathan, Felfire Potion, Abyssal Enforcer*
- Damage all minions
  - Whirlwind, Wild Pyromancer, Unstable Ghoul, Death's Bite, Explosive Sheep, Lightbomb, Revenge, Elemental Destruction, Chillmaw, Dreadscale*, Excavated Evil, Tentacle of N'Zoth, Ravaging Ghoul*, Anomalus, Volcanic Potion, Primordial Drake*, Fatespinner**, Spirit Lash, Defile, Blood Razor, Bladestorm, Dragon's Fury, Duskbreaker, Reckless Flurry, Hagatha the Witch, Lord Godfrey*, Warpath
- Damage both heroes
  - Shadowbomber, Spawn of Shadows, Emerald Reaver
- Damage all minions of a specific type
  - Scarlet Purifier, Demonwrath, Corrupted Seer, Dragonfire Potion, Sleep with the Fishes
- Damage all enemies
  - Consecration, Holy Nova**, Explosive Trap, Swipe, Death and Decay
- Damage all enemy minions
  - Arcane Explosion, Blizzard**, Flamestrike, Lightning Storm, Starfall, Shadowflame, Blade Flurry, Fan of Knives, Twilight Flamecaller, Maelstrom Portal, Sergeant Sally, Invocation of Air, Exploding Bloatbat, Deathstalker Rexxar, Despicable Dreadlord
- Damage all enemy minions of a specific type
  - Dark Iron Skulker, Worgen Abomination
- Damage all friendly minions
  - Sea Reaver, Ticking Abomination
AoE healing
- Heal all characters
  - Tree of Life
- Heal all minions
  - Circle of Healing
- Heal both heroes
  - Refreshment Vendor, Mistress of Mixtures
- Heal all friendly characters
  - Darkscale Healer, Holy Nova**, Fungal Enchanter, Divine Hymn
- Heal all friendly minions
  - Healing Totem
AoE destroy
- Destroy all minions
  - Doomsayer, Deathwing*, Brawl*, Twisting Nether, Poison Seeds, Enter the Coliseum*, DOOM!, Doom Pact, Cataclysm
- Destroy all minions of a specific type
  - Shadow Word: Horror, King Mosh, Shadowreaper Anduin, Mossy Horror
- Destroy all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Mimiron's Head, Totem Cruncher
- Destroy all enemy secrets
  - Flare**, Eater of Secrets, Chief Inspector
AoE return
- Return all minions
  - Vanish
- Return all friendly minions
  - Grumble, Worldshaker*
AoE shuffle into deck
- Psychic Scream
AoE Transform
- Transform all minions
  - Kazakus Potion (10 mana)
- Transform all enemy minions
  - Devolve
- Transform all friendly minions
  - Evolve, Thrall, Deathseer
AoE Enchantments
- Targets all minions
  - Equality, Confuse, Corrupting Mist, Sunkeeper Tarim*, Fatespinner**, Void Ripper
- Targets all enemy minions
  - Eadric the Pure, Pint-Size Potion, Curse of Weakness
- Targets all friendly characters
  - Savage Roar
- Targets all friendly minions
  - Conceal, Bloodlust, Power of the Wild, Cenarius*, Soul of the Forest, Enhance-o Mechano*, Mukla's Champion*, Competitive Spirit, Everyfin is Awesome, Spawn of N'Zoth, Wisps of the Old Gods, Infest, Mark of the Lotus, Spirit Echo, Evolving Spores, Anti-Magic Shell, Boisterous Bard, Branching Paths, Blessed Maul, Purifier's Maul, Sacred Maul, Primal Talismans, Lost Spirit, Silver Sword, Glitter Moth*
- Targets all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Totemic Might, Coldlight Seer*, Quartermaster, Metaltooth Leaper*, Thunder Bluff Valiant, Bolster, Rallying Blade, Crystalweaver, Lightfused Stegodon, Gentle Megasaur, Strongshell Scavenger, Level Up!
Ongoing effects
- Targets all characters
  - Mayor Noggenfogger
- Targets all minions
  - Mogor the Ogre
- Targets both heroes
  - Jungle Moonkin
- Targets all friendly minions
  - Raid Leader*, Stormwind Champion*, Leokk*, Commanding Shout, Crystal Core, Sneaky Devil*, Cauldron Elemental*, Houndmaster Shaw*
- Targets all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Southsea Captain*, Timber Wolf*, Tundra Rhino, Grimscale Oracle*, Murloc Warleader*, Warsong Commander, Baron Rivendare, Mal'Ganis*, Warhorse Trainer, Frost Lich Jaina
- Targets all Hero Powers
  - Mindbreaker

AoE Deathrattle trigger
- Feign Death
AoE remove Stealth
- Targets all minions
  - Flare**
- Targets all enemy minions
  - Streetwise Investigator
AoE remove Divine Shield
- Blood Knight
AoE Silence
- Silence all enemy minions
  - Mass Dispel
- Silence all friendly minions
  - Wailing Soul*
AoE Freeze
- Freeze all enemy minions
  - Frost Nova, Blizzard**
- Freeze all friendly minions
  - Hyldnir Frostrider*

*Cards like Baron Geddon and Brawl exclude one minion from the effect, but hit all other targets as described. Ysera Awakens and Dread Infernal are two other examples of this type of targeting. Minions such as Stormwind Champion that provide ongoing AoE buffs similarly exclude themselves from the effect.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Bladestorm	None	Hero Power		Warrior	2			Hero Power Deal 1 damage to all minions.
Death and Decay	None	Spell		Death Knight	3			Deal 3 damage to all enemies.
Doom Pact	None	Spell		Death Knight	5			Destroy all minions. Remove the top card from your deck for each minion destroyed.
Ysera Awakens	None	Spell		Any	2			Deal 5 damage to all characters except Ysera.
Arcane Explosion	Free	Spell		Mage	2			Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions. This spell is much better than Arcane Implosion.
Bloodlust	Free	Spell		Shaman	5			Give your minions +3 Attack this turn. blaarghghLLGHRHARAAHAHHH!!
Consecration	Free	Spell		Paladin	4			Deal 2 damage to all enemies. Consecrated ground glows with Holy energy. But it smells a little, too.
Darkscale Healer	Free	Minion	General	Any	5	4	5	Battlecry: Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters. Healing is just something she does in her free time. It's more of a hobby really.
Dread Infernal	Free	Minion	Demon	Warlock	6	6	6	Battlecry: Deal 1 damage to ALL other characters. "INFERNOOOOOOOOOO!" - Jaraxxus, Eredar Lord of the Burning Legion
Fan of Knives	Free	Spell		Rogue	3			Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions. Draw a card. I wouldn't say I LOVE knives, but I'm definitely a fan.
Flamestrike	Free	Spell		Mage	7			Deal 4 damage to all enemy minions. When the ground is on fire, you should not* stop, drop, and roll.*
Frost Nova	Free	Spell		Mage	3			Freeze all enemy minions. Hey man, that's cold. Literally and metaphorically.
Grimscale Oracle	Free	Minion	Murloc	Any	1	1	1	Your other Murlocs have +1 Attack. These are the brainy murlocs. It turns out that doesn’t mean much.
Healing Totem	Free	Minion	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	At the end of your turn, restore 1 Health to all friendly minions.
Hellfire	Free	Spell		Warlock	4			Deal 3 damage to ALL characters. It's spells like these that make it hard for Warlocks to get decent help.
Holy Nova	Free	Spell		Priest	5			Deal 2 damage to all enemies. Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters. If the Holy Light forsakes you, good luck casting this spell. Also, you're probably a jerk.
Raid Leader	Free	Minion	General	Any	3	2	2	Your other minions have +1 Attack. "That's a 50 DKP minus!"
Savage Roar	Free	Spell		Druid	3			Give your characters +2 Attack this turn. What do they roar? Nobody can quite tell, but it sounds like "Elephant Macho Breeze". It's probably not that, though.
Stormwind Champion	Free	Minion	General	Any	7	6	6	Your other minions have +1/+1. When Deathwing assaulted the capital, this soldier was the only member of his squad to survive. Now he's all bitter and stuff.
Swipe	Free	Spell		Druid	4			Deal 4 damage to an enemy and 1 damage to all other enemies. When a bear rears back and extends his arms, he's about to Swipe! ... or hug.
Tundra Rhino	Free	Minion	Beast	Hunter	5	2	5	Your Beasts have Charge. Tundra rhinos are often mistaken for kodos. Or am I mistaken?
Vanish	Free	Spell		Rogue	6			Return all minions to their owner's hand.
Whirlwind	Free	Spell		Warrior	1			Deal 1 damage to ALL minions. The way to tell seasoned warriors from novice ones: the novices yell "wheeeee" while whirlwinding.
Boisterous Bard	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	3	2	Battlecry: Give your other minions +1 Health. As a kid, she fought with rocks. Now she fights with ROCK!
Cauldron Elemental	Common	Minion	Elemental	Any	8	7	7	Your other Elementals have +2 Attack. Decorating tip: Unused cauldrons can make a lovely elemental display.
Circle of Healing	Common	Spell		Priest	0			Restore 4 Health to ALL minions. It isn't really a circle.
Divine Hymn	Common	Spell		Priest	2			Restore 6 Health to all friendly characters. Taken up an octave, it's highly effective against stained glass golems.
Explosive Trap	Common	Spell		Hunter	2			Secret: When your hero is attacked, deal 2 damage to all enemies. It traps your food AND cooks it for you!
Fungal Enchanter	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	3	3	Battlecry: Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters. Qualifications: Born with pointy hat.
Healing Rain	Common	Spell		Shaman	3			Restore 12 Health divided randomly among all friendly characters. It's filled with electrolytes!
Hyldnir Frostrider	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	4	4	Battlecry: Freeze your other minions. Don't be fooled, that polar bear's the one in charge.
Leokk	Common	Minion	Beast	Hunter	3	2	4	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Sneaky Devil	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	4	2	2	Stealth Your other minions have +1 Attack. The result of a tragic accident involving a Defias Thug, a Wand of Polymorph, and a bundle of Fel Lotus.
Soul of the Forest	Common	Spell		Druid	4			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Treant." "Reforestation" is suddenly a terrifying word.
Spirit Lash	Common	Spell		Priest	2			Lifesteal Deal 1 damage to all minions. We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, stolen from you!
Warpath	Common	Spell		Warrior	2			Echo Deal 1 damage to all minions. "Left, right, left, right, there's none of the enemy left… Right?"
Abomination	Rare	Minion	General	Any	5	4	4	Taunt. Deathrattle: Deal 2 damage to ALL characters. Abominations enjoy Fresh Meat and long walks on the beach.
Blade Flurry	Rare	Spell		Rogue	4			Destroy your weapon and deal its damage to all enemy minions. "Look, it's not just about waving daggers around really fast. It's a lot more complicated than that." - Shan, Rogue Trainer
Blessed Maul	Rare	Weapon		Paladin	3	2	2	Battlecry: Give your minions +1 Attack.
Blizzard	Rare	Spell		Mage	6			Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions and Freeze them. This spell can be very Entertaining.
Blood Razor	Rare	Weapon		Warrior	4	2	2	Battlecry and Deathrattle: Deal 1 damage to all minions. For the close shave that you've always wanted. Caution: Very sharp.
Chief Inspector	Rare	Minion	General	Any	5	4	6	Battlecry: Destroy all enemy Secrets. Empty your pockets, I know you’ve got a Wandering Monster in there!
Coldlight Seer	Rare	Minion	Murloc	Any	3	2	3	Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +2 Health. The Coldlight murlocs reside in the darkest pits of the Abyssal Depths. So no, there's no getting away from murlocs.
Commanding Shout	Rare	Spell		Warrior	2			Your minions can't be reduced below 1 Health this turn. Draw a card. "Shout! Shout! Let it all out!" - Advice to warriors-in-training
Corrupting Mist	Rare	Spell		Warlock	2			Corrupt every minion. Destroy them at the start of your next turn. The most terrifying of Un’goro magics is both silent… AND deadly.
Curse of Weakness	Rare	Spell		Warlock	2			Echo Give all enemy minions -2 Attack until your next turn. Warlocks refer to this as a "balance change."
Despicable Dreadlord	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	5	4	5	At the end of your turn, deal 1 damage to all enemy minions. He's deathspicable.
Duskbreaker	Rare	Minion	Dragon	Priest	4	3	3	Battlecry: If you're holding a Dragon, deal 3 damage to all other minions. Waking up at the break of dusk is just not as impressive.
Equality	Rare	Spell		Paladin	2			Change the Health of ALL minions to 1. We are all special unique snowflakes... with 1 Health.
Evolving Spores	Rare	Spell		Druid	4			Adapt your minions. The most powerful mushrooms are commonly found in boxes marked with "?".
Exploding Bloatbat	Rare	Minion	Beast	Hunter	4	2	1	Deathrattle: Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions. We've all been there after a night of one-too-many funnel cakes.
Flare	Rare	Spell		Hunter	2			All minions lose Stealth. Destroy all enemy Secrets. Draw a card. Not only does it reveal your enemies, but it's also great for parties!
Lightning Storm	Rare	Spell		Shaman	3			Deal 2-3 damage to all enemy minions. Overload: (2) An umbrella won't be effective, I'm afraid.
Mass Dispel	Rare	Spell		Priest	4			Silence all enemy minions. Draw a card. It dispels buffs, powers, hopes, and dreams.
Primal Talismans	Rare	Spell		Shaman	3			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Summon a random basic Totem." All that remained from the first kobold colony: a single talisman and the word "Flamestrike."
Purifier's Maul	Rare	Weapon		Paladin	3	2	2	Battlecry: Give your minions Divine Shield.
Sacred Maul	Rare	Weapon		Paladin	3	2	2	Battlecry: Give your minions Taunt.
Shadowflame	Rare	Spell		Warlock	4			Destroy a friendly minion and deal its Attack damage to all enemy minions. Start with a powerful minion and stir in Shadowflame and you have a good time!
Silver Sword	Rare	Weapon		Paladin	8	3	4	After your hero attacks, give your minions +1/+1. Silver’s malleability limits its utility as an edged weapon. On the other hand... SHINY!
Starfall	Rare	Spell		Druid	5			Choose One - Deal 5 damage to a minion; or 2 damage to all enemy minions. Is the sky falling? Yes. Yes it is.
Ticking Abomination	Rare	Minion	General	Any	4	5	6	Deathrattle: Deal 5 damage to your minions. Abomination. Emphasis on the second syllable.
Wild Pyromancer	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	3	2	After you cast a spell, deal 1 damage to ALL minions. BOOM BABY BOOM! BAD IS GOOD! DOWN WITH GOVERNMENT!
Brawl	Epic	Spell		Warrior	5			Destroy all minions except one. (chosen randomly) Do you know the first rule of Brawl Club?
Cataclysm	Epic	Spell		Warlock	4			Destroy all minions. Discard your hand. RUN FROM SKY CANDLES! THEY BURN! RUN!
Deadly Arsenal	Epic	Spell		Warrior	6			Reveal a weapon from your deck. Deal its Attack to all minions. Oh look. A Gorehowl.
Doomsayer	Epic	Minion	General	Any	2	0	7	At the start of your turn, destroy ALL minions. He's almost been right so many times. He was sure* it was coming during the Cataclysm.*
Dragon's Fury	Epic	Spell		Mage	5			Reveal a spell from your deck. Deal damage equal to its Cost to all minions. "C'mon Hucklemuck. She'll never notice if we take just one little coin."
Fatespinner	Epic	Minion	General	Druid	5	5	3	Choose a Deathrattle (Secretly) - Deal 3 damage to all minions; or Give them +2/+2. Her clothing? Pure silk, of course.
Level Up!	Epic	Spell		Paladin	5			Give your Silver Hand Recruits +2/+2 and Taunt. Ding! Grats.
Mossy Horror	Epic	Minion	General	Any	6	2	7	Battlecry: Destroy all other minions with 2 or less Attack. The hills have eyes. And teeth. Pretty bad breath, too.
Murloc Warleader	Epic	Minion	Murloc	Any	3	3	3	Your other Murlocs have +2 Attack. Do Murlocs ever get tired of making the same old sound? Nope! Mrglglrglglglglglglgl!
Primordial Drake	Epic	Minion	Dragon	Any	8	4	8	Taunt Battlecry: Deal 2 damage to all other minions. Before he became a rap artist.
Psychic Scream	Epic	Spell		Priest	7			Shuffle all minions into your opponent's deck. Everybody! Hit the deck!
Reckless Flurry	Epic	Spell		Warrior	3			Spend all your Armor. Deal that much damage to all minions. Look. Cautious Flurries will only get you so far in life.
Spirit Echo	Epic	Spell		Shaman	3			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Return this to your hand." I guess you can say they’re… “soul survivors.”
Totem Cruncher	Epic	Minion	Beast	Shaman	4	2	3	Taunt Battlecry: Destroy your Totems. Gain +2/+2 for each destroyed. When regular totem hours won't cut it.
Twisting Nether	Epic	Spell		Warlock	8			Destroy all minions. The Twisting Nether is a formless place of magic and illusion and destroyed minions.
Void Ripper	Epic	Minion	Demon	Any	3	3	3	Battlecry: Swap the Attack and Health of all other minions. You had to put the portable hole inside the bag of holding, didn't you?!
Worgen Abomination	Epic	Minion	General	Any	7	6	6	At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to all other damaged minions. Does anyone want to play dead!??!?
Baron Geddon	Legendary	Minion	Elemental	Any	7	7	5	At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to ALL other characters. Baron Geddon was Ragnaros's foremost lieutenant, until he got FIRED.
Cenarius	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	9	5	8	Choose One - Give your other minions +2/+2; or Summon two 2/2 Treants with Taunt. Yes, he's a demigod. No, he doesn't need to wear a shirt.
Deathstalker Rexxar	Legendary	Hero card		Hunter	6			Battlecry: Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions. "You were too slow, old friend. The hunt began long ago. And now... it will never end."
Glinda Crowskin	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	6	3	7	Minions in your hand have Echo. Summon an unlimited number of minions!** Six Wisps
Houndmaster Shaw	Legendary	Minion	General	Hunter	4	3	6	Your other minions have Rush. They’re good dogs, Tess.
Kalimos, Primal Lord	Legendary	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	8	7	7	Battlecry: If you played an Elemental last turn, cast an Elemental Invocation. All that's missing is a little heart.
Lady in White	Legendary	Minion	General	Priest	6	5	5	Battlecry: Cast 'Inner Fire' on all minions in your deck. (set Attack equal to Health) She was a lady in polka dots until the gnomish laundromat incident.
Lord Godfrey	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	7	4	4	Battlecry: Deal 2 damage to all other minions. If any die, repeat this Battlecry. Betrayed the Alliance. Betrayed the Horde. All for 200 achievement points and a sweet, sweet hat.
Shadowreaper Anduin	Legendary	Hero card		Priest	8			Battlecry: Destroy all minions with 5 or more Attack. "I will tell you what Velen never taught me. Whosoever stands before the Light… inevitably casts a shadow."
Thrall, Deathseer	Legendary	Hero card		Shaman	5			Battlecry: Transform your minions into random ones that cost (2) more. "Do not be afraid. Approach. The dead will sleep… for now."
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