Bane of Doom

Bane of Doom

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Gold

Set:	Classic
Type:	Spell
Class:	Warlock
Rarity:	Epic
Cost:	5
Abilities:	Deal damage, Summon
Tags:	Death-related, Demon-generating, Health-related, Random, Targeted
Artist:	Raymond Swanland

Deal 2 damage to a character. If that kills it, summon a random Demon.

My advice to you is to avoid Doom, if possible.

See this card on Hearthpwn

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Bane of Doom is an epic warlock spell card, from the Classic set.

How to get

Bane of Doom can be obtained through Classic card packs, through crafting, or as an Arena reward. Regular Bane of Doom can also be obtained through the Highest Rank Bonus chest at the end of a Ranked season, or as a first-time reward for first time reaching Platinum 10 or Diamond 10 in Ranked mode.

Card	Crafting cost	Disenchanting
Bane of Doom	400	100
Golden Bane of Doom	1600	400

Notes

• This spell has two steps:
  • First it deals damage, queuing and resolving all on-damage triggers;
  • Then, if its condition is satisfied, it summons a random demon, queuing and resolving triggers. Notice that as of Patch 5.0.0.12574 (WotOG patch), minions that have been set pending destroy, such as by Acidmaw, are considered to be dying, and the condition will thus be satisfied.

• When Bane of Doom summons a demon, it chooses randomly from among all collectible Demons.

• Unlike Sense Demons, the Demon is not drawn from your deck, and the contents of your deck will not affect this spell.

• Battlecry effects are only activated when a minion is played from the hand, and will not be activated through Bane of Doom. This is usually good since demons tend to have battlecries with negative effects, for example Flame Imp, Doomguard or Pit Lord.

• If a hero is killed by Bane of Doom, a Demon will be summoned just as when a minion is killed. This is, of course, irrelevant to the outcome of the match.

• As with all golden card effects, if either the Bane of Doom or the minion killed is golden, the demon summoned will also be golden.

• If Bane of Doom reduces its target to 0 Health, the target is also destroyed. This means that if the target is a friendly Demon and Mal'Ganis is summoned, Mal'Ganis' +2 Health aura will not save the target and it will die anyway. A hypothesis for this interaction existing is because in the game's alpha, Blood Imp gave +1 Health to friendly minions, which would cause the spell's target to 'un-die', and testers considered this a bug and hardcoded a fix specifically for Bane of Doom. This used to be why Bane of Doom instantly ended multi-hero adventures, but that bug has since been fixed.

Strategy

Bane of Doom should only be played when it kills the target. The alternative, dealing only two damage without summoning a Demon, is a very weak play given the five mana cost.

The spell can be very strong or quite weak depending on the Demon it summons, as demons have a huge variance in strength. A weak demon like Blood Imp or Shadowhoof Slayer or a harmful one like Unlicensed Apothecary or Howlfiend can incur a huge tempo loss or put you at a disadvantage, or a temporary one if it summons a Dormant demon like Imprisoned Observer, while a powerful demon like Doomguard, Voidlord, Hulking Overfiend, and Priestess of Fury can give you a strong lead. Of course, if the player is about to lose the game, using Bane of Doom may be the only option, since it has the potential to summon a Demon that can disrupt the opponent's attack, such as Felguard or Wrathspike Brute.

Bane of Doom can be used with Spell Damage minions (like Bloodmage Thalnos) to increase the amount of targets it can kill, thereby increasing the potential to activate its demon-summoning effect.

Possible minions

For Wild format listings, see Demon#Collectible

This table lists all collectible Demons in Standard format, representing the full range of possible summons from Bane of Doom.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Shadowhoof Slayer	Free	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	1	2	1	Battlecry: Give your hero +1 Attack this turn. Was a humble Elven Archer before Sargeras got to him.
Voidwalker	Free	Minion	Demon	Warlock	1	1	3	Taunt No relation to "The Voidsteppers", the popular Void-based dance troupe.
Felstalker	Free	Minion	Demon	Warlock	2	4	3	Battlecry: Discard a random card. This puppy chews up cards instead of shoes.
Sightless Watcher	Free	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	2	3	2	Battlecry: Look at 3 cards in your deck. Choose one to put on top. What he lacks in sight, he makes up for in sleight-of-tentacle tricks.
Satyr Overseer	Free	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	3	4	2	After your hero attacks, summon a 2/2 Satyr. What he lacks in communication skills, he makes up for with highly responsive staffing allocations.
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
Desk Imp	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	0	1	1	"I feel inky!"
Battlefiend	Common	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	1	1	2	After your hero attacks, gain +1 Attack. Say what you like about my hatchet-headed hooligan, he’s my battle-friend.
Blood Imp	Common	Minion	Demon	Warlock	1	0	1	Stealth. At the end of your turn, give another random friendly minion +1 Health. Imps are content to hide and viciously taunt everyone nearby.
Fiendish Servant	Common	Minion	Demon	Warlock	1	2	1	Deathrattle: Give this minion's Attack to a random friendly minion. Putting the "r" in fiend.
Flame Imp	Common	Minion	Demon	Warlock	1	3	2	Battlecry: Deal 3 damage to your hero. Imps like being on fire. They just do.
Imprisoned Gan'arg	Common	Minion	Demon	Warrior	1	2	2	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, equip a 3/2 Axe. Factory Direct Fiery War Axe. Please allow two turns for delivery.
Imprisoned Homunculus	Common	Minion	Demon	Priest	1	2	5	Dormant for 2 turns. Taunt He got a time out for excessive vulgarity.
Spirit Jailer	Common	Minion	Demon		1	1	3	Battlecry: Shuffle 2 Soul Fragments into your deck. "Sure, they're in your deck, but the mind is like, the REAL prison."
Ur'zul Horror	Common	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	1	2	1	Deathrattle: Add a 2/1 Lost Soul to your hand. You face face face face face Jaraxxus!
Imprisoned Felmaw	Common	Minion	Demon	Hunter	2	5	4	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, attack a random enemy. It doesn't care who woke it up, someone's getting bitten.
Imprisoned Vilefiend	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	2	3	5	Dormant for 2 turns. Rush If you do the time, you gotta make up the time.
Vilefiend	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	2	2	2	Lifesteal Dreamed of becoming a Stylefiend, but fel was never in season.
Imprisoned Satyr	Common	Minion	Demon	Druid	3	3	3	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, reduce the Cost of a random minion in your hand by (5). "C'mon down to Illhoof's bargain bin! When the satyr's free, he'll lower your fee!"
Terrorguard Escapee	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	3	3	7	Battlecry: Summon three 1/1 Huntresses for your opponent. Poor guy is terrified, look at his faces.
Disguised Wanderer	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	4	3	3	Deathrattle: Summon a 9/1 Inquisitor. He wanders east... always into the east.
Nightshade Matron	Common	Minion	Demon	Warlock	4	5	5	Rush Battlecry: Discard your highest Cost card. Throws shade at those "high-cost" minions.
Aranasi Broodmother	Common	Minion	Demon	Warlock	6	4	6	Taunt When you draw this, restore 4 Health to your hero. She's got a big brood and a big mood.
Scavenging Shivarra	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	6	6	3	Battlecry: Deal 6 damage randomly split among all other minions. Say what you want but finding a matching set of six swords takes commitment.
Supreme Abyssal	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	8	12	12	Can't attack heroes. Yet, you still feel attacked.
Imprisoned Scrap Imp	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	2	3	3	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, give all minions in your hand +2/+1. His impish imports imply impressively impetuous impropriety.
Felguard	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	3	3	5	Taunt. Battlecry: Destroy one of your Mana Crystals. Yes, he'll fight for you. BUT HE'S NOT GOING TO LIKE IT.
Imprisoned Observer	Rare	Minion	Demon	Mage	3	4	5	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, deal 2 damage to all enemy minions. Currently serving two turns on charges of aggravated minion slaughter.
Void Terror	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	3	3	3	Battlecry: Destroy the minions on either side of this minion and gain their Attack and Health. If you put this into your deck, you WILL lose the trust of your other minions.
Frenzied Felwing	Rare	Minion	Demon	Any	4	3	2	Costs (1) less for each damage dealt to your opponent this turn. Not to be confused with the "friendsy” felwing.
Portal Keeper	Rare	Minion	Demon	Any	4	5	2	Battlecry: Shuffle 3 Portals into your deck. When drawn, summon a 2/2 Demon with Rush. No longer allowed to be "it" when playing demon tag.
Imprisoned Antaen	Rare	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	6	10	6	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, deal 10 damage randomly split among all enemies. Can I get a pair of size XXXXXL manacles?
Mad Summoner	Rare	Minion	Demon	Any	6	4	4	Battlecry: Fill each player's board with 1/1 Imps. Does he summon because of his madness, or is he mad from all the summoning?
Priestess of Fury	Rare	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	7	6	5	At the end of your turn, deal 6 damage randomly split among all enemies. Furious that she only has six warglaives. The Sightless Watcher has eight! The fel is always greener on the other side.
Siegebreaker	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	7	5	8	Taunt Your other Demons have +1 Attack. Has a side hustle as a siegebroker.
Enhanced Dreadlord	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	8	5	7	Taunt Deathrattle: Summon a 5/5 Dreadlord with Lifesteal. Photo actually taken across the street in the reflection of a doorknob.
Hulking Overfiend	Rare	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	8	5	10	Rush. After this attacks and kills a minion, it may attack again. To hulk, perhaps, to fiend: ay, there's the rub.
Darkglare	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	2	2	3	After your hero takes damage, refresh a Mana Crystal. He's got a dark glare, but he sees crystal clear!
Mo'arg Artificer	Epic	Minion	Demon	Any	2	2	4	All minions take double damage from spells. Double-damage. You know the drill.
Chaos Gazer	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	3	4	3	Battlecry: Corrupt a playable card in your opponent's hand. They have 1 turn to play it! No matter the game rules, it's always playing Go Fish.
Pit Lord	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	4	5	6	Battlecry: Deal 5 damage to your hero. Mannoroth, Magtheridon, and Brutallus may be dead, but it turns out there are a LOT of pit lords.
Void Drinker	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	5	4	5	Taunt. Battlecry: Destroy a Soul Fragment in your deck to gain +3/+3. It has no taste.
Wrathspike Brute	Epic	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	5	2	6	Taunt After this is attacked, deal 1 damage to all enemies. You scratch her back, her back scratches back.
Portal Overfiend	Epic	Minion	Demon	Any	6	5	6	Battlecry: Shuffle 3 Portals into your deck. When drawn, summon a 2/2 Demon with Rush. It's like an interdimensional game of demon tag.
Riftcleaver	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	6	7	5	Battlecry: Destroy a minion. Your hero takes damage equal to its Health. Brings you face to face with your destructive impulses.
Ancient Void Hound	Epic	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	9	10	10	At the end of your turn, steal 1 Attack and Health from all enemy minions. What happened to my 1/1 Void Pup? And the glee club?!
Pit Commander	Epic	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	9	7	9	Taunt At the end of your turn, summon a Demon from your deck. "Pit! Do as I say!"
Jumbo Imp	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	10	8	8	Costs (1) less whenever a friendly Demon dies while this is in your hand. Jumbo in size! Huge in E.V.I.L.!
Magtheridon	Legendary	Minion	Demon	Any	4	12	12	Dormant. Battlecry: Summon three 1/3 enemy Warders. When they die, destroy all minions and awaken. Came from another world to invade Outland and bend it to his will… only to be overthrown by an elf from another world who invaded Outland and bent it to his will.
Xavius	Legendary	Minion	Demon	Any	6	7	5	After you play a card, summon a 2/1 Satyr. Xavius has grand nightmares of summoning Sargeras into this world, but a few Satyr will have to do for now.
Fel Lord Betrug	Legendary	Minion	Demon	Warlock	8	5	7	Whenever you draw a minion, summon a copy with Rush that dies at end of turn. Nobody else likes rush hour.
Lord Jaraxxus	Legendary	Minion	Demon	Warlock	9	3	15	Battlecry: Destroy your hero and replace it with Lord Jaraxxus. "TRIFLING GNOME! YOUR ARROGANCE WILL BE YOUR UNDOING!!!!"
Sathrovarr	Legendary	Minion	Demon	Any	9	5	5	Choose a friendly minion. Add a copy of it to your hand, deck and battlefield. Just wait until you also find a copy in your pocket. And your desk! And your FRIDGE!!
Showing all 53 cards

History

Prior to Patch 2.4.0.8311, Bane of Doom could summon only Blood Imp, Voidwalker, Flame Imp, Dread Infernal, Succubus or Felguard. No other Demons would be summoned.

This set the card apart from a number of other "random minion" cards such as Webspinner and Piloted Shredder, which (as Bane of Doom does now) pick from among all collectible cards of the stated type. This discrepancy was noted by the developers, especially in response to player requests following the release of Goblins vs Gnomes, but the card was only changed with the patch accompanying the release of Blackrock Mountain.

One reason for the original design may have been the power of Demons such as Lord Jaraxxus and Mal'Ganis, which could have resulted in Bane of Doom being too powerful. The restricted range of minions also limited the amount of RNG involved, decreasing the potential to swing matches based on which minion was summoned. It also gave developers more "design space" by allowing them to add more Demons to the game without worrying about their potentially unbalancing effect if summoned by Bane of Doom.

Following 4 months of requests from players, with Patch 2.4.0.8311 the spell was changed to be able to summon any collectible Demon. The change was highly unusual, given the developers' stance on not buffing cards, since it was considered to make the spell far more powerful, and led to a significant rise in its popularity. The developers categorised the change as a 'bug fix' rather than a card change, later explaining their motivation for the change as "when it didn't do what it said it did, you couldn't trust any other cards with the same text to do what they say. That's it."

Lore

This spell's first incarnation was as 'Doom' in Warcraft III, where it was the ultimate ability of the pit lord neutral hero. It would curse a target to take damage and when it died it would summon a doomguard. It was later reinvented in World of Warcraft as the infamous warlock spell 'Curse of Doom', later renamed 'Bane of Doom'. It applied a damage over time effect to a character, and each time it dealt damage had a chance to summon a Demon Guardian. While Cataclysm saw the spell deal damage every fifteen seconds, with a chance to summon an Ebon Imp who would automatically assist the warlock, the original spell had a duration of 60 seconds and dealt damage only once, at the completion of the effect, with a chance to summon a Doomguard. Unlike the Ebon Imp, the summoned Doomguard was not under the warlock's control, and would immediately attack the warlock upon spawning. The Doomguard was quite capable of killing the warlock and his allies, and had to be enslaved via the warlock's Enslave Demon spell in order to control him, although he could resist enslavement, or break free later on and begin attacking the warlock again. Prior to Patch 2.4.0.8311, this was somewhat ironic, since Doomguard was not one of the demons that could be summoned by the Hearthstone incarnation of Bane of Doom.

Trivia

• The artwork for this card comes from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game "Scourgewar" series, for the card Detonate Soul.

Gallery

Bane of Doom, full art

Patch changes

• Patch 2.4.0.8311 (2015-03-31): can now summon any collectible demons. Doom . . . DOOM! [Previously limited to Blood Imp, Voidwalker, Flame Imp, Dread Infernal, Succubus and Felguard]