Can't attack

"Can't attack" can refer to two different abilities that restrict the combat options for a character but are not denoted by keywords like Freeze or Taunt:

• Can't attack is an ability that prevents a minion to be chosen as the attacker during an Attack action. However, some of these minions (Silithid Swarmer, Argent Watchman, Eerie Statue) can suppress the inability to attack under specific circumstances, allowing them to attack.
• Can't attack heroes is an ability that prevents a character to have a hero chosen as the defender during an Attack action. If it has a combination with Charge, that card will act as Rush. This inability can be temporary (lasting for a turn only) or permanent.

Notes

• Most cards that force minions to attack (Ex. Flark's Boom-Zooka, Mass Hysteria) can cause "Can't Attack" minions to attack, despite being unable to otherwise.
  • Notably, Duel! is the only card with this effect that cannot force minions with "Can't Attack" to attack.

Strategy

While "Can't Attack" minions are functionally useless, they are extremely mana efficient. Putting out a 2 mana 4/5 on the board on round two can be potentially be threatening and gives you good board presence.

There are many decks that revolve around the use of "Can't Attack" minions, the main one being Silence Priest. Playing minions such as Ironbeak Owl, or Spellbreaker and silencing the "Can't Attack" minion allows the "Can't Attack" minion to attack (provided you gave the minion a turn to get ready). To less experienced players these cards are also seen as low priority for removal, giving you a chance to silence the minion and attack with it.

Cards with "Can't attack"

This section lists minions which can't attack permanently or based on a fact.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Ancient Watcher	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	4	5	Can't attack.
Arcane Watcher	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	5	6	Can't attack unless you have Spell Damage.
Felsaber	Common	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	4	5	6	Can only attack if your hero attacked this turn.
Showing all 3 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Argent Watchman	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	2	4	Can't attack. Inspire: Can attack as normal this turn.
Unpowered Mauler	Rare	Minion	Mech	Any	2	2	4	Can only attack if you cast a spell this turn.
Humongous Razorleaf	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	4	8	Can't attack.
Silithid Swarmer	Rare	Minion	Beast	Any	3	3	5	Can only attack if your hero attacked this turn.
Eerie Statue	Rare	Minion	General	Any	4	7	7	Can’t attack unless it’s the only minion in the battlefield.
Ironwood Golem	Common	Minion	General	Druid	4	3	6	Taunt Can only attack if you have 3 or more Armor.
Quartz Elemental	Common	Minion	Elemental	Priest	5	5	8	Can't attack while damaged.
Gemstudded Golem	Common	Minion	General	Warrior	6	5	9	Taunt. Can only attack if you have 5 or more Armor.
Blackhowl Gunspire	Legendary	Minion	General	Warrior	7	3	8	Can't Attack. Whenever this minion takes damage, deal 3 damage to a random enemy.
Ragnaros the Firelord	Legendary	Minion	Elemental	Any	8	8	8	Can't attack. At the end of your turn, deal 8 damage to a random enemy.
Ragnaros the Firelord	Legendary	Minion	Elemental	Any	8	8	8	Can't attack. At the end of your turn, deal 8 damage to a random enemy.
Showing all 11 cards

Cards with "Can't attack heroes"

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Charge	Free	Spell		Warrior	1			Give a friendly minion Charge. It can't attack heroes this turn.
Blessing of Authority	Rare	Spell		Paladin	5			Give a minion +8/+8. It can't attack heroes this turn.
Supreme Abyssal	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	8	12	12	Can't attack heroes.
Showing all 3 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Bladed Gauntlet	Epic	Weapon		Warrior	2	0	2	Has Attack equal to your Armor. Can't attack heroes.
Fool's Bane	Common	Weapon		Warrior	5	3	4	Unlimited attacks each turn. Can't attack heroes.
Charged Devilsaur	Epic	Minion	Beast	Any	8	7	7	Charge Battlecry: Can't attack heroes this turn.
Icehowl	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	9	10	10	Charge Can't attack heroes.
Showing all 4 cards

References

	Cards
By type	Hero card Minion (Permanent) Spell Weapon
By class	Demon Hunter Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior
By minion type	All Beast Demon Dragon Elemental Mech Murloc Pirate Totem General
By spell school	Arcane Fel Fire Frost Holy Nature Shadow General
By ability	Evergreen keywords	Battlecry Choose One Combo Deathrattle Discover Divine Shield Freeze Lifesteal Outcast Overload Poisonous Rush Secret Silence Spell Damage Stealth Taunt Windfury
	Other keywords	Adapt Casts When Drawn Charge Choose Twice Corrupt Dormant Echo Frenzy Immune Inspire Invoke Jade Golem Lackey Magnetic Mega-Windfury Overkill Passive Quest Reborn Recruit Sidequest Spare Part Spellburst Start of Game Twinspell
	Other abilities	Can't attack Cast spell Copy Deal damage Destroy Discard Draw cards Elusive Enrage Equip Force attack Forgetful Gain Armor Generate Highlander Joust Modify cost Put into battlefield Put into hand Recurring Refresh Mana Remove from deck Replace Restore Health Return to hand Shuffle into deck Spend mana Steal Summon Take control Transform Unlimited attacks Upgradable
	Non-Constructed	Auto-Attack Auto-cast Shrine Start of Combat
By effect type	Area of effect In-deck effect In-hand effect On-discard effect On-draw effect Ongoing effect Positional effect Random effect Resurrection effect Triggered effect
By card set	Standard	Basic Classic Rise of Shadows Saviors of Uldum Descent of Dragons Galakrond's Awakening Demon Hunter Initiate Ashes of Outland Scholomance Academy Madness at the Darkmoon Faire
	Wild	Hall of Fame Curse of Naxxramas Goblins vs Gnomes Blackrock Mountain Grand Tournament The League of Explorers Whispers of the Old Gods One Night in Karazhan Mean Streets of Gadgetzan Journey to Un'Goro Knights of the Frozen Throne Kobolds & Catacombs The Witchwood The Boomsday Project Rastakhan's Rumble
By rarity	Free Common Rare Epic Legendary