Charge
- Charge
Can attack immediately.
- For the card of the same name, see Charge (card).
Charge is an ability allowing a minion to attack the same turn it is summoned or brought under a new player's control.
Charge is available to all classes, but is most strongly associated with the warrior and hunter classes. Warrior cards involving Charge include Charge, Kor'Kron Elite and Grommash Hellscream. Hunters have access to powerful Charge cards such as Huffer, Unleash the Hounds, Tundra Rhino and King Krush.
Contents
Notes[edit | edit source]
- Minions with Charge will not suffer the exhausted effect when first put into play. This also applies if the minion is brought into play through means such as a Summon effect or Faceless Manipulator's Transform effect.
- If a friendly minion can only attack because it has temporary Charge from Tundra Rhino, the Tundra Rhino does not have to survive until the actual combat happens (for example, if it dies to Explosive Trap, the combat will not be cancelled).[2]
- Charge functionally overrides Rush effects. If a Charge minion is given Rush, it will still be able to attack the enemy hero. This is because Rush doesn't actually prevent a minion from attacking the opponent's hero, it only allows the minion to attack enemy minions while it would normally have summoning sickness.
Strategy[edit | edit source]
- Charge is a very useful ability for dealing instant damage, and often features as part of a deck's burst damage potential. Cards like Doomguard can be held until the opportunity arise to quickly defeat the opponent using the cards left in the hand.
- Charge minions are often used to finish the opponent, sometimes as part of one turn kill (OTK) combos. Leeroy Jenkins is a good example, often combined with cards such as Shadowstep, Faceless Manipulator, Reincarnate and Power Overwhelming to deal huge damage in a single turn. Unleash the Hounds and Grommash Hellscream are also commonly used as finishers.
- Charge can be granted through cards like Tundra Rhino, allowing beasts which do not usually possess the ability to make use of it. This can be key in making powerful plays with strong beasts such as Savannah Highmane. Unleash the Hounds is a strong example of the power of a sudden group of minions, heavily dependent on Charge.
- Charge minions frequently feature decent Attack but relatively low Health. This ensures that they will be defeated upon attacking most targets, and otherwise can be easily dispatched by the opponent, serving to balance their ability to immediately attack with a low likelihood of surviving into the next round.
Cards with Charge[edit | edit source]
This section lists all cards which possess or provide a source of Charge. ===Collectible
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stonetusk Boar | Free | Minion | Beast | Any | 1 | 1 | 1 | Charge This card is boaring. | |||||||||||
Bluegill Warrior | Free | Minion | Murloc | Any | 2 | 2 | 1 | Charge He just wants a hug. A sloppy... slimy... hug. | |||||||||||
Wolfrider | Free | Minion | General | Any | 3 | 3 | 1 | Charge Orcish raiders ride wolves because they are well adapted to harsh environments, and because they are soft and cuddly. | |||||||||||
Kor'kron Elite | Free | Minion | General | Warrior | 4 | 4 | 3 | Charge The Kor'kron are the elite forces of Garrosh Hellscream. Let's just say you don't want to run into these guys while wearing a blue tabard. | |||||||||||
Stormwind Knight | Free | Minion | General | Any | 4 | 2 | 5 | Charge They're still embarrassed about "The Deathwing Incident". | |||||||||||
Reckless Rocketeer | Free | Minion | General | Any | 6 | 5 | 2 | Charge One Insane Rocketeer. One Rocket full of Explosives. Infinite Fun. | |||||||||||
Argent Commander | Rare | Minion | General | Any | 6 | 4 | 2 | Charge Divine Shield The Argent Dawn stands vigilant against the Scourge, as well as people who cut in line at coffee shops. | |||||||||||
Leeroy Jenkins | Legendary | Minion | General | Any | 5 | 6 | 2 | Charge. Battlecry: Summon two 1/1 Whelps for your opponent. At least he has Angry Chicken. | |||||||||||
Al'Akir the Windlord | Legendary | Minion | Elemental | Shaman | 8 | 3 | 5 | Windfury, Charge, Divine Shield, Taunt He is the weakest of the four Elemental Lords. And the other three don't let him forget it. | |||||||||||
Grommash Hellscream | Legendary | Minion | General | Warrior | 8 | 4 | 9 | Charge Has +6 Attack while damaged. Grommash drank the tainted blood of Mannoroth, dooming the orcs to green skin and red eyes! Maybe not his best decision. | |||||||||||
King Krush | Legendary | Minion | Beast | Hunter | 9 | 8 | 8 | Charge The best defense against King Krush is to have someone you don’t like standing in front of you. | |||||||||||
Showing all 11 cards |
Wild format
This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argent Horserider | Common | Minion | General | Any | 3 | 2 | 1 | Charge Divine Shield His horse's name is Betsy. | |||||||||||
Gnomeregan Infantry | Common | Minion | General | Any | 3 | 1 | 4 | Charge
Taunt The gnomes are valiant and ready to return to their irradiated, poorly ventilated homeland! | |||||||||||
Chillblade Champion | Common | Minion | General | Paladin | 4 | 3 | 2 | Charge Lifesteal It slices, it dices, it vaporizes! The Chillblade will make a Champion out of even the lowliest gnome. | |||||||||||
Doomguard | Rare | Minion | Demon | Warlock | 5 | 5 | 7 | Charge. Battlecry: Discard two random cards. Summoning a doomguard is risky. Someone is going to die. | |||||||||||
Charged Devilsaur | Epic | Minion | Beast | Any | 8 | 7 | 7 | Charge Battlecry: Can't attack heroes this turn. What happens when a dinosaur mixes soda and pop rocks. | |||||||||||
Old Murk-Eye | Legendary | Minion | Murloc | Any | 4 | 2 | 4 | Charge. Has +1 Attack for each other Murloc on the battlefield. He's a legend among murlocs. "Mrghllghghllghg!", they say. | |||||||||||
Skycap'n Kragg | Legendary | Minion | Pirate | Any | 7 | 4 | 6 | Charrrrrge Costs (1) less for each friendly Pirate. What's more boss than riding a parrot with a jawbone for a shoulderpad while wielding a giant hook-lance-thing and wearing a pirate hat? NOTHING. | |||||||||||
Icehowl | Legendary | Minion | General | Any | 9 | 10 | 10 | Charge Can't attack heroes. This massive yeti just closes his eyes and charges at the nearest target. The nearest Target is a couple blocks away and has sick deals on skateboards. | |||||||||||
Showing all 8 cards |
Uncollectible[edit | edit source]
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hound | Common | Minion | Beast | Hunter | 1 | 1 | 1 | Charge | |||||||||||
Huffer | Common | Minion | Beast | Hunter | 3 | 4 | 2 | Charge | |||||||||||
Druid of the Claw | Common | Minion | Beast | Druid | 5 | 4 | 4 | Charge | |||||||||||
Druid of the Claw | Common | Minion | Beast | Druid | 5 | 4 | 6 | Charge, Taunt | |||||||||||
King Krush | Legendary | Minion | Beast | Hunter | 9 | 8 | 8 | Charge | |||||||||||
Showing all 5 cards |
Wild format
This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boar | None | Minion | Beast | Mage | 3 | 4 | 2 | Charge | |||||||||||
V-07-TR-0N | None | Minion | Mech | Any | 8 | 4 | 8 | Charge Mega-Windfury | |||||||||||
Sabertooth Lion | Common | Minion | Beast | Druid | 2 | 2 | 1 | Charge | |||||||||||
Tiger Form | Common | Minion | Beast | Druid | 2 | 3 | 2 | Charge, Stealth | |||||||||||
Showing all 4 cards |
Sources of Charge[edit | edit source]
Charge-generating cards[edit | edit source]
This section lists cards which generate Charge minions.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Animal Companion | Free | Spell | Hunter | 3 | Summon a random Beast Companion. You could summon Misha, Leokk, or Huffer! Huffer is more trouble than he's worth. | ||||||||||||||
Unleash the Hounds | Common | Spell | Hunter | 3 | For each enemy minion, summon a 1/1 Hound with Charge. You must read the name of this card out loud each time you play it. | ||||||||||||||
Druid of the Claw | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 5 | 4 | 4 | Choose One - Transform into a 4/4 with Charge; or a 4/6 with Taunt. Cat or Bear? Cat or Bear?! I just cannot CHOOSE! | |||||||||||
Dinotamer Brann | Legendary | Minion | General | Hunter | 7 | 2 | 4 | Battlecry: If your deck has no duplicates, summon King Krush. Brann's new dino-taming hobby is going well—his pet can already make him sit, stand, and roll over! | |||||||||||
Showing all 4 cards |
Wild format[edit | edit source]
This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Druid of the Saber | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 2 | 2 | 1 | Choose One - Transform into a 2/1 with Charge; or a 3/2 with Stealth. That's saberTEETH, not like curved pirate blades. That's a different kind of druid. Druid of the Curved Pirate Blades. | |||||||||||
Polymorph: Boar | Rare | Spell | Mage | 3 | Transform a minion into a 4/2 Boar with Charge. It's always Huffer. | ||||||||||||||
Mimiron's Head | Legendary | Minion | Mech | Any | 5 | 4 | 5 | At the start of your turn, if you have at least 3 Mechs, destroy them all and form V-07-TR-0N. Do not push the big red button! | |||||||||||
Showing all 3 cards |
Charge-granting cards[edit | edit source]
This section lists cards which grant the Charge ability to other minions or to itself.
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. "Guys! Guys! Slow down!" - some kind of non-warrior minion | ||||||||||||||
Tundra Rhino | Free | Minion | Beast | Hunter | 5 | 2 | 5 | Your Beasts have Charge. Tundra rhinos are often mistaken for kodos. Or am I mistaken? | |||||||||||
Southsea Deckhand | Common | Minion | Pirate | Any | 1 | 2 | 1 | Has Charge while you have a weapon equipped. Pirates are into this new fad called "Planking". | |||||||||||
Shadow Madness | Rare | Spell | Priest | 4 | Gain control of an enemy minion with 3 or less Attack until end of turn. You can rationalize it all you want, it's still a mean thing to do. | ||||||||||||||
Showing all 4 cards |
Wild format
This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Potion of Madness | Common | Spell | Priest | 1 | Gain control of an enemy minion with 2 or less Attack until the end of the turn. You'd be insane NOT to drink it! | ||||||||||||||
Tanaris Hogchopper | Common | Minion | General | Any | 4 | 4 | 4 | Battlecry: If your opponent's hand is empty, gain Charge. The Hogchoppers are well-known throughout Kalimdor for being a real, actual group. | |||||||||||
Alexstrasza's Champion | Rare | Minion | General | Warrior | 2 | 2 | 3 | Battlecry: If you're holding a Dragon, gain +1 Attack and Charge. "Put more spikes on her. No, more spikes. What part of 'more spikes' do you not understand? MORE SPIKES!" - Alexstrasza | |||||||||||
Armored Warhorse | Rare | Minion | Beast | Any | 4 | 5 | 3 | Battlecry: Reveal a minion in each deck. If yours costs more, gain Charge. Yep. It's a horse... wearing armor... going to war. | |||||||||||
Spiked Hogrider | Rare | Minion | General | Any | 5 | 5 | 5 | Battlecry: If an enemy minion has Taunt, gain Charge. Did you know the Hogchoppers compete every year at the Mirage Raceway? They do. It's a real group. | |||||||||||
Leatherclad Hogleader | Epic | Minion | General | Any | 6 | 6 | 6 | Battlecry: If your opponent has 6 or more cards in hand, gain Charge. The Hogchoppers, the terrors of Tanaris, can always be found at one tavern or another in Gadgetzan, refueling for totally real and legit adventures that they go on. | |||||||||||
Showing all 6 cards |
Related cards[edit | edit source]
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Warsong Commander | Free | Minion | General | Warrior | 3 | 2 | 3 | Your Charge minions have +1 Attack. The Warsong clan is such drama. It's really not worth it to become a commander. | |||||||||||
Showing the only card |
Design[edit | edit source]
Charge is historically one of the most problematic abilities in Hearthstone. This is due to the potential for Charge minions to be combined with Attack-increasing buffs and copy effects, producing excessively powerful burst combos, in the worst cases resulting in one turn kills.[3] This lack of interactivity makes Charge a concern for the developers, who have consequently become increasingly reluctant to print new minions with unqualified Charge, as well as nerfing numerous cards critical to Charge-based combos.
Designer Max McCall clarifies that the ability itself can be positive, such as for allowing players to catch up when behind on the board, helping to counter the strength of consistently developing the board.[3] However, when a Charge card is cheap enough to combo with other effects, or it is otherwise viable to achieve a one turn kill using it, the ability "becomes a problem".[3] One solution to this could be to restrict the availability of buffs and other key combo pieces, but these types of effect offer a larger design space, with the result that restricting them would detract from the game far more significantly than simply restricting the availability of Charge.[3]
More recently the designers have experimented with conditional Charge effects, and are considering adding more expensive Charge minions in the future, as they "figure out what's safe".[3]
With The Witchwood, Hearthstone introduced the related Rush effect, which is similar to Charge except that the minion cannot attack heroes on the turn it is summoned. It is possible for a minion to have both Rush and Charge (for example, if you play a Rush Beast while Tundra Rhino is on the board); in that case the minion can attack the enemy hero on its first turn.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ When BM goes wrong ft. Forsen (2). (2014-10-23).
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVCX1zt0E4E Tested in Patch 3.1.0.10357 (Mech War Tavern Brawl patch)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Max McCall Talks About Charge and Taunt - Concerns, Experimentation, and Execution. (2017-02-13).
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