Healing

Healing is the restoration of Health to a damaged character. Healing a character will increase their Health by the stated amount, up to but not beyond their current maximum Health.

Healing effects or Restore Health effects are effects which restore Health. These may be Hero Powers, spells or abilities such as Battlecries or Deathrattles. Most healing effects affect a single character (these effects can be targetable or select the target automatically or at random), while some others have an area of effect.

Healing is distinct from granting a minion increased Health, which increases both the current and maximum Health for the target. Increasing a minion's Health is usually achieved through enchantments (or removing them through Silences), while healing is usually achieved through effects.

Healing is available to all classes through neutral cards, but is most strongly associated with the priest class, and to a lesser extent paladins, shamans and druids.

Notes

• Although healing effects (including targetable ones) can target undamaged characters, attempting to restore Health to a character already at their current maximum Health will have no effect and will not count as healing for game purposes (for example, on-heal triggers such as Lightwarden will not trigger).
• Healing effects with an area of effect (such as Circle of Healing) heal all affected targets before any on-heal triggered effect (such as Shadowboxer) triggers.
• Auchenai Soulpriest, Auchenai Phantasm, and Embrace the Shadow make your healing effects deal damage instead (for additional details see the Advanced rules section below).
• Prophet Velen doubles the healing of your healing spells and Hero Powers (for additional details see the Advanced rules section below). Note that Prophet Velen will NOT double the healing recieved by minions with Lifesteal.
• Healing a character to full Health will remove its damaged status and thus any Enrage effect currently active, which can be very useful for denying enemy minions' Enrage effects.

Strategy

Healing can be very useful for sustaining friendly minions, allowing them to survive another round, or trade favourably with enemy minions. It can also be used to restore Health to the hero, preventing defeat and moving the hero out of lethal range. Healing is often used as a counter to aggro decks, which focus on quickly reducing an opponent's Health before they have time to counter.

Healing works best in control-based strategies, especially hero healing, which can allow the player to outlast their opponent. Reno Jackson is an especially powerful neutral healing option, single-handedly forming the basis of many control deck types. Minion healing can allow for superior trades and card efficiency, but works best with synergy cards like Northshire Cleric. Priests have the widest range of healing options in general, as well as almost exclusive access to healing synergy cards. Lesser Heal works especially well to heal either themselves or their minions, while AoE heals like Circle of Healing and Holy Nova allow for powerful combos with cards like Northshire Cleric.

A few priest cards (Auchenai Soulpriest, Embrace the Shadow) and ((Auchenai Phantasm)) have the effect of converting healing into damage, allowing for some very efficient plays especially when combined with cheap healing cards like Flash Heal and Circle of Healing.

Advanced rules

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Healing Events

Healing effects work by creating and resolving Healing Events:

• Healing effects that affect a single target create one Healing Event, and then immediately resolve it;
• Healing effects that affect "multiple targets" (Binding Heal) creates and resolves the Healing Event of each target before moving to the next one;
• Healing effects with an area of effect first create all Healing Events (one for each affected character, in play order), and then resolve all Healing Events (queuing and resolving triggers) in play order.

Spells and effects with two steps (like Light of the Naaru, Moonglade Portal and Lay on Hands) resolve the Healing Event before they query the target's condition (e.g., if the target of Light of the Naaru is damaged) or move to their next step.

Creating a Healing Event

Each Healing Event has its own source (usually, the healing effect that created the Event; notice that, in the case of Power Word: Glory, the source of the Healing Event is the enchantment created by the spell, not the spell itself), target and proposed healing:

• Most healing effects have as proposed healing a fixed number explicitly stated in their text (for example, Lesser Heal simply reads "Restore 2 Health");
• Some healing effects have a variable proposed healing which may depend on the damage dealt by a source (Mistress of Pain, Hallazeal the Ascended, Wickerflame Burnbristle), on the cost of a card (Ivory Knight), on available mana (Forbidden Healing) or on the number of enemy minions (Cult Apothecary);
• Stoneskin Gargoyle's proposed healing is equal to the difference between its maximum Helth and its current Health;
• All other effects that restore a character to full Health (like Ancestral Healing, Reno Jackson, Tree of Life and Hozen Healer) have a proposed healing equal to that character's maximum Health.

Then, if the controller of the source of the Healing Event also controlled an unsilenced Auchenai Soulpriest since the last Aura Update (Other) Step or controls the enchantment created by Embrace the Shadow, the Healing Event is prevented and replaced with a Damage Event: this Damage Event has the same source and target of the Healing Event and has a proposed damage equal to its proposed healing (for additional details, see Damage#Advanced rules).

• Example: If a player with an Auchenai Soulpriest active casts Tree of Life all characters will suffer damage equal to their maximum Health, usually causing them all to die.
• Example: In combination with Auchenai Soulpriest, Mistress of Pain will instead deal damage to the controlling player; however, since that damage is counted as damage dealt by the Mistress of Pain herself, her effect will trigger again and again until the controlling hero is destroyed.

Then, if the the source of the Healing Event is a Hero Power or a spell (notice that this does not include the enchantment created by Power Word: Glory) and its controller also controlled an unsilenced Prophet Velen since the last Aura Update (Other) Step, double the proposed healing of the Healing Event. Multiple Prophet Velens stack, each one doubling the proposed healing.

Finally, the character's current Health is increased by the Healing Event's proposed healing, up to but not beyond its current maximum Health.

Resolving a Healing Event

If the Healing Event was prevented or if it did not change the character's current Health, it will not run any triggers.

Otherwise, on-heal triggers (listed in the following table) queue and resolve in play order.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Northshire Cleric	Free	Minion	General	Priest	1	1	3	Whenever a minion is healed, draw a card. They help the downtrodden and distressed. Also they sell cookies.
Holy Champion	Common	Minion	General	Priest	4	3	5	Whenever a character is healed, gain +2 Attack. She really likes seeing people get better. That's why she hurts them in the first place.
Hooded Acolyte	Common	Minion	General	Priest	4	3	6	Whenever a character is healed, give your C'Thun +1/+1 (Wherever it is). Wait, what kind of acolyte doesn't wear a hood?
Lightwarden	Rare	Minion	General	Any	1	1	2	Whenever a character is healed, gain +2 Attack. She’s smaller than her sisters Mediumwarden and Heavywarden.
Shadowboxer	Rare	Minion	Mech	Priest	2	2	3	Whenever a minion is healed, deal 1 damage to a random enemy. Punching is its primary function. Also, its secondary function.
Soup Vendor	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	1	4	Whenever you restore 3 or more Health to your hero, draw a card. Fresh from the floor of the arena!
Nightscale Matriarch	Rare	Minion	Dragon	Priest	7	4	9	Whenever a friendly minion is healed, summon a 3/3 Whelp. Everywhelp, get in here!
Mana Geode	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Priest	2	2	3	Whenever this minion is healed, summon a 2/2 Crystal. Gadgetzan, where even the pet rocks have pet rocks.
Showing all 8 cards

Cards with healing effects

For Wild format listings, see Healing/Wild format

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Crystal Dryad	None	Minion	General	Druid	1	1	2	Lifesteal
Lesser Heal	None	Hero Power		Priest	2			Hero Power Restore 2 Health.
Ancestral Healing	Free	Spell		Shaman	0			Restore a minion to full Health and give it Taunt. I personally prefer some non-ancestral right-the-heck-now healing, but maybe that is just me.
Sacrificial Pact	Free	Spell		Warlock	0			Destroy a Demon. Restore 5 Health to your hero. This is the reason that Demons never really become friends with Warlocks.
Healing Totem	Free	Minion	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	At the end of your turn, restore 1 Health to all friendly minions.
Voodoo Doctor	Free	Minion	General	Any	1	2	1	Battlecry: Restore 2 Health. Voodoo is an oft-misunderstood art. But it is art.
Holy Light	Free	Spell		Paladin	2			Restore 6 Health. If you are often bathed in Holy Light, you should consider wearing sunscreen.
Drain Life	Free	Spell		Warlock	3			Deal 2 damage. Restore 2 Health to your hero. "I've just sucked one year of your life away."
Healing Touch	Free	Spell		Druid	3			Restore 8 Health. 8 Health, no waiting.
Truesilver Champion	Free	Weapon		Paladin	4	4	2	Whenever your hero attacks, restore 2 Health to it. It Slices, it Dices. You can cut a tin can with it. (But you wouldn't want to.)
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.
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.
Guardian of Kings	Free	Minion	General	Paladin	7	5	6	Battlecry: Restore 6 Health to your hero. Holy beings from the beyond are so cliché!
Circle of Healing	Common	Spell		Priest	0			Restore 4 Health to ALL minions. It isn't really a circle.
Regenerate	Common	Spell		Priest	0			Restore 3 Health. Finally a cure for degenerates.
Crystal Power	Common	Spell		Druid	1			Choose One: Deal 2 damage to a minion; or Restore 5 Health. Often used as healing crystals, but also good for throwing at people.
Potion Vendor	Common	Minion	General	Any	1	1	1	Battlecry: Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters. Everyone gets two because that's all she can hold.
Swamp Leech	Common	Minion	Beast	Any	1	2	1	Lifesteal A face only a druid could love.
Cheaty Anklebiter	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	2	1	Lifesteal Battlecry: Deal 1 damage. Famed hunter of the deadly Achilliosaur.
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.
Flash of Light	Common	Spell		Paladin	2			Restore 4 health. Draw a card. Hey! No cameras allowed!
Squashling	Common	Minion	General	Priest	2	2	1	Echo Battlecry: Restore 2 Health. Everyone hail to the squashling song!
Vicious Scalehide	Common	Minion	Beast	Any	2	1	3	Lifesteal Rush They make wonderful pets if you're not allergic to blood loss.
Earthen Ring Farseer	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	3	3	Battlecry: Restore 3 Health. He can see really far, and he doesn't use a telescope like those filthy pirates.
Pumpkin Peasant	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	2	4	Lifesteal Each turn this is in your hand, swap its Attack and Health. Time to squash your opponent.
Pumpkin Peasant	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	4	2	Lifesteal Each turn this is in your hand, swap its Attack and Health.
Felsoul Inquisitor	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	4	1	6	Lifesteal Taunt Everyone expects an inquisition reference.
Hench-Clan Shadequill	Common	Minion	General	Priest	4	4	7	Deathrattle: Restore 5 Health to the enemy hero. The Hench-Clan has a point.
Regeneratin' Thug	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	3	5	At the start of your turn, restore 2 Health to this minion. Regenerates any injury except heartbreak.
Travelling Healer	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	3	2	Divine Shield Battlecry: Restore 3 Health. Some heroes have soft hearts and hard shells.
Rotten Applebaum	Common	Minion	General	Any	5	4	5	Taunt Deathrattle: Restore 4 Health to your hero. Key ingredient in Gilnean applesauce.
Rusty Recycler	Common	Minion	Mech	Any	5	2	6	Taunt Lifesteal Ironic. It could recycle others, but not itself.
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.
Priestess of Elune	Common	Minion	General	Any	6	5	4	Battlecry: Restore 4 Health to your hero. If she threatens to "moon" you, it's not what you think.
Deranged Doctor	Common	Minion	General	Any	8	8	8	Deathrattle: Restore 8 Health to your hero. Unfortunately, his doctorate is in Murloc Literature.
Walking Fountain	Common	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	8	4	8	Lifesteal, Rush, Windfury The weirdest part is that it doesn't have legs.
Lightwell	Rare	Minion	General	Priest	2	0	5	At the start of your turn, restore 3 Health to a damaged friendly character. It isn't clear if people ignore the Lightwell, or if it is just invisible.
Omega Medic	Rare	Minion	General	Priest	3	3	4	Battlecry: If you have 10 Mana Crystals, restore 10 Health to your hero. She feels waiting for healing makes you appreciate it more.
Paragon of Light	Rare	Minion	General	Paladin	3	2	5	While this minion has 3 or more Attack, it has Taunt and Lifesteal. She’s all fun and games until someone rings that stupid bell.
Lifedrinker	Rare	Minion	Beast	Any	4	3	3	Battlecry: Deal 3 damage to the enemy hero. Restore 3 Health to your hero. In a pinch, he'll also settle for Holy Water: Zero.
Holy Fire	Rare	Spell		Priest	6			Deal 5 damage. Restore 5 Health to your hero. Often followed by Holy Smokes!
Siphon Soul	Rare	Spell		Warlock	6			Destroy a minion. Restore 3 Health to your hero. You probably should avoid siphoning your own soul. You might create some kind of weird infinite loop.
Witch's Brew	Epic	Spell		Shaman	2			Restore 4 Health. Repeatable this turn. The swill has eyes!
Spectral Cutlass	Epic	Weapon		Rogue	4	2	2	Lifesteal Whenever you play a card from another class, gain +1 Durability. So sharp it can cut through a spectral tomato!
Deathweb Spider	Epic	Minion	Beast	Warlock	5	4	6	Battlecry: If your hero took damage this turn, gain Lifesteal. The itsy bitsy spiders climbed up the village wall. Then came the witch and the spiders ate them all.
Ancient of Lore	Epic	Minion	General	Druid	7	5	5	Choose One - Draw a card; or Restore 5 Health. Go ahead, carve your initials in him.
Lay on Hands	Epic	Spell		Paladin	8			Restore 8 Health. Draw 3 cards. A grammatically awkward life saver.
Crystalsmith Kangor	Legendary	Minion	General	Paladin	2	1	2	Divine Shield, Lifesteal Your healing is doubled. He wants to tank, but Boom always makes him play support.
High Priestess Jeklik	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	4	3	4	Taunt, Lifesteal When you discard this, add 2 copies of it to your hand. If you love Jeklik, set her free. YOU CAN'T GET RID OF HER.
Zilliax	Legendary	Minion	Mech	Any	5	3	2	Magnetic Divine Shield, Taunt, Lifesteal, Rush Everything but the kitchen sink. Oh wait, there's one on his back.
Nozari	Legendary	Minion	Dragon	Paladin	10	4	12	Battlecry: Restore both heroes to full Health. In another timeline, she was called Yeszari.
Shirvallah, the Tiger	Legendary	Minion	Beast	Paladin	25	7	5	Divine Shield, Rush, Lifesteal Costs (1) less for each Mana you've spent on spells. On bended knee Thekal placed his weapon upon Shirvallah’s altar, whereupon she slowly knocked it off with her paw.
Showing all 52 cards

Related cards

For Wild format listings, see Healing/Wild format

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Northshire Cleric	Free	Minion	General	Priest	1	1	3	Whenever a minion is healed, draw a card. They help the downtrodden and distressed. Also they sell cookies.
Clockwork Automaton	Common	Minion	Mech	Any	5	4	4	Double the damage and healing of your Hero Power. Most mechs are pretty chill, but this one is all wound up.
Lightwarden	Rare	Minion	General	Any	1	1	2	Whenever a character is healed, gain +2 Attack. She’s smaller than her sisters Mediumwarden and Heavywarden.
Soup Vendor	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	1	4	Whenever you restore 3 or more Health to your hero, draw a card. Fresh from the floor of the arena!
Auchenai Soulpriest	Rare	Minion	General	Priest	4	3	5	Your cards and powers that restore Health now deal damage instead. The Auchenai know the end is coming, but they're not sure when.
Zandalari Templar	Rare	Minion	General	Paladin	4	4	4	Battlecry: If you've restored 10 Health this game, gain +4/+4 and Taunt. YOU WERE A TEMPLAR, JONDAR!
Nightscale Matriarch	Rare	Minion	Dragon	Priest	7	4	9	Whenever a friendly minion is healed, summon a 3/3 Whelp. Everywhelp, get in here!
Auchenai Phantasm	Epic	Minion	General	Priest	2	3	2	Battlecry: This turn, your healing effects deal damage instead. “Okay kids did everyone remember to heal before we left?”
Crystal Stag	Epic	Minion	Beast	Druid	5	4	4	Rush. Battlecry: If you've restored 5 Health this game, summon a copy of this. Arrives alone, but usually leaves with a friend just like him.
Crystalsmith Kangor	Legendary	Minion	General	Paladin	2	1	2	Divine Shield, Lifesteal Your healing is doubled. He wants to tank, but Boom always makes him play support.
The Glass Knight	Legendary	Minion	General	Paladin	4	4	3	Divine Shield Whenever you restore Health, gain Divine Shield. She seems scary, but she's got a glass jaw.
Prophet Velen	Legendary	Minion	General	Priest	7	7	7	Double the damage and healing of your spells and Hero Power. He's been exiled from his home, and all his brothers turned evil, but otherwise he doesn't have a lot to complain about.
Showing all 12 cards

See also

• Damage

References

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