Lifesteal

Lifesteal
Damage dealt also heals your hero.

A minion with Lifesteal

Lifesteal is an ability which causes damage dealt by a card to also restore that much Health to the controlling player's hero. Lifesteal minions on the battlefield are marked by a broken heart at the bottom of their portraits.

The Lifesteal mechanic was first introduced in Goblins vs Gnomes on the card Mistress of Pain (later renamed Queen of Pain). It was officially keyworded in Knights of the Frozen Throne. Prior to Patch 9.0.0.20457, Lifesteal was represented by the text "Damage dealt by this minion also heals your hero".

Notes

• Whenever a Lifesteal card or Hero Power deals damage, it will restore the exact same amount of Health to its controlling hero too.
  • This includes minions with Battlecry, Deathrattle, and triggered effects that deal damage.
  • Health restoration from Lifesteal is applied after the Lifesteal source deals damage.
• If a hero deals Lifesteal damage while also taking lethal damage, the Lifesteal heal will save the hero if it would be enough to restore them to 1 health or more (or, put another way, if the damage taken minus the Lifesteal heal is less than the hero's health).
  • For example, if a rogue with 5 health remaining equipped with a Kingsbane which has been granted Lifesteal (by Leeching Poison) attacks Dr. Boom, the rogue will survive if Kingsbane has at least 3 attack.
• If Betrayal is cast upon a minion with Lifesteal, the Lifesteal effect will activate once for each minion hit.
• If a Lifesteal card deals damage to a minion protected by Divine Shield, it will deal 0 damage and thus also restore 0 Health, while also removing the Divine Shield.
• As with all healing effects, if combined with Auchenai Soulpriest, Embrace the Shadow or Auchenai Phantasm, Lifesteal cards will instead deal damage to the controlling hero. Because this damage is not counted as damage dealt by the Lifesteal card itself, however, the effect will not trigger a second time.

Cards with Lifesteal

This section lists cards which have the ability to Lifesteal or can gain the ability to Lifesteal when played.

Collectible

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
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.
Penance	Common	Spell		Priest	2			Lifesteal Deal 3 damage to a minion. This is what happens when you don’t give a sincere apology.
Vicious Scalehide	Common	Minion	Beast	Any	2	1	3	Lifesteal Rush They make wonderful pets if you're not allergic to blood loss.
Vilefiend	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	2	2	2	Lifesteal Dreamed of becoming a Stylefiend, but fel was never in season.
Bronze Explorer	Common	Minion	Dragon	Paladin	3	2	3	Lifesteal Battlecry: Discover a Dragon. Always ready to explore new friendships! Except with Deathwing.
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.
Ancestral Guardian	Common	Minion	General	Paladin	4	4	2	Lifesteal Reborn No one knows whose ancestor he is, but he's still upset that you never call.
Felsoul Inquisitor	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	4	1	6	Lifesteal Taunt Everyone expects an inquisition reference.
Rusty Recycler	Common	Minion	Mech	Any	5	2	6	Taunt Lifesteal Ironic. It could recycle others, but not itself.
Walking Fountain	Common	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	8	4	8	Lifesteal, Rush, Windfury The weirdest part is that it doesn't have legs.
Nether Breath	Rare	Spell		Warlock	2			Deal 2 damage. If you're holding a Dragon, deal 4 damage with Lifesteal instead. "Whether the Nether is cold, whether the Nether is hot, we'll burn together, whatever the Nether, whether we like it or not."
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!
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.
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 17 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Deadscale Knight	Common	Minion	Murloc	Any	1	1	1	Lifesteal His favorite spell is Chum Explosion.
Drain Soul	Common	Spell		Warlock	2			Lifesteal Deal 2 damage to a minion. Cleans even the toughest clogs with just a flick of the wrist!
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!
Acolyte of Agony	Common	Minion	General	Priest	3	3	3	Lifesteal It takes many years of practiced study in order to fully master agony.
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.
Bloodworm	Common	Minion	Beast	Any	5	4	4	Lifesteal Queen Lana'thel insists on one of these, fried, every morning for breakfast.
Queen of Pain	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	2	1	4	Lifesteal Her sister is the Queen of Pane who sells windows and shower doors.
Lesser Amethyst Spellstone	Rare	Spell		Warlock	4			Lifesteal. Deal 3 damage to a minion. (Take damage from your cards to upgrade.) A purple stone Azari carved For dark hearts, craving, power-starved. The first to bow, the warlock Rin, Embraced the darkness, slew her kin.
Obsidian Statue	Epic	Minion	General	Priest	9	4	8	Taunt, Lifesteal Deathrattle: Destroy a random enemy minion. The original artist spent many hours with a fine chisel perfecting the facial expression for maximum tauntiness.
Wickerflame Burnbristle	Legendary	Minion	General	Paladin	3	2	2	Divine Shield, Taunt, Lifesteal Wickerflame spent years as a recruit for the Goons, never making the big-time because he always fired his chest-cannon too slowly. "Hey," he thought, "maybe if I keep my beard lit on fire, I can do this faster." BOOM, promoted.
Prince Valanar	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	4	4	4	Battlecry: If your deck has no 4-Cost cards, gain Lifesteal and Taunt. Three Princes stand before you. This one devours one after another.
Blood-Queen Lana'thel	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	5	1	6	Lifesteal Has +1 Attack for each card you've discarded this game. As a young blood-princess she learned the proper way for a lady to curtsy, how to address fellow members of royalty, and how to bite them.
Showing all 12 cards

Uncollectible

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Crystal Dryad	None	Minion	General	Druid	1	1	2	Lifesteal
Pumpkin Peasant	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	4	2	Lifesteal Each turn this is in your hand, swap its Attack and Health.
Showing all 2 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Siphon Life	None	Hero Power		Warlock	2			Hero Power Lifesteal Deal 3 damage.
Grave Vengeance	None	Weapon		Paladin	5	5	3
Amethyst Spellstone	Rare	Spell		Warlock	4			Lifesteal. Deal 5 damage to a minion. (Take damage from your cards to upgrade.)
Greater Amethyst Spellstone	Rare	Spell		Warlock	4			Lifesteal. Deal 7 damage to a minion.
Showing all 4 cards

Sources of Lifesteal

Lifesteal-generating cards

This section lists cards which generate cards that have the ability to Lifesteal.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Dreamway Guardians	Rare	Spell		Druid	2			Summon two 1/2 Dryads with Lifesteal. They're a nightmare to deal with.
Showing the only card

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Uther of the Ebon Blade	Legendary	Hero card		Paladin	9			Battlecry: Equip a 5/3 Lifesteal weapon. "Step forward. Confess! Once I was a mere servant of the Light. Now I alone stand in judgement."
Showing the only card

Lifesteal-granting cards

This section lists cards which grant the Lifesteal ability to other cards or to itself.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Lightforged Blessing	Common	Spell		Paladin	2			Twinspell Give a friendly minion Lifesteal. Some might call this a lightforgery.
Lightforged Blessing	Common	Spell		Paladin	2			Give a friendly minion Lifesteal.
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.
Omega Mind	Epic	Minion	General	Shaman	2	2	3	Battlecry: If you have 10 Mana Crystals, your spells have Lifesteal this turn. Has a side-business selling her lipstick shade, "Omega Red."
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.
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.
Showing all 6 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Leeching Poison	Common	Spell		Rogue	1			Give your weapon Lifesteal this turn. No actual leeches were harmed in the creation of this card.
Elixir of Life	Common	Spell		Priest	3			Give a minion +2/+2 and Lifesteal.
Corpsetaker	Epic	Minion	General	Any	4	3	3	Battlecry: Gain Taunt if your deck has a Taunt minion. Repeat for Divine Shield, Lifesteal, Windfury. Her extensive collection of corpses includes one of nearly every type. She'd love for you to join it.
Prince Valanar	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	4	4	4	Battlecry: If your deck has no 4-Cost cards, gain Lifesteal and Taunt. Three Princes stand before you. This one devours one after another.
Frost Lich Jaina	Legendary	Hero card		Mage	9			Battlecry: Summon a 3/6 Water Elemental. Your Elementals have Lifesteal for the rest of the game. "Arthas was a spoiled child, playing with toys he could neither control nor understand. Come into the cold. I will show you the true power of the Frozen Throne."
Showing all 5 cards

Related cards

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Countess Ashmore	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	7	6	6	Battlecry: Draw a Rush, Lifesteal, and Deathrattle card from your deck. "1 minion… ah, ah, ah! 2 minions… ah, ah, ah! 3 minions… ah, ah, ah!"
Showing the only card

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Deathaxe Punisher	Epic	Minion	General	Any	4	3	3	Battlecry: Give a random Lifesteal minion in your hand +2/+2. Don't fear the Arcanite Reaper.
Showing the only card

Trivia

• Prior to the introduction of the Lifesteal keyword in Patch 9.0.0.20457, if a Lifesteal card dealt damage while combined with Auchenai Soulpriest or Embrace the Shadow, the converted Lifesteal healing would count as damage dealt by the Lifesteal card itself. This would cause the Lifesteal card's effect to trigger again and again, resulting in an infinite loop of damage until the controlling player's hero was killed. More precisely, the infinite loop was believed to stop once the hero had been in negative Health following three consecutive triggers or after 61 triggers, whichever happened first. In Knights of the Frozen Throne, this interaction was changed to deal damage only once.
• When a Lifesteal effect restores health to the controlling player's hero, the healing is accompanied by a unified visual style.
• Holy Fire, Drain Life, and Tidal Surge were not changed into Lifesteal spells with the release of Knights of the Frozen Throne, as they always restore the same amount of Health to the controlling hero and changing them to Lifesteal would cause the healing to scale with Spell Damage. In the case of Drain Life, Game Director Ben Brode has also expressed a reluctance to add a new keyword to the Basic set.
• Lifesteal is the second non-launch keyword to continue to appear on cards outside of the set it was introduced in, the first being Discover. It's also the first non-launch mechanic to later be given an official keyword.

Patch changes

• Patch 9.0.0.20457 (2017-08-08): This effect is now named as Lifesteal. Lifesteal minions on the battlefield now have a unique icon at the bottom of their portraits.

References

	Cards
By type	Hero card Minion Spell Weapon
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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 The Witchwood The Boomsday Project Rastakhan's Rumble Rise of Shadows Saviors of Uldum Descent of Dragons Galakrond's Awakening
	Wild	Hall of Fame 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
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