Ongoing effect

The welling of light indicating an ongoing effect

Ongoing effects are minion, weapon, and boss Hero Power abilities which grant special effects on an ongoing basis. Ongoing effects are often referred to as auras, particularly those which grant temporary enchantments to other targets.

Ongoing effects are distinguished from regular minion abilities such as Taunt in that their effects directly affect the state of other game elements, and/or are toggled on and off in response to the state of other game elements. This makes ongoing effects dynamic and synergistic abilities, capable of directly altering the function of the game, or manifesting additional abilities in response to the wider state of the game. Ongoing effects are also distinguished from abilities such as Enrage which are activated solely through personal state changes, and effects which grant one-time enchantments. Ongoing effects are contrasted with triggered effects, which only take effect in response to specific events.

Minions with ongoing effects are indicated on the battlefield by a pool of light periodically welling from beneath them. There are two exceptions - Old Murk-Eye and Prophet Velen - which do not. Any enchantments granted by ongoing effects are listed on affected minions, and not on the generating minion.

Auras

Ongoing effects which grant temporary enchantments or buffs to other minions are referred to as auras. Some notable examples of cards which provide persistent auras are Stormwind Champion and Murloc Warleader. Auras may affect all friendly minions, or all minions of a specific type. Auras usually take effect on the player's entire side of the board, but some auras only affect adjacent minions, such as Dire Wolf Alpha and Flametongue Totem. The key distinction between aura buffs and minion-specific buffs is that auras grant their effects only for as long as the aura-generating card remains in play. For example, Defender of Argus and Shattered Sun Cleric are examples of minions that give minion-specific buffs, but not auras. In Hearthstone, auras can be defined as continuously ongoing effects that are provided only by the presence of another card in play.

Auras, unlike permanent enchantments, cannot be removed by silencing the minion being affected by the aura, but only by neutralizing the minion generating the aura. Silencing or removing an aura-generating minion will remove its aura generation, and remove its aura effect from all affected minions. However, silencing the same minion will not prevent it from being affected by the auras of other minions.

If an aura minion meets the requirements for its own aura, it will benefit from it. For example, Tundra Rhino will gain Charge due to its own aura, and Warsong Commander will grant itself +1 Attack if you cast Potion of Madness on it.

Notes

While enchantments are normally applied to minions in the order in which they were granted, enchantments from auras and ongoing effects appear to be granted after all other enchantments have been applied, even if the aura was in place prior to the other buffs being gained. For the most part this prevents auras from being included in the calculations of other enchantments, but still allows them to be included in effect calculations such as Reversing Switch. For more details, see Advanced rulebook#Enchantments.

Cards

For Wild format listings, see Ongoing effect/Wild format

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Ossirian Tear	None	Hero Power		Druid				Passive Hero Power Your Choose One cards have both effects combined.
Grimscale Oracle	Free	Minion	Murloc	Any	1	1	1	Your other Murlocs have +1 Attack. These are the brainy murlocs. It turns out that doesn’t mean much.
Timber Wolf	Free	Minion	Beast	Hunter	1	1	1	Your other Beasts have +1 Attack. Other beasts totally dig hanging out with timber wolves.
Flametongue Totem	Free	Minion	Totem	Shaman	3	0	3	Adjacent minions have +2 Attack. Totemsmiths like to use the rarest woods for their totems. There are even rumors of totems made of Ironbark Protectors.
Raid Leader	Free	Minion	General	Any	3	2	2	Your other minions have +1 Attack. "That's a 50 DKP minus!"
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.
Tundra Rhino	Free	Minion	Beast	Hunter	5	2	5	Your Beasts have Charge. Tundra rhinos are often mistaken for kodos. Or am I mistaken?
Stormwind Champion	Free	Minion	General	Any	7	6	6	Your other minions have +1/+1. When Deathwing assaulted the capital, this soldier was the only member of his squad to survive. Now he's all bitter and stuff.
Dwarven Sharpshooter	Common	Minion	General	Hunter	1	1	3	Your Hero Power can target minions. Scissors, knives, needles, you name it! He'll shoot it.
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".
Surging Tempest	Common	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	1	1	3	Has +1 Attack while you have Overloaded Mana Crystals. "Overloaded? Should've gotten a surge protector."
Dire Wolf Alpha	Common	Minion	Beast	Any	2	2	2	Adjacent minions have +1 Attack. We are pretty excited about the upcoming release of Dire Wolf Beta, just repost this sign for a chance at a key.
Dozing Marksman	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	0	4	Has +4 Attack while damaged. It's the sleeper of the set.
Sorcerer's Apprentice	Common	Minion	General	Mage	2	3	2	Your spells cost (1) less. Apprentices are great for bossing around. "Conjure me some mana buns! And a coffee! Make that a mana coffee!"
Spellzerker	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	2	3	Has Spell Damage +2 while damaged. But don’t ask her to use it in a sentence.
Leokk	Common	Minion	Beast	Hunter	3	2	4	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Living Dragonbreath	Common	Minion	Elemental	Any	3	3	4	Your minions can't be Frozen. If you want that muscular physique, you've really gotta feel the burn.
Dread Corsair	Common	Minion	Pirate	Any	4	3	3	Taunt. Costs (1) less per Attack of your weapon. "Yarrrr" is a pirate word that means "Greetings, milord."
Lightspawn	Common	Minion	Elemental	Priest	4	0	5	This minion's Attack is always equal to its Health. Spawn of the Light? Or Pawn of the Lights?
Proud Defender	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	6	Taunt Has +2 Attack while you have no other minions. It'll take a humble offender to defeat him.
Summoning Portal	Common	Minion	General	Warlock	4	0	4	Your minions cost (2) less, but not less than (1). NOT LESS THAN 1! Don't get any ideas!
Wing Commander	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	5	Has +2 Attack for each Dragon in your hand. "Flap! Flap! FLAP!"
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.
Phalanx Commander	Common	Minion	General	Any	5	4	5	Your Taunt minions have +2 Attack. Turns out he's really good at herding cats.
Quartz Elemental	Common	Minion	Elemental	Priest	5	5	8	Can't attack while damaged. These elementals, along with feldspar and mica, are often taken for granite.
Venture Co. Mercenary	Common	Minion	General	Any	5	7	6	Your minions cost (3) more. No Job is too big. No fee is too big.
Rabble Bouncer	Common	Minion	General	Any	7	2	7	Taunt Costs (1) less for each enemy minion. "Shirt? Shoes!? No service!"
Cauldron Elemental	Common	Minion	Elemental	Any	8	7	7	Your other Elementals have +2 Attack. Decorating tip: Unused cauldrons can make a lovely elemental display.
Commanding Shout	Rare	Spell		Warrior	2			Your minions can't be reduced below 1 Health this turn. Draw a card. "Shout! Shout! Let it all out!" - Advice to warriors-in-training
Likkim	Rare	Weapon		Shaman	2	1	3	Has +2 Attack while you have Overloaded Mana Crystals. "I double frog dare you!"
Mana Wraith	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	2	2	ALL minions cost (1) more. They come out at night to eat leftover mana crystals. "Mmmmmm," they say.
Pint-Sized Summoner	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	2	2	The first minion you play each turn costs (1) less. She's quite jealous of the Gallon-Sized Summoner.
Unpowered Mauler	Rare	Minion	Mech	Any	2	2	4	Can only attack if you cast a spell this turn. After a stressful work day it really needs an outlet.
Generous Mummy	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	5	4	Reborn Your opponent's cards cost (1) less. Yeah, she's mummified, but her money hasn’t dried up!
Sky Claw	Rare	Minion	Mech	Paladin	3	1	2	Your other Mechs have +1 Attack. Battlecry: Summon two 1/1 Microcopters. Carefully engineered to never grab the Mimiron plush toy.
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.
Kirin Tor Tricaster	Rare	Minion	General	Mage	4	3	3	Spell Damage +3 Your spells cost (1) more. The math checks out!
Spirit of the Shark	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	4	0	3	Stealth for 1 turn. Your minions' Battlecries and Combos trigger twice. It has Stealth, but its ominous theme music keeps giving it away.
Aeroponics	Rare	Spell		Druid	5			Draw 2 cards. Costs (2) less for each Treant you control. Good seeds can go far.
Siegebreaker	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	7	5	8	Taunt Your other Demons have +1 Attack. Has a side hustle as a siegebroker.
Mogu Fleshshaper	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	9	3	4	Rush. Costs (1) less for each minion on the battlefield. He's here to shape *clap* you up!
Mulchmuncher	Rare	Minion	Mech	Druid	9	8	8	Rush. Costs (1) less for each friendly Treant that died this game. The latest advancement in hippo-botany.
Grave Horror	Rare	Minion	General	Priest	12	7	8	Taunt Costs (1) less for each spell you've cast this game. Trolls can regenerate lost limbs, but this is what they do with the leftovers.
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?”
Dread Raven	Epic	Minion	Beast	Any	3	3	4	Has +3 Attack for each other Dread Raven you control. Fun Fact: A group of three Dread Ravens is an unkindness. Four is lethal!
Murloc Warleader	Epic	Minion	Murloc	Any	3	3	3	Your other Murlocs have +2 Attack. Do Murlocs ever get tired of making the same old sound? Nope! Mrglglrglglglglglglgl!
Southsea Captain	Epic	Minion	Pirate	Any	3	3	3	Your other Pirates have +1/+1. When he saves enough plunder, he's going to commission an enormous captain's hat. He has hat envy.
Necromechanic	Epic	Minion	General	Hunter	4	3	6	Your Deathrattles trigger twice. If at first you don't succeed, die, die again.
Anubisath Defender	Epic	Minion	General	Druid	5	3	5	Taunt. Costs (0) if you've cast a spell that costs (5) or more this turn. Also comes running when he hears a can opener.
Reckless Experimenter	Epic	Minion	General	Priest	5	4	6	Deathrattle minions you play cost (3) less, but die at the end of the turn. (Cost can't be reduced below 1.) It's hard to call her reckless when it's clear she knows what she's doing.
Mana Giant	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Mage	8	8	8	Costs (1) less for each card you've played this game that didn't start in your deck. Spell more and save more with a GIANT discount!
Whirlwind Tempest	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Any	8	6	6	Your minions with Windfury have Mega-Windfury. And your minions with mega-windfury get... dizzy.
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.!
Sea Giant	Epic	Minion	General	Any	10	8	8	Costs (1) less for each other minion on the battlefield. See? Giant.
Mountain Giant	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Any	12	8	8	Costs (1) less for each other card in your hand. His mother said that he was just big boned.
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.
Houndmaster Shaw	Legendary	Minion	General	Hunter	4	3	6	Your other minions have Rush. They’re good dogs, Tess.
Scargil	Legendary	Minion	Murloc	Shaman	4	4	4	Your Murlocs cost (1). Wanna know how he got those scars? So does he.
Vessina	Legendary	Minion	General	Shaman	4	2	6	While you're Overloaded, your other minions have +2 Attack. She wasn't happy when Hagatha sent her back to Uldum. But her "angry" hiss sounds like her "happy" hiss, so no one knew the difference.
Dark Pharaoh Tekahn	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	5	4	4	Battlecry: For the rest of the game, your Lackeys are 4/4. He'll get that League of Explorers and their little murloc too!
Duskfallen Aviana	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	5	3	7	The first card each player plays each turn costs (0). Someone called her "Tweety". She didn't take it well.
Glinda Crowskin	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	6	3	7	Minions in your hand have Echo. Summon an unlimited* number of minions!** *Six **Wisps
Goru the Mightree	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	7	5	10	Taunt Battlecry: For the rest of the game, your Treants have +1/+1. He's untreefeated.
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.
Dr. Boom, Mad Genius	Legendary	Hero card		Warrior	9			Battlecry: For the rest of the game, your Mechs have Rush. "Of course I've gone mad with power. Ever try going mad without it?"
Nozdormu	Legendary	Minion	Dragon	Any	9	8	8	Players only have 15 seconds to take their turns. Time to write some flavor text.
Kalecgos	Legendary	Minion	Dragon	Mage	10	4	12	Your first spell each turn costs (0). Battlecry: Discover a spell. He was once the Aspect of Magic but gave it up to focus on cheap tricks.
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 68 cards

Descent of Dragons

The below cards are planned for release with Descent of Dragons, coming December 10, 2019.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Arcane Amplifier	Common	Minion	Elemental	Mage	3	2	5	Your Hero Power deals 2 extra damage. Not on good terms with warlocks.
Showing the only card

Patch changes

Patch 1.0.0.4944 (2014-03-11): The visual effect for ongoing effects has been adjusted and now occurs more frequently.

	Cards
By type	Hero card Minion Spell Weapon
By class	Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior
By minion type	All Beast Demon Dragon Elemental Mech Murloc Pirate Totem General
By ability	Adapt Auto-Attack Auto-cast Battlecry Can't attack Cast spell Casts When Drawn Charge Choose One Choose Twice Combo Copy Deal damage Deathrattle Destroy Discard Discover Divine Shield Draw cards Echo Elusive Enrage Equip Forgetful Freeze Gain Armor Generate Highlander Immune Inspire Invoke Joust Lifesteal Magnetic Mega-Windfury Modify cost Overkill Overload Passive Permanent Poisonous Put into battlefield Put into hand Quest Reborn Recruit Refresh Mana Remove from deck Replace Rush Restore Health Return to hand Secret Shrine Shuffle into deck Silence Sidequest Spell Damage Spend mana Start of Game Stealth Summon Taunt Take control Transform Twinspell Unlimited attacks Upgradable Windfury
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
By rarity	Free Common Rare Epic Legendary