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 exceptions, such as Old Murk-Eye and Prophet Velen, which do not have such pulsing pools of light. 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.
Dwarven Sharpshooter	Common	Minion	General	Hunter	1	1	3	Your Hero Power can target minions.
Grimscale Oracle	Free	Minion	Murloc	Any	1	1	1	Your other Murlocs have +1 Attack.
Illidari Studies	Common	Spell		Demon Hunter	1			Discover an Outcast card. Your next one costs (1) less.
Kolek	None	Minion	Demon		1	1	2	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Nature Studies	Common	Spell		Druid	1			Discover a spell. Your next one costs (1) less.
Southsea Deckhand	Common	Minion	Pirate	Any	1	2	1	Has Charge while you have a weapon equipped.
Spiked Wheel	Common	Weapon		Warrior	1	0	2	Has +3 Attack while your hero has Armor.
Surging Tempest	Common	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	1	1	3	Has +1 Attack while you have Overloaded Mana Crystals.
Timber Wolf	Free	Minion	Beast	Hunter	1	1	1	Your other Beasts have +1 Attack.
Commanding Shout	Rare	Spell		Warrior	2			Your minions can't be reduced below 1 Health this turn. Draw a card.
Dire Wolf Alpha	Common	Minion	Beast	Any	2	2	2	Adjacent minions have +1 Attack.
Felfire Deadeye	Common	Minion	General		2	2	3	Your Hero Power costs (1) less.
Game Master	Common	Minion	General	Mage	2	2	3	The first Secret you play each turn costs (1).
Kanrethad Ebonlocke	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	2	3	2	Your Demons cost (1) less. Deathrattle: Shuffle 'Kanrethad Prime' into your deck.
Mana Wraith	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	2	2	ALL minions cost (1) more.
Mo'arg Artificer	Epic	Minion	Demon	Any	2	2	4	All minions take double damage from spells.
Pint-Sized Summoner	Rare	Minion	General	Any	2	2	2	The first minion you play each turn costs (1) less.
Sorcerer's Apprentice	Common	Minion	General	Mage	2	3	2	Your spells cost (1) less.
Ace Hunter Kreen	Legendary	Minion	General		3	2	4	Your other characters are Immune while attacking.
Arcane Amplifier	Common	Minion	Elemental	Mage	3	2	5	Your Hero Power deals 2 extra damage.
Darkmoon Statue	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	0	5	Your other minions have +1 Attack. Corrupt: This gains +4 Attack.
Darkmoon Statue	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	4	5	Corrupted Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Deathwarden	Epic	Minion	General	Any	3	2	5	Deathrattles can't trigger.
Dread Raven	Epic	Minion	Beast	Any	3	3	4	Has +3 Attack for each other Dread Raven you control.
Eye Beam	Epic	Spell		Demon Hunter	3			Lifesteal. Deal 3 damage to a minion. Outcast: This costs (1).
Flametongue Totem	Free	Minion	Totem	Shaman	3	0	3	Adjacent minions have +2 Attack.
Generous Mummy	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	5	4	Reborn Your opponent's cards cost (1) less.
Leokk	Common	Minion	Beast	Hunter	3	2	4	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Line Hopper	Common	Minion	General	Demon Hunter	3	3	4	Your Outcast cards cost (1) less.
Living Dragonbreath	Common	Minion	Elemental	Any	3	3	4	Your minions can't be Frozen.
Murloc Warleader	Epic	Minion	Murloc	Any	3	3	3	Your other Murlocs have +2 Attack.
Overconfident Orc	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	1	6	Taunt While at full Health, this has +2 Attack.
Professor Slate	Legendary	Minion	General	Hunter	3	3	4	Your spells are Poisonous.
Raid Leader	Free	Minion	General	Any	3	2	2	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Robes of Protection	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	2	4	Your minions have "Can't be targeted by spells or Hero Powers."
Sky Claw	Rare	Minion	Mech	Paladin	3	1	2	Your other Mechs have +1 Attack. Battlecry: Summon two 1/1 Microcopters.
Southsea Captain	Epic	Minion	Pirate	Any	3	3	3	Your other Pirates have +1/+1.
Vulpera Toxinblade	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	3	3	3	Your weapon has +2 Attack.
Warsong Commander	Free	Minion	General	Warrior	3	2	3	Your Charge minions have +1 Attack.
Dread Corsair	Common	Minion	Pirate	Any	4	3	3	Taunt. Costs (1) less per Attack of your weapon.
Felsaber	Common	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	4	5	6	Can only attack if your hero attacked this turn.
Frenzied Felwing	Rare	Minion	Demon	Any	4	3	2	Costs (1) less for each damage dealt to your opponent this turn.
Kayn Sunfury	Legendary	Minion	General	Demon Hunter	4	3	4	Charge All friendly attacks ignore Taunt.
Kirin Tor Tricaster	Rare	Minion	General	Mage	4	3	3	Spell Damage +3 Your spells cost (1) more.
Lightspawn	Common	Minion	Elemental	Priest	4	0	5	This minion's Attack is always equal to its Health.
Proud Defender	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	6	Taunt Has +2 Attack while you have no other minions.
Scargil	Legendary	Minion	Murloc	Shaman	4	4	4	Your Murlocs cost (1).
Summoning Portal	Common	Minion	General	Warlock	4	0	4	Your minions cost (2) less, but not less than (1).
Vessina	Legendary	Minion	General	Shaman	4	2	6	While you're Overloaded, your other minions have +2 Attack.
Wing Commander	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	5	Has +2 Attack for each Dragon in your hand.
Aeroponics	Rare	Spell		Druid	5			Draw 2 cards. Costs (2) less for each Treant you control.
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.
Dark Pharaoh Tekahn	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	5	4	4	Battlecry: For the rest of the game, your Lackeys are 4/4.
Inara Stormcrash	Legendary	Minion	General	Shaman	5	4	5	On your turn, your hero has +2 Attack and Windfury
Malevolent Strike	Epic	Spell		Rogue	5			Destroy a minion. Costs (1) less for each card in your deck that didn't start there.
Phalanx Commander	Common	Minion	General	Any	5	4	5	Your Taunt minions have +2 Attack.
Tundra Rhino	Free	Minion	Beast	Hunter	5	2	5	Your Beasts have Charge.
Venture Co. Mercenary	Common	Minion	General	Any	5	7	6	Your minions cost (3) more.
Akama Prime	None	Minion	General	Rogue	6	6	5	Permanently Stealthed.
Bladed Lady	Rare	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	6	6	6	Rush Costs (1) if your hero has 6 or more Attack.
Bloodboil Brute	Rare	Minion	General	Warrior	7	5	8	Rush Costs (1) less for each damaged minion.
Goru the Mightree	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	7	5	10	Taunt Battlecry: For the rest of the game, your Treants have +1/+1.
Siegebreaker	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	7	5	8	Taunt Your other Demons have +1 Attack.
Stormwind Champion	Free	Minion	General	Any	7	6	6	Your other minions have +1/+1.
Umbral Owl	Rare	Minion	Beast	Druid	7	4	4	Rush Costs (1) less for each spell you've cast this game.
Flesh Giant	Epic	Minion	General		8	8	8	Costs 1 less for each time your hero's Health changed during your turns.
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.
Whirlwind Tempest	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Any	8	6	6	Your minions with Windfury have Mega-Windfury.
Mogu Fleshshaper	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	9	3	4	Rush. Costs (1) less for each minion on the battlefield.
Nozdormu	Legendary	Minion	Dragon	Any	9	8	8	Players only have 15 seconds to take their turns.
Ysiel Windsinger	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	9	5	5	Your spells cost (1).
Jumbo Imp	Epic	Minion	Demon	Warlock	10	8	8	Costs (1) less whenever a friendly Demon dies while this is in your hand.
Kalecgos	Legendary	Minion	Dragon	Mage	10	4	12	Your first spell each turn costs (0). Battlecry: Discover a spell.
Sea Giant	Epic	Minion	General	Any	10	8	8	Costs (1) less for each other minion on the battlefield.
Showing all 75 cards

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 (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