Shaman

The  Shaman is one of the nine classes in Hearthstone, represented by Thrall, Morgl the Oracle and King Rastakhan.

Heroes

Thrall is the default hero for shamans. Players who have unlocked the Morgl the Oracle, King Rastakhan, or The Thunder King alternate hero may choose to play as them instead when using any shaman deck. All three heroes use the same gameplay mechanics; the difference is purely cosmetic.

Background

Main article: Shaman

Shaman are spiritual guides and practitioners, not of the divine, but of the very elements. Unlike some other mystics, shaman commune with forces that are not strictly benevolent. The elements are chaotic, and left to their own devices, they rage against one another in unending primal fury. It is the call of the shaman to bring balance to this chaos. Acting as moderators among earth, fire, water, and air, shaman summon totems that focus the elements to support the shaman’s allies or punish those who threaten them.

These masters of the elements can also call upon elemental forces directly, unleashing torrents of lava and bolts of lightning against foes. The elements can create, destroy, support, and hinder. The experienced shaman balances the vast spectrum of these primordial forces into an array of diverse abilities, making shaman versatile heroes and valued members of any group.

Hero Power

Hero Powers are unique abilities, specific to each class, usable used once each turn.

The shaman's Hero Power is Totemic Call, which randomly summons 1 of 4 possible Totem-type minions, each with different stats and abilities: Healing Totem, Stoneclaw Totem, Searing Totem, or Wrath of Air Totem.

Totemic Call always summons a Totem the hero does not already have in play in the battlefield; if the shaman already has all 4 different Totems in play, the Hero Power cannot be used until one of them is removed. Enemy Totems and Totems in the hand are irrelevant to this determination. Totems are created directly by the Hero Power, not played from the hand or drawn from the deck. Most Totems start with 0 Attack but cards like Bloodlust or even Raid Leader can turn a board of weak Totems into a force to be reckoned with.

Replacement Hero Powers

Justicar Trueheart Battlecry and Baku the Mooneater Start of Game effect will replace Totemic Call with Totemic Slam.

Charged Hammer Deathrattle will replace the current Hero Power with Lightning Jolt.

Thrall, Deathseer Battlecry will replace the current Hero Power with Transmute Spirit, as well as replacing the hero.

Hagatha the Witch Battlecry will replace the current Hero Power with Bewitch, as well as replacing the hero.

Strategy and gameplay

Shamans are highly flexible, boasting a wide variety of class cards that lend themselves to many different methods of achieving victory. With their unique mechanic Overload, Shamans can also play very strong spell and minion cards for little mana, at the cost of losing available mana the subsequent turn. Their board control is excellent with removal and transform effects such as Lightning Storm and Hex. Shamans also have some of the strongest minions in the game, ranging from low-cost (Flametongue Totem, Totem Golem) to the late-game (Fire Elemental, Al'Akir the Windlord).

Totems support the Shaman throughout a match, and can even be made into a fighting force in their own right. Totemic Call provides a steady stream of reinforcements, although their effects are random and they are unlikely to do much without more proactive minions to support. However, cards such as Bloodlust, Thunder Bluff Valiant, Primal Fusion, and Thing from Below reward a shaman for amassing totems.

Shamans have many ways to close out a game. Bloodlust and Windfury allow for game winning turns with super-buffed minions. The shaman can also deal huge burst damage with spells such as Lightning Bolt and Lava Burst, or even with their own weapon - a Rockbiter Weapon-enhanced Doomhammer is an iconic and devastating way to finish the game. Alternatively, a more control-oriented shaman can starve out enemies with massive heals (Healing Wave, Jinyu Waterspeaker, Hallazeal the Ascended), making them very difficult to remove.

As wielders of the elemental forces, Shamans have an affinity with Elementals, possessing more Elemental synergy effects out of any other classes. Shamans have access to both early-game Elementals with tons of utility like Fire Plume Harbinger and Hot Spring Guardian and synergy effects like Earthen Might, and late-game Elemental finishers like Stone Sentinel and Kalimos, Primal Lord for a huge tempo swing.

Another element unique to Shamans are cards that transform minions into an entirely new and random minion. Evolve, Unstable Evolution, Master of Evolution, Thrall, Deathseer, and The Storm Bringer transforms their own minions into a more costly minion, while Devolve does the opposite to their enemies. Although the effects are random, with proper setup their multiple high-cost, low-stat minions can turn into something else with stats and possible effects to better match their costs.

Shamans also have an affinity for murlocs. They can call upon lesser murlocs with cards like Primalfin Totem and Call in the Finishers and have cards that reward swarming with murlocs like Everyfin is Awesome and Unite the Murlocs. After all, the first murloc hero in Hearthstone is also a Shaman.

Counters

• Totems will be a continuous part of the game when playing against a shaman, especially the slower kinds. Try to control the number of totems, since they can give the shaman strong beneficial effects along with minion count. This is especially important when playing against Totem Shaman/Bloodlust decks. The totems can range from being 1/1, 0/2, or 0/3 so they are quite fragile and nonthreatening by themselves, but totems like Mana Tide Totem which allow an extra draw per turn will give an enormous advantage if left unchecked. Totems are treated as minions and can be buffed with increased Attack as well as Health so leaving too many on the field at once may become dangerous if the shaman plays cards like Raid Leader or Bloodlust, or even Flametongue Totem for unexpected trades. You may even be able to use the totems against the shaman if you play cards like Sea Giant or Flesheating Ghoul which benefit with more minions on the field, but this is rarely worth the risk of leaving them in place. Good methods of removing totems include AoE damage like Hellfire or Holy Nova, or low-Attack minions that can trade with them without wasting too much face damage. The druid's Swipe can also be extremely effective against totems, especially when paired with Spell Damage.

• Bloodlust and totem buffs like Thunder Bluff Valiant can allow the shaman to abruptly win the game if they have lots of minions on the field, so make sure to keep the number of minions the shaman has to a minimum. This includes 0-Attack Totems and other seemingly unthreatening minions. Remember that shamans often include a lot of burst damage spells like Lava Burst and Rockbiter Weapon, which when combined with a strong board can defeat even full-Health opponents.

• When you play large drop cards, remember your opponent might have Hex. Try and bait out this card by playing threatening minions before playing your biggest minions or strong buffing spells, and keep in mind there are only 2 maximum in a deck (outside of Arena). Shamans also have Lightning Storm, so try to not have a large field when your opponent hasn't played them yet.

Unique mechanics

Overload is an ability which reduces the amount of mana available the next turn by the stated amount. Most cards with Overload have a lower printed mana cost than similar cards from other classes (for instance, compare Forked Lightning and Cleave). This allows powerful spells and minions to be played for a low mana cost, allowing the shaman to gain a great amount of value in a turn at the cost of being able to play fewer cards the next turn. The shaman has many cards allowing him to put massive power into the board in one turn, such as Bloodlust, Lightning Storm, and Lava Burst. You can also overload more mana than you will have the next turn. Cards with this ability are limited to the shaman class.

Spells

For Wild format listings, see Shaman/Wild format

See Spell.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Class	Cost	Description
Ancestral Healing	Free	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.
Totemic Might	Free	Shaman	0	Give your Totems +2 Health. Totem-stomping is no longer recommended.
Frost Shock	Free	Shaman	1	Deal 1 damage to an enemy character and Freeze it. FROST SHOCK!
Rockbiter Weapon	Free	Shaman	2	Give a friendly character +3 Attack this turn. This would be real handy if your enemy is made of rock.
Windfury	Free	Shaman	2	Give a minion Windfury. Windfury is like Earthfury and Firefury, but more light and airy.
Hex	Free	Shaman	4	Transform a minion into a 0/1 Frog with Taunt. If you Hex a Murloc... it really isn't much of a change, is it?
Bloodlust	Free	Shaman	5	Give your minions +3 Attack this turn. blaarghghLLGHRHARAAHAHHH!!
Beakered Lightning	Common	Shaman	0	Deal 1 damage to all minions. Overload: (2) Working in a shaman's lab, it's important to be well-grounded.
Mutate	Common	Shaman	0	Transform a friendly minion into a random one that costs (1) more. You'll get the transformation you want when murlocs fly.
Zap!	Common	Shaman	0	Deal 2 damage to a minion. Overload: (1) The material components for this spell are wool socks and a rug.
Earth Shock	Common	Shaman	1	Silence a minion, then deal 1 damage to it. Earth Shock? Shouldn't it be "Azeroth Shock"?
Forked Lightning	Common	Shaman	1	Deal 2 damage to 2 random enemy minions. Overload: (2) If you combine it with Spooned Lightning and Knived Lightning, you have the full dining set.
Lightning Bolt	Common	Shaman	1	Deal 3 damage. Overload: (1) Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt! Lightning Bolt!
Totemic Smash	Common	Shaman	1	Deal 2 damage. Overkill: Summon a basic Totem. Trolls are the first group to have a totem survive atmospheric re-entry.
Elementary Reaction	Common	Shaman	2	Draw a card. Copy it if you played an Elemental last turn. It's just a Tempest Tantrum.
Soul of the Murloc	Common	Shaman	2	Give your minions "Deathrattle: Summon a 1/1 Murloc." Previously thought nonexistent.
Rain of Toads	Common	Shaman	6	Summon three 2/4 Toads with Taunt. Overload: (3) "Oh, THAT'S how she brings the warts!"
Blazing Invocation	Rare	Shaman	1	Discover a Battlecry minion. A lot of shaman have started vaping their invocations.
Voltaic Burst	Rare	Shaman	1	Summon two 1/1 Sparks with Rush. Overload: (1) Batteries have three components: Cathode, Anode, and Overload.
Ancestral Spirit	Rare	Shaman	2	Give a minion "Deathrattle: Resummon this minion." It was just a flesh wound.
Earthen Might	Rare	Shaman	2	Give a minion +2/+2. If it's an Elemental, add a random Elemental to your hand. Or it might not.
Feral Spirit	Rare	Shaman	3	Summon two 2/3 Spirit Wolves with Taunt. Overload: (2) Spirit wolves are like regular wolves with pom-poms.
Lava Burst	Rare	Shaman	3	Deal 5 damage. Overload: (2) It's like an ocean of liquid magma in your mouth!
Lightning Storm	Rare	Shaman	3	Deal 2-3 damage to all enemy minions. Overload: (2) An umbrella won't be effective, I'm afraid.
Hagatha's Scheme	Rare	Shaman	5	Deal 1 damage to all minion. (Upgrades each turn!) "All shall suffer!" "But Hagatha, those are your minions..." "I said ALL!!!"
Eureka!	Rare	Shaman	6	Summon a copy of a random minion in your hand. Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% drawing your Deathwing.
Big Bad Voodoo	Epic	Shaman	2	Give a friendly minion "Deathrattle: Summon a random minion that costs (1) more." Murlocs practice Small Nice Voodoo.
Witch's Brew	Epic	Shaman	2	Restore 4 Health. Repeatable this turn. The swill has eyes!
Far Sight	Epic	Shaman	3	Draw a card. That card costs (3) less. Drek'thar can't see, but he can see. You know what I mean? It's ok if you don't.
Haunting Visions	Epic	Shaman	3	The next spell you cast this turn costs 3 less. Discover a spell. When you're awake at 3 AM and can't stop thinking about that time you called your teacher "mom."
The Storm Bringer	Legendary	Shaman	7	Transform your minions into random Legendary minions. Finally, Electra can work from home.
Showing all 31 cards

Minions

For Wild format listings, see Shaman/Wild format

All classes can also use neutral minions in their decks. See Minion.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Flametongue Totem	Free	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.
Windspeaker	Free	General	Shaman	4	3	3	Battlecry: Give a friendly minion Windfury. Is there anything worse than a Windspeaker with halitosis?
Fire Elemental	Free	Elemental	Shaman	6	6	5	Battlecry: Deal 3 damage. He can never take a bath. Ewww.
Dust Devil	Common	Elemental	Shaman	1	3	1	Windfury. Overload: (2) Westfall is full of dust devils. And buzzards. And crazed golems. And pirates. Why does anyone live here?
Wartbringer	Common	General	Shaman	1	2	1	Battlecry: If you played 2 spells this turn, deal 2 damage. “Does she cause them with magic, or just…like have a bucket she brings with her?”
Witch's Apprentice	Common	Beast	Shaman	1	0	1	Taunt Battlecry: Add a random Shaman spell to your hand. Is she a frog that became a witch, or a witch that became a frog?
Ghost Light Angler	Common	Murloc	Shaman	2	2	2	Echo BoOooOogrglgrlgrlooOoOoo!
Menacing Nimbus	Common	Elemental	Shaman	2	2	2	Battlecry: Add a random Elemental to your hand. Electra stores her elementals in the cloud.
Unbound Elemental	Common	Elemental	Shaman	3	2	4	Whenever you play a card with Overload, gain +1/+1. Unlike bound elementals, Unbound ones really enjoy a night on the town.
Walking Fountain	Common	Elemental	Shaman	8	4	8	Lifesteal, Rush, Windfury The weirdest part is that it doesn't have legs.
Sludge Slurper	Rare	Murloc	Shaman	1	2	1	Battlecry: Add a Lackey to your hand. Overload: (1) You can't stop slurping this delicious sludge!
Underbelly Angler	Rare	Murloc	Shaman	2	2	3	After you play a Murloc, add a random Murloc to your hand. Attracts murlocs... and moths.
Bog Slosher	Rare	Elemental	Shaman	3	3	3	Battlecry: Return a friendly minion to your hand and give it +2/+2. It's the bane of freshly mopped floors everywhere.
Mana Tide Totem	Rare	Totem	Shaman	3	0	3	At the end of your turn, draw a card. It is said that some shaman can say "Floatin' totem" 10 times, fast.
Spirit of the Frog	Rare	General	Shaman	3	0	3	Stealth for 1 turn. Whenever you cast a spell, draw a spell from your deck that costs (1) more. It is Wednesday, my dudes.
Storm Chaser	Rare	Elemental	Shaman	4	3	4	Battlecry: Draw a spell from your deck that costs (5) or more. Best drank after a stiff gale.
Omega Mind	Epic	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."
Thunderhead	Epic	Elemental	Shaman	4	3	5	After you play a card with Overload, summon two 1/1 Sparks with Rush. Most of his friends are still Metalheads.
Totem Cruncher	Epic	Beast	Shaman	4	2	3	Taunt Battlecry: Destroy your Totems. Gain +2/+2 for each destroyed. When regular totem hours won't cut it.
Earth Elemental	Epic	Elemental	Shaman	5	7	8	Taunt Overload: (3) Nothing beats rock.
Muckmorpher	Epic	General	Shaman	5	4	4	Battlecry: Transform into a 4/4 copy of a different minion in your deck. Fan favorite in the muck morphin' sewer strangers.
Bogshaper	Epic	Elemental	Shaman	7	4	8	Whenever you cast a spell, draw a minion from your deck. The tricky part is getting them to HOLD their shape.
Electra Stormsurge	Legendary	Elemental	Shaman	3	3	3	Battlecry: Your next spell this turn casts twice. "The coin? You used me for THE COIN!?"
Zentimo	Legendary	General	Shaman	3	1	3	Whenever you target a minion with a spell, cast it again on its neighbors. Serenity. Peace. Many frogs.
Scargil	Legendary	Murloc	Shaman	4	4	4	Your Murlocs cost (1). Wanna know how he got those scars? So does he.
Krag'wa, the Frog	Legendary	Beast	Shaman	6	4	6	Battlecry: Return all spells you played last turn to your hand. Krag'wa has a ritual to honor his friends and a ritual to devour his enemies. No one can tell them apart.
Swampqueen Hagatha	Legendary	General	Shaman	7	5	5	Battlecry: Add a 5/5 Horror to your hand. Teach it two Shaman spells. Rafaam mainly enjoys working with Hagatha because she never laughs at Dr. Boom's jokes.
Al'Akir the Windlord	Legendary	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.
Shudderwock	Legendary	General	Shaman	9	6	6	Battlecry: Repeat all other Battlecries from cards you played this game (targets chosen randomly). Beware the Shudderwock, my son. We're fresh out of vorpal daggers.
Showing all 29 cards

Uncollectible

For Wild format listings, see Shaman/Wild format

The following minions are generated by other shaman cards or effects, and are uncollectible.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Toad	None	Beast	Shaman	3	2	4
Drustvar Horror	None	General	Shaman	5	5	5
Healing Totem	Free	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	At the end of your turn, restore 1 Health to all friendly minions.
Searing Totem	Free	Totem	Shaman	1	1	1
Stoneclaw Totem	Free	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	Taunt
Wrath of Air Totem	Free	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	Spell Damage +1
Spirit Wolf	Rare	General	Shaman	2	2	3	Taunt
Showing all 7 cards

Weapons

For Wild format listings, see Shaman/Wild format

Shamans have access to a limited range of weapons.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Stormforged Axe	Common	Shaman	2	2	3	Overload: (1) Yo, that's a nice axe.
Likkim	Rare	Shaman	2	1	3	Has +2 Attack while you have Overloaded Mana Crystals. "I double frog dare you!"
Doomhammer	Epic	Shaman	5	2	8	Windfury, Overload: (2) Orgrim Doomhammer gave this legendary weapon to Thrall. His name is a total coincidence.
Showing all 3 cards

Hero card

For Wild format listings, see Shaman/Wild format

See Hero card.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Hagatha the Witch	Legendary	Hero card		Shaman	8			Battlecry: Deal 3 damage to all minions. Curse-bringer, tree-twister, mother of wretched things…Hanzo main.
Showing the only card

Leveling rewards

As a hero reaches various levels they are awarded new cards, with each class having its own rewards. All cards awarded by gaining levels are soulbound, and cannot be crafted or disenchanted.

Levels up to 10 award new basic class cards, while levels after this award only golden versions of existing cards.

Starting cards

All shaman start with the following class cards.

Level 2-10

Up to level 10, reaching each even-numbered level will award the player two copies of a new Basic class card. These cards are not obtainable through any other means.

Level 2

Level 4

Level 6

Level 8

Level 10

Level 11-60

Above level 10, reaching certain levels will award golden versions of existing Basic cards. As they are uncraftable, it is not possible to disenchant these cards, making the reward purely cosmetic. Reaching each required level will award one golden card. Levels after 10 award golden Basic class cards, whereas levels after 50 award golden Basic neutral minion cards.

Level 15/20

Level 23/26

Level 28/30

Level 32/34

Level 36/38

Level 40/42

Level 43/44

Level 45/46

Level 47/48

Level 49/50

Level 51/52

Level 53/54

Level 55/56

Level 57/58

Level 59/60

References

Classes
Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior Death Knight (special class)