Spell Damage

Spell Damage
Your spells deal extra damage.

A Wrath of Air Totem, with purple sparkles to signal its Spell Damage bonus

Spell Damage is an ability which boosts the overall damage of spells by the listed amount. Spell Damage does not increase healing done by spells, and does not increase damage dealt from non-spell source such as Hero Powers, Deathrattles or Battlecries. Sources of Spell Damage are indicated by purple sparkles around their portaits.

Notes

A video explaining spell damage in Hearthstone made by the Curse Gamepedia YouTube Channel.

• Spell Damage increases the damage dealt by any spell, with only a few exceptions:
  • Spell Damage increases the cost of minions summoned from Unexpected Results, which is explicitly stated in the card text.
  • Spell Damage has no effect on spells like Betrayal which cause characters to do damage, since the targeted minion is considered the source of the damage, not the spell.
  • In-hand effects like Cursed! that are spells are not affected by either player's Spell Damage.
  • On-draw effects that are spells (such as Ancient Curse and Burrowing Mine) are not affected by either player's Spell Damage.
  • However, on-discard effects like Fist of Jaraxxus do benefit from Spell Damage bonuses.
  • Spell Damage boosts the damage dealt by healing spells affected by Auchenai Soulpriest and Embrace the Shadow, since they are turned into spells with damaging effects.
  • Spell Damage boosts damaging Secrets (such as Eye for an Eye and Explosive Trap), since they are spells.
  • Spell Damage boosts the damage dealt by spells that deal variable amounts of damage (such as Blade Flurry and Shield Slam, whose base damage is determined by some other source). For example, if a player has Spell Damage +2 and Holy Wrath draws a card that costs 3 mana, Holy Wrath will deal 5 damage to its target.
  • Spell Damage has no effect on healing spells nor on damaging effects that are not spells (like Hero Powers, Deathrattles, Battlecries, Fatigue, Cho'gall's effect, triggered effects and combat damage).
• Multiple instances of Spell Damage stack. In particular, Spell Damage granted by enchantments will stack with any existing Spell Damage on the buffed minions.
• Being an additive bonus, Spell Damage is applied before being multiplied by multiplicative bonuses like Prophet Velen.
• Spell Damage has always the most up-to-date value: its value updates constantly, and not only when Auras are updated.
• For any given spell, Spell Damage boosts either the total damage output or the damage per hit by the given amount, depending on the type of targeting and the way damage is distributed. The general rule is, when numbers printed on the card describe the amount of damage, each point of Spell Damage increases each of those numbers by 1, and the spell acts accordingly. More precisely:
  • Spells that deal a certain amount of damage randomly split among all characters with a given characteristic (Arcane Missiles, Spreading Madness, Avenging Wrath, Timepiece of Horror) have their total damage increased by Spell Damage: the spell will thus shoot an increased number of missiles, but each one will still deal 1 damage.
  • Arcane Blast's damage in increased by twice the total Spell Damage bonus of its caster.
  • All other spells that deal damage to one or more characters have the damage dealt to each target increased by their caster's total Spell Damage bonus. This includes single-target spells (for example, with Spell Damage +2 Fireball will del 8 damage), area of effect spells (for example, with Spell Damage +1 Swipe will do 5 damage to its target and 2 damage to all other enemies) and spells that damage "multiple targets" (such as Cleave and Explosive Shot) or that do a base amount of damage repeated a variable number of times (like Bouncing Blade and Greater Arcane Missiles)
• Sources of Spell Damage are indicated by purple sparkles. This includes, as long as a Jungle Moonkin is in play, both heroes as well as the Jungle Moonkin itself.
• For additional details, see Damage#Advanced rules.
• Spell Damage dynamically modifies the numbers printed on the text of eligible spell cards in your hand accordingly (for example, with Spell Damage +2 the text of a Fireball card in your hand will read "Deal *8* damage.").

Strategy

Mousing over a friendly source of Spell Damage will highlight any cards affected by Spell Damage, indicated by purple sparkles

Spell Damage is a valuable quality for classes which use damaging spells. The mage, rogue and shaman classes are good examples, but every class has damaging spells and can therefore benefit from it. Spell Damage is especially important to control decks such as Freeze Mage and Miracle Rogue, as well as spell-related aggro decks such as Aggro Shaman.

Like most card text effects, Spell Damage takes effect as soon as the related minion comes into play. This makes order of play very important, and allows you to quickly unload a flurry of buffed attacks in one turn, if you have the mana to spare. This is particularly possible with low mana cost minions such as Kobold Geomancer. Even if your opponent removes your minion the next turn, you will still have gotten some use from them.

Note that while many varieties of Spell Damage minion exist, almost all of them offer the same bonus: Spell Damage +1. This means the difference between a Dalaran Mage and an Archmage (and the justification for the extra mana cost) lies only in Attack and Health values, not in their actual ability to boost spell damage. This can make low-cost Spell Damage minions an appealing choice, allowing you to rapidly and cheaply put them into play, ideally in immediate combination with some damaging spells.

Players will generally want to protect their Spell Damage minions, and may not wish to summon them until they have a sturdy Taunt in place, although this does not of course protect them from spells and other effects. Conversely, attacking players will often want to dispose of Spell Damage minions as quickly as possible, before their owner can put their bonus damage to good use.

This can make Spell Damage minions good lures for removal, as well as neutralisation through Silences and transform effects. Spell Damage minions often function as soft taunts, drawing the priority fire of your opponent while other targets are ignored. In less than ideal circumstances, this is as good a use of a Spell Damage minion as any, especially if you have other Spell Damage minions on the way, have no spells in your hand, or have already used most of those in your deck.

Trivia

• Sources of Spell Damage are usually minions, but Jungle Moonkin makes both heroes sources of Spell Damage - although they depend on the minion's ongoing effect to retain this ability.
• Most sources of Spell Damage have "Spell Damage +1": exceptions are Jungle Moonkin, Evolved Kobold, Spellweaver, Cosmic Anomaly, and Celestial Emissary with "Spell Damage +2", and Malygos with "Spell Damage +5".
• The developers have tried having cards that decreased the opponent's Spell Damage, but found that it was too confusing in practice.
• Most minions with Spell Damage themselves have explanatory tooltips that state "Your spell cards deal 1 extra damage". This is true even for those with Spell Damage +2, Evolved Kobold and Jungle Moonkin.
  • Malygos correctly states "Your spell cards deal 5 extra damage."
  • Other cards which grant or mention Spell Damage, such as Ancient Mage and Velen's Chosen, simply say "Your spells deal extra damage" instead.

Cards with Spell Damage

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Archmage	Free	Minion	General	Any	6	4	7	Spell Damage +1 You earn the title of Archmage when you can destroy anyone who calls you on it.
Dalaran Mage	Free	Minion	General	Any	3	1	4	Spell Damage +1 You don't see a lot of Dalaran warriors.
Kobold Geomancer	Free	Minion	General	Any	2	2	2	Spell Damage +1 In the old days, Kobolds were the finest candle merchants in the land. Then they got pushed too far...
Ogre Magi	Free	Minion	General	Any	4	4	4	Spell Damage +1 Training Ogres in the art of spellcasting is a questionable decision.
Wrath of Air Totem	Free	Minion	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	Spell Damage +1
Black Cat	Common	Minion	Beast	Mage	3	3	3	Spell Damage +1 Battlecry: If your deck has only odd-Cost cards, draw a card. She's so odd, you can't even.
Cosmic Anomaly	Common	Minion	Elemental	Mage	4	4	3	Spell Damage +2 INGREDIENTS: STAR-STUFF, BLUE #1, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.
Darkmire Moonkin	Common	Minion	General	Any	7	2	8	Spell Damage +2 Birds of a feather Moonfire together.
Spellshifter	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	1	4	Spell Damage +1 Each turn this is in your hand, swap its Attack and Health. He also goes by "worg-lock."
Spellshifter	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	4	1	Spell Damage +1 Each turn this is in your hand, swap its Attack and Health.
Spellweaver	Common	Minion	General	Any	6	4	4	Spell Damage +2 Spells offer twice the moisture wicking of cotton.
Tainted Zealot	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	1	1	Divine Shield Spell Damage +1 The love she shares seems to go nowhere. Now she's lost her Light, tosses and turns, she can't sleep at night...
Tuskarr Fisherman	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	2	3	Battlecry: Give a friendly minion Spell Damage +1. If you bring him 500 fish, he'll give you this sweet Kalu'ak Fishing Pole.
Ancient Mage	Rare	Minion	General	Any	4	2	5	Battlecry: Give adjacent minions Spell Damage +1. Sometimes he forgets and just wanders into someone else's game.
Celestial Emissary	Rare	Minion	Elemental	Mage	2	2	1	Battlecry: Your next spell this turn has Spell Damage +2. Casting with the stars.
Bloodmage Thalnos	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	2	1	1	Spell Damage +1. Deathrattle: Draw a card. He's in charge of the Annual Scarlet Monastery Blood Drive!
Malygos	Legendary	Minion	Dragon	Any	9	4	12	Spell Damage +5 Malygos hates it when mortals use magic. He gets so mad!
Showing all 17 cards

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Dalaran Aspirant	Common	Minion	General	Mage	4	3	5	Inspire: Gain Spell Damage +1. Is he aspiring or inspiring? Make up your mind!
Evolved Kobold	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	2	Spell Damage +2 You no take tentacle!
Frigid Snobold	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	6	Spell Damage +1 Ironically, the natural enemy of the snobold is THE CANDLE.
Street Trickster	Common	Minion	Demon	Any	3	0	7	Spell Damage +1 His first trick: making your wallet disappear!
Velen's Chosen	Common	Spell		Priest	3			Give a minion +2/+4 and Spell Damage +1. Velen wrote a "Lovely Card" for Tyrande with a picture of the Deeprun Tram that said "I Choo-Choo-Choose you!"
Azure Drake	Rare	Minion	Dragon	Any	5	4	4	Spell Damage +1. Battlecry: Draw a card. They initially planned to be the Beryl or Cerulean drakes, but those felt a tad too pretentious.
Cult Sorcerer	Rare	Minion	General	Mage	2	3	2	Spell Damage +1 After you cast a spell, give your C'Thun +1/+1 (wherever it is). No matter how many times we tell her not to, she keeps feeding C'Thun scraps under the table.
Jungle Moonkin	Rare	Minion	General	Druid	4	4	4	Both players have Spell Damage +2. The REAL angry chicken!
Soot Spewer	Rare	Minion	Mech	Mage	3	3	3	Spell Damage +1 The inventor of the goblin shredder is involved in several patent disputes with the inventor of the soot spewer.
Mini-Mage	Epic	Minion	General	Any	4	4	1	Stealth Spell Damage +1 He is sometimes found hiding in the treasure chest in the Gurubashi Arena.
Showing all 10 cards

Related cards

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Unexpected Results	Epic	Spell		Mage	4			Summon two random 2-Cost minions (improved by Spell Damage). Sometimes science is more art than science. A lot of people don't get that.
Showing the only card

Wild format

 This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Spirit Claws	Common	Weapon		Shaman	2	1	3	Has +2 Attack while you have Spell Damage. They'll be MUCH easier to use once they add the spirit thumb.
Arcane Blast	Epic	Spell		Mage	1			Deal 2 damage to a minion. This spell gets double bonus from Spell Damage. Now with 100% more blast!
Master of Ceremonies	Epic	Minion	General	Any	3	4	2	Battlecry: If you have a minion with Spell Damage, gain +2/+2. Goes by "MC ElfyElf".
Showing all 3 cards

Patch changes

• Unknown patch: Mousing over a source of Spell Damage will no longer highlight the cards in the player's hand that benefit from Spell Damage; previously, it did.
• Patch 3.0.0.9786 (2015-08-18): The first Spell Damage synergy is added, with Master of Ceremonies, as well as the first card to multiply Spell Damage: Arcane Blast.
• Patch 1.0.0.3890 (2013-10-02): “Spell Power +1” has been renamed “Spell Damage +1”.

References

	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 Immune Inspire Joust Lifesteal Magnetic Mega-Windfury Modify cost Overkill Overload Permanent Poisonous Put into battlefield Put into hand Quest Recruit Refresh Mana Remove from deck Replace Rush Restore Health Return to hand Secret Shuffle into deck Silence Spell Damage Spend mana Start of Game Stealth Summon Taunt Take control Transform 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	Basic Classic Journey to Un'Goro Knights of the Frozen Throne Kobolds & Catacombs The Witchwood The Boomsday Project
	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
By rarity	Free Common Rare Epic Legendary