Totem

Totems are a type of minion, most of them being exclusive to shamans.

The four uncollectible Totems that can summoned through the shaman Hero Power Totemic Call - Healing Totem, Wrath of Air Totem, Searing Totem and Stoneclaw Totem - are usually referred to as the "basic" Totems. They can be summoned also by the upgraded Hero Power Totemic Slam and by a few other effects that explicitly refer to them in their text (Tuskarr Totemic, Wicked Witchdoctor). Other totems are collectible minion cards which can be included in decks and played from the hand just like other minions.

Most Totems play specific, dedicated roles. All Totems except Nightmare Amalgam, Searing Totem, Totem Golem have 0 Attack and so cannot attack, although minions such as Flametongue Totem can grant them the ability to do so.

For a discussion of shaman Totem summoning tactics, see Totemic Call.

Totem cards[edit]

Collectible[edit]

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.
EVIL Totem	Common	Totem	Shaman	2	0	2	At the end of your turn, add a Lackey to your hand. A lot of people blame the parents when a totem goes bad.
Trick Totem	Rare	Totem		2	0	3	At the end of your turn, cast a random spell that costs (3) or less. It knows how to sit still and do tricks. Still working on rolling over, though.
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.
Totem Goliath	Epic	Totem	Shaman	5	4	5	Deathrattle: Summon all four basic Totems. Overload: (2) It was an art project, and nobody knew when to stop.
Showing all 5 cards

Wild format

This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Totem Golem	Common	Totem	Shaman	2	3	4	Overload: (1) What happens when you glue a buncha totems together.
Primalfin Totem	Rare	Totem	Shaman	2	0	3	At the end of your turn, summon a 1/1 Murloc. Emits a sound only murlocs can hear, which is good because it’s REALLY annoying.
Serpent Ward	Rare	Totem	Any	2	0	2	At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to the enemy hero. When snakes get sick, they get sent to the Serpent Ward.
Vitality Totem	Rare	Totem	Shaman	2	0	3	At the end of your turn, restore 4 Health to your hero. You can usually find these at the totemist's market on Saturdays.
Showing all 4 cards

Uncollectible[edit]

Name / Desc	Rarity	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Treant Totem	None	Totem		2	2	2
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
Showing all 5 cards

Cards that generate Totems[edit]

These cards bring new Totems into play through their card text.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Totemic Call	None	Hero Power		Shaman	2			Hero Power Summon a random Totem.
Totemic Slam	None	Hero Power		Shaman	2			Hero Power Summon a Totem of your choice.
Hench-Clan Hag	Epic	Minion	General	Any	4	3	3	Battlecry: Summon two 1/1 Amalgams with all minion types. The Hench Clan is an equal opportunity employer, no matter which parts of you came from where.
Totem Goliath	Epic	Minion	Totem	Shaman	5	4	5	Deathrattle: Summon all four basic Totems. Overload: (2) It was an art project, and nobody knew when to stop.
Runic Carvings	Epic	Spell			6			Choose One - Summon four 2/2 Treant Totems; or Overload: (2) to summon them with Rush.
Showing all 5 cards

Wild format

This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Totemic Smash	Common	Spell		Shaman	1			Deal 2 damage. Overkill: Summon a basic Totem. Trolls are the first group to have a totem survive atmospheric re-entry.
Kobold Hermit	Common	Minion	General	Shaman	2	1	1	Battlecry: Choose a basic Totem. Summon it. To truly understand candles, it takes YEARS of quiet contemplation.
Tuskarr Totemic	Common	Minion	General	Shaman	3	3	2	Battlecry: Summon a random basic Totem. Turns out the tuskarr aren't real choosy about their totems.
Wicked Witchdoctor	Common	Minion	General	Shaman	4	3	4	Whenever you cast a spell, summon a random basic Totem. You can easily defeat her by either dealing 4 damage, or dropping a house on her.
Primal Talismans	Rare	Spell		Shaman	3			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Summon a random basic Totem." All that remained from the first kobold colony: a single talisman and the word "Flamestrike."
Showing all 5 cards

Related cards[edit]

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Totemic Might	Free	Spell		Shaman	0			Give your Totems +2 Health. Totem-stomping is no longer recommended.
Totemic Surge	Common	Spell		Shaman	0			Give your Totems +2 Attack. It's not really advanced shamanic magic, you just draw nasty eyebrows on them.
Totemic Reflection	Common	Spell		Shaman	3			Give a minion +2/+2. If it's a Totem, summon a copy of it. "Upon reflection, I have decided that your board needs more ME."
Splitting Axe	Epic	Weapon		Shaman	4	3	2	Battlecry: Summon copies of your Totems. The ancient shaman chant, "Control Axe, Control Vee."
Waste Warden	Epic	Minion	General	Any	5	3	3	Battlecry: Deal 3 damage to a minion and all others of the same minion type. Recycle that can, or you get the cuffs!
Showing all 5 cards

Wild format

This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Primal Fusion	Common	Spell		Shaman	1			Give a minion +1/+1 for each of your Totems. Golce and Dabbana have a new line of Earth Totems available at vendors everywhere this holiday season.
Draenei Totemcarver	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	4	4	4	Battlecry: Gain +1/+1 for each friendly Totem. It's nice to find a real craftsman in this day and age of mass-produced totems.
Thunder Bluff Valiant	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	5	3	6	Inspire: Give your Totems +2 Attack. Allowing totems to attack is not cheating. I mean, there isn't anything in the rule books about it.
Thing from Below	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	6	5	5	Taunt. Costs (1) less for each Totem you've summoned this game. Just can't resist the opportunity to hang around with a bunch of totems.
Totem Cruncher	Epic	Minion	Beast	Shaman	4	2	3	Taunt Battlecry: Destroy your Totems. Gain +2/+2 for each destroyed. When regular totem hours won't cut it.
Windshear Stormcaller	Epic	Minion	General	Shaman	5	5	5	Battlecry: If you control all 4 basic Totems, summon Al'akir the Windlord. Don't ever doubt Al'Akir's love for basic totems.
Showing all 6 cards

Lore[edit]

Totems are unique tools used by shamans to interact with the elements, and create magical effects in the surrounding area. Totems are notable for their immobility and area of effect. Once a totem is put down, it cannot be moved, but a new totem can always be summoned to replace it. Each totem corresponds with one of four elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Wind) and only one of each elemental type can be used at a time.

Each shamanic race uses its own designs for its totems. For example, tauren use simple carven wooden totems, while goblin shamans use mechanical totems with complex moving parts. Totems are used to interact with the elements, to call upon them for assistance and invoke a specific effect.

Trivia[edit]

While the implementations of totems in Hearthstone and World of Warcraft differ somewhat, there are many similarities. Totemic Call's limit of one of each type of totem matches that of the WoW shaman, while the four totems summoned by the ability each represent one of the elements: Healing Totem for water, Searing Totem for fire, Stoneclaw Totem for earth, and Wrath of Air Totem for air. The endless nature of shamans' totem summoning is also reflected in the constant supply of fresh totems from the hero power, and each of the totems in Hearthstone also matches a specific totem from WoW.

Most of the totem cards in Hearthstone depict tauren totems, while Searing Totem features a draenei totem, and Flametongue Totem depicts a dwarven totem. Totemic Might and Draenei Totemcarver also depict draenei totems, while Earthen Ring Farseer depicts an orc shaman using tauren totems (tauren totems were originally used by all Horde shamans). While the origins of Totem Golem are unknown, it appears to be based upon tauren totems, given the horns, and the animal faces upon its body, which resemble those on tauren totem poles.