Transform
Transform is an ability which irreversibly transforms a minion into something else. This removes all card text, abilities and enchantments, and does not trigger any Deathrattles.
Transformation is not an enchantment but rather a permanent change, which cannot be undone. Silencing the transformed minion or returning it to its owner's hand will not revert the transformation.
Transform is the battlefield equivalent of replace.
For cards which transform in hand, see: Transform in hand.
Notes[edit | edit source]
- While transform effects effectively create a new minion in place of the old one, they do not summon minions and so will not trigger effects such as Knife Juggler or Starving Buzzard.[1] The process appears to continue the summoning process precisely, with the new minion in place of the old.
- However, minions transformed as the result of a Battlecry will activate some of their triggered effects appropriate to the resulting minion, at the end of the summoning process.[1]
- Example: A Faceless Manipulator is played, and its Battlecry is used to transform itself into a Savannah Highmane. First any "Whenever you summon" effects will trigger for the Faceless Manipulator, then (after the transform) any "After you summon" effects active for the Highmane, and then one extra phase is invoked to again trigger the "Whenever you summon" effects for the Highmane. This causes a Starving Buzzard to draw a card in this event, not during its normal phase prior to Battlecries, but instead after the minion's summoning has resolved, and all other effects have played out.[1] However, this also causes an Unlicensed Apothecary to trigger twice.
- This double processing of the "Whenever you summon" effect specifically happens when the transform is the result of a Battlecry (minions transforming themselves, like Faceless Manipulator or Druid of the Claw; and minions transforming one other minion, like Master of Evolution or Tinkmaster Overspark. It also happens when playing Thrall, Deathseer (a Hero Card, not a minion, but the transform effect is still a battlecry). The latter effect can be particularlly devastating if one of your minions happens to be transformed into an Unlicensed Apothecary.
- Minions that are transformed as the result of a spell (e.g Polymorph, Evolve) are not ever processed as summoned.
- The exact behaviour of minions transformed as a result of Potion of Polymorph or Transmute Spirit is currently unknown.
- Minions produced by transformations will be immediately exhausted, as though they had just been summoned.[2] This is true even if the minion which was transformed was previously ready to attack. However, if the resulting minion has Charge it will not suffer from exhaustion.[2]
- Minions removed from play due to being transformed are not considered to have died, and so cannot be resummoned by effects like Resurrect or Kel'Thuzad nor will they trigger effects like Corridor Creeper.
- Transforming a minion will result in the new minion becoming last in the 'queue' that determines the order in which effects are activated, since it has been freshly put into play.[3] This is the same result as if the new minion had been summoned in place of the old minion.
- Not all transform effects are explicitly described as such.[4] Faceless Manipulator transforms the base minion into another minion according to how the card is played, despite the word 'transform' not being used on their cards. Comments by Ben Brode suggest this is likely due to the tradeoff between consistency and concision of phrasing.[5]
- Cards that transform no longer keep any enchantments when they transform.
- Example: Shifter Zerus, Molten Blade, and Shifting Scroll do not keep any enchantments when they transform.
- Cards that "transform a minion into a random one that costs (1) more/less", like Evolve or Devolve, will now always re-roll the minion, even if no minion exists in the target-cost minion pool. The minion will be re-rolled at the nearest possible cost.
- For example, when a 0-mana Target Dummy is Devolved, because there is no negative-cost minion, it will transform into a random 0-cost minion.
- For example, when a 25-mana Shirvallah, the Tiger is Evolved, because there is no 26-cost minion or another 25-cost minion, it will transform into a new Shirvallah, the Tiger.
Cards with Transform[edit | edit source]
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
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Ashes of Al'ar | None | Minion | General | Any | 1 | 0 | 3 | At the start of your turn, transform this into Al'ar. | |||||||||||
Malygos's Polymorph | None | Spell | Mage | 1 | Transform a minion into a 1/1 Sheep. | ||||||||||||||
Storm Egg | None | Minion | General | Shaman | 1 | 0 | 3 | At the start of your turn, transform into a 4/4 Storm Drake with Rush. | |||||||||||
Witchy Lackey | None | Minion | General | Any | 1 | 1 | 1 | Battlecry: Transform a friendly minion into one that costs (1) more. | |||||||||||
Hex | Free | Spell | 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? | ||||||||||||||
Polymorph | Free | Spell | Mage | 4 | Transform a minion into a 1/1 Sheep. There was going to be a pun in this flavor text, but it just came out baa-d. | ||||||||||||||
Mutate | Common | Spell | Shaman | 0 | Transform a friendly minion into a random one that costs (1) more. You'll get the transformation you want when murlocs fly. | ||||||||||||||
Revolve | Common | Spell | Shaman | 1 | Transform all minions into random ones with the same Cost. "Please don't ride the carousel for thirty minutes after eating. After the carousel eats, I mean." | ||||||||||||||
Explosive Evolution | Common | Spell | Shaman | 2 | Transform a minion into a random one that costs (3) more. Let's give a big hand for goblin experimentation! | ||||||||||||||
Druid of the Claw | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 5 | 4 | 4 | Choose One - Transform into a 4/4 with Charge; or a 4/6 with Taunt. Cat or Bear? Cat or Bear?! I just cannot CHOOSE! | |||||||||||
Infectious Sporeling | Rare | Minion | General | Any | 1 | 1 | 2 | After this damages a minion, turn it into an Infectious Sporeling. "The best thing about being me—there’s so many 'me's." | |||||||||||
Bogstrok Clacker | Rare | Minion | General | Shaman | 3 | 3 | 3 | Battlecry: Transform adjacent minions into random minions that cost (1) more. This clacker's crackers for hacking slackers into whack attackers. | |||||||||||
Faceless Corruptor | Rare | Minion | General | Any | 5 | 4 | 4 | Rush. Battlecry: Transform one of your minions into a copy of this. What does Madame Lazul have against faces?! | |||||||||||
Devolving Missiles | Epic | Spell | 1 | Shoot three missiles at random enemy minions that transform them into ones that cost (1) less. Most intermural spell-dueling contests end with a field of wisps. | |||||||||||||||
Bamboozle | Epic | Spell | Rogue | 2 | Secret: When one of your minions is attacked, transform it into a random one that costs (3) more. "WE DO YOU A BAMBOOZLE, HOOMAN!" | ||||||||||||||
Shadowy Figure | Epic | Minion | General | Priest | 2 | 2 | 2 | Battlecry: Transform into a 2/2 copy of a friendly Deathrattle minion. Terrible at shadow puppets: "This is... a tentacle! And this is... two tentacles!" | |||||||||||
Transfer Student | Epic | Minion | General | Any | 2 | 2 | 2 | This has different effects based on which game board you're on. Oh, the places you'll go! There is so much to fight! There are boards to be explored. There are dreams to take flight. | |||||||||||
Plague of Murlocs | Epic | Spell | Shaman | 3 | Transform all minions into random Murlocs. This is horrible! And adorable! | ||||||||||||||
Replicat-o-tron | Epic | Minion | Mech | Any | 4 | 3 | 3 | At the end of your turn, transform a neighbor into a copy of this. According to the Boom Labs sales brochure, it "impractically makes itself!" | |||||||||||
Boggspine Knuckles | Epic | Weapon | Shaman | 5 | 3 | 2 | After your hero attacks, transform your minions into random ones that cost (1) more. I would NOT want to put my hand in there. It's... SQUISHY. | ||||||||||||
Faceless Manipulator | Epic | Minion | General | Any | 5 | 3 | 3 | Battlecry: Choose a minion and become a copy of it. The Faceless Ones are servants of Yogg-Saron, and they feed on fear. Right now they are feeding on your fear of accidentally disenchanting all your good cards. | |||||||||||
Muckmorpher | Epic | Minion | 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. | |||||||||||
Shan'do Wildclaw | Legendary | Minion | General | 3 | 3 | 3 | Choose One - Give Beasts in your deck +1/+1; or Transform into a copy of a friendly Beast. She holds both an academic post and a scratching post. | ||||||||||||
Tinkmaster Overspark | Legendary | Minion | General | Any | 3 | 3 | 3 | Battlecry: Transform another random minion into a 5/5 Devilsaur or a 1/1 Squirrel. Tinkmaster Overspark nearly lost his Tinker's license after the Great Ironforge Squirrel Stampede of '09. | |||||||||||
The Nameless One | Legendary | Minion | General | Priest | 4 | 4 | 4 | Battlecry: Choose a minion. Become a 4/4 copy of it, then Silence it. Used to be called " , the Nameless," but everyone got confused. | |||||||||||
Showing all 25 cards |
Wild format
This section contains information exclusive to Wild format.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poultryizer | None | Minion | Mech | Any | 1 | 0 | 3 | At the start of your turn, transform a random minion into a 1/1 Chicken. | |||||||||||
Transmute Spirit | None | Hero Power | Shaman | 2 | Hero Power: Transform a friendly minion into a random one that costs (1) more. | ||||||||||||||
Kazakus Potion | None | Spell | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
Kazakus Potion | None | Spell | 10 | ||||||||||||||||
Demonic Project | Common | Spell | Warlock | 2 | Each player transforms a random minion in their hand into a Demon. Another group project where Jaraxxus doesn't do any work. | ||||||||||||||
Druid of the Saber | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 2 | 2 | 1 | Choose One - Transform into a 2/1 with Charge; or a 3/2 with Stealth. That's saberTEETH, not like curved pirate blades. That's a different kind of druid. Druid of the Curved Pirate Blades. | |||||||||||
Druid of the Flame | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 3 | 2 | 2 | Choose One - Transform into a 5/2 minion; or a 2/5 minion. Druids who fought too long in Northrend were easily seduced by Ragnaros; a mug of hot chocolate was generally all it took. | |||||||||||
Druid of the Scythe | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 3 | 2 | 2 | Choose One - Transform into a 4/2 with Rush; or a 2/4 with Taunt. She's a scythe for sore eyes. | |||||||||||
Druid of the Fang | Common | Minion | General | Druid | 5 | 4 | 4 | Battlecry: If you have a Beast, transform this minion into a 7/7. The Druids of the Fang live in the Wailing Caverns. They wear cool snake shirts and tell snake jokes and say "bro" a lot. | |||||||||||
Evolve | Rare | Spell | Shaman | 1 | Transform your minions into random minions that cost (1) more. So you say you want an evolution. Well, you know. We all want to change the board. | ||||||||||||||
Devolve | Rare | Spell | Shaman | 2 | Transform all enemy minions into random ones that cost (1) less. Ragnaros looked down. He looked like some kind of War Golem. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME," he yelled. But all that came out was a deep grinding sound. He began to cry. | ||||||||||||||
Druid of the Swarm | Rare | Minion | General | Druid | 2 | 1 | 2 | Choose One - Transform into a 1/2 with Poisonous; or a 1/5 with Taunt. The Druid awoke from troubling dreams to find herself transformed into a giant spider. | |||||||||||
Polymorph: Boar | Rare | Spell | Mage | 3 | Transform a minion into a 4/2 Boar with Charge. It's always Huffer. | ||||||||||||||
Potion of Polymorph | Rare | Spell | Mage | 3 | Secret: After your opponent plays a minion, transform it into a 1/1 Sheep. Tastes like Baaaaananas. | ||||||||||||||
Master of Evolution | Rare | Minion | General | Shaman | 4 | 4 | 5 | Battlecry: Transform a friendly minion into a random one that costs (1) more. Will be really useful in the new "Hearthémon" game. | |||||||||||
Shellshifter | Rare | Minion | General | Druid | 4 | 3 | 3 | Choose One - Transform into a 5/3 with Stealth; or a 3/5 with Taunt. Master of the Three Shell Monte. | |||||||||||
Furbolg Mossbinder | Rare | Minion | General | Any | 5 | 1 | 1 | Battlecry: Transform a friendly minion into a 6/6 Elemental. Behold, the unstoppable power of MOSS! | |||||||||||
Unstable Evolution | Epic | Spell | Shaman | 1 | Transform a friendly minion into one that costs (1) more. Repeatable this turn. They grow up so fast. | ||||||||||||||
Recombobulator | Epic | Minion | General | Any | 2 | 3 | 2 | Battlecry: Transform a friendly minion into a random minion with the same Cost. For when you didn’t combobulate quite right the first time around. | |||||||||||
Lotus Illusionist | Epic | Minion | General | Shaman | 4 | 3 | 5 | After this minion attacks a hero, transform it into a random 6-Cost minion. If you think her Illidan and Sylvanas cosplay is great, wait till you see her Reno Jackson! | |||||||||||
Treespeaker | Epic | Minion | General | Druid | 5 | 4 | 4 | Battlecry: Transform your Treants into 5/5 Ancients. Honestly, his delivery is a little wooden. | |||||||||||
Prince Taldaram | Legendary | Minion | General | Any | 3 | 3 | 3 | Battlecry: If your deck has no 3-Cost cards, transform into a 3/3 copy of a minion. Three Princes stand before you. This one wants to copy others. | |||||||||||
Wardruid Loti | Legendary | Minion | General | Druid | 3 | 1 | 2 | Choose One - Transform into one of Loti's four dinosaur forms. “Ravasaur!” “Pretty scary” “…Blammodax!” “Is that a thing?” “SMAXODON!” “….now you’re just making those up.” | |||||||||||
Harbinger Celestia | Legendary | Minion | General | Any | 4 | 5 | 6 | StealthAfter your opponent plays a minon, become a copy of it. She wanders realities, taking on many forms. One was a unicorn princess. | |||||||||||
Thrall, Deathseer | Legendary | Hero card | Shaman | 5 | Battlecry: Transform your minions into random ones that cost (2) more. "Do not be afraid. Approach. The dead will sleep… for now." | ||||||||||||||
The Storm Bringer | Legendary | Spell | Shaman | 6 | Transform your minions into random Legendary minions. Finally, Electra can work from home. | ||||||||||||||
Showing all 26 cards |
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- Prior to Patch 8.0.0.18336, all druid Choose One transform cards had inconsistent wording, with Druid of the Claw not including the word transform, Druid of the Flame showing the end result as opposed to the stat change, and Druid of the Saber including both the word transform and related stat changes. This was eventually changed with the release of Journey to Un'goro to follow Druid of the Flame's formatting, with the new Shellshifter also written like this.
- Prior to some time in early 2013, the word "Transform" was printed in bold text on cards such as Polymorph, and always with a capital letter. This suggests that it was previously a keyword (like Charge or Battlecry), complete with its own tooltip explaining the effect. The relative complexity of the mechanic (a non-reversible minion change) might justify this, with the ability the subject of some confusion during the game's beta.
Patch changes[edit | edit source]
Patch 16.0.0.37060 (2019-12-05): Cards that "transform a minion into a random one that costs (1) more/less", like Evolve or Devolve, will now always re-roll the minion, even if no minion exists in the target-cost minion pool. The minion will be re-rolled at the nearest possible cost.
- Alpha patch (unknown date, pre-May 2013): "Transform" in card text is no longer printed in bold, and is not capitalised.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Tested by User:Taohinton and User:Xinhuan, 2015-02-02
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Zeriyah on Twitter. (2014-12-03).
- ↑ Tested by User:Taohinton, 2015-02-07. Various scenarios.
- ↑ Ben Brode on Twitter. (2014-11-04).
- ↑ Ben Brode on Twitter. (2014-11-04).
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