Shadow Word: Ruin

Shadow Word: Ruin is an epic priest spell card, inducted into the Legacy set, formerly from the Classic set.

Previous availability

 * Before March 30, 2021, Shadow Word: Ruin could be obtained through Classic card packs.

Strategy
Shadow Word: Ruin is a powerful board clear, which is able to clear boards of threatening minions for only 4 mana. However, it cannot be cast efficiently in the early game in most cases. This makes it deceptively late game despite its midrange cost.

One of the major weaknesses of Shadow Word: Ruin is its relative inflexibility. The restriction of minions with 5 or more attack means there are some decks, like Face Hunter or Aggro Druid, where Shadow Word: Ruin will have either no or very few targets. However, it can be used as a larger Shadow Word: Death in a pinch, destroying a crucial Sea Giant to recover the board for example. It also benefits Priests using no minions, or mostly minions with under 5 attack.

In Wild, Shadow Word: Ruin has fierce competition as a board clear, including powerful cards like Lightbomb, Dragonfire Potion, Psychic Scream, and Plague of Death. While Shadow Word: Ruin is usually outclassed because of its rigidity, it has the advantage of being a Classic card, making it a good card in Standard in most cases.

Lore
s are Shadow spells Priests use to weaken targets. Shadow Word: Ruin is original to Hearthstone, but like how the similarly unique Shadow Word: Horror is a mass version of Shadow Word: Pain, this appears to be a mass version of Shadow Word: Death.

Patch changes

 * Moved from Classic to Legacy set.
 * Added.
 * Added.