Area of effect

Area of effect (AoE) is the term for an effect which affects all characters of the specified type. Common targets for AoEs include all enemy minions, all minions, and all characters.

AoE is defined in contrast to 'single-target' and 'multiple target'. While AoEs may affect multiple targets, they have no limit to the number of targets affected, and their targets are determined by the nature of the AoE (e.g., "all minions") rather than by selecting a set number of individual targets. Positional effects function as limited-area AoEs, but in game terms are multiple target effects. AoEs are distinguished from multi-targets spells such as Arcane Missiles and Cleave, which are essentially multiple single-target effects.

The term AoE refers solely to the effect's target and does not describe its actual outcome. The most common types of AoE are healing and damage-dealing spells.

Notes[edit | edit source]

AoEs affect all valid targets simultaneously. However, triggers resulting from each character affected are still applied one at a time, in the order the minions were played.
AoEs affect all targets before any related triggers are activated. For example a Circle of Healing will heal all minions before any Northshire Clerics will begin to activate.

Strategy[edit | edit source]

The effect of an AoE on a given target is not diminished by the presence of more targets. This means that AoEs are generally more valuable the more valid targets are in play, since the AoE takes full effect on all of them. Damage-dealing AoEs can be very effective for tackling large groups of minions. AoEs tend to be most effective against large groups of weak minions, and least effective against small numbers of powerful minions.

AoEs can be very useful for dealing damage to targets with Stealth. Although stealthed minions cannot be targeted directly, AoEs will still affect them. Mage is a class with strong AoE damage abilities, but all classes have some form of AoE available.

Types[edit | edit source]

Below is a breakdown of the many types of AoE.

AoE damage
- Damage all characters
  - Hellfire, Abomination, Baron Geddon*, Dread Infernal*, Ysera Awakens*, Flame Leviathan, Felfire Potion, Abyssal Enforcer*, Missile Launcher*, Rain of Fire, Crazed Netherwing*
- Damage all minions
  - Chaos Nova, Whirlwind, Wild Pyromancer, Unstable Ghoul, Death's Bite, Explosive Sheep, Lightbomb, Revenge, Elemental Destruction, Chillmaw, Dreadscale*, Excavated Evil, Tentacle of N'Zoth, Ravaging Ghoul*, Anomalus, Volcanic Potion, Primordial Drake*, Fatespinner**, Spirit Lash, Defile, Blood Razor, Bladestorm, Dragon's Fury, Duskbreaker, Reckless Flurry, Hagatha the Witch, Lord Godfrey*, Warpath, Beakered Lightning, Dragonmaw Scorcher*, Arcanosaur*, Blast Wave, Shriek, Tunnel Blaster, Hagatha's Scheme, Earthquake, Depth Charge, Annihilation, Breath of the Infinite**, Awaken!, Risky Skipper, Immolation Aura, Shattered Rumbler*, Bladestorm
- Damage both heroes
  - Shadowbomber, Spawn of Shadows, Emerald Reaver
- Damage all minions of a specific type
  - Scarlet Purifier, Demonwrath, Corrupted Seer, Dragonfire Potion, Sleep with the Fishes, Waste Warden
- Damage all enemies
  - Wrathspike Brute, Altruis the Outcast, Consecration, Explosive Trap, Swipe, Death and Decay, KABOOM!, Highkeeper Ra
- Damage all enemy minions
  - Arcane Explosion, Blizzard**, Flamestrike, Holy Nova**, Lightning Storm, Starfall, Shadowflame, Blade Flurry, Fan of Knives, Twilight Flamecaller, Maelstrom Portal, Sergeant Sally, Invocation of Air, Exploding Bloatbat, Deathstalker Rexxar, Despicable Dreadlord, Impferno**, Flame Ward, Arcane Flakmage, Holy Ripple**, Sandstorm Elemental, Malygos's Explosion, Malygos's Flamestrike, Breath of the Infinite**, Chronobreaker, Imprisoned Observer
- Damage all enemy minions of a specific type
  - Dark Iron Skulker, Worgen Abomination
- Damage all friendly minions
  - Sea Reaver, Ticking Abomination
AoE healing
- Heal all characters
  - Tree of Life, Overflow
- Heal all minions
  - Circle of Healing
- Heal both heroes
  - Refreshment Vendor, Mistress of Mixtures, Nozari
- Heal all friendly characters
  - Darkscale Healer, Holy Nova**, Fungal Enchanter, Divine Hymn, Potion Vendor, Holy Ripple**
- Heal all friendly minions
  - Healing Totem

AoE destroy
- Destroy all minions
  - Doomsayer, Deathwing*, Brawl*, Twisting Nether, Poison Seeds, Enter the Coliseum*, DOOM!, Doom Pact, Cataclysm, Magtheridon*, Keli'dan the Breaker*
- Destroy all minions after silencing them
  - Plague of Death
- Destroy all minions of a specific type
  - Shadow Word: Horror, King Mosh, Shadowreaper Anduin, Mossy Horror, Plague of Wrath
- Destroy all friendly minions
  - Darkest Hour, Plague of Flames, Teron Gorefiend*
- Destroy all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Mimiron's Head, Totem Cruncher
- Destroy all enemy secrets
  - Flare**, Eater of Secrets, Chief Inspector

- Make all minions disappear
  - The Amazing Reno

AoE return
- Return all minions
  - Vanish
- Return all friendly minions
  - Grumble, Worldshaker*, Daring Escape

AoE shuffle into deck
- Psychic Scream

AoE Transform
- Transform all minions
  - Kazakus Potion (10 mana), Plague of Murlocs
- Transform all enemy minions
  - Devolve
- Transform all friendly minions
  - Evolve, Thrall, Deathseer, The Storm Bringer, Boggspine Knuckles
- Transform all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Treespeaker

AoE Enchantments
- Targets all minions
  - Equality, Confuse, Corrupting Mist, Sunkeeper Tarim*, Fatespinner**, Void Ripper, Shrink Ray
- Targets all enemy minions
  - Eadric the Pure, Pint-Size Potion, Curse of Weakness, Lazul's Scheme, Quicksand Elemental, Veranus, Libram of Justice
- Targets all friendly characters
  - Savage Roar
- Targets all friendly minions
  - Conceal, Bloodlust, Power of the Wild, Cenarius*, Soul of the Forest, Enhance-o Mechano*, Mukla's Champion*, Competitive Spirit, Everyfin is Awesome, Spawn of N'Zoth, Wisps of the Old Gods, Infest, Mark of the Lotus, Spirit Echo, Evolving Spores, Anti-Magic Shell, Boisterous Bard, Branching Paths, Blessed Maul, Purifier's Maul, Sacred Maul, Primal Talismans, Lost Spirit, Silver Sword, Glitter Moth*, Tending Tauren*, Serrated Tooth, Grim Rally, Blessing of the Ancients, Never Surrender!, Soul of the Murloc, Domination, Storm's Wrath, Fiendish Rites, Rustsworn Cultist*
- Targets all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Totemic Might, Coldlight Seer*, Quartermaster, Metaltooth Leaper*, Thunder Bluff Valiant, Bolster, Rallying Blade, Crystalweaver, Lightfused Stegodon, Gentle Megasaur, Strongshell Scavenger, Level Up!, Impferno**, Totemic Surge, Scalelord*, Felfin Navigator*

Ongoing effects
- Targets all characters
  - Mayor Noggenfogger
- Targets all minions
  - Mogor the Ogre
- Targets both heroes
  - Jungle Moonkin
- Targets all friendly characters'
  - Kayn Sunfury
- Targets all friendly minions
  - Raid Leader*, Stormwind Champion*, Leokk*, Commanding Shout, Crystal Core, Sneaky Devil*, Cauldron Elemental*, Houndmaster Shaw*, Vessina*, Living Dragonbreath
- Targets all friendly minions of a specific type
  - Southsea Captain*, Timber Wolf*, Tundra Rhino, Grimscale Oracle*, Murloc Warleader*, Warsong Commander, Baron Rivendare, Mal'Ganis*, Warhorse Trainer, Frost Lich Jaina, Whirlwind Tempest, Sky Claw
- Targets all Hero Powers
  - Mindbreaker

AoE Deathrattle trigger
- Feign Death
AoE remove Stealth
- Targets all minions
  - Flare**
- Targets all enemy minions
  - Streetwise Investigator
AoE remove Divine Shield
- Blood Knight
AoE Silence
- Silence all enemy minions
  - Mass Dispel
- Silence all friendly minions
  - Wailing Soul*
AoE Freeze
- Freeze all enemy minions
  - Frost Nova, Blizzard**, Malygos's Nova
- Freeze all friendly minions
  - Hyldnir Frostrider*
AoE force all minions to attack
- Mass Hysteria

*Cards like Baron Geddon and Brawl exclude one minion from the effect, but hit all other targets as described. Ysera Awakens and Dread Infernal are two other examples of this type of targeting. Minions such as Stormwind Champion that provide ongoing AoE buffs similarly exclude themselves from the effect.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Sigil of Silence	Rare	Spell	Shadow	Demon Hunter	0			At the start of your next turn, Silence all enemy minions.
Animated Broomstick	Common	Minion	General	Any	1	1	1	Rush Battlecry: Give your other minions Rush.
Felscream Blast	Common	Spell	Fel	Demon Hunter	1			Lifesteal. Deal 1 damage to a minion and its neighbors.
Glacier Racer	Rare	Minion	General	Mage	1	1	3	Spellburst: Deal 3 damage to all Frozen enemies.
Grimoire of Sacrifice	Common	Spell	Shadow	Warlock	1			Destroy a friendly minion. Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions.
Healing Totem	Free	Minion	Totem	Shaman	1	0	2	At the end of your turn, restore 1 Health to all friendly minions.
Kolek	None	Minion	Demon		1	1	2	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Revolve	Common	Spell	General	Shaman	1			Transform all minions into random ones with the same Cost.
Wave of Apathy	Common	Spell	General		1			Set the Attack of all enemy minions to 1 until your next turn.
Whirlwind	Common	Spell	General	Warrior	1			Deal 1 damage to ALL minions.
Wicked Whispers	Rare	Spell	Shadow	Warlock	1			Discard your lowest Cost card. Give your minions +1/+1.
Arcane Explosion	Free	Spell	Arcane	Mage	2			Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions.
Bola Shot	Common	Spell	General	Hunter	2			Deal 1 damage to a minion and 2 damage to its neighbors.
Condemn (Rank 1)	Epic	Spell	Holy	Priest	2			Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions. (Upgrades when you have 5 Mana.)
Condemn (Rank 2)	Epic	Spell	Holy	Priest	2			Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions. (Upgrades when you have 10 Mana.)
Condemn (Rank 3)	Epic	Spell	Holy	Priest	2			Deal 3 damage to all enemy minions.
Explosive Sheep	Common	Minion	Mech	Any	2	1	1	Deathrattle: Deal 2 damage to all minions.
Explosive Trap	Common	Spell	Fire	Hunter	2			Secret: When your hero is attacked, deal 2 damage to all enemies.
Firemancer Flurgl	Legendary	Minion	Murloc	Shaman	2	2	3	After you play a Murloc, deal 1 damage to all enemies.
Landslide	Rare	Spell	Nature	Shaman	2			Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions. If you're Ovearloaded, deal 1 damage again.
Power of the Wild	Common	Spell	General	Druid	2			Choose One - Give your minions +1/+1; or Summon a 3/2 Panther.
Showstopper	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	3	2	Deathrattle: Silence all minions.
Sigil of Flame	Epic	Spell	Fel	Demon Hunter	2			At the start of your next turn, deal 3 damage to all minions.
Coldlight Seer	Rare	Minion	Murloc	Any	3	2	3	Battlecry: Give your other Murlocs +2 Health.
Combustion	Epic	Spell	Fire	Mage	3			Deal 4 damage to a minion. Any excess damages both neighbors.
Darkmoon Statue	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	0	5	Your other minions have +1 Attack. Corrupt: This gains +4 Attack.
Darkmoon Statue	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	4	5	Corrupted Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Dreadlord's Bite	Common	Weapon		Demon Hunter	3	2	2	Outcast: Deal 1 damage to all enemies.
Equality	Rare	Spell	Holy	Paladin	3			Change the Health of ALL minions to 1.
Grand Totem Eys'or	Legendary	Minion	Totem	Shaman	3	0	4	At the end of your turn, give +1/+1 to all other Totems in your hand, deck and battlefield.
Imprisoned Celestial	Rare	Minion	General	Paladin	3	4	5	Dormant for 2 turns. Spellburst: Give your minions Divine Shield.
Imprisoned Observer	Rare	Minion	Demon	Mage	3	4	5	Dormant for 2 turns. When this awakens, deal 2 damage to all enemy minions.
Leokk	Common	Minion	Beast	Hunter	3	2	4	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Lightning Storm	Rare	Spell	Nature	Shaman	3			Deal 3 damage to all enemy minions. Overload: (2)
Lord Barov	Legendary	Minion	General		3	3	2	Battlecry: Set the Health of all other minions to 1. Deathrattle: Deal 1 damage to all minions.
Nofin Can Stop Us	Rare	Spell	General	Shaman	3			Give your minions +1/+1. Give your Murlocs an extra +1/+1.
Raid Leader	Common	Minion	General	Any	3	2	3	Your other minions have +1 Attack.
Robes of Protection	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	2	4	Your minions have "Can't be targeted by spells or Hero Powers."
Savage Roar	Free	Spell	General	Druid	3			Give your characters +2 Attack this turn.
School Spirits	Common	Spell	Shadow	Warlock	3			Deal 2 damage to all minions. Shuffle 2 Soul Fragments into your deck.
Southsea Captain	Epic	Minion	Pirate	Any	3	3	3	Your other Pirates have +1/+1.
Warhorse Trainer	Common	Minion	General	Paladin	3	3	4	Your Silver Hand Recruits have +1 Attack.
Ysera Awakens	None	Spell	Nature	Any	3			Deal 5 damage to all characters except Ysera.
Balloon Merchant	Rare	Minion	General	Paladin	4	3	5	Battlecry: Give your Silver Hand Recruits +1 Attack and Divine Shield.
Blademaster Samuro	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	4	1	6	Rush Frenzy: Deal damage equal to this minion's Attack to all enemy minions.
Consecration	Common	Spell	Holy	Paladin	4			Deal 2 damage to all enemies.
Crossroads Watch Post	Epic	Minion	General	Any	4	4	6	Can't attack. Whenever your opponent casts a spell, give your minions +1/+1.
Dunk Tank	Rare	Spell	Nature	Shaman	4			Corrupted Deal 4 damage, then deal 2 damage to all enemy minions.
Earth Revenant	Rare	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	4	2	6	Taunt Battlecry: Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions.
Fire Breather	Rare	Minion	Demon	Warlock	4	4	3	Battlecry: Deal 2 damage to all minions except Demons.
Hellfire	Common	Spell	Fire	Warlock	4			Deal 3 damage to ALL characters.
Holy Nova	Common	Spell	Holy	Priest	4			Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions. Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters.
Invigorating Sermon	Common	Spell	Holy	Paladin	4			Give +1/+1 to all minions in your hand, deck, and battlefield.
Magtheridon	Legendary	Minion	Demon	Any	4	12	12	Dormant. Battlecry: Summon three 1/3 enemy Warders. When they die, destroy all minions and awaken.
Pride's Fury	Common	Spell	General	Druid	4			Give your minions +1/+3.
Rancor	Epic	Spell	General	Warrior	4			Deal 2 damage to all minions. Gain 2 Armor for each destroyed.
Shadow Word: Ruin	Epic	Spell	Shadow	Priest	4			Destroy all minions with 5 or more Attack.
Shardshatter Mystic	Rare	Minion	General	Demon Hunter	4	3	2	Battlecry: Destroy a Soul Fragment in your deck to deal 3 damage to all other minions.
Soul of the Forest	Common	Spell	Nature	Druid	4			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Summon a 2/2 Treant."
Soul Rend	Rare	Spell	Shadow	Warlock	4			Deal 5 damage to all minions. Destroy a card in your deck for each killed.
Swipe	Free	Spell	General	Druid	4			Deal 4 damage to an enemy and 1 damage to all other enemies.
Varden Dawngrasp	Legendary	Minion	General	Mage	4	3	3	Battlecry: Freeze all enemy minions. If any are already Frozen, deal 4 damage to them instead.
Vivid Spores	Rare	Spell	Nature	Shaman	4			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Resummon this minion."
Whirling Combatant	Common	Minion	General	Warrior	4	2	6	Battlecry and Frenzy: Deal 1 damage to all other minions.
Wretched Tutor	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	2	5	Spellburst: Deal 2 damage to all other minions.
Xyrella	Legendary	Minion	General	Priest	4	4	4	Battlecry: If you've restored Health this turn, deal that much damage to all enemy minions.
Arbor Up	Rare	Spell	Nature	Druid	5			Summon two 2/2 Treants. Give your minions +2/+1.
Barrens Blacksmith	Epic	Minion	General	Any	5	3	5	Frenzy: Give your other minions +2/+2.
Bloodlust	Free	Spell	General	Shaman	5			Give your minions +3 Attack this turn.
Boggspine Knuckles	Epic	Weapon		Shaman	5	3	2	After your hero attacks, transform your minions into random ones that cost (1) more.
Brawl	Epic	Spell	General	Warrior	5			Destroy all minions except one. (chosen randomly)
Chaos Nova	Common	Spell	Fel	Demon Hunter	5			Deal 4 damage to all minions.
Heart of C'Thun	None	Spell	General	Any	5			Piece of C'Thun (0/4) Deal 3 damage to all minions.
Libram of Justice	Common	Spell	Holy	Paladin	5			Equip a 1/4 weapon. Change the Health of all enemy minions to 1.
Ras Frostwhisper	Legendary	Minion	General		5	3	6	At the end of your turn, deal 1 damage to all enemies (improved by Spell Damage).
Shattered Rumbler	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	5	5	6	Battlecry: If you cast a spell last turn, deal 2 damage to all other minions.
Dread Infernal	Common	Minion	Demon	Warlock	6	6	6	Battlecry: Deal 1 damage to ALL other characters.
High Inquisitor Whitemane	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	6	5	7	Battlecry: Summon all friendly minions that died this turn.
Keli'dan the Breaker	Legendary	Minion	General	Warlock	6	3	3	Battlecry: Destroy a minion. If drawn this turn, instead destroy all minions except this one.
Lightshower Elemental	Rare	Minion	Elemental	Priest	6	6	6	Taunt Deathrattle: Restore 8 Health to all friendly characters.
Mossy Horror	Epic	Minion	General	Any	6	2	7	Battlecry: Destroy all other minions with 2 or less Attack.
Baron Geddon	Legendary	Minion	Elemental	Any	7	7	7	At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to ALL other characters.
Cycle of Hatred	Rare	Spell	General	Demon Hunter	7			Deal 3 damage to all minions. Summon a 3/3 Spirit for every minion killed.
Flamestrike	Epic	Spell	Fire	Mage	7			Deal 5 damage to all enemy minions.
Stormwind Champion	Common	Minion	General	Any	7	7	7	Your other minions have +1/+1.
Worgen Abomination	Epic	Minion	General	Any	7	6	6	At the end of your turn, deal 2 damage to all other damaged minions.
Cenarius	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	8	5	8	Choose One - Give your other minions +2/+2; or Summon two 2/2 Treants with Taunt.
Tidal Wave	Common	Spell	Nature	Shaman	8			Lifesteal Deal 3 damage to all minions.
Twisting Nether	Epic	Spell	Shadow	Warlock	8			Destroy all minions.
Ancient Void Hound	Epic	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	9	10	10	At the end of your turn, steal 1 Attack and Health from all enemy minions.
Darkmoon Rabbit	Epic	Minion	Beast	Any	10	1	1	Rush, Poisonous Also damages the minions next to whomever this attacks.
Mordresh Fire Eye	Legendary	Minion	General	Mage	10	10	10	Battlecry: If you've dealt 10 damage with your Hero Power this game, deal 10 damage to all enemies.
Survival of the Fittest	Epic	Spell	General	Druid	10			Give +4/+4 to all minions in your hand, deck, and battlefield.
Yogg-Saron, Master of Fate	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	10	7	5	Battlecry: If you've cast 10 spells this game, spin the Wheel of Yogg-Saron.
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