Basic

The subject of this article is due to undergo upcoming changes and will be updated soon. For details, see Patch changes section.

Basic is one of two core card sets in Hearthstone, the other being the Classic set. The set was first made available to the public in January 2014 when beta-testing was first announced for the game, which was then called Classic Hearthstone. The Basic set features 143 cards after adding Demon Hunter class.

The purpose of the Basic and Classic sets is to ground players in cards which players will always be familiar with, in the face of an ever-changing pool of cards available to be played in Standard format. Throughout Hearthstone's history, major and minor card changes have been implemented to the Basic set.

With the first expansion of 2021, the Basic set will be depreciated and replaced with the Core set. Along with the Classic set, all of its cards will move to the Wild-restricted Legacy set.

How to get

Basic cards are free to obtain without using gold or real money to purchase them. Golden and non-golden Basic cards are rewarded to a player when the player hits certain milestone experience levels for each of the nine Classic heroes of the game.

The exception is Demon Hunter cards, which can be obtained by completing the Demon Hunter Prologue scenario.

Cards

The Basic card set features 143 collectible cards, 10 for each hero class and 43 neutral cards. All Basic cards are of Free rarity. Basic cards do not feature any icon or symbol behind their card text.

Neutral

Free (43 cards)

Uncollectible

Class cards

There are a total of 100 collectible class cards in the Basic set, 10 for each class.

Demon Hunter

Uncollectible

Druid

Uncollectible

Hunter

Uncollectible

Mage

Uncollectible

Paladin

Priest

Rogue

Shaman

Uncollectible

Warlock

Warrior

History

Main article: Hearthstone timeline

Development

Main article: Design and development of Hearthstone

Card changes

See also Card changes

The following is a list of game-changing updates that have been implemented to the cards in the Basic set since beta. Similarly, for card changes in the Classic set, please see Card changes in the Classic set.

Beta

Patch 1.0.0.3890 (2013-10-02)

• Hunter's Mark – No longer a 1-turn only effect. [Previously: 'Change a minion's Health to 1 this turn.']
• Frostbolt costs 2 Mana (down from 3).
• Mirror Image now creates 0/2 minions. [Previously 0/1s]
• Northshire Cleric - Now costs 1 (down from 2).
• Power Word: Shield has a new power – Give a minion +2 Health. Draw a card. [Previously 'Give a minion +3 Health.']
• Backstab – New text: Deal 2 damage to an undamaged minion. [Previous effect 'Deal 2 damage to an enemy minion.']
• Shiv costs 2 Mana (up from 1).
• Hex's Frog is now a Beast. [Previously a general minion]
• Sacrificial Pact costs 0 (down from 2).
• Dalaran Mage now has 1 less Attack. [Now a 1/4, down from a 2/4]
• Frostwolf Warlord now has a Battlecry effect instead of an ongoing effect. [Now has 'Battlecry: Gain +1/+1 for each other friendly minion on the battlefield.' instead of 'Has +1/+1 for each other friendly minion on the battlefield.']

Patch 1.0.0.4217 (2013-12-10)

• Starving Buzzard is now a 2/1 (was a 2/2).
• Mind Control’s mana cost is now 10 (up from 8).
• Shattered Sun Cleric is now a 3/2 (was a 3/3).

Patch 1.0.0.4243 (2013-12-18)

• Frost Nova’s mana cost is now 3 (up from 2)

Patch 1.0.0.4458 (2014-01-16)

• Warsong Commander has been reworked and now reads: Whenever you play a minion with 3 or less Attack, give it Charge. [This patch note is mistaken: the card was in fact changed to read "Whenever you summon a minion with 3 or less Attack, give it Charge". Previously: Your other minions have Charge.]

2014

Patch 1.2.0.6485 (2014-09-22)

• Starving Buzzard now costs 5 (up from 2) and now has 3 Attack and 2 Health (up from 2 Attack and 1 Health)

Patch 2.0.0.7234 (2014-12-04)

• Soulfire now costs 1 (up from 0)

2015

Patch 3.2.0.10604 (2015-10-20)

• Warsong Commander now reads: Your Charge minions have +1 Attack. [Was: Whenever you summon a minion with 3 or less Attack, give it Charge.]

2016

Patch 5.0.0.12574 (2016-04-24)

• Hunter's Mark - Cost increased from 0 to 1.

Patch 6.1.3.14830 (2016-10-03)

• Rockbiter Weapon - Cost increased from 1 to 2.
• Execute - Cost increased from 1 to 2.
• Charge - Cost reduced from 3 to 1. No longer grants +2 Attack, and the target no longer can attack heroes that turn.

Patch 6.2.0.15181 (2016-10-20)

• Grimscale Oracle now reads "Your other Murlocs have +1 Attack."

2017

Patch 9.1.0.20970 (2017-09-18)

• Innervate - Now reads: Gain 1 Mana Crystal this turn only. (Down from 2)
• Fiery War Axe - Now costs 3 mana. (Up from 2)
• Hex - Now costs 4 mana. (Up from 3)

2018

Patch 13.0.3.28329 (2018-12-19)

• Wild Growth – Now costs 3 mana, up from 2.

2019

Patch 13.2.0.28855 (2019-02-05)

• Flametongue Totem - Now costs 3 mana, up from 2.
• Hunter's Mark - Now costs 2 mana, up from 1.

Patch 14.6.0.31761 (2019-07-01)

• Mind Blast and Vanish were moved to the Hall of Fame and replaced with Radiance and Plaguebringer.
• Succubus has been renamed to Felstalker and received new card art, quotes, and flavor text.

2020

Patch 17.0.0.44222 (2020-03-26)

• 10 Demon Hunter cards are added to the Basic set.
• Divine Spirit and Northshire Cleric were moved to the Hall of Fame and replaced with Power Infusion and Psychic Conjurer.
• Holy Smite - Now reads: deal damage 3 to minion. [Was: deal damage 2]
• Holy Nova - Now reads: Cost 4 mana. Deal 2 damage to all enemy minions. Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters. [Was: Cost 5 mana. Deal 2 damage to all enemy. Restore 2 Health to all friendly characters.]
• Power Word: Shield Now reads: Cost 0 mana. Give a minion +2 Health. [Was: Cost 1 mana. Give a minion +2 Health. Draw a card.]

2021

Upcoming patch

• Depreciated and replaced with the Core set. All Basic cards are moved to the Legacy set in Wild format.

Videos

The original Basic and Classic cards when they first released in January 2014 for beta-testing.