In-hand effect

In-hand effects are card effects which are active while they are in the player's hand, rather than while in the battlefield. In-hand effects are notable for being exceptions to the general game rule that cards do not become active until played or otherwise put into play.

Most cards with in-hand effects have a variable mana cost that changes in response to game conditions, as with Molten Giant or Knight of the Wild. Other effects include increasing stats (as with Bolvar Fordragon or Blubber Baron), transforming into other cards (as with Shifter Zerus and Molten Blade), or directly causing an effect outside of the card itself (as with Cursed!).

Because mana cost modifications are lost upon being played, the consequences of most in-hand effects exist only while in the hand. Modifications made to the card itself other than mana cost tend to survive into the battlefield, although they will be lost if returned to the hand. Most in-hand effects are calculated on an ongoing basis, depending on certain events within the game; these provide their values regardless of when they were brought into the hand. Others activate at specific times, only recording the number of times the triggering event has taken place while they were in the hand.

In-hand effects are distinguished from on-draw effects, which activate when they are drawn from the deck, but not otherwise while they are in the player's hand. However, since on-draw effects must first be drawn into the player's hand in order to activate, they are in a sense in-hand effects.

Notes

• While some in-hand effects, like those of Frost Giant or Arcane Giant, appear to respond to events taking place while the card is still in the player's deck, the effect is in fact not triggered until the card enters the player's hand.

Cards

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Ringmaster's Baton	Epic	Weapon		Warrior	2	1	3	After your hero attacks, give a Mech, Dragon, and Pirate in your hand +1/+1.
Blood Herald	Common	Minion	General		5	1	1	Whenever a friendly minion dies while this is in your hand, gain +1/+1.
Cutting Class	Common	Spell	General		5			Draw 2 cards. Costs (1) less per Attack of your weapon.
Malevolent Strike	Epic	Spell	General	Rogue	5			Destroy a minion. Costs (1) less for each card in your deck that didn't start there.
Tent Trasher	Epic	Minion	Dragon	Warrior	5	5	5	Rush. Costs (1) less for each friendly minion with a unique minion type.
Bladed Lady	Rare	Minion	Demon	Demon Hunter	6	6	6	Rush Costs (1) if your hero has 6 or more Attack.
Fel Guardians	Common	Spell	Fel	Demon Hunter	7			Summon three 1/2 Demons with Taunt. Costs (1) less whenever a friendly minion dies.
Umbral Owl	Rare	Minion	Beast	Druid	7	4	4	Rush Costs (1) less for each spell you've cast this game.
Flesh Giant	Epic	Minion	General		10	8	8	Costs (1) less for each time your hero's Health changed during your turns.
Clockwork Giant	Epic	Minion	Mech	Any	12	8	8	Costs (1) less for each card in your opponent's hand.
Showing all 10 cards

Wild format

This section concerns content exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Shifting Scroll	Common	Spell	General	MAGE	0			Each turn this is in your hand, transform it into a random Mage spell.
Chameleos	Legendary	Minion	Beast	Priest	1	1	1	Each turn this is in your hand, transform it into a card your opponent is holding.
Molten Blade	Rare	Weapon		Warrior	1	1	1	Each turn this is in your hand, transform it into a new weapon.
Shifter Zerus	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	1	1	1	Each turn this is in your hand, transform it into a different minion.
Cursed!		Spell	Shadow	Warlock	2			While this is in your hand, take 2 damage at the start of your turn.
Blubber Baron	Epic	Minion	General	Any	3	1	1	Whenever you summon a Battlecry minion while this is in your hand, gain +1/+1.
Happy Ghoul	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	3	3	Costs (0) if your hero was healed this turn.
Dread Corsair	Common	Minion	Pirate	Any	4	3	3	Taunt. Costs (1) less per Attack of your weapon.
Flobbidinous Floop	Legendary	Minion	General	Druid	4	3	4	While in your hand, this is a 3/4 copy of the last minion you played.
Obsidian Shard	Rare	Weapon		Rogue	4	3	3	Costs (1) less for each card you've played from another class.
Aeroponics	Rare	Spell	Nature	Druid	5			Draw 2 cards. Costs (2) less for each Treant you control.
Anubisath Defender	Epic	Minion	General	Druid	5	3	5	Taunt. Costs (0) if you've cast a spell that costs (5) or more this turn.
Arcane Tyrant	Epic	Minion	ELEMENTAL	Any	5	4	4	Costs (0) if you've cast a spell that costs (5) or more this turn.
Bandersmosh	Legendary	Minion	General	Shaman	5	5	5	Each turn this is in your hand, transform it into a 5/5 copy of a random Legendary minion.
Bolvar Fordragon	Legendary	Minion	General	Paladin	5	1	7	Whenever a friendly minion dies while this is in your hand, gain +1 Attack.
Dragon's Breath	Common	Spell	Fire	Mage	5			Deal 4 damage. Costs (1) less for each minion that died this turn.
Second-Rate Bruiser	Rare	Minion	General	Any	5	4	5	Taunt. Costs (2) less if your opponent has at least three minions.
Solemn Vigil	Common	Spell	General	Paladin	5			Draw 2 cards. Costs (1) less for each minion that died this turn.
Crystal Lion	Rare	Minion	General	PALADIN	6	5	5	Divine Shield\nCosts (1) less for each Silver\nHand Recruit you control.
Kabal Crystal Runner	Rare	Minion	General	Mage	6	5	5	Costs (2) less for each Secret you've played this game.
Nerubian Prophet	Common	Minion	General	Any	6	4	4	At the start of your turn, reduce this card's Cost by (1).
Thing from Below	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	6	5	5	Taunt Costs (1) less for each Totem you've summoned this game.
Volcanic Drake	Common	Minion	Dragon	Any	6	6	4	Costs (1) less for each minion that died this turn.
Corridor Creeper	Epic	Minion	BEAST	Any	7	2	5	Costs (1) less whenever a minion dies while this is in your hand.
Crush	Epic	Spell	General	Warrior	7			Destroy a minion. If you have a damaged minion, this costs (4) less.
Everyfin is Awesome	Rare	Spell	General	Shaman	7			Give your minions +2/+2. Costs (1) less for each Murloc you control.
Knight of the Wild	Rare	Minion	General	Druid	7	6	6	Whenever you summon a Beast, reduce the Cost of this card by (1).
Rabble Bouncer	Common	Minion	General	Any	7	2	7	Taunt Costs (1) less for each enemy minion.
Skycap'n Kragg	Legendary	Minion	Pirate	Any	7	4	6	Charrrrrge Costs (1) less for each friendly Pirate.
Mana Giant	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Mage	8	8	8	Costs (1) less for each card you've played this game that didn't start in your deck.
Mogu Fleshshaper	Rare	Minion	General	Shaman	9	3	4	Rush. Costs (1) less for each minion on the battlefield.
Mulchmuncher	Rare	Minion	Mech	Druid	9	8	8	Rush. Costs (1) less for each friendly Treant that died this game.
Volcanic Lumberer	Rare	Minion	General	Druid	9	7	8	Taunt Costs (1) less for each minion that died this turn.
Frost Giant	Epic	Minion	General	Any	10	8	8	Costs (1) less for each time you used your Hero Power this game.
Jumbo Imp	Epic	Minion	DEMON	WARLOCK	10	8	8	Costs (1) less whenever a friendly Demon dies while this is in your hand.
Sea Giant	Epic	Minion	General	Any	10	8	8	Costs (1) less for each other minion on the battlefield.
Snowfury Giant	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	11	8	8	Costs (1) less for each mana crystal you've Overloaded this game.
Arcane Giant	Epic	Minion	General	Any	12	8	8	Costs (1) less for each spell you've cast this game.
Clockwork Giant	Epic	Minion	Mech	Any	12	8	8	Costs (1) less for each card in your opponent's hand.
Grave Horror	Rare	Minion	General	Priest	12	7	8	Taunt Costs (1) less for each spell you've cast this game.
Mountain Giant	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Any	12	8	8	Costs (1) less for each other card in your hand.
Molten Giant	Epic	Minion	Elemental	Any	20	8	8	Costs (1) less for each damage your hero has taken.
Shirvallah, the Tiger	Legendary	Minion	Beast	Paladin	25	7	5	Divine Shield, Rush, Lifesteal Costs (1) less for each Mana you've spent on spells.
Showing all 43 cards

References

	Cards
By type	Hero card Minion (Permanent) Spell Weapon
By class	Demon Hunter Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior Death Knight Neutral Multi-class
By minion type	All Beast Demon Dragon Elemental Mech Murloc Pirate Quilboar Totem General
By spell school	Arcane Fel Fire Frost Holy Nature Shadow General
By ability	Evergreen keywords	Battlecry Choose One Combo Deathrattle Discover Divine Shield Freeze Lifesteal Outcast Overload Poisonous Rush Secret Silence Spell Damage Stealth Taunt Windfury
	Other keywords	Adapt Casts When Drawn Charge Choose Twice Corrupt Dormant Echo Frenzy Honorable Kill Immune Inspire Invoke Jade Golem Lackey Magnetic Mega-Windfury Overkill Passive Quest (Questline • Sidequest) Reborn Recruit Spare Part Spellburst Start of Game Tradeable Twinspell
	Other abilities	Can't attack Cast spell Copy Deal damage Destroy Discard Draw cards Elusive Enrage Equip Force attack Forgetful Gain Armor Generate Highlander Joust Modify cost Put into battlefield Put into hand Recurring Refresh Mana Remove from deck Replace Restore Health Return to hand Shuffle into deck Spend mana Steal Summon Take control Transform Unlimited attacks Upgradable
	Non-Constructed	Auto-Attack Auto-cast Shrine Start of Combat
By effect type	Area of effect In-deck effect In-hand effect On-discard effect On-draw effect Ongoing effect Positional effect Random effect Resurrection effect Triggered effect
By card set	Standard	Core Ashes of Outland Scholomance Academy Madness at the Darkmoon Faire Forged in the Barrens United in Stormwind Fractured in Alterac Valley
	Wild	Legacy Curse of Naxxramas Goblins vs Gnomes Blackrock Mountain Grand Tournament The League of Explorers Whispers of the Old Gods One Night in Karazhan Mean Streets of Gadgetzan Journey to Un'Goro Knights of the Frozen Throne Kobolds & Catacombs The Witchwood The Boomsday Project Rastakhan's Rumble Rise of Shadows Saviors of Uldum Descent of Dragons Galakrond's Awakening Demon Hunter Initiate
By rarity	Free Common Rare Epic Legendary