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[edit | edit source]
- 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.[1]
Cards[edit | edit source]
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. | ||||||||||||
Dread Corsair | Common | Minion | Pirate | Any | 4 | 3 | 3 | Taunt. Costs (1) less per Attack of your weapon. | |||||||||||
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 | 5 | Draw 2 cards. Costs (1) less per Attack of your weapon. | |||||||||||||||
Malevolent Strike | Epic | Spell | 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 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Costs 1 less for each time your hero's Health changed during your turns. | ||||||||||||
Sea Giant | Epic | Minion | General | Any | 10 | 8 | 8 | Costs (1) less for each other minion on the battlefield. | |||||||||||
Showing all 11 cards |
Forged in the Barrens
The below cards are planned for release with Forged in the Barrens, coming March 30th, 2021.
Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barrens Scavenger | Epic | Minion | General | Warlock | 6 | 6 | 6 | Taunt Costs (1) while your deck has 10 or fewer cards. | |||||||||||
Power Word: Fortitude | Common | Spell | Holy | Priest | 8 | Give a minion +3/+5. Costs (1) less for each spell in your hand. | |||||||||||||
Clockwork Giant | Epic | Minion | Mech | Any | 12 | 8 | 8 | Costs (1) less for each card in your opponent's hand. | |||||||||||
Showing all 3 cards |
Wild format

Name / Desc | Rarity | Type | Subtype | Class | Cost | Atk | HP | Description | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shifting Scroll | Common | Spell | Arcane | Mage | 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! | None | Spell | 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. | |||||||||||
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 | 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 | 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 Costs (1) less for each Silver Hand 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 | Warrior | 7 | Destroy a minion. If you have a damaged minion, this costs (4) less. | ||||||||||||||
Everyfin is Awesome | Rare | Spell | 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. | |||||||||||
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 41 cards |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Chadd Nervig on Twitter. (2020-07-24).
Cards | |||
---|---|---|---|
By type | |||
By class | |||
By minion type | |||
By spell school | |||
By ability | Evergreen keywords | ||
Other keywords | |||
Other abilities | |||
Non-Constructed | |||
By effect type | In-hand effect
| ||
By card set | Standard | ||
Wild | |||
By rarity |