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.
Examples[edit | edit source]
Below are examples of commonly used types of AoE:
- AoE damage
- Damage all characters
- Damage all minions
- Damage all enemies
- Damage all enemy minions
- Damage all friendly minions
- AoE healing
- Heal all characters
- Heal all minions
- Heal both heroes
- Heal all friendly characters
- Heal all friendly minions
- AoE destroy
- Destroy all minions
- Destroy all friendly minions
- AoE Transform
- Transform all minions
- Transform all enemy minions
- Transform all friendly minions
- AoE Enchantments
- Targets all minions
- Targets all enemy minions
- Targets all friendly characters
- Targets all friendly minions
- Targets all friendly minions of a specific type
- Ongoing effects
- Targets all friendly minions
- Targets all friendly minions of a specific type
Cards[edit | edit source]
- For Wild format listings, see Area of effect/Wild format.
Collectible
Uncollectible
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- Effect types
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