Echo

Echo
Repeatable the turn you play this. Copies can't cost less than (1).

An Echo copy of Warpath.

Echo is an ability whereby the card can be played multiple times in one turn. This is accomplished through copying the card to the user's hand until the end of their turn. It was informally introduced in Kobolds & Catacombs in the original version of Unstable Evolution, and officially debuted in The Witchwood.

Echo copies have a blue glow and black smoke around them.

Notes

• Echo works by placing a new copy of the card into your hand, which is removed at the end of your turn.
  • This effect is triggered by echoed copies as well, meaning that you may keep deploying until you run out of mana.
• Echoed copies are always the original version of the card. Copies will not take in-hand stat or cost changes, unless it's being provided by an aura (like Summoning Portal or Sorcerer's Apprentice).
  • Example: If Dire Frenzy is played on Hunting Mastiff and a buffed Hunting Mastiff is later drawn and played, the first Hunting Mastiff will receive the +3/+3 buff but the rest of the Hunting Mastiffs played using Echo will not receive the buff.
• If a spell with Echo is cast by another card such as Yogg-Saron or Scroll of Wonder, you will not get another copy to your hand, because Echo cards must be played in order to receive a copy.
• Echo is resolved after Deathrattles.
  • Example: Using Warpath to destroy Mecha'thun with an empty hand and deck will successfully destroy the opposing hero.
• The mana cost of Echo cards cannot be reduced below 1 mana.

Cards with Echo

This section lists cards which have the ability to Echo when played.

Collectible

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Uncollectible

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Sources of Echo

Echo-generating cards

This section lists cards which generate cards that have the ability to Echo.

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Echo-granting cards

This section lists cards which grant the Echo ability to other cards or to itself.

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Related cards

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Repeatable this turn

When Echo was announced, Blizzard confirmed they would not be modifying already existing cards to be updated with the Echo keyword, because the mechanic was not completely identical to Echo. Despite this, Unstable Evolution was eventually changed to have the Echo keyword due to a potentially dangerous combination with Radiance of Azshara.

"Repeatable this turn" cards function otherwise exactly the same as Echo cards, except the fact that their cost can be reduced to 0, and they don't trigger the effects of Echo-related cards such as Mistwraith.

The following cards have the mechanic without the keyword.

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History

Echo was inspired by "Ghostly", an earlier mechanic experimented with during the development of The Witchwood, when the expansion was instead called Murder on the Gilnean Express. Cards with Ghostly discarded themselves at the end of the player's turn. Cards that only had Ghostly as their card text essentially required the player to play the card the turn it was drawn, while other cards added Ghostly copies of themselves to the player's hand. As Blizzard kept iterating, they found that the most fun version of Ghostly was the cards that replicated themselves, as they could both be useful during the early game and could be powerful during the late game if the player sunk extra mana into them. Furthermore, deciding how long to hold on to them to eke out more value proved to be skill-testing and interesting. As the setting of the expansion evolved from a train to a haunted forest, Ghostly "became more and more the perfect flavor for the set", eventually becoming Echo.

Trivia

• Although Blizzard did not add Echo to Witch's Brew, it was given to SN1P-SN4P. This is likely because SN1P-SN4P rotated out of Standard alongside the other Echo cards, meaning there wouldn't be any confusion.
• Echo is the only expansion-specific keyword to be added to other cards outside of any of the sets' initial releases. First with SN1P-SN4P, and later with Unstable Evolution.
• Prior to Echo's nerf, it was possible to play infinite copies of an Echo card in a single turn if there was a cost reduction effect for both the original card and its subsequent copies, such as Echo spells being reduced to 0 mana by Millhouse Manastorm. SN1P-SN4P was a notable offender for this condition as its Magnetic meant that it was possible to play infinite SN1P-SN4Ps without running out of board space. This was the reason that Reckless Experimenter was nerfed to be unable to reduce Deathrattle minions below 1 (as SN1P-SN4P also has Deathrattle), but SN1P-SN4P Warlock managed to do so anyway by using Mechwarper and Summoning Portal to play as many SN1P-SN4Ps as possible in a single turn, an exploit so prominent that it was the reason that Echo was nerfed in the first place. With its limitation already applied to all Echo cards, Reckless Experimenter's nerf was reverted as well.
  • "Repeatable this turn" cards are unaffected by the Echo nerf so they can still be played indefinitely. However, this interaction can still be seen upon somehow gaining a Sorcerer's Apprentice or Radiant Elemental.

Patch changes

• Patch 16.0.0.37060 (2019-12-05): Copies of cards with the Echo keyword can no longer cost less than (1).
• Patch 11.0.0.23966 (2018-04-10): Added.