Spend mana is an ability that spends extra mana beyond the actualmana cost of the card to create an additional effect. These are often calledProportional effects because the effect is proportional to the mana spent, although otherHearthstone mechanics are proportional as well.
The "Forbidden" family of cards introduced inWhispers of the Old Gods were the only cards with this ability in the game, until the mechanic was reintroduced withForbidden Words fromRise of Shadows. Most are spells with a mana cost of 0, and each one consumesall remaining mana when played.
Notes[]
- Playing a card with the "Spend mana" ability consumesmana in two separate ways: one is the mana Cost of the card itself, the other is the card's "Spend all your Mana" text.
- Effects which trigger based on the Cost of a spell or minion will count the Cost of the card itself, not including any mana consumed by the "Spend mana" ability.
- Example: If you have 10 mana andAtiesh equipped, playingForbidden Flame will deal 10 damage but still summon a 0-Cost minion.[1]
- Example: PlayingForbidden Ancient at 10 mana will produce a 10/10 minion, butEvolve will still transform it into a random 2-Cost minion.
- The mana Cost of a card with "Spend mana" can be modified as usual byCost-modification effects.
- The Cost of a card cannot be negative: thus, Cost-reduction effects likeSorcerer's Apprentice would usually have no effect on Forbidden spells (since they already cost 0 mana), but they can counteract Cost-increasing effects likeLoatheb.[2] On the other hand, summoningForbidden Ancient when aSummoning Portal is in play will reduce the Cost of playing the minion to 0, leaving one additional mana crystal available for the "Spend mana" effect.
- Cost-modification effects cannot alter the "Spend mana" ability itself, since this does not have a Cost but simply consumes all remaining mana.
- After the Cost of a "Spend mana" card has been paid,all the player'sremainingavailable mana will be consumed as part of its effect, and the card's effect will be increased in proportion.[3]
- Example: PlayingForbidden Shaping with 10 available mana after an opponent'sLoatheb would still leave the caster with 0 mana, but would only summon a 5-Cost minion.[4]
- The "Spend mana" ability always consumesall the player's remaining mana (which can range from 0 to 10[5]), even if it is not possible to produce an effect of that magnitude.
- Example: PlayingForbidden Ritual with 10 available mana will consume 10 mana even though it can never summon more than 7Icky Tentacles. Forbidden Ritual can be played even on a full board, still consuming all available mana although no minion will be summoned.
- Since the "Spend mana" ability itself is part of the card's text, it only consumes the remaining mana if the card is successfully played.
- Example: IfForbidden Flame is countered byCounterspell, no extra mana will be consumed.
- Cards with "Spend mana" can be played even when there is no mana left to consume.[6]
- Example: CastingForbidden Healing when there is 0 available mana will not heal the target, but will still triggerViolet Teacher orWild Pyromancer.
Strategy[]
- Players can determine how much mana to leave for the "Spend mana" ability by expending mana in other ways first, leaving a smaller amount remaining for the ability.
- After playing a "Spend mana" card, you can not play any other cards or use yourHero Power in the same turn, unless you have 0-Mana cards (e.g.Moonfire,Target Dummy), or cards that allow you to regain Mana (e.g.The Coin orInnervate). This makes it wise to carefully assess the desired sequence of events, make use of your Hero Power and possibly play other cards, before finally playing the "Spend mana" card.
Cards[]
- ForWild format listings, seeSpend mana/Wild format
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Trivia[]
- Spend mana currently represents the onlyability or effect that consumes the player's available mana. Mana is of course naturally consumed to pay the base cost of a card or Hero Power. Some cards alsodestroyMana Crystals, although these almost always destroy empty Crystals without affecting available mana.
Patch changes[]
Patch 5.0.0.12574 (2016-04-24): Added, withForbidden Shaping,Forbidden Healing,Forbidden Ancient,Forbidden Ritual andForbidden Flame.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑Yong Woo on Twitter. (2016-09-12).
- ↑PlayHearthstone on Twitter. (2016-03-17).
- ↑PlayHearthstone on Twitter. (2016-04-07).
- ↑PlayHearthstone on Twitter. (2016-03-17).
- ↑PlayHearthstone on Twitter. (2016-03-17).
- ↑PlayHearthstone on Twitter. (2016-03-17).
