How to Read This Glossary
Each entry gives the keyword's rules text as stated on the how-to-play page, followed by one example card from the 529-card pool with its cost and stats (costs read as mana/gold: 3M/1G is 3 mana and 1 gold). Individual cards sometimes print the effect with their own numbers or wording — the printed card text always has the final say, and for browser matches, each card's Online Legal label decides whether it is live. Browse the card gallery to see any of these in full.
Combat Keywords
Ambush
This creature can attack immediately when summoned.
Example: Mud Slicker (Goblin, 1M, 2/1). Two damage on turn 1, before the opponent owns a board. The backbone of aggressive starts.
Quickdraw
Strikes first in combat. If the enemy dies, this creature takes no damage.
Example: Frontier Marshal (Human, 2M, 2/3). Attacks into 2-defense creatures for free, and makes attacking into it a losing bet.
Double Barrel
Can attack twice per turn.
Example: Cart Cannoneer (Goblin, 4M/1G, 5/3). One card, two swings — clear a blocker with the first, hit the sheriff with the second.
Overshot
Excess damage spills over to the next target or the opponent, letting heavy hits break through Cover Tokens.
Example: Mire Giant (Goblin, 4M, 5/4). Killing a 1-defense blocker with it sends 4 damage onward. Chump blocking stops working.
Blast
Deals 1 damage to every creature in the attacked lane when this creature attacks.
Example: Dynamite Dorsey (Dwarf, 2M/1G, 3/2). Punishes crowded lanes; its own card adds a Last Stand blast when it dies.
Stampede
When this creature attacks and the defender survives, it can shove that defender into another middle lane and make it lose its next attack.
Example: Ironhide Bison (Beast, 3M/1G, 3/3). Repositions enemy creatures against their will and steals a whole attack doing it.
Venom
After this creature deals combat damage, the target suffers 1 extra Defense loss.
Example: Dust Viper (Beast, 1M, 2/1). Bites above its weight — the extra Defense loss lets small Beasts wound big targets.
Defense Keywords
Warrant
Forces enemy creatures to attack this creature first (taunt).
Example: Bounty Hunter Jed (Human, 4M/2G, 4/3). The classic bodyguard — while Jed stands, the posse behind him is off-limits.
Barricade
Enemies must attack this creature first, and it shaves 1 damage off incoming hits when possible.
Example: Iron Boot Grunt (Dwarf, 1M, 1/3). Warrant plus damage reduction on a 1-drop; it takes several swings to clear.
Fortify
Enters with a permanent Defense boost.
Example: Deepvein Miner (Dwarf, 1M, 1/2 with Fortify 1). Arrives tougher than printed, and the boost never wears off.
Ironclad
Spell damage and destroy effects cannot finish this creature off as easily; it resists being blasted out by spells.
Example: Ironclad Grunt (Dwarf, 2M/1G, 2/3) — its card spells it out: it cannot be reduced below 1 Defense by spells; only combat damage can finish it.
Cover Tokens
0/1 blocking tokens generated by card effects. They guard your sheriff — while any Cover stands, enemies cannot hit you directly and must destroy every Cover first. Creatures can still be attacked freely. Flying bypasses Cover and Overshot can spill through.
Example: Watchtower Sentry (Human, 3M, 1/4) places two 0/1 Cover Tokens in your Middle Lanes. Full breakdown in the positioning guide.
Burrow
When this creature is summoned into the middle lane, it raises a Cover Token in its lane if there is room.
Example: Prairie Rat (Beast, 1M, 1/1). A body and a barricade for one mana.
Heal
Restores HP to your hero or a friendly creature.
Example: Frontier Medic (Human, 2M, 1/3) restores 3 HP to a target player. Time it after the damage lands, not before.
Evasion and Targeting Keywords
Flying
Bypasses Cover Tokens entirely.
Example: Wingnut Scout (Goblin, 1M, 1/1). Cover walls mean nothing to it — the cheapest answer to turtling decks.
Wanted
Cannot be targeted by single-target effects such as spells and abilities.
Example: Looming Effigy (Straw Elf, 5M/1G, 5/5, rare). Removal spells cannot touch it; the only way through is combat.
Feral
Friendly effects cannot target this creature.
Example: Razorback Sow (Beast, 2M, 3/2). Strong stats priced in: your own buffs and heals cannot reach it.
Economy and Value Keywords
Gold Rush
Gain 1 gold when this creature is played.
Example: Tinker Tot (Goblin, 1M, 1/1). Pays its own tip on arrival — see the two-resource guide for why that matters.
High Noon
Draw 1 card when this creature is played from hand.
Example: Town Crier (Human, 1M, 1/1). Replaces itself the moment it hits the table; swarm decks stay stocked with these.
Last Stand
Triggers an effect when this creature is destroyed.
Example: Ironhide Ancient (Beast, 5M/3G, 5/5, rare) deals 5 damage to all enemy creatures when it dies. Killing it is also a mistake.
Overdrive
Lets you spend extra Gold on play for a stat boost if you can afford it.
Example: Vaultbreaker Voss (Dwarf, 4M/2G, 4/4, rare) — spend 2 extra gold and it arrives with +2/+2 and Double Barrel.
Pack
This creature gains +1 Attack for each other Beast you control.
Example: Dustfang Coyote (Beast, 2M, 2/2). In a three-Beast board it swings for 4; Beasts splash into any deck, so Pack travels well.
Gnome Tech Keywords
Flip
Gnome tech effects that trigger transformation-style bonuses on play.
Example: Cogwheel Scout (Gnome, 1M, 1/2) — its Flip grants +1 Attack until end of turn. Every Gnome creature carries a Flip option like this.
Flip-Charged
Golem flip-state trigger, separate from plain Flip.
Example: Dustcrete Grunt (Golem, 1M, 1/2) — when flipped, it gains +3/+3 until end of turn. Golems count as part of the Gnome faction for deckbuilding.
Placement Keywords
Tunnel
Can be summoned into any legal lane regardless of normal blocking pressure.
Example: Shaft Runner (Dwarf, 1M/1G, 2/2). Appears exactly where you need it, ignoring the usual placement squeeze.
Put the Vocabulary to Work
Keywords are the grammar; strategy is the sentence. See how a real deck chains them in the Goblin deck guide, learn which factions lean on which keywords in the faction picker, and if you are brand new, start with how to win your first duel. Then test yourself against the AI — the browser beta is free, instant, and very willing to punish a misread keyword.