Hearthstone Anomalies Explained: Anomalies Return to Standard and Wild!

Hearthstone introduced Anomalies back in Fall of Ulduar as a feature of the Legendary card Cho'gall, Twilight Chieftain. They are an additional effect that occurs at the beginning of the game, altering gameplay in a small but noticeable way. Currently, there are 19 Anomalies possible to encounter with Cho’Gall, but only 11 of them are featured in the July 2024 Hearthstone event.

July 2024 Anomalies Event

From July 2 until July 9, 2024, specific Anomalies are active in all Standard and Wild games. After loading into a Hearthstone game, you will always see the Anomaly for that game revealed just before your mulligan. This allows you to make an informed choice on the cards you want to pick for your starting hand, as some Anomalies significantly impact this decision.

During this event you will encounter one of these Anomalies in each game:

• Uncontrollable Growth: Both players start with an extra Mana Crystal.
• Fast Track: Reduce the Cost of all cards in both players’ starting hands by (1).
• Army of the Corrupted: The first minion played on each player’s turns costs (1) less.
• Spread of Corruption: The first spell played on each player’s turns costs (1) less.
• Driven to Greed: Whenever a player ends their turn with unspent Mana, they get a Coin.
• Driven to Excess: Whenever a player ends their turn with unspent Mana, they draw a card.
• Opportunity Knocks: The first card drawn on a player’s turn is one they can afford to play.
• Shifting Fate: Both players start with a Gear Shift in their hand.
• Light in the Dark: Both players’ Hero Powers costs (1) less.
• Gift of Gluttony: Both players start with two more drawn cards.
• Your Eyes Betray You: Both players’ cards are Golden.

While 'Your Eyes Betray You' is just a fun cosmetic change and 'Shifting Fate' has a minor effect, some anomalies truly dictate the flow of the game. For example, 'Driven to Greed' presents a tough decision each turn—whether to play a card for tempo or draw an extra one. On the other hand, 'Driven to Excess' dictates your gameplan by incentivizing you to play on a curve. 

All Cho’Gal, Twilight Chieftain Anomalies

Cho’Gall, Twilight Chieftain is a legendary minion from the TITANS set, costing 6 mana with the iconic ogre stats of 6/7. He has Taunt and Lifesteal, and his effect has a 50% chance to introduce a random Anomaly into the game! As of July 2024, Cho’Gall is still in Standard, so including this minion in your deck allows you to experience up to 2 Anomalies in a single game!

Cho’Gall’s effect pulls from a pool of 19 Anomalies:

• Twist Reality: After a player plays a card this game, shuffle a copy into their deck.
• Approaching Nightmare: Both players start with Yogg-Saron, Hope's End in their hand.
• Opportunity Knocks: The first card drawn on a player’s turn is one they can afford to play.
• Shifting Fate: Both players start with Gear Shift in their hand.
• Light in the Dark: Both players’ Hero Powers cost (1) less.
• Gift of Gluttony: Both players start with two more drawn cards.
• Shifting Futures: Both players start with 2 copies of Shifter Zerus in their hand.
• Control the Makers: Both heroes have +1 Attack on their turns.
• Severed Souls: Both heroes start with +5 Health.
• Surging Inspiration: Both heroes start with upgraded Hero Powers.
• Driven to Greed: Whenever a player ends their turn with unspent Mana, they get a Coin.
• Driven to Excess: Whenever a player ends their turn with unspent Mana, they draw a card.
• Uncontrollable Growth: Both players start with an extra Mana Crystal.
• Seeing Double: Both players start with 2 cards copied from the other players’ hand.
• Fortifications: At the end of each player’s turns, give a random one of their minions +1 Health.
• Fast Track: Reduce the Cost of all cards in both players’ starting hands by (1).
• Your Eyes Betray You: Both players’ cards are Golden.
• Army of the Corrupted: The first minion played on each player’s turns costs (1) less.
• Spread of Corruption: The first spell played on each player’s turns costs (1) less.
• There used to be one more Anomaly but it got banned and is no longer active in neither Standard nor Wild
• Unimaginable Horrors: Both players Discover a new basic Hero Power on their first turn.

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