What is Choose One in Hearthstone?

Hearthstone has many card effects that are common enough that they get their own keyword - a word or two that immediately tells you how the card works. Let's take a look at the Choose One keyword.

Choose One is a keyword found exclusively on Druid cards. When a card with Choose One is played, you will receive a choice of two different effects (or four in the case of Wardruid Loti) from the card. This flexibility is powerful and essentially creates 2 cards in one.

The utility of Choose One cards can be expanded through cards like Fandral Staghelm, Untapped Potential, and Keeper Stalladris.

Choose One uses the same activation rules as Battlecry, much like keywords like Combo or Outcast. Just like the latter two keywords, Choose One effects are not considered Battlecries for the purposes of cards dependent on Battlecries.

Choose Twice exists on one cards in the game, Branching Paths. This however, does not count as a Choose One card for the purposes of cards like Fandral Staghelm or [Hearthstone Card (Unworthy Expedition) Not Found].

Keywords that Work Great with Choose One

As Choose One is essentially a pseudo-Battlecry, it follows the same logic of "put anything on it and it's better".

As many Choose One buff spells can give a minion Taunt, keywords that Taunt works great with will work with those.

Playing Against Choose One in Hearthstone

Choose One effects happen immediately and have no tech options meaning there's no way to directly counter them, and their flexibility can be used in many situations.

If your opponent plays Fandral Staghelm or Keeper Stalladris, it may be in your best interest to remove them next turn as these two cards can carry the game significantly if left unchecked.

Example Hearthstone Choose One Cards

Druid of the Claw is a minion in the Classic set, utilizing a recurring mechanical theme for Druids. These cards can transform into one of two forms (both of which are Beasts), each with their own stats and effects, allowing you to choose the best one for any given situation. Druid of the Claw can transform into a 4/4 with Charge or a 4/6 with Taunt for 5 mana. When played with Fandral Staghelm on the battlefield, or Ossirian Tear active, they will gain the benefits of both forms. In this case, Druid of the Claw will be a 4/6 with Taunt and Charge.

Starfall is a spell with Choose One that represent the difference in effect. Starfall can either deal 5 damage to one minion, or 2 damage to your opponent's entire board. Both of these effects are weak for 5 mana (intentionally so due to Druid's weakness in AoE), but it is still played in Druid decks that run Untapped Potential.

Wrath is a smaller damage spell, representing a choice of 3 damage to a minion, or 1 damage with card draw.

Untapped Potential doesn't utilize the keyword itself, but instead will give the player Ossirian Tear as a Passive Hero Power when the Quest is completed, which will combine both effects of all Choose One cards you play.