On March 17, CATACLYSM descends on Hearthstone, bringing back the legendary destroyer, Deathwing. Only this time, he’s not the Worldbreaker you remember. In the final moments of Across the Timeways, Murozond refused to accept defeat from Chromie and the Heroes of Time, so he smashed the Hourglass of Time and opened a portal to a nightmare timeline where Deathwing never fell. Now this undefeated Deathwing is invading Azeroth with six terrifying Lieutenants and they’re ready to break the world all over again!
Last time, Azeroth came within a hair’s breadth of total annihilation. This time, it’s even worse.
The skies of Azeroth fill with embers and ash as the first-ever Deathwing Hero Card rises, massive Colossal minions lay siege, and the Herald keyword signals the beginning of Azeroth’s end! To stand a chance, the heroes must rally the five dragonflights, unleash their new cards, and harness the power of the Shatter keyword.
An unprecedented threat demands an equally unprecedented response. Chromie is calling on the full power of her time magic to arm you for the battle ahead. She’s pulling reinforcements from the past and sending two full sets of cards straight into your collection!
Here’s everything you need to know about CATACLYSM! Shuffle up your deck and get ready to play with fire.
Become the Worldbreaker: New Deathwing Hero Card
Play Deathwing, Worldbreaker to become Deathwing himself! Your destructive Battlecry lets you pick the Cataclysm you want to unleash: topple the biggest enemy minion, raze the board with a wave of flame, enthrall minions to join your army, or summon your fearsome dragon progeny to the battlefield.
But why settle for just one? The more you use the new Herald keyword, the more Cataclysms you can fire off when you transform into Deathwing! We’ll explain how Herald works below.
In the upcoming CATACLYSM Pre-Release Tavern Brawl, you’ll be able to try out the Deathwing, Worldbreaker Hero Card! The Pre-Release Tavern Brawl runs from March 10 at 10:00 a.m. PDT - March 17 at 9:00 a.m. PDT. Keep an eye out for more details.
Colossals Are Back and Stronger Than Ever with Herald
Colossals are BIG! First introduced to Hearthstone in Voyage to the Sunken City, they represent creatures of massive scale, making them perfect for Deathwing’s Lieutenants like Ragnaros and Azshara. When you play a Colossal minion, they expand and take up multiple spaces on the board with appendage cards that act as their huge arms, extra heads, gross tentacles, etc. These appendages have abilities that complement the main Colossal minion, creating a unified display of their enormous power.
All classes are getting a brand new Legendary Colossal card in CATACLYSM. The new Herald keyword is tied to Deathwing’s arrival, so only the six classes aligned with him reap its benefits: Death Knight, Demon Hunter, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, and Warrior. Take a closer a look at the Warrior Colossal, Ragnaros, the Great Fire:
But these aren’t the same Colossals as before. To turn the heat up for CATACLYSM, cards like Envoy of the End use Herald to make them even more effective.
Deathwing’s servants herald the coming of the Worldbreaker and his Colossal cronies, and the Herald keyword showcases that in two key ways. First, when you play a minion with Herald, a Soldier of your class’s Colossal is summoned to the battlefield. These Soldiers share the same effects as that Colossal’s appendages. Since Colossal minions typically arrive later in the game due to their high mana cost, Soldiers let you tap into those abilities earlier. A preview of the destruction your Colossal will unleash.
But that’s not all! The more you use Herald, the mightier Deathwing and your Colossal Soldiers and appendages become. Herald twice to double their power. Herald two more times to double it again.
The undefeated version of Deathwing now wields the Dragon Soul, a source of power that once destroyed him but now answers to his command. His Colossal allies have also been strengthened, making them more dangerous than ever. In their alternate timeline, Ragnaros burned down the World Tree and fused with its charred branches to reach an entirely new level of power. The Herald keyword reflects that rising strength and the escalating danger that builds over the course of a game.
To summarize Herald:
- Herald delivers instant value by summoning a Colossal Soldier and keeps scaling in strength throughout the game.
- Playing a Herald minion summons a Soldier that has the same ability as your class Colossal's appendages.
- Each Herald use upgrades both the Soldier and your Colossal’s appendages. Herald twice to double their power, four times to double it a final time.
- Herald also empowers Deathwing, Worldbreaker, increasing the number of Cataclysms he unleashes when played. Herald twice to play two Cataclysms, four times to use all four.
Defend with the Dragonflights
The dragonflights were vital in taking down the original Deathwing, and we’re calling on them once again! Mage, Priest, Druid, Hunter, and Paladin are aligned with the dragonflights, and each class receives a Legendary Dragon Aspect card.
The Hunter class features the Black Dragon Aspect, Ebyssian. He can change from his humanoid visage form into a powerful Dragon, gain improved stats, and benefit from his own ability that lets Dragons Rush into battle.
These five classes also receive a Legendary Colossal. The Paladin Colossal is Nefarian’s five-headed monstrosity known as Chromatus. Each head brings a potent effect that makes Chromatus a real nightmare to deal with, but you probably know the drill. Start chopping heads!
New Keyword: Shatter
Deathwing’s destruction is spreading across Azeroth, and our heroes are doing their best to pick up the pieces. Enter Shatter, a new keyword for the dragonflight-aligned classes. When you draw a card with Shatter, it breaks into two pieces that move to opposite ends of your hand. You can play the pieces separately, but if you manage to bring them back together by playing the cards in between, they recombine into a single card that’s doubly strong.
Two great effects for the price of one? What a deal!
Play with Precision Using New Hand-Targeting Cards
You can now target specific cards in your hand with new cards like Battlefield Blaster and Chamber of Aspects.
Expect to see more hand targeting cards in this and future expansions.
Enjoy the Riches of the Dragon’s Hoard: Free Cards!
We're commemorating the epic release of CATACLYSM with what we're calling the Dragon's Hoard, a truly colossal amount of freebies.
Log in for a Free Legendary
Log in to Hearthstone to receive the Legendary Warmaster Blackthorn card, ready to play with immediately.
Try Out the Dream City Trial Cards!
Starting March 10, Chromie will use her Chronomancy to reach into the past and give you full access to every card from Into the Emerald Dream and The Lost City of Un’Goro, including Golden versions. These Dream City Trial Cards* are free to use for the entirety of CATACLYSM. Use them to build your deck and jump right into the action!
If you already own most of these cards, don’t worry, we’ve still got something cool for you! Earning the “Only Missing A Few (Emerald Dream)” achievement grants you a Signature Legendary Ysera, Emerald Aspect, while completing “Only Missing A Few (Lost City)” awards a Signature Legendary Endbringer Umbra. These new achievements unlock starting March 10 at 10:00 a.m. PDT.
For even more free rewards, check out our Dragon's Hoard Guide to learn how to claim them.
* Login between 3/10/2026 PDT and 36.0 Expansion Launch to gain temporary access to cards from Into the Emerald Dream and The Lost City of Un’Goro until 36.0 Expansion Launch.
Online Event: Rally the Dragonflights
From February 9 - March 17, visit our CATACLYSM Rally Point page to take part in the Hearthstone community’s effort to prepare for Deathwing’s attack. Help rally the dragonflights by signing up for our email list, claiming drops on Hearthstone streams, and interacting with Hearthstone content across our social media channels. Help the community unlock all the dragonflights to earn a free Legendary Ebyssian and two Signature copies of Envoy of the End!
New Hearthstone Board Inspired by Azeroth’s Cataclysmic Destruction
With the launch of the expansion, a new CATACLYSM-themed board is joining the Hearthstone game board pool with a higher appearance rate for the whole year. This board highlights how the original Cataclysm reshaped Azeroth, featuring iconic locations like the cracked Barrens, the flooded Thousand Needles, the fel‑scarred Darkshore, and Nefarian’s secret dragon lab.
Pre-Order CATACLYSM Now!
Prepare for the coming CATACLYSM with one of our pre‑purchase options. Choose the Pre‑Purchase Bundle, the Pre‑Purchase Mega Bundle, or pick up both to receive two free Random CATACLYSM Legendary Cards and unlock the chance to purchase the Pre‑Purchase Sequence Bundle containing the Victor Nefarius Diamond Legendary Card. Pre-purchase bundles are available until the expansion launches on March 17.
CATACLYSM Pre-Purchase Mega Bundle
The most complete way to jump into CATACLYSM, filled with card packs, cosmetics, and premium rewards.
Includes:
- 80 CATACLYSM Packs
- 10 Golden CATACLYSM Packs
- 1 Curated Random Signature CATACLYSM Legendary Colossal Card
- 1 Random Golden CATACLYSM Legendary Card
- 4 Tavern Tickets (used to enter the Pre-Release Tavern Brawl and play Arena)
- Sinestra Hero Skin and Card Back
CATACLYSM Pre-Purchase Bundle
A strong starting option with a large set of packs and an exclusive card back.
Includes:
- 60 CATACLYSM Packs
- 2 Random CATACLYSM Legendary Cards
- Sinestra Card Back
CATACLYSM Pre-Purchase Sequence Bundle
Purchasing both bundles above rewards you with two free Random CATACLYSM Legendary Cards and unlocks the option to purchase this bundle. It offers top‑tier rewards and the Victor Nefarius Diamond Legendary Card shown below.
Includes:
- Victor Nefarius Diamond Legendary Card
- 20 Golden CATACLYSM Packs
- 1 Random Signature CATACLYSM Legendary Card
Ready to make your CATACLYSM pre-purchase? Hit the button below!
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