Hearthstone CATACLYSM Expansion Launches March 17 With Patch 35.0

Deathwing has arrived. Hearthstone's CATACLYSM expansion went live March 17 with 135 brand-new collectible cards, and the centerpiece is something the game has never offered before: the Deathwing, Worldbreaker Hero Card, letting players take control of the Destroyer himself rather than simply fight him.

The expansion landed alongside Patch 35.0, which had already hit on March 10 to set the stage. That earlier patch kicked off a Standard balance update targeting what Blizzard described as "overperformers from past expansions," with cards including Elise the Navigator, Blob of Tar, and Creature of Madness among the referenced updates. The team's stated goal was straightforward: "create space for new cards and strategies." Wild format cards received their own pass as well, with all changes going live on March 10.

Beyond the Deathwing Hero Card, CATACLYSM brings back Colossal minions in a big way. Six fearsome Lieutenants march alongside Deathwing, each so massive they break the limits of the board itself, with individual appendages, including towering arms, extra heads, and giant wings, each carrying its own ability. Every class received a new Legendary Colossal minion, but the six classes aligned with Deathwing, Demon Hunter, Death Knight, Rogue, Shaman, Warrior, and Warlock, also wield the new Herald keyword, which specifically improves their Colossal. Two additional mechanics round out the set: the Shatter keyword and a new suite of Dragon Aspects cards.

Arena players got early access to the chaos. With Patch 35.0 on March 10, all ongoing Arena runs ended and a new season began using a fully curated pool that included every CATACLYSM card except Vyranoth, which was banned outright. Herald mechanic cards carry an occurrence bonus in drafts but are capped at a maximum of two copies per initial draft.

Starting March 10, players could also temporarily use cards from Into the Emerald Dream and The Lost City of Un'Goro, with that access running until Expansion 36.0 launches.

The CATACLYSM Tavern Pass is available now, bundling expansion packs, XP boosts, cosmetics, and additional cards for players who want to climb faster through the rewards track.