Legendary cards have always been the bread and butter of Hearthstone.
Some are so terrible that they are quickly dusted, while others are so overpowered that they broke the game (cough, Shudderwock).
With the new expansion just around the corner, it’s time to weigh all the legendary cards of this year and see how they stack up against each other. Here are the top 30 best legendary cards or Hearthstone for the current Standard ladder.
30. Decimator Olgra (Warrior)
MAAANKRIIIK!
Serving as the big finisher for Enrage Warrior, Olgra descends as a bloodthirsty juggernaut to sweep all her enemies away.
What’s Great About Decimator Olgra:
- Exceptional card against token decks such as Token Druid and Imp Warlock, which are both Tier 1/Tier 2 decks
- Can be played alongside Rokara to potentially gain another +8/+8 on top of the Battlecry
- Enrage Warrior benefits from Olgra’s 6 mana cost since it is a deck that needs to finish games fast
How To Get Decimator Olgra:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
29. The Jailer (Neutral)
Bear witness!
Feeling a little bit experimental with deck building? You might want to include this card for your next deck.
The Jailer pairs the ultimate risk of destroying your entire deck with the sweetest reward of making your minions immune for the rest of the game.
Fully deserving to be the highlight card for the Maw and Disorder mini-set, the overseer of the Maw is sure to be a card that we will soon see in more decks.
What’s Great About The Jailer:
- One of the most impactful Battlecry effects in Hearthstone history
- Especially dominant right now thanks to the lack of hard removal cards in the current meta
- The downside of taking fatigue damage can be offset by having immune minions with lifesteal
- The Jailer itself is a 10 mana 10/10 minion, serving as a huge threat late game\
How To Get The Jailer:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
28. Firemancer Flurgl (Shaman)
Diss tracks spitting straight fire.
Lack of board clear has always been the fatal weakness of Murloc Shaman when against other equally aggressive decks.
The introduction of Firemancer Flurgl solved this issue and made the deck an uncontested Tier 1 deck for a time using Flurgl’s combo with Toxfin.
Led by our fire-breathing fishy friend, Murloc Shaman is gaining popularity once more and rearing to reclaim its spot as the best Standard deck.
What’s Great About Firemancer Flurgl:
- Even without the Toxfin combo, this card is still able to deal with wide boards due to the low mana cost of Murlocs
- The AOE effect damages all enemies which means that Taunt minions are bypassed and the enemy’s face is also damaged for every Murloc summoned
- 2/3 statline gives Flurgl a bit more survivability after he is summoned
How To Get Firemancer Flurgl:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Forged in the Barrens card packs, or card crafting
27. Bru’kan of the Elements (Shaman)
Storms, heed ma call!
Being included in all the current Shaman deck archetypes should clue you in on how impactful this card has been so far.
An all-rounder Hero card, Bru’kan provides all the value you will need to outlast and outvalue your enemy.
What’s Great About Bru’kan of the Elements:
- Late-game value card with immediate effect
- Hero cards are not spells or minions which means that they are not disrupted with common tech cards like Counterspell or Blademaster Okani
- Fire Invocation hero power directly damages the enemy’s HP, providing you with kill pressure over time
- Likewise, Water Invocation is one of the strongest healing sources available right now, healing both you and your minion’s HP
How To Get Bru’kan of the Elements:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
26. Raj Naz’jan (Hunter)
Leviathans, sea monsters, now you?
Full-on aggression is the name of the game for Raj Naz’jan, adding yet another direct damage source for Face Hunter and Quest Hunter.
What’s Great About Raj Naz’jan:
- Allows you to play more board-oriented spells like Wild Spirits while also consistently dealing direct damage to the enemy’s HP
- Naga synergy gives you more options for other deck synergies
- The 10 mana combo of Raj Naz’jan + Collateral Damage deals an unexpectedly high amount of burst damage
How To Get Raj Naz’jan:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Voyage to the Sunken City card packs, or card crafting
25. Priestess Valishj (Priest)
Leave me to my work!
One of the weirdest legendaries ever is a core card in Naga Priest, one of the weirdest decks ever. Seems a bit poetic right?
Refreshing your mana crystals has always been an effect that is almost never included in a card due to how dangerous it can be for the game’s balance.
Priestess Valishj toes the line between being fair to play against and being completely broken, becoming a card that defined a Priest archetype all on her own.
What’s Great About Priestess Valishj:
- One of the very few cards in Hearthstone history capable of refreshing mana crystals exceeding the player’s current mana count
- Naga synergy allows you to target this minion with Serpent Wig and Amalgam of the Deep
- Combo/Buff turn only needs the spells to be drawn since Priestess Valishj costs 0 mana and does not need much preparation
How To Get Priestess Valishj:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Voyage to the Sunken City card packs, or card crafting
24. Kurtrus, Demon Render (Demon Hunter)
I have given up everything! What have you sacrificed?
For Demon Hunter’s first-ever hero card, everyone was expecting a powerful and memorable card. Sure enough, a powerful and memorable card is what you will get.
Just the damage increase on the basic Demon Hunter hero power is strong enough as is, but the added damage stacking mechanic will also catch enemies off guard when you nuke their HP with high-damage weapon swings.
What’s Great About Kurtus, Demon Render:
- Straight-up damage upgrade for the Demon Hunter hero power helps with many of the class cards that rely on your hero attacking
- Upgraded hero power can deal a large amount of damage to the enemy per turn
- Summoned minions from the card’s Battlecry have Rush and gain +1 attack every time you attack with your hero power
How To Get Kurtus, Demon Render:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
23. The Leviathan (Paladin)
Built by Ini Stormcoil, this massive vessel can withstand almost anything you put it through... although she would prefer you didn't!
The Leviathan proves to be a lurking menace for the Paladin’s enemies by providing very precise card drawing mechanics with its Dredge and card draw effects.
At the end of the day, the smallest amongst the Colossal minions turns out to be the biggest threat.
What’s Great About The Leviathan:
- Proactive card that can fetch very specific cards in your deck due to having Rush plus Dredge and card draw
- Can be buffed easily thanks to the Mech synergy and Lightforged Cariel
- Able to deal with smaller minions since it is split into 2 units with Divine Shield
How To Get The Leviathan:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Voyage to the Sunken City card packs, or card crafting
22. Topior the Shrubbagazzor (Druid)
They got a dragon that burns 1000 gallons of anima a week.
This legendary dragon for Druid is already making people remember its name whether they like it or not (remember, it’s two Bs and two Zs).
Annoying to deal with seems to be the theme of this card considering how quickly Topior can generate minions on the battlefield.
Expect to see more of this dragon even in the next expansions, with its shrubby whelps and intimidatingly hard-to-spell name.
What’s Great About Topior the Shrubbagazzor:
- The card’s Battlecry is a permanent effect that gets better as the game drags on since your opponent will eventually run out of ways to kill your whelps
- Generated whelps from Topior counts towards making Raid Boss Onyxia immune
- Makes the useless nature spells in the late game such as Wild Growth and Innervate more viable to play as minion-generating cards
How To Get Topior the Shrubbagazzor:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
21. The Countess (Paladin)
Remember this day, for you are graced with my presence.
Nobility seems intent on keeping Sire Denathrius’ banquet pure and free of common folk.
Single-handedly pushing Pure Paladin into the meta, this is the big payoff card for Paladin, recruiting allies by sending out golden invitations.
Of course, these invitations are only for those who are as noble and legendary as her.
What’s Great About The Countess:
- Legendary Invitations count as Paladin cards, helpful for Lightray and Elitist Snob
- Very few chances of discovering a weak legendary minion in the current pool of legendaries for Standard
- 7/7 statline serves as another late-game threat on top of the generated 0-cost legendaries
How To Get The Countess:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
20. Edwin, Defias Kingpin (Rogue)
We'll take what we're owed!
Edwin returns once again with a fancy new Battlecry to lead the Defias Brotherhood against the armies of Stormwind.
What’s Great About Edwin, Defias Kingpin:
- New Battlecry adds the card draw effect from Gadgetzan Auctioneer and makes Edwin able to be played without any setup
- Battlecry still works even when returned to hand with Shadowstep, allowing you to handbuff Edwin multiple times
- Increased mana cost but massively buffed stats benefit Miracle Rogue more since it lacks heavy minion threats
How To Get Edwin, Defias Kingpin:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, United in Stormwind card packs, or card crafting
19. Magister Dawngrasp (Mage)
Let me remind you who you're dealing with!
With an infinitely scaling hero power, this hero card is a perfect fit for Ping Mage while the Battlecry supplements Big Spell Mage with more firepower.
Showing off their proficiency in all schools of magic is Magister Dawngrasp’s specialty and they are here to prove this point.
What’s Great About Magister Dawngrasp:
- The scaling hero power quickly gets out of hand in power level when paired with Wildfire
- Ping Mage naturally does not have many minions to play and makes the random spells from this card’s Battlecry more likely to hit the enemy
- Works great as an activator for Mordresh Fire Eye or even for slowly pinging down the enemy hero’s HP
How To Get Magister Dawngrasp:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
18. Wildheart Guff (Druid)
Growth and life and happiness and friends.
Wildheart Guff undoubtedly changed the way that Big Druid decks are played ever since his introduction.
Expanding the maximum mana crystals has been an effect never seen before since the game’s release, ensuring that this card leaves its hoofy marks on Hearthstone’s history.
What’s Great About Wildheart Guff:
- Expanding your maximum mana crystals makes Big Druid much more of a threat when it can summon 2-3 big minions per turn
- The hero power lets you outpace your opponent by cycling through your deck faster in a meta full of 40-card decks
- The 20 maximum mana crystal cap is kept even if you play another hero card
How To Get Wildheart Guff:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
17. Shadowcrafter Scabbs (Rogue)
Keep your enemies close and your shadows closer.
Here comes another hero card, this time representing the Rogue class.
A quick sleight of hand and stealthy tricks are all the tools that Scabbs needs to deal a lethal blow to those who look down on him.
What’s Great About Shadowcrafter Scabbs:
- Your hero power can be cast every turn at any point of the turn unlike other effects that only work for the first card played at the start of the turn
- The Battlecry can permanently destroy particularly tricky minions such as Mi’da and The Rat King if they are returned when the enemy’s hand is full
- Returning your minions can be used to perform combos for a second time
How To Get Shadowcrafter Scabbs:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
16. Queen Azshara (Neutral)
Bow before your Queen!
Keep away from the depths of the ocean before the ruler of the Nagas makes sure that you stay on the bottom forevermore.
Making waves as a stand-alone value card, Queen Azshara is definitely a legendary that you should add to your deck whenever possible.
What’s Great About Queen Azshara:
- Very easy to trigger Battlecry since the effect counts all the spells you’ve cast all game and not just on a single turn
- Horn of Ancients is guaranteed to generate an impactful card due to being limited to Colossal minions
- Tidestone of Golganneth is a viable alternative if you have a deck that is more spell-reliant
- 5/5 minion with the Naga tag allows some wiggle room for Naga synergy
How To Get Queen Azshara:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Voyage to the Sunken City card packs, or card crafting
15. Mordresh Fire Eye (Mage)
You're not hardcore unless you died hardcore.
Acting as the final blow for Hero Power/Ping Mage is Mordresh’s fiery performance. An easy-to-activate Battlecry with good stats, this is a no-brainer for any of your Mage deck.
What’s Great About Mordresh Fire Eye:
- Wildfire along with Reckless Apprentice makes the 10 damage requirement easy to achieve
- Payoff of 10 damage to all enemies is enough to clear even late-game enemy minions
- Combo with Brann Bronzebeard can be achieved with The Coin since this card only costs 8 mana
How To Get Mordresh Fire Eye:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Forged in the Barrens card packs, or card crafting
14. Dreadlich Tamsin (Warlock)
Tiny seeds lead to devastating destruction.
Imps, Imps, and a bunch more Imps are coming to do your bidding with Tamsin’s hero power so make sure to keep that Fel Rift open every turn!
What’s Great About Dreadlich Tamsin:
- Great swing-around card since it provides both board clear and card draw for only 6 mana
- 2 mana 3/3 every turn which can serve as more fuel for Imp Warlock if you run out of threats
- Imps have Demon synergy and can be resurrected with Imp King Rafaam
How To Get Dreadlich Tamsin:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
13. Hunstman Altimor (Hunter)
My gargons will eat well tonight.
Looks like Castle Nathria has its own take on Hunter’s beloved Animal Companions. So don’t be shy, they don’t bite…yet.
What’s Great About Huntsman Altimor:
- Ultimate value card for Hunter that can generate 15/14 in stats along with all the effects of the different Gorgons
- All Gorgons have the Beast tag and thus can be buffed with Doggie Biscuit or Castle Kennels
- Having a Battlecry that spawns multiple units is good for reviving The Rat King
How To Get Huntsman Altimor:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
12. Maestra of the Masquerade (Rogue)
She doesn't drop character until after the DVD commentary.
The Hearthstone community’s suspiciousness has gone up several points all thanks to this card.
Throwing off your opponent by starting as another class is a significant advantage that no stat can ever quantify.
What’s Great About Maestra of the Masquerade:
- The card’s disguise effect remains even after using your disguised class’s hero power
- Particularly disruptive against control decks since they are more likely to opt for early-game cards if you switch to an aggressive class
- Trading Rogue cards such as Blackwater Cutlass still does not break the disguise so you can continue to use the borrowed hero power
How To Get Maestra of the Masquerade:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, United in Stormwind card packs, or card crafting
11. Mi’da, Pure Light (Priest)
Unfortunately, Mi’da’s touch will not turn things to gold.
True to its name, Mi’da has been a shining light for Priest. Providing an anti-fatigue mechanic and a source of lifesteal, this minion will continue to shine its brilliance over and over and over again.
What’s Great About Mi’da, Pure Light:
- Constant source of lifesteal that immediately comes to play when drawn
- Divine Shield makes Mi’da heal your hero for a minimum of 8 health
- Usually run in Quest Priest, this minion is a great tool to obstruct your opponent while you are finishing the questline
How To Get Mi’da, Pure Light:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
10. Lightforged Cariel (Paladin)
Our hardships only strengthen our resilience.
Cariel buffs her minions with unstoppable force with one hand while wielding The Immovable Object on the other, quite literally.
Still a powerhouse card for Paladin even after numerous expansions, Lightforged Cariel shines the light towards victory.
What’s Great About Lightforged Cariel:
- The Immovable Object is almost never countered since there are only 2 weapon destruction cards in Standard, both of which are not seeing much play
- 2 mana +4/+4 Hero Power easily contests with any value deck
- Small board clear effect when summoned
How To Get Lightforged Cariel:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
9. Raid Boss Onyxia (Neutral)
I'm the Broodmother! Don't you ever forget!
Be sure to take your best dragon-hunting tools when facing the Broodmother and her legion of dragon whelps.
Upon encountering her on the battlefield, you will then know why she deserves her title of Raid Boss.
What’s Great About Raid Boss Onyxia:
- Immediate 16 damage spread multiple times when summoned caused by her and her whelps having Rush
- Almost guaranteed to survive and deal another 8 damage due to having the Immune effect while a Whelp is in play
- Any card that generates a Whelp such as Scale of Onyxia will also make Onyxia immune
How To Get Raid Boss Onyxia:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
8. Kel’Thuzad, the Inevitable (Mage)
Hear that rattling?
Scholomance seems to be a bit too peaceful for his comfort as Kel’Thuzad is back once again with his skeletal army. Giving the Mage class a way to flood the board with 2/2 skeletons, the Archlich wants to end things once and for all.
What’s Great About Kel’Thuzad, the Inevitable:
- Can easily summon more than 6 Volatile Skeletons from cards such as Cold Case and Nightcloak Sanctum
- Unexpected burst damage from following up with Deathborne after your Kel’Thuzad turn can end the game against unaware opponents
- 8 mana cost means that you can pair this up with Brann Bronzebeard and deal massive amounts of damage
How To Get Kel’Thuzad, the Inevitable:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
7. Seek Guidance (Priest)
Xyrella was looking for spiritual guidance but found deck-building tips instead.
It’s been a while since we last saw a true instakill card with Mecha’Thun.
What better way to bring back a control-focused mechanic other than placing it in Priest, a notoriously slow class?
Since Priest specializes in slowing games down to a crawl with its Taunts and healing cards, it is no surprise that this quest card is seeing a large amount of success.
What’s Great About Seek Guidance:
- Guaranteed kill card puts you at an advantage over all other control decks
- The quest naturally ramps up the mana costs required for the cards, making the questline easy to complete
- Shuffling the Purified Shard into the deck after summoning Xyrella means that tech cards such as Theotar are not able to counter the guaranteed kill
How To Get Seek Guidance:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, United in Stormwind card packs, or card crafting
6. Imp King Rafaam (Warlock)
Finally, minions that obey me! ...Mostly.
The self-proclaimed King of Imps has sufficient power to back his word up, it seems. Being the lifeblood of the Imp Warlock archetype, Rafaam can both resurrect and buff his subjects up to do his bidding.
What’s Great About Imp King Rafaam:
- Provides 16/16 in raw stats when infused without accounting for the resurrected minions
- Easy to infuse since Imp/Zoo Warlock naturally summons a lot of small minions
- 6 mana cost lets you keep up the pressure or even summon Rafaam with Brann Bronzebeard
How To Get Imp King Rafaam:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
5. Beaststalker Tavish (Hunter)
Right where I want ya.
Beaststalker Tavish brings Hunter back to its roots of making traps and rearing beasts.
When using your hero power, remember, it’s always Huffer.
What’s Great About Beaststalker Tavish:
- Infinite beast summons from your hero power
- The Improved Emergency Maneuvers secret works well with big minions such as Mountain Bear
- Improved Ice Trap is a great spell disruption card and can make high-cost spells unplayable
How To Get Beaststalker Tavish:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Fractured in Alterac Valley card packs, or card crafting
4. The Rat King (Hunter)
"I'm the giant rat that makes all of da rules!"
The title of most annoying card in recent history totally goes to The Rat King.
The 5/5 statline makes it awkward to target with hard removal or silence card when you know that bigger beasts lay in wait for you. But if you leave it alone, this regal rodent will scratch and gnaw its way through your HP.
What’s Great About The Rat King:
- Great for removing threats on board thanks to its high base attack and Rush
- Beast synergy means that it can be summoned with Sunken Saber and immediately attack
- Incredibly oppressive when copied through Selective Breeder or other methods
- Often not heavily targeted with silence/heavy removal by the enemy since Beast Hunters have bigger beasts included in the deck
How To Get The Rat King:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, United in Stormwind card packs, or card crafting
3. Theotar, the Mad Duke (Neutral)
Insanity is no excuse for bad manners.
Prince Renathal’s trusty ally, Theotar is excellent at spreading his madness toward your opponent.
What’s Great About Theotar, the Mad Duke:
- One of only a few disruption cards (along with Blademaster Okani and Insatiable Devourer) available in the current meta
- Greatly increased chance of disruption since the Discover effect lets you pick from 3 cards
- Allows you to check on 3 of the opponent’s cards on hand
How To Get Theotar, the Mad Duke:
Currently in the Standard card set. Unlock through buying Standard card packs, Murder at Castle Nathria card packs, or card crafting
2. Sire Denathrius (Neutral)
A toast to all who sought to kill me! You failed.
The ruler of Castle Nathria himself descends to Hearthstone!
Sire Denathrius seeks to unleash his bloody wrath on those who go against him.
What’s Great About Sire Denathrius:
- Currently the best late-game finisher due to having an endlessly scaling damage mechanic
- Can be summoned as-is as a 10/10 minion with lifesteal
- One of the few 10-cost cards that you can keep in your opening hand to stack his Infuse effect early on
- His Battlecry targets minions first which can quickly get you out of a sticky situation
How To Get Sire Denathrius:
Currently in the Standard card set. Given through levelling up the free track in the Murder at Castle Nathria rewards path
1. Prince Renathal (Neutral)
The time has come to dethrone our former master.
A true meta-defining card for Hearthstone, Prince Renathal broke records and quickly became the most used (included in the deck) legendary card ever in the game’s history.
Having an over 50 percent inclusion across all decks for Standard, the 40-card deck meta is here to stay for a long, long time.
What’s Great About Prince Renathal:
- Allows more situational cards such as tech cards to be slotted into the deck, offering more safety for a control deck
- Increasing your maximum health to 40 gives you a safety net against aggressive decks
- A 40-card deck almost always naturally wins against control decks with only 30 cards due to having more resources and a buffer from fatigue
How To Get Prince Renathal:
Currently in the Standard card set. Given upon owning a Murder at Castle Nathria pack, whether it is a free pack or bought in the Shop
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