To substantially strengthen and repair H13 die steel， an H13/Ni/ WC hybrid powder double-layer gradient cladding layer is prepared herein through laser cladding on an H13 steel matrix. The contents of the Ni/WC mixed powder in the initial powder of two cladding layers are 15% and 30%， respectively. Furthermore， the microhardness， high temperature hardness， thermal fatigue properties， and wear resistance of the matrix and cladding layer are tested and compared. Similarly， the wear mechanism of the cladding layer is discussed. The microvickers hardness of the cladding layer cross-section shows a gradient distribution from the matrix to the outer surface of the cladding layer. The average microhardness near the outer surface of the cladding layer is 1100 HV， whereas the average microhardness of the matrix is 400 HV. Results of the high temperature hardness test reveal that an increase in the test temperature decreases the vickers hardness of the matrix and area near the outer surface of the cladding layer. Moreover， the decrease extent of the cladding layer is larger than that of the matrix， which are 1347.68 HV and 1510.35 HV， respectively， at room temperature. Furthermore， when the test temperature reaches 800 ℃， the hardness of the matrix and the cladding layer drop to 1006.8 HV and 921.4 HV， respectively. When the test temperature is about 500 ℃， the hardness values of the two regions are observed to be equal. The wear resistance test also show that the wear resistance of the cladding layer is better than that of the matrix below 500 ℃， whereas the wear resistance of the cladding layer is lower than that of the matrix at 500 ℃ or above. This is attributed to the fact that when the temperature is below 500 ℃， the martensite in the cladding layer exhibits extremely high strength and hardness， leading to higher hardness of the cladding layer than that of the matrix. Conversely， when the temperature is above 500 ℃， the surface hardness and wear resistance of the cladding layer sharply decrease owing to the annealing phenomenon.