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| |
| Jesterjj's Strategy Guide to |
| WARCRAFT III: FT |
| (For the PC) |
| V1.02 |
|______________________________________________________________________________|
______________________________________________________________________________
|TABLE OF CONTENTS: |
|[1].................. | Introduction | .......................................|
|[2].................. | Humans | .......................................|
|[3].................. | Orcs | .......................................|
|[4].................. | Night Elves | .......................................|
|[5].................. | Undead | .......................................|
|[6].................. | Neutral | .......................................|
|[7].................. | Other Junk | .......................................|
|______________________________________________________________________________|
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[1]Introduction[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][
Welcome to my WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne guide.
Please enjoy.
A good source of information can be found here:
http://www.battle.net/war3/
Generally, if you want to get good at a game the best way is to just go start it
up and play it. Don't just play it for 5 hours one day then not play it for a
week. If you truly want to get good at it, you should probably play it daily for
at least an hour. This is especially true when it comes to online multiplayer
games like WarCraft III... and even more so for its expansion.
Oh, and long introductions suck.
New to the guide in version 1.02: I've gone through pretty much everything and
changed things here and there. My thinking towards certain units evolves and
changes over time so I've reflected that somewhat in this update. I've also
added the two newest neutral heroes, the Firelord and the Goblin Alchemist.
________________________________________________________________________________
[2]Humans[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][
-=-=-=- Paladin
The Paladin is a support hero, not a battle hero. In other words, the Paladin
doesn't take damage as well as other heroes and he doesn't dish out damage as
well as other heroes. Holy Light is useful to the extreme once you get it to
level three. Six hundred hit points healed in an instant is crazy. Devotion aura
is less helpful, although its worthiness multiplies every time you add an ally
to your team. Which means Devotion aura in a solo match is okay and Devotion
aura in an eight player game is great. The Paladin is prone to focus fire
attacks, which is one of his main drawbacks. However, there is a remedy in the
form of Divine Shield. Divine Shield couldn't have been placed on a more suited
hero. Overall, the Paladin is good to have around when using multiple heroes or
while playing a team game.
-=-=-=- Archmage
The most popular human hero. Also the one human hero that takes a lot of skill
to master properly. The Brilliance aura is most likely a given when using this
hero. You either go for Water Elementals or Blizzard. If you are new or aren't
very good at micro management, then stick with those Water Elementals. If you
are a fairly advanced player (800-900 wins with at least a 65%-70% win
percentage), then go with the more deadly and precise Blizzard. Truly good
players should be able to target enemy units with Blizzard within a minimum of
a two second time frame. WITHOUT hitting your units or allied units. The simple
act of keeping your Archmage alive takes just as much skill as well. If your
Archmage dies an average of one or more times per game, then you aren't using
him correctly.
-=-=-=- Water Elemental
A fairly decent unit. Nothing terribly special. These are good to have around
for added anti-air damage. Especially if you don't plan on having that much
anti-air anyway. They are good at luring the attack-move AI away from your
Archmage, but a sound human at the other end will not be follied so easily.
Overall, Water Elementals are good early to mid game, but once your opponent has
access to summon damaging spells like purge or dispel magic, you better consider
the redistribution of those skill points.
-=-=-=- Mountain King
The Mountain King, although short, will be a human player's first choice when
it comes to having a hero on the front lines. The Mountain King can take
punishment and dish out just as much. The enemy likes to run his hero away when
the going gets tough? No problem, just use the Mountain King's Storm Bolt and
your problems with that run away hero are all solved... well, unless you suck at
surrounding. Your front line troops can't take the heat? No worries, send the
Mountain King up there and give the enemy a Thunder Clap where it hurts most.
Don't just walk up to the front line and hit the hotkey though. Run the Mountain
King around so that the area of effect circle manages to hit as much enemy units
as possible.
-=-=-=- Blood Mage
He's a Blood Mage. Yeah, that's what he is. Flame Strike is one of my favorite
spells. As with Blizzard, please don't wield it if you aren't that adept of a
player. Your allies will regret it, if you have allies. No allies? Your units
will regret it. And die. Banish is an unusual spell, not in what it is, but
unusual in its applications on the field of battle. Definitely less useful
later on, but in the early to middle portions of the game this skill is good
at eliminating (practically) enemy units from play. Siphon Mana, if chosen as
a skill, should be used as much as possible. Use up all your mana with your
other skills, then immediately begin siphoning mana away from your enemy's
hero. It helps out, and is especially annoying to the enemy. If you really
want to get nasty, use Banish in conjunction with the Mountain King's Storm
Bolt. Banish increases Storm Bolt's damage greatly. This becomes even more
nasty if you face an undead opponent, as Banish also works with Holy Light.
This is how the humans nuke enemy undead heroes.
-=-=-=- Phoenix
An excellent addition to anyone's army. This thing really dishes out the hurt
on the enemy. At the same time though, it is easy to defeat, so keeping it
behind the front lines would be the most prudent thing to do. Upon its "death"
try your best to keep its egg alive (generally it is fairly easy to do so). If
you have the definite edge in a game, reaching level six and pulling out the
Phoenix is usually enough to make your opponent lose all hope.
-=-=-=- Human Hero Solo Creeping
The Arch Mage is the only human hero capable of solo creeping. This is because
he has the water elemental to soak up the damage (ha, unintentional pun there).
The Paladin could use Divine Shield, but it really doesn't help that much. The
Mountain King is more capable of solo creeping than the Paladin is (with any of
his skills), but still falls short of being a complete powerhouse at it. Blood
Mage? Flamestrike or Banish might help, but like the others, he's just not
powerful enough.
-=-=-=- Peasant
Use multiple peasants to speed build the town hall and a few towers at an
expansion. For me, this usually consists of five peasants, four building four
towers, and the other one working on the town hall. When the four finish the
four towers, have them help finish the town hall.
-=-=-=- Militia
Before scouting with a peasant, turn him into a militiaman, for the added speed.
If your base falls under attack, immediately turn your peasants into militia and
have them support your main army. If you wait until your main army falls, you
aren't using the militia to their full effectiveness. Using Militia to help will
end the battle faster. The more devastating a victory, the less money your
opponent will have. It costs a lot to rebuild an army. You can tell a smart
opponent if he refuses to fight the militia plus your army inside of your base.
-=-=-=- Footman
If a player decides to produce these, you can be sure that there will be many of
them. Footmen are cheap in resources, they build fast, and they aren't bad in
large numbers. As dictated by top players, it is good to use many footmen in
conjunction with the Arch Mage while creeping. With the exception of anything in
the air and anything that can slow movement speed (Dryads come to mind), Footmen
are effective at countering piercing damage units with their Defend ability. In
more recent times, this effectiveness has been further exemplified with the big
buff to Defend in a certain unnamed patch. This addition can be troublesome in
team games, but you should find it much easier to deal with when in a solo
match. After all, despite this somewhat major buff, the Footman is still as weak
as he was before.
-=-=-=- Rifleman
Not much to say about these guys. Riflemen are good at focus firing an enemy
hero or unit. Mixing a few Riflemen in with your spell casters makes for a good
combination of units. Riflemen are probably the best unit to start out with for
human players new to the game or to Battle.net.
-=-=-=- Knight
If the enemy is without any major source of magic damage, these guys make great
front line troops. Add the priest's Inner Fire to this unit and you've got a
fearsome damage sponge. Add the Paladin's Devotion aura to the mix and you've
got a fearsomely fearsome damage sponge. Add in a Protection Scroll to the mix
and you've got a... well, you get the idea. These are probably one of the
hardest Tier 3 melee units to down without using any of their weaknesses.
-=-=-=- Priest
The priest is a good all-purpose spell caster to have around. Start all battles
by having all your priests cast Inner Fire on your units. When all of your units
appear to have the Inner Fire symbol over their heads (and you no longer hear
the Inner Fire casting sound), switch your priests' auto cast to heal. Since
they have already cast Inner Fire on everyone, the only thing they would be
doing afterwards is using their weak attack. So making them auto cast the more
beneficial Heal would be in your good interests. The priests Dispel Magic is the
most useful dispel spell out of all the races. This is because it is an area of
effect spell. Watch in great wonderment as the enemy summons fall to your
superior magic. If you happen to notice an enemy hero with a Book of the Dead,
smile to yourself, because if he is foolish enough to use it you will be rolling
in free experience. Dispel Magic is also good against enemy buffs.
-=-=-=- Sorceress
If your enemy is using an army made up of mostly melee units (or entirely of)
then the Slow ability is very helpful. Having a bunch of slowed melee troops
that cannot catch up to anything is very irritating to an opponent. Equally so
is a bunch of tier three melee units that are sheep (from the ever powerful
polymorph spell). Polymorph immediately loses its use when the enemy has any
dispel spells on hand. Invisibility is an invaluable spell that with skillful
use will allow you to save numerous units from dying. This is especially useful
when heroes are near death. At the very least, it can also be a great tool for
scouting or used in conjunction with the Arch Mage's Mass Teleport.
-=-=-=- Spell Breaker
The human anti-caster unit. Obvious uses include anti-caster, front line
trooper, and magic immune unit. That last one, magic immune, is probably the
most over used purpose of this unit in higher levels of play. And those in the
knowing will hopefully have a few certain area of effect spells pop into mind.
Oh, a less-used strategy for the Spell Breaker is that of the anti-Troll
Witchdoctor killer machine. You see, the Spell Breaker has a nice little spell
known as Control Magic. And when you use Control Magic on the witchdoctor's
wards, they become the human player's wards. Which pretty much screws the Orc
player and his team (if he has one). This strategy however is only seen at
higher levels of play, as less skillful players generally don't have the much
needed micro management skills to perform this task effectively.
-=-=-=- Flying Machine
The flying machine makes for an interesting unit. Without upgrading anything,
you can employ the skills of this dwarf as an effective scout. Spying on the
enemy from the water, mountains, trees, or any other inaccessible piece of
terrain makes for a beneficial use. Placing a couple of these at key routes of
travel will warn you of an oncoming attack, allowing just enough time to divert
defensive forces in that direction. Less useful applications include air to air
or air to land attacks. It's okay as an anti-air unit by itself. If you
absolutely must use it for one reason or another, go ahead. Otherwise, you
should probably stick to using Riflemen for anti-air. As an air unit with a
purpose of attacking land units, stay away. The Gyrocopter does barely any
damage at all to opposing land forces, due to its low damage. However, at the
same time, it may be useful if used against the right targets. The siege damage
can be helpful at times. Then again, that's what Mortar Teams are for, right?
-=-=-=- Mortar Team
Great for use in conjunction with your army when attacking an enemy base. Having
these units pound the enemy base and draw his army away from his static defenses
will cause your opponent to lose his home turf advantage. However, be prepared
to dance back and forth. Oh yes, and the Mortar Team's Flare is more useful than
you would think. The price of researching Flare is more than worth it for the
intelligence you get on the enemy's base and army position on the map. And if
you build lots of Mortar Teams, stocking enough flares shouldn't be a problem.
-=-=-=- Siege Engine
Certainly not the most novel unit to use, as seen by the large number of average
players who build these things over and over again on Battle.net. When used
correctly, these can be effective. Surprise is your greatest ally when
attempting to wield the might of these machines. Don't let the enemy catch sight
of your Siege Engine production, or your plan will be thwarted by the proper
counters and tactics. After buying the upgrade, it should be noted that these
things are excellent anti-air units.
-=-=-=- Gryphon Rider
Gryphon Riders are decent. I personally don't use them that much. If you are
going to use them, get them fast, and be sneaky about it. Surprise is a must. If
the other player discovers that you are building them, they are easily
countered. Probably best wielded when combined with a mixture of other units.
One particularly devastating technique is to use these along with the Blood
Mage's Banish spell. Pick a unit, Banish it, then tell all of your gryphon
riders to hammer it into submission. Works wonders against Tauren.
-=-=-=- Dragonhawk Rider
Not a very good unit, at least, not directly. This unit's true strength lies in
its ability to lasso an enemy air unit with its Aerial Shackles skill. I can't
begin to stress how critical this skill is when dealing with air units.
Especially the Troll Bat Riders when they start their suicide skill. This will
stop them dead in their tracks... if they had tracks. Cloud, to a lesser extent,
is also a useful skill. Have one of those annoying as hell tower mongering baby
doodle heads in the game? Cloud's the answer.
________________________________________________________________________________
[3]Orcs[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][
-=-=-=- Blademaster
A good front line hero. Equally well suited to the area behind enemy lines as
well. Although lacking in hit points, you would be surprised to see how long
this guy can last. This is due mainly to his high armor rating. The skills that
the Blademaster has at his disposal are excellently made for a large number of
different situations. Creativity and aggressiveness are requirements if you are
to wield the Blademaster to his full potential.
-=-=-=- Blademaster Harassment
The Blademaster is probably the best hero to use for harassing the enemy, due to
his Wind Walk ability. A level 6+ Blademaster can be even more troublesome with
the addition of Bladestorm. Just run in to an enemy town, slash some workers (or
use Bladestorm on them), and when the enemy comes in to defend himself, use Wind
Walk to get out safely. Depending on what race you try this against, and how
much time has elapsed in the game, using this tactic can be difficult. It is
more than worth it though, because doing this will divert the enemy's attention
away from more important matters. Just make sure you don't get your Blademaster
killed... that would be stupid. Also keep in mind that your enemy might buy a
"Gem of True Sight," which would nullify the use of Wind Walk. That's okay
though, because you still get the speed bonus from Wind Walk. Even if you run
out of mana, you still should be able to escape fairly easily without Wind Walk,
just as long as you pay good attention to where your enemy's army is.
-=-=-=- Far Seer
The first choice for many Orc players. The Far Seer is a good hero, and is
probably so popular due to his versatile and general purpose nature. His spells
are simple to use, and he's safe with a ranged attack. Don't know which hero to
choose? Just get the Far Seer.
-=-=-=- The Wolves
Decent units, overall. Probably the most critical time of their use is during
the early minutes of the game. Micro management is essential during this time.
Don't let a Night Elf player Detonate on them with a Wisp! If you see a Wisp
heading right for your wolves, Re-summon them just before it detonates.
Otherwise, you are just giving the opponent's hero free experience.
-=-=-=- Tauren Chieftain
Savior for some, roving idiot for others. The Tauren Chieftain is very weak and
prone to dying during his early levels, but his strengths begin to show once he
reaches level five. Although weak in the beginning, the chieftain is a tyrant
at later levels. Level three Shockwave is scary. Level six is probably the
biggest turning point. That is, as you should know, when he acquires his
resurrection skill.
-=-=-=- Shadow Hunter
Finally, the Orcs get a true support hero. Besides the item shop, the Shadow
Hunter is really the only option for the Orcs to use as far as healing goes.
Hex can be a gruesome spell if the enemy hasn't any counters for it. The
Serpent Wards are easy to lay down, and likewise easy to create a great
number of them, however, are equally easy to get rid of. Therefore, place
Serpent Wards behind your front lines, so as not to put them in any easily
comprised position.
-=-=-=- Orc Hero Solo Creeping
Depending on the map being used, all Orc heroes are capable of solo creeping
(though some more limited than others).
The Blademaster can easily accomplish this with Mirror Image. Obviously, the
Mirror Image is used to distract the creeps while the Blademaster cuts away.
The Far Seer can accomplish this with Feral Spirit. It is a simple matter of
summoning the wolves, having them attack, and allow the Far Seer to safely fire
at the creeps from behind his wolves.
The Tauren Chieftain will probably have a harder time with this (depending on
the map), but he can accomplish this by using War Stomp. Try to get in a
position that will allow the War Stomp to stun as many creeps as possible.
Stunning them with War Stomp allows the chieftain to survive longer. The best
way to solo creep with the chieftain is at night. At night you can approach the
creeps without taking damage and have enough time to position your chieftain to
maximize the effect of the War Stomp. Generally though, I would advise you to
have a couple of other units along with the chieftain.
The Shadow Hunter wouldn't be a wise choice, due to his limited damage output
and hit points, but you might be able to pull something off with smart
positioning of Serpent Wards.
-=-=-=- Orc Hero Creeping with Troll Headhunters
Sure, solo creeping is great. However, creeping with one or two Troll
Headhunters is even better. Even if you aren't investing into any part of the
tech tree that benefits headhunters, it doesn't matter. You are just going to
build one or two to take along with your hero. Plus, they are cheap, so it isn't
going to put a dent in your economy. Having a single headhunter come along with
your hero will make it faster and easier. That's right, a SINGLE headhunter can
make a big difference. Having two headhunters is even more effective.
Headhunters dish out a good amount of damage. This extra damage helping out your
hero makes creeping easier and faster. Sure, they have low HP, but that doesn't
matter, because headhunters will never be in any danger due to the fact that
they have a ranged attack (unless you position them horribly). Creeps will be
attacking the Blademaster and his Mirror Image, the Farseer's wolves, and the
Tauren Chieftain. Try it. It works.
-=-=-=- Peon
The lowly worker... the sad, pathetic, little Peon. When under attack, be sure
to micro manage these guys. Have a couple repair while all the others enter the
burrows. If a repair Peon comes under attack, have him enter a burrow or run
away momentarily. Other than micro management while under attack, there's not
much else that can be done with these weaklings.
-=-=-=- Grunt
The Grunts will make fine grunts in your army (do you see that?). They are the
strongest Tier 1 melee unit out of all the races. Likewise, they are also the
most expensive out of all the races, at 200 gold and 3 food supply.
Nevertheless, you can't go wrong with these guys. Grunts are extremely
vulnerable to units that slow movement, so you might want to throw in Bloodlust
to offset that threat. Also beware of the Sorceress, as Grunts are good targets
for Polymorph. If you plan on using Grunts in the long run, research the
Berserker upgrade and Pillage. Pillage will net you some free cash if you should
ever attack an enemy building.
-=-=-=- Troll Headhunter
If you plan on using these in the long run, you must have Bloodlust. Troll
Headhunters have a horrendously slow attack and need Bloodlust to help smooth
things out. The Tauren Chieftain's Endurance aura will help as well. Researching
Troll Regeneration will help to make sure that your trolls are always at full
health when a battle is due to come. Without Bloodlust, these trolls will not
stand a chance against air units, even though they ARE anti-air.
-=-=-=- Troll Berserker
A much needed upgrade to the headhunters, the Berserkers improve upon their
weaker brothers in every conceivable way. Besides the obvious statistical
improvements, the new ability to increase attack speed is helpful, although
dangerous if used carelessly.
-=-=-=- Demolisher
Oh, these things are bloody annoying, aggravating, irritating, etc. if you are
on the receiving end of these. It has now become customary for Orc players to
use these bad butt machines as focus fire death bringers. Don't be surprised
when your level seven hero falls in less than five seconds during a battle. That
flaming the ground stuff doesn't add much to the fun either. However, this
threat mainly exists in team games. Demolishers are less bothersome in solo
games, where their slow movement and large collision size play a bigger part in
their vulnerability. With no allied armies in the way, they are much easier to
flank and kill.
-=-=-=- Raider
Some people like him, some people hate him, some think he is effective, and some
think he is useless.
Frankly, if you suck, you will find them useless. Allied games probably prove to
be a better situation for their use if you suck. Raiders can be amazing in solo
games if used to their full potential. Ensnare is probably their main selling
point. Having a bunch of Raiders means you can net a bunch of units in a short
amount of time. Great for biting the enemy in the butt when they attempt to
flee. Using Ensnare over and over again on an enemy hero will guarantee their
demise. Their ability to Pillage will net you some free cash; the problem is
finding a good opportunity. Look for undefended towns and expansions. When
fleeing, use Ensnare to help you get away unscathed. An interesting application
for the Raiders is to use them versus Human Steam Tanks. They will junk them and
send them to the salvage yard in no time with the Raider's Siege damage versus
the Steam Tank's Fortified armor. If you feel your Human ally is up to the
challenge, have him use invisible with your raiders. If no Human ally is around,
try playing around with a Goblin Zeppelin.
-=-=-=- Tauren
The strongest purchasable melee unit in the game (out of all the playable races
anyway). Tauren are guaranteed to tear through the enemy front lines. Unless of
course they have been possessed, had their movement speed slowed, been blown
into the air by a whirlwind, or turned into a sheep. But, other than those few
instances, Tauren are a force to be reckoned with. Watch as the massive amount
of Tier 1 melee units fall by your hoof.
-=-=-=- Shaman
Ah, the Orc Shaman. The primary Orc spell caster.
Let's start out by going over his Purge spell. This spell has three uses. The
first, removing beneficial spells from an enemy unit (while at the same time
slowing their movement speed). The second is removing negative spells from your
units. This is less useful, given that you could also remove Bloodlust from your
units and the fact that their movement speed will be slowed. So only use it on
your own units if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages (for example, the
Undead spell Cripple was placed on one of your units). It seems like they might
have removed the slow effect on allied units on one of the patches, but I can't
remember for sure. So either take what I just said to heart, or ignore it. The
third is probably the most useful, and that is using Purge to catch enemy units
attempting to run away.
The Shaman's second spell, Lightning Shield, is a difficult spell to use. Only
use this spell if the damage on enemy units outweighs the damage received by
your units. You have three choices when casting Lightning Shield. The first
choice you have is to cast it on your front line troops. Generally, it is better
to cast Lightning Shield on Tauren or the Tauren Chieftain (as opposed to the
smaller units). You could also do this with Raiders I suppose, but they usually
aren't the front line troops. The reason you want to cast Lightning Shield on
large units is so that the damage from the shield is spread out on the most
enemy units possible (given that most of the time large sized units will be
attacked by multiple enemy melee units). This of course will be less effective
if your opponent chooses to use large sized units as well (or chooses to use
many ranged units).
The second option you have when using Lightning Shield is to cast it on the
enemy's front line troops. This is normally less effective than casting it on
your own front line troops, but it has its moments. Again, do this only if you
are using large sized units (like Tauren), so that the damage taken by your
units will be far less than the damage the enemy takes (assuming they have small
sized units). A good time to cast Lightning Shield on the enemy front line
troops is before their troops make contact with your troops (examples include:
they are sitting idle, they are charging you). Doing this will allow you to do
damage to their troops with the shield before their troops can get close enough
to damage your troops (with the shield). Basically this means that during the
short time the Lightning Shield lasts, it will do more damage to their troops.
The third, and less hazardous option, is to cast it on the enemy's ranged units
(behind the front lines). Doing this will damage his ranged troops (obviously),
but allow your troops to not take friendly damage from the shield. This is
probably the easiest way to use the shield.
The last, and most famous, spell the Orc Shaman wields is Bloodlust. The fact
that this is an auto cast spell makes it pointless to elaborate on the uses of
this spell, so I will not bother. However, now that I think about it, turn the
auto cast feature for Bloodlust on only when you are engaged in a large-scale
battle. Leave it off the rest of the time. Doing this will prevent you from
wasting mana if your army comes upon an enemy scout. Your mana pool is needed in
a large-scale battle; it is not needed to take out a lone unit.
-=-=-=- Witch Doctor
The secondary Orc spell caster.
Place sentry wards at key enemy paths. Good opportunities to do this arise when
your army is creeping, clearing an expansion, attacking the enemy, or is simply
on the move. Before engaging an enemy in battle (in other words, you are about
to fight the enemy in a few seconds), place a sentry ward on the ground behind
your army. If you lose, this will allow you to see what his army does (if he
retreats or attacks). If you win, it will act as a precautionary measure and
allow you to see anything that heads in the general direction of your base.
Stasis wards are extremely useful. With the 1.03 patch making them not have an
effect on allied units, you can now place them in the middle of battle. However,
the amount of time that they last in the battle before successfully activating
is dependent upon the position they are placed on. Putting them in the middle of
enemy troops sounds like a good idea, but they will quickly die off. A better
place to put them would be behind the front lines. Although the stasis ward's
area of effect range makes it so that a ranged unit will almost always be able
to attack them, this is okay. Cast your wards so that it places them in awkward
positions next to your units, making it harder for the enemy to target or
recognize them. If your opponent doesn't have any ranged units, you are very
privileged and will prosper.
Healing wards, having a mere 5 HP, are frail devices. Do not fret though,
placement is key. Healing wards have a rather large area of effect, so they can
generally be set up in safer positions than a stasis ward. Set down a healing
ward so that it just barely is in range to heal your front line troops. There is
no need to place it any further, as that will just make it more vulnerable.
After battle healing is also a good application for the use of the healing ward.
-=-=-=- Spirit Walker
I find these to be a mixed bag. I don't really like their ability to shift in
and out of ethereal form, simply because when they aren't solid, they can't
attack and do damage. They can't take damage either, but I find it more
beneficial to have as much damage as possible being done in a battle. Linking
units together to share damage is helpful, especially in allied games, where
hopefully other spells will be in effect. Raising Tauren is a giant bonus,
given that Tauren cost so much. Just make sure to keep track of the corpses.
Disenchant is basically the same as the Human Priest's Dispel, so use it in the
same way. As always, the area of effect advantage this spell gives is always
helpful.
-=-=-=- Kodo Beast
I think that these beasts are mandatory in battle. More so when allies are
present. Their aura will help immensely. While a little damage added to each
unit might not sound like much, if you add it all up it comes out to be quite an
impressive amount of extra damage being dealt to the enemy. If you are worried
about losing your precious Kodo Beast, you can build two of them, but two of
these beasts take up 8 food, which isn't practical. That 4 food would be better
fed to someone else. Besides, it should be easy to micro manage your Kodo Beast
a bit to keep him alive. Disregard what I just said if multiple allies are
present, because you will need two beasts to make sure the aura is spread out
among your units and your friendly allied units. If any enemy units get close
enough or try to attack your beast, then order him to gobble them up with
Devour. Using multiple Kodo Beasts just for Devour can make for interesting
battles. It can be a bit cumbersome though.
-=-=-=- Wind Rider
Wind Riders die fast. That's okay though, because this is balanced out with the
high amount of damage they dish out to enemies. To maximize a Wind Rider's
effectiveness and overall efficiency, you need to... yep, you guessed it... use
Bloodlust. If the enemy sees that you are using Wind Riders before you are able
to build some, he will either stop you immediately with massive amounts of Tier
1 units, or he will pre-plan and build units that counter Wyvern Riders. In
either situation, I think it's safe to say you are screwed.
-=-=-=- Troll Batrider
Although having siege damage might seem quite limiting on this unit, it isn't,
given his other abilities. Knocking out casters is one choice of action...
although this function would probably be better handled by demolishers. Another
function is building destruction, which is further optimized by the Liquid Fire
upgrade. Lastly, is anti-air. Now, the way in which this is used my be helpful
for you, or it may not. It depends a lot on your playing style (although some
would argue that sticking to your playing style shows weakness).
________________________________________________________________________________
[4]Night Elves[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
-=-=-=- Demon Hunter
Easily one of the most powerful heroes in the game. This darned blind man can
dish out lots of damage, especially once he reaches the second half of his level
ascension. Mana Burn will rip through and pacify any magic based hero.
Immolation will secure the Demon Hunter's place on the front line. Evasion will
ensure his survival during battle. If allowed to reach level six, it is fairly
safe to say that the game is over, especially in solo games.
-=-=-=- Keeper of the Grove
Dangerous, if used right. Negligible, if used wrong. Entangling Roots is an
excellent tool for isolating enemy units from their battle groups. Equally
useful is its ability to trap fleeing units after a battle. That's money out of
the enemy's pocket. Force of Nature is a great asset during the heat of battle.
Especially later in the game when many Treants can be summoned at a time. The
Thorns aura is essentially the opposite of the Dread Lord's aura. So if you see
an Undead player with a Dread Lord using an aura, you can cancel out the effects
of that aura.
-=-=-=- Treant
Weak, at best. Even so, their assistance during battle is helpful. They deal a
small amount of damage to the enemy, but they also serve as a damage taker. It
might seem insignificant, but it is better to have damage be done to units that
cost nothing, as opposed to units that do cost resources.
-=-=-=- Priestess of the Moon
Deceiving in appearance, as well as attributes. Some tout her as weak and
feeble, while others swear by her prowess. Depends on what you do as a player,
and the circumstances of the game being played. If you have allies, the
Priestess is wonderful to have around. Her aura is of great help. If you are in
a solo or free for all game, her usefulness is dependent on what you build. More
often than not, you will be helped by her aura. As for her skills, Owl Scout
provides great intelligence on the enemy, and Searing Arrows can build up to
very significant damage when combined with certain items.
-=-=-=- Owl Scout
Recast often when you don't have any idea what the enemy is up to. That is the
worst case scenario, when you don't know what the enemy is doing.
-=-=-=- Warden
I like the warden for the simple reason that she allows an acceptable
alternative to the Demon Hunter. Fan of Knives is a very nice crowd control
skill, and can eliminate certain enemies instantly at later levels. Blink
provides a nice and easy way to escape from danger, and is practically unlimited
in its use at level three. Shadow Strike is an excellent hero killing skill,
especially during the course of a battle. Comes in handy when the enemy is
fleeing too, as it slows a unit down to a crawl.
-=-=-=- Avatar of Vengeance
Not terribly powerful, its real power lies not in its statistics, but rather its
powerful skill. Let it do its work to create...
-=-=-=- Spirit of Vengeance
...the Spirit of Vengeance. Certainly not powerful, but due to the rapid
appearance of these spirits on the field of war, they more then make up for it
in numbers.
-=-=-=- Night Elf Hero Solo Creeping
The Keeper of the Grove is probably the best hero to solo creep with the elves.
His ability to call forth Treants will provide a shield to his HP. So long as
there are trees nearby. The Demon Hunter would be your second choice. Immolation
and Evasion are great against creeps. The Warden is also well suited for this
purpose. The priestess will not fare well, as is evident.
-=-=-=- Wisp
Nothing much to say about these. If an enemy hero rushes you, and the hero
targets your wisps, have the wisps use Detonate before they die. At least then
you won't give him free experience. If it's still fairly early in the game, when
no one has access to any dispel spells yet, you can use wisps to substitute
while waiting. For example, this becomes REQUIRED when in an eight player team
game and the opposing team decides to build four farseers with wolves. Yeah,
definitely required in situations like that.
-=-=-=- Archer
I believe Archers to be the best anti-air unit. In massive numbers these women
warriors can tear through any amount of air units. With the benefit of the
Priestess of the Moon's Trueshot aura, you can make the archers even more
effective at anti-air. If the enemy employs the use of melee troops, it would be
wise to have some sort of damage sponge handy, or be adept at pulling back hurt
units.
-=-=-=- Huntress
Huntresses are exceptional units. They fair especially well against massive
amounts of weak units, due to their bouncing attack. Be wary of enemy Tier 3
melee units though, because they will easily tear through Huntresses. Research
their owl ability as quickly as possible. Intelligence based around enemy
movements or expansions is quite easy using Huntress owls. They have gone
through a lot of degrading in the update patches, but they still prove to be
useful time and time again... to a lesser extent.
-=-=-=- Glaive Thrower
Not particularly useful in skirmishes (being a siege unit), but its handy to
bring a couple along to support an attack. Use Glaive Throwers to take out the
enemy's static defenses. Glaive Throwers are probably the least effective of all
the racial siege units. Although this unit does give the night elves a slight
advantage, just because you can build this siege unit at Tier 1.
-=-=-=- Dryads
Dryads are okay as a piercing damage unit, but that is not their sole purpose.
Their ability to slow enemy units is probably the most beneficial reason to have
them around. With this, melee units will approach slowly, and you can be sure
that enemy units will have a hard time escaping your grasp. The Abolish Magic
spell is novel, however it falls short in effectiveness. In a quick battle, it
is most useful assuming your units can do more damage than your opponent's units
without their magic in the balance. In a long battle this ability will prove to
be ineffective, as most of the time the enemy's spell casters will have more
mana, which allows them to cast their magic more than the Dryad can cast Abolish
Magic. The poison damage the Dryad does is just an extra flare. It shouldn't
make a significant difference, but it is good to have.
-=-=-=- Druid of the Wind
Fairie Fire is a good spell. Negative five defense on enemy units is great. It
can also be used as a way of spying on the enemy. Running a druid up and having
him cast it a few times (then run away) will allow you to see what the enemy
sees for a good two minutes. Whirlwind is another good spell. Taking an enemy
unit completely out of play for ten seconds is wonderful. Removing crucial
support units or buff expensive units can win a battle. The ability to transform
into a raven is an effective means of destroying air units, spying, and
escaping.
If you combine the use of the raven ability and Fairie Fire, you can perform an
interesting method of spying. Turn a druid into a raven and fly it to an area
you wish to spy on. Make him turn back into a druid form and turn Fairie Fire on
auto cast. If any enemy units are nearby, you will be able to see through their
eyes for a good two minutes. Not the most useful method of gathering information
on the enemy's status and position, but it does have its moments. Inaccessible
areas or areas blocked off by the enemy are good examples.
-=-=-=- Druid of the Claw
When not in bear form, this guy requires a little micro management due to his
lack of an auto cast spell. In large numbers, have all of them in bear form
except for two or three (maybe more if you have allies). This way you can cast
spells easily. Always use Roar before a battle begins. When the Roar spell wears
off, cast it again. Rejuvenation is a very powerful spell. Cast it on near dead
units such as your heroes, allied heroes, and any expensive units. Oh yeah, in
bear form he makes a good Tier 3 melee unit too. Things that come attached to
any Tier 3 unit, are the vulnerabilities. So watch out for sheep and stuff.
-=-=-=- Mountain Giant
Obvious uses include tank and damage sponge. Don't build Mountain Giants because
of their damage (as it is pretty much negligible to their cost), but build them
for their ability to take damage. The Taunt ability will lend strength to their
goal of taking damage, as it will draw enemy units away from your more
vulnerable units. Do keep in mind that an enemy may choose to focus fire the
giant and leave your other units vulnerable.
-=-=-=- Hippogryph
The Hippogryph is an all-out, pure anti-air unit, being that he can't attack the
ground. If you see an enemy air unit attack coming, build some of these along
with Archers or Dryads. Hippogryphs are also a most valuable escort for your
Chimaeras.
-=-=-=- Hippogryph Rider
Certainly not the best air unit, but useful nonetheless. If you happen to not
upgrade anything in the creature side of the tech tree, Hippogryph Riders make a
good alternative to the other Night Elf air units. Mixing a few in with
Huntresses and Archers makes for a good combination.
-=-=-=- Faerie Dragon
A deceiving unit at first, but powerful in the end. To really understand how
powerful this unit can be, you'd have to see it in action. Basically, all you
need to do with these things is put them over enemy casters, then activate Mana
Flare. After that, watch as the enemy casters fall as their hit points are
rapidly depleted (this has the same effect on enemy heroes as well).
-=-=-=- Chimaera
All ground units quiver at the sight of the Chimaera. All air units delight at
the sight of the Chimaera. Knowing this, you should know how to counter
Chimaeras... and how to protect your Chimaeras. If you plan on attacking an
enemy base, research the Corrosive Breath upgrade. If you feel daring, you
should have a lone Chimaera attack an enemy's expansion or main base while your
army fights his. No doubt he will be in a bad position if he was too
________________________________________________________________________________
[5]Undead[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][
-=-=-=- Death Knight
When unsure of which hero to choose, get the Death Knight. His versatile skills
can help out in most any situation. Death Coil, while obviously being able to
hit the enemy, can also heal one of your units for a whopping six hundred hit
points. The Death Knight can also become a speed demon with his aura. This makes
him a highly deadly scout when combined with Death Coil, as you can quickly
eliminate enemy workers. Death Pact is his less used skill, mainly due to
ignorance, and the fact that it is less versatile and helpful than his other two
skills. Death Pact is probably only good when used to deter the enemy from focus
firing on the Death Knight. This WILL be counter productive if you don't have
any skeletons available from Necromancers or Rods of Necromancy.
-=-=-=- Dread Lord
The melee troop supplement. His aura will help, but keep in mind it is
percentage based, so it will help Abominations more than it will Ghouls. Carrion
Swarm is a good spell, just make sure you line it up correctly when you activate
it. Sleep is a situation dependent spell, so take that into consideration when
deciding if you should use it or not. You may vie to use a less dependent spell
if the game calls for it. One very good plus to Sleep though is that you can pop
a bunch Sleeps out one after another by the time you get it to level three.
-=-=-=- Infernal
What can I say? These guys are tough. REALLY tough. Don't be surprised if they
disappear quickly in a big battle though. They tend to be focus fired the second
they land (well, in team games anyway).
-=-=-=- Lich
It is advisable to stay away from the Lich if you suck. He requires a fair
amount of prowess with WarCraft III to wield him effectively. Especially if you
choose him as a first hero. With that said, the Lich can be a good hero. Frost
Nova is definitely the Lich's bread and butter spell. Target a group of enemy
units for the most desirable results. Frost Armor can be effective with the
right units. If your army is mainly composed of Ghouls, don't bother. On the
other hand, if it's Abominations you have, go for it. Dark Ritual, like Death
Pact for the Death Knight, is rarely seen. And like Death Pact, it is advisable
to only make use of it if you plan of having skeletons during the course of the
game.
-=-=-=- Crypt Lord
A tank, to say the least. Impale offers an excellent stun skill, equally useful
in the middle of battle and after a battle, to catch fleeing enemy units.
Carrion Beetles will provide invaluable support, especially in the early game.
A lot of units can be acquired quickly with the addition of these beetles.
Spiked Carapace is definitely a useful skill, especially for this hero, as it
allows him to be in the most dangerous of places during a battle.
-=-=-=- Carrion Beetle
Weak individually, but they do provide fairly significant assistance once you
acquire five of them. Taking damage away from your costly units is always
helpful.
-=-=-=- Undead Hero Solo Creeping
Obviously, the only Undead hero capable of performing this task would be the
Crypt Lord. All other heroes require help from other units. Which defeats the
purpose of solo creeping.
-=-=-=- Acolyte
The undead worker... actually, I believe he isn't really undead, he is just
serving his master, the lich king. But anyway... if it looks like a building is
sure to die during a battle, don't try to repair it, just de-summon it so that
you can attempt to salvage some resources. Unless it's a particularly important
building, then you should try to repair it. Interesting tidbit to note is that
the acolyte is the strongest worker out of all the races (in terms of worthiness
during battle). This isn't taking into account militia, burrows, or detonate
though...
-=-=-=- Ghoul
The cheap little undead Ghoul is probably the most efficient unit out of all the
races, if you factor in its low gold cost and all the upgrades it has available
to it. Great units for creeping, because you can eat the creeps' corpses after
you defeat them to regain health. Ghouls can hold their own in the long run, but
it is advised that they have some other unit types backing them up.
-=-=-=- Crypt Fiend
Even if you don't plan on researching any of the creature upgrades, it would be
a good idea to bring about two or three of these spider things along for their
Web ability, just in case you run into some air units (creeps or otherwise). The
piercing damage might come in handy anyway. It won't falter your path of
ascension for your build order that much.
-=-=-=- Gargoyle
The Gargoyle is a wonderful anti-air unit. At the first sign of mass air units,
begin making Gargoyles. Its stone form ability makes for a good damage sponge as
well. Just pay attention to the details, and when one Gargoyle appears to be
focus fired, turn him into stone.
-=-=-=- Abomination
These monstrous undead corpse men are good at making corpses for the
Necromancers. Have a Dread Lord provide his aura during battle. Then have your
Necromancers cast Unholy Frenzy on your Abominations. Works wonders.
-=-=-=- Meat Wagon
I don't know, Meat Wagons are okay I suppose. The whole corpse picking up thing
is interesting, but in reality is difficult to utilize to its full potential.
The disease cloud upgrade is okay, it helps a little bit. A very little bit
though.
-=-=-=- Obsidian Statue
At this point, Obsidian Statue have probably become a given part of any undead
army. They add much capability to your forces, as well as your allies, if you
have any.
-=-=-=- Destroyer
A powerful anti-caster unit. Can be a powerful general destruction unit too, if
used correctly. Use its ability to eat up magical buffs and debuffs and watch as
his damage output increases substantially. Without this added damage, he most
likely wouldn't be that useful. One thing to note is that he is magic immune.
-=-=-=- Necromancer
The Necromancer... misused by scrubs everywhere.
The Raise Skeleton spell will most likely be the spell you see come out of this
guy the most (depending on your level of play). It is also the most easily
countered, especially for human players. Dispel type spells will obliterate
skeletons in no time. Even Abolish Magic and Purge can keep up with the
skeletons at a rate almost comparable to the Priest's Dispel Magic, all it takes
is a little micro management. Just make sure you cast fast enough so that the
skeletons never grow to the point where the situation gets out of hand. If you
choose to go for skeletons, make sure to research the proper upgrades. One
obvious and needed upgrade would be the addition of skeletal mages.
Unholy Frenzy and Cripple are the most powerful of the buff and de-buff spells.
Cast Unholy Frenzy on heroes, allied heroes, and high damage units. Does a
wonder on the enemy forces. Likewise, cast Cripple on the enemy's most powerful
units. You can cast Cripple on enemy heroes, but I wouldn't suggest it because
it only lasts for 10 seconds on heroes (as opposed to the 60-second normal
duration). If the enemy hero happens to be at level 7 or higher, then I would
suggest casting Cripple on that hero. Heroes can become quite powerful at those
levels. Unholy Frenzy and Cripple, being spells that aren't auto cast and are
only effective on certain specific units, means that you won't see many of these
spells in effect at any one given time during battle. Which means that it will
be a simple matter to dispel these spells. Keep that in mind.
-=-=-=- Banshee
Curse is great. It pretty much eliminates 33% of all the enemy's attacks. A good
spell to have during battle. Anti-Magic Shell is a unique spell. If you don't
plan on using any buffs on your units (example: you are just using the Banshee)
and your enemy is using de-buffs on your units, Anti-Magic Shell is for you.
Possession is an interesting spell. Summed up, it basically subtracts one unit
from the enemy. Not effective in the long run (due to no research available...
if it's not an Undead unit), but effective in battle and immediately after
battle (attacking enemy base). When choosing a unit to possess, make sure the
costs of that unit are more than the Banshee costs. Possessing a Footman, for
example, is not economical, as the opponent only losses a measly amount of gold
while you lose more gold and some lumber.
-=-=-=- Frost Wyrm
I don't have much to say about these dead lizards. However, I would like to
notify some and remind others the application of its Freezing Breath. When
attacking an enemy's base (an Undead base especially), spread out your Frost
Wyrms' attacks so that they are firing at each defensive structure separately.
Don't make them focus fire on a single defensive structure at a time. If you are
able to fire at all the defensive structures at the same time: you have managed
to cut off all the damage potential that those structures have. If you
concentrate on one defensive structure at a time, you are allowing your dragons
to take damage from the surrounding structures. Plan ahead.
-=-=-=- Shade
Use them. Use them as soon as possible. Just try not to spend too much of your
time moving them around the battlefield... just put them on patrol mode.
________________________________________________________________________________
[6]Neutral[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
-=-=-=- Naga Sea Witch
Definitely a key unit if you plan on specifically concentrating on enemy heroes,
or particularly expensive units. This is primarily due to the Frost Arrows skill
possessed by the sea witch, which allows her to snag an enemy unit trying to run
away from any harm. Forked Lighting proves to be a good multiple target spell,
nice on large inexpensive groups as well as small gold heavy forces. Mana Shield
would undoubtedly be the sea witch's less useful spell. Its uses are limited to
a very narrow margin of opportunity, but can save her from focus fire.
-=-=-=- Dark Ranger
An unusual array of varied skills for one unit. Versatile hero for sure. Silence
is easily useful in battles of any size, as taking away a unit's ability to cast
spells is invaluable. A good substitute if you don't wish to build any anti-
caster units. The Black Arrow skill, while more limited and specialized, is a
wonderful skill to have at work during a battle. Having skeletal minions appear
in the enemy ranks will sway a battle in your favor. Life Drain is definitely
the most general purpose of all the Dark Ranger's skills, and as such should be
used as often as possible in battle. Keep in mind a skilled enemy will micro
manage an affected unit out of the Life Drain's range. Compensate.
-=-=-=- Dark Minion
Basically a regular front line melee trooper. Can become quite powerful at level
three, not in an individual aspect, but in terms of numbers along with the
individual aspect.
-=-=-=- Pandaren Brewmaster
Suited for melee combat, although he is weak at early levels. Obviously, don't
spend points in Breath of Fire and Drunken Haze at the same time. It just
doesn't work. Do one or the other along with Drunken Brawler. Breath of Fire is
a pretty basic attack that just does damage. As a stand-alone spell, it is
most likely one of the weaker hero damage spells. Drunken Haze is an invaluable
skill to have at hand, as it becomes very powerful at level three. This spell
is best applied to units that do a large amount of damage, as opposed to support
units or units that rely on spells. Breath of Fire and Drunken Haze CAN be used
together, but you won't see favorable results until you reach higher levels.
-=-=-=- Storm Panda
A very interesting combination of spells, this unit can be used in many
different ways. Take advantage of Wind Walk, as that can allow you a superior
position on the battle field from which to cast spells from. The spell caster
of the three panda ultimates.
-=-=-=- Earth Panda
Basically a tank. Nothing special to this guy, just stick him up at the front
lines and let him go to work on the enemy. Funny looking dude too.
-=-=-=- Fire Panda
The damage inflicting guru of the panda ultimates. Put him up at the front lines
as well, just don't put him in as vulnerable a spot as you would put the Earth
Panda in. He's only got 900 hit points.
-=-=-=- Beastmaster
One of the most controversial heroes ever conceived. As well as over used. A
tired strategy to be sure. However... well, we won't delve into that any
further. Anyway, the Beastmaster is used by many players as their first hero.
Mainly due to his extremely versatile nature. He does it all. His skills are
self explanatory, so I will not delve too deeply into their applications.
Basically, use whatever skill you know that will supplement your army's
shortcomings. The bear is a heavy melee unit, the pigs are ranged units, and the
hawk is an air unit. Just pick one that you know you will lack in your army.
-=-=-=- Bear
Obviously the Bear is just a simple tank, but do note that at level three he
gains the ability to teleport, which has some interesting potential.
-=-=-=- Quilbeast
Your basic ranged unit. Damage potential is increased at level three, with the
introduction of the Frenzy skill, which is basically Bloodlust on self.
-=-=-=- Hawk
Like the other Beastmaster summons, the Hawk is a pretty straightforward unit.
Just an air unit. Only notable thing to mention is that at level three it gains
the ability to turn invisible when not attacking. Excellent for sneaking up on
that enemy Undead's Obsidian Statue and knocking it out.
-=-=-=- Pit Lord
The Pit Lord is my favorite neutral hero, no question about it. I tend to lean
toward area of effect spells, so naturally I'm going to favor the Pit Lord's
Rain of Fire spell. If accuracy isn't your best attribute, then go for the Pit
Lord's Howl of Terror. Very useful if used in conjunction with the Brewmaster's
Drunken Haze. As with Drunken Haze, try to target heavy damage units as opposed
to weaklings. His passive skill, Cleaving Attack, will probably end up being
your second skill, due to the Pit Lord's low mana pool.
-=-=-=- Doom Guard
What can I say? An awesome unit. Right when you can click on this mammoth unit,
immediately start casting each of his spells. Stomp, Cripple, and... what's
that... Rain of Fire! Woo-hoo! Go to town with this guy... but, don't be
surprised if he gets focus fired on and dies soon after his birth.
-=-=-=- Goblin Tinker
The new hero. I never thought they'd actually make a patch that introduced a
completely new unit... or hero for that matter. Needless to say, this guy
brings an interesting new twist to the game. Overall, he has average stats. Not
particularly adept in any one area. His skills are strange. Strange compared
to what the other heroes have. Pocket Factory is useful if you are good with
its positioning, otherwise it will go out of business faster than you'd like.
Don't put it right at the front lines, but also be careful not to place it so
far away that it loses its effectiveness. Place it so that the little
mechanical goblins have free reign on the enemy, but also in a position that
makes the enemy have to put effort into getting rid of it. Cluster Rockets is a
more straightforward spell, and is an adept way of starting out a battle. The
stun time is short, but it's enough to get your army into that much of a better
position to target specific units and get your fingers to certain spell
hotkeys. Choose one or the other, because you won't be able to afford both.
Why? Because of Engineering Upgrade. It improves both spells and slightly
increases the Goblin Tinker's melee damage. This is especially helpful when
combined with Cluster Rockets, as the added area of effect makes that spell way
more destructive. It also allows more units to be inflicted with stun. The
ultimate, Robo-Goblin, is unique. Obviously not in the "transform into mr. big
butt mode" sense, but because it makes the hero turn mechanical, which is odd.
The bonus to buildings you receive from Demolish is not to be taken lightly.
You can do a quick hit and run on the enemy's base with your army. Robo-Goblin
combined with other siege units can make quick work of any building. Another
use is if you face an undead opponent. If you have a fear of the undead hero
nuke, change into Robo-Goblin to neutralize their spells with the added
mechanical type body.
-=-=-=- The Firelord
Just when I thought introducing one new hero in a patch was completely cool and
off the wall, Blizzard goes and introduces TWO new heroes in a patch! Crazy
stuff. So, a Firelord huh? One of those guys that reigned before the Titans
ruled. Interesting. So anyways, this guy is powerful. His summons multiply like
crazy if kept alive during battles. His passive ability is just insane. It makes
focus fire kill stuff with hardly any effort at all. His other skill... I forgot
what it's called, but it's the damaging one. It's useful against units you know
you will eventually want taken out of a battle. Volcano is so-so. It's kind of a
hybrid between earthquake and blizzard. With a touch of Cluster Rockets.
-=-=-=- Goblin Alchemist
This guy is a pretty cool hero. Fat, but cool. Well... possibly skinny,
depending on who you look at. I love healing spray. It's basically the opposite
of blizzard. I'm a big fan of area of effect spells. Acid Bomb is an amazing
unit killer. Not directly of course, but in conjunction with focus fire, very
deadly. Taking away that armor is just not nice. Then there's Chemical Rage.
Lots of people don't like it, but I don't know. It's good because it really
saves your mana. It doesn't wipe it out immediately. In fact, it's nearly
impossible to use up all of your mana just using this skill. It's also an
excellent creeping skill. Transmute will net you some free cash. As well as one
less unit in the enemy's ranks. Useful in long, drawn out games.
-=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=-
Basically this section illustrates the usefulness of each creep available for
hire to each of the races during the different stages of their technology tree.
-=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=- -=-=-=-
- The Key -
T = True
F = False
-=-=-=- Ashenvale Camp
* Satyr Shadowdancer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | F | F |
+ Curse makes the Satyr Shadowdancer useful throughout the span of a game. The
Undead have Curse available at Tier 2, so this creep is less useful to them.
* Furbolg Shaman *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Rejuvenation makes the Furbolg Shaman useful throughout the span of a game.
The Night Elves receive Rejuvenation at Tier 2, so this creep is no longer
needed. The Orcs acquire Healing Ward at Tier 3, which is a better healing
spell, due to its area of effect nature.
* Thunder Lizard *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ The Orcs will find this dinosaur to be a welcome addition. Although it costs a
hearty 5 food, it makes up for that by being useful in its ability to dish out
damage and take damage. An Orc player going completely for melee units and
upgrades will be in need of a source of piercing damage.
-=-=-=- Barrens Camp
* Centaur Outrunner *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ This melee unit is useful in the early stages of the game, but will lose its
effectiveness as time goes on and enemy units begin to have more upgrades.
* Harpy Rogue *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | F | F |
+ Certainly not the best air unit, but it should make for a decent purchase if
you are looking to have a more diverse mixture of units.
* Harpy Windwitch *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ A flying unit that casts Faerie Fire. Wierd enough to be useful.
* Razormane Medicine Man *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Healing Ward and Feral Spirit make the Razormane Medicine Man a worthy ally.
Casting Feral Spirit from multiple medicine men and unleashing a few little
Spirit Pigs will stack the odds in your favor.
-=-=-=- Black Citadel/Outland Camp
* Fel Beast *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Useful unit throughout the course of a game, due to its status as basically
a beefier Ghoul. The Chaos damage is helpful against a wide variety of
targets. Orcs will find it less useful due to their many melee based units.
* Draenei Disciple *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Although weak, this unit does have a relatively high damage output for its
size. For this reason it could be a good alternative to the Human's priest.
* Voidwalker *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Cold Arrows are useful any day. Catching fleeing enemies are great.
* Draenei Darkslayer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ These guys are great crowd control units. The enemy like mass ghouls? Bring
these guys out and turn on Immolation.
-=-=-=- Cityscape/Dalaran/Dalaran Ruins Camp
* Rogue *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | F | F |
+ Not a bad unit, considering its price tag of only 150 gold. Your ghouls and
footmen will quickly surpass it in effectiveness though with the addition of
upgrades.
* Assassin *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ A pretty good piercing damage unit. Night Elf players will quickly find them
useless, while the Humans and the Undead will find them useful until Tier 3
technologies. Orc players will discover the assassin to be an effective addition
regardless of what stage in the game.
* Kobold Geomancer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Slow justifies the purchase of this creep. At Tier 3, the Humans are no longer
in need of him due to the Sorceress surpassing him in usefulness.
* Forest Troll High Priest *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Excellent support unit. Heal, Abolish Magic, and Inner Fire... great spells.
-=-=-=- Dragon Roost
* Dragon Whelp *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | F | F |
+ Besides the very beginning, this unit isn't worth hiring. If you are buying
dragons just for the sake of having air, then I suppose it's worth it...
* Drake *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ Overall, a good solid purchase. A race's natural air unit will surpass these
quickly with upgrades however.
* Dragon *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Dragons are the ultimate unit. Don't get too overly cocky however. Brute
force in the air doesn't beat massed anti-air.
-=-=-=- Dungeon Camp
* Burning Archer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ With Searing Arrows on, this unit dishes out a good amount of damage for a 2
food supply cost. Throw in a buff and a helpful aura and this unit will greatly
aid your forces in battle.
* Kobold Geomancer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ See above note for Kobold Geomancer in Cityscape/Dalaran Camp.
* Owlbear *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ A decent unit... works well in the beginning of the game.
-=-=-=- Felwood Camp
* Murloc Flesheater *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ Eat corpses without having to be undead. Not a particularly strong unit, but
healing in between battle makes him last a while.
* Sludge Flinger *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Slow. Human players will find the Sorceress more suitable at Tier 3.
* Satyr Soulstealer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Animate Dead and Mana Burn are welcome additions to an arsenal.
-=-=-=- Icecrown Glacier Camp
* Blue Dragonspawn Meddler *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | T | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ It's an okay unit. Not particularly powerful in any specific way.
* Polar Furbolg Shaman *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Having Frost Armor at your disposal is helpful. Units last much longer.
* Barbed Arachnathid *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | F |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Helpful little guy. Best used in bulk. Only one food cost.
* Magnataur Warrior *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ A big tank. Orcs will find him less useful as upgrades progress.
-=-=-=- Goblin Laboratory
* Goblin Sapper *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Blow up stuff. Useful unit when trying to take out an expansion quickly.
* Goblin Zeppelin *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Transport to inaccessible places. Necessary for those sneaky attacks.
* Goblin Shredder *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ The shredder of lumber. Also makes a great melee unit.
-=-=-=- Lordaeron Fall Camp
* Gnoll Brute *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | F | F | F |
Orc | F | F | F |
Night Elf| F | F | F |
Undead | F | F | F |
+ Not worth the cost.
* Gnoll Warden *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Purge will provide the Undead army with a means to slow opponents and quickly
damage summoned units.
* Ogre Magi *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Bloodlust. The reasoning behind this should be quite obvious.
* Mud Golem *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Weak unit, good spell, strong in numbers.
-=-=-=- Lordaeron Summer Camp
* Forest Troll Shadow Priest *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Even with the Shadow Priest's low mana pool, Heal will prove to be useful in
and out of battle. The Priest and Healing Ward will provide the Humans and Orcs
with a more efficient means of healing.
* Forest Troll Berserker *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ Not a bad unit. If you happen to be a melee heavy Orc player, it would be wise
to purchase these whenever the chance appears.
* Mud Golem *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Weak unit, good spell, strong in numbers.
* Ogre Mauler *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ Ogre Maulers are great melee units. Buy them every time the opportunity
arises, especially if you lack melee troops.
-=-=-=- Lordaeron Winter Camp
* Ice Troll Trapper *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Ensnare makes having the Troll Trapper justifiable, especially for the Orcs.
* Ice Troll Berserker *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ Not a bad unit. If you happen to be a melee heavy Orc player, it would be wise
to purchase these whenever the chance appears (same as Forest Troll Berserker).
* Mud Golem *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Weak unit, good spell, strong in numbers.
* Gnoll Overseer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Not a very good unit, but the Command aura more than makes up for that.
-=-=-=- Northrend Camp
* Nerubian Warrior *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ At first glance, 200 gold is very expensive for such a terrible unit. At first
glance, mind you. Bring it into battle and you will soon find out that you are
actually paying 200 gold for three units. Once the Nerubian Warrior dies in
battle, it unleashes two smaller Nerubians that continue to fight. So that's why
the description mentioned them carrying their young into battle...
* Ice Troll Berserker *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ See above description in Lordaeron Winter Camp.
* Nerubian Webspinner *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ One of the most over used mercenaries I have ever seen. Useful at all levels.
* Frost Revenant *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Blizzard? He has Blizzard? Awesome!
-=-=-=- Sunken Ruins Camp
* Giant Sea Turtle *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Excellent unit. High damage output, but easy to kill.
* Makrura Snapper *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | F |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ An okay unit. There probably are better racial alternatives.
* Mur'gul Snarecaster *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | F | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Good little spellcaster. Except for the humans, access to Slow is nice.
* Makrura Deepseer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Access to two hero spells. Two good spells at that.
-=-=-=- Underground Camp
* Skeletal Marksman *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Great unit. Think of it as a "Dryad" that's available to everyone.
* Kobold Geomancer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ See above note for Kobold Geomancer in Cityscape/Dalaran Camp.
* Owlbear *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | F | F |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ See description in Dungeon Camp.
-=-=-=- Village/Village Fall Camp
* Assassin *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | F | F |
Undead | T | T | F |
+ See description in Cityscape/Dalaran Camp.
* Kobold *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ The Kobold is a good unit, taking into consideration its 1 food supply cost
and mere 75 gold cost. Kobolds are effective en masse, if that's even possible.
* Kobold Geomancer *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | F |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ See above note for Kobold Geomancer in Cityscape/Dalaran Camp.
* Murloc Huntsman *
Tier 1? Tier 2? Tier 3?
Human | T | T | T |
Orc | T | T | T |
Night Elf| T | T | T |
Undead | T | T | T |
+ Definitely a weak unit, however, ensnare is useful.
________________________________________________________________________________
[7]Other Junk[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][
Acknowledgements and Thanks:
SoulCaliburGod
- Grunt is 200 gold, not 235 gold (error)
- Spirit Walkers have an AOE dispel (didn't point it out)
- Raiders like Goblin Transports (option for players)
Note to those that wish to contact me:
Please only e-mail me if you would like to notify me of mistakes contained
within this document. When I say mistakes, I mean technical mistakes and word
misspellings, not what you think I did wrong with a certain strategy. That would
be your opinion, not a mistake in this document. Just keep that in mind please.
If you would really like to e-mail me about my opinions in this document, please
do so in an intelligent manner. I welcome feedback from outside viewpoints, so
long as that feedback is well thought out.
**Contacting me...
Go to the contact page here:
http://jesse.digital-blue.org/
**For those that are curious...
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http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/11250.html/
I would like to thank...
Myself, for being a WarCraft III partner.
You, for bothering to come here and read this.
This document is copyright 2004 Jesterjj. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of this document is prohibited without consent from the author.
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