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Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne

Orc FAQ

Tim "Velmarg" Smith

Copyright 2003-2004

Last updated March 18, 2004



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Table of Contents
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I. Introduction and Contact Information
II. Orc Heroes
A. Tauren Chieftain
A1. Shockwave
A2. War Stomp
A3. Endurance Aura
A4. Reincarnation
B. Far Seer
B1. Chain Lightning
B2. Far Sight
B3. Feral Spirit
B4. Earthquake
C. Blademaster
C1. Wind Walk
C2. Mirrored Image
C3. Critical Strike
C4. Bladestorm
D. Shadow Hunter
D1. Healing Wave
D2. Hex
D3. Serpent Ward
D4. Big Bad Voodoo

III. Units
A. Peon
B. Grunt
C. Troll Headhunter/Berserker
D. Raider
E. Kodo Beast
F. Troll Batrider
G. Wind Rider
H. Shaman
H1. Purge
H2. Lightning Shield
H3. Bloodlust
I. Troll Witch Doctor
I1. Sentry Ward
I2. Stasis Trap
I3. Healing Ward
J. Spirit Walker
J1. Spirit Link
J2. Disenchant
J3. Ancestral Spirit
K. Demolisher
L. Tauren

IV. Structures
A. Great Hall
B. Altar of Storms
C. Barracks
D. War Mill
E. Tauren Totem
F. Spirit Lodge
G. Beastiary
H. Orc Burrow
I. Watch Tower
J. Voodoo Lounge

V. Harassing Strategies
A. Blademaster
B. Far Seer

VI. Building Orders
A. Velmarg's Build Order
B. Acidslayer57's Build Order

VII. General Strategies
A. Grunts and Casters
B. Grunts and Headhunters/Berserkers
C. Tauren and Casters
D. Mass Wind Riders
E. Grunts and Raiders
F. Hero Combos (Coming Soon...)

VIII. Team Strategies
A. Two on Two
a. Orc and Night Elf
i. Grunts and Archers
ii. Tauren/Casters - MGs/Dryads
iii. Tauren - Chims
iv. Raiders - Archers
b. Orc and Human
i. Grunts - Rifles
c. Orc and Undead
i. Grunts - Fiends
d. Orc and Orc
i. Mass Grunts



IX. Credits



Update
----------------------
March 18 '04: Not much of an update. Threw in a few contributions, and updated
the contact information section. Anyone that has anything they'd like to
contribute to this FAQ should see the Introduction and Contact Information
section, as I've made a few changes.

May 23 '04: More of an "I'm still alive" update than anything else. Added some
contributed stuff. Planning on making a major update in the coming weeks.


Introduction and Contact Information
----------------------------------------
This is my first FAQ, so bare with me if the set-up is a little shaky. The Orcs
are my favorite race in WC3, primarily because of their unmatched melee power.
Their ranged and air capabilities are nothing to get excited about, but when
you've got units like the powerful Grunt, the beefy Tauren, and the excellent
orcish casters, those seem like minor set-backs. This FAQ explains all of the
orc units, structures, and abilities in detail, and I'll give my personal view
on the capabilities of each. Might throw in some strategies for good measure.

As for submissions, I apologize to anyone who e-mailed me and never had their
strategies or tips posted. It wasn't because I didn't think what you sent was
useful; it's because I'm a lazy schmuck and I don't check my e-mail as often as
I should with a FAQ like this posted. That being said, if you want to submit
something to the FAQ, I'd prefer that you do it directly by sending me an
instant message on AIM at Link1893. Now that I've gotten back into the swing
of things here, I'll probably be a little more watchful of what goes into my
inbox, so if you can't get ahold of me on AIM, you can go ahead and e-mail
me at remo12@hotmail.com

AIM: Link1893 (I'd prefer to get it through this)
E-mail: remo12@hotmail.com (if you can't, go ahead and do it the old fashioned
way)

I'd also like to note that I'm not a die-hard, hardcore, in your FACE WC3
player, and any significant changes in any updates are likely to slip right
under the radar. If something's amiss on this FAQ, e-mail me and let me know
and I'll fix it up. I'll give you a cookie, too. Or at least some credit.


What kind of WC3 player is this Velmarg?
--------------------------------------
Not a very good one... see my record on B.Net East for proof of that. Base
building and micro-management seem to be my two biggest weaknesses. I'm pretty
good at controlling armies in combat, and I can come up with some decent
strategies, but other than that, I'm a pretty average player. The Orcs are
the only race I have a really good understanding of. Orc vs. Orc games I tend
to kick ass in; everything else is a hit or miss affair. I'm thinking of
starting a FAQ on another race, if only to get a better understanding of
the game. Keep an eye out for the Velmarg Human FAQ. That sounds kinda
nifty, doesn't it? The Human FAQ; everything you ever wanted to know
about... humans... Muaha... Muahaha... *Lightning Strikes*.

...

Anyway, enjoy the FAQ...

II. Orc Heroes
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The Orc heroes are all very unique. Unlike the heroes of other races, the
Orcish heroes aren't as supportive of their troops; by that, I mean that the
Orc heroesare more focused on bringing down enemy forces that strengthening
their own. TheShadow Hunter is an exception (as he is all about assisting).
From the earth shaking Tauren Chieftain to the... well... earth shaking Far
Seer, the heroes of the horde are all powerful, and for very different reasons.



A. Tauren Chieftain
Prim. Attribute: Strength
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The Chieftain is a powerhouse; arguably the best melee hero in the game. His
abilities focus on disabling enemy troops and empowering friendly melee
attackers. He attacks land units.


A1. Shockwave
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The Chieftain slams the ground with his totems, causing a shockwave to ripple
forth in a straight line. Any enemy units caught in its path takes damage.

Shockwave is a very underrated ability. In the early stages of a game, it can
wreak havoc on weaker enemy troops (footmen, archers, etc.). If you know your
opponent is gathering a large force of weak units, it might be a good idea to
put a point or two into Shockwave.


A2. War Stomp
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The Chieftain stomps the ground with such force that any enemy units near him
are damaged and stunned.

War Stomp is a very effective ability, if used with precision. It's main
purpose is to stun attack melee troops, but it's also effective against ranged
units and casters. Pulling the Chieftain out of the thick of battle, moving
him near the enemy's ranged units or casters and War Stomping can take the
heat off of of friendly troops for a while. It's particularly effective against
Necromancers, when used in this manner (especially at level 3).


A3. Endurance Aura
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Any friendly units near the Chieftain are empowered with faster attack and
movement speeds.

Endurance Aura is my favorite aura in the game. Just putting one point into
it increases your army's movement rate considerably. The attack rate boost
doesn't seem like much, but it actually helps quite a bit. Couple that 15%
increase with Bloodlust, and you've got yourself one powerful melee force.

From Konrad Dalecki: The TC's endurance aura and the DK's unholy aura if used
together with wyverns and gargs/wyrms is incredibly powerful. Hit an enemy base
and run when the ranged comes. You have a (up to) 60% movement upgrade, so
even the wyrms can make it safely. The sheer melee power of the TC and DK
in shockwave and even death coil is very fun against ranged. People usually
go for the air.


A4. Reincarnation (Ultimate)
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Nothing like seeing the look on your enemy's face when your Chieftain gets
right back up after he's taken down. Not that you can see their face, since
it's a game, but... y'know what I mean.

Reincarnation in a very powerful ability that can easily turn the tide of a
battle, but it has its downsides. For one, in comparison to the Ultimate
abilities of other Orc heroes, it seems a little weak. For another, if your
entire army is taken out before your chieftain gets up, it's basically a
waste, since he'll get knocked right back down in a short amount of time.
Still, it's good to know that if the Chief goes down in a fight, he'll
be getting right back up.

The cooldown for reincarnation is pretty significant, so the Chieftain is
by no means invincible with this ability.