Orc Heros
Blademaster
Though their numbers are few, the seasoned blademasters represent an elite fighting force within the horde. These skilled swordsmen were once part of the ill-fated Burning Blade clan that consumed itself in the throes of demonic corruption. With their clan scattered and broken, the proud blademasters swore a grim oath to free themselves and their brethren from demonic control once and for all. Under Thrall's command, the blademasters have once again joined the horde and serve as the young warchief's personal guard. Though blademasters are masters of stealth and guile, they value personal honor above all else.
BLADESTORM
By focusing their warrior energies, blademasters can become living cyclones of fighting rage. Spinning their great blades faster than the naked eye can see, they are capable of simultaneously damaging any enemy troops in their vicinity.
CRITICAL STRIKE
By channeling their potent powers in one focused strike, blademasters can cause even greater damage to their enemies.
MIRROR IMAGE
One of the blademasters’ more mystical abilities is to create duplicate phantom images of themselves. Though the phantom images can move about freely of their own volition, they are not true entities unto themselves.
WIND WALK
So adept and agile are the blademasters that they can move so quickly that they appear to be invisible to the naked eye.
Far Seer
Far Seers are ancient orcs who represent the pinnacle of shamanistic power. These powerful shamans are counted amongst Thrall's closest advisors and are constantly in tune with the workings and maneuverings of the horde. Farseers are not only tied to the elements of the earth and sky, but are also adept at foretelling the future. Their wisdom is outshined only by their courage and ferocity in combat. When the enemies of the horde advance, the farseers mount their loyal dire wolves and wade into battle wielding all the elemental powers of their shamanistic birthright.
CHAIN LIGHTNING
Farseers have the ability to cast bolts of lightning so powerful that they continue to seek out enemy troops in a wide area of effect. The raging bolts continue to strike new victims until the spell’s energies finally deplete.
EARTHQUAKE
Part of the Far Seers’ power over nature is the ability to command the fury of the earth. When roused, farseers can cause the earth to quake violently. When called with precision, can cause heavy destruction to enemy structures and slow hapless foes.
FAR SIGHT
Far Seers have the uncanny ability to percieve distant places and events through a form of spirit sight. This ability allows them to anticipate enemy movements and maintain the element of surprise for the horde’s fighting forces.
FERAL SPIRIT
One of the farseers’ most otherworldy powers is their ability to call forth powerful wolven apparitions. As the Farseer gains experience, more powerful wolves may be summoned to his side.
Tauren Chieftain
These elder tauren warriors lead their tribes in daily life as well as in battle. Ceremoniously adorned with the ancient totems of their tribes, chieftains uphold the honor and simplicity of the proud tauren culture. When roused by battle, the gigantic chieftains employ enormous halberds that are capable of tearing through solid trees with one mighty swipe. The chieftains are fascinated by the orcs, especially their young leader, Thrall. They see an opportunity to help the orcs return to their traditional roots by providing a strong example of honor and courage through all tauren warriors.
ENDURANCE AURA
So heartening and stirring are the mighty chieftains that they exude an aura of strength and courage to all who accompany them. The chieftains’ auras help their comrades to run and attack more quickly.
REINCARNATION
The tauren chieftains hold such sacred bonds with their Earthmother that they can actually be reincarnated after they die in combat. Though this ability is very rare, it makes the wise, benevolent chieftains a dangerous foe to threaten.
SHOCKWAVE
The mighty chieftains can swing their totems so hard that their impacts create powerful linear shockwaves that can damage any enemies bold enough to stand before them.
WAR STOMP
The tauren’s massive totem can impact the ground with such force that every enemy within a wide radius of the chieftain is damaged and stunned for a short period of time.
Orc Units
Peon
The label of peon denotes the lowest station amongst those in the orcish horde. Inferior in all skills of import, these dredges are relegated to menial tasks such as harvesting lumber and mining gold. Their labor is also required for the construction and maintenance of buildings necessary to support the vast undertakings of the horde. Downtrodden, but exceedingly loyal, the orc peons toil endlessly to provide for the greater horde.
REPAIR
Peons can repair ruined or damaged orc structures through use of this valuable skill.
PILLAGE
Whenever Peons attack enemy structures, they can use this ability to gain resources to support more troops and build additional structures.
Grunt
Grunts are the first and last line of the horde's defense. These powerful fighters arm themselves with mighty battle-axes and display all of the savagery and cunning of their race. In past generations, grunts were characterized by their depravity and brutality. But now, under the visionary leadership of Thrall, they more closely resemble their savage, yet noble warrior ancestors.
PILLAGE
Whenever Grunts attack enemy structures, they can use this ability to gain resources to support more troops and build additional structures.
Troll Headhunter
Though the horde allied itself with the evil forest trolls during the Second War, the alliance was short lived due to the horde’s eventual defeat. But Thrall, on one of his many journeys, befriended a tribe of shadowy trolls from the steamy jungles of Stranglethorn. These cunning warriors are trained from birth to hunt, track and trap the most dangerous beasts in the wilds and possess the uncanny ability to regenerate lost health. In times of war, however, headhunters relish turning their mighty spears on the enemies of the horde without hesitation. Capable of hurling their deadly spears at distant enemies, troll headhunters provide invaluable cover fire for the other warriors of the horde.
TROLL REGENERATION
Like all trolls, headhunters can regenerate lost health over time. This racial ability makes the trolls fearsome opponents and often allows them to spring back into combat even though they’ve suffered grievous wounds.
Raider
The marauding, wolf-riding raiders were once considered to be the most honored warriors of the horde. Yet, just prior to the Second War, Gul'dan disbanded the raiders. Now, after many long years, the young warchief Thrall has decided to train a new generation of wolf riders. These mighty warriors carry hefty warblades into combat and rely greatly upon the cunning and ferocity of their faithful dire-wolf mounts to defeat their enemies.
ENSNARE
Raiders carry hand-sewn nets with which they can ensnare enemies. Though creatures will eventually break free from the nets, they are unable to move while caught. Flying creatures that are ensnared are brought to the ground.
PILLAGE
Whenever raiders attack enemy structures, they can they can use this ability to gain resources to support more troops and build additional structures.
Kodo Beast
The colossal kodo beasts of the Kalimdor plains are valued allies of the orcish horde. The mighty beasts were charged with carrying the orcs’ pounding war drums into battle. The huge kodos, serving as symbols of orcish might and valor, also use their enormous size and strength to scatter enemy forces. When enraged, kodos are fond of devouring their enemies whole.
DEVOUR
Kodos are capable of swallowing enemy units whole. Enemy units can free their devoured comrades if they kill the kodo before the victim has been digested.
WAR DRUMS
The heartening rhythm of the orcish war drums drives the warriors of the horde to fight with greater strength and passion. Any allied warriors who hear the pounding drums gain bonuses to their already considerable fighting skills.
Shaman
Under the leadership of Thrall, the orcs have rediscovered their ancient shamanistic traditions. In an attempt to rid the horde of its demonic corruption, Thrall banned the use of warlock magic and necromancy. Now, all orc magic users practice shaman magic that draws its power from the natural world and the elements of the earth. Powerful shamans can call lightning from the sky and rouse the earth itself to devour legions of their enemies.
BLOODLUST
Shaman can cause such overwhelming bloodlust in their brethren that affected warriors actually increase in size and power for short periods of time.
LIGHTNING SHIELD
The shamans’ lightning shields, when cast on fellow warriors, create a barrier that damages any nearby ground units.
PURGE
Shaman can purge any magical spells or enchantments from their comrades or enemies with their ability to purge. Though purge can be useful to remove negative enchantments or curses, it taxes the recipient to such a degree that the unit’s movements are slow and painful.
Troll Witch Doctor
Although they are savage and cunning in the extreme, the troll witch doctors have aligned themselves with the horde out of pure necessity. These dastardly magic users are adept at manipulating the chemical processes within their fellow warriors in order to augment their combat abilities.
HEALING WARD
This strange tribal ward allows any friendly who comes in contact with it to heal their wounds and replenish their strength.
SENTRY WARD
Through this mysterious ward, witch doctors can keep watch over important areas for as long as the ward exists. Even though the wards will vanish in time, they are invaluable tools that enable the witch doctors to keep a constant eye on their surroundings.
STASIS TRAP
Only activated when enemy units cross its threshold, the stasis trap emits a strong shock of dark energy that immobilizes its victims and renders them helpless for a short duration of time.
Tauren
The mighty tauren of the Kalimdor plains have pledged their allegiance to the new horde out of respect for their courage and honor. The bold tauren seek only to safeguard their quiet culture from the deathly fires of the Burning Legion. When roused, tauren are fierce fighters and use their mighty totems to smash their enemies into the dust of the plains.
PULVERIZE
Tauren warriors can pulverize enemies by smashing their totems on the ground, creating tremendous shockwaves that ripple out and cause damage in a wide area of effect.
Catapult
The orcish catapult has always been a standing asset to the horde. Capable of hurling fiery projectiles over great distances, the catapults have been the doom of many Alliance regiments. Catapults serve as the horde's greatest siege weapon.
Wyvern Rider
The sentient wyverns of Kalimdor were eager to ally themselves with the shamanistic horde. Impressed by the orcs' commitment to honor and victory, the wyverns allowed the orcs to ride them into combat against those who would disturb the tranquility of Kalimdor and its denizens. The wyverns, who share a common ancestry with both dragons and gryphons, use their powerful claws and razor-like fangs against both airborne attackers and ground troops, while their riders may hurl envenomed spears at the enemy.
ENVENOMED WEAPONS
Wyvern riders carry envenomed spears that have been coated with the lethal venom from Stranglethorne’s giant jungle snakes. When pierced by these spears, the riders’ enemies are weakened and slowly eaten alive as the vile poison courses through their bodies.
