Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne game manual

The following article serves as an authentic copy† of the '''Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne game manual. All material written in this article is of Copyright &copy; 2003 by Blizzard Entertainment. The author of this article claims no right of the material written'''.

†The following sections were removed to preserve mostly only the lore related information:
 * Contents
 * Getting Started
 * Installation Instructions
 * Contacting Technical Support
 * Other New Features
 * Credits

Chronicle
Many months have passed since Archimonde and the Burning Legion were defeated at the Battle of Mount Hyjal.

The stalwart night elves, led by the Arch-Druid Malfurion Stormrage and the Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind, have vanished back into the shadows of Ashenvale Forest, intent on healing the ancient lands that were scarred by the legion's vile corruption.

The battle-weary orcish Horde, led by the idealistic Warchief Thrall, has settled in the harsh eastern hills of the Kalimdor Barrens. Finally able to claim a homeland of their own, the orcs work tirelessly to found and protect their new nation of Durotar.

The human survivors of Lordaeron, under the command of the Sorceress Jaina Proudmoore, have also settled along the eastern cost of the Barrens. The island citadel of Theramore was erected to safeguard the ragtag remnants of the failing human Alliance.

And Arthas, the newly crowned king of Lordaeron, has driven the undead Scourge to eradicated the last vestiges of resistance to his iron rule. His kingdom, the once-proud bastion of human might and nobility has become a plagued realm of death and sorrow. Now, driven by haunting visions of the Frozen Throne of Icecrown, Arthas plans to lighten his grip over the rest of the world.

Still, one dark soul remains at large. For in some shadowed corner of the world, the wayward creature known as Illidan Stormrage plots... and waits.

Shadow Hunter
A cunning Hero, adept at healing magics and voodoo curses. Channeling the spirits of their dark gods, the Shadow Hunters walk the line between darkness and light in the hope of salvaging the future for their savage brethren. Attacks land and air units.


 * Healing Wave
 * Calls forth a wave of energy that heals a target and bounces to nearby friendlies. Each bounce heals less damage.


 * Hex
 * Temporarily transforms an enemy unit into a random critter, disabling special abilities.


 * Serpent Word
 * Summons an immobile serpentine ward to attack the Shadow Hunter's enemies. Attack land and air units.


 * Big Bad Voodoo (Ultimate)
 * Turns all friendly units invulnerable in an area around the Shadow Hunter. The Shadow Hunter does not turn invulnerable. This is a channeling spell.

Troll Batrider
Light flying unit with incredible perception. Good at destroying buildings. The fire obsessed Troll Batriders are often used as reconnaissance for the Orcish Horde. Attacks land units.


 * Unstable Concoction
 * Causes a powerful explosion that deals damage to nearby enemy air units.


 * Liquid Fire
 * Flings a volatile liquid that causes buildings to take damage over time. Buildings that are currently taking damage from Liquid Fire cannot be repaired, and have their attack rate of affected enemy towers is reduced. This is a passive ability.

Spirit Walker
Mystical Tauren caster with Ethereal Form, which allows him to avoid physical damage. Believed to be the ill omen of a coming age, white Tauren are held in near reverence by their people, often becoming reclusive priests who wander the land in search of kindred spirits. Attacks land and air units.


 * Spirit Link
 * Links the spirits of several friendly units together so that damage to one unit will be shared to some extend by all the units linked to it.


 * Disenchant
 * Removes all buffs from units in an area, and deals damage to summoned units.


 * Ancestral Spirit
 * Allows a Spirit Walker to resurrect dead non-Hero Tauren.

Voodoo Lounge
a shop from which any unit that has an inventory can purchase items. The items available are dependant upon what level of upgrade your Great Hall has (Great Hall, Stronghold or Fortress) and what buildings you have. Heroes can also sell unwanted items to any item shop.

Troll Berserkers
Troll Headhunters may now be upgraded into Troll Berserkers, which are tougher and have the Berserk ability. Like Headhunters, Berserkers benefit from Troll Regeneration.

Reinforced Defenses
Upgrades Orc Burrows and Watch Towers to have Fortified armor.

Burning Oil
Drenches Demolisher ammo in burning oil, causing Demolisher attacks to light the ground on fire and burn enemy units.

Blood Mage
A mystical Hero, adept at controlling magic and ranged assaults. Though still members of the Alliance, the Blood Elves have begun to turn to the darkest parts of magic, abandoning the water and frost spells of the Kirin Tor for the fire and heat of what some people fear to be Demonic magic. Attacks land and air units.


 * Flame Strike
 * Conjures a pillar of fire, which damages ground units in a target area with its initial combustion, then deals damage over time for a short duration after.


 * Banish
 * Turns a unit ethereal and slows its movement speed. Ethereal creatures cannot attack, but they can cast spells, and certain spells cast upon them will have a greater effect.


 * Siphon Mana
 * Leeches the mystical energies of a target enemy over time. This is a channeling spell.


 * Phoenix (Ultimate)
 * Summons a heavy flying unit composed entirely of flame. This fiery creature burns with such intensity that it damages itself and nearby enemy units. Has Spell Immunity and Resistant Skin. When a Phoenix dies, it creates an egg that will hatch into a new Phoenix. Attacks land and air units.

Spell Breaker
Elven warrior trained to disrupt and contort magical energies. These Blood Elven warriors, fresh from the destruction of their homeland, have turned a new eye towards the dying land of Lordaeron. Can it possibly remain their home? Has Spell Immunity. Attacks land units.


 * Spell Steal
 * Steals a positive buff from an enemy unit and applies it to a nearby friendly unit, or takes a negative buff from a friendly unit and applies it to a nearby enemy unit. This is an auto-casting spell.


 * Feedback
 * Spell Breaker attacks destroy a target enemy caster's mana with every hit. The mana combusts, dealing damage to the attacked unit. This is a passive ability.

Takes control of a target summoned enemy unit. The mana cost to control a summoned unit is based upon its hit points.
 * Control magic

Dragonhawk Rider
Swift flying unit mounted by an Elven warrior. The fierce warriors of the Dragonhawk battalions are often the first into combat, picking apart the enemy ranks and surrounding enemy towers with dense fog so that reinforcements can strike unhindered by enemy defenses. Attacks land and air units.


 * Cloud
 * Creates a small cloud that stops buildings with ranged attacks from attacking. This is a channeling spell.


 * Aerial Shackles
 * Magically binds a target enemy air unit so that it cannot move or attack. This is a channeling spell.

Arcane Vault
a shop from which any unit that has an inventory can purchase items. The items available are dependant upon what level of upgrade your Town Hall has (Town Hall, Keep, or Castle) and what buildings you have. Heroes can also sell unwanted items to any item shop.

Arcane Tower
Magical defensive tower with the Reveal and Feedback abilities. Attacks land and air units.

Barrage
Upgrades Siege Engines, giving them Barrage, a passive rocket-like attack versus air units.

Flak Cannons
Upgrades Flying Machines attacks to add area-effect damage versus air units. This is a passive ability.

Fragmentation Shards
Increases the area-effect damage of Mortar Teams. This is a passive ability.

Crypt Lord
A warrior Hero, adept at summoning insect minions and crushing enemies. Betraying the Nerubian people, the Crypt Lords have sacrificed the lifeblood of thousands to bolster the Undead armies of Ner'zhul, winning an eternal life of servitude in his name. Attacks land units.


 * Impale
 * Slams the ground with the Crypt Lord's massive claws, shooting spiked tendrils out in a straight line and impaling enemy ground units in their wake.


 * Spiked Carapace
 * Encloses the Crypt Lord in barbed layers of chitinous armor that increases defense and returns damage to attackers. This is a passive ability.


 * Carrion Beetles
 * Produces a Carrion Beetle from a target corpse. This is an auto-casting spell. These creatures use their fierce mandibles to rip the flesh from the Crypt Lord's foes. Carrion Beetles summoned at higher levels of skill can burrow into the ground, losing their attacks but providing stealthy vision that can be placed strategically. Unlike most summoned units, Carrion beetles are permanent until slain. Attacks land units.


 * Locust Swarm (Ultimate)
 * Creates a swarm of angry locusts that bite and tear at nearby enemy units. As they chew the enemy flesh, they convert it into a substance that restores hit points to the Crypt Lord.

Obsidian Statue
Fortified statue that can regenerate the health and mana of nearby friendly units. Can research Destroyer Form. Believed to be gifts granted by Ner'zhul, the Obsidian Statues are often used as figureheads at the forefront of many Undead armies, inspiring awe and fear in the enemy ranks. Nothing can prepare the enemy for what this unfathomable statue could become. Attacks land and air units.


 * Essence of Blight
 * Restores health to nearby friendly units. This is an auto-casting spell.


 * Spirit Touch
 * Replenishes the mana of nearby friendly units. This is an auto-casting spell.

Destroyer
Large flying unit that must consume magic to sustain its mana. Breaking free of the obsidian stone that holds them, these monstrous creatures roar into battle, swallowing magic to feed their insatiable hunger as they move between battles and rain destruction down upon their foes. Has Spell Immunity. Attacks land and air units.


 * Devour Magic
 * Consumes all magical buffs from units, and damages summoned units in an area. each unit that is devoured of magic restores some health and mana to the Destroyer.


 * Orb of Annihilation
 * Gives the Destroyer a more powerful attack that delivers splash damage. This is an auto-casting spell.


 * Absorb Mana
 * Takes all mana from one of your units and gives it to the Destroyer.

Tomb of Relics
a shop from which any unit that has an inventory can purchase items. The items available are dependant upon what level of upgrade your Necropolis has (Necropolis, Halls of the Dead, or Black Citadel) and what buildings you have. Heroes can also sell unwanted items to any item shop.

Burrow
Crypt Fiends may now learn the Burrow ability. Allows Crypt Fiends to burrow into the ground, become invisible, and regenerate hit points at a faster rate. While burrowed, Crypt Fiends cannot attack.

Exhume Corpses
This upgrade allows Meat Wagons to generate corpses like a Graveyard. A new corpse is generated every few seconds and is placed inside the Meat Wagon.

Skeletal Mastery
Once Skeletal Mastery has been researched, one of the Skeleton Warriors spawned by the Raise Dead spell will be a Skeletal Mage. These Mages fire piercing bolts of negative magic from their hands, enhancing the versatility of the Undead army. Like Skeleton Warriors, Skeletal Mages can benefit from Skeletal Longevity. Attacks land and air units.

Warden
A cunning Hero, adept at entering and escaping combat. Set apart from the militant Sentinels, wardens are usually employed as jailors, assassins, and bounty hunters. Attacks land units.


 * Fan of Knives
 * Flings a flurry of knives at multiple enemy targets around the Warden.


 * Blink
 * Teleports the Warden a short distance, allowing her to move in and out of combat.


 * Fan of Knives
 * Hurls a poisoned dagger which deals large initial damage, and then deals damage over time. The poisoned unit has its attack and movement rate slowed for a short duration.


 * Vengeance (Ultimate)
 * Creates a powerful Avatar of Vengeance that summons invulnerable spirits from friendly corpses to attack your enemies. The Avatar is bent on avenging the death of fallen comrades. Immune to magic. Has Resistant Skin, and can use Spirit of Vengeance, an auto-casting spell, to summon invulnerable spirits from nearby corpses. Attacks land and air units.
 * Spirit of Vengeance - Temporarily raises an invulnerable feral spirit from a corpse. The spirit's life is linked with the Avatar that raised it. Attacks land and air units.

Mountain Giant
Slow moving melee unit that can take incredible amounts of punishment. Crafted epochs ago by the Titans from massive sections of stone, these creatures seek to protect the natural environment any who would cause it harm. Attacks land units.


 * Taunt
 * Causes nearby enemies to switch their attack towards the Mountain Giant.


 * War Club
 * Picks up a tree to give Siege damage and increased attack range to the Mountain Giant.


 * Hardened Skin
 * Gives Mountain Giants increased resistance to attack damage. This is a passive ability.


 * Resistant Skin
 * Reduces the duration of negative spells and renders the Mountain Giant immune to certain spells. This is a passive ability.

Faerie Dragon
Small, quick flying unit, effective against enemy casters. Though not actual Dragons, these mystical looking creatures police the Emerald Dream from magic. As such, they are immune to magic. Attacks land and air units.


 * Phase Shift
 * Causes this unit to shift out of existence whenever it takes damage, temporarily avoiding further damage. This is an auto-casting spell.


 * Mana Flare
 * Causes the Faerie Dragon to channel negative magical energies that damage nearby enemies when they cast spells. This is a channelling spell.

Ancients of Wonders
A shop from which any unit that has an inventory can purchase items. The items available are dependant upon what level of upgrade your Tree of Life has (Tree of Life, Tree of Ages, or Tree of Eternity) and what buildings you have. Heroes can also sell unwanted items to any item shop.

Well Spring
This upgrade increases Moon Well mana capacity and mana regeneration rate.

Mark of the Claw
Allows Druids of the Claw to cast Roar while in Bear Form.

Mark of the Talon
Allows Druids of the Talon to cast Faerie Fire while in Storm Crow Form.

Marketplace
A store for purchasing goods. As creeps are killed, the items they drop will influence the array of available merchandise.

Tavern
A place to hire neutral Heroes.

Goblin Shipyard
This bustling yard full of Goblins is eager to sell you a transport ship capable of carrying units over water.

Naga Sea Witch
A mystical Hero, adept at ranged combat. These scaly denizens of the ocean have often been associated with the coming of prodigious storms, but few have actually seen them rise from the sea and lived to tell the tale. Attacks land and air units.

Forked Lightning - Calls forth a cone of lightning to engulf a target enemy unit, as well as other enemy units nearby.

Frost Arrows - Adds a cold effect to each attack, slowing a target enemy unit's attacks and movement.

Mana Shield - Activates a shield that uses the Sea Witch's mana to absorb damage.

Tornado (Ultimate) - Creates a fierce Tornado that slows all enemy units and damages enemy buildings over time. This is a channelling spell.

Pandaren Brewmaster
A warrior Hero, exceptional at absorbing damage and melee combat. The Brewmasters of Pandaria have emerged from the bamboo forests of their ancestors to bring their unique fighting style (and robust ales) to the highest bidder. Attacks land units.

Breath of Fire - Breathes a cone of fire at enemy units, which deals damage. Units that have Drunken Haze on them will ignite and take burn damage over time.

Drunker Brawler - Gives the Brewmaster a chance to dodge attacks and deal additional damage. This is a passive ability.

Drunken Haze - Drenches a target enemy unit in alcohol, reducing its movement speed and giving it a chance to miss on attacks.

Storm, Earth, And Fire (Ultimate) - Splits the Pandaren Brewmaster into elements, forming 3 specialized warriors. If any of them survive unit the end of their summoned timer, the Brewmaster is reborn.

Beastmaster
A warrior Hero, able to call forth the creatures of the forest to serve him. These lone wandering forest dwellers come from all backgrounds and cultures, seeking the essence of combat through the mimicry of wild beasts. Attacks land units.

Summon Bear - Summons a fierce bear to defend the Beastmaster.

Summon Quilbeast - Summons an angry quilbeast to the Beastmaster's side.

Summon Hawk - Summons a proud hawk to scout for the Beastmaster.

Stampede (Ultimate) - Whips a herd of beasts into a panicked frenzy, sending them galloping toward the targeted area. Any enemy ground units who get in the way of the stampede will take damage.

Dark Ranger
A cunning Hero, adept at manipulating opponents. Forcibly raised from the dead, the former Rangers of Quel'Thalas enjoy nothing more than sowing dissension and hatred within the enemy ranks. Attacks land and air units.

Silence - Stops all enemies in a target area from casting spells for a short duration.

Black Arrow - Adds extra damage to attacks. Enemy ground units killed while under the effect of Black Arrow will turn into skeletons. This is an auto-casting spell.

Life Drain - Siphons health from the target to the Dark Ranger for a period of time or until the affected unit moves out of range. Life Drain cannot be dispelled. This is a channelling spell.

Charm (Ultimate) - Takes control of a target enemy unit. Charm cannot be used on Heroes, or on creeps who are too powerful.

Pit Lord
A warrior hero, exceptional at weakening enemies and melee combat. These massive Demons take sadistic pleasure from instilling crazed terror, and then slaughtering their enemies. Attacks land units.

Rain of Fire - Calls down waves of fire that damage units in an area and deal damage over time.

Howl of Terror - The Pit Lord lets loose a terrifying howl that reduces the attack damage of nearby enemy units.

Cleaving Attack - The Pit Lord strikes with such force that he damages multiple enemies with his attack. This is a passive ability.

Doom (Ultimate) - Robs a target unit of its ability to cast spells and damages the unit over time until it dies. Upon its death, a powerful Demon will spawn from its corpse. Doom cannot be dispelled or cancelled.