The Blademaster is a favorite Hero of many Orc commanders. Blademasters are great melee heroes that can quickly destroy enemy units and buildings when they are powered up with items and levels. The Blademaster's greatest advantage is Mirror Image which confuses the enemy and focuses their attention on fake copies of the Blademaster. He also has some other great and useful abilities. Typically players first place points in Mirror Image and then place points in Critical Strike. If you plan on using the Blademaster for hit and run attacks you should invest in Wind Walk a lot earlier than normal. Most players focus on it at higher levels after maxing Mirror Image and Critical Strike. Players should almost always max out Mirror Image first.

Wind Walk Allows the Blademaster to become invisible for a set amount of time. Movement speed is also increased.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req 1 20 sec. N/A 100 N/A N/A Self Invisible, +10% movement speed 1 2 40 sec. N/A 75 N/A N/A Self Invisible, +40% movement speed 3 3 60 sec. N/A 25 N/A N/A Self Invisible, +70% movement speed 5

Wind Walk Information
Use Wind Walk to get away when the Blademaster is about to die.

Use Wind Walk to scout the map without being attacked. You can walk into an enemy town, look around, then leave.

Use Wind Walk to sneak into an enemy town or upon stopped collections of enemy units and do a Bladestorm.

Wind Walk Counters
Invisibility Detection.

Mirror Image Confuses the enemy by creating illusions of the Blademaster and dispelling all magic from the Blademaster.

Mirror Image Information
Mirror Image is a very effective spell because it breaks target lock and creates a duplicate of the Blademaster. Enemy players are often unable to tell which is the real Blademaster.

The Blade Master can concentrate and create alternate illusions of himself. The player can discern the illusions graphically, but opposing players see an exact duplicate. The illusions have the same hit points as the Blade Master, but no special abilities. Illusions can attack, but do no damage. When attacked, the Illusion takes double damage.

Each casting dispels your previous images. Mirror Images are created at "current" hit points, to make it more difficult to detect the images. Mirror Images appear to level when the parent Blademaster levels. Mirror Images appear to get Critical hits.

At level 1 you can only summon one Mirror Image. You cannot summon more than 3 Mirror Images.

Use Mirror Images to scout the map since it doesn't matter if you lose them. You can use a Mirror Image to spy on the enemy or scout for expansions. It's better to scout at night since the Mirror Images will not be attacked by Creeps.

It's important to control all of your Mirror Images when attacking. If you only control the REAL Blademaster and leave the Mirror Images alone attacking "wrong" things, the enemy might pick up on which one is the real Blademaster and which are the imposters. If the enemy figures out which is the real Blademaster, cast Mirror Image again to mix them up.

Mirror Image Counters
If you are trying to identify which is the real Mirror Image, select the Blademaster being attacked (or image) and watch the hit points go down. Mirror Images take more damage so if you notice the hit points dropping quickly instead of slowly, it's not the real Blademaster.

You can often tell which is the real Blademaster by which Blademaster the enemy controls the most or how the enemy seeks out specific targets with only one of their Blademasters. If the enemy is smart they will try to fool you but average players won't have these skills. If you can't figure out by how they are controlled, use the hit point method instead.

You cannot dispel Mirror Images but since they are summoned certain spells do increased damage to them.

Critical Strike (Passive) Gives a 20% chance that the Blademaster will do more damage on his attacks.

Bladestorm (Ultimate) Causes a bladestorm of destructive force around the Blademaster, dealing 110 damage per second to nearby enemy units.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req N/A 7 sec. 240 sec. 250 N/A N/A Ground, Enemy, Neutral 110 damage per second 6

Bladestorm Information
The Blademaster is not invulnerable while casting Bladestorm, but has Spell Immunity.

Bladestorm does equal damage to all of the units in its area.

Bladestorm is great against low hit point buildings such as Towers and Farms. Use it on a group of lined up buildings to quickly destroy them. You can use them on any buildings you want to kill quickly.

It's best to use Bladestorm against units that are all lined up. The enemy will typically (if they are good) start running away from the Bladestorm which means you will have to control it very carefully so the Blademaster is always attacking something.

Combine Bladestorm with Wind Walk. Go invisibile and sneak up on stationary units or units that are lined up. Then cast a Bladestorm! Bladestorm is great against workers mining Gold.

Bladestorm Counters
The best defense against Bladestorm is to run away until it is over.

Hero Names: Shadowsong, Shadowfury, Shadowstalker, Flameseeker, Darkweaver, Darkterror, Darksorrow, Sindweller, Painkiller, Hellbourne, Wrathbringer, Ragerunner, Firebrand, Bloodwrath, Terrorblade

The Demon Hunter is the most powerful melee Hero. Invest heavily in Immolation because the Demon Hunter will be able to use it when facing any unit he attacks.

It is important to use good control with the Demon Hunter because he can otherwise be easily killed. Make sure to use Immolation and to retreat the Demon Hunter if too many units are attacking him. Use Evasion to further reduce his chance of being hit.

Mana Burn Sends a bolt of negative energy that burns a target enemy unit's mana. Burned mana combusts, dealing damage to the target equal to the amount of mana burned.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req 1 N/A 5 sec. 50 25 Unit Air, Ground, Enemy, Neutral Burns 100 mana 1 2 N/A 5 sec. 50 25 Unit Air, Ground, Enemy, Neutral Burns 150 mana 3 3 N/A 5 sec. 50 25 Unit Air, Ground, Enemy, Neutral Burns 200 mana 5

Mana Burn Information
Mana Burn is best used against enemy Heroes. You can also use Mana Burn against annoying enemy spellcasters such as Priests, Sorceresses, or Shamans.

Mana Burn Counters
This spell has little chance of being countered. To prevent Mana Burn you need to have Spell Immunity, kill the Demon Hunter, or hope he runs out of mana. If you have a Demon Hunter use Mana Burn on their Demon Hunter!

Immolation Engulfs the Demon Hunter in flames, causing damage to nearby enemy land units. Drains mana until deactivated.

Immolation Information
Since Immolation damages nearby units, try to position the Demon Hunter so that Immolation is hitting as many units as possible.

Immolation drains mana while it is being used so make sure you turn it off when you do not need it to conserve mana.

Immolation Counters
Avoid the area of effect. Use ranged troops to kill the Demon Hunter or quickly kill him before the Immolation does too much damage.

Evasion (Passive) Gives the Demon Hunter a chance to avoid attacks.

Evasion Information
Evasion is a very powerful ability because it allows the Demon Hunter to avoid attacks and take no damage. You should always try to max this ability.

Evasion Counters
Since this is a passive spell requiring no mana this spell has little chance of being countered. The best counter is to devote more units to attacking the Demon Hunter.

Metamorphosis (Ultimate) Transforms the Demon Hunter into a powerful demon with a ranged attack (60 range) and 500 bonus hit points.

Metamorphosis Information
This ability is very powerful because it increases the Demon Hunter's hit points by 500 and gives him very fast hit point regeneration. He can also attack with a ranged attack. You should use this ability in heavy combat whenever possible.

Metamorphosis Counters
Run away until the spell wears off, quickly kill the Demon Hunter with massed units, or use a Hero killing spell or ability.

 

Hero Names: Lord Nightsorrow, Lord Soulrender, Lord Dethstorm, Lord Maldazzar, Lord Darkhallow, Lord Lightstalker, Baron Bloodbane, Baron Felblade, Duke Dreadmoore, Duke Ragereaver, Baron Frostfel, Lord Darkscythe, Duke Wintermaul, Baron Perenolde, Baron Morte

The Death Knight is a decent melee Hero. Some jokingly refer to him as the healing Knight because 3 of his abilities (Death Coil, Death Pact, Unholy Aura) can be used to heal damage. The Death Knight's Death Coil ability makes him useful for healing units and for attacking other Heroes. His Unholy Aura ability makes him helpful in large allied games where his aura can help a lot of units.

Death Coil A coil of death that can damage an enemy living unit or heal a friendly undead unit.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req 1 N/A 5 sec. 75 80 Unit Air, Ground, Organic, Not Self Damages 100 or Heals 200 HP 1 2 N/A 5 sec. 75 80 Unit Air, Ground, Organic, Not Self Damages 200 or Heals 400 HP 3 3 N/A 5 sec. 75 80 Unit Air, Ground, Organic, Not Self Damages 300 or Heals 600 HP 5

Death Pact Kills a target friendly unit, giving a percentage of its hit points to the Death Knight.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req 1 N/A 45 sec. 75 80 Unit Air, Ground, Player, Non Hero 100% conversion 1 2 N/A 15 sec. 25 80 Unit Air, Ground, Player, Non Hero 200% conversion 3 3 N/A 15 sec. 25 80 Unit Air, Ground, Player, Non Hero 300% conversion 5

Death Pact Information
The more powerful a unit you consume, the more healing you receive. Few players understand or use this ability. Often enemy units focus their attacks on your Hero. This spell can make them pay when they do that. As they are attacking your Hero simply use Death Pact to regain his hit points. This ability is best used on Skeleton Warriors so it is more effective when using Necromancers and Raise Dead.

Unholy Aura Increases hit point regeneration and the movement speed of nearby friendly units.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req 1 Unlimited N/A None N/A 90 Air, Ground, Friend, Self +50% hp regeneration, +10% faster movement 1 2 Unlimited N/A None N/A 90 Air, Ground, Friend, Self +100% hp regeneration, +20% faster movement 3 3 Unlimited N/A None N/A 90 Air, Ground, Friend, Self +150% hp regeneration, +30% faster movement 5

Animate Dead (Ultimate) Raises 6 dead units in an area to fight for the Death Knight.

Level Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect Hero Level Req N/A 120 sec. 240 sec. 300 40 90 Ground, Dead Raises Dead Units 6

Animate Dead Information
Up to 6 units can be resurrected. The spell will choose the most powerful corpses to resurrect if there are more than 6.