Somewhat in contrast to the other races the typical Undead opening build is slightly more varied with two options coming in the form of summoning a later altar to get the powerful crypt fiends very fast or summoning the altar, crypt, ziggurat and tomb of relics early on to branch into a ghoul-heavy early game build. Both options are viable in many matchups but both can be scouted readily and will tell the opponent what to expect for the next few minutes, where they can estimate the timing and perhaps hit your vulnerable acolytes while a Hall upgrade is in progress.
UNDEAD – Fast Crypt Fiends
Matchups: ANY
Maps: Lost Temple, Twisting Meadows, Terenas Stand, Secret Valley
Heroes: [Death Knight/Lich], [Death Knight/Lich/Pit Lord], [Death Knight/Lich/Dark Ranger], [Death Knight/Naga Sea Witch/Lich]
Notes on Usage: Your first fiend will be out before your hero, so you may want to use it to lure a nearby green creep camp with your fiend back to your base to damage early on without sustaining much damage to your fiend. You may want to get your nerubian tower earlier if acolyte harassment is probable. Keep scouting with summoned skeletons while creeping – this is handy to gauge the timing of the Orc player and this intel can be used to orchestrate burrow or tech building harassment, killing a burrow or forcing a cancel on a bestiary before teleporting out (or, if he has no Hex or Ensnare, simply running away).
Against Human players walling in and protection of your acolytes is a definite must, as either paladins or footmen can come and kill all of your acolytes for little economic sacrifice of their own. Be ready to teleport back whenever this seems to be happening. The best hero choices here are the DK/Lich/Dark Ranger or the DK/Naga as the naga is effective against the human player. Against humans you may want to creep earlier, too, and always get a nerubian tower even on larger maps. Stealing creep kills is also paramount to success because of the power of high level water elementals when attacking your acolytes.
- [5/10] Send 3 acolytes to mine gold, and your ghoul to mine lumber from the closest trees.
- [5/10] Build 1 acolyte. This goes to gold.
- [6/10] Build a Crypt and a Graveyard.
- [6/10] Build a second acolyte. This also goes to gold.
- [7/10] Build an Altar when you have the resources.
- [7/10] Build a ziggurat when the resources are available.
- [7/10] Build a ghoul and send it to lumber.
- [9/10] Build a Tomb of Relics. Keep in mind the positioning, as you may want to wall in your acolytes.
- [9/20] Build your hero.
- [14/20] Build a crypt fiend.
- [17/20] Build another ziggurat when you have enough gold.
- [17/20] Build a second crypt fiend. Buy a rod of necromancy when you have 150 gold.
- [20/30] Get your 3rd crypt fiend. Continue to pump fiends. You may want between 4 and 6 for now, depending on your strategy.
- [26/30] Build a ziggurat. The timing of these ziggurats is important as it is used in many undead builds and is timed right to coincide with when you require more units.
- [26/30] Upgrade a nerubian frost tower and your main to the halls of the dead. The frost tower is to help deter harassment while you are vulnerable with the halls of the dead upgrading.
- [26/30] From here continue to get fiends, and perhaps replacement ghouls or extra ghouls if your lumber is running low.
- [34/40] Upgrade to a Black Citadel and build another ziggurat. In addition to this build a slaughterhouse and choose a second hero. Get some obsidian statues, upgrade creature attack and when the black citadel is complete you can opt for a third hero.
UNDEAD – Dual Crypt, Two-Hero Ghouls to Gargs
Matchups: UD v NE, UD v HU, UD v ORC (less common, but if they get wyverns it can be good)
Maps: Echo Isles, Terenas Stand
Heroes: [Death Knight/Lich]
Notes on Usage: Creep with 2-3 and then more ghouls as much as possible and never stop creeping. With your faster army you can also creep jack well and in between battles or moving to a striking position fit in a few more creep kills.Try to keep ghouls alive here, especially as you intend to attack before a third hero you should be conservative and just aim to only engage when you are sure to do damage. Remember to upgrade a ziggurat close to your mine to a Nerubian Tower if blademaster or warden acolyte harassment is a possibility.
- [5/10] Send 3 acolytes to mine gold, and your ghoul to mine lumber from the closest trees.
- [5/10] Build an Altar, a Crypt and a ziggurat in that order.
- [5/10] Build two acolytes and send them to gold.
- [7/10] Build a Tomb of Relics. Also make your hero.
- [12/20] Build two ghouls.
- [16/20] Build a ziggurat. Creep with your Death Knight and 2-3 ghouls depending on the map and toughness of the creeps.
- [16/20] Build two more ghouls when you have the resources. Continue to pump ghouls so that you end up with around 7 ghouls in total.
- [22/30] If there is a strong chance of harassment from, say, a blademaster or warden you can upgrade one ziggurat to a nerubian tower now.
- [24/30] Upgrade to a halls of the dead. Also build another ghoul if you feel you need to and have enough gold
- [26/30] Build a graveyard.
- [26/30] Build a second crypt when your halls of the dead is about 50% complete.
- [26/30] Build another ziggurat. Notice this is again the same timing as in the crypt fiends build.
- [26/40] Build 2 gargoyles and your second hero.
- [35/40] Build a slaughterhouse for statues and pump gargoyles. Remember that exact food amount may differ depending on how many ghouls you may lose.
UNDEAD – Single Crypt, Three-Hero Ghouls to Gargs
Matchups: UD v NE, UD v ORC, UD v HU
Maps: Echo Isles, Terenas Stand, other Tavern Maps
Heroes: [Death Knight/Lich/Dark Ranger], [Death Knight/Lich/Pit Lord], [Death Knight/Naga Sea Witch/Lich], [Death Knight/Pandaren Brewmaster]
Notes on Usage: Take 2-3 ghouls and creep, depending on map and how hard the green creep camp is. Don’t stop creeping with ghouls and keep leveling your Death Knight ASAP and get your 2nd and 3rd heroes as soon as possible especially against Orc. When facing Night Elf always be wary of the possibility of a Brewmaster as second hero – his flaming breath can destroy your gargoyles so use stone form to evade the drunken haze and fire breath attacks. Gargoyles are handy as spotters for meat wagons over rivers and other obstacles. Against human players gargoyles are an option but may be less favourable seeing they are easily countered by dragonhawk riders. If you can consistently keep your gargoyle count above that of the dragonhawk rider count then it can work well. Additionally, against Humans you should ensure your Hall upgrades are well timed and initiated as soon as possible. Watch for Human players trying to kill your acolytes. Walling your acolytes in with ziggurats and a nerubian tower is a must for all Undead vs. Human matchups. The Naga Sea Witch is a viable second hero against Humans. Pandaren Brewmaster may be required against Humans who amass Flying Machines, which take out your gargoyles and destroyers with relative ease.
- [5/10] Send 3 acolytes to mine gold, and your ghoul to mine lumber from the closest trees.
- [5/10] Build an Altar, a Crypt and a ziggurat in that order.
- [5/10] Build two acolytes and send them to gold.
- [7/10] Build a Tomb of Relics. Also make your hero.
- [12/20] Build two ghouls.
- [16/20] Build a ziggurat. Creep with your Death Knight and 2-3 ghouls depending on the map and toughness of the creeps.
- [16/20] Build two more ghouls when you have the resources.
- [22/30] If there is a strong chance of harassment from, say, a blademaster or warden you can upgrade one ziggurat to a nerubian tower now. This will coincide with your main upgrade.
- [22/30] Upgrade to a halls of the dead when you have enough gold.
- [24/30] Build a graveyard.
- [24/30] Build a ziggurat.
- [24/30] Now it is wise to build a 6th acolyte to sit around your goldmine and perform building tasks. Get your second hero now as well.
- [25/30] Upgrade to a Black Citadel. Note that you built an extra acolyte because acolyte harassment may be likely while you are upgrading and having 6 acolytes in combination with a nerubian tower should minimize losses due to this type of harassment.
- [32/40] Build a slaughterhouse, sacrificial pit and second crypt now if needed. Note that this says single crypt but that is because the second crypt is a whole lot later and is more for end-game pumping to get your army out faster if you require. From here you should get obsidian statues, a shade if your opponent is orc with a blademaster, gargoyles if your orc opponent has wyverns or too few raiders, and a 3rd hero (pit lord is a good choice). Later on you may want abominations in the army mix, too.
UNDEAD – Single Crypt, Three-Hero Ghouls to Fiends
Matchups: UD v NE, UD v HU
Maps: Turtle Rock, Terenas Stand, Other maps with difficult creeps
Heroes: [Death Knight/Lich/Naga Sea Witch], [Death Knight/Lich/Dark Ranger]
Notes on Usage: In performing this build a player should look to keep the pressure on the Night Elf opponent with the Death Knight with Death Coil stealing creeps and slowing down creeping until enough ghouls are produced to harass or creep in a more effective manner. Aim to do some creep jacking or building harassment as soon as your ghouls are ready for combat. Being able to support a strong unit mix off two buildings is another strength here as the ghouls provide the backbone early, so try to keep them alive. Against Humans, banshees are an option to counter three-hero combinations (with holy light/storm bolt) and knights, as they can make your heroes spell immune and possess knights as you wish. Against human players in particular aim to have an invulnerability potion on your heroes at all times as holy light/storm bolt can be very damaging and you cannot afford to lose a hero. In addition, Banshees' anti-magic shield can be used to preserve your fiends against the magic attacks of the gryphons.
- [5/10] Send 3 acolytes to mine gold, and your ghoul to mine lumber from the closest trees.
- [5/10] Build an Altar, a Crypt and a ziggurat in that order.
- [5/10] Build two acolytes and send them to gold.
- [7/10] Build a Tomb of Relics. Also make your hero.
- [7/10] Scout with your ghoul if you wish (e.g. if it is a 4-player map).
- [7/20] Get your Hero (Usually Death Knight).
- [12/20] Train a ghoul. This ghoul and all successive ghouls go on to lumber duty unless otherwise specified.
- [14/20] Train a ghoul.
- [16/20] Summon a ziggurat.
- [16/20] Train a ghoul. Buy a Rod of Necromancy when your hero is about to arrive – be sure to have 150 gold saved up.
- [18/20] Train a ghoul.
- [20/30] Train a ghoul.
- [22/30] Train a ghoul.
- [24/30] Upgrade to a Halls of the Dead. Take all of your ghouls off of lumber (deposit the lumber first) and then use them to creep or harass with your hero. You should have seven ghouls by this point.
- [24/30] Train a ghoul. Send it to lumber.
- [26/30] Build a ziggurat when you have the resources. Train a ghoul.
- [26/30] Build a graveyard. To time this so that it coincides with your Halls of the Dead upgrade, build it when the halls upgrade is 30-40% complete.
- [26/40] Train a ghoul.
- [28/40] Start building your second hero.
- [33/40] Upgrade your Black Citadel when you can afford.
- [33/40] Build a crypt fiend.
- [36/40] Construct your Slaughterhouse so that again it coincides with the 30-40% completion of the Black Citadel upgrade.
- [36/40] Train your second crypt fiend. From here continue to make fiends from your single crypt and an obsidian statue from your
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