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Warden Fast Expand

Warden first — she is the cheapest hero Night Elf can field, so the gold saved goes straight into an early expansion. Across the pro games behind this build she is out at 1:07 every time, Tier 2 lands around 3:03-3:42, and five of six games take a second base at 5:03-6:13. Fan of Knives and Blink are both maxed: Fan clears creep camps and punishes clumped armies, Blink gets her out of the trouble a squishy hero finds. The army is Archers into Dryads, so Abolish Magic answers casters while the expansion pays off.

How it plays

  • Warden at 1:07 — she costs less than any other Night Elf hero, and the saved gold is what funds the early expansion
  • Tier 2 at 3:03-3:42, then Ancient of Lore for Dryads
  • Expand at 5:03-6:13 — five of the six pro games behind this build took a second base in that window
  • Max Fan of Knives and Blink. Fan is your creep clear and your answer to a clumped army; Blink is how a 500-HP hero survives being focused
  • Dryads with Abolish Magic are the reason this holds up against Human casters and Undead Destroyers
  • The risk is the hero: Warden dies fast if she is caught out of position, and the expansion is undefended while you are creeping

Tier progression

Tier 1

Buildings
Altar of Elders, Ancient of War, Moon Well, Ancient of Wonders, Hunter's Hall
Units
Archer
Goal
Warden out at 1:07, Archers behind her, creep with Fan of Knives

Tier 2

Buildings
Tree of Ages, Ancient of Lore
Units
Dryad
Goal
Tree of Ages then Ancient of Lore for Dryads; expansion goes down at 5:03-6:13

Tier 3

Buildings
Tree of Eternity
Goal
Only the games that were already ahead reached Tier 3 — this build wins or loses on the expansion
Notes
Two of six games got here. Treat T3 as a reward for a safe expansion, not a plan

Hero skill order

Warden

  • Fan of Knives — level 3
  • Blink — level 3
  • Vengence — level 1
  • Shadow Strike — level 1

Core upgrades

  • Strength of the Moon
  • Reinforced Hides
  • Abolish Magic

Pro replays running this build

6 tournament games. Each opens in the 3D simulator on this player's side.

PlayerOpponentMapStage
Jens Sheik Northern Isles 1.3
Life Sok Tidehunters 1.2
Jens Chaemiko Northern Isles 1.3
Kaho TH000 4_w3c_251104_0950_NorthernIsles.w3x
Evanescence Trof Twisted Meadows 1.1
Evanescence Kas Northern Isles 1.3

Drop your own replay to see where yours came apart against this build.

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