---
title: "BM Grunt Standard — Orc build order (OvN, OvU)"
url: https://wc3v.com/builds/orc-bm-grunt-push
description: "Blademaster opener into mass Grunts for an aggressive ground push. BM harasses workers while Grunts pressure the front door. Transitions into Spirit…"
updated: 2026-08-11
---

# BM Grunt Standard

Blademaster opener into mass Grunts for an aggressive ground push. BM harasses workers while Grunts pressure the front door. Transitions into Spirit Walkers or Raiders at T2.

- **Race:** Orc
- **Matchups:** OvN, OvU
- **Level:** New to WC3
- **Difficulty:** easy
- **Hero opener:** Blademaster

## How it plays

- BM Wind Walk into enemy base for worker kills while Grunts creep
- Mass Grunts are cost-effective and trade well in melee engagements
- Shadow Hunter second — Healing Wave keeps Grunts alive in sustained fights
- Push timing at 50-60 food with BM3 + SH + 5-6 Grunts
- Wins against: greedy NE fast expansions, NE Archer openers without Huntresses
- Loses to: well-positioned Ancient Protectors, NE mass Huntress with Moon Glaive

## Tier progression

- **Tier 1**
  - Buildings: Altar of Storms, Orc Burrow, Barracks, Voodoo Lounge
  - Units: Grunt
  - Goal: BM + 4-5 Grunts, harass with BM while Grunts creep
- **Tier 2**
  - Buildings: Tauren Totem, Beastiary
  - Units: Grunt, Spirit Walker, Raider
  - Goal: SH second, Spirit Walkers for Disenchant, Raiders for Ensnare
- **Tier 3**
  - Buildings: Fortress
  - Units: Tauren
  - Goal: Taurens if game goes late — Pulverize is devastating in melee
  - Notes: Usually decided at T2 timing push — T3 is the fallback

## Hero skill order

- **Blademaster**: Wind Walk 3, Critical Strike 3, Mirror Image 1
- **Shadow Hunter**: Hex 2, Healing Wave 2, Serpent Ward 1

## Core upgrades

- Spirit Walker Training
- Ensnare
- orc backpack

## If you are new to this build

- Burrows are your food AND your defense -- you don't build Farms. When you're attacked, garrison 1-2 peons inside a Burrow; they shoot out of it.
- Make Grunts non-stop. They're cheap, tanky, and trade well in melee -- you don't need anything fancy at T1.
- Wind Walk the Blademaster into the enemy base for a worker kill or two while your Grunts creep. If you can't get in safely, just creep with the BM instead -- a level-3 BM is the goal either way.
- Don't rush T3 or Taurens. Get a Shadow Hunter as your second hero (Healing Wave keeps Grunts alive) and push at ~50-60 food. Most games end there.

## Common mistakes

- **Building a Great Hall but not enough Burrows, then hitting the food cap and stalling production.**
  - Fix: Build Burrows ahead of need. If you're not making units because you're food-blocked, you've already lost tempo.
- **Throwing the Blademaster into the enemy base and feeding him.**
  - Fix: Wind Walk in, grab 1-2 worker kills, Wind Walk out. If their hero or army is home, don't commit -- a dead BM is a lost game.
- **A-moving Grunts into towers or Ancient Protectors.**
  - Fix: If the front is fortified, don't force it. Take your expansion and out-produce them instead.
- **Forgetting attack/defense upgrades at the War Mill.**
  - Fix: Melee Weapons / Unit Armor level 1 are cheap and huge for a Grunt line. Start them as soon as you can afford it.

## Before you try it

- Comfortable using Wind Walk to harass and to disengage.
- Know that Orc Burrows hold workers for defense and provide food (no Farms).

## Pro replays running this build

| Player | Opponent | Map | Stage | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FoCuS | Moon | TwistedMeadows_v1.9 |  | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=116430527_FoCuS_Moon_TwistedMeadows11&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| FoCuS | LawLiet | Autumn Leaves v2.0 | Group Stage Game 1 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=3259738147_FoCuS_LawLiet_Autumn-Leaves-20&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| FoCuS | Eer0 | Hammerfall | Semifinals Game 4 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=2027107604_FoCuS_Eer0_Hammerfall&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| FoCuS | Kaho | Springtime_v1.3 |  | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=1202510875_FoCuS_Kaho_Springtime13&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| FoCuS | LawLiet | Springtime v1.3 | Group Stage Game 2 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=29397476_FoCuS_LawLiet_Springtime-13&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| Lyn | FoCuS | Hammerfall | Quarterfinals Game 1 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=3205763865_FoCuS_Lyn_Hammerfall&player=2&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| FoCuS | Moon | NorthernIsles |  | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=1332700574_FoCuS_Moon_NorthernIsles&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| FoCuS | LawLiet | Tidehunters v1.2 | Group Stage Game 3 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=1130358437_FoCuS_LawLiet_Tidehunters-12&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| Lyn | FoCuS | Turtle Rock v1.6 | Quarterfinals Game 2 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=3124260180_FoCuS_Lyn_Turtle-Rock-16&player=2&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| War3Orcer0 | LawLiet | Tidehunters_v1.2 |  | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=270744978_LawLiet_War3Orcer0_Tidehunters12&player=2&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| Iceorc | Jens | TurtleRock_v2.0 |  | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=1253794434_Iceorc_Jens_TurtleRock20&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| Lyn | FoCuS | Twisted Meadows v1.9 | Quarterfinals Game 4 | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=781305788_FoCuS_Lyn_Twisted-Meadows-11&player=2&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |
| War3Orcer0 | LawLiet | ConcealedHill |  | [open](https://wc3v.com/viewer?r=1168111252_War3Orcer0_LawLiet_ConcealedHill&player=1&buildId=orc-bm-grunt-push) |