Tips for Playing Warcraft III: Reforged’s Multiplayer

Where do you go when you need a break from farming WoW Classic gold? Perhaps the answer is to World of Warcraft III: Reforged, the updated re-release of the classic Warcraft III. Despite the lack of ladders and custom games (among other features), there are still some things you can enjoy about the game’s multiplayer format. Whether a beginner or a veteran, it’s refreshing to go back to the basics.

Here are some tips to review so you can enjoy the game to the fullest!

Know Your Units in Warcraft III

There are three types of units you’ll be working with. These are the Workers, Units, and Heroes.

Workers are your grunts. They collect resources or build facilities. You may use them to do recon, as they’re cheap and, quite frankly, expendable. Outside of those purposes, they don’t find as much use. The workers of each race have different mechanics and yield, so keep those in mind!

Units are your general soldiers. They’re the bulk of your army, marching toward enemy bases. There are several different types with different strengths and weaknesses. Depending on what or who you’re fighting, they can either be effective or not.

Heroes are unique units. Each has its own model and design, as well as its own abilities. You might even recognize some of them from DotA. They’re your strongest units, and you might only be able to make about three or four max in a single match.

It doesn’t stop there. You can pick to play any of the four given races. Though it looks like the differences are skin-deep, they aren’t. Each one behaves differently depending on the circumstances. Night Elves can vanish at night, for example. The races also cater to different play styles, as well.

Expand Your Base

Resources are finite. That’s right, you can’t mine the same areas until the end of the match. Gold runs out, and trees fall (depending on your race). Before that happens, you should scout a little early to figure out where to set up another base. At first, you’ll be sending out your workers, but later on, you’ll get units specialized for reconnaissance.

Ultimately, the match is a race to get more resources than the others. By doing so, you can limit the enemy’s army, since they don’t have as much as you do. Spending some of that in scouting and recon will work toward your success. Don’t underestimate it!

Never be Idle

Efficiency is the name of the game. Always be building something, training units, scouting, or leveling your heroes. If you’re caught idling, it’s over for you. Management is an integral skill to practice as you play. You have your workers, your army, and your scouts to manage. More than that, your buildings should also be doing things all throughout. While they’re not making more units, they should be upgrading or unlocking new things to build or units to train.

Leveling your heroes is a particular process called ‘creeping’. There are various NPC creatures around the map called ‘creeps’ that you can hunt down with your heroes. Sure, it’s not the only way to level up your heroes, but depriving others of the chance to creep also benefits you in the end. Just make sure the hero doesn’t end up meeting another’s army or hero.

Play Through the Campaign at Least Once

Of course, if you’ve played other RTS (real-time strategy) titles, you should have a fair idea of what to do already. However, different games have different approaches, and similar mechanics work differently. You’ll really need time to familiarize yourself with the mechanics of the game.

Playing through the campaign should do the trick. Use it to familiarize yourself with the various pros and cons of each race, unit, and hero. You can study some of the maps as well. While not all of the campaign maps will be used in multiplayer, you’ll get a sense of where things are. Recon will go faster if you know where to send units.

Stay on top of your strategies, and keep your wits about you. Practice will keep your skills from dulling. However, the most important thing to do is to enjoy the game. Have fun, whether you win or lose!