Gul'dan
Ranged AssassinWarcraftMedium
Anti-Mage
Builds
SustainSituational
Abilities
Talent Build
Hover talents for details · highlighted = recommended pick
1
4
7
10
13
16
20
Build Overview
This build focuses on extreme sustain and area-of-effect (AoE) pressure. By balancing Mana management at level 1 with high self-healing and damage scaling, you become a 'raid boss' of sorts that is very difficult to force out of a lane or a team fight.
Pros
Cons
+Infinite Sustain: Between Life Tap and your buffed Drain Life, you rarely need to return to the Hall of Storms.
−No Mobility: Gul'dan has no built-in dashes or teleports. If you are out of position, you are an easy target.
+Top-Tier Waveclear: You can clear minion waves almost instantly, providing great map pressure.
−Vulnerable to CC: Your main survival tool, Drain Life, is a channeled ability. Any Stun, Silence, or Displacement will cancel it and leave you vulnerable.
+Massive Late-Game Damage: Once Rampant Hellfire is stacked, your Q becomes a rapid-fire cannon that melts high-health targets.
−Weak to Dive/Burst: While you have high sustained healing, you can still be deleted by 'burst' heroes (like Zeratul or Kerrigan) before your healing kicks in.
+Game-Changing Ultimate: A well-placed Horrify can win a team fight instantly by displacing the enemy healer or tank.
Playstyle Tips
- ›The 'Slow-Drain' Combo: Use your Corruption (E) to slow the enemy first (thanks to level 7). This prevents them from simply walking out of your Drain Life (W) range.
- ›Master the Life Tap: Don't wait until you are out of Mana to use Life Tap. Use it frequently between spell casts to keep your resources high, then heal the damage back with Drain Life.
- ›Positioning is Everything: Since you lack mobility, stay behind your tank. Use the extra range from Chaotic Energy to poke the enemy from a distance where they can't easily reach you.
- ›Horrify Direction: The direction the enemies run depends on where they are relative to the center of the circle. Try to cast it slightly behind the enemy team to push them toward your teammates.
- ›Keep the Q Rolling: At level 16, try to hit any enemy (even a minion) with your Q to keep your damage stacks from falling off during a fight.
✓Strong Against
- Deathwing / Azmodan / AlexstraszaHeroes with large 'hitboxes' are easy targets for your Corruption (E). Also, when Alexstrasza uses her Abundance (the healing circle), you can land a perfect E or Horrify on the entire group gathered there.
- Arthas / JohannaThese slow tanks can't get away from your Drain Life (W). You can use them as a battery to refill your health constantly while you spam your Q.
- Uther / RehgarThese healers have high mana costs or long cooldowns. Gul'dan’s damage is constant and never-ending; eventually, these healers will run out of mana or cooldowns while Gul'dan just keeps casting.
- Illidan / SamuroSince your Fel Flame (Q) is a wide arc, it is great for clearing Samuro's clones or hitting a high-mobility Illidan without needing perfect aim.
✗Weak Against
- Anub'arakA nightmare for Gul'dan. He has two ways to interrupt your Drain Life (Stuns), and his Cocoon can take you out of the fight instantly. Plus, his beetles block your Drain Life target.
- Zeratul / MaievThese heroes can dive you and 'blink' away. If Zeratul catches you with a combo, you might die before you can even press W to heal back.
- Malfurion / StukovAs we mentioned with Medivh, Silences are deadly. If you can't cast, you can't heal. A Malfurion roots you and then silences you, leaving you completely helpless.
- Chromie / HanzoThese heroes outrange you. Gul'dan needs to be at a medium distance to hit his Q and E. Chromie can hit you from a screen away, and since you often stand still to channel Drain Life, you are an easy target for her.
- BrightwingHer Polymorph is an instant interrupt for your Drain Life, and her passive healing helps mitigate your 'poke' damage over time.