Exploring the rich history of Orcs in World of Warcraft, this article highlights the top five most powerful Orc characters. It delves into the lives of legendary figures such as Broxigar, the resilient warrior; Ner’zhul, the tragic First Lich King; Garrosh Hellscream, the controversial Warchief; and Thrall, the noble leader and shaman. At the forefront is Gul’dan, whose dark ambitions significantly shaped the Warcraft universe. Each character’s impact and legacy within the lore are examined in detail.
At the heart of the expansive lore of World of Warcraft lie the Orcs and Humans, two races that ignited the epic saga of Warcraft. In this article, we will delve deeper into the world of the Orcs, exploring their rich history and powerful figures.
The Orcs boast a plethora of legendary characters, and today, we present our curated list of the top 5 mightiest Orcs in WoW.
5th Place: Broxigar the Red
Often lesser-known among players, Broxigar was the elder brother of Varok Saurfang and one of the few Orcs to survive the tumultuous first three wars of Warcraft. This survival, however, came at a cost; witnessing his comrades fall in battle left him feeling isolated and disheartened.
In his quest for death, Broxigar stumbled upon a time anomaly created by the bronze dragonflight, which transported various heroes back to Azeroth’s past.
He became embroiled in the War of the Ancients, a conflict that erupted 10,000 years ago when Queen Azshara opened a portal in the Well of Eternity, heralding the first invasion of the Burning Legion. This cataclysmic event ultimately reshaped the world into the continents we recognize today.
Broxigar found himself on Argus, the demons’ home planet, where he fought valiantly against countless foes. Remarkably, he succeeded in accomplishing the unimaginable: inflicting a wound on Sargeras, the Dark Titan, who would later claim his life.
4th Place: Ner’zhul, the First Lich King
Before becoming a significant antagonist in Warlords of Draenor and Shadowlands, Ner’zhul was recognized as the First Lich King with a tragic backstory.
A formidable shaman and leader of the Shadowmoon clan, he survived the first war of Warcraft and remained on Draenor to open portals for escape from the Burning Legion. Unfortunately, he was captured by Kil’jaeden. This led to his physical demise, transforming him into the ghostly figure known as the Lich King, sent to Azeroth to orchestrate the creation of the Scourge.
Under Ner’zhul’s command, the Scourge thrived in Azeroth. He enlisted allies such as Kel’thuzad and was pivotal in dooming Lordaeron by establishing the Cult of the Damned.
He later chose Arthas as his champion, eventually merging with him at the conclusion of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, leading to Arthas becoming the Lich King himself. Following this event, Ner’zhul became the darker half of the Lich King, although Arthas was not entirely devoid of guilt.
After Arthas’s fall, Ner’zhul’s essence was trapped in the Shadowlands, enduring torment from the Jailer. He later emerged as a boss in the Sanctum of Domination, with little evidence of his former might remaining.
3rd Place: Garrosh Hellscream
As the son of Grommash Hellscream, the first orc to succumb to demon blood and lead their race into bloodlust, Garrosh Hellscream initially served as the leader of Garadar in Nagrand, Outland. He rose to prominence as the military commander of the Horde after being welcomed by Thrall, eventually becoming Warchief post-Cataclysm.
However, his ruthless tactics and aggressive expansionism ignited a civil war within the Horde. Garrosh was responsible for numerous war crimes during Mists of Pandaria and appeared as the final boss in the Siege of Orgrimmar. Following his defeat, he escaped to the alternate timeline of Draenor, determined to alter the Orcs’ fate by preventing their corruption by the Burning Legion.
Garrosh was arguably the most formidable warrior the Horde has ever known, but ultimately met his end at the hands of Thrall during a Mak’gora, a duel to the death.
2nd Place: Thrall
As the current Warchief of the Horde and perhaps the most powerful shaman in its history, Thrall transitioned from a brute to a noble leader. After escaping captivity, he ventured into Kalimdor, where he established the first Horde to combat the Scourge and liberate his people from demonic influence, aided by his ally Grommash Hellscream.
Thrall played a crucial role in defeating Deathwing during the Cataclysm and intervened to thwart Garrosh’s atrocities between Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor, ultimately defeating him in a Mak’gora. Thrall stands as the quintessential ‘heroic’ orc in World of Warcraft, advocating for peace and the protection of Azeroth while being one of the most powerful Orcs to have ever existed.
After the Mak’gora, Thrall willingly relinquished his powers through his Doomhammer, as he had used them during the duel, a violation of the rules. He imposed this punishment on himself as a form of penance for the perceived injustice against Garrosh and subsequently exiled himself during the events of Legion.
In the ongoing saga of the Soul World introduced in The War Within, Thrall has emerged as a pivotal character alongside Anduin and Alleria, and his powers are set to resurface as they confront the Void and Xal’atath’s schemes.
1st Place: Gul’dan
Simply put, without Gul’dan, the World of Warcraft as we know it would not exist.
In his early years, he was frail and marginalized, often hunted by his own clan. Initially a shaman, he struggled to harness elemental powers, which ultimately led him down a dark path.