The Darkspear Trolls

Taz’dingo! The Darkspear trolls have been steadfast members of the Horde since they arrived in Kalimdor. Warcraft trolls have a very unique flavor to them, very distinct from trolls in other fantasy genres. And the history of the trolls are very tied in with the ancient history of Azeroth. Trolls rely mostly on worshipping the loa (Wild Gods) for their power, in addition to delving into forbidden voodoo magics via their witch doctors.

Troll history is long, and the trolls as a race are diffused into multiple tribes and empires. This article will, for the most part, focus on the Darkspear tribe that has joined the Horde and is playable by players.

The Darkspears are jungle trolls, one of the tribes who originally comprised the Gurubashi Empire. After the night elves broke the power of the Gurubashi and with the ensuing War of the Ancients and the Sundering, the Darkspears lived near the ruins of Zul’Gurub, the old Gurubashi capital, in Stranglethorn Vale, in the southern region of the Eastern Kingdoms. The Darkspears were not as numerous as the other tribes, and were less savage in custom than other trolls, not being as warlike or cannibalistic as other trolls. This made them constant targets of raids and attacks by other jungle trolls like the Skullsplitters and Bloodscalps. 

Eventually, the Darkspears would leave Stranglethorn Vale, settling in the Darkspear Isles, a small island chain in the Great Sea between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. For a time, the tribe knew peace. When Kul Tirans arrived on the islands searching for the orcs Thrall had freed from the internment camps, the humans extended their hunt to the island’s trolls. The tribe seemed doomed until a storm dropped the wayward orcs onto the islands as well. Thrall’s forces defeated the humans, only for the orcs, trolls, and surviving humans to all be captured by a naga sea-witch and her forces who, unbeknownst to the trolls, had been living in underwater caverns beneath the islands.

Thrall would manage to get free and release the orcs and trolls, killing the sea witch and her murloc cultists. Unable to be saved, however, was the Darkspear chieftain, Sen’jin. Before his death, he foretold that his people would go with the orcs and their destinies would be bound to one another. After reaching the surface, the Darkspears departed from the isles with the orcs on their ships, both bound for new homelands in Kalimdor.

As the troll’s allies the orcs built Orgrimmar, after having helped the tauren settle and build in Mulgore, the Darkspears chose a chain of small, tropical islands off the south-eastern coast of Durotar to build their own settlements in the Echo Isles. Here, the Darkspears would (hopefully) build a lasting home.

In time, the trolls would eventually have to temporarily abandon their new homes and be relocated inland when Kul Tiran forces under the command of Daelin Proudmoore attacked the New Horde. Proudmoore, a veteran of the First and Second Wars believed the New Horde was merely the orcs regrouping before launching another genocidal campaign against the humans, dwarves, gnomes, and high elves. He wanted to hit them before they had a chance to rebuild, and didn’t believe that Thrall wanted to find a new way for the orcs. Eventually, the orcs, tauren, and Darkspears defeated Proudmoore. Tragically, Jaina Proudmoore, the leader of Theramore and an ally to Thrall, chose to side with the Horde and aided in the death of her father and the destruction of the Kul Tiran expeditionary force. This event would have ramifications through the World of Warcraft expansion cycle.

When the Darkspears returned to the Echo Isles, many of them fell prey to a cunning witch doctor named Zalazane. Zalazane used his voodoo to take control of the minds of the trolls who followed him. Eventually, the free trolls fled the isles, settling across from the islands on the coast of Durotar and building Sen’jin Village. In time, the trolls would go on to reclaim their home islands, crush Zalazane, and take part in two Horde civil wars. Still they have stood with the Horde as Thrall envisioned it; a family of the unwanted and hated races, trying to build a home and prove their worth to a world that shuns them.

Trolls are a very versatile race, capable of playing as warriors, death knights, hunters, shamans, druids, rogues, monks, mages, priests, and warlocks. The only classes not available to trolls are Light-worshipping paladins and the elf-only demon hunters.

Troll racial abilities are based around their savagery and regenerative abilities, as well as their connection with shadowy voodoo magic. Their bonuses are as follow:

1. Berserking. Every 3 minutes a troll can go berserk, increasing their melee, ranged, and spell haste by 15% for 10 seconds.

2. Regeneration. Trolls heal faster than other races. Given time, they can even regrow lost limbs. They have 10% increased health regeneration, and 10% of their total regeneration rate continues even while they are in combat.

3. Beast Slaying. Jungle trolls are some of the most prolific hunters Azeroth has ever produced. 20% extra experience from killing beasts.

4. Da Voodoo Shuffle. Trolls have naturally high agility, and they have a rhythmic, almost dance-like way of moving in combat. Reduces all movement-impairing effects on the troll by 20%. Trolls be flippin out’ mon!

Trolls are a fun race. They have a really unique flair, with a good mix of savagery, being fun-loving, and a little bit of crazy mixed in. They’re steadfast members of the Horde, always willing to do what needs to be done, even if that means standing against their own allies when those allies are wayward. Trolls have a strong base in the player community, though not as large as other races. Those that do play them, seem to love troll culture a lot. So, if you choose to play a Darkspear Troll, don’t forget to beware da voodoo!