Troll Warlord
Trolls are a contentious and prickly race, easily offended and quick to anger. The Troll Warlord channels this inherent rage into perfect combat form, wielding twin axes with deadly precision whether at range or in melee. He thrives in the chaos of battle, growing stronger and faster with each blow.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Form follows function, rage becomes precision. Master the dual blades, master the battlefield.”
Adapt Your Form
Ranged for laning, melee for fighting. Know when to switch and master the timing. The toggle is your greatest weapon.
Stack Everything
Fervor stacks persist through death and between targets. Never let your attack speed go to waste - carry momentum between everything you hit.
Trance as Tool, Not Crutch
Battle Trance is both offense and defense. Use it to secure kills and to survive ganks. It's a get-of-jail-free and a kill-button in one.
Single-Target Focus
You excel at eliminating one target completely. Don't spread damage thin - pick your priority and destroy them completely before moving on.
Resource Management
Your mana is precious. Whirling Axes is expensive but necessary. Save it for crucial moments and consider early mana sustain.
The Hunt
Once fed, you are the hunter. Use your mobility and Battle Trance to track down isolated enemies and convert them into advantages.
Hero Overview
Troll Warlord is a versatile damage dealer who transitions from ranged harasser in lane to unstoppable melee force in teamfights. His unique ability to swap between combat forms allows him to adapt to any situation, while Fervor provides exponential scaling through attack speed manipulation.
Troll's gameplay revolves around maximizing Fervor uptime and choosing the optimal form for each engagement. In lane, use ranged form for safe harassment while building Fervor stacks. Once teamfights begin, switch to melee form to dominate with superior stats, Berserker's Rage root, and sustained damage. Battle Trance serves as both offensive damage amplifier and defensive survival tool, while Whirling Axes provide wave clear and powerful control.
Pros
- Excellent single-target sustained damage
- Versatile with melee/ranged form switching
- Fervor provides incredible attack speed scaling
- Battle Trance offers offensive & defensive utility
- Natural tower destroyer with Fervor persistence
- Hard counter to single-target lockdown
Cons
- Vulnerable to area-of-effect damage and crowd control
- Poor mana pool limits Whirling Axes usage
- Melee form requires good positioning
- Struggles against heroes who can kite effectively
- Requires careful form management for maximum effectiveness
Ability Analysis
Berserker's Rage
ToggleTroll Warlord changes his attack type between ranged and melee, gaining different bonuses in each form.
Notes: Melee form provides superior stats, bash, and movement speed. Use it for teamfights and tower taking. Ranged form is better for laning and kiting situations. Master toggle timing - switching mid-projectile converts attacks to melee form for extra damage and effects. Can toggle while TPing to arrive in optimal form.
Whirling Axes (Ranged)
ActiveTroll Warlord throws a volley of axes in a cone shape, dealing damage and blinding enemies.
Notes: Primary wave clear and harassment tool in ranged form. The blind makes it effective against physical carries. Food mana cost is restrictive - manage carefully. With Aghanim's Scepter, applies basic dispel that pierces debuff immunity.
Whirling Axes (Melee)
ActiveTroll Warlord spins wildly in a large area, dealing damage to nearby enemy units and applying a 40% slow for 3 seconds.
Notes: Excellent for farming and area damage in melee form. Note that neither damage nor blind effect work on Roshan. With Aghanim's Scepter, provides basic dispel on enemies that goes through debuff immunity.
Fervor
PassiveTroll Warlord gains attack speed for each attack he lands on an enemy, stacking up to a maximum. The stacks persist when changing targets.
Notes: Core ability that scales exponentially. Attack speed persists through death - maintain pressure after respawn. Stacks only reset when attacking new targets. Leverage residual stacks between jungle camps and objectives. Illusions build stacks independently. Aghani's Shard allows secondary attacks to proc attack modifiers.
Battle Trance
ActiveTroll Warlord goes into a trance, gaining massive lifesteal and attack speed for 6 seconds. He will automatically attack the nearest enemy.
Notes: Provides basic dispel on cast. Functions like Shallow Grave mechanically - only Axe's Culling Blade can kill through it. Locks onto target but can still toggle forms and cast items/spells. Can't TP during trance but can use most items. With Strong Dispels talent, can activate while stunned or cycloned. Maintain shared vision on locked target through fog.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Troll Warlord excels at sustained single-target damage and excels at Barry the most underrated pusher in the game. His ability to switch between melee and ranged forms makes him incredibly versatile.
Key Insights:
- Melee form dominates after laning phase with superior stats and melee Berserker's Rage root
- Fervor attack speed persists through death - maintain pressure after respawn
- Battle Trance provides powerful defensive utility and hunting capability
- Toggle mechanics allow advanced plays like courier sniping and uphill hits
- Switch to melee form mid-projectile to convert ranged attacks into melee hits
- Fervor stacks transfer between camps and structures - leverage residual attack speed
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Survive laning phase and build Fervor stacks Key: Use ranged form for safe last hitting and harassment; Build Fervor stacks on creeps, then transfer to heroes; Conserve mana for essential Whirling Axes uses; Git early power spikes before teamfights begin Items: Power Treads (Stat switching utility); Maelstrom (Farming acceleration); Yasha (Movement speed bonus) Tips: Practice toggle timing - switch to melee right before projectile hits; Whirling Axes is expensive early - use judiciously; Build Fervor stacks on lane creeps, then harass heroes; Consider jungle stacking between waves for additional farm
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Dominate teamfights and claim objectives Key: Switch to melee form for teamfights; Use Battle Trance for both offense and defense; Push towers with persistent Fervor attack speed; Hunt isolated enemies with superior damage Items: Mjolnir (Damage amplification); BKB (Magic immunity crucial); Satanic (Survival in extended fights) Tips: Melee form has superior stats - use it in fights; Battle Trance can save you from certain death; Fervor stacks persist through death - maintain aggression; Don't be afraid to 1v1 with Battle Trance active
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Execute priority targets and end games Key: Focus highest priority enemy carries; Use Battle Trance to lockdown and execute threats; Maintain Fervor stacks throughout engagements; Leverage tower-taking superiority Items: Daedalus (Critical damage scaling); Aghanim's Scepter (Utility and dispel); Silver Edge (Breaking defensive items) Tips: Position aggressively in melee form; Battle Trance can secure kills on escaping targets; Maintain vision control for hunting opportunities; Remember you excel at single-target elimination
Tips & Strategies
Form Switching Mastery
- Toggle to melee right before ranged projectile hits for melee effects and damage.
- You can toggle Berserker's Rage while channeling TP scrolls.
- Use ranged form only when blocked by terrain or need specific Whirling Axes usage.
- Melee form root from Berserker's Rage works on spell-immune enemies.
Fervor Stack Management
- Fervor attack speed persists through death and buyback.
- Stacks only reset when attacking new targets - leverage this between camps.
- Illusions build stacks independently, increasing team damage.
- Switch to ranged after taking towers to toss on barracks with max Fervor.
Battle Trance Tactics
- Battle Trance provides basic dispel and works like Shallow Grave.
- Only Axe's Culling Blade can kill through Battle Trance.
- Can be cast while stunned with Strong Dispels talent upgrade.
- Lock hero attacks during trance by casting mid-animation on objectives.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Agility for last hitting, consumables for sustain, mana for Whirling Axes spam.
Slippers of Agility, Tangos, Mana Potion
Core Items
Treads for stats switching, Maelstrom for farming/damage scaling, Yasha for movement speed and attack speed synergy with Fervor.
Power Treads, Maelstrom, Yasha
Situational Items
MKB against evasion/buyers, Satanic for survival, BKB against magic lockdown, Abyssal for additional lockdown.
Monkey King Bar, Satanic, BKB, Abyssal Blade
Counter Guide
Good With
Troll Warlord excels with heroes who can protect him during his ramp-up phase and enhance his single-target damage. Shadow Demon creates perfect kill conditions with Disruption and Soul Catcher, giving Troll time to build Fervor stacks on a helpless target. Dazzle provides critical sustain through Shadow Wave and can save Troll with Shallow Grave if he overextends. Oracle protects Troll with Fortune's End disarm and can amplify his survival with False Promise. Chen enables Troll's comeback potential with Hand of God, while Winter Wyvern protects him with Cold Embrace and Cold Feet setup. Lion and Shadow Shaman provide hard lockdown that ensures Troll's targets stay still for maximum damage output. Heroes who can either protect Troll during his vulnerable early game or guarantee his target stays locked down maximize his devastating single-target damage potential.
Bad Against
Troll struggles against heroes who can neutralize his damage output or prevent him from reaching targets. Axe forces Troll to attack him while Counter Helix tears him apart, completely reversing the damage dynamic. Winter Wyvern makes Troll kill himself or nearby allies with Arctic Burn отраж杀伤 or prevents him from attacking entirely. Doom silences Troll's abilities and prevents form switching, rendering him virtually useless. Batrider drags Troll out of position and burns his mana, preventing Whirling Axes usage. Vengeful Spirit and Electrician swap him back to safety, negating his Battle Trance lockdown. Phantom Assassin's evasion forces MKB purchase, delaying core items. Ancient Apparition reduces Battle Trance lifesteal and prevents buyback survival. Heroes with break effects like Silver Edge carriers disable Fervor, crippling Troll's damage. The pattern is clear: heroes with displacement, break, high AoE damage, or ways to neutralize single-target damage all pose significant threats to Troll's effectiveness.
Good Against
Troll Warlord dominates heroes who rely on staying at range, channeling spells, or who lack escape mechanisms. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Naga Suffer immensely - Whirling Axes cleaves through illusions while Troll's single-target focus melts the real hero. Position-dependent carries such as Sniper and Drow Ranger become easy prey when Troll closes distance with Battle Trance. Channeling heroes like Crystal Maiden, Witch Doctor, and Enigma can be interrupted mid-ability as Troll's consistent pressure makes channeling impossible. Soft supports without mobility like Lion, Shadow Shaman, and Crystal Maiden can't escape Troll's persistent damage and form switching. Melee carries who need to trade hits like Juggernaut and Ursa find themselves overwhelmed by Troll's attack speed advantage and Fervor scaling. Position-reliant heroes like Tinker and Invoker lose their safety when forced into close combat. Heroes who rely on maintaining distance or stationary abilities become punching bags against Troll's relentless aggression and superior sustained damage output.