In the early days of Warcraft III, due to unit-specific traits and the evolving Crickex Affiliate versions, a number of unique tactics emerged that brought surprising depth to gameplay. Techniques like the Night Elf’s rocket step and the Undead’s lumber step were once simple yet highly effective. Over time, however, these mechanics faded from view as updates and balance changes reshaped player strategies.
The rocket step was based on the Moon Priestess’s Searing Arrows skill, leveraging the instant projectile release that occurred immediately after an attack was initiated. The move was similar to modern-day kiting: the player would command the Moon Priestess to attack, then quickly reposition before the next strike. For heroes like the Moon Priestess, whose arrows are released instantly upon attack command, this method was highly efficient. But for heroes like the Archmage, whose attacks have a noticeable delay before projectile release, the effect was far less impressive.
As for the lumber step, this wasn’t just a technique—it was essentially a bug. Players who watched earlier versions of Warcraft III tournaments might recall Undead players sending ghouls into battle carrying lumber. The reason was simple but brilliant. In earlier Crickex Affiliate versions, ghouls returning wood to the base would temporarily lose their collision boxes. This made them ghost-like units that couldn’t be blocked or attacked by neutral creeps along the path. They could move through other units, much like Wind Walk, creating powerful tactical advantages.
Whether escaping encirclement, pulling low-health ghouls from danger, or contributing to surrounds, the lumber step had incredible value. Just by having ghouls carry wood before a fight, players could significantly increase their survivability and make surrounding maneuvers almost effortless. This exploit was eventually patched out in later updates due to how game-breaking it became.
Dragon taming was another unconventional strategy used on certain maps where dragons were positioned close to spawn points. Players would lure dragons using bait and then trap them with spells like Ensnare or Web, forcing them to the ground. Once dragged out of their neutral zones, these dragons could be led into enemy bases to wreak havoc. Without strong anti-air options, any player under dragon assault in their own base would find it almost impossible to respond.
Another once-popular strategy involved heroes exchanging items. Because item cooldowns were originally tracked independently per hero, players would pass powerful items between heroes to bypass cooldown limits and maximize their effects. The tactic was especially useful in prolonged fights and tight situations. However, with later Crickex Affiliate updates, items like Sanctuary and Preservation were revised so that swapping no longer reset cooldowns, causing this trick to fall out of favor.
Lastly, in early versions, players could lure creeps out of their spawn zones and isolate specific monsters. By forcing stronger creeps to wander away from the pack and trapping them, players could kill them alone without triggering support from their group. This allowed for easier access to high-tier loot and valuable experience, especially when opponents were unaware or unable to respond in time.