Raider

This article is about wolf riders. For the general list of riders, see rider.

Raider can also mean a person in a raid.

Raiders (or wolf riders) are traditionally wolf-riding warriors of the Horde and the orcish clans. Some orc raiders are capable of fighting on foot as well, supported by their dire wolves companions. Many other races and organizations raid for plunder but are not to be considered in the same way than in orcish culture.

History

Rise of the Horde

Grommash Hellscream led the wolf riders of his Warsong clan against the Gorian Empire in bold hit-and-run attacks.^[1]

First War

This section concerns content related to Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.

Main article: Raider (Warcraft I)

During the First War, the raiders were the most vicious of the Orcish hordes, these minions of Blackhand were trained to show no mercy. Riders of the darkwolves, these savage warriors used the speed and ferocity of their mounts to make them a deadly enemy. Faster than those who attacked on foot, they had perfected the tactics of tearing through columns of enemy soldiers like a hot wind.^[2]

As an organization, they were referred to as the Sythegore Arm and Blackhand himself was a prominent member.^[3] It is unknown whether the Frostwolf clan, also known for their proximity with wolves, were a part of the Sythegore Arm or a rival organization. The Frostwolves were exiled by Gul'dan for refusing to submit to demonic corruption and possibly didn't disband their raider corps.

Second War

This section concerns content related to Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness or its expansion Beyond the Dark Portal.

When rumors that the wolf raiders of the Horde intended to betray Orgrim Doomhammer to Blackhand's sons: Rend and Maim, came to light, Gul'dan had Orgrim disband the vast majority of them,^[4] and subsequently replaced them with ogre enforcers.

The majority of the former wolfriders were then sent into the various arms of the grunt forces.^[4] Other raiders remained in Draenor; where they ultimately fell under the dominion of Fenris the Hunter and his Thunderlord clan.^[5] By the beginning of the Second War, raiders were thus extremely rare within the ranks of the Orcish Horde.

Third War

This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

Main article: Raider (Warcraft III)

After many years of inactivity, the young Warchief Thrall decided to create a new generation of wolf riders. These mighty warriors carry hefty warblades into combat and rely greatly upon the cunning and ferocity of their faithful dire-wolf mounts to defeat their enemies.^[6]

Thrall's head of security, Nazgrel, was one of the most prominent member of this new generation of raiders. It is possible that the return of the Frostwolf clan itself under the banner of the Horde gave a renewed presence to raiders during the Third War.

Warcraft III concept art.
Unit icon.
Raider in Warcraft III.
Two raiders in the back on the left.
Unit icon in Reforged.

Some raiders got corrupted into Fel Orc Raiders in northern Kalimdor and on Outland.

Unit icon for Chaos Raider and Fel Orc Raider.
Chaos Raider and Fel Orc Raider.
Unit icon for Fel Orc Raider.
Raider in Reforged.
Reforged concept art of a fel orc raider.

World of Warcraft

This section concerns content related to the original World of Warcraft.

Raiders can also be found in the ranks of the other Hordes, such as the Dark Horde and Iron Horde. The mounted raiders of the Warsong orcs favor speed and maneuverability in battle — they move quickly, strike swiftly, and are away before their enemies know what hit them.

Known

Name	Clan	Status
Nazgrel	Frostwolf Clan	Alive
Blackhand	Blackrock Clan	Deceased
Rend Blackhand	Blackrock Clan	Deceased
Maim Blackhand	Blackrock Clan	Deceased
Fenris Wolfbrother	Thunderlord Clan	Unknown
Wolf-Rider Gaja	Unknown	Unknown
Raider Captain Kronn	Unknown	Alive
Raider Bork	Unknown	Alive
Raider Jhash	Unknown	Alive
Raider Kerr	Unknown	Alive

Unnamed

Quotes

See Warcraft III raider quotes

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Howling and barking in harmony with his lupine steed, the wolf-rider holds one hand on his reins, the other lifting an evil-looking blade above his head. At his side, several nets rest on the wolf’s flank, ready to be thrown at attractive prey^[7]

Orc mounted warriors are called raider or wolf rider.^[8]^[9]

A raider is among the most feared members of the Horde, for he can strike at any time, relying on the stealth of his steed and his skill with nets to entrap his prey. It’s unlikely he’ll be encountered in a pitched battle, but when the Horde wishes to raid supplies or send a force to pursue a routed army, he will be sent out of his kennel, and the Alliance will know fear. Raiders are swift shock troopers, adept at outflanking enemies to strike at vulnerable war machines, spellcasters, supply lines and buildings. Under a capable commander, raiders save their nets to ensnare flying prey; but if left to their own, raiders are notoriously trigger happy with their nets, frustratingly wasting them against enemies who really don’t need to be netted.

Orc raiders tear paths through tough opposition, often leaping through the lines of battle to cripple stronger foes, and create channels where raging death can flow. On Draenor, orcs tamed and rode dire wolves, and the cleaver-like blades of these raiders are just as deadly as any knight’s lance.^[10]

Trivia

In Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Raider is also a rank the orcish commander can achieve. In Warcraft II the rank was replaced by the one of Knight, even for the Horde, presumably due to a mistake.
In the canceled Warcraft Adventures, it was shown that the Frostwolf clan did not disband their wolf rider corps, unlike the other clans of the Old Horde.
Their description during the Warcraft III alpha was as such: "The Orcs have discarded demonic magics and now practice the ancient Shamanistic magics of their noble ancestors. While Orc Shamans are capable of summoning the fury of nature to strike at their enemies, the once-abandoned Order of Wolf Riders have reformed their ancestral bond with the ferocious beasts of the winterlands and are prepared to again ride into battle and strike fear into the hearts of their enemies."^[11]