Dragonhawk Rider (Warcraft III)

This article is about the Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne version. For lore, see dragonhawk rider. For the Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos version, see Dragon Hawk (Warcraft III).

Dragonhawk Rider
Race	Blood elf and Dragonhawk
Faction	Human Alliance
Statistics
Hit points	625
Hit point regeneration	Always
Hit point regeneration rate	0.25 HP/sec.
Mana	300 (Initial 150)
Mana Regeneration rate	0.75 Mana/sec.
Unit Classified As	Air
Level	3
Gold	200
Lumber	30
Food	3
Produced at	Gryphon Aviary
Build time	28 sec.
Attacking priority	4
Hotkey	D
Combat
Normal attack	18-20 (19 avg)
Can attack	Ground, Structure, Debris, Air, Item, Ward
Range	30
Attack type	Piercing
Cooldown	1.75 sec.
Weapon type	Missile
Armor Type	Flesh
Defense Type	Light
Armor	1
Day Sight	160
Night Sight	90
Movement Speed	Fast (350)
Sound
Sound Set	BloodElfDragonHawk

This article contains lore taken from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, the manuals, and/or official bonus maps.

Swift flying unit mounted by an Elven warrior. The fierce warriors of the Dragonhawk battalions are often the first into combat, picking apart the enemy ranks and surrounding enemy towers with dense fog so that reinforcements can strike unhindered by enemy defenses. Attacks land and air units.

During Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos beta, Dragonhawk Riders were a playable Human Alliance unit. They are useful against towers using the Cloud ability.

Information

Dragonhawk Riders are fairly uncommon amongst Human players, mainly because they lack the offensive power that the Gryphon Riders and Flying Machines possess. However, they are excellent against taking down heavily fortified towns and heavy air units.

Dragonhawk Riders have a fairly decent Piercing attack allowing them to deal with various units that the Gryphon Riders and Flying Machines may have trouble dealing with, such as Dryads, who are spell immune and are protected from magic attacks.

Cloud prevents enemy towers from attacking in the targeted area for 30 seconds - more than enough for your other units to batter through them before they can resume attacking again. If an enemy player attempts to defend themselves with numerous towers, have several Dragonhawk Riders use Cloud on them, effectively rendering them useless for the duration of the spell. Make sure to have a Paladin heal them in case the enemy attempts to target the Dragonhawk Rider.

Aerial Shackles is an anti-air spell which deals 40 damage every second for 30 seconds in total, for a total of 1,200 damage. As the name suggests, it only works on enemy aerial units. The damage and duration of the spell ensure that if not interrupted, it will kill a light aerial unit and severely weaken a heavy one to the point that it can be killed quickly by other attacks. This spell is particularly useful at taking down any aerial threats to a player or team's army, such as Chimaeras or Frost Wyrms. They can also be used on Gargoyles or Hippogryphs if needed.

Spells and abilities

Cloud

Creates a small cloud that stops buildings with ranged attacks that are within it from attacking.

Research Cost Researched At Requirements Upgrade Time 50 100 Gryphon Aviary Arcane Vault, Castle 35 sec.
Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Area of Effect Allowed Targets Effect 30 sec. 20 sec. 100 100 30 Buildings Stops buildings from firing

Do not move the Dragonhawk Rider while it is casting Cloud or it will stop casting Cloud.

Cloud Counters

This spell must be maintained by having the Dragonhawk Rider stay still while the spell is cast to get the full effect. Force the Dragonhawk Rider to run which will cancel Cloud.

Aerial Shackles

Magically binds a target enemy air unit, so that it cannot move or attack and takes 30 damage per second.

Duration Cooldown Mana Cost Range Allowed Targets Effect 40 (10) sec. 30 sec. 75 55 Air, Enemy, Organic 30 damage/sec., unit disabled

Do not move the Dragonhawk Rider while it is casting Aerial Shackles or it will stop casting Aerial Shackles.

Aerial Shackles Counters

This spell must be maintained by having the Dragonhawk Rider stay still while the spell is cast to get the full effect. Force the Dragonhawk Rider to run which will cancel Aerial Shackles.

Upgrades

Animal War Training

Increases the maximum hit points of Knights, Dragonhawk Riders, and Gryphon Riders by 100.

Research Cost	Researched At	Requirements	Upgrade Time	Effect
125 125	Barracks	Castle, Lumber Mill, Blacksmith	60 sec.	Hit Points: 725

Iron Forged Swords

Increases the attack damage of Militia, Footmen, Spell Breakers, Dragonhawk Riders, Gryphon Riders, and Knights.

Research Cost	Researched At	Upgrade Time	Effect
100 50	Blacksmith	60 sec.	Normal attack: 19-23 (21 avg)

Steel Forged Swords

Further increases the attack damage of Militia, Footmen, Spell Breakers, Dragonhawk Riders, Gryphon Riders, and Knights.

Research Cost	Researched At	Requirements	Upgrade Time	Effect
175 175	Blacksmith	Keep	75 sec.	Normal attack: 20-26 (23 avg)

Mithril Forged Swords

Further increases the attack damage of Militia, Footmen, Spell Breakers, Dragonhawk Riders, Gryphon Riders, and Knights.

Research Cost	Researched At	Requirements	Upgrade Time	Effect
250 300	Blacksmith	Castle	90 sec.	Normal attack: 21-29 (25 avg)

Studded Leather Armor

Increases the armor of Riflemen, Mortar Teams, Dragonhawk Riders, and Gryphon Riders.

Research Cost	Researched At	Upgrade Time	Effect
100 100	Blacksmith	60 sec.	Armor: 3

Reinforced Leather Armor

Further increases the armor of Riflemen, Mortar Teams, Dragonhawk Riders, and Gryphon Riders.

Research Cost	Researched At	Requirements	Upgrade Time	Effect
150 175	Blacksmith	Keep	75 sec.	Armor: 5

Dragonhide Leather Armor

Further increases the armor of Riflemen, Mortar Teams, Dragonhawk Riders, and Gryphon Riders.

Research Cost	Researched At	Requirements	Upgrade Time	Effect
200 250	Blacksmith	Castle	90 sec.	Armor: 7

World Editor description

Swift flying unit, mounted by an Elven warrior. Has the Aerial Shackles ability, which allows it to immobilize and disarm enemy air units temporarily. Can learn Animal War Training, and the Cloud ability.

Quotes

• See Warcraft III Dragonhawk Rider quotes

Gallery

• 

  Comparison between High Elf and Blood Elf Dragonhawk Rider.

Patch changes

• Patch 1.15 (2004-05-10): Damage reduced to 1d3 + 17 from 1d3 + 18.
  
• Patch 1.12 (2003-07-31):
  • Aerial Shackles damage has been increased from 20 points per second to 30 per second.
  • The gold cost for a Dragonhawk Rider has been reduced from 235/40 to 200/30.
    
• Patch 1.10 (2003-07-03):
  • Dragonhawk Riders are now correctly a level 3 unit instead of a level 5 unit. This only impacts the experience gained when they are killed.
  • Dragonhawk Rider build time reduced to 30 from 45.
    
• Patch 1.07 (2003-07-01): Added.
  

External links

Battle.net Warcraft III - Humans -> Units -> Dragonhawk Rider