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Arthas
Arthas
Basic Info
Title The Lich King
Role Tank Tank
Difficulty Medium
Franchise Warcraft Warcraft
Price Gem625 / Money7,000
Release Date March 13, 2014
Base Stats
Attack Type Melee
Health 2860
Health Regen 5.957
Resource 500 Mana
Unit Radius 0.8125
Attack Speed 1
Attack Range 2
Attack Damage 95
Data Page

Arthas Menethil, the Lich King, is a melee warrior hero from the Warcraft universe.[1] Once the crown prince of Lordaeron, and protégé of Uther the Lightbringer, Arthas was corrupted by the cursed blade Frostmourne in a desperate bid to save his people. Now he rules over the damned as the Lich King and all shall know his wrath.

Arthas engages with his enemies directly, freezing and slowing them. He uses the power of Frostmourne to empower his attacks.[2]

History

Warcraft This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft universe.

Arthas Menethil, the crown prince of Lordaeron, was the son of King Terenas Menethil II. He joined the Order of the Silver Hand led by Uther the Lightbringer, and was trained as a paladin. Arthas was a promising knight, though he eventually spiraled down a path of vengeance.

Arthas's downfall began at Stratholme, one of the first cities to be struck by the plague. Upon discovering that the grain stores in the city had been infected, Arthas ordered Uther and a Kirin Tor mage named Jaina Proudmoore to help him purge the city in order to prevent the plague from spreading further. Uther and Jaina refused to follow his demands, however, and Arthas went on to purge the city without them. In Stratholme, Arthas encountered and fought a dreadlord by the name of Mal'Ganis. Before Mal'Ganis fled, he told Arthas to meet him in the arctic land of Northrend.

Arthas gathered an army and set sail for Northrend. Upon his arrival, he encountered an old friend by the name of Muradin Bronzebeard. After Muradin told Arthas of an ancient and powerful runeblade called Frostmourne, which had the potential to slay Mal'Ganis, the two friends set out to look for the weapon. Upon finding Frostmourne, however, Muradin realized it was cursed and said they should leave it be. Arthas, willing to pay any price to save his people, did not head Muradin's warning. He claimed the blade and seemingly killed his old friend in the process.

With Frostmourne in hand, Arthas set out to find Mal'Ganis. He fought through hordes of undead before reaching the dreadlord. Mal'Ganis revealed to Arthas that the whispers he was hearing from Frostmourne were actually the voice of the Lich King, and asked him what the Lich King's next instructions were. Arthas replied that the voice was telling him to enact his vengeance. Striking the astonished dreadlord down, Arthas abandoned his men and began wandering through the frozen wastes, where he lost what remained of his sanity. When Arthas returned to Lordaeron, he killed his father in cold blood and conquered the kingdom in the name of the Scourge.

Some time later, following the destruction he had wrought on the continent, the Lich King ordered Arthas to return to Northrend. Illidan Stormrage, who had been instructed by the Burning Legion to destroy the Lich King, raced Arthas to the immobile Lich King's seat of power in Icecrown. Ultimately, the two fought and Arthas emerged victorious. Arthas shattered the Frozen Throne and placed the helm of the Lich King upon his head, allowing the two to become one single being.

Abilities

Frostmourne Hungers Active Icon
D
Frostmourne Hungers
Cooldown: 10 seconds

Activate to make Arthas's next Basic Attack strike immediately and deal 99 increased damage. Dealing damage restores 30 Mana.


Type: Bonus damage, Mana restoration
Scaling: 4.00% (damage) / - (mana)
Affects: Enemies
Targeting: No target
Properties: Attack Modifier, Primed
Cast time: Instant

  • The damage is added to Arthas's Basic Attack damage and dealt in a single instance.
  • Cooldown starts once the Ability is triggered by attacking an enemy.
Death Coil Icon
Q
Death Coil
50 Mana Cooldown: 9 seconds

Deals 164 damage to target enemy.

Can be self-cast to heal for 262 Health.


Type: Spell Damage / Healing
Scaling: 4.00% (both)
Affects: Enemies / Self
Targeting: Unit target
Cast time: 0.15 + 0 seconds
Range: 6.0
Missile speed: 18
Howling Blast Icon
W
Howling Blast
70 Mana Cooldown: 12 seconds

Root enemies within the target area for 1.25 seconds and deals 68 damage.


Type: Spell Damage, Crowd control
Scaling: 4.00%
Affects: Enemies
Targeting: Point Target
Properties: Area of Effect, Root, Clamping, Self-castable
Cast time: 0.15 + 0 seconds
Range: 9.0
Radius: 2.0
Missile speed: 17
Frozen Tempest Icon
E
Frozen Tempest
Cooldown: 1 seconds

13 Mana per second
Deal 40 damage per second to nearby enemies and Slow their Movement Speed by 10% per second, stacking up to 40%. Heroes hit also have their Attack Speed Slowed by 10% per second, stacking up to 40%. Frozen Tempest's effects last for 1.5 seconds.


Type: Spell Damage, Crowd control / Status effect
Scaling: 4.00%
Affects: Enemies / Enemy Heroes
Targeting: No target (toggle)
Cast time: Instant
Radius: 3.5
Tickrate: 2.0 per second
Damage per tick: 20
Slow per tick: 5%

  • Debuff can be fully removed with Invulnerable and friendly Stasis effects. Unstoppable and CC removal effects only remove the Slow and not the Attack Slow debuff.
  • Slow stacks with itself, but not with other sources of Slows.
  • Attack Slow stacks additively with itself and other effects that affect the target's Attack Speed.
Army of the Dead Icon
R
Army of the Dead
80 Mana Cooldown: 80 seconds

Summons Ghouls that last 15 seconds and attack for 20 damage. Sacrifice Ghouls to heal for 267 Health.


Type: Summon
Targeting: No target
Cast time: 0.15 + 0 seconds
Summoned Ghouls: 6

  • The cooldown starts immediately when the Ability is activated.
  • While active, the ability is replaced by Sacrifice.

Ghoul
Type: Active
Scaling: 4.00% (damage & Health)
Targeting: Automatic
Health: 1060
Basic Attack damage: 20
Attack speed: 1.0
Attack range: 1.0
Movement Speed: 5.0
Unit radius: 0.6875
Sight radius: 7.0
Leash radius: 10

  • Ghouls are unable to move for the first 1.3 seconds after being summoned.
  • Ghouls are summoned at random positions within 5 radius around Arthas, but will reorganize around Arthas at 2.5 range at 60 degree intervals once they are able to move.
  • Ghouls will follow Arthas in this formation until he issues an attack move on an enemy. Each of the Ghouls will then attack this target until they or the target dies or the Ghoul is leashed and returns to the formation.
  • Ghouls persist even after Arthas's death.
Sacrifice Icon
R
Army of the Dead - Sacrifice
Cooldown: 2 seconds

Sacrifice a Ghoul to heal for 267 Health.


Type: Healing
Scaling: 4.00%
Affects: Self
Targeting: No target
Properties: Area of Effect
Cast time: 0 + 0.15 seconds

  • Replaces Arthas's Heroic Ability slot while Army of the Dead is active.
  • Sacrifice starts on a 1.5 second cooldown when Army of the Dead is activated.
  • Arthas cannot activate the Ability to sacrifice a Ghoul if he is at full Health.
  • The Ghoul with the lowest Health will be sacrificed first.
Summon Sindragosa Icon
R
Summon Sindragosa
100 Mana Cooldown: 100 seconds

Deals 230 damage and Slows enemies by 60% for 4 seconds. Also disables Minions, Mercenaries, Monsters and Structures for 20 seconds.


Type: Spell Damage, Crowd control
Scaling: 4.00%
Affects: Enemies
Properties: Clamping, Piercing Skillshot, Slow (vs. Heroes and Summons), Stun (vs. non-Heroic)
Cast time: 0.6 + 0.15 seconds
Range: 38
Hitbox: 8.0 x 4.0
Missile speed:
- Initial: 6.0
- Maximum: 15
- Acceleration: 56
Initial delay: 0.75 seconds

Talents

1
Frost Presence Icon
Frost Presence

❢ Quest: Root enemy Heroes with Howling Blast.

❢ Reward: After Rooting 5 Heroes, Howling Blast's cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds.

❢ Reward: After Rooting 10 Heroes, Howling Blast's range is increased by 20%.

❢ Reward: After Rooting 20 Heroes, Howling Blast also Roots enemies in its path.


Type: Crowd control
Affects: Enemies
Hitbox: 1.5 x 1.25
Bonus range: 1.8
Bonus missile speed: 5.1015

  • Actually gains a stack per Hero hit even if they are not Rooted (due to Unstoppable).
  • Howling Blast's projectile speed is increased if it is cast beyond 8 range.
Eternal Hunger Icon
Eternal Hunger

❢ Quest: Use Frostmourne Hungers on an enemy Hero.

❢ Reward: Increases the Mana it restores by 4, to a maximum of 40, and its damage by 4.


Type: Bonus damage
Scaling: -
Affects: Ability
Maximum bonus damage: 5000 (x1250)
Block Icon
Rime

Every 5 seconds, gain 75 Physical Armor against the next enemy Hero Basic Attack, reducing the damage taken by 75%. Stores up to 3 charges.


Type: Defensive damage modifier
Affects: Self
Properties: Block, Physical Armor

  • Does not stack with itself or other positive Physical Armor effects. Other defensive damage modifiers may stack.
4
Deathlord Icon
Deathlord

Increase the range of Death Coil by 30%, reduce its cooldown by 3 seconds, and if Death Coil is used on an enemy Hero its Mana cost is refunded.


Bonus cast range: 1.8
Frozen Wastes Icon
Frozen Wastes

Frozen Tempest Mana cost reduced by 2 per second.

❢ Quest: Damage enemy Heroes with Frozen Tempest.

❢ Reward: After damaging enemy Heroes 150 times with Frozen Tempest, the Movement and Attack Speed Slows of Frozen Tempest last an extra 1.5 seconds against enemy Heroes.


Bonus duration: 1.5 seconds

  • Every Hero hit counts toward quest progress.
Biting Cold Icon
Icy Talons

Gain 3% Attack Speed for 1.5 seconds every time a Hero is damaged by Frozen Tempest, to a maximum of 60%.


Type: Status effect
Affects: Self
Properties: Attack Speed

  • Attack speed stacks additively with itself and other effects that can affect Arthas's Attack Speed.
7
Immortal Coil Icon
Immortal Coil

Gain the healing effect of Death Coil even when used on enemies. If Death Coil is used on Arthas, it heals for an additional 50%.


Type: Healing dealt modifier
Affects: Ability

  • Healing on enemy cast is applied when the missile returns to Arthas.
  • Bonus healing stacks additively with other healing dealt modifiers that can affect Death Coil's healing.
Rune Tap Icon
Rune Tap

Every 3rd Basic Attack heals Arthas for 5% of his max Health.


Type: Healing
Scaling: -
Affects: Self
Properties: Attack Modifier
Icebound Fortitude Icon
Icebound Fortitude

Cooldown: 35 seconds
Active: Activate to gain 25 Armor, reducing damage taken by 25%, and reduce the duration of Stuns, Slows, and Roots against Arthas by 75% for 3 seconds.


Type: Defensive damage modifier
Affects: Self
Properties: Armor

  • Does not stack with other positive Armor effects. Other defensive damage modifiers may stack.
10
Army of the Dead Icon
Army of the Dead

Summons Ghouls that last 15 seconds and attack for 20 damage. Sacrifice Ghouls to heal for 267 Health.

Summon Sindragosa Icon
Summon Sindragosa

Deals 230 damage and Slows enemies by 60% for 4 seconds. Also disables Minions, Mercenaries, Monsters and Structures for 20 seconds.

13
Trail of Frost Icon
Shattered Armor

Enemy Heroes hit by Howling Blast have their Armor reduced by 15 for 4 seconds.


Type: Defensive damage modifier
Affects: Enemy Heroes
Properties: Armor reduction

  • Does not stack with other negative Armor effects. Other defensive damage modifiers may stack.
Frigid Winds Icon
Biting Cold

Each second an enemy is damaged by Frozen Tempest, it deals 12.5% bonus damage, up to a 50% bonus.


Type: Offensive damage modifier
Affects: Ability

  • Damage bonus is tracked independently for every affected unit.
  • Damage bonus stacks additively with itself and multiplicatively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Frozen Tempest's damage.
Frost Strike Icon
Frost Strike

Reduces Frostmourne Hungers's cooldown by 2 seconds. Frostmourne Hungers also Slows the enemy by 50% for 1.5 seconds.


Type: Crowd control
Affects: Enemies
Properties: Attack Modifier, Slow
16
Embrace Death Icon
Embrace Death

Death Coil deals more damage and heals more the lower Arthas's current Health is, to a maximum of 100% bonus damage and healing.


Type: Healing dealt modifier, Offensive damage modifier
Affects: Ability

  • Bonus damage and healing percentage equates to the percentage of Health Arthas is missing.
  • Bonus damage stacks additively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Death Coil's damage.
  • Bonus healing stacks additively with other healing dealt modifiers that can affect Death Coil's healing.
Remorseless Winter Icon
Remorseless Winter

Enemy Heroes that remain within Frozen Tempest for 3 seconds are Rooted for 1.25 seconds. This effect can only happen once every 10 seconds.


Type: Crowd control
Affects: Enemy Heroes
Properties: Root

  • Cooldown is per enemy Hero.
Frostmourne Feeds Icon
Frostmourne Feeds

Increases the amount of Basic Attacks empowered by Frostmourne Hungers to 2.

20
Legion of Northrend Icon
Legion of Northrend

3 additional Ghouls are created. Ghouls deal 50% more damage, heal for an additional 50% and last 5 seconds longer.


Type: Offensive damage modifier / Bonus healing
Scaling: 4.00%
Affects: Ghouls / Ability

  • Damage bonus stacks additively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Ghouls' Basic Attack damage.
  • Healing bonus increases the base healing of Sacrifice to 400.5, causing the given percentage to stack multiplicatively with healing dealt modifiers that can affect Sacrifice's healing.
Absolute Zero Icon
Absolute Zero

Sindragosa flies twice as far. Enemy Heroes are Rooted for 2.5 seconds, and then Slowed by 60% for 4 seconds.


Type: Crowd control
Affects: Enemy Heroes & Summons
Properties: Root
Bonus range: 38
Death's Advance Icon
Death's Advance

Increases Movement Speed by 10%. Frozen Tempest's maximum Movement Speed Slow and Attack Speed Slow are increased from 40% to 60%.


Type: Status effect
Affects: Self

  • Also increases the Slow's amount per tick from 5% to 7.5%.
Anti-Magic Shield Icon
Anti-Magic Shell

Cooldown: 60 seconds
Active: Activate to make Arthas Immune to Spell Damage for 4 seconds and heal Arthas for 25% of the damage prevented.


Type: Status effect, Healing
Affects: Self

  • Anti-Magic Shell absorbs all incoming Spell Damage, similar to Protected status.
  • The amount of damage absorbed, and thus also healing done, is calculated after damage modifiers, such as Armor.
  • Healing does not benefit from Arthas's Spell Power or other healing dealt modifiers.
  • Note that Percent damage in all its forms is a type of Spell Damage, therefore Arthas fully benefits from this Talent when applied to it.

Skins

Arthas, The Lich King
Once the crown prince of Lordaeron, and protégé of Uther the Lightbringer, Arthas was corrupted by the cursed blade Frostmourne in a desperate bid to save his people. Now he rules over the damned as the Lich King and all shall know his wrath.
Default Saronite Tundra
Arthas The Lich King
Gem625 / Money7,000
Arthas The Lich King Saronite
Free
Arthas The Lich King Tundra
Free
Tarnished
Arthas The Lich King Tarnished
Shard100
Rare Death God
As Frostmourne devoured more and more souls, the Lich King's dominion over the damned grew ever stronger. It wasn't long before his armor began to manifest changes.
Default Beryl Sanguine
Arthas Death God
Shard100
Arthas Death God Beryl
Shard100
Arthas Death God Sanguine
Shard100
Rare Frost Wyrm
After the death of the Ashen Verdict's champions none could halt the Lich King's advance. As a reminder of his victory, he grafted the bones of his fallen servants onto his armor.
Note: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of alternative history skins.
Default Flesh Unholy
Arthas Frost Wyrm
Shard100
Arthas Frost Wyrm Flesh
Shard100
Arthas Frost Wyrm Unholy
Shard100
Epic Crown Prince
As his hands gripped the hilt of the cursed blade Frostmourne, a dimensional gateway erupted from the icy pedestal, dragging the young prince Arthas into the Nexus.
Epic Skin Features: Replaced voice-over, themed abilities. His Death Coil looks like a lion's head, and the ghouls in his Army of the Dead wear footman armor.
Note: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of character's pre-change skins.
Default Kul Tiras Dalaran
Arthas Crown Prince
Shard400
Arthas Crown Prince Kul Tiras
Shard400
Arthas Crown Prince Dalaran
Shard400
Epic Count
Few of Sarah von Kerrigan's suitors are as bold or brash as Marquis Arthas du Menethíl. The Crimson Count hopes their unholy union will spell doom for Raven Court's vampire slayers.
Epic Skin Features: Themed abilities. Death Coil looks like a bat. Frozen Tempest is black and purple and makes bat sounds. Sindragosa is black and red, and his ghouls wear vampire clothes. He gains access to Bat Transformation.
Note: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of Raven Court skins.
Crimson Shadow Toxic
Arthas Count Crimson
(not available)
Arthas Count Toxic
(not available)
Arthas Count Shadow
(not available)
Legendary Mystic Kingdoms
Revered for his bravery and martial skill, General Arthas has led his king's armies to countless victories. His loyalty knows no bounds, and nothing can make him break his oath of service.
Legendary Skin Features: Themed abilities. Howling Blast leaves a green line and summons crystals, Summon Sindragosa summons a cloud serpent, and the ghouls in his Army of the Dead wear themed armor.
Default Frozen Shadow
Arthas Mystic Kingdoms
Shard1,600
Arthas Mystic Kingdoms Frozen
Shard1,600
Arthas Mystic Kingdoms Shadow
Shard1,600

Removed skins

  • Death Knight
    • Backstory: As the victorious Arthas ascended the Frozen Throne the Lich King's voice echoed through his mind... Without warning, the words pulled away as he found himself in the heart of the Nexus.

Mounts

Crimson Count Arthas has access to "Bat Form", a unique mount that makes him look like a large bat.

  • Backstory: Marquis Arthas was never one for intensive study. It is little wonder, then, that his mastery over the power of transformation is somewhat... incomplete. Still, it makes for a fearsome visage.

Trivia

  • Arthas first appeared in the novel Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor (2001). His first game appearance was in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (2002).
  • Arthas is voiced by Justin Gross in Warcraft III, and by Patrick Seitz in World of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm. As the Lich King, he is voiced by Michael McConnohie.
  • Arthas was one of the 18 heroes revealed at BlizzCon 2013.
  • Arthas's model was designed first and his role in the game was decided upon later.[3]
  • Blizzard considered giving Crown Prince Arthas a hammer, but that would have required additional animation work, in addition to conflicting with Uther and creating confusion. They also considered making paladin Arthas a skin for Uther, rather than Arthas, but that would have opened another can of worms. Ultimately, they decided to depict paladin Arthas immediately after he picked up Frostmourne. That meant his animations could stay the same, and since he still had his sword he was still recognizable as Arthas.[4][5]
  • Muradin, Rehgar, Stitches, Chen, Anub'arak, Jaina, Sylvanas, Kael'thas, The Butcher, Rexxar, and Tracer all kill or otherwise defeat Arthas in their hero trailers.[6]
  • NECA revealed the Heroes of the Storm Arthas action figure at SDCC 2015.[7]
  • Arthas was 24 in Reign of Chaos, 25 in The Frozen Throne, and 31 in Wrath of the Lich King.
  • A 14 foot statue of Arthas can be seen at the Calligraphy Greenway in Taichung, Taiwan.[8]
  • The Saronite Arthas skin references the black blood of Yogg-Saron, as well as the usually green Saronite ore.
  • The Tarnished Arthas skin references the blood specialization for death knights who prefer the tank role.
  • The Dalaran Prince Arthas skin is composed of the colors of the kingdom of Dalaran.
  • The Kul Tiras Prince Arthas skin composed of the colors of Kul Tiras.
  • Arthas's "hail to the king" quote references a line spoken by Ash Williams in Army of Darkness.
  • Arthas's "looking for a few dead men" quote references a 1985 United States Marine Corps commercial.
  • Arthas's "my condition has left me cold" quote references a line spoken by Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin.
  • Arthas's "no man can defeat me" quote references a line spoken by the Witch-king of Angmar in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
  • Some of Arthas's quotes reference the running joke about Darkness.
  • Arthas is the first and only Death Knight hero in the game.
  • In both the books and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, Arthas owns a chestnut Arabian named Invincible.

Gallery

Videos

References

External links


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Unknown Mekkatorque
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