Defiled Swarm

The Defiled Swarm, or Defiled, is one of the four playable races in Night of Oblivion.

## **Storyline**

The Defiled is an amphibious army of Naga and Mur'loc units, which were previously Elves and fishes in the sea before the corruption of the Eye of Sargeras. After the defeat of Illidan on Northrend, the Naga lay dormant in wait for Illidan to return, whilst the fragments of the Eye of Sargeras had corrupted the waters where the fish lived, converting them to Mur'locs. All of them serve under Illidan before he was vaporised by the Oblivion Cannon.

## **Race Attributes**

* Structures can only be built on Blight. (except Temple of the Tides)
* Units only regenerate on Blight.

## **Units**

Worker: Mur'loc Slave

Mur'loc Village units: Mur'loc Tiderunner, Mur'loc Infiltrator, Mur'loc Flesheater, Mur'loc Shadowcaster, Mur'loc Plaguebearer.

Spawning Grounds units: Naga Siren, Snap Dragon, Dragon Turtle, Naga Royal Guard, Revenant of the Depths, Ancient Hydra.

Shrine of Aszhara: Couatl, Nightingale, Azure Serpent, Cerulean Wyvern.

## **Structures**

Town Hall: Temple of the Tides, Tsunami Temple, Neptune Temple

Core Structure: Aqua Core

Farm: Coral Bed

Production Structures: Mur'loc Village, Spawning Grounds, Shrine of Aszhara.

Tech Structures/Research Facilities: Ancient Relic, Altar of the Depths, Eye of the Abyss, Defiled Fountain, Statue of Aszhara.

Defensive Structure: Tidal Guardian.

Aqua Core: Can cast Decaying Flesh, Blight Expansion, and Snowstorm.

* Decaying Flesh: Instantly kills a target organic enemy standing on Blight, converting it into minerals and biomass over time for the Defiled.
* Blight Expansion: Cast on the ground to create blight in the area.
* Deconstruction: Building targeted spell which deals dps to it.

## **Defiled Opening Theory**

* The Defiled mainly has to pay attention to their Coral Bed placement and timing, since it helps to spread Blight. Clumping Coral Beds is suboptimal in the early game since the Blight areas would be put to waste. In addition, Coral Beds provide the least food while costing less, making it more important to maintain Coral Bed production.
* The Defiled do not have strong units early whatsoever, and with a relative inability to proxy, offensive strategies are rare.
* As the Defiled have strong regeneration on Blight, proper micro management in the very early stages of the game will make full use of the regeneration.

## **Defiled Unit/Composition Theory**

There are two primary compositions for the Defiled. The first is a Murloc composition comprising mainly Mur'loc Village units, while the other is Naga composition comprising mainly Spawning Grounds units. The compositions vary extremely in playstyle, but can work well together.

Mur'loc units are melee dps units which are fast but fragile, and rely on decisive engagements with massive surrounds to quickly eliminate the opponent. This composition cannot fight front to back as they lack range and health, and their tendency to clump up further opens up their weakness to splash damage which is prevalent in front to back compositions.

Naga units are ranged dps units which are slow but bulkier, and rely on outranging their opponent to slowly wear them out. Naga units can gain advantages by regenerating on blight when their opponent cannot. They are good at holding their ground, but if caught in an unfavourable position, it is difficult for them to retreat effectively.

Finding the balance between Mur'loc and Naga units is important in the mid game, when compositional advantages are well rewarded.

### Combat units:

Mur'loc Tiderunner:

Mur’loc Tiderunners are cheap, disposable units which have high dps but are extremely fragile. They are best used when they can surround their opponents, and they have high movement speed which allows them to do so.

However, as Mur'loc Tiderunners cannot easily outmuscle an opponent army by themselves, they are best paired with support units which can cover their weaknesses or amplify their strengths. Tiderunners are a good mineral dump unit only if they are upgraded, for they are horrible units in the late game while unupgraded as their damage and health would be too low to contribute meaningfully.

Mur'loc Infiltrator:

Infiltrators function similarly as Tiderunners, sharing traits such as speed and damage, but notably offers a different damage and armour typing. Its Pierce attack further doubles down on its strengths at ravaging backline units and workers, and its Heavy armour is a foil to the tiderunner’s Light armour.

The Infiltrator’s ability grants it temporary invisibility, allowing for ambush tactics or simply retreating into safety. The backstab damage cannot be underestimated; a few Infiltrators can make short work of any unit they choose to kill, especially after upgrades.

Mur'loc Flesheater:

The Flesheater have a Chaos attack as well as lifesteal against biological units. This makes Flesheaters powerful units in the early game since most early game units are biological. The lifesteal is also extremely relevant early game where skirmishes are not yet dependent on kiting and concave management.

Mur'loc Plaguebearer:

The Plaguebearer is the ultimate Murloc unit, having Disease Cloud, Bash and Evasion. Its ability to attack air units is a great boon, being the only Murloc combat unit to be able to hit air units.

Disease Cloud damaging workers opens the way for a Tiderunner runby to finish them off. Its high hp regeneration on Blight also points towards its strength in runby tactics.

Snap Dragon:

Snap Dragons are versatile ranged units which form a large part of a Naga composition. They also help with the anti-air defense until the midgame as many of the Defiled’s anti-air units are tier 3 units.

Snap dragons can be played with Mur’loc compositions in the early game since Snap Dragons are much more robust than Mur’locs in general. In the midgame, its movespeed upgrade Snap Agility allows Snap Dragons to be better at skirmishing.

Snap Dragons fall off in the late game owing to their inefficient supply cost, but can serve as a mineral dump or a decent frontline nevertheless.

Dragon Turtle:

A powerful but slow artillery unit, the Dragon Turtle is unique in its long range Siege splash attack. The Dragon Turtle is effective in both sieging enemy structures as well laying back in a defensive position. Its range upgrade Dragon Exhalation is a key upgrade, making Dragon Turtles even more potent at sieging. A critical mass of Dragon Turtles is difficult to push away, but beware of air transitions which completely counter Dragon Turtles as they can neither retaliate nor run.

Naga Royal Guard:

The Naga Royal Guard is a tanky ranged unit which deals extra damage against air units. In some ways, it can be said to be a late game version of the Snap Dragon. Its Hero attack also allows it to better deal with the various Heavy armour threats present in the late game. As Royal Guards are decent against ground units as well, they are a relatively low risk tech choice and are good for stabilizing, perhaps to buy time for an air transition.

Ancient Hydra:

The Ancient Hydra is a juggernaut of a unit, being extremely cost efficient if its strengths can be utilized fully. It is extremely durable, and when coupled with its high HP regen, can render smaller armies absolutely helpless against it. In Naga compositions, the Ancient Hydra fills in the gaping hole which is the lack of a durable front line.

It also has key abilities in Devour and Spell Immunity, allowing it fight in the frontlines or play in the back lines and remove would-be opponent divers.

Couatl:

The Couatl is the basic air to ground unit of the Defiled. They have a high range but slow Pierce attack, making them good at firing volleys at single targets. The Couatl has a low movement speed, making it similar to an artillery unit; like the Dragon Turtle it also has a weakness to air units.

Couatls also have Tetradotoxin Glands, which empowers their attacks with a poisonous effect, slowing and dealing damage over time to enemies. This makes Couatls powerful support units as enemies are hard pressed to run away or engage when they are being slowed harshly.

Nightingale:

The Nightingale is a melee air unit which can Blink. The Nightingale's high movement speed and ability to Blink means it has unparalleled target access and ability to escape. This makes Nightingales exceptional at picking off lone enemy units or workers in poorly defended expansions. In a pinch, they can dive the back line to burst down a priority unit.

They are rather fragile and have unimpressive dps, so it is important to play in a way which maximizes the strengths of the Nightingale.

Azure Serpent:

The Azure Serpent is an air unit which can be upgraded to gain an empowered attack against structures. This, coupled with its above average movement speed, allows it to be extremely powerful at destroying expansions. Enemy bases which rely on towers for defense are easy pickings for a flock of Serpents. Their ability to hit both air and ground units is a valuable trait for a raiding unit.

Cerulean Wyvern:

Cerulean Wyverns have a slow but hard hitting air to air Magic attack. They can also attack buildings, but not ground units. Wyverns make up for their low movement speed with their high attack range and bulk, causing Wyverns to tend towards deathball siege styles of play. Its rare Hero armour can also be valuable at times.

Like the Ancient Hydra, the Cerulean Wyvern has Devour and Spell Immunity. This allows Cerulean Wyverns to deal with ground units which may otherwise be a threat.

### Spellcasters:

The Defiled's spellcasters have a focus on offensive utility, and a stealing motif. The Defiled as a race have no problems relying on underhanded tactics to win a game, and their spellcasters reinforce the idea.

Naga Siren: Can cast Parasite, Frost Nova, Charmed Sleep.

* Parasite places a debuff on an enemy unit which deals damage per second to it. If the afflicted unit would die, a Watery Minion spawns.
* Frost Nova deals damage and slows enemy units in an aoe.
* Charmed Sleep is a channeled tether which disables a target enemy unit.

Naga Sirens are versatile spellcasters which can fit into Murloc or Naga compositions. For the Murloc composition, Naga Sirens provide control with Charmed Sleep, which can disable priority targets such as splash damage sources. Additionally, the Watery Minions spawned from Parasite benefit from Murloc attack upgrades, so their combat prowess cannot be underestimated.

On the other hand, the Watery Minions become front line fodder in a Naga composition as their units are all ranged and often lack a front line. This time, the Naga Siren’s Frost Nova helps to slow down would be assailants attempting to reach the back line.

Mur'loc Shadowcaster: Can cast Shadow Curse, Haunt, Shadow Bomb.

* Shadow Curse reduces the attack damage of an enemy unit.
* Haunt creates an illusion of target enemy unit which deals 100% of its damage.
* Shadow Bomb is an aoe dps ability which also decreases armour.

The Shadowcaster takes on a more offensive role than the Naga Siren. In Murloc compositions, the armour reduction from Shadow Bomb is very appreciated as Murloc units often need to win skirmishes decisively. Shadow Curse on the dps units of the enemy army, ideally splash sources, will also greatly help the Murlocs which are generally fragile.

In a vacuum, Haunt is a very powerful ability as it will always at least match the strength of the opponent’s army, and in addition, can be cast on either melee or ranged units to help balance out the Defiled composition where needed. For Naga compositions which are lacking in front line units, Haunt provides a mediocre front line. But a more powerful use of the ability is to Haunt a splash damage source while playing a Murloc composition; Murlocs naturally want to surround the opponents, and an artillery splash damage source shines against clumped up enemy units.

Revenant of the Depths: Can cast Magic Theft, Icicle Storm, Takeover.

* Magic Theft steals a positive buff from an enemy and applies it to an allied unit.
* Icicle Storm is a channeled ability which deals aoe damage, empowered against buildings.
* Takeover takes control of a target enemy unit.

The Revenant is a late game spellcaster unit as its abilities are rather ineffective in an infantry vs infantry fight. The Revenant’s most notable ability, Takeover, can turn fights in the Defiled’s favour by stealing the opponent’s most expensive units. Magic Theft is a rather niche ability but can shine if the enemy is playing an enchanter based army. Lastly, Icicle Storm aids in the siege potential of the Defiled as it deals a lot of damage to structures.

## **Defiled Strategy**

* Spreading Blight with Coral Beds and the Aqua Core's Blight Expansion should be done as often as possible, since Blight can serve as an important retreat point for injured armies in the mid to late game.
* In the late game, the Defiled can handedly play an attrition war with the opposing army. Setting up a contain with the Naga's high range units may prove effective as well. The Couatl when upgraded, in particular, is an obnoxious unit in an attrition war due its high range and utility from its poison attack. Revenants are extremely cost-efficient units in the late game, being able to trade mana for opponent armies and structures. Pulling the enemy apart with raids from Murlocs or Azure Serpents while turtling behind an impenetrable Siege line is the Defiled ideal, but it can be hard to execute this playstyle as it leaves little room for error.

## **Trivia**

* The Nightingale replaced the Gargoyle in patch 1.37.
* Ancient Hydra (on Blight) has the highest effective HP regen in the game at 40 (after upgrades).
* Coral Blades feature an attack speed bonus as opposed to the standard damage increase.
* Defiled have structures which regenerate HP.