Shadow hunter



The shadow hunters, masters of voodoo magic, are the highest authority of the jungle trolls. Their spirit powers both heal and curse, walking the line of dark and light in hope of saving the future of the jungle trolls. The dark gods will channel themselves through the shadow hunters when they use their ceremonial rush'kah masks.

Like other practitioners of voodoo, shadow hunters deal with the darker aspects of the spirit world. Unlike witch doctors and members of other professions associated with this ancient faith, shadow hunters claim to develop a special bond with voodoo spirits called the Loa. Able to channel the essence of some of these extremely potent beings - and often acting with their blessing - shadow hunters gain special abilities only the Loa can grant. As they grow in experience, the shadow hunters' bond with the Loa strengthens and their connection to these powerful voodoo spirits eventually gives them the ability to curse and heal at a whim.

Brave practitioners of rituals and dark rites, shadow hunters tread a cautious line between darkness and light. Often misunderstood but always respected by those who have witnessed their eerie powers, shadow hunters rely on faith in the Loa and the ability to communicate with them. Through the magic of prayer and ritual, a shadow hunter spends a lot of time maintaining the particular relationship he shares with the Loa.

Roughly spoken, shadow hunters are former headhunters who have gone deeply into the arts of voodoo and Loa. However, they have not forgotten their hunting skills, which makes a shadow hunter very dangerous in combat. They can stand far away from their enemies while throwing weapons at rapid speed, track down enemies with ease, and also heal themselves and allies. Of all trolls, shadow hunters are the most feared. The traditional shadow hunter weapon is a fel glaive, a long double sword (with a blade set on either end of the handle) which looks a bit different from a moon glaive.

Loa blessings
The voodoo faith of the shadow hunter deals with beings they call the Loa. Supposedly, these spirits are mighty entities that grant the faithful extraordinary powers. By calling upon these voodoo spirits, the shadow hunter gains special blessings with which he can combat darkness and help those in need. The abilities granted vary according to the Loa the shadow hunter calls upon.

The Loa Legba is a master of swift motion. Through him, the shadow hunter learns to bestow great speed and grace to his allies.

Lukou is the Loa of healing and respite. She grants the shadow hunter the ability to heal his allies. With a word, the shadow hunter can invoke a scintillating rain of positive energy, which drops from the sky to heal all living allies it touches.

Samedi is the Loa of cemeteries and the restful sleep of the dead. In Samedi’s eyes, the undead are abominations that should be destroyed. A shadow hunter with this ability may attempt to smite an undead with one normal melee attack. If the shadow hunter accidentally smites a creature that is not undead, the smite has no effect.

Shango controls the realm of storms, and he guards the secrets of lightning and mayhem. By channeling the fury of this powerful and often unpredictable Loa, the shadow hunter can throw a lightning bolt that deals electrical damage.

Ogoun, the Loa of war, teaches the shadow hunter to place dire curses upon his enemies. The shadow hunter may change a single targeted individual into a frog. This ability functions like a shaman's Hex.

Dambala, the Loa of serpents and treachery, teaches the shadow hunter to move swiftly and quietly by changing his shape into that of a serpent.

Shadow hunters in the world


The shadow hunter's craft originated within jungle troll society. Since joining the Horde, this breed of civilized trolls has taught voodoo to others deemed worthy of the ancient faith. They also taught the shadow hunter craft to a few special individuals who shared a passion for the faith. Some orcs and tauren have since then become skilled shadow hunters, but the vast majority of members of this class remain jungle trolls. Shadow hunters may be members of any culture and society, but most are part of the Horde. Their intrinsic connection with the Loa and their strong faith in the traditional religion of the jungle trolls make shadow hunters veritable paragons of the faith. Thus, most jungle trolls view shadow hunters as the sacred keepers of their ancient beliefs. As such, shadow hunters ensure that the Loa continue to bless their people by maintaining the age-old traditions and strengthening bonds with the powerful spirits.

Traditionally, most shadow hunters remain in their homelands, providing sound counsel to tribal chieftains and warriors as well as lending a hand in battle and during other times of need. Today, many shadow hunters roam the world in search of adventure while seeking to further their faith as well as the interests of their people. In olden times, shadow hunters donned special rush'kah masks when performing ceremonies. As they travel throughout the lands of Azeroth, many shadow hunters wear these unique ceremonial masks to cover their features and inspire fear in others.

Notable

 * Shadow Hunter Denjai
 * Guzul'dar
 * Shadow Hunter Mezil-kree
 * Rokhan
 * Shadow Hunter Ty'jin
 * Vol'jin, leader of the Darkspear tribe
 * Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin
 * Zul'ras

In World of Warcraft

 * Organization: Siame-Quashi

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 * Hakkari Shadow Hunter - Zul'Gurub
 * Kurzen Shadow Hunter - Stranglethorn Vale
 * Mossflayer Shadowhunter - Eastern Plaguelands
 * Smolderthorn Shadow Hunter - Hall of Blackhand
 * Sandfury Shadowhunter - Zul'Farrak
 * Vilebranch Shadow Hunter - The Hinterlands
 * Winterax Shadow Hunter
 * Witherbark Shadow Hunter - Arathi Highlands

In Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
These reclusive, wily jungle trolls are considered to be the highest authority within their respective warbands. They are masters of voodoo magics who can use their spirit-powers to both heal their allies and place curses upon their hapless enemies. Donning their ceremonial rush'kah masks -- that channel the spirits of their dark gods -- the Shadow Hunters walk the line between darkness and light in hopes of salvaging the future for their savage brethren.

Shadow hunters can cast Chain heal, turn enemies to harmless critters with Hex, summon ward to assist him in battle, and point-blank area of effect spell that turns allies around shadow hunter invincible.

Shadow Hunter names: Zul'kis, Zul'abar, Zul'rajas, Zul'maran, Jo Jo Headshrinker, Shaka-zahn, Shakti-lar, Mezil-kree - these names are the names of the randomd generated Shadow Hunters in WCIII.

Trivia
When the shadow hunter was announced for The Frozen Throne, the unit model included a wooden mask. Sometime during beta, however, the mask was removed. Even the concept art was updated with a maskless version. No reason has been given for the change.