World of Warcraft has had its fair share of powerful characters over the years. With decades worth of story and adventure, there have been many that have stood out.
There are many aspects that make a character powerful. In the Warcraft universe, these tend to be qualities such as brute strength or mastery over magic. Another can be cunning, as many of Warcraft's strongest characters rely on their wits too. Perhaps it comes down to who can remain true to their morals despite the hardship they face.
10 Dread Lords
They were originally believed to be demonic creatures, until it was revealed they were created by Sire Denathrius to orchestrate many elaborate plots. They have been manipulating the entire universe for thousands of years. This also means they played a hand in many of Azeroth’s greatest problems.
The Dread Lords, also known as Nathrezim, have incredible control over magic. They used disguises to infiltrate many organisations to gain as much knowledge as possible. Tasked with disrupting the other cosmic forces, they lead the Titan Sargeras to create the Burning Legion. They also feigned enslavement to Sargeras’s lieutenant Kil’Jaeden. The Nathrezim even created the Lich King in an effort to further Death’s influence on Azeroth. Despite not being as physically powerful as other entities, their skills of manipulation and cunning certainly earn them a place among the most powerful characters.
9 The Lich King
Likely the most iconic Warcraft character, Arthas the Lich king was incredibly powerful. Through Warcraft 3, Arthas’s tragic story played out. The once righteous human prince fell to corruption and became an instrument of Death.
Controlling the hordes of undead across Azeroth, Arthas grew more powerful after his betrayal. He used his famous sword Frostmourne to consume the souls of those he had slain. He viciously invaded Quel’Thalas, almost wiping out the High Elves. When you fight against him atop Icecrown Citadel, he destroys you within a single moment. It was only the sudden surge of power from Tirion Fordring that brought The Lich King to his knees.
8 Queen Azshara
Her lingering presence can be felt across Azeroth when you encounter the Naga and ruins of ancient night elf settlements. Queen Azshara led the night elves before the Sundering. She was a mage of unbridled power. In her quest to gain even more strength, she almost brought Sargeras to Azeroth through the Well of Eternity. In fact, the Pit Lord Mannoroth claimed that she was so powerful that only Sargeras and his Lieutenants Archimonde and Kil’Jaeden could possibly defeat her.
After the Well of Eternity sundered Azeroth’s land mass to pieces, Azshara and her followers almost drowned beneath the waves. Recognising her power, the Old God N’Zoth empowered her and created the Naga. He wanted to use her to escape his prison, yet Azshara always worked to undermine him.
7 Deathwing
The Cataclysm himself, Deathwing was once one of the five Dragon Aspects of Azeroth. As a Proto-Drake known as Neltharion, he helped bring down Galakrond. He was then empowered by the Titans to be a guardian of the Earth, however the whispers of the Old Gods soon reached his ears, driving him insane. He created a powerful artefact known as the Demon Soul and used it against the Burning Legion, night elves, and the Blue Dragonflight, almost bringing them to extinction.
The Demon Soul's power began to tear him apart from the inside. Deathwing had to have his scales held together by iron plates. In his madness, he enacted countless atrocities and experiments on the dragonflights. His mission to destroy Azeroth could only be brought to an end by the combined forces of the other Dragon Aspects, the Demon Soul, and player characters.
6 Aegwynn
Aegwynn was a powerful human Mage that trained under the Guardian Magna Scavell. As an apprentice, she showed great resilience and determination to be a guardian. She mastered the incantations of the Highbourne Wizard Meitre through the remains of his written work, a feat even other High Elves couldn’t achieve. For this, Scavell chose her as the next Guardian of Tirisfal.
When she was empowered as the Guardian of Tirisfal, she destroyed demons that possessed children, resulting in backlash from the Council of Tirisfal. She stood by her decision to save the children from suffering rather than wait to learn more of the demon’s plans. In Northrend, she would face the Avatar of the Dark Titan Sargeras. She defeated him, but it was part of his plan to corrupt her unborn child, Medivh. She continued to battle against various odds, often sacrificing herself. She was by far one of the most powerful mages to ever live.
5 Galakrond
Galakrond was a formidable Proto-Drake that was known to devour other drakes. He continued to grow in size and power, but consuming so many life-forces led him to grow horrifically mutated. He formed extra limbs and eyes, and his skin seemed to be decaying. Further, those Proto-Drakes he had cannibalised would be vomited back up and be reanimated as the Not-Living. Galakrond’s continued downward spiral seemed to be the result of drinking waters corrupted by the Old God, Yogg Saron.
The monster could only be brought to heel by the combined forces of the Dragon Aspects before they were empowered by the Titans. Alexstrasza, Neltharion, Ysera, Malygos, and Nozdormu put aside their instincts for survival and ended the reign of this cannibalistic gargantuan beast.
4 Old Gods
The Old Gods are creatures sent forth by The Void Lords. These Lovecraftian creatures were sent to corrupt Titan world-souls. At least four of them managed to make Azeroth their home, and they ruled their Black Empire. When the Titan Pantheon found Azeroth, they were quick to try to remove the parasitic creatures. One of them, Y’Shaarj, was plucked from the planet by Amun’Thul. However, the Old Gods had burrowed so deep into Azeroth that Y’Shaarj’s removal created a gaping wound. The Titans had to imprison the three remaining Old Gods in an attempt to save Azeroth.
Eventually, C’Thun, Yogg Saron, and N’Zoth would be defeated as raid bosses but their presence and influence still lingers. The Old Gods have been a prominent force throughout the Warcraft story and their reign of terror likely isn’t yet over.
3 Kil’Jaeden And Archimonde
Once leaders of the Eredar of Argus, Kil’Jaeden and Archimonde stood with their brother figure Velen. Their brotherhood was dismantled when the Dark Titan Sargeras offered them knowledge and power for their loyalty. Velen refused, but Kil’Jaeden and Archimonde accepted. They viewed Velen’s actions as a betrayal, and chased him across the cosmos for their revenge.
As members of the Burning Legion, Archimonde and Kil’Jaeden were equal in rank. Archimonde was a field commander that led legions of demons into war across the many worlds they destroyed. Kil’Jaeden was tasked with using his talents in manipulation to garner more races into the ranks of the Burning Legion. He was also responsible for the creation of the Lich King at the hands of Dread Lords.
2 Argus The Unmaker
Just as Azeroth is a Titan world-soul, Argus too once slumbered within his planet. When he was found by the dark Titan Sargeras, he was used to fuel the unrelenting crusade of the Burning Legion. During the Legion expansion, you fight the corrupted Titan after he was brought to the Seat of the Pantheon by other Titans. He's empowered by Sargeras, making him an almighty foe for the heroes of Azeroth.
The tortured soul of Argus would eventually fall. The last remnants of his energy were used to imprison Sargeras, considered one of the most powerful beings we have ever known in the Warcraft universe.
1 Sargeras
Sargeras was one of the Titan pantheon that scoured the universe in search of other world-souls. The Titans worked to bring order to all life in the Warcraft universe. When Sargeras discovered the powers of the Void Lords, his faith in their cause was destroyed. Fearing that the Void Lords would corrupt and control the universe, Sargeras set out to end all life so that there was nothing for the Void Lords to torment.
When you defeat Argus, you're able to see Sargeras finally imprisoned. Azeroth is known to be the last and most powerful world-soul. When Azeroth awakens, there’s a good chance Sargeras will make another appearance in an attempt to finish what he started.