Spellbreaker

This article is about spell breakers in general. For the Warcraft III unit, see Spell Breaker (Warcraft III).

Not to be confused with magic breaker or Spellbreaker (death knight talent).

Spellbreakers (or spell breakers) are a type of blood elven warriors trained to destroy spellcasters^[1] by disrupting and contorting magical energies to their advantage.^[2]^[3] Their headquarters are on the Isle of Quel'Danas.^[4]

They appear as a human unit in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. They are relatively rare in World of Warcraft, only making a few appearances from Mists of Pandaria onward.

History[]

Third War[]

SpellbreakerWC3 — A spellbreaker in *The Frozen Throne*.

Spellbreakers fought among the forces of Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider after the Third War. Fresh from the Scourge invasion of Quel'Thalas, the spellbreakers turned a new eye towards the dying lands of Lordaeron, wondering if it could remain their home.^[2]^[3]

World of Warcraft[]

Already few in number to begin with, the spellbreakers' ranks were thinned drastically when their headquarters on the Isle of Quel'Danas was overwhelmed by the traitorous Kael'thas and his Burning Legion forces. Only a lone squad remained in existence, as they refrained from training any new recruits following Kael'thas' betrayal.^[4] Eventually, Regent Lord Lor'themar Theron ordered a revitalization of spellbreaker training, leading to a resurgence of spellbreakers among the blood elves' ranks.^[5]

Spellbreakers were fielded during the Horde's campaign in Pandaria. They fought with the Dominance Offensive in the Krasarang Wilds, where they proved an invaluable defense force,^[6] and with the Sunreaver Onslaught on the Isle of Thunder.^[7]

During Volunteer Guard Day, the normal guardians of Silvermoon City are replaced with Silvermoon Spellbreaker Elites.

The nightborne and Felborne of Suramar have spellbreakers, similar in appearance and abilities to the blood elven ones.^[8]^[9]^[10] It is not known what, if any, relation there is between the nightborne and blood elf variants.

Known[]

Imperial Spellbreaker female — A nightborne spellbreaker.

Non-blood elf

Imperial Spellbreaker
Felborne Spellbreaker
Felborne Spellbreaker (Tomb of Sargeras)
Azure Spellbreaker — No relation to other spellbreakers aside from the name.

In the RPG[]

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Spellbreaker blades[]

The deadly, two-bladed swords of the spellbreakers strike fear in the hearts of wizards and sorcerers. The blood elves' elite warriors employ these frighteningly effective weapons to execute outlawed spellcasters, necromancers and other evil practitioners of magic. This blood-elven two-bladed sword is the bane of any evil spellcaster. The blades can cast globe of invulnerability when spun, and can make casters forget spells.^[11]

Spellbreaker feat[]

The powers of the spellbreaker are terrifying to those with knowledge of magic, for their blows shatter the mana from a spellcaster's body.^[12] Their abilities focus on destroying spells.

Further inclusion[]

The Monster Guide makes reference to spellbreakers as a class blood elves become, along with already existing classes in the Warcraft RPG.^[13] This may have been hinting toward an inclusion of the class in a future RPG supplement, but it was never implemented.

In Hearthstone[]

This section contains information exclusive to Hearthstone and is considered non-canon.

Asvedon, the Grandshield HS — Asvedon, the Grandshield, leader of the spellbreakers in *Hearthstone*.

The Spellbreaker is a common minion in the Classic set. Its flavor text reads: "Spellbreakers can rip enchantments from magic-wielders. The process is painless and can be performed on an outpatient basis."

In the March of the Lich King expansion, spellbreakers serve as one of the two primary themes of the warrior class (the other being phoenixes and fire spells). They are led by Asvedon, the Grandshield, a character unique to Hearthstone.^[14] All spellbreaker minions in the expansion—Asvedon himself, Disruptive Spellbreaker, and Silverfury Stalwart—have effects that disrupt or copy enemy spells in various ways.

Notes and trivia[]

In 2015, Micky Neilson wrote that he believed that the spellbreakers would have been created only after Kael'thas renamed the high elves to blood elves.^[15]
The original blood elf guard model—used by NPCs such as Silvermoon City Guardians, Sunstrider Guardians, and Royal Guards—bears a strong resemblance to spellbreakers, particularly their chest armor, large shield, and double-bladed weapon, although they lack the spellbreakers' prominent winged helmet and shoulderpads. Even though the guards are not spellbreakers, it is likely that Blizzard based their model on spellbreakers as the latter were at the time the most iconic type of front-line blood elf warriors. When actual spellbreakers were later added to the game in the form of Silvermoon and Sunwell Spellbreakers, they were given the same model as the guards. The Heritage of the Sin'dorei armor set appears to be even more closely based on the original spellbreaker design from Warcraft III, this time including the winged helmets and shoulderpads.
- The Silvermoon guards in the Death Knight manga, the paladin action figure Quin'thalan Sunfire, and a blood elf depicted on the Monster Guide RPG book all also have armor resembling that of spellbreakers.
Lor'themar Theron, when fought by players in Silvermoon City, uses both melee weapons and anti-magic techniques. However, he is not a spellbreaker.^[16]
The mage ability [Spellsteal] is based on one of the primary spellbreaker abilities from Warcraft III.
The quest reward [Spellbreaker's Buckler] and the world drop [Spell-Breaker Shield] are named after the class.
In Heroes of the Storm, the Diablo character Johanna has a crossover skin named "Spellbreaker Johanna", which depicts her a spellbreaker who has left Quel'Thalas to instead purify Lordaeron.

Speculation[]

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

The Sunblade Mage Guards in the Magisters' Terrace are most likely spellbreakers.
The existence of nightborne spellbreakers indicates that the tradition may date back to the time of the Kaldorei Empire. Alternatively, the nightborne and blood elf spellbreakers may simply have developed independently of one another.

Gallery[]

Warcraft III concept art of a spell breaker's face.
A spell breaker on the Curse of the Blood Elves campaign menu.
A spell breaker in Warcraft III: Reforged.
Johanna, a character from Diablo, using a spellbreaker-themed skin in Heroes of the Storm.
A blood elf (left) wearing spellbreaker-like armor on the cover of the Monster Guide.
A Spellbreaker's Buckler in the TCG.