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This article is about the mutated orcs sometimes called berserkers. For the enraged melee warriors, see berserker. For missile-throwing trolls, see troll berserker. For large trolls also known as berserkers, see dire troll.
Dire orcs
Hulking Brute
Faction/Affiliation Illidari, Horde, True Horde, Iron Horde, pale orcs, Shadow Council
Character classes Warrior, Shaman, Brawler, Berserker
Racial capital Neutral Black Temple
Horde Orgrimmar
Iron Horde Emblem Hellfire Citadel
Homeworld Outland / Draenor (alternate)
Language(s) Orcish, Common

“That's... one big orc.”

Lorna Crowley describing Korm Bonegrind[1]

Dire orcs, also known as berserkers,[2] abominations,[3] horrors[4] and brutes, are heavily mutated orcs. Dire orcs are created through Bleeding Hollow clan blood rituals,[2] though the Twilight's Hammer seem to know how to create them as well; it is unclear if the Twilight's Hammer has their own methods or have adopted the Bleeding Hollow's.

History[]

The first dire orc was seen in the Black TempleGurtogg Bloodboil, a leader and presumed member of the local Bonechewer clan fel orcs. After the Cataclysm, Raz Skullcrusher was captured by the Twilight's Hammer and empowered into a dire orc by magic energies. Later, a group known as the Dark Shaman tried to recreate the Twilight ascension process, but the experiment failed and resulted in Lava Guard Gordoth becoming transformed into a dire orc or rather, mutated into a "hideous form".[5]

In Mists of Pandaria, Garrosh Hellscream was in need of a subject to be infused with the powers of Y'Shaarj. Out of sheer loyalty, Malkorok volunteered and was twisted into a hulking, mutated orc.[6]

In Warlords of Draenor, Grulkor investigates a fungal infestation in the Mistcreep Mire located on the east coast of Gorgrond. Throughout the quests he slowly becomes more and more obsessed with trying to harness the power of the mushrooms in the mire, eventually leading him to absorbing the power of a strange fungus. After consuming all the different mushrooms found in the mire as well as the strange fungus, all the spores eventually overtook his mind and mutated his body into a hulked orc monstrosity; causing him to attack the adventurer.[7][8]

Additionally, in Tanaan Jungle and within the Stygana Cavern, the Bleeding Hollow Clan and their herbalists are experimenting with infusing orc brutes with mushrooms, affecting them similarly to Grulkor in Gorgrond.[4] There are also several failed experiments laying dead on the ground nearby. An alternate version of Gurtogg Bloodboil is also encountered, and killed, in Hellfire Citadel.

There exist dire pale orcs as well. They are created through the Ritual of Destruction.[9][10][11]

Notable[]

Name Role Affiliation Status Location
Horde IconSmall OrcGray Male IconSmall DireOrc Ariok Son of Eitrigg and member of the initial expedition to Draenor; transformed himself into a dire orc during his battle with Kilrogg Orgrimmar Alive Various
Mob IconSmall DireOrc Bleeding Hollow Horror Bleeding Hollow clan Killable Stygana Cavern, Tanaan Jungle
Boss IconSmall DireOrc Borka the Brute Assistant of Pauli Rocketspark Blackfuse Company, Iron Horde Killable Grimrail Depot
Mob IconSmall DireOrc Dorg the Bloody Bleeding Hollow aberration Bleeding Hollow clan Killable Zeth'Gol, Tanaan Jungle
Boss IconSmall DireOrc Franzok Twin brother of Hans'gar Iron Horde Killable Slagmill Press, Blackrock Foundry
Mob IconSmall DirePale Gnaw Bloodseeker Dire pale orc assaulting Eventide Landing Pale orcs Killable Eventide Landing, Shadowmoon Valley
Mob IconSmall DirePale Gorg the Host Pale orcs Killable Forgotten Caves, Gorgrond
Neutral IconSmall OrcBrown Male IconSmall DireOrc Grulkor Laughing Skull Headtaker Laughing Skull Killable Heart of the Fen, Gorgrond
Mob IconSmall DireOrc Grute Iron Horde Killable The Iron Bulwark, Hellfire Citadel
Boss IconSmall Fel-sworn Gurtogg Bloodboil Servant of Illidan Illidari Killable Halls of Anguish, Black Temple
Boss IconSmall DireOrc Hans'gar Twin brother of Franzok Iron Horde Killable Slagmill Press, Blackrock Foundry
Horde IconSmall FelDireOrc Korm Bonegrind Machinist of a Horde gunship in Gilneas Orgrimmar Killable Gilneas
Mob IconSmall DireOrc Krull Assaults Karabor during a vision of Prophet Velen Iron Horde Killable Defense of Karabor, Shadowmoon Valley
Boss IconSmall Fel-sworn Lava Guard Gordoth Dark Shaman transformed into a dire orc when attempting to become an ascendant Dark Shaman Killable Ragefire Chasm
Neutral IconSmall OrcGray Male IconSmall Malkorok Malkorok Former bodyguard of Garrosh Hellscream and leader of the Kor'kron, infused with the power of Y'Shaarj True Horde, Kor'kron, Blackrock clan Killable Various
Mob IconSmall DirePale Maniacal Madgard Iron Horde Killable The Pit, Gorgrond
Mob IconSmall DireOrc Ogom the Mangler Iron Horde Killable Iron Siegeworks, Frostfire Ridge
Neutral IconSmall Orc Male IconSmall FelDireOrc Raz the Crazed Bodyguard of Pip Quickwit, captured and transformed by the Twilight's Hammer Pip Quickwit Deceased Circle of Cinders, Mount Hyjal; Blackrock Caverns
Mob IconSmall DireOrc Uk'urogg Deckhand of Marak the Blooded Iron Horde Killable Dread Grotto, Blackrock Foundry

Types[]

Notes and trivia[]

  • The name "dire orc" is taken from the original model's name, "felorcdire," as no official name is known. The updated dire orc models added in Warlords of Draenor are instead named "hulkedorc" and "felorcbrute."
  • Most, if not all, dire orcs added before Warlords of Draenor dire orcs use a model seemingly based on the original dire troll model, and have only three fingers on each hand despite orcs normally having five. Dire orcs added in or after Warlords of Draenor share a skeleton with the new dire troll model and have the correct number of fingers.
  • During his encounter in the Nighthold, Gul'dan becomes empowered and temporarily takes on an appearance similar to a dire orc.

Speculation[]

Questionmark-medium
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 Bonechewer Behemoths of the Black Temple may be different forms of dire orcs.
  • Some infested orcs are much larger and more heavily mutated than others, as such they may actually be some form of plant dire orcs as they have similar traits. Heavily mutated by flora (similar to mushrooms in Gorgrond and Tanaan Jungle) resulting in huge, hideous abominations.

Gallery[]

References[]

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