Illidan thrives when played along with any Hero who can increase his survivability, be it through Shields, Armor, or raw instant healing.
Very fast Basic Attacks, several gap closers, and the ability to significantly reduce his own cooldowns through Betrayer's Thirst make him extremely difficult to outmaneuver. To protect himself from the Legion's vengeance, Illidan hid on Outland, a destroyed world that he would eventually seek to rule.
Illidan's demonic masters sent him to destroy the Lich King, who had broken free of their influence, but Illidan failed to do so. Fleeing the wrath of the night elves, the twice-condemned Illidan allied himself once again with the only entity that would accept him - the Legion. Though Illidan fought to defend his people, he soon slipped into darkness: after absorbing the energies of the demonic Skull of Gul'dan, Illidan became a demon, an act for which he was banished by Malfurion. Malfurion admonished Illidan for his irresponsible use of magic and when Illidan would not give up his power, he was imprisoned far beneath the surface of the land by his brother and Cenarius.ĭuring the Third War, Tyrande released Illidan from millennia of imprisonment, hoping that the Betrayer would redeem himself by battling a returned Burning Legion. They did not know he helped to defeat the Legion and thought he sought to bring them back to Azeroth once again. They saw one of their own covered in demonic tattoos and with his amber eyes burned out. When the Night Elves reached Kalimdor and saw Illidan had used the vials to create a new Well of Eternity, they were furious. Eventually, Illidan, Tyrande, Malfurion, and the Night Elves repelled the Legion invasion, causing the Well of Eternity to implode - but not before Illidan drew several vials of its water to create new fonts of power. Driven by jealousy over his brother Malfurion's budding relationship with Tyrande Whisperwind, Illidan feigned allegiance to the Burning Legion and Sargeras, seemingly offering his aid while secretly plotting to destroy the Legion from within. The night elf Illidan Stormrage was born before the War of the Ancients, a conflict that erupted over 10,000 years prior to the Third War, when the chaotic Burning Legion invaded Azeroth.
Illidan Stormrage is known as the Betrayer, as throughout the millennia of his life he has deceived friends and family alike for power.