Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos/Unused Icons

This is a sub-page of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

Unused Icons

To do: Some entries don't have descriptions, get working!

The game's files contain a couple of icons for both units and abilities that are remnants of builds from 2000 and 2001.

AdvStruct

Judging by its name and the similarity to the Orcs build icon, this was meant for accessing more advanced structures. This is similar to previous Warcraft or Age of Empires games where you have separate build menus. It was probably removed because, unlike those games, the number of buildings you could build in Warcraft III is pretty small.

Aura of Darkness

Avatar Off

Avatar can't be turned off once activated, but it seems that was possible (or planned to be) at some point.

Barkskin

Once again, a cut Druid of the Claw spell according to text strings in the Closed Beta.

Berserk For Trolls

This seems to be a cut upgrade or an ability for the Troll Headhunters. Well it doesn't matter figuring its original purpose since it was added back in the Expansion pack.

Bronze Bowl

Probably for a cut quest item, the second icon is named Bronze Bowl Full.

Charm

This is a cut Dreadlord spell. It's not clear how it worked since the game doesn't have any other related files or data to it. Its icon is used in World of Warcraft for a spell also named Charm.

• 

  In a prereleased screenshot.

Chime

Divine Shield Off

Same with Avatar, Divine Shield can't be turned off once activated, but it seems that was possible (or planned to be) at some point.

Flaming Arrows

The cut Ranger hero was described as having a number of enchanted arrow abilities, one of which was called Flaming Arrows. This might've been its icon.

Force of Nature

This is cut ultimate spell for the cut Arch-Druid hero. It would've turned him into a "gigantic beast that is a hybrid of several woodland creatures". Notice how the icon is a silhouette of an owlbear which hint that the model of the owlbear may have been his transformation ability model before it was reutilized as a Creep after the hero was scrapped.

Glyph

Gold to Lumber Exchange, Lumber to Gold Exchange

It seems that the ability to exchange resources was planned at some point, sadly it was scrapped.

Guardian Ward

The Ancestral Guardian (Guardian Ward, as it is referred here) was a cut Witch Doctor spell that summoned the eponymous ward. The spell and the ward itself were added back in the Expansion back under a different name, Serpent Ward.

Haunted Mine

The ability to haunt a Gold Mine uses a different icon, rendering this one unused.

Improved Mining

Improved Mining is a cut upgrade for the Humans. More than likely the upgrade increased the amount of Gold Peasants carry. The raw, unedited icon would be later reused for Mining in World of Warcraft.

Inn

This oddly resembles a bigger human Farm. Perhaps an upgrade for it.

Juggernaut

Although Juggernauts do appear in the game in some cutscenes, they're normally unplayable and cannot be placed even in the Editor, making this icon unused.

Lament

Lamp

Load Dwarf

Related to this cut feature.

Lumber Upgrade Two

A cut upgrade for the Orcs, presumably the Horde version of Improved Lumber Harvesting.

Marketplace

The Marketplace is a cut Natural building, it can be seen in some pre-released screenshots. Heroes could buy random items from here, which are placed on the ground instead of the Inventory. The Marketplace was later added back in the Expansion pack

Meatapult

The Meat Wagon at some point had no attack mode and was more of a corpse fridge for the Undead. In order for it to fling some disease-ridden carcasses, this upgrade had to be researched first.

Medusa Pebble

This is a cut item that would've turned enemy non-Hero units into stone when used, according to its unused text string.

Orb

A generically named Orb. This was used for the Orb of Fire before it got its own icon.

Pick Up Item

Pretty much what it is. Most definitely made useless since you can pick up items with your Mouse anyway.

Poison Sting

No clue what this does, there's an unused string for it.

Priestess of the Moon

The Priestess of the Moon originally rode a large, flying owl when the Night Elves were first revealed in 2001. It was originally planned for all races to have one flying hero unit but the concept was scrapped as it was unbalanced.

• 

  In a prereleased screenshot.

Regeneration

This is a cut Druid of the Claw spell according to text strings in the Closed Beta.

Select Hero Off

???

Select Hero On

???

Shadow Meld

This seems to be the original icon for Shadow Meld since the one used by the game is named Ambush.

Ship

Same with the Juggernaut, these ships do appear in the game and can be placed in the Editor. However, they're still unplayable, so you don't see this icon.

Shoveler

This is, uh well, the head of Samwise Didier, on the body of a Kobold. This thing does appear in the credits sometimes but cannot be placed in the Editor, making this icon unnused.

Spiderling

More than likely a cut ability for the Crypt fiend since there's an unused string with the same name as the icon, however it's just blank. Perhaps an alternative attack mode.

Temp

Again, Samwise Didier, this time not on a hideous creature. This is a placeholder icon that was used in several pre-release screenshots.

Thieves Guild

A cut natural building, unknown what role it served. While its model can't be found in the game files, it does exist in the Closed Beta of 2002.

Unload Dwarf

Related to this cut feature.

Windwalk Off

Windwalk is one of those spells that can't be turned off since it has a set duration but it seems the developers planned for you to manually turn it off.