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The Frozen Treeline

Author(s)
mrtwommr
Tags
AI, MOBA / AoS, Contains External Material, Open Source, Medieval / Warcraft
Size
7.09 MB
Rating

(2 ratings)

Downloads
743
Created
Jan 6, 2025
Updated
Nov 30, 2025
Resources
1
State
Approved
This bundle is marked as recommended. It works and satisfies the submission rules.
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WARNING: current version of this map does NOT work on Reforged. I plan on creating a separate Reforged version of the map with the vS2 release, after optimizing its code.
With the vS1 release, it requires Warcraft III version 1.26-1.28.5 with JAPI support!
The easiest way to inject JAPI compatibility layer into your game is to run the game through YDWE or YDWE PK editor. To make this process quicker just create a .bat file inside editor's folder with the following text: "YDWE.exe" -war3
Note that custom JASS APIs such as UjAPI - though allow the map to be launched - won't make the map adequately playable, as many skills would not work properly.

The Frozen Treeline is my passionate attempt at reviving 3v3 format of Lane-Pushing Games (LPG for short, also known as MOBAs, DotA-likes, and AoS-maps).
It takes as a base Draconico/Pardalmadgod/luixmania's attempt to port the old Twisted Treeline map from League of Legends - along with heroes, items and mechanics from that game - but heavily modifies it in a way that the map does no longer resemble LoL in anything but the map layout. Adding unique, fun and strong heroes; rarely-used mechanics and objectives inspired by forgotten LPGs; as well as many mechanics, new to Warcraft III, and reworking some that were too convoluted.
The map gets regular updates with new content and balancing, but the focus here is not competitive play, but pure and utter fun, variety of builds, as well as accessibility.
The Frozen Treeline is optimized to be played both 3v3 and 2v2, and has a dedicated 1v1 mode called "The King of Heroes" - inspired by KOF fighting game series, and akin to Deathmatch in other LPGs.

Here are basic mechanics of The Frozen Treeline, which differ from or new to Warcraft III:
• NO RANDOMNESS. All passives with random proc chance were rewritten to proc with each certain attack or by cooldown; all actives, which had random intervals or other elements (such as Starfall and Monsoon) were or will be rewritten too.
• NO ORB EFFECTS. Well, at least, you won't feel them, as no items grant orb effects. Instead, pretty much every attack modifier you can expect (from slow and poison to cleave) were made from the ground up, and EVERY SINGE ATTACK MODIFIER STACK WITH ANY OTHER - even if they are two different modifiers of the same type.
• ONLY 2 DAMAGE TYPES: attack and spell. All basic attacks deal attack damage; all spells - spell damage. Attack modifiers can either increase attack damage (sometimes by a flat number, sometimes multiplying it, and sometimes piercing through armor) or separately deal spell damage.
• Armor was rewritten: its number is no longer an argument in a difficult formula, instead being a %, with which attack damage is reduced. Armor also has a 70% cap, after which armor points don't reduce damage - though are included for calculations in abilities which scale with armor.
• Barrier is introduced instead of Warcraft III's magic resistance. It works in a similar way to default, but can be stacked and has a 70% cap - just like the new armor (though items give less of it due to how sources of spell damage are either less damaging or have much higher cooldowns than attacks).
• Many new mechanics for the spellcasters are introduced: mainly the Spell Power stat, which increases ALL spell damage output by a %, but also spell lifesteal; spell critical; cooldown reduction; barrier piercing; as well as other minor mechanics, such as added slow on each spell damage instance.
• NO cast points. MAXIMUM possible turn speed. Unitwalking when not attacking for 1 second.
• Agility doesn't give armor, only attack and movement speeds, meaning armor is only gained from specific items, and agility heroes can't rely on their natural stats to survive.

As for the gameplay, here is how The Frozen Treeline differs from you typical LPG:
• On each of the two lanes, there is a neutral obelisk in the middle. When last-hitted by either team - it gets captured and starts producing siege creeps for that team at its lane. It also becomes invulnerable for 1 minute, but after that - the enemy team is free to capture the obelisk again. Both capturing and forfeiting an obelisk has its upsides: its catapult outranges towers and can quickly push the lane if it is left without an enemy hero, but killing it also gives 100 gold and significant amount of experience.
• Talking about experience - it is gained anywhere on the map from all of the sources (meaning that a creep killed on the top lane will give experience both to the bottom lane's hero and to the jungler, as long as they're alive). This puts big emphasis of the jungler role, who can remain useful to the team even if he farms non-stop (which is usually detremental to the team in other LPGs), and laners must also sometimes sidestep their lane to farm nearby jungle camps.
• Each team has an invulnerable Miner at the start of the game on the sides of middle forest, which gives 5 gold each 5 seconds to every player. At 5-minute mark, each miner becomes vulnerable, and teams can try to kill enemy miner, capturing its gold income for themselves for at least the next 2 minutes - during this time, a new invulnerable miner is placed, which then becomes vulnerable again for an enemy team to re-capture.
• At the bottom of the map, there is a Lizard Elder, which, when killed, gives every hero of the killer's team permanent bonus of +3 to all stats. The bonus stacks for up to 10 times, and the Lizard respawns every 3 minutes.
• At the top of the map, there is a Buried Giant, which, when killed, instantly respawns and is given under control of the one who killed it for 3 minutes. It can be used to safely siege enemy lanes, as this unit can fly over any terrain or objects. It respawns again 5 minutes after getting killed.
• No barracks. Instead, a unique Guardian Tower near each base entrance, which has a splashing attack, and, when destroyed, stops creep spawn for the one who lost it on the respective lane... Just to initiate SUPER creep spawning as a defence mechanism! It has cleave, LOTS of health and defences, thus being able to push far into the enemy part of the lane if left without attention.
• The main buildings of each team attack EVERYONE around them. Good luck destroying it!
• Matches have a time limit. If neither team wins by 30 minutes of playtime - the game automatically calculates a score, which consists of the amount of buildings destroyed, obelisks and miners captured at the end of the game, as well as Lizards and Giants killed throughout the game. The team with a bigger score wins, and if teams have equal score - the match will be a draw.
• In an attempt to re-focus player attention on pushing lanes, heroes with high killstreaks are punished with higher respawn timers! No waiting for players to respawn to kill them again - unless, of course, you want to lose a game that was already won!
• Items can be bought from any point on the map, and all shops can be accessed quickly using chat commands, which will be listed below and can be binded to a key using programs such as Warcraft Featue Extender.
• All of the items can be sold for 100% of their price, which reduces punishment for a trivial mistake and allows for changing builds on the go or "item-juggling" during fights (though only recommended for highly-skilled players).
• No item recipies: all items are either full-on artifacts, which you can carry till the end of the game, or consumeables. No spending time to learn recipies required to play this map - you can adapt a build during your very first match!
• Though default WC3's gold transferring method is disabled, items can be freely transferred and used between heroes, and there even is a "1000 Gold Bag" item, which allows transferring gold to your ally directly!
• Starter items (which are all boots) can be upgraded to make them still useful in the lategame, and there are also consumeable tomes, which don't take up slots and is a way to spend money in the endgame.
• None of the artifacts give strength, agility or intelligence: all of them can be build on hero with any main attribute, and you won't lose in given stats.

Hero designs also have some unsusual design principles:
• All of the heroes have 4 basic abilities, not 3, and - as usual - one ultimate.
• Maximum hero level is 20, while level 23 would be required to max out all of hero's abilities. This means that a player must choose what they want to focus on in their hero's kit and in their specific build.
• Though some heroes have innates for their kit to function, most don't - due to the afore mentioned focus on build variety: the logic is that an "innate" ability is the one which is chosen by player at level 1.
• What is innate though, is the universal teleport ability: it allows any allied structure as a target, has only 10 seconds of cooldown, and its channel duration is 4 seconds. However, just as with the default teleportation, any action cancels it, and two heroes can't teleport onto the same building at the same time.
• All heroes are designed to be self-sufficient: everyone can become their team's carry, and though supporting is possible on many heroes, there are no "full support" characters, and no mandatory support role in a match.

Among the most interesting heroes, there are:
• Rowen, the Gambler - reimagining of the removed hero concept from DotA Allstars: his abilities are no longer based on randomness, and though he still can empower his attacks with gold and even spend it on a certain skill, his main focus is GENEREATING gold for himself and his allies - as well as stealing it from the enemies!
• Celeste, the Uriel's Disciple - a magess, whose abilities can be cast onto ANY POINT ON THE MAP and even REVEAL THE WHOLE MAP for a limited period of time. She was carefully balanced to be very skill based and not abuseable - mainly with that most of her abilities lose power when reach 1200 meters away from her.
• Ingvar, the Royal Paladin, and Aquasoul, the Water Elemental, though are not the most unique characters in their general kits, both have an ability, which allows them to ATTACK ALLIES: Ingvar, in his Holy Hammer form, can't attack enemies but heals allies with his attack, while Aquasoul can passively restore allies' mana with his attacks.
• Negul, the Swamp Parasite, is like playing a Warcraft 3 race in an LPG: 3 of his skills summon new units, while two of them are mainly to empower those units. The ulti's Swamp Queen also directly scales with Negul's stats.
• Derak & Joe, the Ogre Lord, is the opposite: two heroes in one! He has two sets of abilities, between which you can swap at any time for free. Only their ultimate is the same between two ogre "heads".
And there are also many, MANY more fun heroes with their personalities to explore - even if they're simply an unusual combination of classes or my own take on a common archetype!

Important thing to know before going into this map is chat commands. You can write the following letter/number into the chat and it will do the following:
c - restore camera (useful if you're using a pre-Reforged version of WC3 and accidentally scrolled your mouse wheel up)
t - select stash
1 - select starter shop
2 - select attack damage shop
3 - select spell damage shop
4 - select defense shop

If you don't have anyone to play with - this map has bots, though keep in mind that they're work in progress and will be improved in the next patches. Known bug with them is that they drop items sometimes, and also bot is tied to a particular hero and slot on each role, so if you want to play a certain position - pick a respective slot in your team:
1 - jungler
2 - top laner
3 - bot laner

Patch notes can be found here. You can look up on EpicWar for older versions.

This map is not protected and never will be. Just as I could develop it using another person's unprotected map as a base and get into WC3 modding, I am perfectly OK if other people would want to use The Frozen Treeline as a base for their project, modify this map to their liking, or simply import something from it - no need to ask permisssion, though I would be glad if you share your work with me. Keep in mind, however, that you can only open the S-series of this map throught the YDWE PK editor, mentioned above.

This map also had two previous "series", which were quite different in their gameplay. Last version of the original series was v20c, while last version of the "Revised" series was vR4final. Both don't require JAPI and can be played on any version of Warcraft 3 starting from 1.26 with no issues, but they all are frankly much worse and lower-effort maps than the current version: the first one is generic, while the second one is overloaded with mechanics. Both didn't even have damage detection system, which pretty much tells you all you need to know.

Some of the inspirations for my map were: Valley of Dissent, original RoC DotA, WCChaos and its standalone sequel Chaos (Heroes) Online, older versions of DotA Allstars, Eve of the Apocalypse: Twillight, Age of Myths, Rise of Winterchill, Demigod, obviously Twisted Treeline game mode from League of Legends, Vainglory, and many more.

Credits to:
Draconico/Pardalmadgod/luixmania's Twisted Treeline v1tests (used as a base for The Frozen Treeline map): Twisted Treeline v1tests
Ah Qi Fire Phoenix, who, as far as I understood, invented the JAPI functionalities, which I use in my map.
actboy168's and sumneko's YDWE editor and its GUI locals.
Enemy1PK's upgraded YDWE PK editor and its function optimizations.
Bride's Damage Engine and GUI Unit Indexer.
Movement System, included in YDWE PK (unfortunately couldn't discern who its author is).
NightSkyAurora's Meat Hook System.
Paladon's Jump System.
Himperion for their Female Death Knight model..
Darkfang for their Avatar of Vengeance skin and Shadow Capture icon.
HerrDave for their Rain of Arrows effect.
Deathclaw24 for their Rain of Arrows icon.
Aldeia for their Female Death Knight icon.
Blizzard Entertainment - obviously for the amazing game that is Warcraft III - but also specifically for Terran Marine's voice lines from StarCraft: Brood War, as well as some item icons from World of Warcraft, which were imported into the map.
Microsoft, Bungie and specifically Jeff Steitzer for amazing Halo Reach's multiplayer announcer - it is used in this map for killstreaks.
Previews
Contents

The Frozen Treeline vS1a (Map)

Author
Draconico before, mrtwommr now
Filename
The Frozen Treeline vS1a.w3x
Suggested players
6/4/2
Players
6
Required game
Warcraft 3
Recommended version
1.19 - 1.21b
Dimensions
122x88 (128x96)
Size
7.09 MB
Uploaded
Jan 6, 2025
Updated
Nov 30, 2025
Map Info View Resources In Use Preview Triggers Download
Reviews
deepstrasz
deepstrasz
Well, it's a nice map but very reminiscent of DotA and the layout doesn't help that much, quite cramped and repetitive. Approved.
Read full review...
A credits list in the map description with the names of the authors whose resources you've used is mandatory. That includes models, skins, icons, custom spells, systems. Also, sounds, music and everything outside this site.
This helps you with the models, skins and icons from Hiveworkshop: Resources in use by The Frozen Treeline
You can also upload your map here to generate a list: Asset scanner
Do not add assets as they will be downloaded with the map a well separately. Put links to them instead.

Since you've mentioned inspiration from things like DotA, keep in mind the stuff in the map should not have exact copies from other maps.

Awaiting Update.

If you want more reviews, you should participate in the The Grand Review Exchange!

R U L E S

Site Rules
Map Submission Rules

M A P - D E S C R I P T I O N
BB CODES
BB Codes | HIVE

MELEE MAPS
Description Guide - Melee Maps
Describing Your Melee Map
Melee Map Description Generator v1.3

MAPS IN GENERAL
The importance of a Description
Description Guide - Maps
Map Thread Guide
Map Description Making: Good & Bad
Map Description - Templates
Map Description Generator [1.2]

How to Add a Screenshot to your Map Description

ADDITIONAL NECESSARY INFORMATION
  • A credits list in the map thread description is required where the names of the resource (models, skins, icons, spells, sound etc.) authors are mentioned along with the specific resource. It would be a luxury to have links leading to the used resources. Credits in the Quest Log would be appreciated too.
  • A detailed changelog in the first post would be helpful to reviewers and notify fans about the newest implementations to your map.
  • Map thread tags are important. Please use those that fit and not more or none.


M A P - C R E A T I O N - G U I D E S
GENERAL MAPPING
A Beginner's Guide to Map Making
The Ultimate Beginners Terrain Tutorial
Advanced Terraining Tutorial
A Guideline to Terraining and the Hive's Terraining Section
Various Terraining Tips!
Basic Mapping Video Tutorial
WE Map Editor for Newbies!
The Path Of Proper Map Making - What to do and what should be avoided

MELEE MAPPING
How to create Melee Maps
General - Melee Maps like the Professionals
Competitive Melee Map
Melee mapping - The reasons behind common aspects of competitive 1v1 maps
Melee Do's and Dont's

PATHING
Pathing - Everything about it
[Terraining] Alternative Pathing Technique

LEAKS
Triggers - Memory Leaks and Custom Scripts

If you're not satisfied with the review and wish another opinion, contact the other reviewers or use the staff contact:
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/staff-contact.692/
 
deepstrasz said:
A credits list in the map description with the names of the authors whose resources you've used is mandatory. That includes models, skins, icons, custom spells, systems. Also, sounds, music and everything outside this site.
This helps you with the models, skins and icons from Hiveworkshop: Resources in use by The Frozen Treeline
You can also upload your map here to generate a list: Asset scanner
Do not add assets as they will be downloaded with the map a well separately. Put links to them instead.

Since you've mentioned inspiration from things like DotA, keep in mind the stuff in the map should not have exact copies from other maps.

Awaiting Update.

If you want more reviews, you should participate in the The Grand Review Exchange!

R U L E S

Site Rules
Map Submission Rules

M A P - D E S C R I P T I O N
BB CODES
BB Codes | HIVE

MELEE MAPS
Description Guide - Melee Maps
Describing Your Melee Map
Melee Map Description Generator v1.3

MAPS IN GENERAL
The importance of a Description
Description Guide - Maps
Map Thread Guide
Map Description Making: Good & Bad
Map Description - Templates
Map Description Generator [1.2]

How to Add a Screenshot to your Map Description

ADDITIONAL NECESSARY INFORMATION
  • A credits list in the map thread description is required where the names of the resource (models, skins, icons, spells, sound etc.) authors are mentioned along with the specific resource. It would be a luxury to have links leading to the used resources. Credits in the Quest Log would be appreciated too.
  • A detailed changelog in the first post would be helpful to reviewers and notify fans about the newest implementations to your map.
  • Map thread tags are important. Please use those that fit and not more or none.


M A P - C R E A T I O N - G U I D E S
GENERAL MAPPING
A Beginner's Guide to Map Making
The Ultimate Beginners Terrain Tutorial
Advanced Terraining Tutorial
A Guideline to Terraining and the Hive's Terraining Section
Various Terraining Tips!
Basic Mapping Video Tutorial
WE Map Editor for Newbies!
The Path Of Proper Map Making - What to do and what should be avoided

MELEE MAPPING
How to create Melee Maps
General - Melee Maps like the Professionals
Competitive Melee Map
Melee mapping - The reasons behind common aspects of competitive 1v1 maps
Melee Do's and Dont's

PATHING
Pathing - Everything about it
[Terraining] Alternative Pathing Technique

LEAKS
Triggers - Memory Leaks and Custom Scripts

If you're not satisfied with the review and wish another opinion, contact the other reviewers or use the staff contact:
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/staff-contact.692/
Click to expand...
Thank you for reviewing my work! I have a couple of questions:
1. The map I used as a base had a couple of models imported, but I didn't use them in the finished map itself - they are just sitting in the map files. Should I credit them or would it be better if I updated the map removing them altogether?
2. In this map I also used voicelines from StarCraft: Brood War (the marine unit) and - as I just realized - killstreaks from Unreal Tournament. Blizzard and Epic should also be credited in the map description, right?
3. I'm also a little confused: by "map description" you mean the description on HIVE or in WC3 itself?
Thank you again and sorry for throwing so many questions at you, I'm kinda new here and only found rules for non-map resources when uploading the map😅

deepstrasz said:
A credits list in the map description with the names of the authors whose resources you've used is mandatory. That includes models, skins, icons, custom spells, systems. Also, sounds, music and everything outside this site.
This helps you with the models, skins and icons from Hiveworkshop: Resources in use by The Frozen Treeline
You can also upload your map here to generate a list: Asset scanner
Do not add assets as they will be downloaded with the map a well separately. Put links to them instead.

Since you've mentioned inspiration from things like DotA, keep in mind the stuff in the map should not have exact copies from other maps.

Awaiting Update.

If you want more reviews, you should participate in the The Grand Review Exchange!

R U L E S

Site Rules
Map Submission Rules

M A P - D E S C R I P T I O N
BB CODES
BB Codes | HIVE

MELEE MAPS
Description Guide - Melee Maps
Describing Your Melee Map
Melee Map Description Generator v1.3

MAPS IN GENERAL
The importance of a Description
Description Guide - Maps
Map Thread Guide
Map Description Making: Good & Bad
Map Description - Templates
Map Description Generator [1.2]

How to Add a Screenshot to your Map Description

ADDITIONAL NECESSARY INFORMATION
  • A credits list in the map thread description is required where the names of the resource (models, skins, icons, spells, sound etc.) authors are mentioned along with the specific resource. It would be a luxury to have links leading to the used resources. Credits in the Quest Log would be appreciated too.
  • A detailed changelog in the first post would be helpful to reviewers and notify fans about the newest implementations to your map.
  • Map thread tags are important. Please use those that fit and not more or none.


M A P - C R E A T I O N - G U I D E S
GENERAL MAPPING
A Beginner's Guide to Map Making
The Ultimate Beginners Terrain Tutorial
Advanced Terraining Tutorial
A Guideline to Terraining and the Hive's Terraining Section
Various Terraining Tips!
Basic Mapping Video Tutorial
WE Map Editor for Newbies!
The Path Of Proper Map Making - What to do and what should be avoided

MELEE MAPPING
How to create Melee Maps
General - Melee Maps like the Professionals
Competitive Melee Map
Melee mapping - The reasons behind common aspects of competitive 1v1 maps
Melee Do's and Dont's

PATHING
Pathing - Everything about it
[Terraining] Alternative Pathing Technique

LEAKS
Triggers - Memory Leaks and Custom Scripts

If you're not satisfied with the review and wish another opinion, contact the other reviewers or use the staff contact:
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/staff-contact.692/
Click to expand...
Updated the map and its descriptions. I didn't use much of external resources for it, though I'm planning to and will add them as I get permissions to use them. And, speaking of inspirations and exact copies, as mentioned before, they were mostly thematical inspirations - the kits themselves were designed around hero's needs and overall game balance.
 
mrtwommr said:
1. The map I used as a base had a couple of models imported, but I didn't use them in the finished map itself - they are just sitting in the map files. Should I credit them or would it be better if I updated the map removing them altogether?
Click to expand...
Remove them please if they're not meant to be used.
mrtwommr said:
2. In this map I also used voicelines from StarCraft: Brood War (the marine unit) and - as I just realized - killstreaks from Unreal Tournament. Blizzard and Epic should also be credited in the map description, right?
Click to expand...
Yes, please credit the games/companies.
mrtwommr said:
3. I'm also a little confused: by "map description" you mean the description on HIVE or in WC3 itself?
Click to expand...
Map thread description. The description where you wrote all those details here on the site/this page.
 
cswking13yt said:
Alright so I played this map, and it was a pretty well made map. played as the flame lord and he was pretty cool also some nice spells that he can cast.
didn't notice any bugs on my side. similar to DOTA and I love DOTA, so I can definitely recommend this map to everyone.

I GIVE IT A 4/5 :thumbs_up:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the review! There's also a major update in the way which will revise the map closer to my original vision and to the genre's roots (which I was unable to fulfill due to my previous lack of experience with World Editor).
 
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