Facing Paladin Rifle as Undead

Crypt Lord Ghoul opening that scouts the Paladin, creeps the natural with skeletons and beetles, expands and towers up, then out-produces the Rifles with Ghoul Frenzy and a Lich orb at tier 3.

By EchoGoodman· Updated 18 September 2026

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About this build

Full guideFacing Paladin Rifle as Undead

Written by EchoGoodman with contributions from Ves. This strategy is proven up to Grandmaster level: simple in its idea, but it requires execution. It assumes a Crypt Lord Ghoul opening, since the Crypt Lord is viable against both Archmage Footmen and Paladin Riflemen. A 6th Acolyte scouts; once you see a Blacksmith and a Paladin, this plan kicks in.

The idea is to out-produce the opponent with lots of Ghouls and summons and buy time for superior upgrades. After the opening the priorities are: scout the Paladin, defend the haunted mine if he tries to cancel it, and creep the Crypt Lord to level 3. The guide covers the defence against the death push and the late game in detail.

Build order · 21 steps

#	Food	Instruction
1	5	Send Acolytes to gold, the Ghoul to lumber.
2	5	Produce a 4th Acolyte, send it to the gold mine.
3	6	Build a Crypt and an Altar.
4	6	Build a Ziggurat.
5	6	Build a 5th Acolyte, send it to the gold mine.
6	7	Build a 6th Acolyte.
7	8	Build a Tomb of Relics with the 6th Acolyte.
8	8	The 6th Acolyte kills a critter near the closest big creep camp, then goes to scout the Human base.
9	10	Produce a 2nd Ghoul.
10	10	Produce the Crypt Lord.
11	15	Build a 2nd Ziggurat.
12	15	Produce 2 Ghouls.
13	19	By now the scout has seen the Paladin Rifle build. Send the scouting Acolyte back to your closest natural expansion gold mine.
14	19	The Crypt Lord sells the Town Portal and buys a Rod, a Sacrificial Skull and a Dagger.
15	19	Summon skeletons from the critter body. Pull 1 Ghoul from lumber and creep a green camp with the Crypt Lord (or skip straight to the expansion with 2 Ghouls).
16	21	Produce 4 Ghouls up to 27/30.
17	27	After the green camp, pull 3 more Ghouls (4 total) and creep your natural. Get as many beetles and skeletons as you can on the way.
18	27	Use the Skull near the gold mine to build a Ziggurat, haunt the mine as soon as you can afford it and upgrade the Ziggurat to a Nerubian Tower.
19	40	When the expansion saturates (around 5:10-5:30): tech tier 2, Graveyard, Necropolis at the expo, 2nd Crypt, 2 Ziggurats at the expo, towers in both bases.
20	50	Keep producing Ghouls throughout, up to 45 supply at most, leaving 5 supply for the 2nd hero before upkeep.
21	50	At tier 2 immediately tech tier 3, make the Death Knight and build a Slaughterhouse. You are aiming for Ghoul Frenzy and a Lich with orb as 3rd hero.