| “ | If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. | ” |
–Sun Tzu | ||
There are many factions in Middle-Earth, each with their own method of fighting, and surviving by wit alone is a chore for the most trained of combatants. This page will teach you how to attack and defend against the many races and realms you encounter.
Fighting Angmar[]
Angmar orcs tend to stay to themselves in their homeland of the same name, Angmar, popping up in the Ettenmoors on occasion, with trolls also appearing in those two in addition to the Trollshaws and Coldfells. If you hap upon them, either entering Angmar itself (maybe to get alignment), or falling victim to an ambush-like invasion, the information below may prove vital.
The first trick is: Kill Hill-trolls at very long range. Normal (smaller) trolls are easy to kill with melee, but the Hill-troll club attack and the resulting knockback can be devastating to the ill-equipped player. Hill-trolls deal damage at range by throwing stones at the player, so staying far beyond their line of sight is important when shooting them. Snow-trolls should also be taken out from a distance if possible. They have a ranged attack that consists of throwing snowballs which deal a small amount of damage, but their melee attack is much stronger. While their snowball attack isn't too dangerous, it can still be quite annoying as it damages armor durability.
Angmar invasions do not spawn trolls of any type, so the player doesn't have to worry about that. They do, however, spawn bombardiers, which can deal tremendous damage if the player is hit by an explosion, especially if it is dealt by a Warg Bombardier. These Wargs carry triple-strength Orc bombs and should be taken out from a distance at all costs, because they will detonate if they come within biting distance of the player. Wargs are fast and this is easy for them to do if the player does not keep them at bay.
The second trick is: Do NOT go into warg pits unless well-prepared. Warg pits can be a death trap, because, while the wargs and orcs can be easily taken out, even on the ground, you can still be overwhelmed if other orcs, or even a troll, decide to dive in. Worse still, archers can gather around the pit and shoot you down as you try to climb up.
You can also try finding a Hillman village and lure enemies in one by one, these hamlets frequently generate in Angmar, although they can be spotted in other part of Eriador as well. Trolls usually can't get through the narrow gaps between houses, so you can concentrate on the host of weaker orcs and Hillmen, plus their cozy houses are the perfect place to take shelter or set spawn, just make sure to block off the door with some dirt or replace it with a gate/iron door.
Fighting the Rhudaur Hillmen[]
The Rhudaur Hillmen are a faction of men that are allied with Angmar. Similar to Angmar Orcs, they mostly stick to Angmar, but they also tend to invade the regions around this land from time to time.
Rhudaur Hillmen are fairly weak, but their Warriors have better armor and deal more damage, and more care should be taken when fighting them.
The first trick is: bring an army! With adequate units, you'll be able to do great damage. Rangers can be a very good choice for fighting them; a squad of invisible rangers will be able to inflict significant casualties on these mostly unarmoured men.
The second trick is: watch out for the Axe-Throwers. They don't have a very long range, but their thrown axes deal 6 HP per hit. The best way to take them out is with spears, throwing axes, arrows, or other ranged weapons.
The third trick is: beware of Angmar units! Because the Hillmen are a sub-faction of Angmar, there's a good chance that there are Angmar units not too far away from the Hillmen. Always watch your back.
Fighting Blue Mountains Dwarves[]
The Dwarves of the Blue Mountains are not a numerous people, and so venturing through their territory is easier than most. But fighting them can be trickier.
The first trick to fighting the Dwarves is: locate their houses. You may want to wait for nightfall, as their houses are easier to see then. The Dwarven houses are fairly common, contain plenty of food and ale for regeneration, and aren't very well guarded. Excellent places to slaughter the virtually defenseless. These are excellent for raising your faction standing with evil.
The second trick is: strongholds are good to attack, but be careful! Make sure you've got good armor and weapons, and that you're fast! An excellent tactic to use is to get to a higher elevation and snipe any Dwarves you see from there, thus thinning their numbers before you enter. Then, approach the main door, taking care of any stragglers that you didn't take care of before. Then, open the front door, get some Dwarves' attention, and then close the door. Smack them repeatedly as they open and close the door trying to get to you. Once you dispatch a few this way, you can move through the rest of the fortress. But be careful, you can get in sticky situations fast.
The third trick is: don't attack the mines! Seriously, unless you've got a good army, you don't want to mess with this. The Dwarves down here are thick in number, and respawn at a decent rate. Before you know it you'll be cornered, being knocked this way and that by Dwarven daggers. On top of that, the tunnels are very small, thus not allowing for mounted or effective ranged combat, nor will you be able to bring mounted or particularly large units.
The fourth trick is: ranged! Though the Dwarves are rarely outside of their houses or strongholds, when they are out in the open you have a golden opportunity. Dwarves, not being the fastest or longest-range species out there, are highly vulnerable to ranged attack. Even their axe-throwers are fairly short ranged, and not as accurate as the Elves .
When killing Dwarves in general as an evil player, be sure to target the regular ones, as they have no armor and can be killed fairly easily. Dwarven Warriors are much stronger and harder to fight and they can deal significant damage if the player is careless.
Fighting Dale[]
The Bardings of Dale are brave and deadly foes for those who would do evil in the East. These men are reclaimers of an old kingdom, and will fight to the death to protect their lands. With these tips, you might be able to make death come sooner than expected to them.
The first trick to fighting Dale is to go mounted! In the flat plains of Rhovanion, the ability to move fast is definitely an advantage, but that's not the only good thing that comes with going mounted. If you've brought your spider from Mirkwood or Mordor, you can use it to climb the walls of fortresses and take the enemy by surprise! If you've brought your pet Rhino, simply point it's horn toward the nearest group of enemies and charge.
The second trick is: raid the houses, bakeries, and smithies! The citizens are alone and unarmored, and will grant easy alignment. The houses can also be used to lure in foes and slay them one at a time. If groups of Dalish men spawn, target the Levymen, as they have weaker armor.
The third tip is to bring a bow! The Dalish Archers are deadly and accurate, and it is best to fight back in a similar manner. Black Uruk Bows or a Bow of Harad both work well in combat against archers. A mount is also very handy in fighting these guys.
A fourth trick: Bring some units. Hired Uruks from Gundabad or Isengard can easily outperform a Dalish man (or several of them) in combat as they have better armor and weapons. Ologs can take out multiple Dalish men at a time and can be used as weapons of mass destruction. Mirk-trolls can also be useful, though the Dalish archers can more easily take these enemies out since these trolls can only attack one at a time.
Fighting Dol Guldur[]
Within Mirkwood Corrupted[]
Deep into the thick forests of Mirkwood you'll find many spiders. If you don't mind your surroundings, you may end up trapped in webs or overwhelmed by a large group of those nasty creatures. But with some tricks and tips, you can become the ultimate arachnid hunter.
Small spiders are much faster, nimbler, and harder to hit, and thus the player should be much more careful when fighting them. Green spiders deal poison to the player, and blue spiders deal slowness, and both can be a heavy disadvantage. Slowness is especially cumbersome, especially when trying to outrun the really fast small spiders or Mirk-trolls.
The first trick: Bring a pike to the fight. You can poke them at distance while you retreat from their melee range. Avoid engaging too many spiders at the same time or you may end up surrounded, and in this case you better unsheathe your sword or a dagger, since their attack is faster. Remember, you can fill poison bottles by right clicking the green venomous spiders while holding an empty bottle.
The second trick: Spiders are fast and the pike attack cooldown is not, and to compensate this you have to retreat some blocks away. If fighting in the roads of Mirkwood (or deep into the forest), choose your ground and remember where the webs are located, or you may end up stuck on them while retreating. Spears have a faster cooldown and can be handier in knocking back large numbers of spiders; the problem is that spears deal less damage.
You got stuck in a web or you ran into a large group of spiders: Don't run away, stand your ground and fight. Spiders are somewhat weak and you can make quick work of them with some hits, their effectiveness comes from agility and great numbers. If you survived, stay where you are and eat to refill your hunger bar and consequently your health, avoiding engaging more enemies or run to a safe place if you sighted one. You can hide inside caves or in ruined towers scattered through Mirkwood.
Also, it is good idea to bring with you a set of elven scout armour to counter the agility of the spiders, or a bow, if you have arrows to spare.
Within Dol Guldur[]
Dol Guldur is a nasty place, full of Dol Guldur Orcs, Mirkwood Spiders, and Mirk-Trolls. However there are certain things you can do to cleanse this land of some of its evil.
The first trick to fighting Dol Guldur is: bring an army! In a fairly open and bumpy area that's crawling with enemies, having some of the brave soldiers of the free peoples help you would be a definite boost. In some cases you may not want to bring a large number of enemy soldiers into another biome for fear of them dying, but in this case you need not worry about that. Rather than strong and low in number like the Elves , these soldiers are merely mediocre and large in number like Dunlendings and Hobbit bounders. So your army's size will protect it.
The second trick is: take advantage of local unrest! If the Orcs are brawling, let them brawl! Don't interfere. By the time it's over, many Orcs will be dead, and many more wounded.
The third trick is: steer clear of those Mirk-Trolls ! They are surprisingly fast, and exceptionally dangerous, even if your army has large numbers. The best way to take these guys down is through range.
The fourth trick is: take those Dol Guldur Towers! Though these places have little loot of any value to a good-aligned player, but they're surprisingly low on guards! Kill the Dol Guldur Orc Chieftain, take a position on the roof, and snipe! These towers are slightly lower to the ground than some others, so sniping from this rooftop is easier.
The fifth trick is: Do NOT go into the spider pits. Spider pits can be a death trap, because, while the spiders and orcs can be easily taken out, even from on the ground, you can still be overwhelmed. Even worse, archers can gather around the pit and shoot you down as you try to climb up.
During Invasions[]
Sometimes, Dol Guldur will invade areas around their sinister land, such as the Woodland Realm and the Vales of Anduin. The tactics you'll need to use do defeat these invasions are somewhat different from the tactics you used to attack Dol Guldur.
The first trick is: assess the situation. Where is the invasion spawner? Are there friendly troops around? Can Gundabad Orcs spawn too? Knowing this information will make it much easier to stay safe. Generally, if you can get into a forest, you will have much better chances of survival than out in the open.
The second trick is: bring an army. Although Dol Guldur will send lots of soldiers during invasions, most of them are relatively weak. A large army should be able to take care of an invasion if you command it properly.
The third trick is: confined spaces! if you are chased by a Mirk-Troll, get under a tree or into a cave (or any other two meter high space) and kill them from there. Mirk-Trolls are big and can't fit into a space with low headroom.
The fourth trick is: hit the spiders, not the riders! If you're fighting spider-riders, hitting the rider won't deal any knockback. Kill the spiders first, and then deal with the Orcs later.
The fifth trick is: Retreat if you don't have sufficient gear or hired units, and try to lure the enemy near NPCs which are enemies of Dol Guldur, if you can find any.
Fighting Dunlendings[]
The Dunlendings are a rather primitive race of men, but all the same, one should not underestimate them. While Dunlendings should not be a problem at all for well-equipped players, there are still steps to take to defeat them.
The first trick is: Don't drop your weapons! Dunlendings weapons are mediocre at best, but if you drop your modified mithril sword, those Dunlendings will use it to cut you into pieces before you can realize what you just did. Take care to not accidentally drop your weapons when maneuvering.
The second trick is: Take a ranged weapon! Most Dunlendings stick to melee weapons when fighting, so ranged weapons do best.
The third trick is: Be on your guard. Dunlendings can hide surprisingly well in their home and often spawn in large numbers. While a few Dunlendings are not a threat to a well equipped player, a large group can overwhelm even a well-equipped player.
The fourth trick is: bring along an army! Most solders can make easy work of normal Dunlendings, and even the warriors, bowmen, axe-throwers, and berserkers shouldn't be too much of a threat to a good army. Swan Knights are probably the best choice, but if you can't afford them, Gondor Soldiers, and Rohirrim Warriors are all more than adequate.
The fifth trick is: get a good position! If you can get yourself on top of a tall tree or hill and have a good ranged weapon, you're in a perfect position. The Dunlendings follow very predictable and easy to manage attack patterns. If you're in a superior position with a powerful bow (preferably with a knockback modifier) and several stacks of arrows, you'll be nearly invincible. Just be sure to take precautions if your position is a bit precarious.
The sixth trick is: identify your Dunlendings correctly. Normal Dunlendings are easy to fight, and the warriors aren't much harder. Axe-throwers, however, can deal a fair amount of damage, and a Berserker can be a bit tough as well.
The seventh trick is: do not underestimate Dunlending invasions. Although they are not the most difficult invasion to fight, they will attack in very large groups. An army will be a very useful asset to finish the invasion quickly.
Fighting Dwarves[]
The Dwarves of the Iron Hills are not a numerous people, and so venturing through their territory is easier than most. But fighting them can be trickier. The most basic tip is to focus on the regular Dwarves wandering around without armor, as they are fairly easy for even a weak Orc to kill. Dwarven Warriors are much stronger and have better weapons, and they are a much more formidable foe that should not be attacked without preparation.
The first trick to fighting the Dwarves is: locate their houses. You may want to wait for nightfall, as their houses are easier to see then. The Dwarven houses are fairly common, contain plenty of food and ale for regeneration, and aren't very well guarded. Excellent places to slaughter the virtually defenseless. These are excellent for raising your faction standing with evil, as you will gain alignment for Gundabad.
The second trick is: towers are good to attack, but be careful! Make sure you've got good armor and weapons, and that you're fast! An excellent tactic to use is to get to a higher elevation and snipe any Dwarves you see from there, thus thinning their numbers before you enter. Note that this particular tactic doesn't work quite as well against the towers of the Iron Hills as it does against the fortresses of the Blue Mountains, as the towers are much higher off the ground. Try to find a tower at the bottom of a large hill. Then, approach the main door, taking care of any stragglers that you didn't before. Then, open the front door, get some Dwarves' attention, and then close the door. Smack them repeatedly as they open and close the door trying to get to you. Once you dispatch a few this way, you can move through the rest of the fortress. But be careful, you can get in sticky situations fast.
The third trick is: don't attack the mines! Seriously, unless you've got a good army, you don't want to mess with this. The Dwarves down here are thick in number, and respawn at a decent rate. Before you know it you'll be cornered, being knocked this way and that by Dwarven daggers. On top of that, the tunnels are very small, thus not allowing for mounted or effective ranged combat, nor will you be able to bring mounted or particularly large units.
The fourth trick is: ranged! Though the Dwarves are rarely outside of their houses or towers, when they are out in the open you have a golden opportunity. Dwarves, not being the fastest or longest-range species out there, are highly vulnerable to ranged attack. Even their their axe-throwers are fairly short ranged, and not as accurate as the Elves.
The fifth trick is: attack at night! At night in the Iron Hills, Gundabad Orcs spawn, giving you backup to attack the Dwarves.
Fighting Ents[]
The strong defenders of Fangorn, these powerful tree giants are the worst nightmare of many an evil player, dealing high damage, heavy knockback, and having a reach in excess of two blocks. Here are some tricks and tips on how to defend yourself from these shepherds of the forest.
The first trick to fighting the Ents is: do not stay in an open place. Be sure to keep moving, because the ents are quite strong, and if they gathered up on you, you will be in big trouble. However, their slowness can allow you to escape from sticky situations if you keep moving.
The second tip is: bring a good ranged weapon like a crossbow. Take advantage of your speed and their slowness and use a shoot and run tactic. Also, Ents can't reach very high, so try camping up on a tree. If Vanilla enchantments are available, try to use a weapon with both fire and infinity, as these Ents will take lots of arrows. If not, bring along the strongest ranged weapon possible, preferably a mithril crossbow with Flame of Udûn and Fierce modifier, and a lot of crossbow bolts.
The third tip is: Use an axe or battleaxe!! It deals bonus damage to these shepherds, similar to Huorns who also live in Fangorn Their dark counterparts can be found in the Old Forest. Because Ents can out-reach you and deal a lot of knockback, you will need to be mounted in order to hit them. Fortunately, they don't have an AoE attack, so your mount won't be hurt. A Long modifier will also help.
The fourth tip is: Try the Enderman tactic! Like Endermen and Half-trolls they are big and tall creatures and can't reach you if you are in two block high place. However, keep in mind that Ents have a long reach, so a normal oak or birch tree won't work -- you'll have to either extend the leaves out farther, or build a hut yourself. To hit the Ents, you will need a long polearm such as a pike, preferably with a Flame of Udûn and Legendary modifiers on it, otherwise this process will take a very long time.
Fighting Huorns[]
This terrifying race of living trees can be a pain to fight, but if you do it correctly, you can get yourself a lot of wood and alignment.
The first trick is, use fire. Huorns, like Ents are very vulnerable to it and if you have fire aspect on your weapons fighting will be a breeze. If vanilla enchantments are disabled or you don't have fire aspect yet, you can use a flint and steel or sulfur matches to light the ground in front of you on fire. Just be careful not to burn down the entire forest.
Second trick is, use an axe. Again like Ents, Huorns can be slain easily with a good axe or battle axe. The best weapon you can have against them is a Mithril Battleaxe with fire aspect. Other weapons like swords, warhammers, pikes, spears, and daggers, deal less damage than usual against Huorns and shouldn't be used unless there is no other option.
Third trick is, use damage indicators. This great mod shows you which tree's are hourns and which aren't. Huorns can be walked through when they are idle, and their texture looks a bit different than regular trees - lighter and shinier from a distance.
And last but not least, look out for groups of small oak trees. These are pretty much always a small group of hourns, so don't worry about a lone pear or cherry tree.
Fighting Gondorians[]
The soldiers of Gondor are brave, valorous, and well equipped. These men are members of an ancient and noble heritage, and will fight to the death to protect their lands. With these tips, you might be able to make death come sooner than expected.
The first trick to fighting Gondor is: go mounted! In the flat plains of Gondor, the ability to move fast is definitely an advantage, but that's not the only good thing that comes with going mounted. If you've brought your spider from Mirkwood or Mordor, you can use it to climb the walls of fortresses and take the enemy by surprise. If you've brought your pet Rhino, simply point it's nose toward the nearest group of enemies and charge.
The second trick is: raid the villages and towns! The villagers are alone and unarmored, and will grant easy alignment. However, watch your back, as if a group of Gondorian soldiers see you entering into a house, they will follow you in and you'll get stuck.
The third trick is: raid those Watchforts! These fortresses are easier to take than other faction's towers/forts, but only if you have a spider. Use your spider mount, and climb up the walls to the very top. Kill the captain, and use some blocks to seal off the stairway. Then, take out your bow and pick off the soldiers along the bridge and tower. After that, you can hop down onto the bridge and use the lure-and-hit technique to get the soldiers in the main fortress into the doorway. Now they'll be thinned out, and the rest of the fortress can be taken with little difficulty.
The fourth tip is: take refuge in the ruined towers! You might find yourself surrounded by enemy troopers, and you need some cover. Dash for the nearest ruined tower! These places are unoccupied and offer excellent cover. Climb to the top and snipe to your hearts content.
The fifth tip is: Bring a bow! Not as long-ranged or accurate as the Elves, a bow and arrow are great ways to slay Gondorians, and to weaken large groups of them.
The sixth tip is: raid those ruins! The tombs beneath the ruins have excellent loot, often gold, money, and spare weapons. All you have to do is defeat the wraith and the loot is yours.
The seventh tip is: be very careful if you choose to attack fortress-villages. While getting into these villages through the gates isn't difficult, you'll immediately be attacked by multiple soldiers upon entering. This is particularly true if you enter the fortress in the centre. Furthermore, the wall around the fortress and village can make a quick exit more challenging. It's probably best to leave these settlements alone, and stick with the less-defended towns and villages. If you do try to attack fort-villages, be prepared to make a quick getaway on a mount if things get sticky.
Fighting Dol Amroth[]
The majestic Swan Knights of Dol Amroth are some of the trickiest mobs you'll ever fight. Here is the first tactic to besting these great knights.
The first trick is: DO NOT rush into the battle and start fighting them, as this will guarantee that you will die. These knights will team up on you and kill you in a hurry. Bringing an army is also not the best idea, as the knights will kill most of them in a very short amount of time, unless you use Olog-hai.
The second trick is: Don't enter Dol Amroth without using a mount of some sort or other. Speed is essential when fighting mounted units, and it'll allow you to make a speedy retreat if you get into a sticky situation (which will happen very frequently in Dol Amroth).
The third trick is: Be very careful when fighting Knights armed with a Lance. The Lancers have twice the reach of any other NPC, deal the damage of a Lindon Warrior, and have a dangerous knockback. The best weapon to use in this case is a Pike, or using ranged attacks.
The fourth trick is: Try and make a hiding place where the knights can't reach you, then snipe them with the bow, try and lure them, and then quickly kill them with the sword. This is usually easiest if you manage to get into a settlement.
Fighting Gundabad[]
Gundabad Orcs are some of the weakest Orcs in the game, along with Isengard Snaga; as they spawn across most of northern Middle-earth, most Good players will have to fight Gundabad at some point. Despite their inherent weaknesses, fighting them effectively does require a bit of technique.
The first trick is: Arm up. Even mediocre armor and weapons should be good enough to take out a few Gundabad Orcs at a time. They are affected by weakness and slowness during the day, so they can most easily be outrun or killed at this time. Ranged weapons make it even easier to take out these Orcs from a distance. Units like Rangers, Elves or Dwarves can be quite effective against Gundabad Orcs as well. Getting the high ground and hitting Orcs or Wargs off cliffs can help a lot, as the resulting fall damage can kill or seriously injure them. A weapon with knockback will help.
The second trick is: Do not get overwhelmed. While one Gundabad Orc (or two or three) at a time are fairly easy to kill, the advantage that Gundabad has is that its NPCs spawn over a very large swathe of the Middle Earth map, and in large numbers. Therefore, it is common for the player to run into hoards of these Orcs in northern biomes. In large numbers, Gundabad Orcs can quite easily and quickly kill a player who is unprepared, especially when the groups consist of Orc Archers, Gundabad Uruks, Gundabad Uruk Archers, and Wargs. Managing the number of Orcs you're trying to fight at any one time is key to successful combat.
The third trick is: watch for archers. While many Gundabad Orc Archers are merely armed with regular bows or Orc bows, and can fairly easily be killed either from a distance or by melee attack, provided the player is able to keep landing hits on them as they dodge while shooting back. Gundabad Orc Archers armed with crossbows can hit much harder than the ones with regular bows, so they should be preferably taken out from a distance. Because some arrows and bolts will be poisoned, it's best to dodge the projectiles whenever possible.
The fourth trick is: Watch for Gundabad Uruks. They are much stronger than regular Orcs, having higher health, better armor, and dealing more damage, and they are highly dangerous to players who have poor defenses. Even if the player has a maxed out weapon, Gundabad Uruks can take several hits before dying, and thus the player should be very careful to not fight too many of them at once. It is wise to stay out of the range of Gundabad Uruk Archers, as they are armed with Gundabad Uruk bows which are more dangerous than the weak bows carried by normal archers.
The fifth trick is: watch out for Wargs. Gundabad Wargs are fast runners and can easily land multiple hits on a player before getting killed. Even if they are being knocked back, they can still quickly regain that ground to keep attacking. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use archery or longer-ranged weapons like spears or pikes to deal with these fell beasts. Anything with knockback can save the player some time and deal extra damage as well. While one Warg by itself can be taken out easily, a few at once can deal a lot of damage in a short amount of time if the player is not careful due to their speed. Warg riders can present even more danger especially if the Orc rider is an archer, as this unit can deal both melee and ranged damage. Targeting and taking out the Warg first is the best strategy here, as the Orc will be much slower and can be more easily outrun afterwards if needed. In addition, Wargs cannot fit through a one-block wide gap, and the player can hide in a place like this at a pinch. If a Warg with an Orc rider comes into a low passage 2 blocks high, the Orc rider will suffocate.
The sixth trick is: Get some friends. Luring spawn of Gundabad near Rangers of the North can be an easy way to get them killed, because Rangers are easily able to invisibly defeat Orcs by shooting them from a distance, even though they have a fairly weak melee attack. The trouble is that Rangers don't spawn often, so this tactic can't always be relied upon. Bringing along a few hired troops is a good idea, as most hired units can easily take out Gundabad Orcs as long as they're not excessively outnumbered.
The seventh tip is: do not underestimate invasions. Gundabad invasions will spawn very large numbers of units very quickly, and can, like all invasions, be quite difficult to defeat, but the plus side is that this Orcish faction, like Dol Guldur, lacks bombardiers. However the number of Uruks and Wargs and Archers spawning all at once can be overwhelming unless the player is backed up by hired units and/or has maxed out armor and weapons.
Fighting The High-Elves[]
The first trick to fighting Lindon is: make sure that you have a mount of some sort! Most of Lindon consists of an open plain, and speed will be critical to get you out of trouble (which you're almost certain to run into when fighting the High Elves). Try bringing a Rhino. It will barrel through them, and will be a definite boost.
The second trick is: don't get caught in the open fighting the High Elves of Lindon if you can help it! The High Elves are the people who dwell in the last fair realm before the great sea. They are great archers and powerful warriors, and will fight to the death to guard their homeland. Getting caught in the open will result in the Elves starting the game of bow and arrow Ping-Pong that is a favorite of the Elves. Only Galvorn armor or other armor with high levels of projectile protection will help you here. However, with the right tactics, you just might be able to gain the upper hand. Try to stick to the woodlands.
The third trick is: be careful when raiding High Elven Halls! While not overly well guarded, they provide little cover from enemy fire, and stopping in one of these halls can end in your death. Do slay the Captain, however.
The fourth trick is: Have a good bow! Seriously, this is vital. The High Elves are immensely powerful melee and ranged warriors. You'll want to stay a safe distance away, preferably at the outskirts, striking from afar. You might want to steal a Bow of Mirkwood and modify that, as it's rapid-fire action can help smooth out sticky situations up close as well as from afar.
Fighting Hobbits[]
The Hobbits are a peaceful race of farmers, so they should not be much trouble. For all the weapons they have are substandard. They do not wear armor, they wear beautiful but ineffective hats. Their armaments consist of iron daggers and one of the most pathetic ranged weapon in all of Arda: the sling. All you need to kill them is iron everything and above. Their pitiful corpses often drop things found nowhere else, mostly food and pipes. However, note that having an army will allow for more efficient slaughtering, and more protection for when the Hobbit Bounders organize and raid you. Now go and crush the weaklings (if you have evil desires).
Yet it is not the wisest thing to attack hobbits when you are just starting in the Shire. While they are not strong, the Hobbit Bounders are extremely numerous, and a band of a few of them would beat an unarmoured wanderer. On top of this, killing the Halflngs of the Shire will make you an enemy of the Dunedain of the North, a deadly foe, but a foe that can be dealt with.
Fighting the Uruks[]
Within the Uruk Highlands[]
The Rohan Uruk Highlands are a dangerous place, filled with tough Uruks armed with various weapons, including the Fire of Orthanc. A most basic trick to defeating enemies in this area is to attack the weak Isengard Snaga. They have scavenged armor and weak weapons and can be taken out very easily. There are ways, however, to defeat those pesky Uruks...
The first trick to fighting the Uruks is; make sure that you are well armoured and are carrying a powerful ranged weapon, preferably a Crossbow. Without a ranged weapon, one small group of Uruk Crossbowers can kill you, even if you are in full armour.
The second trick is: take advantage of the greater sight of the Wargs! Wargs will notice and charge you down at about double the distance of an Uruk. However, while they are fast, they are not as tough, even when armoured, and if they do have a rider, it will be a Snaga, which are far weaker and less accurate than Uruks as well. Venture along the outskirts of the Uruk Highlands and draw the Wargs out for easier alignment.
The third trick is: go mounted. The Rohan Uruk Highlands is a very open space, and you'll need speed to escape from Warg riders. A Horse of Rohan would be your best bet for getting around the highlands. Don't forget to equip it with armour, as well! You can also use Wood-elven Scout Armour instead of a mount.
The fourth trick is: make sure you know what Uruks you're up against. Ordinary Uruks, Uruk Chieftains, Wargs, and Uruk Berserkers can be defeated with melee, but they can also deal heavy damage to the player and attacking them should be done carefully, especially if they are in a group. Also take a look at the exact melee weapon that the Uruk is using; while most of them can be defeated hand-to-hand using a sword or other melee weapon, Uruks wielding a Pike have a much longer reach than normal. It is harder to avoid being hit by them even at a distance. You'll need either a Spear or a Pike of your own to kill these safely. Their attacks are slow due to the pike cooldown, however, which can be taken advantage of. And above all, stay out of the range of Uruk Crossbowers and Sappers. The Crossbowers' crossbows deal heavy ranged damage, more than almost any other archer can deal, and can kill a well-armored player in just a few hits. Sappers will set lit bombs off next to the player, which can deal heavy damage if the player is hit by the resulting explosion. Sappers who have placed their bombs will switch to a melee weapon and keep attacking. Sappers with melee weapons are extremely fast runners, faster than any other kind of Uruk. Thus, they can be some of the hardest Uruks to fight. Quick reflexes are needed to land hits on them and avoid their quick jabs.
The fifth trick is: when fighting a Warg rider, melee attack the Warg if the unit atop the Warg is a melee unit. If the unit atop the Warg is a Crossbower, however, then your best bet is to shoot the crossbower down from a distance while riding (try a hit-and-run tactic) and then take care of the Warg.
The sixth trick is: Do NOT go into warg pits. Warg pits can be a death trap, because, while the wargs and orcs can be easily taken out, even from on the ground, you can still be overwhelmed. Even worse, crossbowers can gather around the pit and shoot you down as you try to climb up.
The seventh trick is: Uruk Camps! If you are chased by Wargriders and can't escape, run into a tent in a Uruk Camp. Wargriders are too large to fit into these tents, giving you a chance to heal up.
Finally, beware of the Berserkers. Seriously, these are the most powerful Orcs in the mod, and can surely pack a punch. They are significantly stronger and faster than a regular Uruk, and their deadly Uruk Berserker Scimitars inflict a formidable amount of damage. However, they have a particular weakess that the player can exploit. Their huge stature renders them unable to pass through two block high spaces, from which they can be safely dealt with by melee attacks, preferably with a polearm to steer clear of their lethal blades. This tactic is especially effective against multiple berserkers, but make sure you still watch your back for regular Uruks.
During Invasions[]
The Uruks are known for their bloodlust and destructive will, and will often invade lands around the Uruk Highlands. If you get caught in an invasion, you could be in for a big fight.
The first trick is: assess the situation. Where is the invasion spawner? Are there friendly troops around? Can Gundabad Orcs, Dunlendings, or other enemy troops spawn too? Is there a Fort or other generated structure nearby?
The second trick is: be extremely careful if you see a Warg Bombardier. A single one of these units can take you (and your entire army) out with a bang.....literally! Warg Bombardiers carry triple strength Orc Bombs, so even heavily modified armour won't save you at point blank range. On top of that, a Warg Bombardier has a long sight and can easily outrun you. The only way to deal with a Bombardier safely is to shoot it down with a ranged weapon or to kill it with a pike.
The third trick is: when fighting a Warg rider, melee attack the Warg if the unit atop the Warg is a melee unit. If the unit atop the Warg is a Crossbower, however, then your best bet is to shoot the crossbower down from a distance while riding (try a hit-and-run tactic) and then take care of the Warg.
The fourth trick is: use a mount. A Horse of Rohan will give you the speed you need to avoid the Wargriders and the Uruk Berserkers. Make sure it's wearing Horse Armour, too, else the Crossbowers will make a mess of it in a hurry.
Fighting Lothlórien[]
The Elves of the Golden Wood are powerful and intelligent, and their borders guarded fiercely. However, there are some tricks and techniques one can use to outsmart and outmaneuver these Elven warriors.
The first trick to fighting the Lothlórien Elves is: Range! These Elves are excellent warriors, and are dangerous at both close and long ranges. However, if you stay far enough away, they'll never even notice you, and you can pick them off without worrying. This also means bringing a good bow. They are, however, very accurate archers and can easily hit the player from a distance, dealing considerable damage. Thus, staying out of their sight range to shoot them is critical.
The second trick to fighting Lothlórien Elves is: stick to the trees! These Elves are very powerful, and the key to survival is to outmaneuver the enemy. Hopping on trees and dodging around them helps you to avoid their arrows and lure them into ideal positions for the kill.
The third trick is: watch your back! These Elves are some of the best at sneaking up on you and taking you down when your not looking. Try to bring a friend into combat with these guys, as you can help to keep an eye out.
The fourth trick is: raid the treehouses! There are few Elves in there, and it's a pretty safe place to recharge your health and get some easy alignment points. HOWEVER: do not climb the ladder while there are other Elves on your tail. They will knock you right off as you try to climb to safety.
The fifth trick is: Do NOT chop down the Mallorn Trees! I know it's tempting, you want to see what might happen. Just don't. You will be surrounded and killed by Galadhrim Warriors spawning on top of you almost immediately. The best hope you have for survival at that point is to run fast and run far.
Fighting Mordor[]
Within Mordor[]
Mordor is one of the hardest biomes to enter as an enemy. The evil creatures of Sauron have spread far and wide from the Black Land (Mordor). If you live near Mordor, with positive Gondor alignment, you will need to know how to deal with these creatures, as you will be dealing with them fairly often.
The first trick to fighting the Orcs of Mordor is: bring an army! The Orcs of Mordor, though plentiful, are not powerful. Bringing a large army of a good mix of archers and melee soldiers will ensure that you keep fighting for a good while. Try 75% archers and 25% soldiers. Rangers of Ithilien can also work, as they have both ranged and melee attacks.
The second trick is: seek out the camp! These will often contain some semi-useful loot, and a trader who you can kill for easy alignment. Raiding these camps during breaks in the fight will allow you to restock, and give you some cover to regenerate.
The third trick is: be careful when raiding Mordor Towers. These contain good loot, but are festering with Orcs, and it can be hard to hit them from around all those corners. There's not much room for archers either, and your army can have difficulty following you through the towers. Also, they don't have much loot that's useful to good-aligned players. It's better to leave these towers alone altogether. That, or steal an Orc bomb from somewhere and blow it up. If you're bent on taking the tower, take excellent armor, such as Mithril, and plenty of Athelas. You'll need the regeneration. Go solo, an army will only get in your way. The best way to proceed is to run straight up the stairs, knocking off Orcs as you go.
The fourth trick is: avoid Nan Ungol! Seriously, this place is sprawling with Mordor Spiders, spider webs and Orcs as far as the eye can see. This place will take you and your army, rip you to shreds, and send you back to Gondor in an envelope (if their faulty postal service can deliver).
The fifth trick is: keep away from dangerous areas! You may find yourself overwhelmed. At this point retreat would be the best option. However, if you're right by a ledge or lava pit, you'll be screwed. Even water is dangerous, as your slow movement will make it more difficult to avoid the archers. Be careful of Black Uruks and their archers, as they are much stronger than regular Mordor Orcs and can easily kill an unprepared player.
The sixth trick is: Do NOT go into warg or spider pits. Warg and spider pits can be death traps because, while the wargs and orcs can be easily taken out, even from on the ground, you can still be overwhelmed. Even worse, archers can gather around the pit and shoot you down as you try to climb up.
The seventh trick, and one of the most important ones: Stay away from Olog-hai unless well-prepared to deal with them. They are extremely fast and strong and can deal extremely high knockback, hitting all your units at once if you bring them. If caught in a place where you are attacked by an Olog, water is useful to slow them down. Two-headed Ologs are far faster and have higher health than the regular ones, as well as being able to deal higher damage still. Even a heavily armored player should think twice before attacking one.
Or you can join Sauron...it would be wise my friend...
During invasions[]
Mordor often chooses to invade neighbouring lands, and spread the black wing of death.
The first trick is: take note of which biome you're located in. If you're in a friendly biome, for example Gondor or Dol Amroth, chances are that there will be plenty of friendly units around to back you up and thin the numbers for you. If you're in an area with no friendly units, you will have to take care of the invasion all by yourself.
The second trick is: know which units Mordor is likely to use. As of Beta 24, Black Uruks no longer spawn in Mordor invasions, but Mordor will often send copious amounts of Orcs, Archers, and Wargs, with a good chance of seeing several Wargriders or Olog-hai. You might even see a Warg Bombardier or two, along with Orc bombardiers. Black Uruk invasions can also spawn, however.
The third trick is: try to get into a forest, if there is one nearby. In a forest, you will be better able to avoid getting shot at and evade the enemy units, because Olog-hai need a lot of space to fit, and even Wargs need a two meter wide space to operate properly.
The fourth trick is: Use a mount. If you're in a biome with no cover, use a mount. The Olog-hai and the Wargs can run very fast, and one Warg Bomber is enough to ruin your day. By being mounted, you'll be able to pick off the most dangerous units using ranged attacks, and finish off with melee attacks.
Fighting Black Uruks[]
Although Black Uruks naturally spawn in Mordor, they are quite rare units. However, you might be forced to fight large numbers of these units during a Black Uruk invasion, which is the focus of this section.
The first trick is: get equipped. Black Uruks have high health and armour points, and taking them down with inferior-quality equipment simply won't work. If you have Dwarven or Mithril equipment and armour, put that on; otherwise, use Dol Amroth or Gondorian equipment. Don't try using Ranger armour; it's too weak.
The second trick is: get as much ammo as you can! These Uruks can rapidly overpower you, and your best defense is to snipe them with a bow or crossbow before they get close enough to hit you. Carrying lots of Spears is also a good idea.
The third trick is: when you're in close combat, use a Warhammer. No matter what weapon you use, Black Uruks take many, many hits to kill. A hammer will allow you to knock them back far enough that you are capable of taking on several at a time.
The fourth trick is: use an army. Having extra help will be invaluable when taking down these tough enemies; Swan Knights or Lindon Warriors are a good choice.
Fighting Nan Ungol[]
As of Beta 24, Nan Ungol is a sub-faction of Mordor, which means they are now capable of invading the lands surrounding Mordor. While we warned you to avoid Nan Ungol in the section regarding Mordor, there are times when that horn will blow, and Nan Ungol decides to launch an invasion nearby.
The first trick is: Get to a structure. If the invasion is near your home base, stay there. If you're near a generated structure, get inside. Mordor Spiders can't fit through 1 block wide doors, and this will help keep you safe. If you're not near a generated structure, get behind a tree, cave, boulder, anything to put between you and the epicenter of the invasion.
The second trick is: Use your army. While dangerous, Mordor Spiders are unarmoured. A good strong army can easily take them down.
The third trick is: Ranged attacks! Mordor Spiders can poison you, and that can really wear you down fast. Lots of ammo is a must for surviving an invasion by Nan Ungol.
Fighting Rangers[]
The Rangers of the North and of Ithilien are some of the worst possible enemies evil players can get. While they are tricky to fight, they are beatable.
The first trick is: Use projectile-protecting armor! Galvorn armour works in this case.
The second trick is: Get up close and personal! While their ranged attack is quite formidable, Rangers have weak melee defenses. They only attack with iron daggers, bronze daggers, or barrow-blades. Rangers of Ithilien can attack with Gondorian swords as well, but regardless, Ranger armor is fairly weak and they can be killed in a few hits with a good melee weapon. Arrows are more likely to kill you when fighting rangers than daggers are. Iron daggers do little damage, and evil players must take advantage of this.
The third trick is: Stay in the open. Invisible rangers are easier to see in open plains.
The fourth trick is: Avoid Ithilien hideouts! While the above has been for set on both kinds of rangers, this is exclusive to the rangers of Ithilien. Avoid ranger hideouts at all costs. Many rangers are down in the hideouts, and the narrow entrance and exit makes it easy for them to snipe you. If at all necessary, use orc bombs to blast them open before going in to kill the captain.
The fifth trick is: Fight rangers near the border between the shire (or any biome you are friendly with) and Eriador. What this allows you to do is to lure rangers out of their biome and thus makes it easier to fight them when they're not grouped with 3 or 4 other rangers. This tactic is great when farming alliance points with Angmar or Gundabad.
If the player is attacked by Rangers and has a hired army that can't see them, it is useful to shoot at the Rangers and hit them, which causes them to lose their invisibility. Then, the player's troops can see them and deal with them. Otherwise, troops will be easily picked off by Ranger arrows.
During invasions, the Rangers have large numbers. The best tactic I have found for invasions is to take cover, behind a natural defense or self-made wall. Then draw one or two to your defence. The rangers are easy to fight close up; they have low level armor and weak weapons. But during an invasion, DON'T go near the epicenter of the invasion unless you have galvorn armor, possibly improved with the Eölean modifier. They are superb archers, not to be messed with in groups.
Last trick is: Take over the Ruined Arnor Tower! Climb up and snipe them!
Fighting Rhudel[]
The Golden Easterlings of Rhudel are fierce, yet civilized and orderly opponents, and fighting against them on their own turf can get very tricky. But if you're dead set on witnessing the fantastic architecture and excellent looting opportunities in the east, here are a few tips to get you in and out alive.
The first trick is: Use a polearm! This may be the best thing you can do when fighting the Easterlings. Polearms are always useful, but in Rhudel I often found myself defaulting to my battlestaff exclusively. The Easterlings have a tendency to use polearms and poisoned weapons, and you really want to keep them at greater-than-arm's reach. Plus, due to the high number of ladders used in their fortifications, when utilizing a polearm, you can dispatch enemies without ever really putting yourself in harm's way. Unless you're dealing with a significant group of enemies in the open, stick to your reach weapon.
The second trick is: Use ammo sparingly! As archers go, the Easterlings are not as deadly or as problematic as, say, Uruk-hai crossbowmen, and they're not as often found in groups. Only use your ranged weapon when you really need it; most Easterlings can be relatively safely taken out in melee. Save those arrows and crossbow bolts for the Uruks or Elves.
The third trick is: Utilize the Wood Elf house technique, but use it carefully! Fighting the Easterlings out in the open can become very tricky, and it's tempting to rush into the first house you see. However, the folk of Rhudel care about architecture and aesthetic, clearly, and their houses are thus often quite spacious, so know what kind of house you're taking refuge in! Try to occupy one of the smallest kinds, if at all possible.
Fighting Rohirrim[]
The horse-lords of Rohan are among the most dangerous factions of Middle-earth. They're powerful, plentiful, and fast. However, there are a few tactics you can use to counter the swift Riders of Rohan.
The first trick is: If attacked by a mounted Rohirrim Warrior, be sure to take out his horse. He will be much slower and easier to kill without his steed, and can be easily outrun.
The second trick to fighting Rohan is: Get a Mead Hall! This place is full of Rohirrim who, fortunately, are unmounted and somewhat drunk. This place is also full of food and mead, so there's plenty of sustenance. Also, most Rohirrim can't get through a door due to the fact that they're mounted. If you simply step outside, lure them over, then start smacking them from the doorway, they'll fall much faster.
The third trick is: Don't underestimate the Rohan Fortresses! They're not too hard to get into, but the moment you get in, you'll be swarmed by Rohirrim. You'll want excellent armour, an army of some sort, and some Orc Draught. However, this fortress has resources, food, and lots of looting opportunity. If you can manage it, they make great places to raid, but if you can't, you will get knocked around by the powerful Rohirrim.
The fourth trick is: Bring a mount! They add extra defense and speed to your arsenal, and if you get into a sticky situation (which will happen very often in Rohan) they will allow you a swift retreat. Go into battle in Rohan without a mount, and death is practically guaranteed.
The fifth trick is: bring lots of Olog-hai, or Mirk-trolls! They're the most powerful and resistant soldiers evil-doers can bring onto the battlefield. They may not survive, but they will fight long enough to allow you a long march through Rohan.
The sixth trick is: rob the barrows! They'll have good loot, often including gold, money, and spare weaponry. These places also offer an excellent place to hide from large numbers of enemies.
Fighting the Wood-Elves[]
Though powerful, there are certain tactics that an evil player can use to get the best of this tree-dwelling filth.
The first trick to fighting Wood-Elves is: don't go mounted! I know it'll be tempting to charge in on your pet spider, but save that for Gondor. With Wood Elves, you'll want to be maneuverable, able to squeeze into small spaces, bob and weave. You won't be able to do that with a mount.
The second trick is: raid houses! Wood-elf Houses are excellent places to hide out, and here's why: There's only ever one, maybe two Elves in there at a time, and it's always got some arrows, so you can restock your bow, and it's single door is a great place for melee defense. Simply take a few steps out of your door, lure some Elves to attack you, and then go back inside. Wait by the door. The moment it opens, beat up whoever opened it with your sword. It works against single, mounted, and multiple enemies. This tactic will keep you alive and swinging for a while.
The third trick is: do not use weapons with high knockback! Seriously, just don't! High knockback weapons will knock the Elves back, and further away from your melee weapons is right where they want to be. They're very good with their Bows, and you want to remain close! Definitely target the regular Elves and try to avoid the Warriors, as they are far harder to fight. Regular Elves have no armor and usually only have daggers as their melee weapon.
The fourth trick is: take down the towers! If you're smart, this is an easy task. Wood-elven Towers, while well-guarded, often have their soldiers spread out. A good way to take down a tower is to go down, take the loot chests and the food, then steadily sneak up. Go very slow, and try to lure the enemy down one by one to the level you've already cleared. The Wood-elf Captain is easy to kill if he has no support.
The fifth trick is: DO NOT get caught out in the open! This cannot be stressed enough. Unless you have an army to act as a meat shield, you will most certainly be caught on multiple sides by warriors and archers, who will then proceed to play ping-pong with you as the ball and arrows as the rackets. Only an army, or armor with high levels of projectile protection (e.g. Galvorn Armour) will help against this. You definitely want to stay in an area where you can duck into cover at a moment's notice.
Fighting Dorwinion[]
These grape growers can be taken out quickly.
The first trick: Choose the easiest target. Attack the regular men out in the open. They spawn frequently, lack armor, do not deal any damage and simply panic when hit, making them easy targets especially for an army. Watch out for the ranged troops! Vintner crossbowmen can be very deadly, especially in the narrow gaps between the grape-vines in the vineyards. Always bring a good, long ranged bow or crossbow, with plenty of arrows, as attacking them with melee weapons is the perfect way to get killed.
The second trick: raid houses. There are not many people, and a lot of loot can be found inside! The residents are pretty weak, but do not loiter, as the large windows are easy for NPC's to shoot through.
The third trick: go for camps. While with many factions this is a bad idea, for Dorwinion it is excellent. While penetrating the actual camp is somewhat hard, if you get in the centre tent and close the gates, you have 2 vulnerable captains (one Elf, one Man) waiting to be slaughtered. Enemy NPC's can't get through gates, and captains won't attack you unless provoked, which makes it a great source for an easy 10 alignment, if you kill just the captains. It also has some nice loot, in the one or two chests, and a Table of Command.
The forth trick is: is you want a lot of them quickly go to a grape-vine area and just spam right-click button on those grapes. This will spawn tons of Dorwinion Vinter Guards (but very little crossbowmen) and, if you build a tiny little fort, you can easily kill them by the dozens. This will give you alignment for Mordor, Dol Guldur and Gundabad.
Fighting Trolls[]
There are many types of Trolls in Middle-earth, including normal Trolls, Snow-trolls, Hill-trolls, Utumno trolls, Olog-hai, and Mirk-trolls, and they are all allied with different evil factions, namely Mordor, Angmar, Utumno, and Dol Guldur. Half-trolls are listed in their own section. As a Good player, you'll likely have to fight some form of Troll sooner or later. While they are all slightly different, there are common tactics that can be used to fight them.
The first trick is: Ranged. Most trolls, with the exception of Snow-trolls and Hill-trolls, do not have a ranged attack. Trolls in general have large hitboxes and are easy to hit from far away with a ranged weapon. Try to put a knockback and a launch speed modifier on the weapon if at all possible, and have a good supply of ammo. This will help keep the trolls away from you. An army of hired archers is also a good choice.
The second trick is: Hide. Trolls can't fit underneath a two-block high space. Running into a cave entrance or under a tree will prevent them from reaching you. From there, simply hit them with a long polearm.
The third trick is: Sun. Most trolls, except for Mirk-trolls and Olog-hai, can't last long in the sun, and will either seek shade or water. If overwhelmed, hide and wait for dawn.
The fourth trick is: Water. While trolls can run very fast, they are notoriously slow swimmers and do not attempt to avoid water. Getting them into any sizeable body of water will make them easy prey to ranged and melee attacks. Even dumping a water bucket in front of them can work in a pinch.
The final trick is: watch for mutants! Any troll with two heads has 50% more health, speed, and damage output than normal. If you see one of these, make killing it a priority over other NPC's, or avoid it at all costs if you are not well-prepared.
Fighting Half-trolls[]
The Mighty Brutes of the south are the strongest, tallest and most durable faction in this mod. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to destroy these evil brutes if you happen to stumble upon their homeland or an invasion of their kind.
The first trick to fighting the Half Trolls of Pertorogwaith is: use the Enderman tactic! This is basically hiding under any 2 block high structure (A tree or a cave) with roofs and viciously smacking. But, unlike Endermen, these do not teleport, and have 5 less health, which is 35 health, or around 17.5 hearts. Be wary, though, of their attacks. They hit hard!
The second trick is: bring good armor and weapons! These brutes hit super hard, so bring the big guns! Defense is the key, but don't let too many gang up on you! 5 can overpower you in an instant without good armor.
The third trick is: the tactic of running around. Running around in circles causes them to run in circles after you. You can then hit them into pits of lava, which is common in the volcanic wasteland of Pertorogwaith, or follow them into rivers, in which Pertorogwaith is abundant of.
Fighting Morwaith[]
The Morwaith of the savanna are not very numerous, so they are easy to kill if you are smart.
The first trick is: raid the villages. They are rare but they contain some useful items, and the Morwaith there (unless they are warriors) have no armour and only wield daggers, making them very easy to kill.
The second trick is: to watch out for animals. Lions and Crocodiles can be pretty harmful if you are distracted killing Morwaith.
The third trick is: when attacking Morwaith Warriors, bring a fast mount. Morwaith Zebra Riders aren't very good, so if you just go on quick swooping raids on large groups with a quick but powerful weapon like a sword, you can whittle down their health. In about 2 minutes you can kill 6-8 Morwaith Warriors with this tactic.
Fighting Near Harad[]
The warriors of the South are a force to be reckoned with, and their culture is as diverse as the ways they can kill you. But if you don't lose your cool (always imperative in the desert) and make sure to follow these tips you may be able to take down these desert dwellers.
The first trick to fighting the Southrons is: Bring an army! With a large force of units you can overwhelm their desert fortresses. In your force, I would recommend either Elves or Gondorian tower guards due to their diversity and skill. If you don't have an army, try to bring a group of at least a few soldiers. Having some well-trained help with you is always a major boon when fighting these particular enemies.
The second trick is: raid the settlements! There are various types of these throughout the lands of Harad, associated with each of the sub-factions. Harnennor settlements are the smallest but the closest in terms of travel time. Nomad settlements are larger and easier to spot as they appear in the flat sands of the The Great Desert - look especially for the larger tents that may contain more loot and a chieftain. The Gulfing settlements can be larger still (with the presence of towns) but are much further away. Lastly the settlements of the coasts and Umbar are the largest, with huge walled towns and fortifications dotting the landscape, however they are well-guarded and may be harder to find.
This will be a challenge, as there are often a lot of enemies in these structures, but if you work at it, and are smart, they will grant you both excellent loot and plenty of alignment. Be sure to bring good equipment and preferably some boosting magical drink. Try using the old doorway lure-and-hit technique from the Wood Elven houses.
The third trick is: use spears! They are always useful, but especially for powerful pre-strikes against this faction.
Fighting Taurethrim[]
The jungle people can be slaughtered easily, and be a good source of alignment if you fight for Sauron or the Morwaith.
The first trick is: take out the villages! They have lots of very good loot! While they are reasonably well defended, a skilled player should be able to take down the NPC's inside. The loot has stuff like tools, weapons, a captain (usually), Obsidian Shards, and a bunch of other things.
The second trick is: watch out for the blowguns! They can deal a ton of damage in a short time. They have extremely fast firing bolts, which are often poisoned. Their only downside is that the range is pretty bad with them, so it is pretty easy to take them out with a good crossbow or bow.
The third trick is: watch out for Crocodiles! They can be pretty dangerous. They spawn anywhere in the south near water (including Taurethrim Farms!). They are especially deadly when you are only just regaining hearts after a fight, and one spawns behind you. For that reason it is advisable to never stay to close to a body of water.
Fighting Utumno[]
Utumno can only be reached by going through the Pits of Forodwaith; simply getting to the Pits is a job in itself. Fighting Utumno is even harder; this dungeon is full of Orcs, Spiders, Tormented Elves, and far fouler things. However, with the right equipment and the right technique, it is possible to survive this dungeon.
The first trick to defeating Utumno is: make sure that you are well-prepared before you enter the dungeon. Just before going through the portal, double-check to make sure that you're not missing an important thing. The complete list of recommended items is listed on the Utumno page, but in a nutshell, you'll need strong and well-modified armour, strong weapons, some blocks, and a bucket of water. Make sure to bring lots of ammo for your ranged weapon, and enough materials to craft another suit of armour/set of weapons, just in case yours breaks. It is recommended to use Mithril or Mithril-level equipment. If you die in Utumno and re-enter the portal, you will most likely never find your items again, because every time you enter Utumno, you spawn in a different place in the dungeon. Remember to bring lots and lots of food, as you're likely to be down there for a while. Also bring some Athelas Brew and some red Ent Draught, as the Athelas will help get you out of sticky situations and the red Ent Draught will give resistance to fire.
The second trick is: don't fall. There are occasionally deep holes in the floor that can go down over 50 blocks. Using Dwarven Tonic can help you see these holes and avoid falling down into them.
The third trick is: know how to fight trolls. In order to defeat trolls successfully, you have two options. You can either snipe them from afar with a ranged weapon, or kill them with a warhammer. Either way will work, although the former is much safer, especially with double-headed trolls. You can also block off a passage and prevent a troll from fitting through to hit you.
The fourth trick is: don't get overrun. Because of the high spawn rate of NPC's in this dungeon, getting overrun is a very real threat. A large group of Orcs can easily kill you, especially when they team up with other NPC's, such as Wargs and Trolls. Utumno Orcs are stronger than most, and are similar to Uruks in health, armor, and weapons.
The fifth trick is: beware of the Balrog! Of all the foes in Utumno, the Balrog is by far the most dangerous. With a massive attack strength, and sometimes a Balrog Whip, this monster is capable of setting the ground alight and killing even an armoured player in a few hits. On top of that, a Balrog heals very rapidly when not in combat. Using a water bucket can help you put out the Balrog's fire; it will also hurt him. Ranged combat is also highly recommended. If you are forced to melee, use a warhammer or a pike to keep him from reaching you. Similarly to trolls, Balrogs cannot fit into small spaces, making it easy to take one out by hitting it from a small, sheltered place.
The sixth trick is: find a Melkor Plate and stay by it. When you find a Melkor Plate, stop right there. Your next goal is to kill 15 enemies in its vicinity; as you do this, the plate will slowly rise. When you've slain enough enemies, a beam of bright light will shine in the dungeon. When in danger hop into the beam to be taken back out of Utumno.
Fighting Wargs[]
Angmar, Mordor, Isengard, and Gundabad are capable of sending Warg Invasions in addition to their normal invasions. These invasions are only made up of Wargs, both ridden by Orcs and un-ridden, and lack footsoldiers entirely. Wargs spawned in a Warg Invasion can also be armoured, provided they belong to Angmar, Mordor or Isengard and have a rider. Most Good players will likely have to fight a Warg invasion at some point or other, which is the focus of this section. Warg Bombardiers will not spawn.
The first trick to dealing with Wargs is: Look for a hiding-space. Wargs can't fit through a 1 block wide space and can't open doors, so going into a tight space will keep you safe from them. Ruined towers, Small Stone Ruins, and fortresses all make excellent hidey-holes. In a pinch, you can dig your own hidey-hole into the side of a hill or boulder if you have a shovel or pick. From there, just stab the wargs with a spear or pike or other long polearm. Alternatively, climb a hill, equip a melee weapon with good knockback, and you should be able to knock the Wargs away fast enough that they can't hit you.
The second trick is: bring an army! Most of the Wargs will be unarmoured and can be easily taken down by a half-decent army. Just make sure your units don't get overwhelmed, and your army will make short work of the Wargs for you.
The third trick is: ranged. Unless mounted by an archer, Wargs are highly vulnerable to ranged attacks. Pick them off from a safe distance and you'll stay safe.
The fourth trick is: use a mount! Wargs are very fast and can run as fast as you. Using a mount, preferably in combination with ranged attacks, will have you slaying Sauron's hounds in no time flat.
The fifth trick is: learn to deal with Warg-riders. Attack the Warg first, then focus on the rider. If the rider is using a melee weapon, fighting the two mobs together is no harder than fighting just a Warg. Where things can get tricky is if there's a ranged unit atop the Warg, whose arrows may be poisoned. Because they can perform both ranged and melee attacks, Wargs with archers on them should be your top priority to kill first.
The sixth trick is: don't get caught in a melee fight, unmounted, on level ground. A Warg is fast enough that it's likely to get at least one hit in under these circumstances, and a group of Wargs can easily overwhelm you. Either dig a hole or get onto a hill.
Fighting Warg Bombardiers[]
Angmar, Mordor, and Isengard all have access to Warg Bombardiers, which can spawn in normal (not Warg) Invasions. While they are similar in many ways to normal Wargs in that they're fast and unarmoured, they warrant special care as they deal an extreme amount of damage to mobs and structures when they explode.
The first trick to fighting Warg Bombardiers is: identify them early. The last thing you want to do is be within a few meters of a Warg Bombardier running at you as it's going to be difficult to respond quickly and appropriately. Always keep tabs on what units the invasion spawner is spawning when the horn blows.
The second trick is: ranged. The importance of using a ranged weapon when fighting a Warg Bombardier cannot be overstated; it's the only surefire way to prevent them from detonating. Only fight melee if you have no other options and have a long polearm on hand. High ground is highly desirable.
The third trick is: recall your melee army. If your melee units start swarming a Warg Bombardier, it's highly likely that many of them will be killed. The only hired units worth sending against a Warg Bombardier are archers.
The fourth trick is: water. If you cannot get to high ground and have no ability to conduct a ranged attack, jump into a body of water. Warg Bombardiers are slow swimmers and won't dive after you, making it possible to kill one from beneath using a long polearm. The water will also prevent any terrain damage in case of an explosion.
The final trick is: banners. Make sure to put banners atop gold, silver, or bronze blocks at your base to prevent future invasions and terrain damage from explosions.
Conclusion[]
You are now prepared for your adventures in Middle-Earth. Go forth and defend your fortresses, slaughter your enemies, and generally carry on with your rampage across the world. If these guidelines fail you, then fall back on what you were doing before, and hide in dirt shacks while attacking the enemy's feet. Good luck.
Gameplay mechanics of the Lord of the Rings Mod
Basic Mechanics:
Alignment •
Books •
Crafting •
Equipment Modifiers •
Factions •
Farming The World:
Biomes (Variants) •
Clock •
Compass •
Fast Travel System •
Roads Achievements and Quests:
Achievements • Mini-Quest • Shields • Titles • The Red Book • Tutorial In-Game Events:
Bandits • Bloodmoon • Invasions • Player Respawning • Skirmishes • Thieves Combat:
Banners •
Boss Mechanics •
Combat System •
Conquest •
Fort Besieging Tips •
Fort Defense Tips Brewing:
Portals:
Other / Technical:
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