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Lord of the Rings is mostly known for books, movies, and series, but not so much for video games. But, in reality, LotR has had several S-Tier video game releases, from The Lord of the Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth 2 to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. And while some may not closely follow Tolkien's vision for Middle-earth, they allow players to understand better the people who inhabit it.
A good example of a non-Tolkien-based narrative is Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor since it captures the essence of the struggles of Middle-earth with the forces of darkness. In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, players take control of Talion (and Celebrimbor) and must fight Uruks with a wide array of Abilities. But, only some of these Abilities will help players dominate the Uruk-infested lands of Middle-earth.
Best Ranger Build
As Talion, players can use several stealth-based Abilities that will allow them to sneak through enemy camps undetected (and even poison there Grog Barrels). Additionally, some skills may stun Uruks or even knock them back. Overall, this Talion build is aimed at players who enjoy stealthily taking down enemy Uruk units in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.
Impact - Tier 1
While this build is mostly tailored for stealth combat, there will be moments when players must get their hands dirty and fight Uruk head-to-head. Fortunately, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor has a counter system (similar to that of the Batman Arkham series), allowing players to stop enemies dead in their tracks. Impact allows players to stun (large) or knockdown Uruk units whenever they're countered.
Strike From Above - Tier 1
An essential Tier 01 Ability for this build is "Strike from Above," as it allows Talion to kill unaware Uruks instantly by performing aerial takedowns (jumping from a higher area). Players can use this Ability in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor to their advantage by taking down priority targets before alerting nearby enemies.
Last Chance Finisher - Tier 2
For the most part, players should avoid getting into a face-to-face fight with a gang of Uruks since that can quickly lead to an unfortunate Game Over screen. But, with Last Chance Finisher, players will have one more chance to strike at their enemies. And if they successfully do so, they'll get back up with their HP bar filled. This Ability has limited usage, but while in a pinch, can save a players' life.
Poison - Tier 2
An excellent method of eliminating hordes of Uruks from a camp is poisoning their Grog Supply Barrels. And the only way players can poison Grog is by having the Poison Ability. Once poisoned, the Uruks will start to die or even better (and funnier), fight each other. This is the perfect Ability to have for this Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Stealth build.
Vault Stun - Tier 3
The advanced AI in Shadow of Mordor is capable of spotting even minor disturbances in the environment, meaning even the most stealthy of approaches can turn south quickly. And when that occurs, players will be happy to have Vault Stun, as it allows players to stun Uruks by vaulting over them.
Brace of Daggers - Tier 3
Even when an Uruk spots a player, there will be a few seconds before that Uruk reacts (or calls reinforcements). During those brief seconds, players can unleash a flurry of daggers that staggers the Uruk, giving players a chance to kill the Uruk. Players should keep in mind they'll need to unlock Throwing Daggers before unlocking Brace of Daggers.
Resilience - Tier 4
As hardcore Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor players know, the higher the combo, the higher the damage Talion does. And even if this build is more stealthy, there will be moments when players will have to fight out in the open. So, having Resilience will prevent players from losing their Combo meter for at least one hit.
Death Threat - Tier 4
The Nemesis System is among the best gameplay mechanics developers have introduced into video games. And while the main idea of this system is to kill off (or "befriend") captains and war chiefs, players can also farm Epic Runes off of them. Players can increase their chances of looting an Epic Rune by issuing a Death Threat, which is also the name of the Ability.
Double Charge - Tier 5
Special attacks allow Talion to perform powerful single-target moves that instantly kill the poor Uruk caught between his blade. Double Charge will let players perform two Special attacks, meaning players can clear Uruk camps fairly quickly.
Best Wraith Build
Talion can call upon the spirit of Celebrimbor to transform into a near-immortal Red Mage. While possessed by Celebrimbor, Talion can perform unique attacks that will dominate and instill fear in all Uruks that dare face him. This Wraith build focuses in taking down Uruks, traversing the map, and keeping up the Combo Meter.
Ride Caragors - Tier 1
The land where the Uruks have set up camp is quite extensive, often taking several minutes to reach one area. That's why Ride Caragors is a must-have Ability for this Wraith build in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Players can mount any Caragors they find in the wild, thus allowing them to travel the land quickly (and with style).
Wraith Stun - Tier 1
Wraith Stun is similar to Vault Stun in the Talion build, but players can directly stun Uruks without needing to vault over them. As players can expect, stunning Uruks will make the battle easier, especially when facing several at once.
Pin in Place - Tier 2
Uruks can call for reinforcements during a battle, often summoning several (2 - 5) Uruks. And when that happens, players must control the battlefield by stunning some of them or pinning them down with the Pin in Place Wraith Ability.
Shadow Strike - Tier 2
Players will notice that Uruks come in all shapes and sizes, each with a unique set of weapons (something innovative for open-world games). Some of the worst Uruks to fight are the ones with ranged weapons since they can deal massive damage from afar. Fortunately, Shadow Strike allows players to teleport and knock down targeted enemies.
Wraith Finisher - Tier 3
One sure-fire method of scaring off entire groups of Uruks is making them watch one of their brethren's heads explode. And that's exactly what Wraith Finisher does, making it an effective Wraith Ability to have in this build.
Brand - Tier 4
Brand is perhaps the best Wraith Ability players will want to include in this Wraith build since it allows them to force Uruks to fight for Talion. The best part is that there's no limit on how many units can be branded, meaning players can create small Uruk armies (but killing them grants Celebrimbor more EXP).
Wraith Burn - Tier 5
Wraith Burn lets Celebrimbor create a large burning circle that kills stunned and downed enemies. This particular skill is excellent to use alongside Wraith Stun, Pin in Place, and Vault Stun.
Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor is available for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360/One, Linux, and OS X.