Step 1 – Learn the Controls:
Combat: Fast attack, counter, stun, and execution.
Stealth: Sneak up on Uruks for instant kills.
Wraith Powers: Use Celebrimbor’s abilities for ranged attacks and crowd control.

Step 2 – Focus on Early Missions:
Complete the yellow main story missions first to unlock key skills. This will give you access to upgrades like Execution and Shadow Strike.

Step 3 – Understand the Nemesis System
Uruks have ranks: Captains → Warchiefs.
If they kill you, they grow stronger.
Use intel to learn their weaknesses before fighting.
Exploit fears (fire, beasts, stealth attacks).

Step 4 – Upgrade Talion Spend Ability Points on:
1. Execution (finish off enemies quickly)
2. Shadow Strike (teleport to enemies)
3. Ride Caragors (mount beasts for combat)

Step 5 – Explore Mordor:
Free towers to unlock fast travel.
Collect Ithildin, Artifacts, and Documents for lore.
Side missions (sword, bow, dagger challenges) improve your skills.

Step 6 – Mid Game Strategy:
Start hunting Captains and weakening Warchiefs.
Use branding (mind control) when unlocked to build your own Uruk army.
Dominate captains and send them against Warchiefs.

Step 7 – Final Phase:
Control Warchiefs before confronting Sauron’s Black Captains.
Build your army strategically.
Use stealth, fear, and beast domination to turn battles in your favor.

Talion – A Ranger of Gondor stationed at the Black Gate. After the murder of his family, he is bound to Celebrimbor, an ancient wraith. His quest is revenge against Sauron’s forces.

Celebrimbor – The Elven smith who forged the Rings of Power. Cursed and bound as a wraith, he joins Talion, sharing his powers and his past.

Sauron – The Dark Lord, seeking to rebuild his power and armies in Mordor. His influence spreads all over Middle-earth.

Black Captains – Sauron’s lieutenants (like the Hammer, the Tower, and the Black Hand). Each represents a major boss fight in the story.

Don’t rush – explore and gather intel.

Use stealth kills to thin out enemies.

Save executions for strong Uruks.

Run if you are overwhelmed – dying makes captains stronger.

Experiment with runes to improve your weapons.

Throughout Shadow of Mordor, you will encounter several strongholds controlled by Uruks. These are heavily defended areas filled with captains, patrols, and alarms. Strongholds play a big role in the Nemesis System because many captains hide there, and attacking them can be risky but rewarding.


Udûn Strongholds

Udûn is the first region you explore. Its fortresses are smaller but dangerous for beginners. Expect many Uruks patrolling in groups.
Black Gate: The ruined outpost where Talion’s story begins.
Durthang Outskirts: Small camps and towers controlled by captains early in the game.

Núrn Strongholds

Núrnen is unlocked later in the game and is much larger and more dangerous. Strongholds here often include elite captains and Warchiefs.
Sea of Núrnen: Fertile lands full of Uruk forges and war camps.
Fortress of the Warchiefs: The central base where Warchiefs gather, heavily guarded and difficult to assault.

Use stealth to eliminate archers on the walls first.

Disable or destroy alarms to avoid endless waves of reinforcements.

Attract Caragors or release Graugs to cause chaos among Uruks.

Strongholds are great places to hunt captains, but always prepare intel before attacking.

In Shadow of Mordor, the world is divided into two main regions. Each has its own atmosphere, enemies, and challenges.
Udûn
The first region you explore.
Harsh, rocky landscapes with industrial forges and Uruk strongholds.
Perfect for beginners to learn combat and the Nemesis system.
Smaller strongholds, but still dangerous if alarms are triggered.

Núrn (Sea of Núrnen)
Unlocked later in the game.
Fertile lands, green fields, and Uruk war camps.
Much larger than Udûn, with stronger Captains and Warchiefs.
Strategic for branding Uruks and building your own army.

Travel and Towers
Forge Towers act as fast travel points and respawn locations.
Unlock all towers to move quickly across the map.
Towers also reveal collectibles like Ithildin and Artifacts nearby

Exploration Tips
Clear out strongholds step by step instead of rushing in.
Use the map to track captains and plan your ambushes.
Side quests (weapon challenges, hunting, survival missions) are marked and help you grow stronger.

Graug – Huge troll-like beast, strongest in the game, can be used as a mount.

Dire Caragor – Rare, bigger and stronger Caragor.

Ghûl Matron – Queen of the ghûls, summons large swarms.

Caragor – Hunting beast, deadly alone or in packs.

Ghûls – Weak alone, dangerous in groups.

Shadow of Mordor is filled with hidden details, secret lore references, and fun nods to The Lord of the Rings universe. Many players miss these small details on their first playthrough, but once you know them, Mordor feels even more alive.

1. Gollum Cameo:
Gollum actually appears in the game and plays a role in Talion’s story.
He guides Talion to artifacts of Celebrimbor, and his obsession with the “Bright Master” is a direct nod to his connection with the One Ring.
His animations and voice are almost identical to the movies.

2. Isildur’s Curse:
The entire story of Talion and the Black Hand mirrors the curse of Isildur.
Isildur’s failure to destroy the Ring doomed Middle-earth, just as Talion is cursed to remain between life and death.
There are inscriptions and dialogue lines that directly reference Isildur’s fate.

3. The Tower’s Look – Reference to Sauron:
The Black Captain called The Tower is designed to look very similar to Sauron’s armored form.
This was intentional: he represents Sauron’s looming presence even though Sauron himself never fights you directly in this game.

4. Nemesis System Names & Humor:
Orcs and Uruks often get randomly generated names like Pûg the Poet or Glob the Singer.
Some of these are intentional jokes from the developers.
If you keep dying, your personal Nemesis can become legendary and their trash-talk will sometimes reference events from hours earlier!

5. The Ithildin Runes:
Collecting all Ithildin runes unlocks a secret poem in Black Speech (Sauron’s language).
This poem is a hidden reference to the One Ring inscription:
“One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them…”
It’s one of the coolest lore rewards in the game.

6. Artifact Memories:
Many artifacts contain hidden voice lines that expand the world.
Some mention Gondor, Númenor, and even allude to characters like Boromir and Denethor.
Listening to all of them gives you tiny lore connections across thousands of years.

7. Shelob’s Foreshadowing:
While Shelob doesn’t appear in Shadow of Mordor, there are subtle spider references in artifacts and environment design.
This foreshadows her big role later in Shadow of War.

8. Celebrimbor’s Ring Forging:
Celebrimbor’s backstory is deeply tied to the Rings of Power.
If you explore all his memories, you’ll find hidden lore about how he forged the Rings alongside Sauron.
It’s a direct nod to Tolkien’s deeper history in The Silmarillion.

Conclusion:
Shadow of Mordor isn’t just about slaying Uruks — it’s also full of clever Easter Eggs that reward lore fans and careful explorers. From Gollum’s cameo to hidden Ring poems, these secrets make Mordor feel like part of Tolkien’s living, breathing world.

Did you find another Easter Egg? Share it in the comments below!