The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Legacy Edition Wiki
Fight through northern Middle-earth as Eradan, Andriel, or Farin with loot-driven RPG progression, skill trees, brutal combat, and three-player co-op.
War in the North Legacy Edition
Everything you need to master The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition
Beginner Guide
Combat, leveling, loot, and first-playthrough survival
Legacy Edition Guide
New release platforms and differences from the 2011 original
Walkthrough
Full campaign from Fornost to Carn Dûm, chapter by chapter
Characters
Eradan, Andriel, and Farin roles, weapons, and playstyles
Skills and Builds
Skill priorities and build directions for every hero
Weapons, Armor and Loot
Gear types, drops, Elf-stones, and what to keep
Co-op
Three-player fellowship roles, revives, and loot sharing
Achievements
All 46 Steam achievements and unlock requirements
Latest Updates
Discover the newest guides, tips, and content
Eradan Build: Best Ranger Setup & Skill Loadout
Optimize your Eradan build in LOTR War in the North with the best dual-wielding skills, ranged abilities, and gear progression strategies.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Achievement Guide: Tips & Walkthrough
Unlock every achievement in Lord of the Rings War in the North with our detailed progression guide, combat tips, and missable collectible locations.
Lord of the Rings War in the North All Bosses: Strategy Guide
Defeat every boss in War in the North with detailed strategies for Agandaur, Saenathra, Urgost, and more across all campaign chapters.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Andriel Build: Best Skills
Optimize your Andriel build with the best skills, equipment, and Elf-stones for support and spell damage in War in the North.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Armor Sets: Upgrade Walkthrough
Learn how to find, upgrade, and optimize armor sets in Lord of the Rings War in the North with mithril runes and legendary gear strategies.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Beginner Guide: Tips & Walkthrough
Master combat, skills, loot, and co-op with this beginner guide for Lord of the Rings War in the North on PC and consoles.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Best Character: Tier Rankings
Compare the best characters in Lord of the Rings War in the North. See Eradan, Andriel, and Farin ranked by solo, co-op, and combat performance.
Lord of the Rings War in the North best weapons: Loadout Guide
Discover the best weapons and loadouts for Lord of the Rings War in the North. Maximize DPS and survive the toughest encounters.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Builds: Gear & Mithril Upgrades
Optimize your Lord of the Rings War in the North builds with Mithril upgrades, legendary farming routes, and endgame gear strategies.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Co op: Setup Guide & Tips
Master Lord of the Rings War in the North co op with our full guide covering character roles, combat synergy, and mission strategies for 3-player teams.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Couch Co op: Setup Guide
Master Lord of the Rings War in the North couch co op with our full guide to local multiplayer setup, character combos, and combat tactics.
Lord of the Rings War in the North Crossplay: Setup & Co-op Guide
Everything to know about Lord of the Rings War in the North crossplay, platform availability, and how to set up online co-op multiplayer.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Beginner Guide
Learn the combat, leveling, loot, quests, checkpoints, and progression systems that matter during your first campaign. These steps help new players survive difficult fights without wasting skill points or equipment.
War in the North is a three-character action RPG built around melee and ranged combat, character skills, equipment drops, quests, and cooperative play. Eradan, Andriel, and Farin have different strengths, but every character becomes much stronger through careful skill upgrades, better gear, coordinated attacks, and smart use of healing items.
Choose a Character That Matches Your Playstyle
Eradan is the flexible Dúnedain ranger and excels with bows, fast melee attacks, and mobility. Andriel is the Elven Lore-master with strong support and magical abilities, while Farin is the heavily armored Dwarven champion built for direct melee combat and durability.
Eradan is a flexible first choice, Andriel suits support-focused players, and Farin is ideal if you prefer surviving in close combat.
Learn Melee, Ranged, and Defensive Combat
Use regular attacks to build pressure, heavier attacks and character abilities against harder enemies, and blocks or evasive movement when enemies begin dangerous attack animations. Ranged weapons are especially useful for archers, explosive targets, distant enemies, and opponents that are unsafe to approach.
Do not stay surrounded. Reposition frequently and eliminate ranged enemies before committing to long melee exchanges.
Use Critical and Fellowship Opportunities
Damaged or staggered enemies can become vulnerable to powerful finishing attacks. Fighting near your companions also makes it easier to control groups, revive fallen allies, and focus damage on elite enemies.
Finish vulnerable enemies quickly instead of spreading damage across the entire group.
Spend Skill Points Around a Clear Build
Leveling awards points that strengthen character-specific abilities. Eradan can specialize further into ranged or melee combat, Andriel can emphasize magical damage and support, and Farin can invest heavily in powerful close-range attacks and survivability.
Upgrade a small group of abilities that support the same playstyle before spreading points across unrelated skills.
Check Every Useful Equipment Drop
Weapons, armor, jewelry, and other equipment regularly drop from enemies and containers. Compare damage, armor, attribute bonuses, and special effects instead of automatically equipping an item simply because it is new.
Keep equipment that strengthens the main statistics and combat style of your chosen hero.
Explore for Loot and Optional Objectives
The campaign contains side paths, containers, quest interactions, and optional areas away from the most direct route. Exploration can provide additional equipment, money, experience, and story content before major encounters.
Search side rooms and branching paths before crossing obvious points of no return.
Prepare Before Difficult Encounters
Check equipment, healing supplies, ranged ammunition, and available skill upgrades before major battles. Bosses and large enemy waves punish players who enter with weak gear or depleted resources.
Save your strongest abilities and emergency healing for elite enemies instead of using everything on the opening wave.
Use Checkpoints and Higher Difficulties for Progression
The campaign uses checkpoints to preserve progress through combat areas and story sections. Completing the campaign opens access to harder progression, including Heroic and eventually Legendary difficulty, where stronger enemies make optimized skills, equipment, and teamwork increasingly important.
Treat later difficulty runs as character-progression playthroughs and keep upgrading your existing hero rather than ignoring equipment improvements.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Guide
Compare the Legacy Edition with the original 2011 release before choosing which version to play. See the platforms, campaign structure, characters, co-op focus, and key differences at a glance.
The Legacy Edition brings War in the North back for modern players while preserving the action-RPG campaign centered on Eradan, Andriel, and Farin. The original release launched in 2011 for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, so buyers should distinguish information about that version from the newer Legacy Edition release.
| Feature | Legacy Edition | Original 2011 Release |
|---|---|---|
| Version | Modern Legacy Edition re-release | Original Snowblind Studios release |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox platforms, and Nintendo Switch | PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 |
| Core Campaign | The complete northern Middle-earth campaign featuring Eradan, Andriel, and Farin | The same three-hero campaign against Agandaûr and Sauron's northern forces |
| Playable Heroes | Eradan the Dúnedain Ranger, Andriel the Elven Lore-master, and Farin the Dwarven Champion | Eradan, Andriel, and Farin |
| Gameplay Style | Action RPG combat with character skills, equipment drops, quests, exploration, and cooperative play | Action RPG combat with the same central loot, leveling, skill-tree, and party systems |
| Co-op Focus | The three-character party structure remains a central part of the game and supports cooperative play | Designed around a three-hero party with cooperative multiplayer support |
| Setting | Northern Middle-earth during the events surrounding the War of the Ring | Northern Middle-earth during the War of the Ring |
| Main Antagonist | Agandaûr, a servant of Sauron leading the war in the North | Agandaûr |
| Best For | Players who want to experience War in the North on modern gaming hardware | Owners of the original PC, PS3, or Xbox 360 release |
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Walkthrough Guide
Follow the northern campaign through its major locations, battles, and bosses. Each section highlights what to prepare for and what to watch for before advancing.
The campaign follows Eradan, Andriel, and Farin as they uncover Agandaûr's northern offensive and travel through locations including Fornost, the Ettenmoors, Rivendell, Mirkwood, Mount Gundabad, and Carn Dûm. Exploring thoroughly between major battles is important because equipment, optional objectives, and useful resources are often found away from the direct route.
Bree and the Northern Threat
Meet key allies, learn about Agandaûr's movements, and begin pursuing the forces threatening the North.
Major ThreatsEarly Orc and Goblin forces
Use the opening encounters to learn your character's melee, ranged, defensive, and skill-based attacks before committing skill points.
Fornost
Fight through the ruined fortress and investigate the enemy forces gathering under Agandaûr.
Major ThreatsOrcs, archers, heavily armored enemies, and large combat groups
Clear ranged attackers before engaging elite melee enemies and search ruined side areas for equipment and containers.
The Ettenmoors
Continue north through hostile territory while pursuing Agandaûr's forces and learning more about the wider invasion.
Major ThreatsLarge enemy groups and powerful northern creatures
Avoid being surrounded in open encounters. Use ranged attacks to weaken dangerous enemies before they reach the party.
Rivendell
Regroup with allies, advance the story, manage equipment, and prepare for the next stages of the journey.
Major ThreatsPreparation and progression rather than sustained combat
Use safe story hubs to review equipment, sell unwanted loot, complete available conversations, and organize your build.
Mirkwood
Travel through the corrupted forest and confront the creatures controlling its dangerous paths.
Major ThreatsSpiders and Saenathra
Keep moving during spider encounters and eliminate smaller creatures so they do not interfere while the party focuses on stronger targets.
Mount Gundabad
Assault one of the enemy's major northern strongholds and fight through increasingly powerful defenders.
Major ThreatsOrcs, Goblins, Trolls, and heavily armored enemies
Enter major battles with healing supplies and upgraded equipment because enemy durability and damage increase significantly.
The Grey Mountains and Urgost
Advance through the northern mountains and deal with Urgost as the party closes in on Agandaûr.
Major ThreatsPowerful creatures and large-scale encounters
Explore carefully and conserve healing resources before major encounters rather than using them after minor damage.
Carn Dûm
Enter Agandaûr's stronghold, defeat his remaining forces, and complete the northern campaign.
Major ThreatsElite enemies and Agandaûr
Use your strongest upgraded skills, keep companions alive, and prioritize survival during Agandaûr's dangerous attack phases.
Heroic and Legendary Replays
Replay the campaign on higher difficulties while continuing to improve your character and equipment.
Major ThreatsStronger enemies with greater damage and durability
Use later playthroughs to complete missed exploration, improve equipment, refine your skill build, and prepare for Legendary difficulty.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Characters Guide
Compare Eradan, Andriel, and Farin before choosing your main hero. Each character supports a different combination of ranged damage, melee combat, support, and durability.
War in the North is built around three playable heroes who travel and fight together throughout the campaign. Eradan offers mobility and ranged flexibility, Andriel combines magical offense with party support, and Farin specializes in durable close-range combat.
Eradan
Dúnedain RangerRanged Damage / Mobile Melee
- Weapons
- Bow and one-handed melee weapons
- Strengths
- Strong ranged combat, fast and flexible melee attacks, good mobility, and effective against distant priority targets.
- Weaknesses
- Less naturally durable than Farin and requires positioning to get the most from ranged combat.
- Best For
- Players who want a versatile hero capable of switching between bow attacks and fast close-range combat.
Open difficult encounters from range, remove enemy archers and vulnerable targets, then move into melee when the battlefield is under control.
Andriel
Elf of RivendellMagic / Support / Ranged Control
- Weapons
- Staff and Elven melee weapons
- Strengths
- Powerful magical abilities, strong party support, useful crowd control, and effective at fighting from safer positions.
- Weaknesses
- Less suited to absorbing sustained melee pressure and needs careful positioning when surrounded.
- Best For
- Players who enjoy spell-like abilities, battlefield control, and supporting a cooperative party.
Stay behind Farin or other frontline allies, use abilities to damage or control groups, and support the party during extended encounters.
Farin
Dwarf of EreborTank / Heavy Melee Damage
- Weapons
- One-handed weapons, two-handed weapons, and crossbow
- Strengths
- High durability, powerful close-range attacks, strong against armored and elite enemies, and excellent frontline presence.
- Weaknesses
- Less mobile than Eradan and most effective when fighting at close range.
- Best For
- Players who prefer heavy weapons, direct melee combat, and protecting less durable allies.
Stay near the front of the group, pressure dangerous melee enemies, and use heavy attacks and character abilities when enemies become vulnerable.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Skills and Builds Guide
Compare practical build directions for all three playable heroes. Focus skill points on a clear combat role instead of spreading them across every option.
Each hero supports several playstyles, but their natural strengths are different. Eradan excels at ranged precision and fast melee attacks, Andriel combines spell damage with protection and support, while Farin is built for heavy melee combat, durability, and frontline pressure.
Ranged Critical Build
Bow damage, critical hits, ranged efficiency and safe single-target damage.
Priority: Invest heavily in skills that improve ranged attacks, critical damage and bow effectiveness before adding melee utility.
Playstyle: Stay behind Farin or other frontline allies and eliminate archers, spellcasters and dangerous targets from range.
Dual-Wield Melee Build
Fast melee attacks, critical strikes and aggressive close-range damage.
Priority: Build around melee damage and critical-hit bonuses while keeping enough ranged investment for enemies that are difficult to approach.
Playstyle: Use mobility to attack exposed enemies and switch back to the bow when close combat becomes unsafe.
Support and Protection Build
Defensive magic, healing support, protection and keeping the party alive.
Priority: Prioritize abilities that strengthen Andriel's protective and restorative role before spending heavily on pure damage.
Playstyle: Stay close enough to protect the group while avoiding unnecessary melee pressure.
Spell Damage Build
Magic damage, crowd control and offensive staff abilities.
Priority: Increase offensive spell effectiveness while retaining at least some defensive utility for difficult encounters.
Playstyle: Attack groups from a safer position and use magical abilities when enemies begin surrounding the team.
Tank and Shield Build
Survivability, blocking, frontline control and protecting less durable allies.
Priority: Improve defensive strength and close-range abilities before branching into additional damage options.
Playstyle: Hold enemy attention, block dangerous attacks and create room for Eradan and Andriel to deal damage safely.
Heavy Melee Build
High melee damage, powerful weapon attacks and aggressive frontline combat.
Priority: Invest in melee damage and heavy-weapon effectiveness while retaining enough defensive investment to survive prolonged fights.
Playstyle: Use heavy weapons against armored enemies and clustered targets while relying on high durability to remain in close combat.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Weapons, Armor and Loot Guide
Learn which equipment types each hero can use and how to judge new drops. Damage, armor, character attributes and useful bonuses are usually more important than an item's appearance.
War in the North uses frequent randomized equipment drops to improve the three heroes throughout the campaign. Weapons and armor can provide attribute bonuses and other effects, while socketed equipment can be enhanced with Elf-stones.
Swords, Axes and Heavy Weapons
Melee weapons are the core source of close-range damage. Eradan favors faster weapons, while Farin is especially effective with heavier frontline equipment.
Keep a weapon when its damage and useful attribute bonuses clearly improve the hero's current combat role.
Compare actual damage and bonuses instead of automatically equipping every higher-level drop.
Bows and Crossbows
Eradan is the strongest dedicated bow user, while Farin can also fight at range with crossbow-based attacks.
Prioritize ranged weapons with stronger damage and bonuses that support ranged or critical-hit focused builds.
Maintain a competitive ranged weapon even on melee-focused characters because some enemies are much safer to fight from distance.
Andriel's Staff Equipment
Andriel uses staff-based combat together with her magical abilities, giving her both ranged magical pressure and close-range defensive options.
Favor equipment that improves the attributes and bonuses supporting Andriel's spell or support build.
Do not judge Andriel's equipment only by basic weapon damage because her abilities are a major part of her effectiveness.
Character Armor Sets
Armor improves protection and can provide additional character bonuses. Equipment is character-specific, so loot that is poor for one hero may be useful to another.
Keep pieces that provide a meaningful armor increase or bonuses matching the character's build.
Check complete equipment combinations before selling older pieces, especially when assembling matching armor.
Rings and Amulets
Rings and amulets provide additional stat bonuses without replacing a hero's main weapon or armor.
Keep accessories that strengthen important attributes such as melee damage, ranged performance, survivability or ability use.
Compare bonus combinations carefully because an accessory with several useful effects can remain valuable for many levels.
Elf-stones
Elf-stones can be placed into compatible socketed equipment to add extra bonuses.
Save useful Elf-stones for equipment that is strong enough to remain equipped for a meaningful part of the campaign.
Avoid wasting valuable socket bonuses on gear that you already expect to replace immediately.
Gems and Extra Loot
Exploration, defeated enemies and hidden areas can provide valuable loot in addition to normal equipment drops.
Keep anything that directly improves a current build or provides an immediate equipment upgrade.
Sell unwanted equipment and excess valuables to build a supply of coins for merchants and future purchases.
Health and Power Potions
Potions provide emergency recovery during combat and become increasingly useful in difficult encounters.
Carry a reserve before bosses, large battles and higher-difficulty sections.
Use potions before a dangerous situation becomes unrecoverable rather than saving every consumable indefinitely.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Co-op Guide
The campaign is designed around a three-hero fellowship consisting of Eradan, Andriel and Farin. Good teams combine frontline defense, ranged damage and magical support instead of having everyone fight the same way.
Up to three players can control the fellowship together, while unoccupied heroes are handled by AI companions. Co-op becomes much easier when players coordinate targets, revive fallen allies quickly and pass character-specific equipment to the hero who can actually use it.
Choose Complementary Heroes
The party always revolves around Eradan the Ranger, Andriel the Loremaster and Farin the Champion. Assign players according to preferred roles rather than trying to build every hero for identical combat.
Eradan works well as ranged damage, Andriel provides magic and support, and Farin is naturally suited to frontline fighting.
Host or Join the Campaign
Use the multiplayer options to create or join a cooperative game and continue through campaign areas together.
Coordinate campaign progress with the group so everyone knows which chapter and objectives the host intends to play.
Divide Combat Roles
Farin can occupy dangerous melee enemies while Eradan attacks priority targets from range and Andriel contributes magical damage and protection.
Do not cluster all three heroes around the same enemy when archers or other dangerous ranged opponents are still active.
Revive Downed Allies
A fallen hero can be revived by another member of the fellowship before the situation becomes a full-party defeat.
Clear or control nearby enemies before attempting a risky revive, and prioritize rescuing the teammate whose role the group needs most.
Share Character-Specific Loot
Equipment drops are not equally useful to every hero. Cooperative players can pass useful items to the teammate whose character and build benefit from them.
Call out strong bows for Eradan, useful staff-oriented equipment for Andriel and heavy frontline gear for Farin instead of selling everything immediately.
Combine Abilities
The three heroes become stronger when their abilities are used together. Defensive support can keep melee fighters active while ranged attacks remove enemies that threaten the group from a distance.
Save powerful abilities for elite enemies, large groups and moments when the party is being overwhelmed.
Explore as a Group
War in the North rewards exploration with hidden areas, loot and optional discoveries connected to the heroes' different strengths.
Check side paths before advancing major objectives and communicate before triggering encounters that may move the party forward.
Adjust for Solo Play
When playing alone, AI companions control the other two members of the fellowship and continue filling their normal combat roles.
Watch companion health closely and use your own character to remove enemies that are overwhelming the AI or preventing a revive.
The Lord of the Rings War in the North Legacy Edition Achievements Guide
Track combat, exploration, equipment, quest and difficulty achievements. Several objectives are easier when planned before starting another campaign playthrough.
Achievements cover nearly every part of War in the North, from dealing very high damage and discovering secrets to completing quests and finishing the campaign on its hardest difficulty. Conversation and exploration objectives deserve extra attention because they can be missed while advancing the story.
| Achievement | Requirement | Category | Missable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where there's life, there's hope | Revive a fallen ally. | Co-op / Combat | No |
| Fell-handed | Deal 1,500 damage in a single melee strike. | Combat | No |
| Like a Thunderbolt | Deal 3,000 damage in a single ranged strike. | Combat | No |
| Sudden Fury | Perform three critical hits within 10 seconds. | Combat | No |
| Strength of Our Alliance | Slay an enemy with a critical strike while at least one ally is knocked down. | Combat / Team | No |
| Relentless | While in Hero Mode, perform a 50-hit streak. | Combat | No |
| Gem-studded | Slot an Elf-stone into an item. | Equipment | No |
| Dragon-hoard | Amass 25,000 coins. | Progression | No |
| Well-arrayed | Equip a complete matching armor set. | Equipment | No |
| Many deeds, great and small | Complete 15 quests during a single playthrough. | Quests | Yes |
| Seeker | Discover 25 secrets during a single playthrough. | Exploration | Yes |
| Friend of the Ring-bearer | Speak with Frodo in Rivendell. | Story / Conversation | Yes |
| War-hardened | Achieve at least one rank in a Tier 3 skill. | Character Progression | No |
| Against All Odds | Complete a playthrough on Legendary difficulty. | Difficulty | No |