Monolith shipped Middle-earth: Shadow of War on 10 October 2017, scaling the Nemesis System up from roaming patrols to five fortresses with named garrisons. Talion and Celebrimbor forge a new Ring of Power and take Mordor region by region, turning orc captains into branded followers instead of just killing them. The game launched with a paid Market selling gold and war chests, and Warner Bros. removed it entirely on 17 July 2018, which cut the grind out of the Shadow Wars endgame and replaced it with a shorter Epilogue that rewards the Masks of the Nazgul.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary weapons | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your role's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary weapons | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Minas Ithil
Key resources: Nemesis System introduction, first captains, early gear Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Dagger upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Cirith Ungol
Key resources: Fortress capture, tribe aligned captains, Shelob story content Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Dagger upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Nurnen
Key resources: Fortress capture, beast taming opportunities, Feral tribe captains Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Dagger upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Gorgoroth
Key resources: Fortress capture, Machine tribe gear, late campaign story beats Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Sword max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Seregost
Key resources: Fifth fortress, late game captains and legendary gear Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Sword max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Minas Ithil to Cirith Ungol)
- Upgrade your starting weapons to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Dagger once accessible
Mid Game (Nurnen)
- Push Dagger to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Sword
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Gorgoroth to Seregost)
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple weapons: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Nurnen farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Brand captains rather than executing them, because a branded orc keeps his level and traits and fights for you during the fortress assault in that region.
- Farm Nurnen during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Middle-earth: Shadow of War Guides
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Middle-earth: Shadow of War Overview
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Best Builds
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Tier List
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Walkthrough
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Beginner's Guide
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Tips & Tricks
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Weapons Guide
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Combat Guide
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Boss Guide
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Maps & Locations
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Middle-earth: Shadow of War, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Crafting Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Crafting Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Crafting Guide: action game with similar mechanics
