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.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Minas Ithil | The Nemesis System basics | Predator | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Cirith Ungol | Domination and branding mastery | Predator | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Nurnen | Fortress assaults + gear | Combat or Predator | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Gorgoroth | Build optimization | Combat | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Seregost | Min-max | Combat or Mounted | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Minas Ithil)
The first explorable region and the one that teaches the Nemesis loop before the fortress game opens up properly. It is still a Gondorian city when you arrive, which makes it visually unlike anything else in the game.
Level/Difficulty: Act 1 Key Rewards: Nemesis System introduction, first captains, early gear
What to Do in Minas Ithil
- Learn The Nemesis System. Every orc captain carries a personal list of strengths and weaknesses, and the game remembers what happened between you. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Predator as your starting role. See our builds guide for why.
- 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.
- Acquire your first weapons upgrade: Dagger or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand The Nemesis System fundamentals
- Predator selected and functional
- Minas Ithil main content cleared
- Ready for Cirith Ungol
Phase 2: Early Game (Cirith Ungol)
The pass connecting eastern Gondor to the western edge of Mordor, dominated by its tower and by spider infested tunnels. Its fortress is one of the earlier ones players take once branding is properly online.
Level/Difficulty: Act 2 Key Rewards: Fortress capture, tribe aligned captains, Shelob story content
What to Do in Cirith Ungol
- Work on Domination and branding. Once Celebrimbor's Ring is upgraded, you can brand a weakened captain instead of executing him and he joins your army. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Dagger if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Check a captain's trait list before committing, since Iron Will blocks domination outright and you will waste the whole approach trying.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Nurnen.
- Consider whether Combat might suit your playstyle better than Predator.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Domination and branding integrated into gameplay
- Dagger acquired
- Cirith Ungol fully cleared
- Ready for Nurnen
Phase 3: Mid Game (Nurnen)
The third explorable region and the greenest part of Mordor, an island of dense forest and varied wildlife rather than volcanic rock. The change of biome also changes which beasts you can ride.
Level/Difficulty: Act 2 Key Rewards: Fortress capture, beast taming opportunities, Feral tribe captains
What to Do in Nurnen
- Master Fortress assaults. Each of the five regions has one fortress held by an Overlord with War Chiefs beneath him. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Sword. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
- Traits such as Immune to Ranged, Immune to Stealth and Vault Breaker exist to punish a one dimensional player, so keep at least two of Combat, Predator and Ranged usable.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Orc tribes and their perks for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Fortress assaults mastered
- Sword acquired or in progress
- Nurnen fully cleared
- Ready for Gorgoroth
Phase 4: Late Game (Gorgoroth)
The volcanic heart of Sauron's territory, an arid plateau of mines and forges that supply his armies. Expect the highest concentration of Machine tribe orcs and siege equipment.
Level/Difficulty: Act 3 Key Rewards: Fortress capture, Machine tribe gear, late campaign story beats
What to Do in Gorgoroth
- Finalize your build. You should be running Combat or Predator with optimized gear.
- Sword should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Seed branded spies among an Overlord's War Chiefs before you assault a fortress, then trigger the betrayal mid siege for a fight that costs you almost nothing.
- The Epilogue and Masks of the Nazgul optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Seregost.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Sword upgraded to max
- Gorgoroth fully cleared
- Ready for Seregost
Phase 5: Endgame (Seregost)
A region in central northern Mordor guarding the Mithram Gap, snowbound and colder in tone than the rest of the map. It was added after launch and holds the fifth and last fortress.
Level/Difficulty: Act 3 and Epilogue Key Rewards: Fifth fortress, late game captains and legendary gear
What to Do in Seregost
- Seregost tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Shame a captain to demote him, then recruit him afterwards at a lower level if you want him cheap, or to remove a trait that makes him awkward.
- The endgame loop: run Seregost, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Mounted for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where The Epilogue and Masks of the Nazgul mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Seregost fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Killing every captain you beat instead of branding them, which leaves you assaulting fortresses with no army of your own.
- Attacking a captain with the tactic he is explicitly immune to, then dying and promoting him for no reason.
- Charging a fortress without weakening the War Chiefs first, which turns a manageable siege into a fight against a full strength garrison.
- Slotting gems by rarity rather than by slot, so the Wealth Gem ends up in a weapon where it does nothing for your Mirian income.
- Assuming the game still contains loot boxes and gold purchases, when the Market was removed permanently on 17 July 2018.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- 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.
- Check a captain's trait list before committing, since Iron Will blocks domination outright and you will waste the whole approach trying.
- Traits such as Immune to Ranged, Immune to Stealth and Vault Breaker exist to punish a one dimensional player, so keep at least two of Combat, Predator and Ranged usable.
- Seed branded spies among an Overlord's War Chiefs before you assault a fortress, then trigger the betrayal mid siege for a fight that costs you almost nothing.
- Shame a captain to demote him, then recruit him afterwards at a lower level if you want him cheap, or to remove a trait that makes him awkward.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
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 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 Crafting Guide
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War Classes & Characters
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