Getting Started
Getting Started
Welcome to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. This guide will help you survive your first steps in Mordor, master the basics, and avoid common pitfalls. Whether you're on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, you'll find platform-specific controls, a clear first-hour walkthrough, and a day-one checklist.
Character Creation
There is no character creation. You play as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor, whose appearance and abilities are fixed. You can later unlock different runes, skins, and abilities, but your base character is predetermined.
First Hour Walkthrough
0-10 minutes: Prologue
- Watch the opening cinematic: Talion, his wife, and son are executed by the Black Hand. You are resurrected by a wraith (Celebrimbor).
- Follow the linear path: climb the watchtower, learn basic movement (sprint, climb, jump).
- Encounter your first Orcs: use the sword (attack) and counter (deflect) buttons to survive a scripted fight. You cannot die here.
- Escape the fortress by following the quest marker. You'll learn stealth (crouch, sneak attack), ranged combat (your bow), and the wraith’s abilities (Wraith Stun, Wraith Flash).
- Important: When the game prompts you to use the Bow for the first time, aim for the weak points on the Caragor (beast). This is a tutorial – miss it and you restart that section.
- After escaping, you enter the open world of Udûn. You are immediately given the main objective: The Hunter of the Dead (Side Mission). Do not ignore side missions – they give essential early XP and Mirian (currency).
- Complete the first side mission: Hunt a Caragor to learn beast taming. This is critical for later.
- Follow the main story marker to an artifact. You'll face your first Captain (unique named Orc). Do not rush – observe his strengths/weaknesses (pop-up notification). Exploit his fears or use stealth to weaken him before engaging.
- If you die to a Captain, he levels up and gains new abilities (Nemesis System). It's okay to retreat and come back later.
- You'll encounter the first Haunted Tower. Climb it and perform a Wraith Flash to cleanse the area. This reveals collectibles and fast travel points on your map. Activate every tower you see – they are crucial for navigation and map clarity.
- You should have enough XP to unlock your first ability in the Might or Ranged skill tree. Recommended: Shadow Strike (Ranged) – lets you teleport to an enemy you hit with a bow shot. This is a game-changer for mobility and stealth.
10-20 minutes: The Black Gate
20-30 minutes: First Open World
30-40 minutes: First Main Quest – The Blade of Galadriel
40-50 minutes: Tower Activation
50-60 minutes: First Power Upgrade
Controls – All Platforms
PC (Keyboard & Mouse) – Default keybinds:
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Move | W/A/S/D |
| Sprint | Left Shift |
| Attack | Left Mouse Button |
| Counter/Block | Right Mouse Button |
| Bow | Q (hold to aim, release to fire) |
| Wraith Stun | F |
| Wraith Flash | E |
| Interact | E |
| Crouch | Left Ctrl |
| Roll/Dodge | Space |
| Map/Inventory | M |
| Action | Button |
|---|---|
| Move | Left Stick |
| Sprint | L3 (click left stick) |
| Attack | R1 |
| Counter/Block | Square |
| Bow | L2 (aim) + R2 (fire) |
| Wraith Stun | Circle |
| Wraith Flash | Triangle |
| Interact | Triangle |
| Crouch | L3 (while moving) |
| Roll/Dodge | X |
| Map | Touchpad |
| Action | Button |
|---|---|
| Move | Left Stick |
| Sprint | Left Stick Click |
| Attack | RB |
| Counter/Block | X |
| Bow | LT (aim) + RT (fire) |
| Wraith Stun | B |
| Wraith Flash | Y |
| Interact | Y |
| Crouch | Left Stick Click (while moving) |
| Roll/Dodge | A |
| Map | View Button |
UI Overview
- Top Left – Health (green bar) + Wraith Focus (blue bar, used for slow-motion and Wraith Flash).
- Bottom Left – Mission objective text and distance to quest marker.
- Center – Crosshairs (when using bow) or targeting reticle.
- Bottom Center – Weapon wheel (sword, bow, dagger) – accessed by holding the weapon button (e.g., hold Q on PC to switch).
- Top Right – Mini-map showing nearby enemies, collectibles, and markers.
- Right Side – Current mission info; when near an Orc Captain, their strength/weakness card appears.
- Pause Menu (Map) – Full map of Udûn, fast travel points, quests, collectibles (Ithildin, Artifacts, etc.), and skill tree.
- Immediately after the prologue: Head to the nearest Haunted Tower (marked with a white spire icon on your map).
- Spend your first few ability points on: (1) Shadow Strike (Ranged tree), (2) Critical Strike (Might tree), (3) Ranger's Speed (Stealth tree).
- Loot every corpse you see for Mirian and Runes.
- Always carry a Caragor or Graug (beast) when possible – they make combat much easier.
- Complete every side mission before progressing the main story – the main quests will become easier with more skills.
- Don't fight Captains head-on without exploiting their weaknesses.
- Don't ignore collectibles – Ithildin (white glowing runes) unlock legendary runes.
- Don't sell Runes – you can only equip them on weapons; you get plenty of Mirian from dead bodies.
- Don't fast travel too early – walking between towers helps you discover side missions and collectibles.
- Don't spam attacks against shielded enemies – use Wraith Stun (F on PC, Circle/Circle on consoles) to break their guard.
Essential Early Objectives
1. Complete the first two side quests: The Hunter of the Dead (Caragor taming) and The Tomb of the Wraith (unlocks Wraith abilities).
2. Activate all Haunted Towers in the starting zone (Udûn).
3. Gather Mirian from treasure chests and dead Orcs; you need 500 Mirian to unlock your first Rune slot on your sword.
4. Unlock the skill “Shadow Strike” – it allows you to zip to a struck enemy and is essential for mobility.
5. Find and kill at least one Warchief (the final Captain of a region) to complete the tutorial arc, but don’t rush – build up your power first.
What to Do First
What to Avoid
Early Resource Priorities
| Resource | Use | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Mirian | Buy Rune slots, upgrade weapons, unlock skills | High – save for Rune slot upgrades first (500 Mirian per slot) |
| Runes | Equip on sword, bow, dagger to add effects (fire damage, health on kill) | High – always equip the best ones; dismantle duplicates |
| Ability Points | Unlock skills | High – follow recommended tree (Shadow Strike, Critical Strike, Ranger's Speed) |
| Power | Level up Talion (unlocks more ability points) | Medium – gained naturally through combat and missions |
| Legendary Runes | Very powerful effects (e.g., unlimited focus) | Low priority early – obtained from Warchiefs and collectibles |
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Fighting without upgrading weapons first – You start with a basic sword that deals minimal damage. Complete the first weapon upgrade mission (unlocks after the first Warchief kill) to get a better sword.
2. Ignoring the Nemesis System – Dying to a common Orc might turn him into a Captain; dying to a Captain makes him stronger. If you see a dangerous Captain with no exploitable weakness, retreat and level up.
3. Forgetting to use the Bow – The bow is your best friend for stealth and crowd control. Always keep arrows (found in towers or from dead archers).
4. Not using Wraith Flash – This ability clears Haunted Towers, but also stuns all nearby enemies in combat. Use it when surrounded.
5. Trying to kill every Orc – You don't have to kill every grunt. Focus on Captains and objectives. Grunts are infinite.
Day-One Checklist
- [ ] Complete the tutorial prologue (Black Gate escape).
- [ ] Activate the first Haunted Tower in Udûn.
- [ ] Complete side quest “The Hunter of the Dead” (learn Caragor taming).
- [ ] Unlock the skill “Shadow Strike” (requires 2 ability points).
- [ ] Equip your first Rune on the sword (after first Captain kill).
- [ ] Collect at least 500 Mirian (from chests and bodies).
- [ ] Kill your first Warchief (optional but recommended for unlocking weapon slot upgrades).
- [ ] Find and activate all 3 Haunted Towers in Udûn (map will be fully revealed).
- [ ] Upgrade your sword with a second Rune slot (costs 500 Mirian).
- [ ] Save your game manually at a fast travel point (game autosaves, but manual save is safer before major battles).
Now you're ready to explore Mordor. Remember: stealth, patience, and exploiting weaknesses are your greatest weapons. Good luck, Ranger.