Dominate Mordor with Unlimited Power

In Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, you play as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor stationed at the Black Gate of Mordor. After a brutal attack the Ranger is resurrected by the infamous forger of the great rings, Celebrimbor. Talion and the ancient elven spirit are from then on bonded through similar horrific fates, and a common goal: to wreak bloody havoc on all of Mordor.

Shadow of Mordor can relieve a lot of stress after an irritating day. Few other games allow a player to become so untouchable. The game thrives on justified brutality.

A crucial element in the destruction of Mordor are runes: ancient engravings dropped by defeated captains and warchiefs. Runes grant major boosts to Talion’s weapons and supernatural abilities. Here are the ten best epic runes for making the most fearsome of Mordor cringe:

10: Defiant to the End

Artwork for Defiant to the End rune

• Grants Talion an extra opportunity to counter a death strike
• If timed correctly, Talion counters with his own kill strike
• Allows Talion space to fight-or-flight
• Pair with sword rune the Undying to recover all focus & elf-shot upon successful Last Chance

9: Stand & Fight

Artwork for Stand & Fight rune

• Activates when health drops below 25%
• Increases overall damage by 100%
• A must-have if you’ve got to carve your way out of a dicey situation

8: Orc Slayer

Artwork for Orc Slayer rune

• Damage boost on finishers versus captains
• Essential for making quick work of the most powerful Uruks

7: Storm of Battle

Artwork for Storm of Battle rune

• Boosts all sword damage by 50%
• A fundamental rune, especially when stealth is the last thing on your mind

6: Explosive Demise

Artwork for Explosive Demise rune

• 20% chance of an explosion on a fully-charged headshot
• Great for inciting an instant panic in a crowded space
• Pair with the Black Arrow & Deadly Archer runes to make every headshot count for a little extra

5: Flame of Anor

Artwork for Flame of Anor rune

• 20% chance to ignite an enemy on a critical hit
• Sword glows orange to spread the fire
• Essential Rule of Gaming: Fire makes everything easier

4: Ascendant

Artwork for Ascendant rune

• Cuts focus depletion by 50%
• Slows time longer when firing down foes or Shadow Striking through a swarm

3: One with Nature

Artwork for One with Nature rune

• Grants immunity to all poison
• Another fundamental rune
• Makes poison-wielding Captains & Warchiefs irrelevant

2: Tower of Defense

Artwork for Tower of Defense rune

• Adds 10 seconds to hit streak reset time
• Essentially puts Talion on speed
• If used properly, can grant near invincibility

1: Rising Storm

Artwork for Rising Storm rune

• Unlocks Storm of Urfael power
• Unlimited finishers for a short period of time
• Carve through an entire swarm in a couple seconds

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