Shadow of War: Melee combat Middle-earth: Shadow of War Guide

Melee combat is absolutely fundamental in Middle-Earth: Shadow of War and this is how you will usually fight with orc armies. The basics of the combat system are very similar to the previous game - you fight with one enemy at a time and you must prepare yourself to perform counters and dodging attacks of enemies that are around you. On this page of our guide, you will find hints, which will help you master the combat system.

You must be very cautious during fights because enemies will attack you from every direction.

1. Number advantage. While fighting in close-combat you must remember that enemies will always outnumber you. Although a handful of enemies is not a challenge, in later parts of the game fighting with a few stronger orcs and armies of regular green-skins can be really difficult. If, on top of that, enemies sound an alarm you can be sure that you will have a tough battle.
2. Icons displayed during fights. Reacting to icons that appear above orcs' heads is a key to success. In the beginning the game teaches you how to counter and avoid attacks. Keep practicing these two moves because, over time, the game won't be as forgiving.
3. Jumping over enemies. This mechanic is very useful. You can jump over almost all enemies and this allows you to attack them from behind. However, you must watch out Ologs and some of the captains won't allow you to jump over them and will throw you on the ground.
4. Glaive attacks. This is a new feature. Talion can summon a spectral glaive that knocks down enemies that are around him. This ability is useful when, e.g. you are surrounded or you patiently wait for your enemy to attack. With time, you can unlock additional upgrades that will allow you to perform greater number of attacks.

You must always pay extra attention to captains and Overlords. They are immune to some attacks and can adapt to your actions.

1. Execute enemies that are knocked down. This is a key to finishing orcs and an important combat mechanic. Notice, that regular attacks with your sword usually knock enemies down. They get up after a brief moment and charge at Talion again. In order to avoid that, you must input the right combination and perform an execution that deals massive amount of damage (this will kill regular orcs). Remember, that an execution can be interrupted with an attack so you must find the right moment to perform them.
2. Grabbing enemies. You can grab an enemy and throw him. This knock enemies down and disorientate them for a moment. Grabbed enemies can also be used as a shield, you can use them to knock down other enemies or throw them into, e.g. abyss.
3. Hit streak. Each time when you hit an enemy or counter an attack, you will increase a multiplier of your series of attacks. The longer your series, the higher your damage. This also increases your chance for killing an enemy. A long series allows you to break through shields and other covers. Remember, that your hit streak resets when a fight ends, when you are hit or you miss with your attack.
4. Critical damage. Your melee attacks have a chance to cause critical damage that deal additional damage. You can use upgrades that increase their frequency as well as their strength.