16: The Power of the Wraith | Main missions Middle-earth: SoM Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Requirements to start the mission: You need to complete the twelfth main mission (The Messenger) and the thirteenth main mission (Queen of the Shore).
Secondary objectives: While following Grublik, you need to remain above him, for the whole time.
Wait for information, on the location of one of the captains of the Sauron's army to be added to your map. to find Grublik (his identity has been predetermined), go West and, after several moments, you will reach an encampment. Apart from the captain, there also is quite a number of the regular orcs. Use the Wraith mode to locate Grublik (the red silhouette). At the same tie, you will gain access to a new ability - Command, thanks to which you will be able to command the dominated (branded) orcs of the Sauron's army.
Depending on your preferences, you can first eliminate the regular orcs, or focus on Grublik straight away. If you go for the latter, try to launch a successive surprise attack . Regardless of what you did, you need to weaken Grublik (his weaknesses and strong points are randomly generated).
After Grublik's health bar turns green, try to grab him. From the list of the available actions, select Dominate and then Command. Wait for the Sauron's Army window to open. Since this is a sort of a tutorial, you need to perform all of the actions, as preplanned - select Tarz the Knife (his personality has been predetermined) and have Grublik become one of his bodyguards.
Note - later into the game,, you can issue more commands to the branded Captains, i.e. attacking the other Captains to eliminate them.
As you probably noticed, a marker of another mission, connected with Grublik and his plan to join Tarz's bodyguard, has appeared on the map. Go to that marker, to the ruins. After you approach the marker, you will watch a cutscene.
From now on, you need to help Grublik complete his task, thanks to which he will be noted by Tarz and will join his bodyguards. Attack the orcs marked in yellow, with the bow (if you run out of arrows, there are more around). At the same time, note the secondary objective that has just been unlocked - you cannot jump down so, remain on the ledge, which you were on, after the cutscene ended.
In here, you have to defeat three groups of orcs, hostile to Grublik. Since the groups are in various locations, you need to follow the branded orc towards the successive groups. Remember that you CANNOT JUMP OFF to lower ledges, because you will then fail the secondary objective. Instead, run over the narrow walls and ropes between platforms. Keep doing your job, up until the last group of orcs has been eliminated.
After Grublik is promoted, you will find yourself near the orc stronghold. Head towards the marked vantage point. According to the information, you need to remain unspotted, along your path so, avoid main routes and, instead, climb over onto the walls, onto the rooftops and onto balconies above. Also, remember to use the Wraith mode e.g. to locate the archers that you pass by (of course, you can attack them by surprise).
After you reach the vantage point, you will watch a cutscene of Tarz's arrival in the stronghold. Follow the game's instructions again and press the appropriate key/button to activate the branded Grublik. Thanks to this, he starts attacking Tarz.
The final part of the mission assumes that you kill Tarz. If you Talion has his weak and strong points beforehand, you now need to take a look at them. Unfortunately, they are randomly generated so, it is up to you what tactic you assume. For example, if Tarz is vulnerable to explosions, aim your bow at the campfires or grog barrels. If he is afraid of caragors, release them from their cages. The most universal method is to jump down and fight Tarz, and the rest of the orcs, in the more direct way.
While fighting avoid, if possible, attacking at a long range and attacking Grublik by accident, because he must survive the battle. Continue fighting, until you deprive Tarz of his entire health bar. Finally, the game confirms Grublik's promotion to a new Warchief (the speech and changes in the Sauron's army window), which ends this mission.
Rewards for completing the mission:
- 1400 experience points
- 110 Power Points
- 150 Gold Pieces (Mirian) - only if you have completed the secondary objective
- New Main Mission unlocked "The Cure"
- New Main Mission unlocked "Brand the Warchiefs"- This mission is unusual in that you do not complete it in any location in particular. Simply put, it is connected with luring, and branding, the successive Warchiefs of the Sauron's army and you can learn more about it from the page with its description.