Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Achievement Guide & Road Map

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Achievement Guide

Overview:
- Estimated achievement difficulty: 4/10
- Offline: 50 [1000]
- Online: 0
- Approximate amount of time to 1000: 20-25 Hours
- Minimum number of playthroughs needed: 1
- Number of missable achievements: None
- Do cheat codes disable achievements?: N/A
- Does difficulty affect achievements?: N/A
- Unobtainable/glitched achievements: None
- Extra equipment needed?: None

Introduction:
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor introduces players to the grand Lord of the Rings universe when Talion, a brave Ranger of Gondor, defies death with the help from a vengeful Wraith. His newfound purpose is to find and stop Sauron and exact revenge on the Dark Lord’s army of Uruk that get in his way. The game is presented in an open world format that can be freely explored at your own pace. While the main narrative only lasts around ten hours, there is more than enough side content waiting to be unlocked and explored. Achievement wise, most of your time will be radically split between experiencing the story missions and side missions, as well as completing two sets of challenges, hunting down two sets of unique collectibles and working on some extremely entertaining miscellaneous tasks that revolve around the game’s stealth mechanics, free-flow combat, and Nemesis System. Overall, you will need to dedicate around thirty or more hours over a single playthrough in order to see the game complete.

Main Story + Side Missions:
While there is no suggested or recommended order in how to tackle the main story missions and additional side missions during the course of your playthrough, there are several achievements related to these tasks that should be recognized before powering through the game. Keep in mind that Talion’s three weapons each have ten side missions that must be completed. Thus, completing all the Bow missions unlocks both "Legend of the Maker" and "The Maker’s Bow", while "Legend of Shadow" and "The Last Shadow" are related to the completing the Dagger missions and "Legend of Vengeance" and "Fire of Justice" are related to finishing up all the Sword missions. What’s more, completing a single Outcast Rescue mission will unlock "The Free Folk" and completing all twenty-four will unlock the "Liberator" achievement. Make sure to also focus on "Black Celebration" during a Feast side mission.

As for the game’s main story missions, "You Will Obey" and "The Bright Master" will unlock extremely early on in the game without much effort on your part. The secret achievements of "Gorthaur the Cruel", "Beyond Hope", "To Rule them All", "Ratbag the Great and Powerful", "The White Wizard", "The Hand is Severed", "For My Brother", "The Tower Crumbles" and "The Hammer Falls" are all story-related and will unlock as you naturally progress through the game's storyline.

Captain & Warchief Objectives:
There are a great number of achievements related to manipulating the game’s brilliant Nemesis System and targeting different Uruk Captains and Warchiefs in certain ways. In total, there are ten achievements related to this segment of the game and while none of them are missable, it is best to plan them out early as working on them late in the game will prove to be tedious and challenging. Right off the bat, "Iron of Death", "A New Master" and "No Power in Numbers" are all related to specific acts against Uruk Captains and they all will probably come naturally as you advance through the storyline. On the other hand, "Stinking Rebels", "The Spirit of Mordor", "Lord and Master", "Divide and Conquer", "Power Vacuum" and "A Graug’s Heel" are all related to Uruk Warchiefs and will prove to be much more tasking than the previous three achievements. Finally, "Rise and Fall" is one of the most complicated achievements of the bunch because there’s three specific steps involved and there lies a great possibility of error when working on it. Remember, none of these achievements here are missable, but try to get them done sooner rather than later!

Collectibles & Challenges:
During your playthrough, you will want to focus your attention on the vast amount of collectibles and challenges presented in the game. Collectibles in Mordor are broken down into two distinct categories: Artifacts and Ithildin. Collecting the artifacts will unlock both "Paths of the Dead" and "Shadows of the Ancient Past" while "Crowned with Living Light" and "Bearer of the Shining Lamp" will unlock once all the Ithildin are discovered. Make sure to also discover all the Forge Towers across the different regions of Mordor, as doing so will unlock the "Memories of Eregion" achievement. Lastly, there are two types of challenges to tackle; these are Survivalist and Hunter challenges. The former tasks players with hunting down different types of herbs, while the later revolves around hunting down different creatures and beasts roaming around the open world. Completing all the Survivalist challenges will net both "Scout of Morannon" and "Ranger of Ithildin" while completing all the Hunter challenges will unlock the "Thrill of the Hunt" and "Master of the Wilds" achievements.

Miscellaneous Tasks:
During your playthrough, you will want to focus your attention on the vast amount of collectibles and challenges presented in the game. Collectibles in Mordor are broken down into two distinct categories: Artifacts and Ithildin. Collecting the artifacts will unlock both "Paths of the Dead" and "Shadows of the Ancient Past" while "Crowned with Living Light" and "Bearer of the Shining Lamp" will unlock once all the Ithildin are discovered. Make sure to also discover all the Forge Towers across the different regions of Mordor, as doing so will unlock the "Memories of Eregion" achievement. Lastly, there are two types of challenges to tackle; these are Survivalist and Hunter challenges. The former tasks players with hunting down different types of herbs, while the later revolves around hunting down different creatures and beasts roaming around the open world. Completing all the Survivalist challenges will net both "Scout of Morannon" and "Ranger of Ithildin" while completing all the Hunter challenges will unlock the "Thrill of the Hunt" and "Master of the Wilds" achievements.

Mop-Up:
If at any point in your adventure you have missed a particular achievement, do not hesitate in referring to the guide below in order to complete the remaining objectives at hand. Chances are, some of these missable achievements will be related to collectibles, challenges, and miscellaneous tasks, so you will definitely want to roam around Mordor post-game to get these done. None of the achievements in the game are missable which means you can go back and work on anything at any point in the game.

Conclusion:
Overall, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a blast to play. Monolith has successfully crafted both a compelling combat system and beautiful world for players to experience Talion’s adventure as the cursed Ranger attempts to take on Sauron’s army of Uruk baddies. Whether you enjoy stealthy combat, hack-and-slash-free-flow combat, or the freedom to explore a vast open world at your own leisure, Shadow of Mordor offers an incredible amount of stylistic gameplay variety and content for all kinds of players. The achievement list is rather straightforward and while nothing is entirely missable, players will definitely want to plan out their strategies when tackling the certain Warchief-related achievements and other miscellaneous tasks. This title is perfect for any and all action genre fans and lovers of Lord of the Rings lore, so you’ll definitely want to check Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor out at some point this year!

[XBA would like to thank BiggD for this Road Map]

Paths of the Dead

20
Collect 25% of the Artifacts.

Please refer below to Shadows of the Ancient Past for more information regarding the Artifact collectibles.
Crowned with Living Light

20
Collect 50% of the Ithildin.

Please refer below to Bearer of the Shining Lamp for more information regarding the hidden Ithildin collectibles.
Stinking Rebels

20
Brand 5 Bodyguards of a Warchief, turning them against him in combat.
(1)
Before attempting this achievement, you must first unlock the "Brand" and "Command" abilities in the missions "Queen of the Shore" and "The Power of the Wraith." These two abilities unlock naturally during the aforementioned story missions.

This achievement is best described when broken down into five distinct steps. First, hunt down five different Uruk Captains and command each one of them to "Infiltrate" the same exact Warchief. This creates a Power Struggle Mission (represented by a blue Power Struggle icon) to prove their worth. Next, complete all five of their Power Struggle Missions and make sure your branded Captain comes out alive and well.

After doing all five missions, open the "Sauron's Army" screen and target the Warchief you chose before; the five Captains from before will now be connected to him as bodyguards. Finally, you will want to track down and fight the Warchief. In combat, press and your branded Captains will turn on their own Warchief. As soon as this happens, the achievement will immediately unlock.

For further assistance on this pesky achievement, be sure to utilize the video guide below!
The Maker's Bow

20
Complete all Azkâr Legend Missions.
These side missions are otherwise known as Bow Missions and their locations are represented by a white bow icon on the world map. Take note that while there are ten of these side missions, they will not all appear at once. Rather, you must complete one mission to unlock the next. Also, some of these side missions will also be locked until you advance in the main storyline, increase your Power Level, and unlock new abilities in both the Ranger and Wraith skill trees.

Overall, these missions will task you with sharpening your skills as an archer and are extremely enjoyable to experience. Once all ten Azkâr Legend missions have been completed, you will be rewarded with the achievement!
Legend of the Maker

20
Complete a Bow Mission and begin growing the legend of Azkâr.
Please refer just above to The Maker’s Bow for more information on Bow Missions.
Strike True

20
Unlock 2 Bow Rune slots.
Please refer to The Cold Light for more information on acquiring additional Rune slots for Talion’s three weapons.
Gorthaur the Cruel

20
Destroy the Monument Gate and topple the statue of Sauron.
This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "The Dark Monument."
The Last Shadow

20
Complete all Acharn Legend Missions.
These side missions are otherwise known as Dagger Missions and their locations are represented by a white dagger icon on the world map. Take note that while there are ten of these side missions, they will not all appear at once. Rather, you must complete one mission to unlock the next. Also, some of these side missions will also be locked until you advance in the main storyline, increase your Power Level, and unlock new abilities in both the Ranger and Wraith skill trees.

Overall, these missions will task you with sharpening your stealth skills as a deadly ranger. Some of the missions may prove to be difficult, though most of them are very straightforward and satisfying to undertake. Once all ten Acharn Legend missions have been completed, you will be rewarded with both the achievements!
Legend of Shadow

20
Complete a Dagger Mission and begin growing the legend of Acharn.
Please refer just above to The Last Shadow for more information on Dagger Missions.
Paid in Blood

20
Unlock 4 Dagger Rune slots.
Please refer to The Cold Light for more information on acquiring additional Rune slots for Talion’s three weapons.
Height of Despair

20
Use Strike From Above while at least 60 feet above your target.
(3)
A perfect location to attempt this achievement is near the eastern most Forge Tower of Udun. This is where the game starts, but you can observe the location in the video below if you are unfamiliar with the regions of Mordor. There will usually be enemies roaming around this area which makes them prime targets for this achievement.

Once you’ve spotted a target, attract the Uruk by clicking + and lure them near the Forge Tower. Now, quickly climb the Tower and then turn around and perform a stealth takedown from above using the +combination. Remember, the Uruk cannot be in combat mode (red arrow above the head) when you attempt the stealth takedown. You have to remain undetected, otherwise the Uruk will simply shove you off when you land on top of him.

If further assistance is needed for this achievement, you can use the video below for a visual aid.
You Will Obey

20
Make an uruk yours.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock extremely early on in the game once Talion is taught how to dominate Uruk through the Wraith’s instruction. Take note that the actual branding ability does not unlock until much later on in the storyline.
Black Celebration

20
Poison a Captain at his own Feast.
(1)
In order to attempt this achievement, you must first complete the mission entitled, “The Outcasts” so that Talion can unlock the “Poison” ability. This mission occurs fairly early on in the game. As for Feasts, these Uruk celebrations are random side missions that will spawn across the map and are marked with a red Power Struggle icon. If some times goes by and you do not see any Feasts on your map, scroll over a Forge Tower and select the option to advance time; this method will surely make new events, such as Feasts, spawn.

Once you find a Feast, head over there and start the mission. You will need to locate the drinking bowls (Grogs) in the area. The Captains of the Feast will be moving from one Grog to another, so you will need to poison one of the drinking bowls without being seen and wait for the Captain to drink from it. If at any point you are detected, you will have to retry during another Feast. If you successfully pull this off, the Captain will drink the poison and go mad, thus unlocking the achievement.
Memories of Eregion

20
Activate all Forge Towers.
Forge Towers act as Fast Travel Points throughout the regions of Mordor. Each region usually consists of a single Forge Tower that is represented by a small grey building icon on the world map. When you approach a Forge Tower, you notice that it's in complete ruins. As you begin to climb the tower however, you will automatically enter Wraith Mode as you reach the top of the structure.

Once you get to the top, simply activate the forge using and you will register the Fast Travel Point to your world map. It is important to take note that activating Forge Towers will also uncover all Artifact and Ithildin collectibles in that specific region. Once all the Forge Towers across both maps of the game have been activated, the achievement will finally unlock.
Jaws of Death

20
Attract caragors with bait 5 times.
Scattered around the various regions and Uruk Strongholds of Mordor, you will often time come across large bundles of meat that are strung up underneath bridges, walkways, and arches of the many different structures in these aforementioned areas. Their size usually gives them away, though when in Wraith Mode, they are easily visible due to their green/blue hue they emit.

Overall, this simple achievement is as easy as taking out your Bow and shooting a bundle of meat down from it's location. When the meat hits the floor, Caragors will come running across Mordor to the area and begin killing everyone in sight. There are plenty of opportunities to work on this achievement during the course of your playthrough, especially on a particular Outcast Rescue Mission that tasks you with using the bait to lure Caragors into a Uruk camp. Once you have shot down five pieces of meat, thus luring in wild Caragors, this achievement will unlock.
The Bright Master

20
Discover some of the Wraith's past.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock during Gollum's first story mission. After following Gollum into a dark cave and grabbing a jewel medallion, a cutscene will ensue and you will learn some information on the Wraith’s past. At this point, the achievement will unlock before leaving the cave.
Fly you fools!

20
Make 20 uruks flee by dropping Morgai Fly nests.
Morgai Fly nests are the equivalent to giant bee hives. They can be found hanging on the bottom side of walkways, bridges, and arches of the many ruined buildings and structures scattered around the different regions of Mordor. They are also quite easy to spot from afar, as the hive is not only large, but bright orange Morgai Flies will be hovering around the outside of their nest.

This achievement is fortunately cumulative so don't think you'll need to scare off twenty Uruk at once with a single nest. With that said, when you spot a nest, try to make some commotion and get a good amount of Uruk to follow you underneath the nest. From here, quickly take out your Bow and shoot the Fly nest. This will cause it to drop and the Morgai Flies will begin to infest the area. The Flies don't cause any harm to you, but the Uruk will cower and begin to run away. Continue to utilize this method over the course of your playthrough and this achievement will be yours in no time.
Iron of Death

20
Issue a Death Threat, and then successfully kill the target.
This achievement is fairly straightforward. First, you will need to advance in the story far enough until you are able to unlock the fourth tier of abilities. On the Ranger skill tree, you'll then need to unlock the “Death Threat” ability. With this, you will now be able to issue Death Threats to other Uruk Captains and Warchiefs when you are dominating an enemy's mind by pressing the button.

Issuing a Death Threat will cause the target's Power Level to increase and they will also be protected by a gang of Uruk. Simply choose whichever Uruk Captain or Warchief you desire to issue the threat to and then hunt him down and kill him for the achievement to unlock. Take note that successfully killing a targeted Death Threat usually makes the target drop an Epic Rune!
Unleashed

20
Free 5 caragors from cages.
(1)
Scattered around the various regions and Uruk Strongholds of Mordor, you will often time come across large lion-like creatures that are being held in wooden cages. These creatures are known as Cargors and their cages are surprisingly rather weak.

When you spot a caged Caragor during the course of your playthrough, simply take out your Bow and shoot the front gate. This will shatter the wooden door and cause the Caragor to escape, wrecking havoc on both you and any Uruk enemies in the area. You can always try mounting the Caragor for fun, though you'll probably want to wait until you unlock the Shadow Mount ability to do so. Either way, once you have freed five caged Caragors, this achievement will unlock.
The Spirit of Mordor

20
Start a Riot by commanding a Warchief to attack another Warchief.
(2)
Before attempting this achievement, you must first have unlocked the "Brand" and “Command” ability. Once you can pull off these tactics, head off into Mordor and try tracking down a Warchief whichever way you deem easiest.

Once you have located a Warchief, weaken him – capitalize on his fears to quicken the process - until he surrenders. From here, you will now have to dominate his mind and then tap in order to give him a command. When the “Sauron’s Army” screen opens, have your newly branded Warchief start a Riot by tapping over another Warchief that is not branded. The achievement will unlock right away once the Riot has been issued.
Scout of the Morannon

20
Successfully complete a Survivalist Challenge.
Please refer below to Ranger of Ithilien for more information on Survivalist Challenges.
Thrill of the Hunt

20
Successfully complete 4 Hunting Challenges.
Please refer below to Master of the Wilds for more information on Hunting Challenges.
Lord and Master

20
Brand all 5 Warchiefs.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

Towards the end of the main storyline, after lifting Lady Marwen's curse, you will be tasked with branding all five Warchiefs in the area in order to advance to the next mission. At this point in the game, you will naturally unlock this achievement while completing the task at hand.
And it Burns, Burns, Burns

20
Use the Detonate ability to burn 50 uruks.
The Detonate ability is one of the very first skills you can unlock in the game. In fact, out of the first four abilities in the Wraith's skill tree, you should probably choose Detonate first, as it's extremely useful in combat during the entirety of the game.

In essence, this ability allows Talion to shoot arrows into campfires and at explosive barrels, thus causing them a massively overwhelming explosion. What's great about this ability is that you are completely immune to the damage from the fires and explosions. Overall, you will usually spot groups of Uruk enemies huddled around campfires around Mordor and their Strongholds as well. As a cumulative achievement, simply burn a total of fifty Uruk with this ability and the achievement will finally unlock.
The White Rider

20
Liberate 20 slaves in 180 seconds while riding a caragor.
(2)
Once of the best locations for this achievement is on the left side of the second region – Sea of Nurnen – where the second half of the story takes place. Also, make sure to unlock the Shadow Mount ability in the Wraith’s skill tree before attempting this achievement, as shadow mounting will be incredibly useful when trying to dominate a caragor.

Now fast travel to the Forge Tower in the southwest corner of the aforementioned region. Advance the time so that it is daytime; slave locations will differ between daytime and nighttime and freeing slaves for this achievement is easier during the day.

Slaves are usually accompanied by two or three Uruk guards as they walk across the lands of Mordor. You will need to kill these Uruks in order to successfully liberate the slaves from their captivity. Make sure to follow the video below so that you can free thirty slaves in the allotted time for this achievement to unlock.
Beyond Hope

20
Save Lithariel's life.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "The Rescue."
Divide and Conquer

20
Eliminate the bodyguards of two Warchiefs, then draw them out and kill them.
This achievement is fairly straightforward and you will most likely unlock it without much effort. After the mission entitled "The Warchief," you will be tasked with hunting down and killing at least three other Warchiefs in Mordor. During this time, open the "Sauron's Army" screen and find two Warchiefs that have at least two bodyguards. Chances are that when you are completing a Power Struggle Mission to lure a Warchief out, you will be killing his bodyguards in the process of said mission.

Overall, this means that simply completing these Power Struggle Missions during this time in the storyline is a guaranteed way in obtaining this achievement. Once you have successfully lured out and killed two different Warchiefs, this achievement will finally unlock.
To Rule them All

20
Witness the creation of The Rings of Power.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock during the mission entitled "The One Truth" when the Wraith's identity is finally revealed to Talion. Additionally, you will also unlock the Shadow Strike ability during this mission!
A New Master

20
Brand a Captain while in combat.
(1)
Before attempting this achievement, you will need to complete the story mission entitled “Queen of the Shore” in order to learn the “Combat Brand” ability.

This ability will allow Talion to brand Uruk enemies while in combat without having to actually grab them. With those prerequisites out of the way, your next focus should be hunting down a Uruk Captain. They randomly spawn all throughout Mordor, so just keep exploring. Once you’ve tracked down a Captain, weaken them enough until the skull symbol above their head turns green; this means you can now interrogate or brand them. Now simply unleash your Combat Brand finisher - + - on the Captain and the achievement should unlock without any issues.
Bearer of the Shining Lamp

20
Collect 100% of the Ithildin.

In total, there are only thirty-two Ithildin scripts that you must collect over the course of your playthough. In order to track down these collectibles, make sure you unlock a Forge Tower for a specific region, as doing so will uncover all the collectibles for that region.

Overall, these Ithildin scripts can only be collected while in Wraith Mode and are bright white symbols that are written into the stone of the ruined structures in Mordor. With that said, make sure to tap in order to uncover the script and listen to its text. This achievement will unlock once all thirty-two Ithildin scripts have been collected.
Ranger of Ithilien

20
Complete all Survivalist Challenges.
Survivalist Challenges are never clearly presented via an icon on the world map, however when the world map is open, you will notice these challenges are notated on the left side of the screen. Here, your progress towards your current Survivalist Challenge will be displayed, which is a great way to stay updated on your progress for this achievement.

These challenges revolve around collecting various different herbs and plants around Mordor. Each challenge will notate the icon of the plant or herb you are required to collect, so make sure to keep an eye out for those world-map icons while traveling across Mordor over the course of your playthough. Overall, there are only ten Survivalist Challenges and once they have all been successfully completed, this achievement will finally unlock.
Master of the Wilds

20
Complete all Hunting Challenges.
(1)
Hunting Challenges are never clearly presented via an icon on the world map, however when the world map is open, you will notice these challenges on the left side of the screen. Here, your progress towards your current Hunting Challenge will be displayed, which is a great way to stay updated on your progress for this achievement.

These challenges revolve around hunting down and slaying the various different types of creatures and beasts around Mordor. Such creatures include spiders, birds, caragors, and bats. Overall, there are only ten Hunting Challenges and once they have all been successfully completed, this achievement will finally unlock.

For a visual aid in locating certain spawn locations for the different creatures and beasts of each challenge, don't hesitate in using the video guide below!
The Free Folk

20
Complete an Outcast Rescue Mission.
Please refer below to Liberator for more information regarding Outcast Rescue Missions.
Liberator

20
Complete all Outcast Rescue Missions.
Outcast Rescue Missions are a two-part event. In order to unlock these missions, you will first need to liberate various groups of slaves around the different regions of Mordor. Slave group locations are indicated by a small white fist icon on the world map. After freeing a group of slaves, they will thank Talion and mention a few words on helping out their friends/families.

This will now unlock and mark an Outcast Rescue Mission on the world map that is indicated by an even larger white fist icon inside a black shield. Simply head over to this mission start point and complete the objective at hand. These missions are fairly straightforward, as they usually pertain to simply rescuing three or more slaves inside Uruk infested areas or strongholds. Overall, there’s twenty-four of these side missions. Once they have all been successfully completed, this achievement will finally unlock.
A Mighty Doom

20
Acquire a level 25 Rune.
(4)
Over the course of your playthrough, you will come to notice that when you kill Uruk Captains and Warchiefs, they will always drop a Rune. These Runes are essentially weapon modifiers for your Bow, Dagger, and Sword that will buff the weapon with minor beneficial stats. Additionally, the level of a dropped Rune is based off certain point criteria, such as:
- 20 points for the Uruk enemy being a Level 20 (1 point equivalent to Uruk's Power Level)
- 2 points for the enemy being a Uruk Warchief
- 1 point for performing a revenge kill on the Warchief who killed you
- 1 point for knowing the weaknesses of the Warchief
- 1 point for exploiting the Warchief's Fear/Hatred
With that criteria established, you will want to locate a Uruk Warchief and allow him to kill you enough times so that he reaches Level 20. From there, open "Sauron's Army" screen and place a revenge mark on that Warchief and then proceed to learn of his weaknesses via intel documents, Uruk Works, or by interrogating Uruk Captains.

Take note that you should not cast a Death Threat on the targeted Warchief. If you do, he will instead drop an Epic Rune rather than a Level 25 Rune. Overall, if you follow the steps detailed above, you shouldn't have any issue obtaining a Level 25 Rune!
Power Vacuum

20
Kill all 5 Warchiefs before any uruk take their place.
(3)
Though this achievement may seem like it will be difficult task, it's actually quite easy and can be obtained early on during the main storyline.

After helping Ratbag take out the first Warchief during the mission entitled "The Warchief," you will then be tasked with killing at least three other Uruk Warchiefs to advance the storyline. Proceed to discover the identities of all the remaining Warchiefs - four in total - and complete all of the new Power Struggle missions in order for them to come out and face you. Once you are in combat with a Warchief, slay him! Continue to repeating this method until all four Warchiefs are dead. Since Ratbag technically took the spot of the first Warchief, you will need to progress through the main storyline a bit more before his spot becomes vacant (this happens during the "The Black Captain" mission), thus unlocking the achievement.

If you want to make this achievement a little easier for yourself, you can simply wait until you unlock the Brand ability and then Brand a Warchief whilst in combat. When all five Warchiefs are under your control, you can then choose to meet up with each one and kill them since branded allies will not attack you.

Overall, when utilizing the first method, make sure you do not die in combat or at any point in your playthrough! Dying will advance time and thus allow a Uruk Captain to take a Warchief's position. Also make sure to refrain from using a Forge Tower's "Advance Time" feature for the same reasoning. Once you have successfully killed all five Warchiefs without any Uruk replacing them, this achievement will be yours.
Shadows of the Ancient Past

20
Collect 100% of the Artifacts and listen to their memories.
(1)
In total, there are forty-two hidden artifacts that you must collect over the course of your playthough. In order to track down these collectibles, make sure you unlock a Forge Tower for a specific region, as doing so will uncover all the collectibles for that region.

Overall, these ancient artifacts can only be collected while in Wraith Mode and will appear to be bright white sources of light that are usually well hidden inside ruined structures, Uruk Strongholds, and other locations across Mordor. With that said, make sure to tap to uncover the collectible and you MUST listen to its entire memory. This achievement will unlock once all forty-two artifacts have been collected.
Ratbag the Great and Powerful

20
Get Ratbag promoted to Warchief.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "The Warchief."
No Power in Numbers

20
Help a Captain survive a Recruitment Power Struggle, and then kill him and all his new recruits.
In order to attempt this achievement, you must first complete enough story missions until Power Struggle Missions appear on your world map. Once a Recruitment Power Struggle is available, head on over to the mission and start it. When the mission begins, be ready to defend the Captain from the opposing Uruk forces. Take note that this may be difficult sometimes!

Overall, if you are successful in completing the mission and helping the Captain survive the Recruitment Power Struggle, now you will need to kill him and all his recruits in order for the achievement to unlock. You can utilize the video below for an alternate strategy if necessary.
Fire of Justice

20
Complete all Urfael Legend Missions.
These side missions are otherwise known as Sword Missions and their locations are represented by a white sword icon on the world map. Take note that while there are ten of these side missions, they will not all appear at once. Rather, you must complete one mission to unlock the next. Also, some of these side missions will also be locked until you advance in the main storyline, increase your Power Level, and unlock new abilities in both the Ranger and Wraith skill trees.

Overall, these missions will task you with sharpening your combat skills by facing off against hordes of Uruk enemies and working on stringing your combo together. Some of the missions may prove to be difficult for those uncomfortable with the game’s combat mechanics, however once the free-flow combat has been mastered, these missions will be easy and very enjoyable. Once all ten Urfael Legend missions have been completed, you will be rewarded with both the achievement and a unique ability related to your Sword!
Legend of Vengeance

20
Complete a Sword Mission and begin growing the legend of Urfael.
Please refer just above to Fire of Justice for more information on Sword Missions.
The Cold Light

20
Unlock 3 Sword Rune slots.
In the beginning of the game, you will only be able to equip one Rune per weapon: Bow, Dagger, and Sword. In order to purchase additional Rune slots for a specific weapon, you need to utilize your Mirian currency. It is important to recognize that each Rune slot will increase in price, so make sure to save up! Also, take note that Mirian can be acquired by completing side missions and retrieving collectibles around the regions of Mordor.

Overall, once you have acquired enough Mirian, simply purchase one additional Bow slot, three additional Dagger slots, and two additional Sword slots and all three achievements will be yours!
The White Wizard

20
Lift Lady Marwen's curse.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "The Power of the Wraith." Additionally, you will also unlock the Command ability during this mission!
The Hand is Severed

20
Kill The Black Hand.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "Mordor in Flames."
For My Brother

20
Kill the Great White Graug.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "The Great White Graug." Battling the Graug in this mission may prove to be tedious, but so long as you time your dodge attacks precisely and keep the Ghuls at bay, you should be able to defeat him in four simple waves.
Rise and Fall

20
After an uruk kills you to become a Captain, help him become a Warchief, then kill him.
(3)
Before attempting it however, make sure you have obtained the "Brand" and "Command" abilities! Once you are able to pull off these tactics, allow any random Uruk to kill you in combat. Upon your death, this Uruk will be promoted to Captain. Now it's your job to track down this Captain, weaken him in combat, and then finally brand him.

While branding the Captain, command him to "Infiltrate" any of the Warchiefs, as this will cause a Power Struggle Mission for your newly branded Uruk ally. Head over to his new mission and help him come out on top so that he becomes that Warchief's bodyguard. If the Warchief has any additional bodyguards, you will need to kill them before moving on. This ensures that when the Warchief dies, your branded Captain will be the only bodyguard available to take his place.

Finally, track down and kill the Warchief in question so that your branded Uruk Captain takes his position in the hierarchy. If you have the "Dispatch" ability, activate it and your newly branded Warchief will die, thus unlocking the achievement. If you do not have this ability, just meet up with your Warchief and kill him as he will not attack you. Either way works for this achievement!
The Tower Crumbles

20
Kill The Tower.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "Lord of Mordor."
The Hammer Falls

20
Kill The Hammer.
Story-related, cannot be missed.

This achievement will unlock upon successfully completing the mission entitled "The Black Captain." Take note that after this mission, you will open up the second region of Mordor, marking the halfway point in the main storyline.
Burning Vengeance

20
Perform an Execution on a flaming Berserker.
(2)
It will not be until the fifth Urfael Legend Mission that the game introduces you to Berserker enemies. You can tell them apart quite easily as Berserkers are the larger-sized Uruks that wield dual axes.

At anytime after the aforementioned mission, you will now need to locate a Berserker around Mordor or inside a Uruk Stronghold. Once you find one, build up your combo meter so that is turns red and lure the Berserker near a campfire. Be ready to push/throw him into the fire so that he catches ablaze. You will have a short window of time to pull off the execution finisher (+) so act quickly!
A Graug's Heel

20
Capitalize on a Warchief's Fear.
Like any main Uruk enemy within the game, Warchiefs will always have specific weaknesses that you will want to exploit in the midst of combat. In order to learn of an enemy's weaknesses however, you will have to interrogate one of his bodyguards!

Once you are aware of the Warchief's weaknesses, now you will be able to exploit that weakness in battle for this achievement. Weaknesses vary from a bunch of different things, such as a fear of fire, Ghuls, Caragors, Graugs, or Morgai Flies. Other times, the weakness can be vulnerability to ranged attacks, combat finishers, stealth finishers, mounted attacks, and other combat tactics. Remember, you want to look out for a fear weakness, rather than a vulnerability weakness!

Once you have successfully capitalized on a Warchief's "fear" weakness in combat, finish him off with the final blow and the achievement will be yours upon his death.