============================================================================== ============================================================================== The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: The Palantír of Saruman version 1.0 ============================================================================== ============================================================================== This guide is for the Palantír of Saruman only. ============================================================================== To unlock this level, beat the Crack of Doom, the final level. I recommend using a character level 10 or higher with all upgrades. I used Aragorn. There are 20 levels, or waves to the Palantír of Saruman. After the first level, you recieve a red health vial. If you do not use the vial, it carries over to the next level. After completeing every 5th level, and on 20, a ranged ammo will appear. These also carry over. You must beat this level, along with the Palantír of Sauron to get 100% completion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Updates: Version 1.0 (1-2-03): Intitial guide. Version 1.1 (1-6-04) Enemy names corrected. ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 1: Enemies: 14 ghost solders Strategy: Simple fighters, just hack and slash, parry if needed. Swift Justice will get you into perfect very quickly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 2: Enemies: 14 Uruk-hai Strategy: Same as ghost soldiers, simple hack and slash. (this idea will come back alot) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 3: Enemies: 7 ghost soldiers and 7 Uruk-hai Strategy: A mixture, this idea will come into play alot also, just repeat the above strategy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 4: Enemies: 8 ghost soldier archers: Strategy: The archers fire at once normally therefor, parry, and move, parry, and move until you are in attack range. The archers seem to run away if charged at, use this if 1 or 2 is left. Charge, and the will be running away, not firing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 5: Enemies: 7 Uruk-hai archers Strategy: The same as above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 6: Enemies: 5 Uruk-hai archers, 5 ghost soldier archers Strategy: A mix of the last 2 levels, use the above strategy. There is not time limit, parring is a must. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Level 7: Enemies: 6 shielded ghost soldiers Strategy: This is the first tough level. They will corner you, and deflect speed attacks. Run, and get one or to to follow you. Use fierce attack to break the shields. Helm's Hammer can take out 2 or 3 shields in one combo, or just knock a guy down so you can deal with him later. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 8: Enemies: 6 shielded Uruk-hai Strategy: The same as above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 9: Enemies: 4 shielded Uruk-hai 4 shielded ghost soldiers Strategy: A mix of the last 2 levels, use the above strategy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 10: Enemies: 6 ghost soldiers 6 Uruk-hai archers Strategy: Run forward, dodging the health if you do want to save it. Here, engage the soldiers, your speed attacks should help parry the arrows. After the soldiers are d own, use the parry, move strategy on the archers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 11: Enemies: 3 huge spiders, 30 large spiders Strategy: Swift justice will get you into perfect quickly, then taking these guys down easy. Use the warriors special move or Gandalf's if you do not have Swift Justice yet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 12: Enemies: 6 shielded ghost soldiers 5 Uruk-hai archers Strategy: This gets tough. I find it easier to take down the shielded enemies first. Use fierce attack on 1 or 2 at a time, the use speed attack. After the shielded enemies have fallen, use the parry, move strategy to take down the archers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 13: Enemies: 6 shielded Uruk 5 ghost soldier archers Strategy: Same as above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 14: Enemies: 4 Uruk 4 shielded ghost soldiers 4 ghost soldier archers Strategy: Take out the unshielded enemies first, and if an archer gets in your way, kill him too. Then, take down the shielded 1 or 2 at a time, and finish off the archers after that. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 15: Enemies: 6 shielded Uruk-hai 4 ghost soliders 3 ghost soldier archers Strategy: Same as above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 16: Enemies: 5 ghost soldier champions Strategy: This is a walk in the park, don't be scared by the health bars. Use Swift Justice and speed attacks to take these guys down. The killing move won't work, even when they lean back. THESE GUYS DROP HEALTH. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 17: Enemies: 4 Uruk-hai Champions Strategy: This is HARD. They will knock you down, and keep you there. Run away to draw one away. Use fierce attack till you see his armor bust. Then, like the ghost soldier champions, use speed attack/Swift Justice to take them down. Repeat on all 4 of them. THESE GUYS DROP HEALTH. Personally, this is the hardest level, next to 20. It took me forever. I had to look up how to take them down myself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 18: Enemies: 4 trolls 20 spiders Strategy: Not hard. Run around the center piece, taking down spiders as they follow. Just don't get in the troll's way. After the spiders are down, take down the trolls with arrows. 5 or 6 should do it per troll. Use the ammo recharge when needed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 19: Enemies: 1 troll 3 shielded Uruk-hai 2 ghost soldier champions 3 spiders Strategy: Try to take out the ghost soldier champions first, you may end up taking down the spiders too. If need arrises, fight the shielded enemies by breaking their shield first. Take the troll down last. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Level 20 Enemies: 2 trolls(big ones) 3 ghost soldier champions 4 ghost soldier archers 3 spiders 3 shielded Uruk-hai Strategy: Hard, no other way to put it. This is where all you have learned comes into play. This can come down to preference as did Level 19. Try to break the shields, so they can be taken down with speed attacks. The ghost soldier champions and spiders are done as one again. Because the trolls are chasing you, you should meet up with the archers. USE THE HEALTH YOU HAVE SAVED at need, this is the final part, no need to save it. When only the trolls are left, run around to get a good shot or two at a time. They may not walk in the same direction. Stick to the VERY outside when moving for a better shot. When only one is left, just pick a spot on the opposite side of the center piece. When he is in range, take him down. The level is over once the last troll is down. You should recieve a TON of XP in this level, but if you're 10 or above, going up a level doesn't matter. Use the XP for buying upgrades for other characters (it carries over). =============================================================================== To make this guide, I used a poster insert from a magazine, and my own head. The enemie names, and number came from the poster, the strategies are mine. In no way was this a copied guide. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact me with questions,corrections, or submit your own tip. Kagger007@earthlink.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Only the following sites have permission to host this guide (more may be added.) http://www.gamefaqs.com http://www.faqs.ign.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This was written by: KaggeR (Kagger007@earthlink.net) Copyright (c)2004 Kirk Geohegan. All rights reserved. You may not use this guide for comercial use or in your own faq/guide without my persmission. Do not sell this guide, it is for private use only. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All trademarks and copyrights in this document are owned by their respective holder. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lord Matthias for pointing out enemy name mistakes. =============================================================================== end