EA has launched Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth. It plays similarly to Galaxy of Heroes, one of the best Android gacha games. So players familiar with the turn-based strategy gameplay will feel right at home with Heroes of Middle-earth. But, of course, our guide covers all the basics, from learning the essential upgrade systems to getting a handle on the right heroes — this way, you won’t fall into the common traps of spending more resources than you should while playing on your favorite Android phone.
Gathering Shards and collecting companions
Once you have enough Shards, tap Collection and select Summon to unlock a new character. Shards commonly drop from replaying stages on Hard mode and completing daily tasks. Once you’ve acquired more, rinse and repeat the summoning process to claim new heroes and ascensions (stars on existing characters).
Look for heroes worth the investment
Beginners will be hunting Shards to unlock more heroes as they play. But not every hero is worth using, especially in a game that depends on auto-battling for easy wins.
Re-rolling in Heroes of Middle-earth
You may be tempted to re-roll to boost your account, but unfortunately (and fortunately), there are no banners to roll on. The primary way to acquire characters is by collecting enough fragments, which you get from playing the game and opening daily chests. Since the gacha interaction is limited, you don’t have to stress over re-rolling.
Create two teams and choose an active leader
Consider your team options when tackling content like the Campaign and Arena; new players should focus on the Light and Shadow Campaign before heading into other modes. Below we’ve listed two potent team cores that will help you through the early-game content.
Beginner teams:
- (Light) Lady Éowyn (leader), Éothain, Strider, Pippin
- (Dark) Ghâzh Ironhide (leader), Bolg, Gruhúr the Brute, Dûnhar
Note: This is an example that should work well for beginners. With enough investment and a good choice of leader — you can take down the first few chapters without worries.
A typical team should contain a debuffer, a buffer, a healer, and a solid DPS. Ultimately you will play for the highest DPS or become the tankiest (defensive) team to achieve some wins.
How to make your heroes stronger
Completing the Campaign and replaying the chapters will net rewards used for upgrading and acquiring new characters. So you’re advised to focus on strengthening units until you can comfortably earn three stars per stage.
Equipping gear
You will craft gear for each empty slot; there are six slots in total. Equipping all six slots will increase the gear tier level. Upping the gear tier improves the overall unit stats and unlocks new abilities. If you procure enough materials, you can recite this process — but be weary of how much Gold you’ve spent.
Tap Find to acquire more materials (quests and Campaign drops) to locate the required drops.
Leveling up
Leveling up is the easiest way to secure a quick boost for your character’s stats. But, eventually, you will reach a cap on levels, meaning you must dip into ascensions and gear to procure more upgrades. Don’t forget to keep stockpiling as much Gold as possible — without Gold, you can’t finish these enhancements.
EA brings gacha to Lord of the Rings on mobile
EA’s officially licensed Lord of the Rings game is now available on phones/tablets — which is a big deal if you’ve followed the series since J.R.R. Tolkien’s first publication in 1937 (The Hobbit). With Heroes of Middle-earth reaching mobile, the more tech-savvy generation can lightly experience the brilliance behind this aging franchise. Fans of Galaxy of Heroes who already indulge in the light strategy/gacha hybrid should also check out EA’s new prized title, which is why we’ve added the download link below.
