Edain 4.5: The Three Hunters in Rohan's new spellbook news

Unfortunately, it took us a little bit longer since our last update than we would have expected and wished, because we've been considerably busy with figuring everything out concerning new privacy guidelines and the forum, for a long time. Given that it's finally done, we can focus fully on the Mod again!

Today we would like to introduce you to the new Three Hunters spell, which got a completely new concept and role within the context of Rohan's new Spellbook.

The Three Hunters began their journey after the breaking of the Fellowship, with the foremost mission to liberate Merry and Pippin from the captivity of Isengard. The hunt led them, after several days of strenuous chasing, to the land of Rohan, where the three heroes first met Éomer and then the reborn Gandalf in the Forest of Fangorn. Their help was essential in the battle against Saruman at Helm's Deep, in order to end the menace that the White Hand posed, together with the triumph under the renewed leadership of Théoden.
The Three Hunters grew very close as a group during the quest and became very fond companions. They almost fought as a single entity and could always rely on each other in times of dire necessity.

The spell is a passive one, placed in the third row on the left tree.

The said spell allows the player to recruit the Three Hunters in the fortress for the cost of 1500 resources. That means you may now have them permanently on the battlefield! The most crucial aspect is that the Three Hunters will no longer appear as individual heroes, but they now work as a single hero battalion. This is how the holistic feature acquires a unique design, instead of recycling previous solutions from the past.

Their abilities are mostly inspired by the original heroes: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli bring each one of their iconic powers into the battalion's skill set. However, there are also a couple of smart tricks which they don't dispose of on their own.

Orc Hunt: The Three Hunters move faster for a short time.
Elendil: Aragorn's battle cry makes foes flee.
Slayer: Gimli unleashes his fury and attacks enemies. For 30 seconds, his attacks damage nearby enemy units and knock them back.
Arrow Wind: Legolas attacks enemies with his bow for a short time, in the target area. His arrow pierces foes and may hit more than once.

Furthermore, another advantage consists of the fact that the Three Hunters come immediately at level 10, which means that the player does not have to train them further and can therefore make use of their full potential from the very start!

In addition to that, there is another special feature to consider: the player can choose the leader of the battalion through the first slot (ability) of the Palantír. Depending on whether Gimli, Legolas or Aragorn is appointed as the leader, three different bonuses are offered by each leadership. A yellow marker indicates who leads the battalion in that precise moment.

Aragorn: Less damage by melee attacks.
Legolas: Significantly increased damage.
Gimli: Area-of-effect damage.

We chose the system because we wanted to emphasise the recurrent co-operation theme among the heroes: either during their foray in the wilderness of Rohan or even before the walls of Minas Tirith, they always fought side by side as loyal fellows, and this we have exactly stressed thanks to the mentioned innovative mechanics. As the spell can be purchased quite later in the game, we thought it was better to have the battalion be recruited immediately at its maximum level, so it doesn't end up being too weak as a strategy tool.

To better co-operate with the other two heroes, Legolas fights with his knives. Nevertheless, he can still use his arrow-hail ability to temporarily grab the bow to strike enemies from a distance. This again sets him apart from his role as an independent hero in Lothlórien, via the Mirkwood outpost.

The spell itself should fulfil a long-term purpose. The player should be rewarded by the addition of a strong hero battalion throughout the game. The special leader system permits you to match the Three Hunters perfectly to any specific battle situation, so that the spell can suit better every circumstance and show its useful effects. It must be noted, though, that the Three Hunters benefit most from a strong force comprising infantry and ranged troops, while Highborn Warhorses, as an alternative spell, supports a strategy that is in the main based on cavalry.

We hope you'll enjoy the update and look forward to seeing the Three Hunters on the battlefield!

Your Edain Team