Picking up where the first leg of the campaign leaves off, this War in the North walkthrough part 2 covers everything from the Rivendell hub through the Ettenmoors, Mount Gundabad, and the final push into Carn Dûm. If you are following a War in the North GOG walkthrough or a War in the North Steam walkthrough, the chapter structure stays identical across platforms, so the route below applies regardless of where you bought the Legacy Edition. The real question this guide answers is simple: how to beat the game without missing key loot, boss mechanics, or the New Game Plus unlock that awaits after the credits roll.
The second half of the campaign is where difficulty spikes become noticeable, especially on Heroic and Legendary settings. Enemy density increases, elite orc variants appear more frequently, and the boss fights demand that you actually understand the hot-swap system rather than mashing through them. Community reports from players who have completed full runs on the Legacy Edition consistently point to the same conclusion: the Rivendell-to-Carn Dûm stretch is where most failed attempts happen, not because the game becomes unfair, but because the pacing shifts from exploration to sustained combat pressure.
Rivendell Hub Preparations and the Road to the Ettenmoors
The Rivendell hub acts as the last true safe zone before the campaign's difficulty curve steepens, and treating it as a simple cutscene stop is a mistake that costs you later. Before you leave the valley, you should complete every available side objective, purchase the best gear the vendors offer, and make sure your party's skill points are allocated with a clear build direction in mind. The Legacy Edition does not reset your progress when you move to the next chapter, so anything you skip here is gone until a New Game Plus run.
The chapter transition into the Ettenmoors begins with a briefing from Elrond, who explains that the trio must push north to disrupt Agandaûr's forces. This is also where you receive the quest that leads to the Stone Giant encounter, one of the more memorable fights in the game because it introduces the eagle assistance mechanic. According to the Wikipedia plot summary for the game, the party helps the Eagles kill the Stone-giant Bargrisar in the Ettenmoors, and Gwaihir joins with eagles Baranthor and Armenel to assist. That context matters because the fight is designed around timing your attacks with the eagles' dive-bombing runs.
Before you step into the Ettenmoors, preparation is non-negotiable—this zone is the game's first real difficulty spike, where enemy groups like the Orc Berserkers and Warg packs can stun-lock an under-leveled party. Veteran players prioritize completing all Rivendell side quests (especially "The Lost Army" and "The Fall of Fornost") to reach level 15-16 before crossing the Bruinen, which unlocks the crucial "Battle Cry" tier of the Eregion skill tree. Stock up on at least 20 Elven Healing Draughts and 10 Fire Oil from the Rivendell vendors, as the Ettenmoors' trolls and goblin shamans are notoriously resistant to standard steel, making fire damage and crowd-control abilities far more effective than raw DPS in the early skirmishes.
-
Stock up on health and mana potions — the Ettenmoors has no vendor, and the trek to Mount Gundabad is long. Carry at least 20 of each, more if you are playing on Heroic.
-
Upgrade your primary weapons — the Rivendell smith offers tier-appropriate upgrades that make the Stone Giant fight significantly more manageable. Skipping this means longer fights and more chances for mistakes.
-
Assign skill points before leaving — unspent points do not auto-allocate, and the Ettenmoors encounters punish under-leveled builds. Check each hero's tree and commit to a direction.
-
Equip cold resistance gear — the Ettenmoors and Mount Gundabad both feature environmental effects that drain health over time. Cold resistance reduces this drain noticeably.
The Rivendell hub also contains a few collectible items that tie into the achievement system, so if you are chasing completion, sweep the area thoroughly before the story moves you forward. Players who follow a full game walkthrough often note that the Rivendell section is easy to rush through, but the payoff for exploring every corner shows up in the later chapters when you have access to better gear and more skill points.
Understanding the Ettenmoors Enemy Composition
The Ettenmoors introduces a mix of orc raiders, warg riders, and the occasional troll, all of which behave differently from the enemies you faced in Fornost. Orc archers now spawn in elevated positions, forcing you to either close distance quickly or use ranged attacks to thin them out before engaging melee fighters. Warg riders are fast and hit hard, but they telegraph their charges with a distinct growl, giving you a brief window to dodge or parry.
The key to surviving the Ettenmoors is understanding that the game expects you to use the hot-swap mechanic constantly. Eradan can handle archers with his bow, Farin can absorb melee damage with his shield, and Andriel can control crowds with area-of-effect spells. Sticking to one hero for too long leaves you vulnerable to the enemy composition, which is designed to punish single-character tunnel vision.
Bargrisar the Stone Giant Boss Fight
The Bargrisar encounter is the first major boss fight in this War in the North walkthrough part 2, and it serves as a gatekeeper for the rest of the campaign. The fight takes place in a rocky arena with several elevation changes, and Bargrisar uses a combination of ground slams, rock throws, and sweeping melee attacks that cover a wide arc. The trick is that you cannot simply out-damage him; the fight is structured around the eagle assistance mechanic that the story introduces just before the battle begins.
When the fight starts, the eagles circle overhead and periodically dive-bomb Bargrisar, leaving him stunned for a few seconds. Your job is to recognize these windows and unload your highest-damage abilities during them. The stun windows are short, roughly three to four seconds, so you need to have your skill rotation ready before the eagles commit to their dive. Wasting a stun window on light attacks is the most common mistake new players make, and it extends the fight by several minutes.
Here is a breakdown of the Bargrisar fight phases: the encounter is a three-stage duel where positioning dictates survival. In Phase 1, Bargrisar relies on sweeping club arcs and ground slams that telegraph with a distinct wind-up, so use the arena’s perimeter pillars to break line-of-sight and bait his charge. Phase 2 triggers at roughly 60% health, introducing his rock-throw volley—a three-projectile spread that demands lateral dodging rather than backpedaling, as his tracking leads to cheap hits. The final phase below 30% HP sees him enrage, boosting attack speed by roughly 40% and chaining his slam into an immediate AoE shockwave; this is where you must burn your Elven Rage or a crafted Fire Oil to stagger him and close the gap, or the fight drags into a war of attrition you’ll lose. For co-op, designate one player to flank and interrupt the throw wind-up while the tank holds aggro near the western cliff edge to avoid knockback hazards.
| Phase | Trigger | Key Mechanics | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Fight start | Ground slams, rock throws, wide melee sweeps | Stay mobile, bait attacks, punish with ranged damage |
| Phase 2 | 50% health | Adds spawn, Bargrisar gains a charge attack | Clear adds quickly, use eagle stun windows for burst |
| Phase 3 | 25% health | Enraged state, faster attack chains | Keep distance, wait for eagle stuns, commit to full combo |
The fight rewards patience over aggression, which is a theme that carries through the rest of the campaign. If you try to brute-force Bargrisar by standing toe-to-toe and trading blows, you will burn through your potion supply and likely wipe on Heroic difficulty. The better approach is to treat the fight as a rhythm game: dodge his attacks, wait for the eagles, then punish during the stun windows.
Players who have already faced the earlier boss encounters will notice that Bargrisar hits harder than anything in Fornost, and the attack patterns are less forgiving. If you are struggling with the fight, consider reviewing the boss guide for all encounters to see how the Stone Giant compares to the other major fights in the game. The patterns are learnable, but they require a different mindset than the earlier chapters.
Positioning and the Elevation Advantage
The arena's elevation changes are not just visual; they actually affect combat. Standing on higher ground gives you a damage bonus against enemies below, and it also makes it easier to avoid Bargrisar's ground slam shockwaves, which radiate outward in a circle. Use the terrain to your advantage by kiting Bargrisar toward the edges of the arena, where his rock throws are easier to dodge because they have a predictable arc.
When the adds spawn in Phase 2, they come from the arena's lower entrances, which means you can funnel them through choke points if you position correctly. This is especially useful on Legendary difficulty, where the adds hit hard enough to end the fight if left unchecked. Clear the adds first, then refocus on Bargrisar during the next eagle stun window.
The Fortress Infiltration and Sonic Weapon Plan
After the Ettenmoors, the campaign pushes toward Mount Gundabad, a dwarven ancestral home that has been overrun by orc forces. The approach is a long, linear corridor filled with enemy encounters, environmental hazards, and a few optional side paths that contain loot chests. This section is where the War in the North walkthrough part 2 really tests your resource management, because there are no vendors between the Ettenmoors and the Mount Gundabad fortress interior.
The story here involves helping the dwarves Nordri and Bruni activate a sonic weapon that collapses the fortress, as detailed in the Wikipedia plot summary. The sonic weapon is a multi-stage objective that requires you to defend the dwarves while they work, which means you will face waves of enemies that grow more aggressive with each stage. The defense phases are the hardest part of this section, especially if you have not conserved your potions.
To reach the Gundabad gatehouse without triggering the Frost Giant ambush, follow the western cliff edge past the first ruined watchtower, then drop down through the collapsed bridge gap rather than taking the main path. This route keeps you above the warg pack spawn triggers until you reach the sonic-crystal platform, where you can activate the war horn to shatter the ice wall and funnel enemies into a single choke point for AoE attacks.
-
Clear the outer perimeter first — the initial orc camp has several chests that contain upgrade materials. Do not skip them; the materials are needed for late-game weapon upgrades.
-
Use Andriel's crowd control during the defense phases — her area-of-effect spells can hold enemies at choke points while the dwarves work on the sonic weapon.
-
Keep Farin in front during the corridor fights — his shield blocks the majority of incoming damage, and his taunt ability pulls aggro off the dwarves.
-
Save your hero mode for the final defense wave — the last wave before the weapon activates is the most intense, and hero mode gives you the damage boost needed to clear it quickly.
The Mount Gundabad section also introduces a new enemy type: the Gundabad Orc Berserker. These enemies have a distinct red aura and deal significantly more damage than standard orcs, but they also have less health, making them priority targets. Focus them down quickly with ranged attacks or spells before they close the distance.
The Fortress Interior and Nordinbad Transition
Once the sonic weapon collapses the fortress, the story transitions to Nordinbad, where the party is rescued by the Eagles. This section is shorter than the Mount Gundabad approach, but it contains one of the game's more memorable set pieces: the flight sequence where the eagles carry the party across the mountains. There is no combat during this sequence, but it serves as a narrative breather before the final chapters.
At Nordinbad, you get a brief respite with vendors and a chance to upgrade gear before the push toward Carn Dûm. This is the last opportunity to buy consumables before the final stretch, so stock up generously. The vendors here offer some of the best equipment in the game, and the prices are reasonable if you have been looting chests throughout the campaign.
Carn Dûm Final Chapters and the Agandaûr Confrontation
The final chapters take place in Carn Dûm, the Witch-king's ancient stronghold, and they represent the hardest content in the campaign. The enemy density is at its highest, the elite variants appear regularly, and the boss fights require precise execution. This is where the War in the North walkthrough part 2 earns its keep, because the strategies that worked in earlier chapters will not carry you through the endgame.
The Carn Dûm section is divided into several distinct areas, each with its own enemy composition and environmental hazards. The first area is a winding corridor filled with archer platforms and melee chokepoints, designed to punish rushing. The second area opens into a large courtyard with multiple waves of enemies, including a mini-boss that guards the path forward. The third area is the final confrontation with Agandaûr himself.
Carn Dûm's final stretch throws a deliberately mixed roster at you—ranging from fast, shield-bearing Orc Berserkers that punish careless spacing to hulking Troll Chieftains whose overhead smash can one-shot a squishy Farin if you don't sidestep on reaction. The real threat, though, is the pair of Agandaûr's Lieutenants guarding the inner gate: they buff nearby Grishnákh-spawned adds with a red aura that boosts their damage by roughly 40%, so you'll want to prioritize burning the Lieutenants down with a Ranger's Piercing Shot or a Champion's Brutal Swing before clearing the trash. Since this section feeds directly into the Agandaûr confrontation, conserving your elf-stone and healing potions here is critical—wasting them on the chaff leaves you underprepared for his frost-based AoE phase.
| Enemy Type | Health Pool | Threat Level | Counter Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carn Dûm Orc Warrior | Medium | Moderate | Parry their heavy attacks, punish with light combos |
| Carn Dûm Orc Archer | Low | High | Close distance quickly or use ranged attacks |
| Carn Dûm Berserker | High | Critical | Focus fire, use crowd control to isolate |
| Fell Beast (final fight) | Very High | Critical | Use eagle assistance windows for burst damage |
The final fight against Agandaûr is the culmination of the entire campaign, and it involves a multi-phase structure that tests everything you have learned. According to the Wikipedia plot summary, if Beleram is summoned during the fight, he kills a fell-beast before being killed by Agandaûr, whose distraction allows the trio to slay him. If Beleram is not summoned, he survives the encounter. This choice affects the ending and has implications for New Game Plus.
The Beleram Summon Decision
The decision to summon Beleram during the final fight is one of the most significant narrative choices in the game, and it has gameplay implications beyond the story. Summoning Beleram gives you a powerful ally during the fight, but it costs you the eagle summon for the rest of the encounter. Not summoning him means you face Agandaûr without assistance, but Beleram survives to help in future battles.
For players focused on how to beat the game efficiently, summoning Beleram is the recommended choice because the distraction mechanic creates a massive damage window. The trade-off is that you lose the eagle's utility for the remainder of the fight, which matters if you are struggling with the fell-beast adds. Players who have completed the fight on Legendary difficulty report that the summon is almost mandatory for the final phase, where the damage output required to break Agandaûr's defenses is extremely high.
The fight itself has three distinct phases, and each one demands a different tactical shift from your party. Phase 1 is purely a DPS race against Agandaûr’s frost bolts, where you should burn him down with Beleram’s summoned eagles dealing passive damage while you focus on dodging the telegraphed AoE circles. Phase 2 introduces the boss’s shield, which is only breakable by having Beleram dive-bomb the barrier—so you must keep the summon alive by clearing the incoming warg riders. Phase 3 is the enrage phase, where Agandaûr spams his ice storm; here, you need to pop your healing potions and use Farin’s shield bash to interrupt the cast, or the party wipes. Knowing which phase you’re in is key to timing Beleram’s cooldown, as a poorly timed summon in Phase 2 leaves you helpless in Phase 3.
-
Phase 1: Agandaûr uses sorcery attacks, including projectile volleys and area-of-effect explosions. Keep your distance and punish his recovery windows.
-
Phase 2: The fell-beast joins the fight, forcing you to split attention. Use the eagle summon here to eliminate the fell-beast quickly, then refocus on Agandaûr.
-
Phase 3: Agandaûr enters an enraged state with faster attack chains and new moves. This is where the distraction mechanic from the eagle summon becomes critical.
The fight is challenging, but it is also fair. Every attack has a tell, and the game gives you enough time to react if you are paying attention. The key is to avoid panic-rolling and instead learn the specific dodge timing for each attack pattern. If you are struggling, the final boss guide breaks down the Úrgost and Agandaûr encounters in more detail.
Post-Game Content and New Game Plus Unlock
Once the credits roll, the game unlocks New Game Plus, which allows you to carry over your character levels, skill points, and gear into a fresh playthrough. This is where the real longevity of the campaign comes from, because the higher difficulty settings in New Game Plus offer better loot and more challenging encounters. The unlock happens automatically after you complete the final mission, and you can start a New Game Plus run from the main menu.
The New Game Plus mode scales enemy health and damage significantly, so the strategies that worked in your first playthrough will need adjustment. Community data from players who have completed multiple New Game Plus cycles suggests that the difficulty curve is steep but fair, with each cycle requiring a more optimized build and better gear. The achievement system also rewards New Game Plus runs, so if you are chasing completion, this is where the grind begins.
Here is what carries over and what resets in New Game Plus: your character’s level, skill points, and all equipped gear—including legendary loot like the Aegis of the North—persist, but story progression, unlocked Waypoints, and the Morale system reset entirely. This means you must re-earn Elven Rations and Healing Herbs from scratch, so prioritize stocking up before triggering the final boss fight against Agandaur to avoid a soft-lock in the early Ettenmoors section. Plan your build around Eradan’s Archery or Farin’s Axe Mastery early, since enemy scaling in Epic difficulty will punish under-leveled secondary skills.
| Carry Over | Resets |
|---|---|
| Character levels and skill points | Quest progress and story flags |
| All gear and weapons | Collectible items (must be re-collected) |
| Gold and consumables | Side quest completion status |
| Achievement progress | Chapter unlocks (must replay through) |
The New Game Plus mode is the primary reason to continue playing after the credits, and it is also where the game's most challenging achievements live. If you are planning to chase the full achievement list, the achievement walkthrough provides a structured approach to unlocking everything efficiently.
Final Tips for a Complete Run
Before you start your New Game Plus cycle, there are a few final tips that will make the experience smoother. First, make sure you have upgraded your gear to the maximum level available in your current playthrough, because the carry-over gear becomes your baseline for the next cycle. Second, save your consumables for the boss fights, since the early chapters of New Game Plus are manageable with basic attacks and abilities. Third, prioritize skill points that enhance your survivability, because the increased enemy damage in New Game Plus punishes glass-cannon builds.
The campaign length varies depending on how much side content you complete, but a focused run through the main story typically takes around 12 to 15 hours. Players who explore everything and complete all side objectives can expect closer to 20 hours, and the New Game Plus cycles add another 10 to 15 hours each depending on your completion goals. The game length guide provides a more detailed breakdown of the time investment across different playstyles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best character to use for the final Agandaûr fight?
Eradan is the strongest choice for the final fight because his ranged stance allows you to deal damage from a safe distance while the eagle summon distracts Agandaûr. His stealth ability also lets you reposition during the enraged phase, which is critical for avoiding the faster attack chains.
Does the Beleram summon choice affect New Game Plus?
The choice affects the ending cutscene and whether Beleram is available as a summon in the final fight of future playthroughs. If you do not summon him, he survives and can be used in subsequent runs. If you do summon him, he dies, and the final fight becomes more challenging in New Game Plus.
How do I unlock the hardest difficulty setting in War in the North?
The Legendary difficulty unlocks after you complete the campaign on Heroic difficulty. You do not need to complete every side quest, but you do need to finish the main story. The unlock is account-wide, so it applies to both the GOG and Steam versions of the Legacy Edition.
What is the fastest way to level up in the second half of the campaign?
Focus on completing the main story objectives rather than grinding side quests, because the story missions grant significantly more experience. The Mount Gundabad defense phases are particularly efficient for experience gain, since the waves of enemies provide consistent kills without requiring travel time.
Can I go back to earlier areas after completing the campaign?
No, the campaign is linear, and you cannot return to earlier chapters after progressing past them. This is why it is important to complete side objectives and collectibles before moving forward. New Game Plus is the only way to revisit earlier areas, and it resets collectible progress.