War in the North best weapons ranked per hero guide

Picking the right loadout in The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition can mean the difference between carving through a pack of orcs and getting pinned behind your shield for the tenth time. The War in the North best weapons aren't just about raw damage numbers — each of the three heroes has a distinct fighting style that rewards specific weapon families, and the Legacy Edition's full party equipment control means you can now outfit CPU-controlled allies with the same care you give your active hero. That shift alone changes how you should think about gearing, because a well-armed companion can hold a flank, burn down a troll, or keep pressure on a boss while you reposition. This guide ranks the War in the North weapon tier list across every weapon family and gives you concrete loadout recommendations for Eradan, Farin, and Andriel based on community testing and the game's own mechanics.

War in the North weapon tier list: how each hero class shapes your choices

The War in the North best weapons are never universal because the game's class system locks each hero into specific weapon families. According to the character breakdown on Wikipedia's War in the North page, Eradan uses a bow, two-handed sword, sword and shield, or dual one-handed swords; Farin wields two-handed axes, one-handed weapons with shield, or a crossbow; and Andriel fights with a staff plus shield or one-handed weapon, with the staff doubling as a long-range weapon. That means your tier list has to be built per hero, not as a single ranking, because a top-tier sword for Eradan tells you nothing about what Farin should carry.

The Legacy Edition adds one crucial wrinkle that changes the meta: full party equipment control. On the Steam store page for the Legacy Edition, the description highlights that you can now outfit CPU-controlled allies as well as your active hero, which means the War in the North best weapons for your companions matter just as much as your own. A poorly equipped ally will drag down your DPS and survivability in the late game, especially on higher difficulties where enemy density spikes.

Before we break down the War in the North weapon tier list hero by hero, understand that your class dictates which of the game's 100+ loot drops (swords, axes, staves, bows, and crossbows) you should prioritize. A Farin axe with high DPS is useless to an Eradan bow build, and a staff's elemental procs only matter if you're channeling magic as Andriel. So, we've ranked each weapon type specifically for its intended hero—not in a vacuum—so you know exactly which legendary drop to chase for your playstyle.

• Eradan is the flexible Ranger — he can adapt to any range, but his skill tree rewards sword-and-shield survivability and dual-wield burst damage in equal measure.

• Farin is the heavy-hitting Dwarf — his two-handed axe builds deliver the highest single-hit damage in the game, while crossbow setups give him a surprisingly strong ranged option.

• Andriel is the spellcasting Elf — her staff is both a melee weapon and a ranged conduit for her magic, which makes it the most mechanically unique weapon family in the game.

Because the game's equipment carries over into New Game Plus along with money, stats, and skills — as noted in the Wikipedia reception section — the choices you make early can pay dividends across multiple playthroughs. That's why it's worth investing time in understanding the War in the North weapon tier list before you sink upgrade materials into gear you'll abandon later.

Eradan's best weapons: sword, shield, and bow rankings

Eradan is the most versatile of the three heroes, and that flexibility means the War in the North best sword for him depends heavily on your preferred playstyle. Community guides on the Steam Community hub consistently rank sword-and-shield as the most reliable option for first playthroughs, because the block mechanic lets you survive encounters you haven't memorized yet. The two-handed sword path trades that safety for significantly higher damage per swing, which becomes more attractive once you've learned enemy attack patterns and can dodge or parry reliably.

Dual-wielding one-handed swords is the highest-risk, highest-reward option. The attack speed is noticeably faster than any other melee setup, and the Dual Strike skill in Eradan's tree amplifies that burst potential. However, you lose the shield's block entirely, and your stamina management becomes critical because you'll be spending it on dodges far more often. Players who master the timing report that dual-wield Eradan melts bosses faster than any other configuration, but it's not a build you want to learn the game with.

His bow is the other half of the equation, and the War in the North best bow for Eradan is genuinely worth carrying even in melee-focused builds. The bow gives you a free opening shot on most encounters, letting you soften a target before closing to melee range. It's also your answer to flying enemies and distant archers that would otherwise force you to chase them down. The Ranger's Draw skill increases bow damage significantly, which makes a hybrid build — bow for openers and crowd control, sword for the main fight — one of the strongest overall strategies.

Sword-and-shield vs. dual-wield: which fits your playstyle

The choice between these two melee styles is the biggest fork in Eradan's progression, and it's worth breaking down the tradeoffs in concrete terms: the sword-and-shield route leans on the Shield Bash stun and the Bulwark skill tree's damage reduction, letting you tank hits from Orc Berserkers while counter-attacking, whereas dual-wielding unlocks the Whirlwind and Flurry passives, trading survivability for roughly 20% higher sustained DPS against single targets like Agandaûr. That raw damage output matters for melting boss health bars, but it leaves you vulnerable to the Warg packs in the Ettenmoors, where a shield's block chance often means the difference between holding a chokepoint and getting swarmed.

The sword-and-shield setup is the community consensus pick for the War in the North best sword loadout when you're learning the game, because the block window is generous and the stamina cost of blocking is far lower than dodging. Once you've cleared the campaign once, though, most players transition to either two-handed or dual-wield for the damage ceiling, especially in New Game Plus where enemy health pools scale up significantly.

Bow loadout tips for Eradan

Your bow should never be an afterthought, because the War in the North best bow gives you a ranged option that no other weapon family in Eradan's kit provides. The Ranger's Draw skill is the key investment here — it boosts bow damage by a meaningful percentage per rank, and maxing it out makes your opening shots hit nearly as hard as a melee swing. Carry the best bow you find even in melee builds, because the utility of pulling enemies one at a time from a group is invaluable on higher difficulties. While a bow covers your approach, your defense in close quarters is just as critical, so pairing that weapon with the right gear is key—check out our breakdown of the War In The North Best Shield to ensure your block and stagger resistance keep pace with that ranged advantage.

Farin's best weapons: axe power and crossbow precision

Farin is the raw damage dealer of the group, and the War in the North best axe for him is almost universally agreed to be the two-handed axe family. The Dwarf's skill tree is built around heavy, telegraphed swings that hit for massive damage, and the two-handed axe amplifies that identity perfectly. Community reports consistently place two-handed axe builds at the top of the War in the North weapon tier list for pure DPS, especially once you unlock skills that add armor penetration and bonus damage against large enemies.

The one-handed axe with shield is the defensive alternative, and it's a legitimate choice for players who find Farin's slow two-handed swings too punishing. The tradeoff is real: you lose a significant chunk of damage per swing, but the shield gives you the same block safety that Eradan's sword-and-shield build enjoys. This setup is particularly useful in the early game before you've invested in the skills that make two-handed axes feel smooth, because the faster swing speed gives you more room to learn enemy timing.

Farin's crossbow is the surprise standout in his kit. It's not just a fallback ranged option — the crossbow's damage per shot is higher than Eradan's bow, and it pairs well with Farin's Dwarven Might passive that boosts damage against enemies at close range. The reload time is slow, but the damage makes it worth weaving between melee swings. The War in the North best crossbow can turn Farin into a hybrid brawler who softens targets from range and then finishes them with axe swings.

Two-handed axe vs. one-handed axe with shield

The two-handed axe is the community pick for the War in the North best axe because the damage numbers simply don't lie — a fully upgraded two-handed axe with the right skills can one-shot basic orcs and stagger even trolls. The downside is that you're committed to your swing animation, so positioning and timing matter more than with any other weapon family. Players who master the charge attack timing report that the two-handed axe becomes the single strongest weapon in the entire game.

Crossbow builds for Farin

The War in the North best crossbow for Farin is worth seeking out even if you're committed to melee, because the ranged option lets you handle encounters that would otherwise force you to take damage. The crossbow's high per-shot damage means you can pick off enemy archers before they get in range, and the knockback on some crossbow models can interrupt charging enemies. Pair it with the Dwarven Might passive and you'll be dealing respectable damage at any range.

Andriel's best weapons: the staff as a spell conduit

Andriel's weapon selection is the most unique of the three, because the War in the North best staff isn't just a melee weapon — it's the conduit for her entire spellcasting kit. The staff doubles as a long-range weapon, which means Andriel can contribute damage from any position without ever switching weapons. This makes her the most flexible hero in terms of positioning, because she never has to choose between being in melee range and being able to cast.

The staff's melee attacks are slower than Eradan's swords or Farin's axes, but they have a wider arc that hits multiple enemies, which makes them excellent for crowd control. The staff spin attack is particularly strong — it hits everything around Andriel and can stagger groups of enemies, giving her space to cast a spell or reposition. Community guides consistently rank the staff as the War in the North best staff option because no other weapon family offers this combination of melee coverage and ranged spellcasting.

Andriel can also use a one-handed weapon with a shield, which trades the staff's ranged capability for better survivability. This setup is viable but generally considered weaker, because it forces Andriel to be in melee range more often and removes her ability to contribute from distance. The staff plus shield combination is the middle ground — you keep the staff's spellcasting but add a shield for blocking, though the shield's block value is lower than what Farin or Eradan get with their dedicated shield setups.

Staff attack patterns and spell synergy

The staff's ranged attack is the key mechanic to master, because it lets Andriel weave spell casts between staff strikes without ever repositioning. The staff spin attack is your best melee tool for clearing groups, and it sets up your area-of-effect spells perfectly because it staggers enemies into a cluster. The War in the North best staff for Andriel is the one that boosts her spell damage directly, since that stat amplifies both her staff's ranged attack and her actual spells.

Staff plus shield: the balanced approach

The staff plus shield combo is the community's recommended setup for players who want Andriel to be more durable without sacrificing her spellcasting. The shield's block value is lower than dedicated shield builds, but it's enough to survive a few hits while you reposition or finish a cast. This setup shines in boss fights where you need to block a telegraphed attack and then immediately cast a spell during the recovery window. It's not the highest damage option, but it's the most forgiving.

Weapon upgrade priority and New Game Plus strategy

The Legacy Edition's equipment system has a specific quirk that shapes your upgrade strategy: gear carries over into New Game Plus along with money, stats, and skills, as documented in the Wikipedia reception section. That means the War in the North best weapons you invest upgrade materials into will stay with you across multiple playthroughs, which makes upgrade priority a long-term decision rather than a short-term one.

Community testing suggests focusing your first upgrade materials on your hero's primary weapon rather than spreading them thin across multiple pieces. For Eradan, that means your sword or bow; for Farin, your axe; for Andriel, your staff. The reasoning is straightforward: weapon damage scales directly with upgrade level, and a single well-upgraded weapon outperforms two mediocre ones in almost every encounter. Armor upgrades matter too, but they're secondary to weapon damage in the early game.

The Legendary equipment tier is where the real power lies, and it's worth farming for specific pieces once you understand your build. Community reports indicate that set bonuses for matching armor pieces provide significant stat boosts, which means you should plan your gear around completing sets rather than mixing and matching random pieces. The War in the North best weapons in the Legendary tier often have unique modifiers that can't be found on lower-tier gear, so it's worth checking every vendor and loot drop for these pieces.

Upgrade priority checklist

• Primary weapon first: your main damage source gets the first upgrade materials, because it directly increases your DPS in every fight.

• Secondary weapon second: your ranged option or off-hand weapon gets the next batch, since it covers situations your primary can't handle.

• Armor third: survivability matters, but only after your damage output is solid enough to end fights quickly.

• Accessories last: stat-boosting accessories are nice, but they're the least impactful upgrade target in the early game.

The New Game Plus difficulty spike is significant, and players who don't upgrade their weapons before starting it will feel the difference immediately. Enemy health pools scale up noticeably, and your damage output needs to keep pace. The War in the North weapon tier list shifts slightly in New Game Plus because status effects and armor penetration become more valuable as enemy defenses scale — a weapon that was mid-tier in the first playthrough can become top-tier in the second.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best weapon for Eradan in War in the North?

The War in the North best sword for Eradan depends on your playstyle, but the sword-and-shield setup is the community's top recommendation for first playthroughs because the block mechanic provides reliable survivability. Once you learn enemy patterns, dual-wielding one-handed swords offers the highest damage output.

Is the two-handed axe worth using for Farin?

Yes, the two-handed axe is widely considered the War in the North best axe because it delivers the highest single-hit damage in the game. The slow swing speed requires practice, but fully upgraded with the right skills, it can one-shot basic enemies and stagger bosses.

Does Andriel's staff count as a ranged weapon?

Yes. Andriel's staff doubles as a long-range weapon, letting her chain melee combos into charged staff bolts without swapping gear. This hybrid flexibility outclasses Eradan's bow and Farin's crossbow during Fornost's siege, where you clear battlement archers while fending off Uruk-hai, making her the most versatile hero for positioning.

Should I upgrade weapons or armor first?

Community testing consistently recommends upgrading your primary weapon first, because weapon damage scales directly with upgrade level and directly increases your DPS. In the early game, a +3 Elven Blade outperforms a +1 Dwarven Axe by roughly 15% against Orc raiders, making armor upgrades secondary to raw damage output until you reach the Ettenmoors.

Do weapons carry over into New Game Plus?

Yes, all equipment carries over into New Game Plus alongside money, stats, and skills. Since the Legacy Edition adds full party equipment control, you can outfit CPU-controlled allies with your best War in the North weapons before starting. Prioritize upgrading Eradan's dual-wield swords or Farin's two-handed axe, as those investments persist across every playthrough.