What does "Nemesis" mean?

[Benson]

I somehow played the whole game without noticing. One of the captains has a label that says "X is your Nemesis." What does this mean? Is there any reason I should prioritize killing him? How does an enemy become my Nemesis?

I finally noticed during the semi-final battle when the game says "defeat your nemesis" and I was like... "who?" It was a captain I forgot about from the first map. Apparently I ran away from him or something?

[Porky Pig]

a long-standing rival; an arch-enemy.
"will Harry Potter finally defeat his nemesis, Voldemort?"
synonyms: arch-enemy, arch-rival, enemy, rival, foe, adversary, opponent, antagonist, combatant, challenger
"will Harry Potter finally defeat his nemesis, Voldemort?"

[Benson]

I know what the word means. I mean what does it mean mechanically? Do I get something special for killing him?

[Porky Pig]

A core feature of Shadow of Mordor is the Nemesis system. The game tracks a number of specially tagged Uruks as part of Sauron's armies, who will lead the other Uruks in battle. Defeating these leaders will help to weaken Sauron's army, and these leaders will drop a rune which the player can install on Talion's weapons to provide additional buffs in battle

[Benson]

I KNOW ALL OF THAT.

I mean what is different about MY Nemesis as opposed to every other captain and warchief in the game? As far as I can tell, there is no difference between killing my Nemesis and killing any other random captain.

[quiescentCeez]

Originally posted by Benson:

I KNOW ALL OF THAT.

I mean what is different about MY Nemesis as opposed to every other captain and warchief in the game? As far as I can tell, there is no difference between killing my Nemesis and killing any other random captain.

I'd like to know too.

Originally posted by Soda in A Plastic Bottle:

I guess the thing that makes him different is that he keeps on killing you.

I haven't died yet in the game although I did have a run in with other captains(it could have been a warchief) joining my fight with my current targeted captain. After killing my targeted captain and wounding/scaring the other captain(or warcheif) who joined in, he ran off. I can't say for exact/sure but maybe that is how I got a warchief as my nemesis. I wasnt taking names at the time so i can't say for sure.

Would like someone to verify this.

[Benson]

Originally posted by gamerCez:

I haven't died yet in the game although I did have a run in with other captains(it could have been a warchief) joining my fight with my current targeted captain. After killing my targeted captain and wounding/scaring the other captain(or warcheif) who joined in, he ran off. I can't say for exact/sure but maybe that is how I got a warchief as my nemesis. I wasnt taking names at the time so i can't say for sure.

Would like someone to verify this.

This was my theory as well. Whenever a captain kills me, I immediately lazer target him until he dies. Because I'm vindictive as hell. So I think if you encounter a captain and he runs away or you do, that counts as you guys having a history. I've done some experimenting today and I'm not sure if there is always a cause.

I'm starting to wonder if the game just arbitrarily assigns you a Nemesis whenever your past one dies. Because I killed 3 Nemesis in a row and I just keep immediately getting another one.

But, I still don't know what you get for killing a Nemesis

[Power_IMP]

Nemises in the game are unique compared to other captains. They usually have their own fighting style, appereance, name, and other characteristics. They also are more affected by Talion's actions and will always react differently towards him every time they meet depending on what Talion did the last time they met, whether Talion fought, fleed, or some other reaction.


Pretty sure they become your nemisis if they kill you once or twice.




Also they might drop more powerful runes for your weapons when killed.

[Mikey]

Your Nemesis is a captain or warchief who killed you in battle at least once, usually the first one to do so.

When the game tags him as your nemesis you will be able to defeat him but he will almost never die off completely. Instead he will keep on coming back for more fights at random and the first few times his appearance will change (he will get scars and/or metal plates on his face) to indicate that you have fought before.

There isn't any real gain in terms of upgraded runes that I know of from the nemesis however it is likely to be a tougher fight than usual as it is a random encounter, and at times during other fights, with someone that already defeated you once before.

You CAN remove the nemesis from your game permanently by branding him and then unceremoneously executing the sod.


Captains that attack you while fighting other captains are ambushers and not nemesi

[Sirius]

I believe "really" killing a Nemesis can also be done by beheading them - Or so I have read.
As long as you manage to kill him, but he keeps his head - he will come back.

Can't confirm that though. The system seems buggy in places.

[Soda in a Plastic Bottle]

Originally posted by |x|SiriuS|x|:

I believe "really" killing a Nemesis can also be done by beheading them - Or so I have read.
As long as you manage to kill him, but he keeps his head - he will come back.

Can't confirm that though. The system seems buggy in places.

Yeah, just have no idea how to behead them.

[Konchuharts]

The decapitation is a random chance base on the combat finisher/execution finisher(when your executiing them not them you) More likely if you use a combat finisher on them. Though while the Nemesis isn't different then any other it will most likely be the only one you'll remember.

[BrotherManBill]

No one had done it yet, so I will

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aocAU7nW3D8

[Benson]

For the most part, the question stands unanswered...

Originally posted by Mikey:

Your Nemesis is a captain or warchief who killed you in battle at least once, usually the first one to do so.

A Captain who kills you is called a "Revenge Target." They get a red icon over their heads.

I'm pretty sure that a Nemesis is primarily someone you've interacted with in the past. I imagine revenge targets take priority over captains you ran away from. And they both would take priority over a captain that ran away from you. But this is just hypothetical, since I certainly didn't keep track of all of the guys I ran into during the game. For all I know, if you kill every captain you've ever seen, it will just assign one to you randomly.

Originally posted by Mikey:

When the game tags him as your nemesis you will be able to defeat him but he will almost never die off completely. Instead he will keep on coming back for more fights at random and the first few times his appearance will change (he will get scars and/or metal plates on his face) to indicate that you have fought before.

This makes a lot of sense. I certainly remember this happening to me. It took me a while to get rid of one guy, and I'm pretty sure if you use a combat execution for a chance to decapitate him you can finish him off for good. I imagine that if another Captain succeeds in executing him, he also will not return.

But I just assumed that's something that could happen with any captain that you don't execute. Since then, I've always executed ones that I want dead. I can't remember one that wasn't decapitated.

Originally posted by Obama Bin Laden:

Nemises in the game are unique compared to other captains. They usually have their own fighting style, appereance, name, and other characteristics. They also are more affected by Talion's actions and will always react differently towards him every time they meet depending on what Talion did the last time they met, whether Talion fought, fleed, or some other reaction.

Every Captain does this.

Originally posted by Mikey:

There isn't any real gain in terms of upgraded runes that I know of from the nemesis

Originally posted by Obama Bin Laden:

Also they might drop more powerful runes for your weapons when killed.

I have no idea which of these is right. And they both seem equally likely to be true

[SirTimmy]

Originally posted by Jaded:

No one had done it yet, so I will

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aocAU7nW3D8

i only clicked on this to see if someone quoted this. Nice

[j2]

If you are playing "Test of the Ring" challenge in Trials of War and you are working on attaining a level 30 Rune, then yes. This becomes important for RNG purposes.

You will need to try and fill criteria on that Nemesis to increase your drop rate % for the level 30 Rune (ie: must be warchief, must be death threatened, must be level 25, must have x bodyguards, etc.).

Good luck!