Battle for Middle Earth 2 - Evil Campaign - One Ring Powers

Battle for Middle Earth II - Evil Campaign - One Ring Powers
This is a hint/walkthrough post for Battle for Middle Earth II. You can find an index of all our Battle for Middle Earth II posts here.

There are a lot of One Ring powers, more so than EvenStar Powers. And if you played the original The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth, you will want to discard what you know about them because many of the rules have changed. For example, Elven Land lasts a long time, but ultimately expires. Also, many bonuses no longer stack.

I recommending getting powers to reach all four of the Tier 4 powers as quickly as possible. There is very little synergy here, but powers which don't stack can at least be used at different times (i.e., while the other power is recharging). I would skip resource-related powers as you can generally hold ground and accumulate a ridiculous amount.

Powers are made available in the Campaigns based on what mission you are in, and sometimes unlocked by mission events. You begin with 5 Power Points in Mission 1, and can typically earn 10 more Power Points in each Mission. Leftover Power Points carry over from mission to mission.
Note that some powers are available in one Mission, but might be unavailable in the next unless you have already purchased them.

The key powers to get are Untamed Allegiance (for a bonus mission objective, if you want to do them), Arrow Volley (remarkably good for taking down large clumps of enemy units -- they do not move when the initial targeting arrow falls), and Rain of Fire (available only in Evil Mission 8; does not summon a creature on the battlefield).

Going into Mission 8 you can have accumulated 120 Power Points, which actually isn't a lot if you are going for all the Tier-4 powers. Aim for Arrow Volley and Industry, because between the two of them, they give you access to all the Tier-4 powers.

Mission 1 - Lórien

• Cave Bats - Reveals the shroud and detects stealthed units. Significantly reduces enemy Armor and Damage.
• War Chant - Target allies gain +50% Damage and +50% Armor. Does not stack.
• Tainted Land - Taints an area of terrain. All ally units gain +50% Damage and +50% Armor. Does not stack.
• Scavenger - All kills earn extra resources. Passive power.

Mission 2 - Grey Havens

• Summon Watcher - The Watcher in the Water cannot move. Knocks units back, but sometimes melee units can get through before they are smacked back.

Mission 3 - The Shire

• Summon Wildmen of Dunland - Available only when you reach the southeastern checkpoint and a battalion joins you. The Wild Men of Dunland generate resources (looting) whenever they attack a structure.
• Darkness - Temporarily covers the entire map in darkness. All ally units gain +50% Damage and +50% Armor. Does not stack.
• NOT AVAILABLE - Summon Watcher

Mission 4 - Fornost

• Summon Watcher.
• Devastation - Trees are instantly turned into resources.
• Untamed Allegiance - You need this power to complete the bonus objective of controlling the two Spiderling lairs. Neutral monster lair comes under your control. It must not be reduced to ruins. If you attacked it and levelled it but did not utterly destroy it (which would result in it disappearing and replaced by treasure chests), you can wait until it rebuilds. Any units from the lair come under your control when you take control of your lair. Overall a very useless power since you have no control over what Lairs are available to you, and the creatures you get aren't that great. In the Evil Campaign, the most powerful creature (Fire Drakes) are available only in Mission 7 (Erebor). For everything else, you can recruit better units from your own buildings.
• Eye of Sauron - Summons the Eye of Sauron. Reveals stealthed enemies. Allies gain +50% Damage, +50% Armor, and earn experience twice as fast.

Mission 5 - Mirkwood - 15 Power Points can be earned in this mission.

• Barricade - Summons a defensive tower garrisoned with archers.
• Summon Spiderling Allies - Available after you bring Shelob to the spider lairs on the west side, across the water.
• Arrow Volley - Launches a volley of flaming arrows anywhere on the map. Similar to the Ithilien Rangers power, but stronger.
• Fuel the Fires - +100% resources from harvesting trees. Passive power.
• NOT AVAILABLE - Eye of Sauron

Mission 6 - Withered Heath - 20 Power Points can be earned in this mission.

• Eye of Sauron.

Mission 7 - Erebor - 40 Power Points can be earned in this mission.

• Awaken Wyrm - The wyrm sometimes breathes fire but mostly attacks by swimming in and out of the ground and knocking targets down.
• Industry - Selected structure's resource output is permanently raised to 300%.
• Summon Dragon - Very vulnerable to archers, especially archers with upgraded bows (e.g., Silverthorn Arrows). They will severely limit the dragon's life on the battlefield. One breath usually takes down most buildings. Can definitely take down any of the towers attached to a fortress. Very slow startup for its breath weapon, and if you target something too close, the dragon often gets confused while moving aside to the minimum standoff distance.
• Dragon Strike - This power has a very slow startup once placed, and it actually calls a dragon, so that dragon can be shot at and potentially eliminated before it breathes fire. The single breath has a huge area of effect.

Mission 8 - Rivendell - Over 40 Power Points can be earned in this mission. All powers now available.

• Summon Balrog - Lots of powers, but lower survivability than the dragon from the Summon Dragon power. The whip recharges quickly and is very powerful, good for taking down buildings quickly or against heroes. Try to place this where you can direct it to use its breath weapon immediately. If you place the breath weapon too close to it or if the Balrog would be in the area of effect, the Balrog will reposition first. By then, archers might already have killed it.
• Rain of Fire - Not initially available. Listen for the announcement about Mount Doom. The best of the Tier-4 powers because it does not summon a creature and its effect happens quite quickly.