What are the Names of the 9 Nazgûl? – An In-Depth Gamer‘s Guide
As a Lord of the Rings gaming fanatic, I live and breathe the lore behind Sauron’s dreaded Ringwraiths. After pouring over Tolkien’s works and analyzing their video game adaptations, I present you the ultimate gamer’s guide on naming Tolkien’s 9 Nazgûl!
1. The Witch-King of Angmar
The Witch-king is not given an original mortal name, but he is the mightiest of the Nine. As per Tolkien lore, he founded the Kingdom of Angmar as Lord of the Úlairë. He became Sauron’s greatest servant and led the assault on Minas Ithil and Osgiliath.
In LOTR games, the Witch-King is portrayed as:
- BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy) in Lord of the Rings Online
- Final boss in LOTR: Return of the King video game
- Playable as Legendary Orc follower in Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
His iconic weapons like the sword and flail he uses to shatter Gandalf’s staff make multiple video game appearances. As a playable follower, he wields devastating dark magic attacks to turn the tide of battle!
Witch-King Boss Battle Analysis
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Health Pool | 25000 HP on higher difficulties |
| Key Attacks | Howling Blast (AoE), Morgul Stab (DoT), Summoning Reinforcements |
| Weaknesses | Vulnerable after certain unblockable attacks |
2. Khamûl The Easterling
Khamûl the Easterling is the only Nazgûl Sauron names in Tolkien’s writings. An Easterling lord, his Ring of Power gave him powerful sorcery and oracular sight. He led Sauron’s forces to sack Erebor in the LOTR Appendices.
As Shadow Lord / Undying Dread Lieutenant in LOTR Online, Khamûl appears in epic story questlines. His undead aura affects players with DoT (Damage over Time) patched frequently by devs due to difficulty!
In the LOTR card game, Khamûl has a high 12 attack power but is vulnerable to specific effect cards that players exploit. This dynamic risk vs reward makes including Khamûl in your deck a compelling strategic choice!
3. Second Nazgûl – The Dark Marshal
This mysterious Nazgûl co-founded Angmar with the Witch King. His true name remains unknown, even to Tolkien scholars.
In LOTR Online, he appears in the Trollshaws region as Amarthiel the Dark Marshal. Sporting formidable armor and weaponry, Amarthiel uses thought LEGO could make such an awesome Nazgûl minifig!
The Dark Marshal‘s Powers
- Shadow Step – Swift teleporting attack
- Life Drain – Steals health from players
- Fear Aura (AoE) – Causes fleeing in terror
This tricky boss fight will push your reflexes and crowd control skills to the limit!
4. Third Nazgûl – The Shadow Lord
A former Numenorean lord, The Shadow Lord helped sack the Tower of the Moon in Minas Ithil. His pall of darkness smothers ambient light, cloaking his true name.
In the LOTR card game (Nazgûl of Dol Guldur), he has a beefy 12 attack but vulnerable to specific light effet cards. This mirrors how in Middle Earth lore, Light is the Shadow Lord’s weakness despite his fearsome offensive power.
5. Fourth Nazgûl – The Undying
This mysterious Numenorean king became Sauron’s immortal undead servant. Neither alive nor dead, he is cursed to the Twilight Zone between worlds.
In Shadow of Mordor, Torvin the Dwarf refers to The Undying as the most persistent Nazgûl who keeps returning despite Torvin’s best efforts. His relentless, undying nature is a core attribute!
6. Fifth Nazgûl – The Dwimmerlaik
After falling in battle, this cursed Numenorean prince was resurrected by Sauron’s necromancy. “Dwimmerlaik” means sorcerer in Rohirric – an apt name for this mystical undead lord!
The Dwimmerlaik appears in LOTR Online equipped with dark magic staff and sword. At higher difficulties, defeating this raid boss requires dedicated tanking and adds control. Make sure your healer keeps those HoTs rolling!
7. Sixth Nazgûl – The Tainted
This Black Numenorean lord foreswore his noble heritage by accepting a tainted Ring of Power. Neither living nor dead, he dwells in a liminal state between worlds.
LOTR Card Game Analysis
- Costs 13 resources (most expensive Nazgûl)
- 15 attack + chance for super-powered turn wiping out all enemy minions!
- Weakness to specific Gondor cards – thematic given his Numenorean descent
This high risk, high reward playstyle where The Tainted gambles on all or nothing reflects his tragic fall into darkness. What a flavorful card capturing the essence of the lore!
8. Seventh Nazgûl – The Knight of Umbar
This Númenórean lord of Umbar betrayed his civilization by becoming Sauron’s undead wraith knight. Neither alive nor dead, he dwells in the shadow realm between worlds.
In LOTR Online, players face the Knight of Umbar in the Black Book of Mordor story instance. This challenging boss fight features deadly mounted combat mechanics. Key tips:
- Utilize Raid Evade skill to avoid his Charge attack
- Break his shield using repeated Piercing Attacks
- Cleanse his stacking Attack Speed self-buff
Mastering these counters is key to taking down this formidable Nazgûl!
9. Eighth Nazgûl – The Betrayer
This perfidious king of Arnor broke his oath of loyalty and allied with The Witch-King to betray Cardolan. He morphed into Sauron’s undead Betrayer wraith as punishment for such treachery.
Shadow of War Analysis
In Shadow of War, The Betrayer appears as hammer-wielding uber-captain Tar Goroth. This towering Olog-Hai tanks relentless punishment while dishing out whirlwind AOEs against hordes of orcs.
Slaying him first to reduce enemy ranks gives a huge tactical advantage. Just watch out for his staggering area slams!
So those are the names and backgrounds of the 9 Nazgûl that gamers need to know! Let me know which your favorite Ringwraith is and why in the comments below!
