| “ | Now [Orcs] are cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted. They make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones. They can tunnel and mine as well as any but the most skilled dwarves, and when they take the trouble, though they are usually untidy and dirty. Hammers, axes, swords, daggers, pickaxes, tongs, and also instruments of torture, they make very well, or get other people to make to their design, prisoners and slaves that have to work till they die for want of air and light. It is not unlikely that they invented some of the machines that have since troubled the world, especially the ingenious devices for killing large numbers of people at once, for wheels and engines and explosions always delighted them, and also not working with their own hands more than they could help; but in those days and those wild parts they had not advanced (as it is called) so far. | ” |
–Over Hill and Under Hill, The Hobbit | ||
Gundabad Orcs are the Orcs that took Mount Gundabad from the Dwarves of Durin's Folk during the Second Age. They were servants of the Witch-King of Angmar before that. Now they wander most wild and desolate lands as cut-throat rogue scavenging Orcs who are hated by many. Judging by base health stats, they are the weakest Orcs in the game, alongside Isengard Snaga, although on average Gundabad Orcs are more likely to spawn with stronger armor and weapons.
Spawning[]
Gundabad Orcs are a type of Orc that normally spawns at night in most northern and western biomes (Eriador, The Lone-lands, The Angle, Eregion, Bree-land, Midgewater, Trollshaws, The Misty Mountains, The Vales of Anduin, Gladden Fields, Northern Wilderland, Iron Hills, Northlands, Ettenmoors, Coldfells, Grey Mountains, Dale, East Bight, Field of Celebrant, Mirkwood Mountains). They do not spawn in most northern areas controlled by good-aligned factions (Lothlórien, Lindon, Rivendell, Shire, Woodland Realm, etc.), and areas under the control of other evil factions (Dol Guldur, Mordor, Angmar, etc.). That being said, most good biomes in the north can still be invaded or conquered by Gundabad, and they also commonly invade areas in which they already spawn. In the Misty Mountains, Ettenmoors, Coldfells and Grey Mountains, these Orcs will spawn backed up by powerful Gundabad Uruks. Their Gundabad Warg allies can also spawn in all these biomes at night, but in fewer numbers than the Orcs.
Gundabad Orcs can spawn in caves underground as well as out in the open, but in this case they can spawn day and night. This can make mining in many northern biomes perilous for good players unless they are well-prepared. Gundabad Orcs can also be found in underground Orc Dungeons, guarding chests of Orcish loot.
Gundabad Orcs will spawn in Gundabad Orc Camps in most of these biomes (except for the mountainous ones), along with one Gundabad Orc Chieftain per camp.
Unlike all other Orcish factions, Gundabad Orcs do not have a home biome in which they can spawn both day and night; each biome that they spawn in only allows spawning at night or in caves during the day. The fact that they have the largest spawn territory of all the Orcs makes up for this.
Equipment[]
Gundabad Orcs can be found with random weapons (which include pickaxes and axes) and armour which come from these sets:
Armour: Angmar, Mordor, Bronze, Leather, Fur, Bone, Dol Guldur, Gundabad Uruk
Weapons/Tools: Angmar, Mordor, Bronze, Stone, Iron, Dol Guldur, Gundabad Uruk
While identical in base health to Isengard Snaga, Gundabad Orcs have the potential to be stronger based on their armor and weapon choice. They have a wider variety of types of Orcish armor that they can spawn with; Dol Guldur, Mordor, and Angmar armors are exclusive to Gundabad, while Snaga cannot spawn with these and are more limited. Thus, the average Gundabad Orc has a higher chance of spawning with stronger armor and weapons than the average Snaga. Gundabad Orc Archers have the potential to spawn with crossbows or Orc bows, placing them in a higher category than Isengard Snaga, which only spawn with Vanilla bows.
Behaviour[]
Just as any regular Orc, Gundabad Orcs will gain slowness and weakness effects in direct sunlight. They are the largest in quantity of all Orcs due to the huge swathe of territory in which they spawn. They can be found on foot or mounted on a Gundabad Warg.
These Orcs will attack any player with a negative alignment to the Gundabad faction, as well as any NPCs who are their enemies.
Like all other Orcs, Gundabad Orcs can get involved in Orc skirmishes, which means that they may start fighting amongst each other.
If your Gundabad alignment is -500 or lower, Gundabad Orcs will usually flee in terror if you charge them, likely due to the tales they've heard of your valiant fighting. This does not apply to Gundabad Wargs, Gundabad Uruks, or to the orcs that spawn in an invasion. (It is rather comical to see a fleeing Orc tell you that you'd "better start running, maggot!")
They are often very rude in their speech, even to allies, much like their other orc-brethren.
If you are setting out to earn the Orcbane modifier on a weapon and the corresponding achievement, it might be wiser to slay Gundabad Orcs rather than Isengard Snaga, although their health stats are equal. Gundabad Orc Archers can be far more dangerous than Snaga Archers; yet Snaga only spawn in the Uruk Highlands and Nan Curunír, where you will encounter hoards of mighty Uruks of Isengard. While Gundabad Uruks can also be a problem, you can avoid them by simply staying out of the Misty Mountains, Coldfells, Ettenmoors and Grey Mountains. Other places like Eriador or Vales of Anduin will not spawn Gundabad Uruks unless an invasion launches, and these are thus better hunting grounds for the weaker Orcs.
Hiring[]
These Orcs can be hired both on foot and mounted from a Gundabad Orc Chieftain, who are found in Gundabad Orc Camps and Ruined Dwarven towers.
A Gundabad Orc can be hired for 7-15 (
to 
) silver coins once the player has +100 alignment with Gundabad. A Gundabad Orc mounted on a Warg can be purchased for 17-35 ( to 
) silver coins at +200 alignment. As always, as one's alignment increases, price decreases.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Can be hired in most regions of Middle-Earth | Due to these Orcs wearing random armour, while they have the potential to be heavily armoured, they also may have next to no armour |
| Can be very dangerous in large, concentrated groups | Hugely varying attack strength, depending on weapon |
| Hugely varying attack strength, depending on weapon | Require strength in numbers to function properly; if tied or outnumbered, will be defeated |
| Very cheap | Become slow and weak during the day; most effective at night |
Drops[]
Gundabad Orcs will commonly drop rotten flesh and Orc bones when killed. They may also drop Orc steel ingots, maggoty bread, Orc Draught, silver coins, and pouches. On rare occasions, they drop a piece of their armour and/or equipment. They will also rarely drop Books of true-silver.
Speechbanks[]
Friendly
- Filthy maggot! Oh, it's you, Person...
- I seek Man-flesh!
- Where is the Man-flesh?
- What do you want?
- You still don't look like a Goblin-Man, Person!
- I've had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!
- Maggoty bread again? Give me some Man-flesh!
- I can't wait to get my teeth into some Man-flesh!
- At your service, Person!
- Soon, Person! Soon we will be at war with the filthy sons of Men!
- What are you after?
- The air is foul here.
- We serve a common master, Person.
- We shall break their bones and feast on their flesh!
- Death to the kingdoms of Men! Death to the filthy Elves!
- We shall swarm into the lands of the free peoples like a plague! Leave nothing alive!
- What orders from our lord, Person?
- These rags stink!
- The world of Men shall be broken and destroyed.
- Ruin! Ruin to the free peoples!
- Something smells disgusting here. It's you, Person! Go away!
Neutral
- I smell Man-flesh!
- I've had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!
- What are you after, maggot?
- Follow your orders, scum!
- You don't look like a Goblin-Man!
- Do you want something?
- Don't just stand there! Do something!
- I don't trust you, maggot!
- Whom do you serve?
- Move along, scum!
- Are you trying to start a fight?
- You stink!
Hostile
- Have you not been driven out by our armies yet, scum?
- I'll bleed you like a stuck pig!
- Enjoy your last breath, scum!
- You're nice and fresh!
- Kill the scum!
- Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!
- You stink of fear!
- Die, Man-scum!
- Your blood smells fresh!
- I'll skewer you like a piece of meat!
- You'd better start running, maggot!
- Come any closer and I'll stick you like a fresh cut of meat!
- We dine on Man-flesh tonight!
Hired
- Where's the nearest Man-flesh? I'm starving here!
- What are your orders, my lord?
- You may be my commander, Person, but you're still a filthy maggot!
- I smell Man-flesh!
- Lead us to war, Person!
- The air is ripe with the stink of fear!
- I've had nothing to eat but maggoty bread for three stinking days!
- The free peoples of the earth shall fall before our might!
- Death! Death to all who oppose us!
Skirmish
- You trying to start a skirmish?
- Trying to start a skirmish?
- Nobody touches me, you filthy maggot!
- I'll skewer you like a piece of meat!
- You trying to start something?
- I'll have your guts for garters, scum!
- What are you looking at me like that for, scum?
- I'll have your head on a spike, maggot!
- I'll bleed you like a stuck pig!
- Looks like it's time for a skirmish!
- Nobody skirmishes with me and gets away with it!
- You looking for a skirmish, filthy maggot?
- Let's see you look at me like that with my blade stuck through you!
- You asking for a skirmish?
- Who are you calling a filthy maggot?
- You after a scuffle, scum?
- Want a fight, you filthy piece of meat?
Gallery[]
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The Tolkien Gateway has an article on:
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The One Wiki to Rule Them All has an article on:
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 The Hordes of Gundabad 
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Orc (Archer, Banner Bearer) •
Uruk (Archer) •
Warg
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