Hello there! Thanks for stopping by!
Now as the title of this suggestion suggests, I would like to see a few unique units be added added to each faction. There is no real need for these units per say, but I do believe that they will add a certain flair and excitement to the game at large. So let's get this party started shall we?
1st off, I need to introduce the topic of LEGENDARY quests. No, you do not need 10,000 alignment to attempt these quests, but they are exceptionally challenging. The unique units described below will offer to follow you IF you are able to complete their quest without dying. You read that right. You die, you automatically fail the quest. Similar concept to the head hunting system. So here are some ideas for these difficult challenges.
1.1 Complete enough bounty quests to acquire a headhunting trophy. Might be very tricky to code, as you will need to link the legendary quest's completion with the headhunting trophy award system. (I don't really like this idea, but just incase others do like it, I will leave it in.)
1.2 Kill quests. The bread and butter of alignment farming. Simply put, kill enough npcs and you get a fancy new recruit with a unique ability. Of course, I don't want to make this too easy. So the number of things you need to kill will be increased significantly. Killing 40 orcs is easy. Could probably do that in your sleep with your fancy modified gear and home brewed super juice. But how about killing 400 orcs and wargs? Much more challenging yes? Or perhaps a quest to kill a unique unit from another faction?
1.3 There will be two new achievement associated with either "hiring" or killing each faction's unique warrior.
2nd, I need to state the obvious. These warriors from ALL factions are exceedingly rare. They will only spawn occasionally in command structures such as Dwarven tower, or in an invasion. Also, they will be twice as rare as shieldmaidens. Meaning that they will only spawn one at a time.
2.1 Here is a more detailed description of how the spawning mechanism works: You will have a regular spawner in command structures along with those that summon regular soldiers/warriors, but the spawner will have a "success" chance associated with each attempted spawn. The chance of a successful spawn will be 10%. So instead of these units being churned out of command structures like ants out of an ant hill in summer, you will have to patiently wait as the spawner attempts to summon one of these units.
2.2 In an invasion, there will only be a 10% chance of one of these units spawning per invasion. So if one of these Warriors is spawned in an invasion, don't worry. There will not be another.
3rd, I need to point out that as these warriors are the most skilled and powerful of their faction, they will have more health, and they will all be equipped with the best weapons their faction has to offer. Their armor will stay the same except for some cosmetic changes. (See the Khazad guard.)
3.1 In simple terms, this means that instead of doing the generic damage associated with their choice weapon, these warriors will do the same damage as if their weapons had the legendary/fierce modifier. So an battle-axe wielding Khazad guard would do 13 damage rather than 10. (Equipped with a bane weapon?)
Now that we have dealt with the spawning mechanics, let me introduce to you our new units for hire!
1. The Khazad Guard: Dwarven veterans who spawn in the iron hills and erebor. Clad in gold/silver/or even Mithril trimmed armor. Health wise, they will have 36 health, or 18 hearts. Their unique ability is "Stoic Resolve". Whenever the health of a Khazad guard drops by 10%, this ability will activate, giving resistance and strength to themselves and all other dwarves within 16 blocks for 10 seconds.
2. Uruk berserkers: The most incredibly strong, quick tempered crazies to come out of the pits of isengard. They have 40 health, or 20 hearts, and will only wield a massive Uruk scimitar, and their attacks have a small AoE. No shields. Their unique ability is, of course, "Berserker Rage". Just like the berserkers of old, these Uruks drive themselves into a rage induced frenzy before battle. They will have a 50% chance of receiving a strength and speed buff for 10 seconds whenever they take damage.
3. Elven Minstrel: Ancient elves of Vanya decent, who's unique ability is "Enchanting Song". Orcs and Uruks within 16 blocks of an elven minstrel will receive a slowness and weakness debuff. Only found in Loth Lorien, not Loth Lorien edge. They have the same health as regular elves, but wear no armor, and wield no bow. They rely on their songs and friends to protect them. As such, they do not run into combat, but will stay as close as possible to their elven comrades.
4. Castellions. Lesser wraiths of mordor, armed with Morgul armor and blades. These vile abominations are only found in dol guldur and the Morgul vale sub-biomes. They will have 50 health, or 25 hearts. Their unique ability is "Terror". Just like orcs will run from someone who has enough negative alignment, men and dwarves will also flee from these loathsome specters, while a player's screen will narrow as if they were near a barrow wight. (As a side note lore wise, when Frodo was stabbed with the Morgul blade, it was mentioned that he would have become a wraith himself, weaker, and subservient to the ring wraith's and Sauron's will. These poor souls are unfortunate victims of such a cruel fate. I am taking some creative license with this suggestion.)
5. Tower Guards: Mighty warriors in whose veins still run the blood of ancient numenor, they will only spawn in the pelenor fields and the white mountains sub-biomes. They will wield spears in battle, and will have 36 health, or 18 hearts. Their unique ability is "Shield Wall". Whenever a tower guard is hit, they will have a 50% chance of giving a resistance 2 buff and a slowness debuff to themselves and any gondorians within 16 blocks for 10 seconds.
6. The Hashari: Ruthless and deadly assassins of Harad. These warriors use poisoned daggers or bows armed with poison tipped arrows. Their unique ability is "A Knife in the Dark". Hashari have a 30% chance to do triple damage when using their daggers. These warriors run as fast as a player wearing wood-elven scout armor, and whenever they are struck, they will teleport like wood-elven scouts, leaving a puff of white smoke behind. They will then switch from whichever weapon they were using to their other option. So if they were using their bow, they will teleport to the player and switch to their dagger. If they get hit while using a dagger, they will teleport away and switch to their bow. They will wear any variant of haradric armor, whether it be umbarian, coastal, etc. They will have 20 health, or 10 hearts.
7. Dunlandings Berserker: Probably the lunatics who gave Sauruman the idea to create berserkers in the 1st place. They have the same stats and abilities as Uruk berserkers.
8. The Eagle warrior: The swift and deadly vanguard of the Taurathrim. They wear a new armor set, the eagle warrior armor set. Crafted with gold trimmed feathers around Taurathrim armor, it gives the wearer a speed 2 buff. They wield the elegant yet lethal eagle warrior spear, which is crafted with 2 gold trimmed feathers and a Taurathrim spear in the same pattern as a throwing axe. Taurathrim eagle warriors have a seemingly endless supply of spears. These spears have an attack speed of 100%. The eagle warrior's unique ability is "A Bloody Worship". Eagle warriors are the examples that their people follow in war, for only the most successful and ruthless rise to the rank of eagle warrior. For an eagle warrior can only attain his post by the capture of many men for the bloody sacrifices that their gods demand. All Taurathrim warriors within 16 blocks of an eagle warrior gain 2.5 points of damage. This can be increased by the presence of banner bearers to 5, but is not cumulative with other eagle warriors. They have 30 health, or 15 hearts.
9. Hobbit hero: Most hobbits hate adventures. They make you late for dinner! But some (mostly tookish) hobbits love to go on adventures! These hobbits are always mounted, and are equipped with weapons and armor from their adventures. Helmets, swords, chestplates, but never leggings or shoes! Their gear with be either rohirric, gondorian, dalish, dwarven, or elvish in origin. But occasionally, once in a while, a hobbit hero will spawn wearing a Mithril chest-plate. Their unique ability is "For the Shire". Hobbit heroes give all hobbits within 16 blocks a strength buff. Hobbit heroes have 20 health or 10 hearts.
10. Noldorian Sage: These ancient scholars have long studied the mysterious magics of their forebears, and can somewhat replicate their skills. Their unique ability is "Enchanted Blades". These elves use their long honed talents to enchant the blades of their kin with the light of the Valar, for a price. Blades infused with this power cause extra damage to the abominations of Morgoth and his ilk. Any bladed weapon from a dwarven battle-axe to a Lindon dagger that is so empowered will gain an increase in damage by 3 points, but only to orcs, wargs, trolls, and wraiths. So a gondolinian sword with the legendary modifier and Orc bane will cause 19 points of damage to orcs, 15 points of damage to wargs, trolls and wraiths, but only 12 point of damage to humans, elves and dwarves. A Noldorian Sage will only enchant 5 blades for every legendary quest you complete before despawning. They have the same health as other elves.
11. Morodain Lion Tamer: This warrior summon lions to aid him in battle.
12. Son of Eorl: The most skilled and gifted of riders are name "Sons of Eorl" by the people of Rohan. Virtually unmatched on horseback, these riders of Rohan inspire their fellow Rohirrim to deed of great valor. Their unique ability is "Forth Eorlingas". All horses and Rohirrim gain a resistance buff when within 16 blocks of a Son of Eorl.
I have made a few new additions to the suggestion. The dunlanding berserker and lion tamer are still in the think tank.
Any more ideas? :D