Dead Space Necromorphs vs. The Fellowship of the Ring Part 2: Fellowship and Rules

And now onto The

Hope of Middle Earth: The Fellowship of the Ring

There are stark differences between the novel and the movie, but this blog will not choose one or the other, instead mixing both along with having a single "What if" scenario come true(Gandalf the White rejoining Fellowship before it is broken, given the time frame that he was dead in I don't consider that too unlikely) . I aim to give the Fellowship as many small advantages as possible to counter the superior Numbers of the Necromorphs.

Peregrin “Pippin” Took

Pippin is the youngest of the Fellowship, and this shows a lot during his time with the Fellowship. He is known for the curly golden hair on his feet and head.

Weapons: “Barrowblade” short sword, Elven Daggers, Rocks

"I don't want to be in a battle, but waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse."

—Pippin

In the books Pippin uses a short sword/long dagger known as “barrow-blades” or alternately “Daggers of Westernesee”. These were enhanced blades designed for wounding barrow-wrights or angry malicious spirits, and the Nazgul(Merry stabbed the Witch King with one of these). The blade is described as glowing red sword that is full of inscriptions of an ancient language (Neumor) . The type of blade never rusts. Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo were all given swords by Tom Bombadil, a mysterious entity that predates the existence of good and evil. While Frodo’s was lost at Weather top and replaced by Sting, the other three kept theirs. In the movies Merry and Pippin are given Elven daggers, which give the advantage of having another side arm in case they lose their barrow-blades.

Also in the movies Rocks were picked up by Merry and Pippin and thrown at goblins, Uruks, and trolls. Two specific examples of which are off Treebeard’s back and in the Mines of Moria. While not the best weapon, it does give the hobbits a near constant stream of missiles, which they can pick up anywhere.

Armor/Gift from Galadriel: Silver Belt with Gold Flower-Shaped Clasp, Elven cloaks

Galadriel gave each of the Fellowship something special while in Lothlorien. In the books it was a ornate Silver belt, which would have minimal protection value, if any. Elven cloaks were personally woven by Galadriel and were designed to hide the wearer from unfriendly eyes.

Traits/tactics/other: Overly Curious, Not very bright initially, brave, limited to no experience,

"There must be someone with intelligence in the party"

"Then you certainly will not be chosen, Peregrin Took! " –Gandalf and Pippin

Pippin during these early days of the Fellowship is curious to a fault. He pretty much alerts the entire goblin population of Moria through his actions in Moria. In the movie it doesn’t seem like that bad of an action, accidently knocking down a body, but in the books he deliberately throws a stone down a well. This may have helped lead to Gandalf’s death, well first one, as it alerted all the goblins of Moria to the Fellowship’s presence. He is also brave and loyal to his friends, as jumping on a troll to try to save Frodo proves. These acts of bravery could also cost him his life, as he has little combat experience.

Effectiveness:

Pippin is probably going to be the least effective member of this group. His cloak won’t serve to hide him from the Necromorphs, as they seem to be able to find you no matter where you are hiding, and can do so even without heads to see, hear or smell. Likewise his belt is pretty much useless, as it covers to small an area to give him any real protection. For weapons his Barrow-blade is more than capable of cutting off a limb or two, but it also requires you to get extremely close, which is dangerous when you are fighting an enemy that doesn’t feel pain , is extremely hard to kill, and is dedicated to killing you by whatever means possible. Dagger is a last resort weapon, and a stabbing one to boot. In this matchup slashing is more important than stabbing, and it will take a lot more stabs then slashes to take down a Necromorph. Rocks can only kill when used against the pack, and against anything else they won’t have be able to do enough damage to kill. Pippin, like the rest of the Hobbits, lacks experience and weapons and will only be decent against only the very weakest Necormoprhs(Pack, Lurker, regular slasher) and will suffer when fighting something more dangerous like the Twitcher or Puker. His overly curious and his lack of common sense at times may put the Fellowship and himself at risk, but if he does put them in danger he is brave enough to try to save them. His personality leaves him somewhat vulnerable to the influence of the marker, as he may not be perceptive enough to see the difference between the hallucinations caused by the marker and reality.

Pippin in action(near the end) Here

Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck

Possessing the same curly hair of his friend Pippin, this hobbit later earned the title “The Magnificent” for his role in leading an uprising.

Weapons: Barrowblade, Elven Daggers, Rocks

Merry’s weapons are the exact same as Pippin’s, with the same effects. Basically he’ll be relatively decent at close range, but bad at long range. He also has a back up weapon.

Armor/ Gift from Galadriel: Silver Belt with Gold Flower-shaped Clasp, Elven cloaks

Again same as Pippin.

Tactics/Traits/Ect: Perceptive, Sharp/Intelligent, a bit impetuous, resourceful, adaptable, brave, little experience,

"Pippin: Maybe Treebeard right, it's too big for us; let's go home, we still have the Shire.
Merry: Fires of Isengard and Mordor will spread and the forest of Bucklin and Hardbottle will burn, there won't be a Shire, Pippin."

Merry is described as the most intelligent and forethoughtful of the hobbits, and he would often plan their path days in advance through studying maps, which he was fascinated with. At Moria, it was he who was eventually able to figure out the riddle. He was resourceful with what he was given, and was able to cope with being thrust from his formerly peaceful land into a war environment better then the other hobbits. He is very loyal and brave for his friends sakes, as jumping on a troll’s back in Moria proves. Merry only fault is that he is a bit overeager at times, nearly falling into a well in the books at Moria while racing Pippin. At this point in the adventure Merry would be one of the least experienced members of the expedition, along with the other hobbits.

Effectiveness:

"Merry, of all people, was on the right track". -Gandalf

Merry intelligence and strength of character is at odds with his lack of experience and combat effectiveness. I can see him being helpful in figuring out individual Necromorph weakness, and indeed he may be the first to figure out that you should “cut off their limbs”, he just won’t be able to do much about it. His “armor” is going to be useless, as Necromorph vision is going to “see” straight through that(again not sure what exact sense is involved) . Rocks MAY kill a pack if lucky, or possibly set off an exploder or crawler, but against any other Necromorph they are distracters at best and irritants at worst. I can see him being decent in close combat against lone pack or a lurker, but against anything else he is going to need some help as his size means that they may just bowl over him. To reiterate a good strategist, but poor fighter. His high intelligence and perception will help him in seeing through the hallucinations caused by the marker. I rate him higher then Pippin because of his superior intellect and less bumbling behavior , which will be a positive asset to the team.

Merry in action here

Samwise “Sam” Gamgee

Described by none other than Tolkien himself as the “true hero” of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this may be the most formidable of the Hobbits combat wise.

Weapons: Barrow-blade, frying pan, rocks

Like Merry and Pippin he was armed with a barrow-blade that he got in the barrow-downs, and whatever rocks he could pick up. In addition to this, in the movies he is armed with a frying pan. This could be used to knock out enemies or permanently bash their faces in.

Armor/Gift from Galadriel: Elven Cloak, Elven Rope (movie)

Galadriel: For you, Samwise Gamgee, Elven rope, made of Hithline.
Sam: Thank You M'Lady... Have you ran out of those nice shiny daggers?

Like the rest of the Fellowship, Sam is equipped with an elven cloak. He also receives a magical Elven Rope, which is much stronger than any other rope.

Traits/Tactics/other: “True Hero”, Unwavering Loyalty, Extremely Brave, Great Will, limited experience but potential

"Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you! "

- Sam to Frodo, on the slope of Mount Doom

Tolkien himself describes Sam as the True Hero of his novels. Without him Frodo would have never made it into Mordor, much less Mount Doom. He is loyal almost to a fault to Frodo, coming back even when cast aside. Sam appears to be immune to the Ring’s temptations, unlike Frodo and pretty much everyone else who carried the Ring, demonstrating phenomenal willpower on his part. He single-handily battles the great Spider Shelob, ultimately defeating her, and infiltrates the Mordor stronghold of Cirith Ungol looking for Frodo. This shows both loyalty and bravery on his part. While Sam’s actual combat experience would be limited at this time, I feel I got to give him more credit than the other hobbits, as he was able to take on a Giant Spider that had been terrorizing the world for millennia single-handily.

Effectiveness:

Sam is certainly an asset to the Fellowship. His unwavering loyalty, bravery and selflessness will lead him to try to help other members of the Fellowship whenever possible, undoubtedly saving lives in the process. Combat wise he suffers the same disadvantages that the other hobbits suffer, namely their weapons being too short, and not having enough combat experience. His unique frying pan may kill weaker Necromorphs like a lurker or a pack, and may briefly stun slightly larger ones like the slashers and Leapers, but will be almost completely useless against the Twitcher, Brute, and other higher end Necromorphs. Sam’s willpower will help him stay free of the marker influence, although it may still mess with him, by using images of his beloved Rosie and other dead Fellowship members he may have felt that he failed. All in all one of the better hobbits though.

Sam vs. Shelob here

Frodo Baggins

Frodo Baggins. The Ring-Bearer. Elf Friend. Frodo of the nine-fingers(he still has all ten at this point). Many titles have been given to the Hero who the fate of the Free World depended on.

Weapons: Sting, Rocks(default)

“"Sting is my name; I am the spider's bane".

Frodo has one weapon, and that is the ancient magical dagger Sting. Having Elven origins, it seems to have two special properties 1. IT can detect orcs and glows blue when it does 2. IT seems to perform better than most other weapons in combat, cutting through flesh and spider webs quite easily (which the Barrow-blades had trouble doing). Of all the hobbits, he certainly has the best weapon.

Armor/Gift from Galadrial: Elven Cloak, MITHRIL coat, The one ring, Light of Earndil

“" Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver, but the beauty of mithril did not tarnish or grow dim."

Mithril is described as being both stronger then steel and lighter in weight. By the time of the Fellowship, Mithril had become so rare that just one coat of it (Frodo’s) was described as being worth more than the entire Shire! It is the best set of armor to have ever been created, and neither slash nor stab will go through it. He also carries the One Ring, an item which can let him go invisible at will. Then there is the light of Earndil, a magical vial that gives off light in even the darkest places. Can also be used to blind and temporarily stun enemies.

Traits/Tactics/other: Never killed anyone, Loyal to friends, not entirely resistant to temptation

Throughout the whole novel, Frodo is notable in that he never killed anyone. He is loyal to his friends and did attempt to stand up to their pursuers; he just wasn’t the one to kill them (cave troll killed by others, nazgul driven off by Aragorn). Although he put up a admirable fight for a long time, he eventually gave into the temptation of the Ring, and tried to seize it for his own.

Effectiveness:

It is with great Irony that perhaps some of the best weapons and armor of this matchup are given to the one least qualified to use it. He has the least combat experience of everyone here and I believe this will show during the match. If we are going by weapon capability alone, then sting would be effective against the pack, lurker, leaper, slasher and infector, due to the strength of its slashes. His armor is so impenetrable that only crushing attacks, particularly those of the brute, will be able to directly affect the area covered, although they could still target areas that are not, like the head and neck. The One Ring will be useless, as the Necromorphs don’t rely just on sight, but the Light of Earndil may stun them from a valuable few seconds. Not the best hobbit for the job, but if he falls that just means that his weapons/armor will go to other, more valuable members of the Fellowship. So he gives a team advantage.

Gimli

“Certainty of death, *small* chance of success... What are we waiting for?”

The only drawf of the fellowship, no one can claim to have more a more powerful weapon then Gimli. This stubborn drawf warrior lives for the adventure and for warfare.

Weapons: Two Throwing axes, Hand ax, Walking axe, two handed battle axe*

*with credit from Councilofelrond.com

Dwarves are famed for the use of their axes, and Gimli was no exception. For Distance he carried two throwing axes, which were designed to move through the air with the greatest speed possible. Also being the smallest axes, they could be used when fighting got to close for the other axes to be used. He then had a hand ax, which was used normally for everyday mundane activities, but could be used for war as well. The Walking ax was the only axe not stored on his belt or back, instead he used it as a walking staff. This way it was impossible to ambush him, as he always had an ax ready. Finally there was the battle axe, which he picked up from Moria. This huge two-handed, double sided axe is probably the most powerful weapon in the Fellowship’s arsenal, and can crush even through armor. It makes up for the power however, in how difficult it is even for Gimli to wield, and the slowness of the strike.

Armor/Gift from Galadriel : Leather, Mail, Helmet, three locks of hair, elven cloak

The Council of Elrond site has a great description.

“Gimli’s war gear would have been well made as the Dwarves had long been making armour, and for this reason it could be said that his armor would have had virtually no weak points.
Beneath his armor Gimli was likely to have worn a soft, loose fitting hose and shirt. A collar of leather would have sat around his neck, and from this sleeves of mail were attached, reaching to Gimli’s wrists. This mail consisted of flattened rings fastened together by hexagonal links held by fine gold wire. Gimli wore long leather gauntlets and vambraces that were made of boiled leather, and he wore also a plate that was laced to his hands that gave protection to his knuckles. Gimli’s arms were further protected by pauldrons of boiled leather and rerebraces that were etched and gilded in gold.
Shin guards were strapped to his boots and were made of the same boiled leather. To protect himself even more, Gimli also wore a mail skirt. This skirt would have been attached to his belt rather then his tunic as this would have added too much weight for the Dwarf.
The next layer consisted of a red mantle made of wool and edged in leather. This sat about the dwarf's torso, shoulders and back. Last of all came his harness.
His belt was decorated in gold, and it held all of his axes save his walking one. His back pack contained two small pouches that held within them the means to repair his axes and travel supplies. His bedroll and blanket were carried across his shoulders, as this would have been the best place to keep them from getting in the way when Gimli swung his axe - but also kept Gimli’s own axe from hitting him when it was being carried on his back!
Despite all this it was the finery of Gimli’s helmet that was the most heavily worked piece of armor. The helm was worked about a skullcap of leather and it had a leather ‘skirt’ that was plated with interlinked mail. This gave protection not only to Gimli’s head but to his neck also. The helmet was well padded inside with wool and/or canvas and this prevented any impact of an attack affecting the Dwarf.
Around the edge of the helm was riveted a steel frame, and to this was riveted cheek guards. In reference to Gimli’s name (which means “star”) the helm was stylized in the fashion of a star. The topmost point of his helm was fashioned in a cross so that any attack there also made little impact on the Dwarf. At the center of this cross was a circle of onyx, a rare substance and a sign of his nobility.”

In addition to this he also had three locks of Galadriel’s hair, because that is what he asked for.

Traits/Tactics/other: Stubborn, naturally resistant to outside influence, Experienced, Tough, Slow, Mast of the Axes

Legolas: Final count, forty-two.
Gimli: Forty-two? Oh, that's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling. Hmph! I myself am sitting pretty on forty-THREE.
Legolas: [takes out an arrow, and shoots the Uruk Gimli is sitting on in the stomach] Forty-three.
Gimli: He was already dead!
Legolas: He was twitching.
Gimli: He was *twitching* because he's got my axe EMBEDDED IN HIS NERVOUS SYSTEM!
[rattles the handle of his ax; the Uruk's arms and legs twitch]

Gimli is undoubtedly a great warrior, and the first that I can describe as such of the Fellowship. His skill with the axe is such that in the book he actually beat Legolas by one kill during one of their contests(which is remarkable as Legolas was using his bow). He is stubborn and tough, and will not give in easily to despair or death. Dwarves were initially designed by Aule, one of the servants of God, to be resistant to outside influences, and this will certainly help him in this battle. The only problem that he has as a warrior is that he is physically slow, being weighted down by armor and axes.

Effectiveness:

Now that we are moving out of the realm of the hobbits, we are finally seeing some real combat prowess. Gimli is a contender for certain. His powerful battle axe may be able to cleave through half of the Necromorphs here, and his armor is going to stop a lot of slashing blows, and some stabbing ones as well. Expect him to do wonderfully against the infector, lurker(if he gets close enough), slasher and puker. A single ax strike to the back may utterly destroy the first two, while cleaving the torso of the latter may kill them faster than manually separating their limbs. He does suffer against other varieties of Necromorphs though. The Pack and the Twitcher will just run circles around him, and engaging either of the two suicide bomber Necromrophs in single combat is ill-advised. He also won’t favor well against the pack tactics of the Stalkers, although if he were able to land a blow to the crown of one of their heads while it is charging then it will be stopped in its tracks. The Pregnant and Divider are also trouble spots, as hitting either of them in the chest will result in Gimli having to deal with either a carnivorous horde or multiple parts jumping around trying to strangle him. He will be fucked if he tries to run up and kill the Gaurdian. Still a great member if you combine him with the rest of the group. He is naturally resistant to the effects of the marker. I am unsure what advantages the locks of hair could give, possibly it could further help avoid a marker induced depression?

Gimli Tribute here

Boromir:

“You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done.”

The captain-prince of Gondor has an undeserved reputation as existing just to die. He is certainly one of the more skilled members of the Fellowship, and the only one that carries a shield.

Weapons: Gondor Sword, dagger, shield

Boromir fought with sword and shield, the only member of the Fellowship to fight using this style. His sword was big enough to be described as two hander under normal circumstances, but Boromir, due to his immense strength, was able to use it with his shield. It was equally suited for slashing as well as stabbing. And the hand grip was specifically tailored to match Boromir’s hand. In the other hand dwelt his shield, recognizable as Gondorian by the engraved wings and seven stars around the edge. Made of wood and possessing a steel boss, it was designed so that blows would glance off it and the attacker’s forward movement would unbalance him. Then Boromir could counter either with his sword or the metal boss in the center of the shield. Lastly he had a dagger that was essentially a smaller version of his formidable sword.

Armor/Gift from Galadriel: Shield, chainmail, leather underneath, steel vambraces, Horn of Gondor, golden belt, Cloak

Boromir’s arms and armor were much like the country which he represented and fought for, Gondor. He had his aforementioned shield, great for blocking incoming blows and missiles. He wore a coat of chainmail which covered his chest, and had leather covering most regions of his body. His Vambraces were notable in that they were Gondorian steel, which is second only to Mithril in quality. At Lothlorien, Galadriel gave a belt of gold, which he carried with him forever after. The Horn of Gondor served both to cower enemies and inspire friends.

Tactics/Traits/other: Legendary Bravery, very loyal, Leadership capabilities, Foresight, Very Experienced, Given somewhat to temptation

Boromir’s fighting prowess and actions in the war against Sauron were well known even in Rivendell and Rohan, where Eomer particularly admired him. At one point he single-handily defended a bridge against an advancing horde until it could be destroyed. This demonstrates both bravery and loyalty to his people and fellow soldiers, as he made sure all were across first. In the book he also possessed foresight, as he predicted that the Mines of Moria could only lead to ruin, and he ordered the Fellowship to each carry firewood when attempting to cross the mountains. This latter request saved the Fellowship’s lives when a surprise blizzard covered the mountain. His only sore spot is that he is given somewhat to temptation as him trying to take the Ring shows, although he immidiatly regretted this.

Effectiveness:

Boromir's shield will make him the best against the ranged missile that come from the Spitter or Lurker. If the shield fails he has a decent set of armor to fall back on. He can even cover other members of the Fellowship, increasing the survival rate of the entire group. As a fighter the only Necormoprhs he is going to fail utterly against is the exploder/crawler, as the blast will destroy his shield and send him flying back, probably with less limbs. He also won’t be effective against the swarmer/divider, although expect him to do a better account then Gimli. Boromir is probably the best of the Fellowship against the Twitcher, seeing as he can block the Twitcher rapid blows and then bash him to knock him off balance. His slashing/blocking abilities will do well against most Necromorphs, even the puker as his shield will block the acid coming out of the wounds. The marker’ influence may cause him to suffer, but then again it may not as he did manage to fight off the Ring’s influence in the movie.

Boromir tribute here

Aragorn

The future King of the Re-united Kingdom and master swordsmen, Aragorn brings great experience and a legendary weapon to this matchup.

Weapons: Anduril, elven Hunting knife , Bow

“King of the Dead: That blade was broken!
[Aragorn takes him by the throat]
Aragorn: It has been remade.”

Rivaling Sting in significance, Anduril(“Flame of the West”) is the sword of Kings, and the re-forged version of sword that slew Sauron(the first time). It was made by all three races; originally by the dwarves, then by elves and men. This was another magical sword, and glowed red in sunlight and white in moonlight. Its edge was described as hard and keen, and it could easily through armor as well as stab. Aragorn was also known to throw his sword with great accuracy at the enemy, although it was rare that he did this. Whereas Gimli was an axe-master and Legolas with the bow, Aragorn was the premier sword-master of the group, to the point where he was considered one of the best in Middle-Earth. He has skill and quality of weapon in this case.

In the event that fighting became too close for Anduril to be used, Aragorn had a elven curved hunting knife, which he would sometimes use in conjunction with his sword. For range Aragorn has a bow which, while not as good as Legolas, he is more than competent at using. It had a range of 75 feet.

Armor/Gift from Galadriel: Leather, Elven Cloak, Elven sheath

*Council of Elrond

“Instead, Aragorn was clad in a fine linen shirt with delicate embroidery; likely to have been made in Rivendell. He also wore dark woollen hose and tall soft boots that were made of travel-worn leather. Over his shirt Aragorn wore a sleeveless jerkin, made secure by braided cord ties. A coat of thicker and stronger leather went over this. Its sleeves were stitched along the underside of their lengths and also at the shoulders. This would have made it possible for the sleeves to be removed if needed. Aragorn carried with him a cloak and when it was not needed to it was rolled up and carried upon his back.”

Aragorn also received an Elven sheath for his sword, Anduril. Specifically crafted to fit the sword of kings, it also possessed a magical enchantment where any sword drawn from it would never break.

Traits/Tactics/other: Elven Wisdom, Very Experienced, Brave Mighty warrior, Great Leadership talent, skilled healer

“Aragorn: Sam, do you know the Athelas plant?
Sam: Athelas?
Aragorn: Kingsfoil.
Sam: Kingsfoil, aye, it's a weed.
Aragorn: It may help to slow the poison. Hurry!”

Aragorn has a long history of warfare, being 87 at the time of the Fellowship(but due to him possessing Nuemor heritage, appeared quite young). Before his time in the Fellowship he had served as a captain of Gondor and Rohan, traveled through Moria and the Eastern lands (which were under Sauron’s sway), fought innumerable battles, and even journeyed into the Dead Marshes to capture Gollum. He was a proven leader of men already by this time from his years in Gondor, and had won many duels against enemy officers during those years. Aragorn was raised by Elrond and the elves, and possessed their wisdom and foresight. He was also taught the elven skills of healing with the herb arthelas, which will certainly help the Fellowship in this battle.

Effectiveness:

Aragorn is both great at close range and decent at long range, making him more balanced then Boromir and Gimli. His leadership and healing skills may be a boon for the Fellowship, possibly leading to some of the Fellowship saved where they might not be. His combat experience and Leadership may additionally serve to preserve more lives, as he came to the rescue of Boromir at the Mines of Moria. Against individual Necromorphs, his great sword Anduril is more than capable of severing limbs from bodies and there will be few Necromorphs that he has problems with. The Puker may be one, due to its resistance to arrows and excess of acid, which will make cutting off limbs hazardous for Aragorn. The future king suffers in the armor category, which while giving some resistance to slashing, would be penetrated by cuts. Thus the Ubermorph, if allowed close enough, is a big problem for Aragorn as is the Brute, since the Brute is impenetrable from the front and will just crush him(in the movies Aragorn was constantly having problems with Trolls, which are harmless compared to the brute). The Marker will not affect him as much as Boromir or Pippin or Frodo, as he is resistant to such influence.

Aragorn Tribute here

Legolas

“He was tall as a young tree, lithe, immensely strong, able swiftly to draw a great war-bow and shoot down a Nazgûl, endowed with the tremendous vitality of Elvish bodies, so hard and resistant to hurt that he went only in light shoes over rock or through snow, the most tireless of all the Fellowship. " –J.R.R. Tolkein

Perhaps the greatest archer to have been ever conceived, Legolas may have never missed in a shot in the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. Possessing pinpoint accuracy, high rate of fire, and great range, there is no better being in this matchup who is better at distance fighting then him.

Weapons/ Gift of Galadriel: Bow of the Galadhim, Dual Elven long knives

At Lórien, Legolas was given a bow blessed by the Lady Galadriel; it was carved from a single piece of mallorn heartwood. This bow was paler than his other, and was carved so it appeared to have leaves and vines climbing over it. When the Lorien bow was strung it measured 68 inches and could send an arrow 400 yards with great accuracy. The string of this bow was rumored to contain a single strand of the Lady Galadriel’s hair(if so imagine what Gimli can do with three!). The arrows were 40 inches long and leaf shaped, allowing for greater damage upon impact. Legolas was known to use his arrows as melee weapons, either from direct stabbing or point blank firing, so if someone with great speed got too close too fast (twitcher) he wouldn’t be unprepared . His quivers carry about two-dozen arrows.

For Melee Legolas had two elven Long knives, which he dual weilded. These were two feet long, with eight inches being the handle, and made of steel. They were honed on the downward side, allowing for quick slashing and stabbing motions.

Armor: Leather braces, Elven cloak

Legolas’s only piece of armor was the Leather braces on his wrists. This was to allow better mobility and agility.

Traits/Tactics/Other: Keen Eyesight, sensitive hearing, Lightness of foot, Tireless, Unparalleled archery skills, Brave, Very experienced, agile, Immense vitality

'Look at them. They're frightened. You can see it in their eyes"

Legolas has the best senses of the Fellowship, and this will help them greatly at thwarting ambushes. He is extremely light on his foot, to the point that he does not sink into snow, and can run for days without getting tired. Legolas possesses the immense vitality, both physical and mental, of the elves which together with his experience will aid the Fellowship greatly. As previously mentioned Legolas is a archer of unmatchable skills which he routinely demonstrates, whether it be by shooting down a nazgul in the books or killing an Oliphant single-handedly. He is strong enough to pull back the bow near instantly after each draw, can fire accurately up to 400 yards, and has never missed in recent memory. Lastly his agility will help him in dodging and parrying blows.

Effectiveness:

Legolas has no parallel at range, and can use his pinpoint to dominate distance fighting. The Lurker is going go down near instantaneously under a barrage of arrows, while the Spitter’s rate of fire is to slow to combat the lightning fast elf. The Puker, with its tendency to soak up massive amounts of damage, may give Legolas pause however. Any explosive Necromorphs are going to have severe problems getting in range of the Fellowship with him around. In melee he is agile and quick enough to take on any Necromorph, even the Twitcher and Ubermorph, but the pack tactics of the Stalkers may be too much if left unassisted. The best tactic the Necromrophs have for getting rid of this elf is simply swarming him, with some distracting him while others attack. The marker will also have trouble trying to dominate his strong mind, although it may torture him with visions. Other then that Legolas is one of the two best member of the fellowship, with no specific weaknesses besides lack of armor (and even that isn’t necessarily a weakness per say). Legolas tribute here and here

Gandalf:

*This article relies on a slight bit of alternate history that since Gandalf the White technically came into being before the Harrowing of the Fellowship he was able to track down his comrades and stop the Harrowing from happening.

Weapons: Wizard’s staff, Glamdring

Gandalf possess two different weapons, which he is often seen duel-wielding. The first is his trusty Wizard’s staff, which Gandalf uses to cast various spells (which is part of its own separate section) and as a walking stick. In combat it can be used as a bludgeon or in conjunction with his sword, Glamdring.

Glamdring is probably the oldest sword here. Originally forged for use of a High Elf king named Turgon (see Silmarillion) this eventually came into Gandalf’s hands through a chance encounter with some rather nasty trolls(see Hobbit). It is a two-hander that Gandalf, through personal strength surprising for his frail form, manages to wield.

Armor: White Robes

Self Explanatory

Traits/Tactics/other: Maiar, Wise, Strong of spirit, very experienced

Gandalf is not a man, although he takes the form of an old one. Nor is he elf nor dwarf nor hobbit but rather a race known as the Maiar. The Maia were basically the angels of Tolkien’s world, serving the Valar or ruling hierarchy of angels who in turn served Illuvatar, the one. This was true on both sides of the Karma spectrum, as Gandalf served the 12 Valar who remained in their version of heaven while Sauron (another Maiar) served Morgoth, the corrupted Valar(Lucifer of this world). As such they possess powers and wisdom beyond mortal or even elven comprehension. Gandalf has a nearly indomitable spirit and nearly 2000+ years experience fighting evil.

Magical abilities/Items

(to save time I am going to briefly describe each one and then how its going to effect the battle immediately afterwards).

Narya: One of the three Elven rings of power, given to Gandalf by Cirdan the shipwright . Its powers were that it inspires others to resist Tyranny, Domination, Weariness, and despair.

"It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not."

Effects: Greatly reduces the influence of the Marker on the entire Fellowship while Gandalf is alive.

Illumination: Lights up the staff and provides a Light source in an otherwise dark and scary environment.

Effects: Helps the Fellowship see and avoid ambushes in dark environments.

Magical Kinesis: Can pick up object and/or enemies and throw them back.

Effects: Very helpful in the task of getting the Ubermorph out of the way and could lead to some direct kills by throwing big object at the Necromorphs. The Brute is too big to pick up even for a mighty wizard like Gandalf.

Sword of Power: Charges the sword with Lightning for extra power.

Effect: Will greatly aid in the damage his sword does for a limited time. This will not be an instant kill against Necromrophs however, but it will greatly damage them.

Lightning Strike: Actually call down Lightning to smite the enemies.

Effects: On the harder levels of Dead Space electricity has severe difficulty killing Necromrophs, although it does stop them temporarily. Be wary of Necromorphs using themselves as a (un)living conduit.

Blinding Light: Strikes adversaries blind with a blast of light resembling a magnified sunbeam

Effects: Necromrophs don’t rely on sight, so at most it will stun them for a little bit.

Shield of the Istari: Conjures a magical shield to protect himself from attacks.

Effect: Helps Gandalf deal with projectiles more effectively.

Fire: Conjures fire and throws it at approaching assailants.

Effects: Great help against Ubermorph, will damage all Necromrophs.

Destructive Blast: Gandalf raises his staff and slams it on the ground, sending enemies spiraling backwards.

"You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass."

Effects: Great stunner, in most instances Necromorphs will just pick themselves back up though

Final Note: Gandalf does not have infinite energy; he will get tired after using this for too long. Also if his staff is broken then he will lose the ability to use spells.

Effectiveness:

Gandalf is going to be a great help to the Fellowship in this matchup. His magical abilities will bring aid in any situation, and he is a skilled swordsmen to boot. Gandlaf will almost nullify the effects of the Marker while alive (through his persona and ring, Narya) thus stopping members of the fellowship from going crazy. The Istari will be great against the big Necromorphs, like the brute and ubermorph, the latter of which he may be able to destroy by himself(otherwise the Fellowship will literally have to cut him up into dozens of pieces). His fire spell will also do well against swarmers and dividers, as his magic will allow him to electrocute or burn them rather than individually killing each one (which the others will have to do). Where Gandalf suffers however will be against the fast twitcher, which he may not be spry enough to effectively duel, and the ranged Necromrophs. The Lurker in particular with its fast ranged attacks may be devastating for an unshielded Gandalf. He also wont be able to cast spells once his staff is broken.

Gandalf Tribute here: Vs. Balrog another Tribute HEre

1 Additional Factor:

1. Athelas: The healing herb, or Kingsfoil, is used by Aragorn and others skilled in its use to heal both the mind and wounds. While obviously it’s not going to save a Fellowship member impaled on a arm-blade, it will reduce his pain and allow him to live longer, and will stop minor wounds from becoming serious ones. It also calms the mind and was used to save those infected by the black death, so it will provide resistance to the Marker as well.

And now onto the rules

Rules : Not every Necromorph is going to attack all at once, instead ambushing the Fellowship over a period of time. The objective of the Necromorphs is to kill the Fellowship , while the objective of the Fellowship is to kill or escape. I’ll explain my two format changes

Why there is no all out battle. Simply put it would be unfair to both sides

Unfair to Fellowship:

1. Get instantly overwhelmed by a group that drastically outnumbers them.

2. Will not be able to stop the infector from creating more slashers in the heat of a pitched battle, thus resulting in them again getting overwhelmed.

3. As the numbers of the Fellowship decrease, so too will the chance of taking down the Ubermorph.

To Necromorphs:

1. A couple of well placed shots by Legolas could effortlessly take out half of the group(exploder and crawler).

2. Brute would run over whatever Necromorph is in its way to get to fellowship.

3. Three Necromrophs are unable to move to participate in all out attack(Gaurdian, Grabber, Drag Tentacle) thus they would be left to face the Fellowship alone, if they won.

Reason I changed Fellowship’s objective:

To deal with the Ubermorphs near invincibility and numerical advantage of the necromoprhs, and to capitalize on the slowness of the former.

Grading scale will be revealed on the results page, however I am making it as even as possible

The format of the actual fight will be

Fellowship: 9

1 Brute 1 Crawler 1(6^) Divider 1 Drag Tentacle 1 Exploder 1 Flyer 1 Grabber 1 Guardian(pods not specified)1 Infector 1 Leaper 1 Lurker 8 Pack 1Pregnant 1Puker 3(*) Slasher 1 Spitter 4 Stalker 12 Swarmer 1 Twitcher

1Ubermorph

^ The Divder first appears as one whole organism, however once it damaged enough it will separate into 6 individual pieces the Fellowship will have to deal with

Pod amount is not specified, the Gaurdian will continually pump them out at decent sized intervals until destroyed

· The first three slashers will be enhanced, any slashers created afterword by the infector will be regular, with the exception of a fellowship is transformed, then he will be enhanced. The slasher is the only Necromroph whose number can actually increase.

· Swarmers are not dangerous by themselves, and do little damage, thus 12 of them will appear.

· The Pack, Stalker and Slashers will have more members then most to demonstrate the pack tactics that they often utilize.

Though, Comment, Predictions- Post them!