Smaug

* Portrait
* Flying
* On foot

"Revenge! Revenge! The King under the Mountain is dead and where are his kin that dare seek revenge? Girion Lord of Dale is dead, and I have eaten his people like a wolf among sheep, and where are his sons' sons that dare approach me? I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong, strong, Thief in the Shadows! My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!"
—Smaug

**Smaug** was the last great fire-breathing Dragon of the Third Age. Subject to greed and vanity, the Worm of Dread was attracted by rumor of wealth and assaulted the Kingdoms of Erebor and Dale, slaying Lord Girion and driving out Durin's Folk.

For almost 200 years, he lied on the golden piles of Erebor, only coming out to spread the destruction around the mountain (known as the Desolation of Smaug) and to carry away people from the nearby towns. Fearing that the Dark Lord and the Dragon would help one another, Gandalf sought to prevent Sauron from gaining Smaug's allegiance and so joined Thorin's Company on a quest to reclaim Erebor. It was Bilbo Baggins whom the Smaug first encountered of the group, conversing with him to discern his intents. Blinded by rage at the notion of someone standing up to him to take their revenge, the boasting Dragon left the Mountain to rain fire on Lake-town, certain the Men therein had aided the Dwarves. As Smaug the Terrible burned the place down, Bard the Bowman took action and shot him with a Black Arrow in his vulnerable patch, slaying the beast.

In Age of the Ring, Smaug is the Ring Hero for Misty Mountains and is recruited at level 10.

## Abilities

### Flying

**Land (W)** - Left click to to land. Left click then left click target area.

**Wings like a Hurricane (R)** - shoots a shockwave of force below Smaug, causing meta damage to enemies. Left click then left click on target area.

**Fiery Spirit (T) -** sends a fiery dragon missile at selected target. Left click icon then left click on target

**I Am Death (C)** - breathes fire over a selected area. Left click icon then left click on target area.

**Dragon Sickness (V)** - causes targeted units to become hostile to each other. Left click icon then left click on target area.

### On Foot

**Take Flight (W)** - Left click to take flight.

**Dread Gaze (R)** - Stuns enemy hero for a short time. Left click icon then left click on target.

**Fiery Spirit (T) -** sends a fiery dragon missile at selected target. Left click icon then left click on target

**I Am Death (C)** - breathes fire over a selected area. Left click icon then left click on target area.

**Dragon Sickness (V)** - causes targeted units to become hostile to each other. Left click icon then left click on target area.

## Strategy

As an evil ring hero, Smaug is a very heavy investment at 10000, although the price can be reduced by buying Wild Allegiance at the fortress. However, if micro-managed effectively, he can be a game changer in battle. As a flying unit, he is immune to any ground melee attacks but is more vulnerable to ranged attacks. Therefore, your strategy must be to always be aware of them and take measures against them, either by having Smaug attack them first or using your other troops to distract and destroy them first. Smaug has some very powerful AOE abilities, letting him deal heavy damage to hordes of units even without his basic attack. The player must also be wary of ranged heroes such as Faramir or Bard the Bowman which deal considerable amounts of damage to Smaug in flight form.

Smaug is capable of landing: in this form he is able to be attacked by melee units but has the benefit of breathing fire as a basic attack so that he can deal damage and kill multiple enemies at once. Whilst on foot, Smaug can stun enemy heroes temporarily with **Dread Gaze** and either finish them off himself with his fire breath and various abilities or allow Misty Mountains' army to deal with them. Regardless of whether he is flying or on foot, Smaug is one of the most dangerous heroes encountered in Age of the Ring.