Ruinous Tower

* Default
* Dreadful Presence
* Blood-freezing Presence

### Upgrades

Hidden Sentry, Fire Arrows, Dreadful Presence (Blood-freezing Presence for Adventure: Angmar)

### Bonus

Deepening Darkness - Reduces cost of Shades

"To this Curunír now assented, desiring that Sauron should be thrust from Dol Guldur, which was nigh to the River, and should have leisure to search there no longer. Therefore, for the last time, he aided the Council, and they put forth their strength; and they assailed Dol Guldur, and drove Sauron from his hold, and Mirkwood for a brief while was made wholesome again."
—Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age, The Silmarillion

The Fortress of Dol Guldur was a difficult place to assault. Filled with twisting tunnels and crumbling paths, any attacking armies would be split apart and be easy targets for the fortress' defenders. Dol Guldur was successfully assaulted twice only, once by the White Council and again by the elves of the Woodland Realm and Lothlórien. The Witch-king's mighty fortress of Carn Dûm in Angmar would prove to be just as impenetrable, and it would not be thrown down until after Arnor had already fallen.

The Ruinous Tower is a defensive structure for Dol Guldur and its Adventure: Angmar subfaction. It will provide Dark Presence (or Shivering Presence for Angmar), can be upgraded to fire arrows at nearby enemies and can recruit Tethered Shades.

## Upgrades

**Hidden Sentry (E)** - Allows this tower to fire arrows at enemies. Allows purchase of the Fire Arrow upgrade. (cost: 200)

**Dreadful Presence** **(R)** - Increases the radius of Dark Presence from this Tower by 50%. Increases Tower's armour by 33%. (cost: 100) *(Dol Guldur only)*

**Blood-freezing Presence (R)** - Increases the radius of Shivering Presence from this Tower by 50%. Increases Tower's armour by 33%. (cost: 100) *(Adventure: Angmar only)*

**Corpse-fire Arrows** **(R)** - Requires the Hidden Sentry upgrade. Upgrades this tower with Fire Arrows. Increases damage done by arrows. (cost: 200)

## Function

#### Resource Production

The Ruinous Tower will produce a small amount of resource (a maximum of +5) that is dependent on the building placement

#### Deepening Darkness

Multiple Ruinous Towers will reduce the cost of Tethered Shades.

* 2 Towers: 10%
* 3 Towers: 20%
* 4 Towers: 30%
* 5 Towers: 40%
* 6+ Towers: 50%

#### Abilities

**Dark Presence** - Nearby Dol Guldur units afflicted by Slow Decay are no longer drained over time, receive +15% damage and armour, and are healed by a small amount. Passive ability. *(Dol Guldur only)*

**Shivering Presence** - Nearby Angmar units afflicted by Slow Decay are no longer drained over time, receive +15% damage and armour, and are healed by a small amount. Passive ability. *(Adventure: Angmar only)*

## Strategy

The Ruinous Tower is a key aspect of Dol Guldur and its Adventure: Angmar subfaction. It is a cheap structure that can be built throughout the map. It provides **Dark Presence** (**Shivering Presence** for Angmar), allowing the leadership effect to be spread throughout the map. This is key to allowing Dol Guldur and Angmar to gain map control and giving units the edge in combat - chaining Towers together across the map and hiding them in trees allows safe movement of troops without decaying. The structure will also allow recruitment of Tethered Shades and will also reduce the cost of the Shades. This can help the faction to produce structures faster and allow them to gain map control even easier.

Ruinous Towers are upgradable - players can choose one of two primary upgrades, **Dreadful Presence** (**Blood-freezing Presence** for Angmar) and **Hidden Sentry**. The former enhances Ruinous Tower's role as a hub providing Dark (or Shivering) Presence by increasing its radius by 50%, meaning that fewer Towers are required to cover as much map space; it also increases the Tower's durability so it becomes harder to deprive Dol Guldur and Angmar of sources for Dark and Shivering Presence. Hidden Sentry on the other hand allows the Ruinous Tower to perform more similarly to other factions' Battle Towers - an unupgraded Ruinous Tower is unable to shoot enemies or be garrisoned; the upgrade allows the Tower to shoot at enemies and be upgraded with **Corpse-fire Arrows** to increase its damage.