Witch King Leader of The Nine

ResRef

witchking002

Tag

WitchKing

Race

Human

Appearance

Wraith, Hooded 1*

Class(es)

Fighter 60/Blackguard 60/Weapon Master 60

HP

8,780

CR

1200.0

Faction

Hostile (id 1)

Conversation

—

Where to find

Placed directly

Abilities

Classes

Within the context of Tolkien's legendarium, the Witch-king was originally a great king of Men. In the manuscript of his notes for translators Tolkien stated that the Witch-king's name and background were not recorded, but that he was probably of Númenórean descent. In the 16th century of the Second Age the Rings of Power were forged by the Elves of Eregion under Sauron's direction, and nine of these were given to powerful Men of the time; one of the these was the Witch-king. The rings gave them power and extended their lives indefinitely, but eventually corrupted them, turning them into the ghastly, undead Nazgûl. The Witch-king became their lord. The first sighting of the Nazgûl in Middle-earth was in S.A. 2251. For the next 1200 years, the Lord of the Nazgûl served Sauron as his second in command. He fought in the war against the Last Alliance of Elves and Men between S.A. 3434 and 3441. In S.A. 3441, when Sauron was defeated by Isildur, the nine Nazgûl disappeared from Middle-earth. One thousand years into the Third Age, Sauron resurfaced as "the Necromancer" at Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood. The Wise suspected this dark power might be one of the Nazgûl, but the latter were recorded only from circa T.A. 1300.[2] This is when the Witch-king first appeared in Angmar, a realm in the far North straddling the Misty Mountains. He quickly dominated Angmar, and turned to levy war against the three splinter kingdoms of Arnor (Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Cardolan); for Sauron, seeing that Gondor remained strong, sought to capitalize on the dissension among the northern kingdoms. It is in these northern wars, prosecuted against the Dúnedain for the next several hundred years, that the evil King of Angmar became known as the Witch-king. Rhudaur was soon compromised; power there was seized by evil Hillmen allied with Angmar. Argeleb I of Arthedain fortified the border against Rhudaur along the Weather Hills, but was slain in battle with Angmar and Rhudaur in T.A. 1356. In T.A. 1409, the Witch-king invaded Rhudaur and Cardolan. King Arveleg I of Arthedain was killed defeding Weathertop, but the palantír there was saved and removed to Fornost. The last Prince of Cardolan was killed, and the remaining Dúnedain of Rhudaur were slain or driven out. The Great Plague of T.A. 1636 destroyed the remaining Dúnedain of Cardolan, and evil spirits from Rhudaur and Angmar infested the burial mounds in the Barrow Downs. Only Arthedain remained to resist the Witch-king (though with frequent help from both Lindon and Rivendell). Araval won a victory over Angmar in T.A. 1851 and sought to reoccupy Cardolan, but the wights terrified all who sought to dwell near the Barrows. Finally, in T.A. 1973, as it became apparent that Angmar was preparing another stroke, Arvedui appealed for help from King Eärnil II of Gondor. But in T.A. 1974 before help could arrive, Angmar overran Arthedain. The Witch-king captured Fornost Erain, the capital of Arthedain. Arvedui fled north, only to drown in the Ice Bay of Forochel early the next year when the rescue ship from Lindon foundered. The Witch-king took his seat of power in newly captured Fornost. But in T.A. 1975, prince Eärnur of Gondor landed at the harbours of Mithlond, leading an army of Gondor. His army was joined by the Elves of Lindon and the remnant of the northern Dúnedain and marched on the Witch-king. On the plains west of Fornost, Eärnur's army met the army of Angmar, which was forced to retreat toward Fornost. As his army was routed, the Witch-king fled north toward Carn Dûm in Angmar; but Eärnur and Glorfindel with reinforcements from Rivendell pursued the retreating party and utterly defeated them. The Witch-king fled into the gathering darkness. Eärnur attempted to follow him, but Glorfindel stopped the prince and prophesied: "Do not pursue him! He will not return to these lands. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall."

Combat

AC extras: +8 AC Bonus

Saves shown = stored bonus + ability mod + item bonuses (Saving Throw Bonus: Specific); class-table progression and feat bonuses (Great Fortitude, etc.) are applied at runtime.

Abilities & combat properties

Dodge AC and save bonuses are factored into the main combat stats above. Dodge AC stacks (cap +20); haste adds +4 more (separate). All other same-type bonuses do not stack — only the highest is shown. Regeneration stacks without limit. Immunities marked (racial) are granted by the creature's racial type by the engine, not by its equipment.

Weapons

Spells

Special abilities

Equipment

Inventory (12)

Feats (92)

• Armor Proficiency (heavy)
• Armor Proficiency (light)
• Armor Proficiency (medium)
• Barbarian Rage (1x per day)
• Barbarian Rage (2x per day)
• Barbarian Rage (3x per day)
• Barbarian Rage (4x per day)
• Blind-Fight
• Called Shot
• Cleave
• Crippling Strike
• Damage Reduction 1
• Damage Reduction 2
• Damage Reduction 3
• Damage Reduction 4
• Defensive Awareness (3)
• Deflect Arrows
• Devastating Critical (longsword)
• Diamond Body
• Diamond Soul
• Divine Might
• Dodge
• Epic Fighter
• Epic Prowess
• Epic Superior Weapon Focus
• Epic Toughness I
• Epic Toughness III
• Epic Toughness IV
• Epic Toughness V
• Epic Weapon Focus (longsword)
• Epic Weapon Focus (scythe)
• Epic Weapon Specialization (longsword)
• Epic Weapon Specialization (scythe)
• Evasion
• Favored Enemy: Dwarves
• Favored Enemy: Elves
• Favored Enemy: Gnomes
• Favored Enemy: Half-Elves
• Favored Enemy: Half-Orcs
• Favored Enemy: Halflings
• Favored Enemy: Humans
• Favored Enemy: Orcs
• Fearless
• Flurry of Blows
• Great Cleave
• Greater Rage (5x per day)
• Hardiness vs. Illusions
• Immunity to Fire
• Immunity to Paralysis
• Immunity To Sleep
• Improved Critical (greatsword)
• Improved Critical (longsword)
• Improved Critical (scythe)
• Improved Evasion
• Improved Knockdown
• Improved Unarmed Strike
• Keen Sense
• Ki Strike +3
• Knockdown
• Mobility
• Monster Uncanny Reflex
• Opportunist
• Overwhelming Critical (longsword)
• Overwhelming Critical (scythe)
• Point Blank Shot
• Power Attack
• Purity of Body
• Quick To Master
• Quivering Palm
• Resist Acid Energy
• Resist Cold Energy
• Resist Disease
• Resist Electrical Energy
• Shield Proficiency
• Skill Focus (Discipline)
• Spring Attack
• Still Mind
• Superior Initiative
• Superior Weapon Focus
• Terrifying Rage
• Thundering Rage
• Two-Weapon Fighting
• Uncanny Dodge VI+
• Weapon Focus (greatsword)
• Weapon Focus (longsword)
• Weapon Focus (scythe)
• Weapon of Choice (longsword)
• Weapon Proficiency (exotic)
• Weapon Proficiency (martial)
• Weapon Specialization (greatsword)
• Weapon Specialization (longsword)
• Weapon Specialization (scythe)

Skills

Scripts