[How To is a recurring feature in which we demonstrate techniques designed to improve your game, and make your skill set more than a little bit awesome. This time out, we’ll help you survive the world of Lord of the Rings: War in the North.]

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Warner Bros. Interactive’s action-RPG recent hit store shelves, bringing a grittier take on the Tolkien’s fantasy world to the PC and home video game consoles. If you want to orc-slay with the best of ‘em, check out these tips which were provided by WBI. Have fun storming the castle!

1. Sick of that troll knocking you to the ground? Try using your rolling dodge to avoid unblockable attacks by pressing B (Xbox 360), Circle (PlayStation 3), or Spacebar (PC).

2. Did you know that skill attacks aren’t just limited to melee combat? Enter Ranged Mode to view your ranged skill attacks. Note: some ranged skill attacks can charge up to do extra damage.

3. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is all about loot. The color of the item’s name will tell you if it’s Common (white), Uncommon (green), Rare (blue), or Epic (purple) – each with better qualities than the last.

4. Did you know Beleram can attack certain structures, like crossbow turrets or towers? Use Ranged Mode to target a structure and then call in Beleram by using a Great Feather.

5. Whichever weapon you use, landing a critical strike on an enemy initiates Hero Mode so you can gain more XP and do extra damage.

6. Missed an on-screen tutorial message? Visit the Log, and select Tutorial Messages to scroll through a list of helpful hints and tricks.

7. One of the best ways to perfect your combat skills is a Challenge Map, unlocked after Sarn Ford. Beat these challenges for extra XP.

8. There are many potions that give your character bonuses. Use Andriel’s racial ability to craft them, and then put them to use in a tight spot.

9. Want to tell your allies to defend their position, or attack a wave of enemies? Press up on the D-pad (or C on the keyboard) to tell your allies to go on the offensive, and down on the D-pad (or Z on the keyboard) to have them hold their ground.

10. Want Andriel to throw a sanctuary around you while playing solo? Move away from the fray and press down on the d-pad (so that your AI companions go into defensive mode). If there’s room from enemies, and she can break away, she’ll come to your aid.

11. Want to move an item around in your inventory? For console players, select the item in the Inventory screen, then hold the Ranged Attack button to move the item. For PC, simply left click, hold, and then drag and drop to a new inventory slot.

12. Keep an eye out for armor sets! If you equip multiple pieces of the same set, your bonuses will increase with each piece you wear.

13. Need to break the block of a tough enemy? Hold your block button then use your normal melee attack to push the enemy back forcefully, allowing you a chance to hit them.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey L. Wilson’s love of all things shiny/digital has led to jobs penning gadget- and video game-related nerd-copy for 1UP, E-Gear, Laptop, LifeStyler, Parenting, PC Magazine, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. Besides overseeing the editorial content at 2D-X.com, the Brooklyn College grad hosts New York City’s monthly Bits and Bytes video game media and public relations meetup. You can find him at a bar sampling foreign beers, or on Twitter doing twittery things.