Create a hero

Create-a-hero is a feature in The Battle for Middle-earth 2 and its Expansion pack, The Rise of the Witch-king; only for PC. It allows the player to create a character, customizing their apparel, weapon, stats, and abilities as a hero. In a Skirmish game and in War of the Ring mode, the player can then choose one of them as a hero recruitable from the fortress like the other heroes.

Default heroes
There are 10 default and unchangeable Create-a-hero characters that the game's makers added:
 * Berethor, a Man
 * Morwen, a female (Shield Maiden)
 * Idrial, a female Elf
 * Hadhod, a Dwarf
 * Alcarin, a wizard (only in RotWK)
 * Krashnak, an Orc raider
 * Thrugg, an Uruk
 * Fhaleen, a man of Harad

Price
In BFME 2, all custom heroes cost 2000 resources. In RotWK, cost is determined by the Hero's abilities that the player had assigned to them. (See "Economy system in RotWK")

Skipable abilities
In BFME 2, the player cannot skip having an ability for each level-up of the Hero; he must gain (or increase) an ability on each level. In RotWK, the player can choose to not gain/increase an ability at the level up. One advantage to this is to lower the price of the hero (by retarding the purchase of an ability or simply by skipping it). Another advantage is saving slots, since heroes can have only 5 different abilities. oijupoui098u-089u09

Troll
In BFME 2, the Troll is a sub-class for the Servants of Sauron class, and in-game does not deal troll-attacks that smash enemies. In RotWK, the Troll is transferred to the new Olog-Haï class, and each type (Great Troll, Hill Troll, and Snow Troll) attacks correctly in-game.

Economy system in RotWK
Custom heroes cost 500 resources at start, and each ability increases the hero's build cost, depending both on the ability itself and on the level the ability is acquired (the later the cheaper, as each level decreases the cost by 10%).Each ability is worth a certain amount of points. If the player doesn't buy the ability when it is first available, its price will decrease by 10% for each subsequent level (regardless of the particular ability). For example, Leadership initially costs 200 points, e.g. buying Leadership at level 1 costs 200 points, but if the player chooses to buy Leadership at level 2 (by buying another ability for level 1 or by skipping the choice for a new ability at level 1), it costs 180 points instead, and so forth : 20% (160) on level 3, 30% (140) on level 4, 40% (120) on level 5, half (100) on level 6, 60% (80) on level 7, 70% (60) on level 7, 80% (40) on level and finally 90% on level 10 (20).

These decreases depend on the first level which the desired ability is available. For example, Whirlwind of Elves is available at level 3 ; so, purchasing it at level 4 doesn't grant a 30% reduction, but only a 10% reduction. This also means that Whirlwind's cost can be reduced only by 70% at maximum.

Skipping an ability doesn't impact the reduction percentage. I.e. if player wants to buy Leadership at level 2, choosing no ability at level 1 will not decrease its price further. Of course, the normal 10% reduction applies, but it also decreases the price of the hero.

So, a player can choose to create a cheap hero just to support troops or harass enemies at the beginning, a powerful 5000+ resource exhausting juggernaut, or anywhere between.

Alignment
Custom heroes can't be selected by all factions. Good heroes fight for good races, while evil heroes, for evil races. The Wizard can be chosen by any faction.

Hero of the West

 * Balanced hero with numerous abilities to protect (and even summon) allies and himself.

Elf

 * Primarily ranged hero with some abilities including ability to switch to melee combat.

Dwarf

 * Slow but powerful fighter with some Area of Effect abilities.

Mage

 * Heavily relies on his abilities rather than on his balanced stats. Some of his magics are veritable table-turners.

Servant of Sauron

 * This creature can summon and boost allies, though in a less versatile way than Hero of the West.

Corrupted man

 * Easterlings and Haradrim. Uses guile to spy and convert enemies. Can also use a bow, making him the only evil ranged hero option.

Olog-Haï

 * This class, only available in The Rise of the Witch-king, regroups the powerful Trolls, which combine various abilities from the Servant of Sauron and Dwarf classes.