Thanks for the review!


How can I make it more usable, then? Any ideas?

I would give it a different bonus...like, strength? Yeah, strength for the first ability, resistance for the second.

Okay, thanks for the reviews thus far, guys. I think we can move on now and continue the armaments with Berethor!

•Berethor, Leader of the Company
Companion • Man
Strength: 7
Vitality: 4
Signet: Berethor
Knight.
Fellowship: Exert Berethor to make the twilight cost of each companion with the Berethor signet -1 until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Exert Berethor twice to make a companion with the Berethor signet strength +X, where X is the number of races you can spot in the fellowship.
Many were inspired to follow Berethor from all across Middle-Earth, from the forests of Eregion, to the foothills of the Misty Mountains, to the fields of Rohan.

Nice. Gandalf, Friend of the Shirefolk combo, sweet.

The version that works best with possessions, Warrior of Gondor, has already been covered, so I had to do something else entirely.

As those who review my Duos probably know, my sets bring back signets. I do plenty with resistance too, but I always though signets were a neat idea that were never used to their full potential. I like them so much that I created first two, then three new ones: Elrond for the culture, Thorin for the culture, and now a second signet: Berethor.

Giving Berethor his own signet wasn’t something I planned on at first. One of the whole reasons I made one for Elrond and one for Thorin is I wanted every major FP culture to have its own signet. Now, of course, this gives two.

So why’d I throw everything back out of balance? Simple: cards like Berethor, Leader of the Company all but demanded it.

Berethor is the central character in the game The Third Age, and your little fellowship revolves around him from start to finish. Not only is he a beast in battle, but he makes everyone else better with a unique "leadership" skill tree, full of abilities that can pump up everyone in the party. I simply HAD to make a version of Berethor like this, and a signet was the easiest way.

This makes for a potential +8 pump, since that’s the current number of FP races (Man, Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit, Wizard, Ent, Tree, Wraith). Of course, unless you’re out of your mind, you’re likely going to settle for much less than that: MAYBE four or five, but more realistically, probably around three. For that reason, I toyed very seriously with making it only exert once, but I think two exertions is probably best.

Anyways, this is supposed to be about possessions and artifacts. So let’s get to them!

Steel Battle Helm
Possession • Helm
Bearer must be a Man.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound during a skirmish involving him or her, discard this possession to cancel that skirmish instead.
Gondorian helms are very distinctive with their open-faced, barbut style.

Typical Helm. Good job.

•Fell Númenórean Helm
Artifact • Helm
Strength +1
Resistance -1
Bearer must be a unique knight.
Each time bearer must exert as a cost, you may add a burden or a threat instead.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and add a burden to make him or her strength +2.
This ancient helm was rumored to have been worn by a Nazgul.

Hm...I like the corrupting influence...but maybe, tone it down? Or maybe give it a vitality bonus instead of strength, so I would use it.

In truth, I don’t recall this helmet having any big drawbacks in the game, though Shadow spells seemed to hurt more while Berethor wore it. I don’t know for sure...I didn’t use it very long.

But the implied risks all but demanded I take a crack at a DC version. I’m pretty happy with the end results.

Captain’s Guard Cloak
Possession • Cloak
Bearer must be a Man.
If bearer is a knight or at a sanctuary, bearer is strength +1.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
The finest of cloaks are afforded to Citadel Guard Captains.

Preventing wounds with a cloak? No. Doesn’t fit the point of a cloak. Maybe do something else. Cloaks need a resistance theme, maybe give it resistance.

Gondorian Armor
Possession • Armor
Bearer must be a Man.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard 3 cards (or 2 cards) from hand to prevent that wound.
Berethor’s travel-worn armor served him well during his long journey from Minas Tirith to Rivendell.

Riding Armor? Hm....make it...better.

Steel Fountain Guard Armor
Possession • Armor
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a knight.
The armor of the Fountain Guards proudly displays the White Tree over hardened steel and plate lames and mail.

Nice.

Gondorian Scouting Shield
Possession • Shield
Bearer must be a Man.
The minion archery total is -1.
If bearer is Boromir or Berethor and he is skirmishing a roaming minion, he may not be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled.
A light, circular shield with a flexible design for use from foot or from horseback.

Nice. Now the question is, why would I use Great Shield if I can use this. Make it so that both have their own use.

The reason Boromir’s on there is that this is the same style shield as Boromir’s; they look pretty much identical.

Gondorian Battle Shield
Possession • Shield
Bearer must be a Man.
Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all strength and damage bonuses from weapons.
This sturdy shield is built of layered wood, faced with leather and edged in steel.

Hm...kind of powerful. Maybe just damage bonuses. And then cut it down to . If you want to keep strength bonuses, keep it at

Is too expensive?

Steel Long Sword
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Man.
When played on a knight, this possession’s twilight cost is -1.
Swords forged in the foundries of Minas Tirith are quick and powerful, with a keen edge.

Nice.

Mithril Sword of Minas Tirith
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Man.
Bearer is damage +1.
A kingly weapon, said to possess great power, used by Gondor’s court.

Too Good. Make it unique, and

Too good?

•Blade of the Valar, Vestige of the First Age
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Vitality +1
Resistance +1
Bearer must be Berethor. He is damage +1 and cannot bear other weapons.
Each time Berethor wins a skirmish, you may exert him to remove a threat or make a companion resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
A blade wielded by the most ancient beings of Middle-earth.

Nice. Anduril now looks like the mini-Anduril.

The best sword Berethor can get in the game, I figured it couldn’t hurt to turn it into a mini-Anduril.

Each character in the game has armor and weapons, and each also has a small item unique to them. Like the rest of their gear, this item gets upgrades as the game proceeds. For Idrial it was pendants. For Elegost it was brooches. For Berethor, it’s an item that makes an easy transition to dream card form: rings.

Ring of the Citadel
Possession • Ring
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Man.
Each time the fellowship moves to a sanctuary, you may add to heal bearer.
A simple ring shaped by Men to honor the guardians of Gondor.

Nice.

•Númenórean Ring of Command
Artifact • Ring
Strength +1
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Man.
If bearer is Berethor, the twilight cost of each Free Peoples event played during a skirmish involving him or a companion with the Berethor signet is -1.
An ancient ring from the lost kingdom of Númenór.

Kinda...weak. Maybe each time a skirmish event is played (shadow or FP) make a minion strength -1.

Okay, thanks for the reviews thus far, guys. I think we can move on now and continue the armaments with Berethor!

•Berethor, Leader of the Company
Companion • Man
Strength: 7
Vitality: 4
Signet: Berethor
Knight.
Fellowship: Exert Berethor to make the twilight cost of each companion with the Berethor signet -1 until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Exert Berethor twice to make a companion with the Berethor signet strength +X, where X is the number of races you can spot in the fellowship.
Many were inspired to follow Berethor from all across Middle-Earth, from the forests of Eregion, to the foothills of the Misty Mountains, to the fields of Rohan.
interesting, does the job

Steel Battle Helm
Possession • Helm
Bearer must be a Man.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound during a skirmish involving him or her, discard this possession to cancel that skirmish instead.
Gondorian helms are very distinctive with their open-faced, barbut style.
needs to give a way for the shadow player to prevent it.

•Fell Númenórean Helm
Artifact • Helm
Strength +1
Resistance -1
Bearer must be a unique knight.
Each time bearer must exert as a cost, you may add a burden or a threat instead.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and add a burden to make him or her strength +2.
This ancient helm was rumored to have been worn by a Nazgul.
make the second ability exert bearer and add 1 or a threat IMO

Captain’s Guard Cloak
Possession • Cloak
Bearer must be a Man.
If bearer is a knight or at a sanctuary, bearer is strength +1.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
The finest of cloaks are afforded to Citadel Guard Captains.
how about discard a gondor card and add 1.

Gondorian Armor
Possession • Armor
Bearer must be a Man.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard 3 cards (or 2 cards) from hand to prevent that wound.
Berethor’s travel-worn armor served him well during his long journey from Minas Tirith to Rivendell.
fine by me

Steel Fountain Guard Armor
Possession • Armor
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a knight.
The armor of the Fountain Guards proudly displays the White Tree over hardened steel and plate lames and mail.
in the title cut steel.

Gondorian Scouting Shield
Possession • Shield
Bearer must be a Man.
The minion archery total is -1.
If bearer is Boromir or Berethor and he is skirmishing a roaming minion, he may not be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled.
A light, circular shield with a flexible design for use from foot or from horseback.
fine by me

Gondorian Battle Shield
Possession • Shield
Bearer must be a Man.
Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all strength and damage bonuses from weapons.
This sturdy shield is built of layered wood, faced with leather and edged in steel.
Is too expensive?
IMO yeah.

Steel Long Sword
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Man.
When played on a knight, this possession’s twilight cost is -1.
Swords forged in the foundries of Minas Tirith are quick and powerful, with a keen edge.
works for me

Mithril Sword of Minas Tirith
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Man.
Bearer is damage +1.
A kingly weapon, said to possess great power, used by Gondor’s court.
ditto

•Blade of the Valar, Vestige of the First Age
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Vitality +1
Resistance +1
Bearer must be Berethor. He is damage +1 and cannot bear other weapons.
Each time Berethor wins a skirmish, you may exert him to remove a threat or make a companion resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
A blade wielded by the most ancient beings of Middle-earth.
you need to make it discard all other weapons he bears to.

Ring of the Citadel
Possession • Ring
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Man.
Each time the fellowship moves to a sanctuary, you may add to heal bearer.
A simple ring shaped by Men to honor the guardians of Gondor.
fine by me

•Númenórean Ring of Command
Artifact • Ring
Strength +1
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Man.
If bearer is Berethor, the twilight cost of each Free Peoples event played during a skirmish involving him or a companion with the Berethor signet is -1.
An ancient ring from the lost kingdom of Númenór.

make the second ability exert bearer and add 1 or a threat IMO

Riding Armor? Hm....make it...better.

Nice. Now the question is, why would I use Great Shield if I can use this. Make it so that both have their own use.

•Gandalf, Wielder of the Flame of Anor
Companion • Wizard
Strength: 6
Vitality: 4
Signet: Gandalf
Gandalf is strength +1 for each unique possession and artifact he bears.
Maneuver: Spot a Nazgûl, Wraith, or Balrog to play Gandalf from your draw deck.
“‘Here our paths cross…briefly.’”
interesting. he can easily be 8, and be played from your draw deck. make it draw deck or discard pile IMO

•Gandalf, Friend of Free Peoples
Companion • Wizard
Strength: 7
Vitality: 4
Signet: Berethor
At the start of each of your turns, you may name a race. At any time during that turn, you may heal an unbound companion of that race (limit once per turn).
Each time you play another companion whose race you cannot spot, you may remove a burden or a threat.
“‘Your road here will not be an easy one. Much will be risked in the war that is to come, but you will justify my trust. This I sense with all my heart.’”
I love it good job.

•Gandalf’s Staff, Stave of Light
Artifact • Staff
Vitality +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
The twilight cost of each spell is -1.
Maneuver: Exert Gandalf twice to heal an unbound companion or discard a Shadow condition borne by an unbound companion.
IMO make it exert him and add 1( I wonder how many times in my reviews I have told you to change something to adding twilight?)

•Glamdring, Wizard’s Blade
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gandalf.
He is damage +1.
Skirmish: Exert Gandalf to play a spell from your draw deck or discard pile.
how about response, if Gandalf wins a skirmish, exert him to play a spell...

Wizard’s Drain
Condition
Spell. To play, spot Gandalf. Plays during the maneuver phase.
Bearer must be a minion with vitality of at least 2. Limit 2 per bearer.
Shadow cards must spot bearer as being vitality -1 (to a minimum of 1).
i think with the to a minimum, you could cut the of at least 2. the wording seems awkward, but I don’t know how you could fix it.

Endure the Shadow
Condition
Spell. To play, spot Gandalf.
Bearer must be a companion.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound as a result of a Shadow special ability, add a threat or discard this condition to prevent that.
perfect. I think it is fine as it is.

Bolt of the Valar
Event • Skirmish
Spell.
Exert Gandalf bearing a staff to wound a minion twice. If that minion is a Balrog or Nazgûl, you may exert Gandalf and remove a card from your discard pile to return this event to your hand.

Anyone who wants to review older cards, please feel free. I have a feeling that the sheer number of cards I usually post at a time in this thread turns people away when they first see it, then they forget to come back until the thread is already pushed low on the boards. Ah well.

We shouldn’t have that problem today. Only seven cards this time, all focused on Gandalf.

Everyone’s favorite Wizard makes frequent appearances in The Third Age, moreso than any other character from Tolkien’s collective works. Gandalf actually narrates much of the game (voiced, of course, by Sir Ian McKellen), sort of in main character Berethor’s head, as it were. He also appears several times in the flesh (or pixels, in this case ), guiding you along your journey and even fighting in a couple key battles (against the Balrog, and then against the Witch-king in Minas Tirith). He’s an absolute beast whenever he briefly joins your party; you hardly need the rest of your little fellowship when he’s fighting on your side.

So, here’s the Wizard himself, a couple of his more famous armaments, and three spells directly from the game. I tried to capture them as best I could, while still staying true to the character he is in the books and movies. Unfortunately, since I STILL haven’t been able to get my hands on the game’s script, most of these (and most of my Third Age cards in general) still lack lore. But try and enjoy them anyway.

•Gandalf, Wielder of the Flame of Anor
Companion • Wizard
Strength: 6
Vitality: 4
Signet: Gandalf
Gandalf is strength +1 for each unique possession and artifact he bears.
Maneuver: Spot a Nazgûl, Wraith, or Balrog to play Gandalf from your draw deck.
“‘Here our paths cross…briefly.’”
Playing a companion from your draw deck during maneuver is pretty powerful... but seeing as how he comes out with nothing except what events you may be holding, it seems okay. Especially if you’re starting down a Balrog.

If you’ve been following these cards for a little while, you’ve probably seen that several characters have a version with anti-Nazgûl, anti-Wraith, and/or anti-Balrog text. I figured that if anyone deserved such a distinction, it should be Gandalf...especially considering the battles where he aids the party in the game.

•Gandalf, Friend of Free Peoples
Companion • Wizard
Strength: 7
Vitality: 4
Signet: Berethor
At the start of each of your turns, you may name a race. At any time during that turn, you may heal an unbound companion of that race (limit once per turn).
Each time you play another companion whose race you cannot spot, you may remove a burden or a threat.
“‘Your road here will not be an easy one. Much will be risked in the war that is to come, but you will justify my trust. This I sense with all my heart.’”

Kind of has a mini, built-in The Nine Walkers, only different. Also reminds me of Elrond with the healing, though perhaps that’s just me.

Seems good to me. Handy in a Nine Walkers deck. Or something with Elessar Telcontar.

•Gandalf’s Staff, Stave of Light
Artifact • Staff
Vitality +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
The twilight cost of each spell is -1.
Maneuver: Exert Gandalf twice to heal an unbound companion or discard a Shadow condition borne by an unbound companion.

Admittedly, this one steals a page from the original Gandalf’s Staff with that spell cost reduction. But after that, I tried to make it pretty unique.

Cool. No complaints.

•Glamdring, Wizard’s Blade
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gandalf.
He is damage +1.
Skirmish: Exert Gandalf to play a spell from your draw deck or discard pile.

I figured it certainly couldn’t hurt to have another version of Glamdring (see Glamdring, Lightning Brand) that dealt with spells. Again, I think this one is unique enough to stand on its own...especially when combined with the staff above...and the spells that follow!

Wowza! Nice one. Finally, a Glamdring that might be used more than Foe-Hammer!

Wizard’s Drain
Condition
Spell. To play, spot Gandalf. Plays during the maneuver phase.
Bearer must be a minion with vitality of at least 2. Limit 2 per bearer.
Shadow cards must spot bearer as being vitality -1 (to a minimum of 1).

I can’t find any record of a FP condition that plays on a minion, so I guess this is a first. In the game, this spell drains some of the "spirit points" that a minion has to spend on their own spells and skills, limiting them from using some of their more expensive attacks, especially as the battle wears on. I figured this represented that pretty well, as it prevents the bearer from exerting quite so easily. One of these limits Shadow players from exerting past 2 vitality, and two of them stacked together limits exerting past 3 vitality. Ouch.

Did I word this properly? Does it make sense?

Not so sure about the wording... but good card.

Endure the Shadow
Condition
Spell. To play, spot Gandalf.
Bearer must be a companion.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound as a result of a Shadow special ability, add a threat or discard this condition to prevent that.

Here’s a more traditional condition that plays on a companion. How is it? Too powerful? Too weak?

Balanced. Good against some, useless against others. It’s a card that depends on the meta, but sitll is useful.

Bolt of the Valar
Event • Skirmish
Spell.
Exert Gandalf bearing a staff to wound a minion twice. If that minion is a Balrog or Nazgûl, you may exert Gandalf and remove a card from your discard pile to return this event to your hand.

Yikes! But good... Seems okay to me.

Pure beatdown time! This skill is very expensive in The Third Age, but a few applications of it will take even the Balrog and the Witch-king down. I thought about doing a card like Terrible and Evil, but decided on this in the end. How is it?