Well, let’s have a few more companions for this strategy:

• Thraín, Heir of Durin
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 5
To play, spot 2 Dwarves.
While you can spot a threat, Thraín is damage +1.
While you can spot 5 threats, Thraín gains terror 1.
While you cannot add a threat, Dwarves cannot be Locked by Shadow cards.
’Will you come with me back to the anvil? Or will you beg your bread at proud doors?’
H3 R 24

Seems ok.

• Man of Dale
Companion • Man
Str: 4
Vit: 3
Res: 6
To play, spot a Dwarf.
Man of Dale’s twilight cost is -1 for each card with a token on it.
Man of Dale is strength +1 for each Free Peoples artifact you can spot.
Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and men had gathered to him from the Lake...
H3 C 71

Id limit the artifacts to certain cultures that are more relevant to him. Cant see how the red arrow would give him a bonus.

• Race of Dale
Condition • Support Area
Each time your hand size goes below 1 card, you may spot Girion to make each companion bearing an artifact resistance +1 until the regroup phase.
Each time your hand size goes below 3 cards, you may spot Bard to exert a minion.
Each time your hand size goes below 5 cards, you may spot Brand to heal a Dwarf or Man.
H3 U 77

The strongest power there is the easiest to access and the lamest ability is hardest to access. Id swap the first and last one round.

Thranduil

• Thraín, Heir of Durin
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 5
To play, spot 2 Dwarves.
While you can spot a threat, Thraín is damage +1.
While you can spot 5 threats, Thraín gains terror 1.
While you cannot add a threat, Dwarves cannot be Locked by Shadow cards.
’Will you come with me back to the anvil? Or will you beg your bread at proud doors?’
H3 R 24

• Man of Dale
Companion • Man
Str: 4
Vit: 3
Res: 6
To play, spot a Dwarf.
Man of Dale’s twilight cost is -1 for each card with a token on it.
Man of Dale is strength +1 for each Free Peoples artifact you can spot.
Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and men had gathered to him from the Lake...
H3 C 71

• Race of Dale
Condition • Support Area
Each time your hand size goes below 1 card, you may spot Girion to make each companion bearing an artifact resistance +1 until the regroup phase.
Each time your hand size goes below 3 cards, you may spot Bard to exert a minion.
Each time your hand size goes below 5 cards, you may spot Brand to heal a Dwarf or Man.
H3 U 77

Id limit the artifacts to certain cultures that are more relevant to him. Cant see how the red arrow would give him a bonus.

The strongest power there is the easiest to access and the lamest ability is hardest to access. Id swap the first and last one round.

• Bard, Heir of Girion
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
While you can spot another Man, Bard is an archer.
While you can spot an Elf, Bard is strength +2.
While you can spot a Dwarf, Bard is damage +1.
’I am Bard, and by my hand was the dragon slain and your treasure delivered...’
H3 R 54
cool!

Cram
Possession
To play, spot a [gandalf[ Man.
Bearer must be a companion.
Regroup: If bearer is a Man, Hobbit or Wizard, discard this possession to heal them.
Regroup: If bearer is a Dwarf, discard this possession to remove a threat.
Regroup: If bearer is an Elf, discard this possession to draw 2 cards.
’... such as the Dalemen make...’
H3 U 60
I like it. is cram=lembas? I can never remember

• Dwarves of Yore
Condition • Support Area
While Thorin bears an artifact, he is damage +1.
While Thraín bears an artifact, Thorin and Daín Ironfoot gain terror 1.
While Thror bears an artifact, each Dwarf (and Man) with resistance 4 or more is strength +1.
While Durin III bears an artifact, artifacts borne by Thorin, Thraín and Thorin cannot be discarded.
H3 U 6

I like it. is cram=lembas? I can never remember

dwarves of yore change the title...no seriousness at all. personally I would cut the durin ability.

• Bard, Heir of Girion
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
While you can spot another Man, Bard is an archer.
While you can spot an Elf, Bard is strength +2.
While you can spot a Dwarf, Bard is damage +1.
’I am Bard, and by my hand was the dragon slain and your treasure delivered...’
H3 R 54

Cram
Possession
To play, spot a [gandalf[ Man.
Bearer must be a companion.
Regroup: If bearer is a Man, Hobbit or Wizard, discard this possession to heal them.
Regroup: If bearer is a Dwarf, discard this possession to remove a threat.
Regroup: If bearer is an Elf, discard this possession to draw 2 cards.
’... such as the Dalemen make...’
H3 U 60

• Dwarves of Yore
Condition • Support Area
While Thorin bears an artifact, he is damage +1.
While Thraín bears an artifact, Thorin and Daín Ironfoot gain terror 1.
While Thror bears an artifact, each Dwarf (and Man) with resistance 4 or more is strength +1.
While Durin III bears an artifact, artifacts borne by Thorin, Thraín and Thorin cannot be discarded.
H3 U 6

• Bard, Heir of Girion
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot another Man, Bard is an archer.
While you can spot an Elf, Bard is strength +2.
While you can spot a Dwarf, Bard is damage +1.
’I am Bard, and by my hand was the dragon slain and your treasure delivered...’
H3 R 54

Cram
Possession
To play, spot a Man.
Bearer must be a companion.
Regroup: If bearer is a Man, Hobbit or Wizard, discard this possession to heal them.
Regroup: If bearer is a Dwarf, discard this possession to remove a threat.
Regroup: If bearer is an Elf, discard this possession to draw 2 cards.
’... such as the Dalemen make...’
H3 U 60

• Dwarves of Yore
Condition • Support Area
While Thorin bears an artifact, he is damage +1.
While Thraín bears an artifact, Thorin and Daín Ironfoot gain terror 1.
While Thror bears an artifact, each Dwarf (and Man) with resistance 4 or more is strength +1.
While Durin III bears an artifact, artifacts borne by Thorin, Thraín and Thorin cannot be discarded.
H3 U 6

But then I’d have to name 3 different cultures! Whatever, I’ve done it.


It was that way round originally, but then I thought I’d change it because the Girion ability was so central to the / artifact strategy. Nevertheless, it’s changed.

Wow you took TWO of my suggestions? Im honoured!

Now we’ve mostly run out of cards, but I do have some more cards to get through, as well as my second Bloodline card. Some of these cards are more to do with post-Hobbit Dale than the ones so far, but never mind. And, you may recognise the first one from a DC contest a while back (I think it was one of lem0n’s).

Yup it was indeed.

• Bard, Heir of Girion
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot another Man, Bard is an archer.
While you can spot an Elf, Bard is strength +2.
While you can spot a Dwarf, Bard is damage +1.
’I am Bard, and by my hand was the dragon slain and your treasure delivered...’
H3 R 54

Sweetness.

Cram
Possession
To play, spot a Man.
Bearer must be a companion.
Regroup: If bearer is a Man, Hobbit or Wizard, discard this possession to heal them.
Regroup: If bearer is a Dwarf, discard this possession to remove a threat.
Regroup: If bearer is an Elf, discard this possession to draw 2 cards.
’... such as the Dalemen make...’
H3 U 60


Argh the hideous amount of text! My eyes! Thats some real easy healing for a non unique possession. Id be wary of the first ability as the possession only costs 1 but the rest look ok.

• Dwarves of Yore
Condition • Support Area
While Thorin bears an artifact, he is damage +1.
While Thraín bears an artifact, Thorin and Daín Ironfoot gain terror 1.
While Thror bears an artifact, each Dwarf (and Man) with resistance 4 or more is strength +1.
While Durin III bears an artifact, artifacts borne by Thorin, Thraín and Thorin cannot be discarded.
H3 U 6

Should maybe cost 3, not sure.

Thranduil

Yes, those cards were uncharacteristically cluttered weren’t they!

I’m afraid that I really want Durin III on Dwarves of Yore, that basically being the whole point of the card, so any other suggestions?
decide it isn’t the point of the card and cut it

Laketown Boatman
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Fellowship: If you have exactly 6 cards in hand, discard a card from hand to reinforce a token.
Regroup: Remove a token to draw a card.
... when Dale in the North was rich and prosperous, they had been wealthy and powerful, and there had been fleets of boats on the waters...
H3 C 68
make the regroup ability or reinforce a dwarf token IMHO

• Laketown Rower
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 6
To play, spot 2 Men.
At the start of each skirmish involving Laketown Rower, you may reinforce a token for each wound on each minion he is skirmishing.
They were making a raft of barrels, and the raft-elves would soon be steering it all down the stream to the Lake-town.
H3 U 69
7 strength for a rower?

Laketown Boat
Possession • Boat
To play, exert a Man.
Bearer must be a Man.
Maneuver: Spot a culture and exert bearer to take into hand a possession of that culture from your discard pile.
... boats and rowers were put at their service...
H3 U 67