The Hobbit TCG, revisited [Moria]

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

That's the definition of reinforcing: place a token on a card that already has a token on it.

That's the definition of reinforcing in the real world. There's nothing in the CRD about that in the game world.

From the starter rulebook for The Hunters:
Reinforce
This verb, used in game text, means to add a culture token to a card that already has a token of the same culture.

[Thranduil]

That's the definition of reinforcing: place a token on a card that already has a token on it.

That's the definition of reinforcing in the real world. There's nothing in the CRD about that in the game world.

Yeah I think it's weird that I can't find it in the CRD. But I am nevertheless right.

Reinforce
This verb, used in game text, means to add a culture token to a card that already has a token of the same culture. You may choose any of your cards with the appropriate culture token if you have more than one. If an effect lets you reinforce more than one culture token, you may put them all on one card or divide them up however you choose.

[ket_the_jet]

Thanks guys for your research. each and shame on me for not reading the Hunters rulebook through, even though I don't play beyond Movie Block anymore.
-wtk

Edit: Hooray for Thranduil! That is your 150th oatmeal cookie! Good job!

Edit, 2: Um, semi-congrats to Sam for a much less impressive ninth gold piece.

[ket_the_jet]

Okay, so it is time to introduce the culture. Now, as a reminder, the culture isn't the same as the culture in Standard. In fact, I just needed a culture symbol and fit much better than as a culture. Anyways, as you remember, the Battle of Five Armies featured, well, five armies--Dwarves, Elves, Laketown Men, Orcs from Moria, and Wargs. Of course, there were other guys and gals, like the Eagles (deus ex machina, anyone?) and Gandalf, but it's called the Battle of Five Armies, not The Battle of Five Armies and Everyone's Friends.

So, we've made it about half-way through the set. I haven't actually counted the cards out, but let's just roll with "about halfway through." I've introduced two new signets, Thorin and Bilbo, an unloaded keyword, adventurer, renamed the culture as "Wizard," made a new Smeagol Ring-Bearer, and alluded to some cool Elves yet to come. But we have something missing that every base set has had--a new bound keyword. So here we go.

Up to this point in the set, I have introduced an entire culture at a time. But frankly, as I don't have the original completed set anymore and am basically re-doing all of these, I'm just going to introduce a couple at this point.

Anyways, I am nowhere near as creative as Thranduil and (the few) others who have created good keywords. But what I did do was take a great, if not underused, rule and alter it a little bit. So here's an example:

Attacking Warg
Minion • Warg
Strength 9
Vitality 2
Site 5
Ambush- Add a threat.

Ambushing Warg
Minion • Warg
Strength 5
Vitality 3
Site 5
Ambush- Exert an unbound companion.
Response: If an Warg is about to take a wound, remove or exert this minion to prevent that.

• Charging From the Hills
Condition • Support Area
While you have initiative, each minion with ambush is damage +1.
While you can spot 3 threats, each minion with ambush is strength +1.
While you can spot 3 burdens, each minion with ambush is twilight cost -1.

I didn't put the rarity on those cards yet because I am still fixing numbers-titles. But Charging From the Hills is a rare and the others are common and uncommon, respectively. Thoughts are appreciated, like always!
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

This new Ambush is a very nice idea. I like it.

I can see Charging from the Hills as a key card for this kind of deck. Ambushing Warg would fit better with this card with 'Ambush - Add a Burden' or 'Ambush - Discard a card from hand'. Since this Warg is a pretty weak minion, giving it the 'Add a Burden' text could make it better to play. It could also be nice in a swarm deck since burden makes your minions cheaper.

The strenght +1 bonus isn't very attractive compared to the other ones. A strenght +2 would be more fun.

[Cw0rk]

All Things Devours (FP)
Event • Regroup
Add two burdens to discard each minion.
H U 39

No spotting requirement?

•Corruption (SH)
Condition • Support Area
While Gollum is skirmishing Smeagol, he is damage +1.
Regroup: Discard this condition to return a minion to your hand.
H U 40

Interesting. But Gollum won't be fighting Smeagol very often. What about 'While you can spot Smeagol, Gollum is damage +1'.

•Fish-bones (FP)
Possession • Support Area
When the fellowship moves from site 4H, remove a burden.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to wound a minion skirmishing Smeagol.
H C 41

Looks nice. Does it have to be unique?

A Game (SH)
Event • Shadow
Play Gollum from your draw deck or discard pile; his twilight cost is -1 for each burden you can spot.
H C 42

Looks very nice.

•Gollum, Dweller of the Underground Lake (SH)
Minion
Strength 5, Vitality 4
While skirmishing a Ring-Bound companion, Gollum is strength +4.
H C 43

No very innovative, but good and well balanced.

•Gollum, Sickly Pale (SH)
Minion
Strength 5, Vitality 4
When you play Gollum, reinforce a Shadow culture token.
Skirmish: Exert Gollum twice to make him strength +X, where X is the number of free peoples culture tokens you can spot.
H R 44

Pretty innovative but not very good when your opponent doesn't have cards with tokens. Something fun could be 'When you play Gollum, place a [Smeagol] token on a FP condition.' The FP wont be able to use the token but it makes Gollum strength +1.

•Smeagol, Lake-Dweller (FP)
Companion
Strength 3, Vitality 4
Signet: Bilbo
Ring-Bearer (resistance 7).
Each time you play a companion (except in your starting fellowship), add a burden.
Each time you lose initiative, you may wound two companions to remove a burden.
H R 45

I like the first line. However the second line looks a bit weird but its alright I guess.

•Smeagol, Riddler (FP)
Companion
Strength 3, Vitality 4
Signet: Bilbo
To play, add a burden.
While you have the initiative, the twilight cost of each and skirmish events is -1.
H C 46

Very cool card. However, reducing the cost of skirmish events won't make a huge difference... maybe removing the 'While you have initiative' would make it better.

•Underground Lair (SH)
Condition • Support Area
While the Shadow has the initiative, each site on the adventure path is underground.
Shadow: Discard this condition to play a minion from your discard pile.
H R 47

I like this one a lot. Pretty cool.

Voiceless, It Cries (FP)
Condition • Support Area
Response: If Smeagol is about to be overwhelmed in a skirmish, add a burden to make him strength +3.
H R 48

Mmmm... this one may be a bit too strong. Just imagine playing solo Smeagol with this card. It's a good as Footman's Armor. Reducing it to +2 only would be OK but still a very good card to play.

We Hates It! (SH)
Event • Skirmish
Wound a character skirmishing a minion.
H U 49

Nice one. Simple but efficient. Just like Whirling Strike.

What Has It Gots? (FP)
Event • Skirmish
Wound a character skirmishing Smeagol.
H U 50

Looks like Smeagol and Gollum have similar events. This one is good, maybe 3 is a bit high but being like the shadow version is nice.

•Aragorn, Messenger of the White Council
Companion • Man
Strength 8, Vitality 4
Signet: Gandalf
Ranger. Adventurer. To play, spot a Wizard or Elf.
Skirmish: Add a threat to make a companion strength +1 (limit 4).
H R 51

I like it. Elf? This is going to be interesting.

•Army of Dale
Companion • Man
Strength 9, Vitality 4
To play, spot two Men (or one Lake-Dweller).
Lake-Dweller.
While the Army of Dale is at a battleground or lake, Army of dale is defender +1.
H R 52

Pretty cool.

At the Brink
Event • Skirmish
Make a lake-dweller strength +2 (or strength +4 in a fierce skirmish).
H C 53

Why would I want to play this card when I could have Sentinels of Numenor which work with all Gondor companions? Is there any non-gondor lake-dweller? I'd like to see another mechanic than fierce skirmishes. Maybe when facing a damage +1 minion or if you have less than 5 companions or anything else.

•Bard, Chief Negotiator
Companion • Man
Strength 6, Vitality 3
Signet: Bilbo
Lake-Dweller. Archer.
While skirmishing a unique minion, Bard takes no more than 1 wound during each skirmish phase.
While skirmishing a Dragon, Bard cannot be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled.
H R 54

Very nice card. You just remembered me that there is a Dragon in The Hobbit. Like I said before, I haven't read the book.

•Bard, the Bowman
Companion • Man
Strength 6, Vitality 3
Signet: Thorin
Lake-Dweller. Archer.
While Bard is exhausted, add 1 to the fellowship archery total.
H C 55

Pretty nice.

Boatman
Companion • Man
Strength 5, Vitality 3
Lake-Dweller.
Fellowship: Play a possession to heal a companion.
H U 56

OK. I don't know what Boatmen are doing in the book, as long as it fits with healing or possessions.

Canal Support
Condition • Support Area
Strength -2.
Fortification.
Maneuver: Discard a card from hand to transfer this condition to a minion.
H U 57

It can be played in any deck?

Greetings From the Council
Event • Fellowship
Spot a Man and discard two cards from hand to heal a companion twice.
H C 58

Cool. Looks like discarding cards from hand is a theme.

•The Emeralds of Girion
Artifact • Support Area
To play, spot a Lake-Dweller and an Elf.
Fellowship: Stack a Free Peoples card from hand on this artifact.
Archery: Discard an or card stacked here and add to make the fellowship archery total +1 (limit +2).
H R 59

I'm glad there is a limit. Nice card even if I have no idea what the Emeralds of Girion are. Does it shoot arrows?

Esgaroth Castellum
Condition • Support Area
Strength -1, Vitality -1
Fortification.
Maneuver: Exert a Man or spot three Lake-Dwellers to transfer this condition to a minion skirmishing a Lake-Dweller. Heal that Lake-Dweller.
H U 60

Very cool. I like the healing part.

Esgaroth Sword
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Lake-Dweller.
If bearer is at a lake or river, bearer is damage +1.
H C 61

Nice. Lake sites will be interesting. I hope there will be many.

Hail! Dragon-Slayer!
Event • Skirmish
Make a man strength +2 (or strength +4 if skirmishing a unique minion).
H C 62

Awesome. Much better mechanic than At the Brink.

•Hugin, Herald of Esgaroth
Companion • Man
Strength 6, Vitality 3
Lake-Dweller. To play, spot a Lake-Dweller.
At the start of the fellowship phase, you may discard two cards from hand to draw a card.
H R 63

Yeah! Hugin. Looks like a nice card to cycle. I'm not sure if the spotting requirement is necessary.

Laid to Ruin
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, add a token for each lake or river on the adventure path.
Regroup: Remove three tokens from this condition to discard a card in an opponent's support area.
H U 64

Condition removal? Nice. It's well balanced because 3 tokens will be hard to get I guess, even if you reinforce them.

•The Lucky Arrow
Possession • Ranged Weapon
Strength +2.
Bearer must be a Lake-Dweller.
If bearer is Bard, exert him twice to discard a Dragon. The Shadow Player may discard two minions to prevent this.
H R 65

Cool. So I get it, Bard is the guy who kills the Dragon in the book.

•Master of Laketown
Companion • Man
Strength 5, Vitality 3
Lake-Dweller.
Regroup: Exert Master of Laketown to play the fellowship's next site if it is a lake or river (replacing opponent's site if necessary ).
H C 66

Mmm... Okay. Is this guy an adventurous man or somebody who stays in Laketown during the entire story? If he is adventurous, the abillity is nice, if not, I'm not sure that choosing sites fits for someone who stays at home.

•Ottar, Young Merchant
Companion • Man
Strength 6, Vitality 3
Signet: Gandalf
Lake-Dweller.
Skirmish: Remove a or token to place a card from hand on top of your draw deck.
H R 67

You will have to tell me why I would want to remove a token to do that.

•The Third Army
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a Man. The twilight cost of this event is -1 for each of the following races you can spot: Dwarf, Elf.
Maneuver: Discard this condition to make each minion lose archer until the regroup phase.
H R 68

I like the way you made it similar to the First and Second army but different at the same time. Is losing archer good enough? I'm not sure. If you want something stronger, let me suggest 'lose their special abilities'.

•United In Purpose
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, reinforce a token.
Maneuver: Exert a Lake-Dweller to reinforce a culture token.
Discard this condition at the start of the regroup phase.
H C 69

Nice card. Once again, does it really has to be unique?

Westron Tongues
Event • Maneuver
Exert a man to discard a card borne by a minion.
H U 70

2 is a lot, I would reduce the cost to 1.


I WILL REVIEW MORIA CARDS LATER.

[ket_the_jet]

for the reviews. The biggest thing I have taken from your reviews that really helps is that I have a lot of cards that aren't culturally enforced.

I'm going to head out, but I will revisit this tomorrow and see what I can do with some additional effort into some of these.
-wtk

[Thranduil]

Attacking Warg
Minion • Warg
Strength 9
Vitality 2
Site 5
Ambush- Add a threat.

Ambushing Warg
Minion • Warg
Strength 5
Vitality 3
Site 5
Ambush- Exert an unbound companion.
Response: If an Warg is about to take a wound, remove or exert this minion to prevent that.

Fantastic! Great idea for ambush - not one I'd thought of. Correct wording for the last one would be "... to prevent that wound."

• Charging From the Hills
Condition • Support Area
While you have initiative, each minion with ambush is damage +1.
While you can spot 3 threats, each minion with ambush is strength +1.
While you can spot 3 burdens, each minion with ambush is twilight cost -1.

Seems fun. I agree that the middle one could be more impressive, though 3 threats is probably the easiest to achieve. How about the term " ambusher minion"?

Thranduil

[Cw0rk]

MORIA REVIEWS

At the Ready
Event • Skirmish
Wound any number of  minions to make a minion strength strength +1 for each minion wounded in this way (limit +5).
H C 71

Looks good.

Badgering Orc
Minion • Orc
Strength 6, Vitality 2
Site 4
Skirmish: Discard a possession to discard a possession borne by an unbound companion this minion is skirmishing.
H U 72

Why unbound only? I'd like to discard Footman's Armor from Isildur or Sting from Frodo.

Beastly Troll
Minion • Troll
Strength 16, Vitality 4
Site 4
Fierce.
At an underground site, this minion's twilight cost is -3.
H U 73

Looks good. Well balanced if you compare it to Great Hill Troll.

Black Bowman
Minion • Orc
Strength 6, Vitality 1
Archer.
H C 74

Looks too good compared to Goblin Bowman. No site number, I guess it is 4.

•Black Chasm Commander
Minion • Orc
Strength 10, Vitality 3
Site 4
When you play this minion, you may play a card from your discard pile.
H R 75

Most minions with strength 10 and vitality 3 cost , there are some who cost , but high vitality minions in Moria should cost .

Burrowing Goblin
Strength 6, Vitality 1
Minion • Orc
Site 4
When you play this minion, you may play a possession from your draw deck.
H R 76

Pretty cool. Why does it cost ? Maybe that you could reduce his cost to .

Denizens Enraged (Reprint)
Skirmish: Make a Orc strength +1 for each other Orc you spot (limit +4).
H U 77

Isn't there any other cards you could reprint instead? 'At the ready' as a similar effect.

Discouraged
Condition • Support Area
Strength -1
Regroup: Discard a Orc to transfer this condition to an unbound companion.
If bearer is a Dwarf, bearer loses all damage bonuses and is unable to gain damage bonuses.
H U 78

This card looks very weak. I wouldn't play it. You could reduce the twilight cost or make it strength -2.

The Fourth Army
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a minion.
Skirmish events and special abilities cannot be used in skirmishes involving unbound companions. Discard this condition at the start of the regroup phase.
H R 79

I like the effect but I feel like the cost may be a bit too high. Saruman's Snows does the same thing for and it affects skirmishes involving RB companions.

Frightening Orc
Strength 4, Vitality 1
Site 4
The Fellowship archery total is -1.
H C 80

Cool card. I would put it in my Moria decks for sure.

Lost in the Dark
Event • Shadow
Discard 5 minions to discard a condition.
H R 81

This one is going to be pretty hard to play. Spotting 5 minions would make it more usable. You could also reduce the twilight cost, having 5 minions is already a high requirement.

Misty Mountain Archer
Minion • Orc
Strength 8, Vitalty 2
Archer.
Each archer skirmishing this minion is strength -2.
H U 82

No site number? I guess it is 4. I like it.

•Misty Mountain Captain
Strength 12, Vitality 2
Site 4
Each time you play a minion stacked on a condition, add .
H R 83

I love it. Goblin Swarms!

Misty Mountain Fighter
Minion • Orc
Strength 7, Vitality 1
Site 4
H C 84

Very simple card. Well balanced.

Misty Mountain Regular
Minion • Orc
Strength 5, Vitality 1
Site 4
When you play this minion, spot a minion to add .
H U 85

Mmm... why not simply reprint Goblin Runner? You could also make it cost and add .

•Misty Mountain Store-room
Condition • Support Area
Response: If a possession is about to be discarded during the skirmish phase, stack that possession here.
Maneuver: Discard three possessions here to discard a card borne by an unbound companion.
H R 86

Ok. I have a feeling that the 'maneuver' action will be too hard to achieve. Moria orcs bearing possessions can be killed during the archery phase and it won't be stacked. Also, this condition is more likely to be discarded before you can get 3 possessions here.

Misty Mountain Swordsman
Minion • Orc
Strength 5, Vitality 1
Site 4
Each companion skirmishing this minion does not gain strength bonuses from weapons.
H C 87

I would make it strength 6. There is not a single minion that cost with Strength 5 and Vitality 1 in the entire game.

Misty Mountain Shaman
Minion • Orc
Strength 4, Vitality 3
Site 4
Response: If a Orc is about to take a wound, remove to prevent that wound.
H U 88

It's very similar to Isengard Shaman, maybe you could modify it a little bit. Random suggestion: discard a possession to prevent the wound. Otherwise, I would run 4 of them and PATHS or any wounding strategy will fail vs my Orcs.

Moria Guard
Minion • Orc
Strength 4, Vitality 1
When this minion is discarded, you may add .
H C 89

Cool card. Nice idea that can work with some of the other DC you made.

Moria Sword
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a minion.
While skirmishing an unbound companion, bearer is strength +2.
H C 90

Mmm. Basically, it's a weaker version of Iron Axe. Is there any way to make it better?

Sallet
Possession • Helm
Bearer must be a Orc.
Bearer cannot be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled.
H C 91

Okay. Very original card. Not sure if its good enough to be played.

Steal Away
Event • Maneuver
Search.
Discard X minions to exert X companions.
H U 92

Cool. I'd like to discard my Goblin runner to make some exertion in my Moria Archery deck.

Steel Breastplate
Possession • Armor
Strength +1.
Bearer must be a Orc.
Bearer cannot take wounds.
H R 93

Nice one.

Tunnel Away
Condition • Support Area
Search.
Regroup: Stack your minion on this condition.
Shadow: Remove to play a minion stacked on this condition.
H R 94

Very cool.

• Twisting Tunnels

Event • Shadow or Regroup
Discard a minion to play a minion from your draw deck.
H R 95

I like how well it works with Moria Guard.

[ket_the_jet]

Thanks for the further reviews. A few rebuttals:

Black Chasm Commander only costs because he is unique. Often times, unique minions have a slightly reduced twilight cost (or higher power relative to the twilight cost) because you can't abuse by having four of them out there.

Misty Mountain Swordsman is the guy I consider most powerful in the set. Imagine putting him on a companion who is already skirmishing one or two minions. Frodo loses Sting, Aragorn, Ranger of the North loses Anduril or Ranger's Sword, Durin III loses a lot. By making him strength 6, he's an automatic win against a lot of companions without a skirmish event. By making him a strength 5, he has to fight in a skirmish with another minion--blindsiding them, perhaps.

Again, haven't really sat down to edit a bunch of things, but will do so and take a lot of your suggestions into account.

Also, any guy without a site number should be site 4.
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

Thanks for the further reviews. A few rebuttals:

Black Chasm Commander only costs because he is unique. Often times, unique minions have a slightly reduced twilight cost (or higher power relative to the twilight cost) because you can't abuse by having four of them out there.

Misty Mountain Swordsman is the guy I consider most powerful in the set. Imagine putting him on a companion who is already skirmishing one or two minions. Frodo loses Sting, Aragorn, Ranger of the North loses Anduril or Ranger's Sword, Durin III loses a lot. By making him strength 6, he's an automatic win against a lot of companions without a skirmish event. By making him a strength 5, he has to fight in a skirmish with another minion--blindsiding them, perhaps.

Again, haven't really sat down to edit a bunch of things, but will do so and take a lot of your suggestions into account.

Also, any guy without a site number should be site 4.
-wtk

I agree with what you said about Black Chasm Commander. I didn't see it that way.

However, I still think Misty Mountain Swordsman should be strength 6. Otherwise, he will be destroyed by a weaponless Legolas or weaponless Gimli.

[ket_the_jet]

I feel like cards like Goblin Armory and this set's Steel Breastplate and Misty Mountain Shaman are fine enough wound prevention.
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

I feel like cards like Goblin Armory and this set's Steel Breastplate and Misty Mountain Shaman are fine enough wound prevention.
-wtk

Oops, I typed Greenleaf instead of Gimli.

[ket_the_jet]

I don't think it is a problem that he is a standard 5-1 minion and I am sure that if he cost , then you'd agree. But I think that his ability is helpful enough that it warrants a cost of . Like I said, it is effectively a strength -2 for the companion built into his gametext if he is skirmishing with other minions and I think he can more than effectively wipe out the Ring-Bearer.

Sure, he'll be a target during maneuver and archery phases, but like Uncle Ben said, "With great power comes great pains in the #$&*@! by people who want to take you down a notch."
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

I dunno if  you have started to make your sites, but Moria Lake with the 'Lake' keyword could be a nice reprint (of course you would have to swap Frodo for another companion).