Hobbit Draft Game

[-Enola-]

Thank you Durin's Heir, I will use your cards soon. I'm much more focused on the balance of the Free Peoples packs right now.

[Durin's Heir]

I've been working on Warg minions and their mechanics... soon will be posted.

I said that some 19 or 20 days ago.
Sorry. I've been busy. Here they are:

Wargs here intend to both swarm and beatdown, but they depend on high numbers to do so (like a normal swarming Shadow). They are distincted by the keywords tracker and fierce. They attack in "group ambushes", which are depicted by means of a conditional strength bonus most wargs gives to the whole pack: "Until this minion loses a skirmish, each tracker is strength +1.". Therefore, the more numerous, the stronger each gets.

   Minions:
 - Scouting Wolf
 - Warg Sentry
 - Bloodthirsty Scout
 - Gundabad Hunting Pack
 - The Pale Warg, Leader of the Foul Pack

   Support Cards:
 - Scouting Warg
 - Drink Their Blood!
 - The Scent of Fear


Wargs differentiate their functions within the Pack:

1. "Scouts" are cheap front-line fighters who add twilight when their prey is tired. Always skirmish first, and can support other wargs if they first survive. Thus they protect the background wargs. Are the only who don't give bonuses to the whole pack, and often depend on them to be effective. These wolves don't ever roam...

Scouting Wolf [Gundabad]
Minion • Warg
Strength: 6  Vitality: 1  Site: 2
Tracker. Fierce. When you play this minion, add for each wounded companion.
Skirmishes involving this minion must be resolved before any others.
Skirmish: Discard this minion to make a [Gundabad] minion strength +2.

Warg Sentry [Gundabad]
Minion • Warg
Strength: 7  Vitality: 2  Site: 2
Tracker. Fierce. When you play this minion, add for each wounded companion.
Skirmishes involving this minion must be resolved before any others.
Skirmish: Discard this minion to make a [Gundabad] minion strength +2.


2. "Blood Trackers" give strength bonuses when they smell the blood of enemies, either to themselves alone or to the whole party. They allow mounted Orcs to get the same benefits of "wargs without riders" (see the second line)...

Bloodthirsty Scout [Gundabad]
Minion • Warg
Strength: 8  Vitality: 2  Site: 4
Tracker. Fierce. Until this minion loses a skirmish, each tracker is strength +1.
Each mounted Orc is a tracker.
Each tracker skirmishing a wounded companion or ally is strength +1.

Gundabad Hunting Pack [Gundabad]
Minion • Warg
Strength: 8  Vitality: 3  Site: 4
Tracker. Fierce. Until this minion loses a skirmish, each tracker is strength +1.
Each mounted Orc is a tracker.
This minion is strength +1 for each wounded companion you can spot.


3. "The Pack Leader" is much stronger and gives better bonuses to their subordiantes. Might stop further moves of the fellowship...

•The Pale Warg, Leader of the Foul Pack [Gundabad]
Minion • Warg
Strength: 9  Vitality: 3  Site: 4
Tracker. Fierce. Until this minion loses a skirmish, each tracker is strength +2 (or +3 if skirmishing a wounded companion).
Regroup: Exert 3 trackers to make the move limit -1 for this turn.


Support Cards:

Scouting Warg [Gundabad]
Strength +1  Vitality +1
Possession • Mount
Bearer must be a [Gundabad] Orc. Bearer is fierce and a tracker.
Bearer is strength +1 for each wounded companion and skirmishes involving him must be resolved before any others.

•Drink Their Blood! [Gundabad]
Condition • Support Area
Each time your [Gundabad] mount is discarded, you may play a Warg from your discard pile; it's twilight cost is -2.
Shadow: Discard a [Gundabad] mount to add (and draw a card if at a forest).

This one allows a warg mount to keep the fight if his master gets killed. (or goes to the Goblin Swarms . Allows to play any suitable warg minion for the situation: a Scout to add twilight and pump, a Blood Tracker or The Pale Warg to get much needed bonuses...

The Scent of Fear [Gundabad]
Condition • Support Area
Shadow: Discard 2 cards from hand to play a mount or a Warg from your discard pile.
Skirmish: Discard an unassigned Warg to make a [Gundabad] minion strength +2 (limit once).

Condition to support the swarm. Both in minion playing and skirmishes.


Well, that's all by now. Wolves who get stronger when their number is wide, and when their enemies are wounded...

I know this will need at least some tweaking, probably in the twilight costs.

I'm waiting for your thoughts. Hope you like them.

[-Enola-]

Update 18/01/2015 http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Updates.html


Site 6: Lake Town
Shadow number : 3
River. Sanctuary. The twilight cost of the first Orc played at Lake-Town each turn is -2.

In the main deck : Site 6: Esgaroth
Shadow number : 3
River. Sanctuary. At the start of the regroup phase, you may play a [Dale] or ally from your draw deck.

Site 2: Trollshaw Forest
Shadow number : 2
Forest. At the start of the maneuver phase, each player may play a hand weapon from his or her draw deck.

In the main deck : Site 2: Trollshaw Forest -> The Troll Hoard
Shadow number : 3
Forest. Underground. At the start of your fellowship phase, you may play a hand weapon from your draw deck.

Site 4: Great Goblin's Cavern -> Wooded Steep Cliff
Shadow Number 3
Mountain. Forest. When the fellowship moves to Wooded Steep Cliff, Thorin or 2 other companions must exert.

Site 9: Ravenhill
Shadow number : 8
Mountain. Maneuver: Remove your minion from the game to play a minion from your discard pile. Its twilight cost is -2.


Bilbo, Master in Riddles
Skirmish: Spot Gollum (or Smaug) and discard 2 Free Peoples cards from hand to make Gollum (or Smaug) strength -2.

Bilbo, Collector of Treasures
Response: If a unique minion loses a skirmish, take a Free Peoples artifact into hand from your draw deck (limit once per turn).

Bard
Change culture for Dale.

A Wizard Is Never Late
Play a Wizard from your draw deck or discard pile, or spot a Wizard to play a non-[Dwarven] character from your draw deck or discard pile.

Battle Fury
Make a Dwarf character strength +3 (or +4 if he bears a follower).

Spider Nest
To play, spot a Spider. Assignment: Discard an Orc from play to play a Spider from your draw deck. Its twilight cost is -2.

Watchful Orc
When you play this minion, you may make each site on the adventure path gains battleground, mountain, forest or underground until the end of the turn.
Shadow: Exert this minion twice to replace the fellowship's current site with your site of the same number.

Goblin Footman
When you play this minion, you may play a possession or an artifact from your discard pile on your minion.

Smaug
Regroup: Exert Smaug and discard another minion to discard a Free Peoples card (except a companion, Bard or a Ring).

These cards are now artifacts:
- Orcrist
- Sting
- Glamdring
- The One Ring

[-Enola-]

Update 18/01/2015 http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Updates.html

There will be now 13 cards per booster pack instead of only 12 cards.
You can find the 8 new Free Peoples packs.


New Free Peoples packs

Dain Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x • Dain Ironfoot : Cost (3). Home 9. Strength 7, Vitality 3. Ally. Dwarf. Thorin is strength +1. At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a follower to discard a minion (except Smaug).
- 2x • Iron Hills Army : Cost (3). Ally. Dwarf. Home 9. Strength 9, Vitality 3. Damage +1. Maneuver : If you can spot more minions than companions, exert Iron Hills Army and discard a follower to make an opponent discard a minion.
- 2x • Roäc, Son of Carc : cost (1). Follower. Bird. Strength +1. Aid - Exert Thorin. Maneuver: Discard Roäc to either play a ally from your draw deck, or to allow a ally to participate in skirimishes until the regroup phase.
- 2x Dwarven Spear : Cost (1). Possession • Hand Weapon. Strength +2. Bearer must be a character. While skirmishing a mounted minion, bearer is strength +1.
- 2x King Under the Mountain : Cost (1). Event. Fellowship: Add a doubt to play a follower from your draw deck.


Thorin Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x • Mithril Coat : Cost (2). Artifact • Armor. Bearer must be Bilbo. Each minion skirmishing Bilbo does not gain strength or damage bonuses from weapons. Response: If a skirmish event is played during a a skimish involving Bilbo, exert him to cancel that event.
- 2x • The Arkenstone : Cost (2). Artifact • Support Area. Smaug's twilight cost is -4. Fellowship: Add (1) to take a card stacked here in your hand. Maneuver: Stack a card from hand on the Arkenstone.
- 2x • Great Barricade : Cost (2). Possession • Support Area. Fortification. To play, exert a companion. If the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, discard this possession. At sites 7 and 8, each minion skirmishing a Dwarf companion is strength -2.
- 2x • Oakenshield : Cost (1). Possession • Bracers. Strength +1. Bearer must be Thorin. Each minion skirmishing Thorin does not gain strength bonuses from weapons. Response: If Thorin is about to take a wound, discard this possession to prevent that wound.
- 2x Dwarven Axe : Cost (1). Possession • Hand Weapon. Strength +2. Bearer must be a character. While bearer is at a mountain site, he is damage +1.


Thrain Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x • Thráin : Cost (2). Follower. Dwarf. Strength +1. Aid - Exert Gandalf and add (2). Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may play a possession or artifact from your draw deck
- 2x • Ring of Thrór : Cost . Artifact • Ring. Vitality +1. Bearer must be a Dwarf companion. Bearer is strength +1 for each possession and artifact in your discard pile (limit +3). Maneuver: Take a event into hand from your discard pile. Discard this artifact.
- 2x • Thrór's Map : cost (2). Possession. Bearer must be a Dwarf companion. The Shadow's number of sites 7 and 8 is -2. Regroup: If the fellowship is at site 6 or lower, exert bearer and add (2) to discard a minion.
- 2x • Thrór's Key : cost (1). Possession. Bearer must be a Dwarf companion. Fellowship or Regroup: Exert bearer and discard a follower to play the fellowship's next site (replacing opponent's site if necessary). Heal a Dwarf companion if you play a mountain site.
- 2x Thrór's Heirlooms : Cost (3) Event. Regroup: Exert a Dwarf companion to play Thráin, a possession or artifact from your draw deck or discard pile.


Mirkwood Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x • Thranduil : Cost (4). Ally. Elf. Home 5. Strength 9, Vitality 4. Maneuver: Exert Thorin twice or discard a artifact to allow Thranduil to participate in skirmishes until the regroup phase.
- 2x • Tauriel : Cost (2). Ally. Elf. Home 5. Strength 6, Vitality 3. Archer. Maneuver: Exert Tauriel to return an Orc with strength 7 or less to its owner's hand.
- 2x • Legolas : Cost (2). Ally. Elf. Home 5. Strength 6, Vitality 3. Archer. Archery: Spot an Orc and exert Legolas to make the fellowhip archery total +1.
- 2x • Elf Army : Cost (3). Ally. Elf. Home 5. Strength 7, Vitality 4. Archer. Maneuver: If you can spot more minions than companions, exert Elf army to allow it to participate in archery fire and skirmishes until the regroup phase.
- 2x • Emeralds of Girion : Cost (2) Artifact • Support Area. Fellowship: Exert an Elf to heal a Man. Regroup: Exert a Man and discard this artifact to play an Elf from your draw deck or discard pile.


Esgaroth Pack (10 cards) : (New culture Dale, Bard will also change his culture)
- 2x • The Master : Cost (2). [Dale] Ally. Man. Home 6. Strength 5, Vitality 3. At the start of each of your turns, you may spot Bard to heal Bard and The Master. Fellowship: Exert The Master twice to discard up to 3 cards from hand and draw an equal number of cards.
- 2x • Baïn, Son of Bard : Cost (2). [Dale] Ally. Man. Home 6. Strength 4, Vitality 3. Bard is strength +1. Maneuver: Exert Baïn to allow Bard to participate in archery fire and skirmishes until the regroup phase.
- 2x • Esgaroth Volunteers : Cost (3). [Dale] Ally. Man. Home 6. Strength 6, Vitality 4. Archer. Maneuver: Spot Bard an exert Esgaroth Volunteers to allow Esgaroth Volunteers to participate in archery fire and skirmishes until the regroup phase.
- 2x Iron-Forged Weapon : Cost (2). [Dale] Possession • Hand Weapon. Strength +2. Bearer must be a Man or a Dwarf companion. Skirmish: If bearer is not assigned to a skirmish, discard this possession to wound a minion.
- 2x • Black Arrow : Cost (2). [Dale] Possession • Ranged Weapon. Strength +1. Bearer must be Bard. If Smaug is killed by a Bard's special ability, remove him from the game. Skirmish: Exert Bard to wound a minion skirimishing a Man.


Wizard Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x • Radagast
- 2x • Beorn
- 2x • Gwaihir
- 2x Wizard Staff : Cost (2). Artifact • Staff. Vitality +1. Bearer must be a Wizard. At the start of each of your turns, you may exert bearer to take a spell from your draw deck into your hand.
- 2x The Eagles Are Coming : Cost (2). Event. Spell. Maneuver: Exert Gandalf to play a follower from your draw deck or discard pile and attach it to a Dwarf companion (without paying the aid cost).


White Council Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x • Saruman, The White : Cost (4). Ally. Wizard. Home 3. Strength 8, vitality 4. Gandalf is defender +1. Fellowship: Discard a ally to play Gandalf from your discard pile.
- 2x • Galadriel, Elven Lady : Cost (3). Ally. Elf. Home 3. Strength 3, vitality 3. At the start of each of your turns, you may heal Gandalf. Skirmish: Exert Galadriel and discard a Shadow card from hand to make a minion strength -3 (or -6 if a or character is skirmishing that minion).
- 2x • Narya : Cost . Artifact • Ring. Vitality +1. Bearer must be Gandalf. Response: If Gandalf is about to be discarded, exert him to prevent that.
- 2x Gathering of the three Great Rings : Cost (3). Event. Spell. Maneuver: Make X minions strength -X until the regroup phase, where X is the number of the following characters you can spot: Gandalf, Elrond or Galadriel.
- 2x Former Herald : Cost (2). Event. Maneuver: Spot Gandalf and exert an ally whose home is site 3. Until the regroup phase, that ally is strength +3 and participates in skirmishes.


Bilbo Pack (10 cards) :
- 2x Old Thrush : Cost (1). Follower. Bird. Aid - exert Bilbo. Strength +1. Maneuver: Discard this follower to take into hand a Free Peoples card of bearer's culture from your draw deck or discard pile.
- 2x  Burglar's Contract : Cost (1). Possession. Bearer must be Bilbo. Skirmish: Add a doubt and exert Bilbo to add his strength to another companion (limit once per skirmish).
- 2x An Acorn from Beorn's house : Cost (1). Possession. Bearer must be Bilbo. Regroup: Discard this possession to remove a doubt and discard a Shadow condition.
- 2x Barrels : Cost (1). Event. Regroup: Exert 2 companions to discard up to 2 minions (except Smaug) and draw 3 cards. If the fellowship is at a river, make the move limit +1 for this turn.
- 2x Skillful negociator : Cost (2) Event. Maneuver: Spot an ally and exert Bilbo to allow that ally to participate in archery fire and skirmishes until the regroup phase.

[Hobbiton250]

I absolutely love these cards! Thank you for your very hard work and for sharing them with us.

[-Enola-]

Thank you very much .

Durin's Heir also helps me a lot with the text of the cards.

[-Enola-]

I just print all the cards for a 4th draft playtest (since the creation of the game) next thursday. I also made many games without drafting.

[Mythdracon]

This is truly beautiful artwork, and thoughtful gameplay that doesn't add too much complexity. Well done! It looks just as though Decipher had made the game. I'm also very fond of the follower mechanic, and I'm glad you added in many dwarves as followers.

[-Enola-]

This is truly beautiful artwork, and thoughtful gameplay that doesn't add too much complexity. Well done! It looks just as though Decipher had made the game. I'm also very fond of the follower mechanic, and I'm glad you added in many dwarves as followers.

Thank you a lot for your support. It's a real pleasure to see that LOTR TCG players like the Hobbit Draft Game .

[Cw0rk]

I was wondering, why do starter deck is 30FP and 25Shadow? Why not make it equal?

[-Enola-]

Because there are then more Shadow cards than Free Peoples cards in the Booster pack .
During the draft, players have to build their own Shadow side: Shadow cards in the main deck could be regarded as "support" cards.

[-Enola-]

Update 10/02/2015 http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Updates.html

- • Gollum, Small Slimy Creature : Cost (2). Minion. Site 4. Strength 5, vitality 4. Each time Gollum wins a skirmish, you may add a doubt. Assignment: If Gollum is not roaming, exert Gollum and assign him to Bilbo to make Gollum strength +1 (or +3 at an underground site) until the regroup phase.

- • Thrór's Map : cost . Dwarven Possession. Bearer must be a Dwarf companion. Fellowship or Regroup: Exert bearer (or Elrond twice) or discard this possession to play the fellowship's next site (replacing opponent's site if necessary). Heal a companion if you play a mountain site.

- • Thrór's Key : cost (1). Dwarven Possession. Bearer must be a Dwarf companion. Each time the fellowship moves from site 6 or 7, remove (2). Regroup: If the fellowship is at site 6 or lower, exert bearer or discard this possession to discard a minion.

- • Saruman, The White : Cost (4). Ally. Wizard. Home 3. Strength 8, vitality 4. Wise. Gandalf is defender +1.
Fellowship or Regroup: Discard a Wise ally to play Gandalf from your discard pile.
Skirmish: Exert Saruman to make a Wise character strength +2 (limit +2).
"Are you in need of assistance, my Lady?"

- • Galadriel, Elven Lady : Cost (3). Ally. Elf. Home 3. Strength 3, vitality 3. Wise. At the start of each of your turns, you may heal Gandalf. Skirmish: Exert Galadriel and discard a Shadow card from hand to make a minion strength -2 (or -3 if a Wise character is skirmishing that minion).

- • Narya : Cost . Artifact • Ring. Vitality +1. Bearer must be Gandalf. The twilight cost of each event is -1. Response: If Gandalf is about to be discarded, exert him to prevent that.

- Former Herald : Cost (1). Event. Maneuver: Exert a Wise ally to make that ally strength +3 and participate skirmishes until the regroup phase.

- • Legolas : Cost (2). Ally. Elf. Home 5. Strength 6, Vitality 3. Archer. Archery: Spot an Orc and exert Legolas to make the fellowhip archery total +1 (or +2 if at a river or forest).

- • Baïn, Son of Bard : Cost (2). [Dale] Ally. Man. Home 6. Strength 4, Vitality 3. At the start of each of your turns, you may heal a [Dale] Man (except The Master). Maneuver: Exert Baïn to allow Bard to participate in archery fire and skirmishes until the regroup phase.

- Spider Nest : cost (2). [Spider] Condition. To play, spot a Spider. Assignment: Discard an Orc from play to play a Spider from your draw deck or discard pile. Its twilight cost is -2 (or -4 at a forest).

- Watchful Orc  : cost (4). [Gundabad] Minion. When you play this minion, you may play the fellowship's next site (replacing opponent's site if necessary). Shadow: Exert this minion twice to make each site on the adventure path gain battleground, mountain, forest or underground until the end of the turn.

- • Gandalf, The Grey : Cost (2). Companion. Wizard. Wise. Each time you play a event, you may wound a minion.  Fellowship: Add 2 doubts to play an artifact or a Dwarf companion from your draw deck or discard pile.

- • Beorn, Skin-Changer : Cost (3). Follower. Man. Strength +2. Vitality +1. Aid - Exert Gandalf. Shadow cards cannot discard Beorn. Each time bearer wins a skirimish, you may take a card from your dicard pile into hand or wound a minion bearer is skirmishing.

- Eagles Are Coming : Cost (3). Event. Spell. Skirmish. Exert Gandalf to play a follower from your draw deck or discard pile. You may attach a follower from your support area to a companion (without paying the aid cost).

- • Oakenshield : Cost (1). Possession • Shield. Strength +1. Bearer must be Thorin. The twilight cost of each event is -1. Response: If Thorin is about to take a wound, discard this possession to prevent that wound.

- • Thráin : Cost (2). Follower. Dwarf. Strength +1. Aid - Exert Gandalf and add (2). Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may play a possession or artifact from your draw deck on bearer.

- Esgaroth Volunteers : mistake at "and".

- • Mithril Coat : Cost (2). Artifact • Armor. Vitality +1. Bearer must be Bilbo. The minion archery total is -1. While Bilbo is skirmishing, the twilight cost of each Shadow event is +2.

- • Great Barricade : Cost (2). Possession • Support Area. Fortification. To play, exert a companion. If the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, discard this possession. At sites 7 and 8, each minion skirmishing a Dwarf companion is strength -3.

- • Burglar's Contract : Cost (1). Possession. Resistance +1. Skirmish : Add a doubt and exert Bilbo to make another companion strength +2 (limit +4).

- Goblin Sneak  : cost (1). Minion. When you play this minion, you may place an Orc (or 2 Orcs at an underground site) from your discard pile beneath your draw deck.

- Site 2 : The Troll Hoard. New image (too dark).

- Wise keyword for all Gandalf, Elrond and Radagast.

[-Enola-]

Update 01/03/2015 http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Updates.html

- • Thorin, Oakenshield
Fellowship: Discard a follower to place a artifact from your discard pile beneath your draw deck.

- • Kili, Brother of Fili   
Strength 6.

- • Fili, Brother of Kili   
Strength 6.
Response : If a companion is about to take a wound, exert Fili and add to prevent that wound.

- • Gloin, Father of Gimli   
Skirmish: Exert Gloin to make him strength +3.

- Orkish Marauder   
Vitality 2.
When you play this minion, you may spot 4 followers to exhaust a companion.

- • Gandalf, Friend of Thorin   
Regroup: Discard Gandalf to heal an ally.

[Durin's Heir]

Those changes look great! Cheers to that!


I've been toying with an idea for an Extension Set, I know the other thread is better for such a suggestion but don't want to change the focus there.

What if we add some dead characters? But not to allow them to fight like allies or be transferred like followers. Dead allies that must be played directly to the dead pile, and from there they affect the game. Characters that marked the spirit and story of their folk, and therefore while dead they still affect the story of the people that follows their legacy.

"Plays to your dead pile. While in your dead pile, this character's text remains active."

Dwarves would have Thrór, and perhaps Thráin if we are loyal to the book, while Dale would have Girion. As they aren't removable from the dead pile, the effect must be strong but not too much. And to counter those advantages there might be some Shadow cards that get stronger while you spot one or X characters in the dead pile (like Houses of Lamentation and Field of the Fallen require 1 dead character, or Beyond All Hope, Orc Butchery, Uruk Outrider and Orkish Headsman which get benefits from X dead ones).

might have the Old Took (he appears in the Extended Edition of An Unexpected Journey), but don't know if it would fit with the theme. Perhaps!

Dwarven:
Thrór, Deposed Overthrown King
Thráin, Missing King

Dale:
Girion, Lord of Dale

Shire:
Gerontius Took, Thain of the Shire?


As they won't fight, their base attributes would be there for flavour only...


•Thrór, Overthrown King
Ally • Dwarf • Site 8
Strength: 7  Vitality: 5
Plays to your dead pile. While in your dead pile, Thrór's text remains active.
Each wounded Dwarf is strength +1 (and damage +1 if you can spot an Orc).

"When Thrór came to Moria the Gate was open... and walked proudly in as an heir that returns."

•Thráin, Missing King
Ally • Dwarf
Strength: 8  Vitality: 4
Plays to your dead pile. While in your dead pile, Thráin's text remains active.
Each time you play a event, you may draw a card.

"He said nothing to Thorin of what was in his heart... he arose and said farewell and departed."


•Girion, Lord of Dale [Dale]
Ally • Man • Site 7
Strength: 8  Vitality: 4
Plays to your dead pile. While in your dead pile, Girion's text remains active.
Bard is strength +2 and may take no more than 1 wound per phase.
Assignment: Exert Bard (or spot Smaug) to allow him to participate in skirmishes.

"Girion Lord of Dale is dead... and where are his sons' sons that dare approach me?"


What do you think? It would be for an Extension Set only...

[Cw0rk]

I like the idea of these cards being in the dead pile. Its quite original.