Next Updates for the Hobbit Draft Game

[Durin's Heir]

My friend Enola, there's a lot of points to examinate. So right now I'll only refer to Bolg's pack...

Bolg's Army.

Great! Simple and efficient. The FP player has ways to prevent many wounds, and that prevention doesn't need to be written on each Gundabad Orc's gametext. There are some details which might be improved after further study and discussion, but the pack rocks!

I like very much the new Hidden Attack. It's an upgraded version of The Trees Are Strong (the choice is in the Shadow player's hand instead). Orkish Bow is great too, as still works in combo with Hidden Attack but now bearer must survive through skirmishes first. And Bolg's passive skill assures a minimum of wounds in the Company. Great!


These are some details that might be improved:

1. No Regroup phase at Site 9: There is a little problem with the Regroup mechanism: in both book and film, Bolg's Army appears in the Battle of the Five Armies, site 9, but there is no Regroup phase at site 9. I see 2 solutions:

a) In an Extension Set, a new site 9 similar to Caverns of Isengard should be added. But that doesn't fix the problem right now.

b) To add a text similar to Caverns of Isengard to a key minion like The Orcs Army: "At site 9, the Free Peoples player wins the game only if Bilbo survives until you reconcile your hand." Sadly, those are 3 card lines. It makes sense that The Orcs Army carries that text, because in the last film the Battle ended only after Bolg's fresh army was destroyed (and Bolg shouldn't have that text, because he died some few moments before his main forces arrived).


2. Strength addition: I miss the strength bonus that Orc Commander gives in ROTEL Orcs. And I believe that The Orcs Army is a bit weak as an unique Army character. So I'd make The Orcs Army a cost, strength 10 or 11 minion and with this line added: "Each other [Gundabad] Orc is strength +1".

3. Doubts pile up: Bolg adds some doubts with ease and Hidden Attack gives use to them, that's a good thing. But those doubts aren't removed to increase the effect of Hidden Attack, so they can pile up and eventually corrupt Bilbo, which I think is not the goal. Thus a doubt consumption can be added to prevent that. Bolg might say "At the start of the regroup phase, you may remove a doubt to exert an unwounded companion for each other Orc you spot." It uses 3 card lines, just as your current version.

4. Exert and Discard: In LOTR TCG there are 2 different mechanism for Orcs to work: in ROTEL they exert, while in EOF they get discarded. So perhaps 1 or 2 of those 4 different Orcs might use the EOF mechanism. "Regroup: Discard a [Gundabad] Orc to make the Free Peoples player wound a companion." The Gundabad culture specification is a must. Happily it can't trigger Narzug's skill, being a Regroup action.

5. Cultural limitation: Bolg and Hidden Attack might be limited to only Gundabad Orcs, excluding Orcs (and other cultures that may have Orcs in the new Extensions, like and perhaps ). Keep in mind that this pack goes along with Azog's pack, loaded with Orcs. So it might be a bit too powerful without a cultural restriction. Main Deck orcs are all Gundabad except Goblin Footman (that's 12 cards).


Remember to change the pictures of these cards to pictures of the last film, corresponding with the Orc Army and Bolg's Bodyguards.

[-Enola-]

Thank you a lot Durin's Heir, I modify the first post with most of your points.

I think the site 9 Battle of the Five Armies could help a lot such Shadow for a final swarm, the only remaining problem could the twilight pool . It had to be tested first.

[Durin's Heir]

Those modifications look very good! I believe this pack is the strongest candidate for a next playtest.

If The Orcs Army had that "site 9" text, it would use all 7 card lines. It has enough card room, doesn't require to remove any current game text. Only lore text would be lost.

I like the point of having the chance to stop Bolg's doubt addition with a direct arrow from Kili's bow. It adds to the movie-flavor . Or with Thorin's Orcrist, for book-flavor.


The next pack we must discuss is Azog's Army, and after that should be the changes in Smaug's and The Nazgul's packs. About the Thematic packs, we must first determine what is the format that the Extension is going to take (quantity of cards per pack, drafting method, FP to Shadow ratio...), and the Themes to include. And those are tough points to determine, so the focus must first be set on the Swarm and Beatdown Packs.


Meanwhile, I've got a lot of new ideas for cards to post. Here I'll post only a bunch:


•Orcrist, Ancient Sword
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +3
To play, discard a artifact.
Bearer must be Thorin or Legolas. Bearer is damage +1, may participate in archery fire and be assigned to skirmish Orcs.
Skirmish: Transfer Orcrist to Thorin to wound a minion skirmishing him.
"'Not just a thief, but a liar as well.'"

This one should fit with the Mirkwood Thematic pack very well. Legolas skirmishing Orcs and firing arrows as a regular companion...


Pity
Event • Skirmish
Make Bilbo strength +2. If he wins this skirmish, prevent all wounds to losing minions to heal Bilbo once and remove one doubt for each wound prevented this way.
"'True courage is knowing not how to take a life, but when to spare it'"

Shivering and Whispering
Event • Assignment
Spot Sting (or play Sting from your draw deck) to prevent a minion with strength 7 or less from being assigned to a skirmish until the regroup phase. It's owner may exert that minion twice to prevent that.
"'It's got an Elfish blade. But it's not an Elfs. Not an Elfs, no. What is it, precious?'"

Tricks for Bilbo. They speak for themselves I think. As Gandalf said, "My heart tells me that he (Gollum) has some part to play yet... and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many".


•Thrór's Raven Crown
Artifact • Crown
Vitality +1
To play, the fellowship must be at site 7 or higher. Bearer must be Thorin.
Response: If a companion is about to take a wound, add 2 doubts to prevent it.
Maneuver: Exert Thorin twice or discard Thrór's Raven Crown a artifact to remove a doubt.
"'We have reclaimed Erebor. Now we defend it.'"

•Thrór's Regal Sword
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Thorin. He is damage +1.
Assignment: Assign Thorin to a minion with the highest strength. If he wins that skirmish, heal a companion or ally. If he kills that minion, remove a doubt.
"Out leapt the King under the Mountain, and his companions followed him. Hood and cloak were gone..."

Thorin's decision to protect his Company and gold, or to join the battleground...

And last but not least, a different version of The One Ring:

•The One Ring, Hidden In His Pocket
Artifact • Ring.
Strength +1  Vitality +1
Bearer must be Bilbo.
While wearing The One Ring, you may exert Bilbo to play a stealth from your discard pile, and each time he is about to take a wound, add a doubt instead.
Maneuver: Add a doubt to wear The One Ring until the regroup phase.

Hope you like them.

[-Enola-]

Thank you ^^. I think the "site 9" addition will be too much and will destroy the reading of the card .

The supplementary packs will be extend from 10 cards to 22 cards, so there will be a strong thematic in each of these packs.

Your cards are ok, but I can't take them if it's not in the game's structure .

[Durin's Heir]

Thank you ^^. I think the "site 9" addition will be too much and will destroy the reading of the card .

Hmmm, that's totally true. Then the Gundabad-Isen Orcs will have to grind the Company in previous sites. But a site in the Thematic add-ons might be a copy of Caverns of Isengard, and in that case this loose end would be remediated. Anyway it shouldn't be a big disadvantage.

The supplementary packs will be extend from 10 cards to 22 cards, so there will be a strong thematic in each of these packs.

Your cards are ok, but I can't take them if it's not in the game's structure .

At first I didn't understand your format idea. But now I do, and I like it. Then the First Extension Set would be comprised of 2 new Shadow Packs (1 Swarm and 1 Beatdown), and 8x 12 cards as add-ons for the 8 previous FP packs. And the number of cards per Draft Booster is raised from 13 to 15.

The add-on concept removes the problem of a card depending on another card from a different pack. Everything seems great to me.

Anyway, those 12 cards of each add-on might be too little for some Themes that require a whole new game mechanic, like the "riddle" keyword for a "Riddles in the Dark" pack. And some entirely new subcultures (like fortifications, Shadow followers or Goblin-town archers). So those Themes must be portrayed in a 2nd Extension Set instead, with a different and more extensive format.


So if we won't discuss anymore the format of this First Extension, the Themes and the cards of each Theme would be the next steps to tread in that line.

[-Enola-]

You are right  .

We have to make it with only these packs of 22 cards, otherwise there will be too much cards... And most of the Shadow cards will be diluted in all the Boosters.

But we can discuss about the number of cards in each supplementary pack

10 cards -> 13 cards per Booster (3 Boosters)
16 cards -> 14 cards per Booster (3 Boosters)
22 cards -> 15 cards per Booster (3 Boosters)
28 cards -> 16 cards per Booster (3 Boosters)
34 cards -> 17 cards per Booster (3 Boosters)
40 cards -> 18 cards per Booster (3 Boosters)

I think 15 cards per Booster (like Booster in Magic) is the best way to have a good partition of Shadow packs, FP packs and supplementary packs.

[Durin's Heir]

For the Regroup phase problem, I see an alternative to that extensive "Site 9" text: Emyn Muil (1U360).

"Maneuver: At site 9, exert a [Gundabad] Orc to make it fierce until the regroup phase."

There will be only the skirmish phase to brind down the whole Company + participating allies. You can't add too much arrows with the Orkish Bows (which will hit an ally anyway), so the skirmishes must be doubled if we want these Gundabad Orcs to have a good chance at site 9.

Those are only 2 lines, and is much more readable than the previous text. The Orcs Army would end up using 6 game text lines:

•The Orcs Army [Gundabad]
Minion • Orc
Strength 11  Vitality 4  Site 5
Each other [Gundabad] Orc is strength +1.
Regroup: Exert this minion to make the Free Peoples player wound a companion (or 2 companions if you spot 6 companions).
Maneuver: At site 9, exert a [Gundabad] Orc to make it fierce until the regroup phase.

"At site 9" can even be replaced with "At a mountain".

[-Enola-]

Ok. I think I will skip the first line of Bolg for

"At a battleground, [Gundabad] Orcs are fierce."

[Durin's Heir]

That would do it. At site 9 it can't be a drawback, and in previous sites you can trigger it at will with Watchful Orc. It also diversifies the focus of the FP player: now Thorin and Company must try to kill both The Orcs Army to erase the strength bonus and Bolg to make them lose fierce.

[-Enola-]

MMh, but I'm not sure if I will keep it. Maybe another ability not sure now on the [Gundabad] Orcs fierce at battleground. I have to think about it.

I'm not sure on the FP slot in the Wizard pack, maybe

- 2× Beorn's Horses Cost (2). Possession • Support area. Gandalf is strength +1. Response: Gandalf is about to be discarded, discard this possession to prevent this. Until the end of the turn, Gandalf cannot be discarded.

Radagast's Sled, Beorn's Horses or Burning Fires Cones ?

[-Enola-]

I change the Bolg in the new Shadow for this one:

• Bolg, Captain of the Goblin Army : Cost (4). [Gundabad] Minion. Orc. Site 5. Strength 9, Vitality 3. Damage +1. At the start of the archery phase, you may spot 2 doubts to wound a companion. Regroup: If you cannot spot 3 doubts, exert Bolg to add a doubt.

[-Enola-]

I add the sites in all the packs.

Tell me if you have any remarks on these cards, I will start their creatons next week.

[bebpc]

Congratz for your great job Enola!!!I and some friends from Brazil ,just printed the cards and had so much fun playing it.
We played with 5 players so we had to improvise a little bit in the boosters but in the end was great!!!
It looks like fellowship block all over again, all the players made diferents shadows and strongs fellowships.
I ll keep looking for new updates and more sets to play, continue with this great job
congratz !!

[-Enola-]

Thank you bebpc. It's a real pleasure you and your friends enjoy the game.

For 5 players the Boosters deck must be done for 6 players (all the cards will not be dealt) :

For 6 players (234 cards):
- 3x Free Peoples packs (3x28 cards).
- 3x Different random Supplementary packs (3x10 cards).
- 1x Shadow pack (80 cards).
- 1x Beatdown pack or Swarm pack (40 cards)

You print the cards with printerstudio ? They print the cards with the same cardboard quality as LOTR LCG.

[bebpc]

sadly for us the USS dolar is a very expensive....like 3 times our local money and have a lot of taxes ,so we printed our selves and play with good sleeves....its not the best but is  playable =D