If you could change fellowship block, how would you do it?

[Chrispy77]

Time for some fun.

Being the lotr tcg experts that we are- (putting this much time into anything qualifies you yeah?) if there were anything you could change about fellowship block, what would it be and why? I know I know, fellowship block is sacred and I just blasphemed against Galadriel, but even very good things have their flaws- so what are they and how would you address them? It could be as vast as culture overhauls (looking at you dwarves) or as small as a card errata (make Aaragorn more suckagorn).

Ready set go

[Chrispy77]

I hope this is the right thread, as "dream cards" could fall into these changes

[Air Power]

I'd like to see the twilight keyword fleshed out into a meaningful strategy.

I hope this is the right thread, as "dream cards" could fall into these changes

I'd probably have put it in Bag End, but I tend to put a lot of things there.

[Not a Zombie]

Basically, fellowships are too powerful and typically rely on multi culture and/or loading up a couple of beastly companions. Adding a few cards from later sets could solve this. I'm thinking Orc Insurgent and Grima, Wormtongue and Grima, CC or at least cards with the same effect. It would totally shake up the meta in a good way.

[Durin's Heir]

The format lacks good and reliable Shadow condition discard, to counter the poweful FP conditions released in the format. has nothing (except Scrabbler and Warrior against and ), Nazgûl have the extremely expensive Beauty is Fading (and the likewise expensive Stricken Dumb against tales), has only Orc Guard and Shadow's Reach (which are seldom used), while has Saruman's Power only (to blow your own conditions). All are limited in effect and very expensive for such effect, except for Saruman's Power that destroys your own conditions, and has no alternative in the culture.


NSttS should be R-listed, and Forces of Mordor should be removed from the R-list. Armor is too powerful, it should be either costing or adding each time the fellowship moves (it's heavy, and also shines in the distance!).


Pipes are even worse. Most of those possessions should add twilight (except The Gaffer's Pipe, and perhaps Gimli's Pipe too) as the fellowship takes time to smoke and relax, time the evil guys would be using to amass forces and forge new weapons. Have Patience represents the same pause and relaxation process, and costs a good bunch of (besides being an event).

So Frodo/Gandalf/Aragorn/Bilbo's pipes should say "Discard a pipeweed possession, add and spot X pipes to...", therefore Aragorn/Boromir would be adding to heal the whole fellowship. I think that'd be balanced for a "portable sanctuary". The Gaffer's Pipe might then remove that twilight, but that uses a specific pipe AND another pipeweed card.

Btw, Gimli's Pipe should be doing something by itself. I'd add it another fellowship skill: "Fellowship: Discard a pipeweed possession, (add ) and spot X pipes to draw X cards". A portable Delving.


Dwarves should have better healing and condition discard. Still Draws Breath might "heal that Dwarf, discard a Shadow condition borne by that Dwarf, or exert a minion" to fix that perilous absense. That'd counter cards like Black Breath, Desperate Defense of the Ring and You Bring Great Evil, with the cost of having to win a skirmish first. And might exert guys like Cantea LoDG and Isengard Smith before they do their tricks. The card is an event, which limits its abuse.


By last, I'd add a site 1 to play Gandalf, and a site 3 to draw cards by playing Dwarves.

[shadow13]

NSttS should at least be unique or restricted

[shadow13]

The Weight of a Legacy (V)
To play, exert 2 SA orcs. Bearer must be Aragorn.
Aragorn's game text is canceled.

[Floydos]

I would add some "Sauron" archery minions and events. It would help to not rally on the expensive and discartable Orc Bowmen.

Orc Thief
Cost:2
Minion - Orc
Str: 6
Vit: 2
Site: 6
Tracker - Roaming penalty for each sauron orc is -1
Archery: When you can spot more companions than Sauron orc trackers, this minion is archer.

Foul Archery
cost: 1
Event
Archery: Exert 2 "Sauron" orcs to make minion archery +1.

or cards like "evil" Bree Men
Site: 3
Lower strenght but limits fellowship.

Cost: 2
Str:4
Vit: 1
Culture: Isengard
Race: Man (half-orc)
Response: When FP is about reveal shadow´s player hand, you may discard this minion to prevent that.

Or:
Condition
Don´t Trust Anyone
Cost: 1
To play spot Isen Half Orc or Isen Man
Plays on opponents Ranger
At the start of the assignment phase, you must exert a Hobbit to allow bearer to be assigned to the skirmishes.

I personaly would change Last Alliance text to only +1 str for each elf companion

Elven archer allies restrict using their ability only at sites 6 and 7.

Limit Flaming Brand to only 1 per bearer and only to Aragorn

Have any replayability to the Isengard Regroup orcs

[shadow13]

I like the idea of some charm type cards that key off of winning a skirmish--that would be pretty cool and could do a lot to shake up Fellowship block.

Still Draws Breath (V)
Event
Response: If a Dwarf wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Heal that Dwarf.
-Discard a Shadow condition from a Dwarf.
-Wound a minion.

Ancient Enmity (V)
Event
Response: If an Elf wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Target opponent discards 2 cards at random from hand.
-Remove a burden.
-Discard that minion.

Strength of Spirit (V)
Event
Response: If Gandalf wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Heal a companion.
-Exert a minion.
-Draw a card.

One Whom Men Would Follow (V)
Event
Response: If a companion wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Discard a Shadow condition from that companion.
-Play a tale from your discard pile.
-Make another companion strength +1 until the regroup phase.

Stout and Sturdy (V)
Event
Response: If a Hobbit wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Remove a burden.
-Take off the One Ring.
-Discard a Shadow condition.

Coming For the Ring (V)
Event
Response: If an minion wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Discard a Free Peoples condition (or 2 if you spot 6 companions).
-Cancel the strength bonus from a possession until the regroup phase.
-Make that minion fierce until the regroup phase.

Denizens Enraged (V)
Event
Response: If a minion wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Play a card from your discard pile (or 2 if you spot 6 companions).
-Make all your orcs fierce until the regroup phase.
-Discard a Free Peoples condition or ranged weapon.

Enheartened Foe (V)
Event
Response: If a minion wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Discard a Free peoples condition or ally (or 2 if you spot 6 companions).
-Make that minion fierce until the regroup phase.
-Make the Free Peoples player choose to discard his or her hand or add 2 burdens.

They Will Find the Ring (V)
Event
Response: If a minion wins a skirmish, choose one:
-Discard a Free peoples condition or hand weapon (or 2 if you spot 6 companions).
-Make that minion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
-Make the Ring-bearer put on The One Ring until the regroup phase.

[ramolnar]

Shadow13, Your shadow cards are extremely powerful. Enheartened Foe might be the worst one - and I can't believe I'm saying "Discard an ally" is weakest.

Coming for the Ring: losing the +2 in some other skirmish or removing a Last Alliance is really good. Maybe it's not broken - Savagery does exist and cost 0 - but it's another good pump card for a culture that doesn't need it.

Denizens Enraged: As much as I dislike Aragorn's Bow, getting to discard it when the Balrog wins is overpowered. The only other ways to do that are Beauty is Fading for 5, or Isengard Smith for 4 sometimes. In Movie Block, Firebomb was built just to get that effect - offcolor for 3 or 4 twilight, not 1. Even "play a card" is too good - it returns Goblin Armory!

They Will Find the Ring is overpowered - that plus Return to Its Master wins games. At site 2. Yes, it's a 3-card combo, but most Nazgul will win skirmishes early. 30 cards with 4 of each, Morgul Gates, Nazgul, a few pumps ... I'd have to test to see what % of site 2/3 wins I can get, but even 5% would not be a good thing.

[Legion]

Denizens Enraged: As much as I dislike Aragorn's Bow, getting to discard it when the Balrog wins is overpowered. The only other ways to do that are Beauty is Fading for 5, or Isengard Smith for 4 sometimes.

Fill with Fear?  I feel that card should be used more.  But otherwise I generally agree.  My changes (in order of preference and reasonableness) would be:

1. Make Orc Banner a possession.  Makes that strategy viable.
2. Change the limit from Sting to 1 or maybe 2.  I might also put a limit of 4 on Glamdring, but others feel it's fine.
3. Make No Stranger to the Shadows unique.  Nothing is more annoying than a fellowship moving to site 4 giving you 3 twilight despite 5 companions thanks to Bill and 3 rangers.
4. Savagery should change.  It's too good for .  Either make it 6 companions, make the +4 not last until the fierce Skirmish, or make it cost like (Saruman's Ambition would help with the latter).  Increase the strength of some Uruks to compensate for this nerf.
5. Remove half of the cost from Make Light of Burdens (I don't care which). Dwarves have too much trouble with Nazgul.
6. Nerf Galadriel, LoL.  Twilight -2 on a site 6 Ally would be fine.  Elrond should not come for free.

But really, I'm clutching at straws.  FotR is great

[shadow13]

denizens enraged has to be powerful or moria players would just play minions instead. that's the problem with events -- they weren't properly power-balanced against permanent card types. they have to be powerful because they only have 1-and-done effects on the game, so their power has to be offset by the chance of drawing them at a time when they do nothing.

the nazgul one might be too powerful with put on the ring. but the rest i would def play with first.