Common/Uncommon Unique Characters

[ket_the_jet]

Dictionary's topic about Sharku, Vile Marauder got me thinking about scaled back versions of some of the best minions in the early parts of Movie Block. Imagine you draw a Lurtz's Sword in a pack back when Mines of Moria came out...but you have no way to play the card. In this thread, I am going to posit a few guesses at what common or uncommon versions of some of the best minions of Fellowship block might have been. The cards are not meant to replace the rare versions--in most cases, the rare will be obviously better.

But as Saruman, Servant of the Eye has a place in some decks where Saruman, Keeper of Isengard doesn't fit, here too we will find a few interesting dream card ideas.

Part of the struggle with this idea is that the threats, particularly in Fellowship block, are singular and large. Running into a Cave Troll in Moria is such a huge deal for the Fellowship because it is an absurd challenge for them...when, in just a few books/movies, they'll be battling armies of trolls and warriors. So I don't want to dilute the Fellowship block brand and play-style.

I'm going to start with Lurtz. I'd like him to fit in Fellowship block without being overpowered, while still offering a unique play-style in future blocks. As a result of this constraint, he won't directly spot unbound Hobbits though that would be better flavor.

• Lurtz, Captain of the White Hand
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength: 13
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Damage +1.
Each time the free people's player plays a stealth event, you may exert a Hobbit (except the Ring-bearer).
Uncommon

He isn't perfect, and he's missing the fierce and archer that makes the rare version better in most cases. But against Merry, Friend to Sam, this Lurtz could be the difference between you winning a skirmish and losing a skirmish.

By Towers block, you are getting interesting, big minions that are commons and uncommons as companions and minions both experience a bit of power-creep. Ugluk's Sword stands out as a card that is not specific to the single minion, and cards like Eomer's Spear are also playable on any man.

What are some other characters that you think are worthy of the common/uncommon version treatment? I think Sharku, Vile Marauder works perfectly as an uncommon minion, for what it is worth!
-wtk

Edit:
As Durin's Heir suggested, I have added the Tracker game text. For a deck without many rares, particularly in Fellowship, it might be nice for this guy to show up again at Tol Brandir for the creative deck builder!

More Dream Cards in this Thread:

	Lurtz, Captain of the White Hand	(Check out my take here!)
	Watcher in the Water, Mysterious Creature	(Check out my take here!)
	Bill Ferny, Wicked Breelander	(Check out my take here!)
	Elrond, Lore-Keeper	(Check out my take here!)
	Galdriel, Elf Queen	(Check out my take here!)
	Ulaire Attea, Khamul	(Check out my take here!)
	Ugluk, Disciplined Agent	(Check out my take here!)
	Grishnakh, Lieutenant of Lugburz	(Check out my take here!)
	Grishnakh's Scimitar	(Check out my take here!)

[Phallen Cassidy]

What's the reasoning behind not exerting the Ring-bearer? Frodo was gone by the time he showed up?

[ket_the_jet]

What's the reasoning behind not exerting the Ring-bearer? Frodo was gone by the time he showed up?

I just kind of felt like he was most antagonistic to the unbound Hobbits and Boromir. I just didn't want to use the word "unbound" as it didn't exist in the game's lexicon yet. Also, besides Worry, it does not seem to fit the Uruk-Hai subcultures in either Fellowship or Towers block. I kind of wanted this to function like The Nine Servants of Sauron.

That said, every deck in through King Standard has Frodo...there may not be other hobbits in the deck, so this guy is not as helpful in most cases. He doesn't really benefit if Saruman's Snows is in play and he doesn't necessarily make much of a dent against The Last Alliance of Elves and Men decks either.

[Not a Zombie]

Fun idea, kinda like they do for Shelob in king block. From fellowship block, The Cave Troll and The Watcher in the Water come to mind. Otherwise, there is Gorbag, Gothmog, and maybe Ugluk are the only other ones I could think of.

[ket_the_jet]

• Watcher in the Water, Mysterious Creature
Minion • Creature
Strength: 11
Vitality: 4
Site: 4
This minion is strength +1 for each tentacle you can spot. This minion may not bear possessions and is discarded if not at a marsh.
Uncommon

Is this better than the other Watcher? On one hand, the tentacles aren't any stronger so they're going to get cut through pretty quickly. On the other hand, you can play this guy, tentacles, and those Goblin Runners you need to ensure you have the twilight for your site 4 swarm.

[Wyrden333]

• Lurtz, Captain of the White Hand
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength: 13
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Damage +1.
Each time the free people's player plays a stealth event, you may exert a Hobbit (except the Ring-bearer).
Uncommon

With the information that you make him weaker on purpose, he seems good, otherwise I'd say you should add just a little bit like make him get fierce if he bears a weapon or just something, because I personally feel like he's very underpowered. Or just make him cost 6 or something like that.

7 • Watcher in the Water, Mysterious Creature
Minion • Creature
Strength: 11
Vitality: 4
Site: 4
This minion is strength +1 for each tentacle you can spot. This minion may not bear possessions and is discarded if not at a marsh.
Uncommon

Is this better than the other Watcher? On one hand, the tentacles aren't any stronger so they're going to get cut through pretty quickly. On the other hand, you can play this guy, tentacles, and those Goblin Runners you need to ensure you have the twilight for your site 4 swarm.

I like him to be honest. But his twilight cost is a mistake isn't it? It probably should be 4 like the original on, or am I missing something?

[ket_the_jet]

Nice spot...Watcher's twilight cost was a mistake.

As for Lurtz, I think if I was going to do anything, I'd tack archer back on. He's still fierce if you have Saruman, Keeper of Isengard, Hunt Them Down, or Uruk-Hai Rampage, after all.

[TheHumanHydra]

I'd love a playable Fellowship Watcher (or a playable pre-Shadows Watcher at all, other than that weird combo). The big problem seems to be that it's only playable at two specific sites. I wonder if what it really needs is a site like The Bridge of Khazad-dum (and to be good without the tentacles). That said, I appreciate this design as a toned-down, non-rare version that's less restrictive, like you said; I think it makes sense.

Another edit: Oh my goodness, my brother just suggested that it should be playable at rivers. So simple, makes it so much easier to use. His/our idea:

(4) The Watcher in the Water, Sirannon Horror (Moria)
Minion - Tentacle Creature
Strength 11 Vitality 4 Site 4
Fierce.
While you can spot no minions other than tentacles, skip the archery phase.
This minion may not bear possessions and is discarded if not at a marsh or river.
R

[Durin's Heir]

Very interesting thread! I like the idea of having cheap alternatives for unique minions, it helps to develop the characters deeplier. The cheap versions are sometimes better for specific purposes... I've always used Servant of the Eye over Keeper Of Isengard (yeah, I'm that crazy).

• Lurtz, Captain of the White Hand
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength: 13
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Damage +1.
Each time the free people's player plays a stealth event, you may exert a Hobbit (except the Ring-bearer).
Uncommon

That Lurtz seems too passive to my taste. Just like Orc / Uruk Scout, depends totally on your opponent's build and actions. The skill will be useless if 1) not facing additional Hobbits, or 2) not a single stealth is played (in front of Lurtz). Dwarves, Elven Discard, Archery, some Gandalf builds will provide the case. And gets worse in Towers Standard (which goes against your idea of "offering a unique play-style in future blocks").

Nonetheless, the flavor and effect are really nice. It'd be great if could be triggered by your own actions too:

•Lurtz, Captain of the White Hand
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength 13  Vitality 3  Site 5
Tracker. Damage +1.
Each time a stealth or search card is played, you may remove to exert a Hobbit (except the Ring-bearer).
"'Are they Men he has ruined, or has he blended the races of Orcs and Men? That would be a black evil!'"

Now triggers with your own actions too, but costs to prevent abuses (still, Hobbit Stealth, Intuition and Depart Silently cost that so the passive use should always happen regardless). To use actively you'd need the search card + (besides Lurtz's to ), in order to exert Merry / Bounder, so that twilight cost must be taken into account. That might do marvels with Saruman's Reach or the Tracker conditions, but often would still be less than the 5 wounds that the original Lurtz usually delivers. And would be still specific to Hobbit-centered/aided decks.

To extend it to any deck, you might let the FP player choose the Hobbit: "Each time a stealth or search card is played, you may remove to make the Free Peoples player exert a Hobbit." You lose the control, but can now pile up wounds on Frodo (or grind Hobbit decks faster), which should help Worry or Uruk archery a lot.

Fun idea, kinda like they do for Shelob in king block. From fellowship block, The Cave Troll and The Watcher in the Water come to mind.

You forgot about Bill Ferny and the Witch King. Here's my try with Ferny:

•Bill Ferny, Wicked Breelander
Minion • Man
Strength 4  Vitality 2  Site 2
Each Free Peoples event gains this cost: "exert a companion."
Shadow: Play an or minion to draw a card.
Assignment: Exert Bill Ferny to make he may not be assigned to a skirmish.
"'Morning, Longshanks!' he said. 'Off early?'"

Punishes the use of FP events (especially pre-skirmish ones), but they will be biting you still. Has a spare vitality point which can be used to play tricks (OOYMDT, Spies of Saruman, Saruman's Snows), or to avoid the fight and extend his mischief to skirmishes while others do the dirty work (still, to counter FP pumps is much better to pack a Shadow pump). That leaves the door open for tricks like News of Mordor and Men Will Fall...

Being a spy, he helps and decks to display more easily. Should be useful with Isen Men and Swarms, and with condition-dependant Shadows to some extent. And just like his sidekick the Goblin Man, can soak up to 2 undirected arrows!



There's also Sauron, who never got the appropriate portrayal as the Mastermind of (almost) all evil under sun or moon...

•Sauron, The Lidless Eye
Minion • Maia
Strength 12  Vitality 4  Site 6
Sauron may not be assigned to a skirmish.
Shadow: Play a card to draw a card.
Maneuver: Play a condition to exert an ally.
Skirmish: Exert Sauron to make a or minion strength +1 (or +2 if the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring).

He covers most of the weak spots of the culture:
 - Can soak up to 4 arrows (like Morgul Hunter does, who costs more but can fight).
 - Can pump your minions slightly
 - Musters resources to set up faster, and
 - Can exert allies before they do too much harm.

But he can never fight, and costs (or during the 1st half) to merely support a culture that already has twilight problems. Also, the pin-cushion and pump roles cannot be done fully simulateously. Still, should allow Orc / Morgul Slayer more chances than what currently have, and the cycling and ally-exerting effects might be worthy of that twilight.

And can be used for spotting/exerting cost purposes exclusively: Hand of Sauron, Massing in the East, the Dark Lord Advances, His Cruelty and Malice, and Tower of Barad-Dur.


Just my 2 cents.

[Wyrden333]

Durin's Heir,
I think that addition makes Lurz pretty decent and I like that take you made, but I feel you missed the point on Bill and Sauron.
They do to much for a Common/ an Uncommen.
 Theiy are a good concept, but the point was to give specific Rare cards (or cards in general) a Reason in Limited, because they only work with single cards (such as Lurtz's Sword).

If you think other I'm happy to argue on that, but as I said both these cards do to much for an Uncommon.

[ket_the_jet]

(4) The Watcher in the Water, Sirannon Horror (Moria)
Minion - Tentacle Creature
Strength 11 Vitality 4 Site 4
Fierce.
While you can spot no minions other than tentacles, skip the archery phase.
This minion may not bear possessions and is discarded if not at a marsh or river.
R

I love the idea of making the Watcher playable at rivers as well, but making the card more versatile (and replacing the rare version) is not my intention here. I would also note that your version is not unique, though I am guessing that is an oversight.

Durin's Heir, to your point about Lurtz, I think stealth events are still very common in Towers block. Dauntless Hobbit and Ent decks feature Swiftly and Softly and Severed His Bonds fairly heavily. I do like making him a tracker though, so I've added that in. That means that Lurtz can help make a final stand at Tol Brandir if you are inclined to use that as your site 9, and also fits in better with the "unbound hobbits cannot be discarded" trackers from set 4.

•Bill Ferny, Wicked Breelander
Minion • Man
Strength 4  Vitality 2  Site 2
Each Free Peoples event gains this cost: "exert a companion."
Shadow: Play an or minion to draw a card.
Assignment: Exert Bill Ferny to make he may not be assigned to a skirmish.
"'Morning, Longshanks!' he said. 'Off early?'"

My first take is that this Bill Ferny is insanely powerful. I can't see much reason he would not appear in almost every Isengard or Wraith decks, particularly in Fellowship block. He does so much! Also, it wasn't until Saruman in the Towers set does a character appear across cultures. Not that this is necessarily preventative of changing Ferny here, but it is just something to consider.

I am with Wyrden333 here in that perhaps you are missing the intention of this exercise. I cannot think of a single common/uncommon companion, ally, or minion that has multiple actions of game text. That is an important framing device of this exercise as well.

Look at Grima, Son of Galmod versus the other two Grima cards from Towers block. Both of the rares offer really unique and incredible abilities, while Son of Galmod is just mildly useful (presuming he can survive his own skirmish).

I would actually be more inclined to make a common Bill Ferny exactly like Son of Galmod. I'm going to focus it particularly on Gandalf and Aragorn who are both the two best fighters of Fellowship block, but also have their stories tied to the Prancing Pony itself. Most Nazgul don't need too much help with Dwarves or Elves in Fellowship block anyways.

•Bill Ferny, Wicked Breelander
Minion • Man
Strength 4  Vitality 1  Site 2
Bill Ferny cannot be assigned to a skirmish.
Each Man or Wizard bearing a Shadow condition is strength -1.
"'Morning, Longshanks!' he said. 'Off early?'"
Common

Here is another card that I think would be a boon to Fellowship block. He might only be actionable with Master of Healing and if you happened to pick up Vilya in a Realms booster pack, but here we go anyways.

• Elrond, Lore-Keeper
Ally • Site 3 • Elf
Strength: 8
Vitality: 4
Fellowship or Regroup: Play a tale or artifact to heal a companion once (or ally twice).
Uncommon

This guy becomes a lot more powerful in the realm of Reflections, but still isn't the most versatile version of Elrond. Ironically, he might be better than Elrond, Keeper of Vilya.

Originally, I had Elrond as an "each time a tale or artifact is played..." Of course, that guarantees at least one heal with Might of Numenor and removes the cost from Nine-Fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom completely. I think it is okay to add the regroup cost of playing a tale, because of the precedent that is later set with Bilbo, Bearer of Things Burgled.

Let me know what you think! Remember, simpler is always better!

[Not a Zombie]

•Bill Ferny, Wicked Breelander
Minion • Man
Strength 4  Vitality 2  Site 2
Each Free Peoples event gains this cost: "exert a companion."
Shadow: Play an or minion to draw a card.
Assignment: Exert Bill Ferny to make he may not be assigned to a skirmish.
"'Morning, Longshanks!' he said. 'Off early?'"

My first take is that this Bill Ferny is insanely powerful. I can't see much reason he would not appear in almost every Isengard or Wraith decks, particularly in Fellowship block.

With is first line of text, I would play him in almost any fellowship block deck. Worst case, he costs 2 and soaks up 1-2 archery, best case he prevents your opponent from playing any events. Get rid of every line of text but the one about free peoples events and it would be more balanced, and probably fit better with the C/U theme of this thread

[Wyrden333]

First of, I don't quite know what to think of your Bill, ket, but I feel like he's fitting his role in the books, but he's not fitting the Fellowship Block Theme, but ok pass on this one for the power level in any case.

What would be if he was 'Anti-Hobbit'-style as well?  If not, I would still definitely include Hobbits in your Game text since they're important in Bree as well.

• Elrond, Lore-Keeper
Ally • Site 3 • Elf
Strength: 8
Vitality: 4
Fellowship or Regroup: Play a tale or artifact to heal a companion once (or ally twice).
Uncommon

This guy becomes a lot more powerful in the realm of Reflections, but still isn't the most versatile version of Elrond. Ironically, he might be better than Elrond, Keeper of Vilya.

Originally, I had Elrond as an "each time a tale or artifact is played..." Of course, that guarantees at least one heal with Might of Numenor and removes the cost from Nine-Fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom completely. I think it is okay to add the regroup cost of playing a tale, because of the precedent that is later set with Bilbo, Bearer of Things Burgled.

Let me know what you think! Remember, simpler is always better!

Hm, despite his powerful effect, for FotR Block he's perfectly fine I think because of his high cost, but as you mentioned, he is getting stronger with every tale added to the card pool later on.
Lore wise, you kept it near the originals with is healing ability, what seems perfect for the first book.

Btw, I think I'd love to see a 'Last Alliance'-Elrond companion in for FotR block, I think I will see if I get a good idea for one, but feel free to take this idea. 

[ket_the_jet]

Btw, I think I'd love to see a 'Last Alliance'-Elrond companion in for FotR block, I think I will see if I get a good idea for one, but feel free to take this idea. 

Sure, but any Elrond companion would be on the Aragorn/Gandalf strength level not fitting the Fellowship block format and definitely not fitting the lore of the game at that point (you can almost argue to me that he is a player in the King film since he travels to produce Anduril for Aragorn).

Remember, until Reflections we didn't see any of these "ancient warrior" type characters. Elrond is likely still a strong character, but he isn't the battle-hardy general he is presented as in the beginning.

[Wyrden333]

Don't talk to me about a sword -bringing Elrond, but I guess that does not belong here.

[ket_the_jet]

• Galadriel, Elf Queen
Ally • Site 6 • Elf
Strength: 3
Vitality: 3
Fellowship: Exert Galadriel and discard an ally from hand to remove a burden (or two burdens if you can spot The Mirror of Galadriel).
Common

Maybe this Galadriel replaces Sam, Son of Hamfast in the Horn of Boromir decks that appear so common? I thought about perhaps giving her a maneuver ability that allowed your opponent to draw a card (thus allowing you to utilize The Mirror of Galadriel). That poor card was errata'd out of existence (and with good reason, at least as it was originally printed).

The other idea was to make her an ally version of Galadriel's Glade, but that felt like it would be too powerful overall.

This is also the only Galadriel ally who is not, in some way, self-healing which I think is fair given the precedent of the Elrond I created earlier and the fact that this is a common card. You can cycle out the extra copies of her you might carry by healing her or by removing burdens, depending on what you need at the given point. Rumil, Orophin, and sometime Celeborn are still common enough in Towers Standard as well.
-wtk

[Wyrden333]

 

So, um, I guess she's fine, nothing to fancy in there.

I think that's somewhere the challenge: to give such powerful, important and cool characters a straight forward, simple, BUT NOT simply overpowered game text.

[ket_the_jet]

Well, remember that the point of this is not to make a character so good that everyone wants to use it. It has to have some function--to some strategies it will be perfect--but it otherwise is getting fit into the decks that don't have all of the rares or it has to offer value in drafts.

I have mostly done cards that would appear in Fellowship block to this point, so how about one from Towers Block?

• Ulaire Attea, Khamul
Minion • Nazgul
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Fierce.
Easterlings are strength +1.
Regroup: Spot another minion and exert Ulaire Attea twice to add a burden.
Uncommon

Okay, whoa. This guy looks like he fits in really well with Easterlings, but does he? If you don't have a full flush of Easterling Captain and Easterling Army, this guy can fill in pretty nicely. And for

Remember, the second Nazgul, Khamul, was the only other named by Tolkien besides the Witch-King. He was an Easterling king. I imagine that, the way Aragorn cries out "Elendil" or the Rohirrim fight for "Helm," the name of this king might embolden the fiercest Easterling warriors.

And both Easterlings and Nazgul benefit from his burden-adding wonder. Maybe I am too liberal with the burden-adding capabilities? He certainly looks better when you can dump him out with the cheaper Orcs.

And here's another for Towers Block.

• Ugluk, Disciplined Agent
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
Assignment: Exert this minion and spot an unbound Hobbit to prevent the opponent from assigning that companion to this minion.
Uncommon

Ugluk only wants to fight your best warriors. After all, the Hobbits are gifts for Saruman.

Thanks for all of the responses so far. Let me know what you think!
-wtk

[TheHumanHydra]

I like your flavouring of Attea. Ugluk makes sense. I feel like I could see opening him in a pack. I think that's the point!

[Wyrden333]

But you got, what I meant, didn't you?


 And oh yes I absolutly love connecting the Nazgûl with their prior folks! Amazing flavor really!

I think he's totally fine, Tough I don't know if I'd play him in Constructed (he is near to make it! If not you still'd have a new deck idea by combining Wraith and Easterlings)
In sealed he would just be gorgeous! Easterling starter, Witch-King starter, Khamul. Boom!!!
 In Draft he would probably be a very decent pick.

If you need names or background for the other 7 you could use Games Workshops ones.

https://www.games-workshop.com/de-DE/Middle-earth?N=2273115266+11716117&Nr=AND%28sku.siteId%3ADE_gw%2Cproduct.locale%3Ade_DE_gw%29&Nrs=collection%28%29%2Frecord%5Bproduct.startDate+<%3D+1540667940000+and+product.endDate+>%3D+1540667940000%5D

Of course they have not been mentioned in the books, but if you want to use them...... well, here you go.

Ugluk seems pretty solid as well.

[ket_the_jet]

If you need names or background for the other 7 you could use Games Workshops ones.

Games Workshop Nazgul

Of course they have not been mentioned in the books, but if you want to use them...... well, here you go.

Yeah, I don't know that I would be so inclined to actually use the non-canon names. The MECCG game also gave names to the other Nazgul as well, but I don't remember the flavor of the characters they created.
-wtk

[Inspire]

Great topic, I really like this idea!

• Ugluk, Disciplined Agent
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
Assignment: Exert this minion and spot an unbound Hobbit to prevent the opponent from assigning that companion to this minion.
Uncommon

I think this one might a bit underpowered. His game text is noticeably weaker than Uruk Chaser and Uruk Searcher (both of whom also cost ). Unbound hobbits are infrequently assigned to skirmishes, and even when the FP player might want to assign an unbound hobbit there is nothing stopping them from assigning that hobbit to a different minion. It seems pretty rare that the Shadow player would actually benefit from this ability. Therefore, I'm not sure the additional one vitality is worth the significant downgrade in game text from Chaser or Searcher. I think I'd play most or cost trackers over this Ugluk as well. This is basically the decision between Uruk-hai Raiding Party vs. any number of other cost Uruks.

How about this instead:

• Ugluk, Disciplined Agent
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
While you can spot two trackers, the twilight cost of each event and condition is -1.
While you can spot two unbound Hobbits, the twilight cost of each event and condition is -1. 
Uncommon

Essentially a check on Legolas, DH while still maintaining minor utility against other FPs (although very limited, given that most events used in tracker decks have zero twilight cost anyways).

[Inspire]

Another rare that would benefit from a C/U version is Grishnakh, particularly since the Towers block orcs were so ... unfocused. Of course the entire Towers block was replete with interesting but only partially executed Shadow concepts. 

[ket_the_jet]

Another rare that would benefit from a C/U version is Grishnakh, particularly since the Towers block orcs were so ... unfocused.

You read my mind. Here is my take on a common Grishnakh, that might play well with the FotR trackers as well as the RotK Sauron trackers. He also is not too dissimilar to Sharku, Vile Marauder, the minion who started this whole thought exercise and was probably best served as a common.

• Grishnákh, Lieutenant of Lugbúrz
Minion • Orc
Strength 11
Vitality 3
Site 6
Tracker.
The site number for each tracker is -3.
Each tracker that is not exhausted is ambush .
Common

Ambush? With trackers? What could be the use?

For one, Sauron needs the extra twilight to stack with Teeth of Mordor. Later events such as Siegecraft might become more playable as well and could make a big difference in a Orc Banner deck. And extra twilight is just a general disincentive for another move.

That said, the Orcs cannot be exhausted. Under the Watching Eye, Hate, Desperate Defense of the Ring, and I'd Make You Squeak are all exertion-heavy cards, and that does not even address the potential pre-skirmish wounding you could run into.

I could see running this guy in a deck, but the hand extension and burden adding of the other Grishnakh still makes him ideal in my book.

Here's one more card that I decided to throw in the mix.

• Grishnákh's Scimitar
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Orc.
Regroup: If bearer is Grishnakh, remove and spot an exhausted tracker to return that minion to hand.
Uncommon

-wtk

[Durin's Heir]

That Grishnakh looks great! The swarming set 5 Orcs need to exert, so your Grishnakh would be helping Beatdown or Grind Shadows, but not Swarm ones, that's good for balance.

Ambush should have been used in more cultures than only , and is probably the best bet for the reasons you point out. Other cards like Mordor's Strength and Strength Born of Fear would benefit fro that twilight too, which would also synergize with Teeth of Mordor and Orc Cutthroat. Bravo!

• Grishnákh's Scimitar

Who may bear it? Grishnakh alone, or any Orc?

The regroup skill looks nice: a cheaper version of Teeth of Mordor in case you have scarce twilight (or fear condition removal). Also, gives a good reason to pack His Cruelty and Malice in a Teeth of Mordor deck!



All that inspired me to make a cheaper Shagrat:

•Shagrat, Obedient Minion
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength 13  Vitality 3  Site 6
Damage +1.
Each time a Free Peoples artifact is discarded (except if is due to its game text), you may place a card from your discard pile on top of your draw deck.
"'It was Gorbag started it, trying to pinch that pretty shirt.'"
Uncommon

Pretty situational, would trigger mostly when a companion is killed/discarded when bearing an artifact, or due to Grond, just to get a card from discard back to the game next turn (that's Shagrat delivering the Mithril Coat to Barad-dur, of course). But both would happen very seldom in a Limited format.

Other than that, is a str 13 uruk, or str 16 with an Uruk Axe.

[Wyrden333]

I think both your ideas look great. Except I'm not sure what you intend to do with the twilight generated from ambush.
 I agree there should be no keywords for single cultures and should be spread as wide as possible but just the use for skirmish events and Teeths seem a bit to less.
But maybe there's no real use for the Ambush keyword in general.

And for Shagrat, I think he's perfect lore wise and is really good with the balance of his effect. He'd make a great uncommen.

[Phallen Cassidy]

Foul Horde and Wolf Voices is a great example of what Ambush should have been used for. Easterling Captain and Raider Bow is a great example of what it should not have been used for. As for what to use the twilight for, ket made a few points: Teeth of Mordor in particular would be great. This Grishnakh is perfect because it allows for a new balance of existing resources, rather than simply adding to what the Shadow player can do. I think ambush was largely wasted the way it was rolled out, personally, but that's irrelevant.

[ket_the_jet]

Foul Horde and Wolf Voices is a great example of what Ambush should have been used for. Easterling Captain and Raider Bow is a great example of what it should not have been used for. As for what to use the twilight for, ket made a few points: Teeth of Mordor in particular would be great. This Grishnakh is perfect because it allows for a new balance of existing resources, rather than simply adding to what the Shadow player can do. I think ambush was largely wasted the way it was rolled out, personally, but that's irrelevant.

Thanks for the feedback. Durin's Heir also brought up Strength Born of Fear and Mordor's Strength. which are reasonably useful as well. Even though I use the Raider Bow with Easterling Captain, I do agree that particular synergy was not in the spirit of what was intended.

All that inspired me to make a cheaper Shagrat:
•Shagrat, Obedient Minion
Minion • Uruk-Hai
Strength 13  Vitality 3  Site 6
Damage +1.
Each time a Free Peoples artifact is discarded (except if is due to its game text), you may place a card from your discard pile on top of your draw deck.
"'It was Gorbag started it, trying to pinch that pretty shirt.'"
Uncommon

I haven't felt all that inclined to go past set 7 (which means Shagrat wasn't even on my radar). I like this one well enough, but it still feels noticeably better than the rare version, particularly in concert with Grond, Hammer of the Underworld. I don't know that having the "except by its own game text" really makes that much of a difference either.

I also think that the card encourages the use of Grond (which is the only way to discard a free peoples artifact in movie) and that is not a card that should be encouraged.
-wtk