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Author Topic: Aragorn goes with The Ring  (Read 2443 times)

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January 09, 2020, 06:32:48 PM
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Durin's Heir

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Aragorn goes with The Ring
« on: January 09, 2020, 06:32:48 PM »
Here's my try with an Alternative RB version of Aragorn. I know, he's always censored for ARB given his overpowered nasty tricks, but if those get properly managed, he should be one of the most natural options for a "What-If." I mean, in the books The Ring was offered to Gandalf, then to Aragorn, and Bilbo offered himself to carry it, and that's it. And Sam, yes, at Cirith Ungol.

Actually, Aragorn had both a right and an obligation inherited about it. That's what I want to show with this:


[4] •Aragorn, Bearer of Weakness [Gondor]
Companion • Man
Strength 7  Vitality 4  Ringed Resistance: 7
Ring-bound. Defender +1.
While Aragorn is the Ring-bearer, [Gondor] cards he bears lose all special abilities and each Shadow card is twilight cost -1.
Each time you play a [Gondor] artifact or [Gondor] tale, you may draw a card or remove [1].
"'...for the Ring of Isildur concerns him closely.'"

So Aragorn goes with the Ring of Isildur, either as the Bearer or as a bodyguard. The weight of a legacy ashames him, so he's str -1. But he's defender +1 like Heir of Elendil. And by using [Gondor] tales or [Gondor] artifacts can choke a bit or cycle decently (the latter can be enhanced by Seeing Stones or Bilbo + RBoW).


As a bodyguard (regular companion), he's like Heir of Elendil but Ring-bound, gaining Wormtongue immunity (and fighting Easterling Guard / Lieutenant for no burdens). In Ring-bound [Gondor] decks, he offers them a permanent defender bonus which they lack, as well as anything associated with Aragorn: 4 vitality, personalized swords & KotG, healing (Hard Choice, Ring of Barahir), ally summoning (OWMWF), possession replay (TAMP), Noble Leaders... and last but not least, his Machine Gun.

Now, as the Ring-bearer he might look overpowered but look closer. Yes, he's resistance 7 and has no movement nor skirmish penalty at all (yikes!), but makes everything Shadow cost -1, so swarms (Stupid Swarm costing (0)!), beatdown (universal Slopes of Amon Hen) and corruption (IWTBF for [1] only) will flow and thrive with ease. Defender +1 on the Ring-bearer becomes useless to protect him, but will somehow be useful to prevent losing support companions too easily (though at a great risk). Moreover, his nasty Machine Gun won't shoot at will, nor Saga will save him as pump, nor Athelas or his Pipe will heal in his hands, nor Narsil will save him from wounds; all special abilities of [Gondor] cards borne by him are blocked. He has one mission, and one mission alone: advance boldly to and through Mordor to do what his ancestor should have done.


What do you think, my fellows?
« Last Edit: January 09, 2020, 11:35:35 PM by Durin's Heir »
“If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”  - Malcolm X

January 09, 2020, 11:57:51 PM
Reply #1

menace64

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Re: Aragorn goes with The Ring
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2020, 11:57:51 PM »
I can't help but feel that dropping the cost of every Shadow card makes facing [Moria] an auto-loss. "Here, play everything at every site."

Incredibly novel take on ARBagorn though!

If I may take a shot at it...

"While Aragorn is the Ring-bearer, the special abilities of [Gondor] cards he bears gain the following cost: "Add [1] and add a burden."
Each time you play a [Gondor] artifact or [Gondor] tale, each player may draw a card."

This iteration drops the twilight removal since I'm not sure [Gondor] needs more of that. The Ring-bearer effect doesn't negate special abilities but makes using them more expensive. A single use of Aragorn's Bow would now require an exertion, a burden, and [1] going into the pool. ... eh, that still might not be sufficiently balanced on an Aragorn with a Ring. Maybe shutting down special abilities really is the minimum here? If that's the case, I'd still drop the twilight discount on all Shadow cards, preferring something maybe more focused? "...and each unique Shadow card is twilight cost -1." Perhaps? Limiting the discount to unique cards gives a slight advantage to Nazgul (seems fitting) but it still helps every Shadow culture.

Also (and this is me stepping way into personal-preference territory) why drop Ranger? Was there a specific reason for removing the keyword? In my limited-to-my-little-corner-of-the-world opinion, every Aragorn should be a Ranger, the only exception being Elessar Telcontar.

January 10, 2020, 02:58:43 AM
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Durin's Heir

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Re: Aragorn goes with The Ring
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2020, 02:58:43 AM »
I can't help but feel that dropping the cost of every Shadow card makes facing [Moria] an auto-loss. "Here, play everything at every site."
I don't think it'll be easy for [Moria] Swarm. Making each Shadow card cost -1 makes each site become a harsher clash, but also they'll deck out sooner (after which they're flat out dead). Roaming penalties will still give you until site 3 to set up; instead of a str 3 to 5 Frodo you'll have a str 7 to 9 Gorn, with another Sword of Gondor and another Coat of Mail using the slots of Sting and Bounder. In lieu of Hobbit Stealth and Intuition (+2 and +3), you'll have Swordarm of the White Tower (+4); PATHS and KotG ([Elven], not [Gondor]) will work as usually. (The comparison with Frodo is due to the total lack of move/skirmish penalty.)

[Moria] Swarm, after setting up, tends to stop dumping minions when hand and not twilight is over. So I believe all Swarms will get more violent but not necessarily better, and will deck out sooner. In that sense, [Moria] Beatdown (and any Beatdown, Grind or Corruption) will play a lot easier: Axe and Dark Places costing (0), Flankers costing [4], Scavengers and Keyward for [2]... those Shadows actually stop when the twilight is over.

This iteration drops the twilight removal since I'm not sure [Gondor] needs more of that.
To me, drawing is almost always better than choking, but wanted to give the possibility to counter a bit the Shadow's cost reduction. Still, seems not important.

Maybe shutting down special abilities really is the minimum here? If that's the case, I'd still drop the twilight discount on all Shadow cards, preferring something maybe more focused? "...and each unique Shadow card is twilight cost -1." Perhaps? Limiting the discount to unique cards gives a slight advantage to Nazgul (seems fitting) but it still helps every Shadow culture.
Yes, shutting special abilities down is the minimum. Otherwise, ATAR + Saga + Narsil + Bow (+ Scroll / Phial) = 7 full loads to Chuck Norris yourwayouttahell. Add Greenleaf, Strength of Spirit, Slaked Thirsts... can always be abused, if not completely negated.

Reducing twilight only to unique cards helps Nazgul (and Berserk Uruks) almost exclusively. [Moria] Swarm uses only Ancient Chieftain if anything, and Stupid Swarm none. Wargriders use Sharku, his Warg and Saruman. Uruks use Lurtz / Ugluk & Mauhur, Captain, Saruman and sometimes Worry / DttLC. Grind uses almost nothing (Desert Lord, Archer Commander)... No, it's not fair. Nor sufficient. And as said above, I believe a full effect won't be so worrisome with Swarms as with Grind (Orc Bowmen or Goblin Marksman for [2]), Corruption (IWTBF for [1]) or Beatdown (Troop of Uruk-hai or Cantea LoDG for [4]).

Having Aragorn since the very start (and boosted by The One), before even playing your starting fellowship, that's enough an advantage to deserve such a boon for the Shadow.

Also (and this is me stepping way into personal-preference territory) why drop Ranger? Was there a specific reason for removing the keyword? In my limited-to-my-little-corner-of-the-world opinion, every Aragorn should be a Ranger, the only exception being Elessar Telcontar.
I just didn't want to make it so easy to trigger Ancient Roads. Also, Faramir BoQ is neither a ranger, so didn't want to break the tradition.
“If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”  - Malcolm X

January 10, 2020, 10:33:02 AM
Reply #3

ket_the_jet

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Re: Aragorn goes with The Ring
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2020, 10:33:02 AM »
What is the point of using him as the ring-bearer? I'd trade off 1 strength for defender bonus and choking capability through tales and artifacts. Especially since a non-ring-bearer version can use Curse Them to oblivion and nullify two minions per turn.
-wtk

January 10, 2020, 04:08:52 PM
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Legion

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Re: Aragorn goes with The Ring
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2020, 04:08:52 PM »
Yeah, that's really strong as a non-ringbearer, but still no Thorongil. Reducing the cost of all Shadow cards is huge, though, I'd say enough to still allow you item abilities. Strider is virtually unplayable and he effectively only does it once per site.

I'd be inclined to scrap the defender bonus for the extra point of strength, and never run 6 companions for fear of Broken in Defeat. Uruk Hunters are going to rip through any deck making them all cheaper, even if Gorn has his bow and 6 vitality with Ring of Doom.