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:
•Aragorn, Bearer of Weakness Companion • Man
Strength 7 Vitality 4 Ringed Resistance: 7
Ring-bound. Defender +1. While Aragorn is the Ring-bearer,
cards he bears lose all special abilities and each Shadow card is twilight cost -1.
Each time you play a
artifact or
tale, you may draw a card or remove
.
"'...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
tales or
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
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
!), beatdown (universal
Slopes of Amon Hen) and corruption (
IWTBF for
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
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?