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April 11, 2020, 10:04:19 PM
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menace64

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m64's DC Thread: A Host of Potential V-Set 1 cards.
« on: April 11, 2020, 10:04:19 PM »
In this thread I consolidate a bunch of tangentially-related dream cards for possible use in virtual sets.

[1] •Memories of the Lossoth [Dunland]
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Skirmish: Remove a weather card in your discard pile from the game to make a [Dunland] Man strength +1.
Regroup: Discard a [Dunland] Man to take a weather card into hand from your draw deck.
"...a great storm of wind arose, and came with blinding snow out of the North..."
1V? (1C134)

It probably isn't sufficient on its own to get the job done, but I wanted to bridge the cultural gap between [Isengard] and [Dunland]. This [Dunland] tale seemed like a fun way of doing just that, leaning into the supposed-relation between the Dunlendings and the Snowmen of Forochel.

(0) •Ring of Grandeur [Dwarven]
Artifact • Ring
Strength +1
Vitality +1
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Bearer is damage +1.
"'"...and you shall have great reward and lasting friendship from the Lord."'"
1V? (13U4)

As simple a Ring as you can get but it's a very pretty Ring.

(0) •White Ship of Mithlond [Elven]
Possession • Support Area
To play, exert 2 Elves.
Regroup: Remove your Elf, Wizard, or Bilbo from the game to choose one of the following: remove a burden and a threat; heal 2 companions; discard a Shadow condition borne by a companion; or shuffle up to 2 Free Peoples cards from your discard pile into your draw deck. Characters removed from the game this way may not be played again.
"And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed on into the West..."
1V? (18U136)

It's too complicated for one card, but I wanted to send applicable characters 'beyond the dead pile' without allowing them to be replayed later, a loophole exposed by Falls of Rauros.

[1] Whispers of a Nameless Fear [Gandalf]
Event • Response
Spell.
If a Shadow artifact or Shadow search card is played, spot Gandalf to draw a card. He gains muster until the end of the turn.
"'The Enemy is fast becoming very strong. His plans are far from ripe, I think, but they are ripening. We shall be hard put to it.'"
1V? (3C36)

A card all about mobilization in the face of distant but mounting threats.

(0) •Sméagol, Bound to the Precious [Gollum]
Companion
Strength: 3
Vitality: 4
Signet: Frodo
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
Frodo is strength +2 and may not put on The One Ring.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is killed and no player can spot a Ring-bound Hobbit, make Sméagol the Ring-bearer (resistance 4 minus the current region number).
"'But there's two of them. They'll wake too quick and kill us,' whined Sméagol in a last effort. 'Not now. Not yet.'"
1V? (18U37)

Smeagol's presence so close to the Ring-bearer forces Frodo deeper into his position of authority, increasing his strength but also his peril. And if chances comes to pass that all your Hobbits get squished by a stray Orc or Spider... well, there's still trusty Smeagol to carry the Ring! Just be careful with that resistance.

(0) Coronation of the King [Gondor]
Event • Fellowship
Tale. To play, spot the fellowship in region 3.
Exert Aragorn twice to draw a card for each culture you can spot in the fellowship, then reinforce up to 3 culture tokens, each of a different culture.
"'The King of Gondor and Lord of the Western Lands... and he has taken back all his ancient realm. He will ride soon to his crowning, but he waits for you.'"
1V? (12R124)

I wrote this card to blend into Elessar Telcontar, since he cares about cross-cultural contamination.

[1] Frightened Far Afield [Isengard]
Event • Maneuver or Regroup
Spell.
Spot Saruman and up to 3 Free Peoples mounts to have the Free Peoples player return those mounts to his or her draw deck in any order, five cards from the top.
"The horses were gone. They had dragged their pickets and disappeared... As they stood, it seemed to them that they heard, far off in the night, the sound of horses whinnying and neighing."
1V? (4R106)

I know, I know, it's a bit of a mechanical headache and no other card functions like this one - but I like the idea of temporarily denying a [Rohan] player their mounts without losing them completely.

[1] Narrow Ledge [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
At the start of your shadow phase, you may discard a [Moria] archer from hand to draw a card.
Each [Moria] archer gains ambush [1].
"A shrill yell went up: they had been seen."
1V? (2R49)

An attempt has been made to buff [Moria] archers slightly. Narrow Ledge is a cumulative draw engine that also increases the value of any archers who survive into a skirmish.

[2] Many Forces Marshalled [Raider]
Event • Response
If a besieger or a Nazgûl is killed, play a [Raider] mount from your draw deck or discard pile; its twilight cost is -3.
"...fortune had betrayed him for the moment, and the world had turned against him; victory was slipping from his grasp even as he stretched out his hand to seize it. But his arm was long. He was still in command, wielding great powers."
1V? (8C63)

There's a cycle of cards hidden inside this one, each relaying on the death of an off-culture minion to do something aggressive.

[2] •Guthwinë [Rohan]
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a valiant [Rohan] Man.
Skirmish: Play this possession from your hand. Then, if bearer is Éomer, you may exert him to wound each minion he is skirmishing.
"'Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising / I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing.'"
1V? (12C114)

I think I write a new Guthwine card about once a year.

[3] Hounds of Sauron [Sauron]
Condition • Support Area
Search. Spell.
Each time you play a [Sauron] tracker, you may exert it to make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
Discard this condition at the start of the regroup phase.
"Without warning a storm of howls broke out fierce and wild all about the camp."
1V? (5C65)

Me and Dain have recently worked on some [Sauron] Warg subculture cards, but I wanted to try encapsulating the whole incident on a single card. Hounds of Sauron uses [Sauron] trackers as proxies for Wolves, adding a fresh layer of lethality to the tracker subculture but only for a limited time.

(0) •Mathom-house of Michel Delving [Shire]
Artifact • Support Area
Fellowship: Play a Hobbit ally to stack the top card of your draw deck here.
Maneuver: Add [1] and discard a Shadow card stacked here to play a [Shire] character or [Shire] possession stacked here as if played from hand.
Regroup: Add [1] to take a [Shire] card stacked here into hand.
1V? (13R152)

[Shire]'s version of Library of Orthanc.

(0) •Barrows of Tyrn Gorthad [Wraith]
Condition • Support Area
While the fellowship is at site 2[F], each companion is resistance -4.
At the start of each shadow, assignment, and regroup phase, you may play a Wraith minion from your discard pile; its twilight cost is -1. If you do, discard this condition at the end of the regroup phase.
"The night was railing against the morning of which it was bereaved, and the cold was cursing the warmth for which it hungered."
1V? (1U332)

Buff card for Wraiths, both [Wraith] and [Sauron].
I've always liked cards like Eastern Emyn Muil, Henneth Annun, Cliffs of Emyn Muil, and the other Towers-block conditions showcasing specific locations along the Ring-bearer's path. Here's another entry in the cycle, but for [Wraith], and it lands all the way back at site 2[F], and if you can get it down in time will drop the whole fellowship's resistance by 4 apiece. The rest of the card is written to allow a Shadow player to return Wraiths from the discard pile throughout a given turn.

[3] Redhorn Gate
Site-4[F]
Mountain. When the fellowship moves to or from this site, the first Shadow player may play a weather card from his or her draw deck.
1V? (2U8)

More weather shenanigans.

----------

Bonuses:

(0) Barrow-blade (W)(Arnor)
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Relic. (This card may only be played from your discard pile.) Bearer must be a Hobbit.
Bearer is strength +2 and damage +1 while skirmishing a Nazgûl or a Wraith.
"...forged many long years ago by Men of Westernesse: they were foes of the Dark Lord, but they were overcome by the evil king of Carn Dûm in the Land of Angmar."
1V? (9R21)

Relic artifacts would need support in getting into play, but beyond that this is just Flaming Brand but for a Hobbit and expanded to cover Wraiths as well as Nazgul.

[5] •Treebeard, Shepherd of the Wood (G)(Entish)
Companion • Ent
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Cunning: 7
Damage +1. Unhasty.
Skirmish:
Exert Treebeard to make an Ent or Tree strength +2 for each unbound Hobbit you spot (limit +4).
"'And there are wastes of stump and bramble where once there were singing groves. I have been idle. I have let things slip.'"
1V? (0W4)

(Slight flavor break giving unhasty to Treebeard, as the keyword has long been associated with the Gondorian stewardship. :P)
« Last Edit: June 01, 2020, 07:32:37 PM by menace64 »

April 12, 2020, 04:16:19 PM
Reply #1

Legion

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Re: Card-for-a-culture, +2 bonuses.
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2020, 04:16:19 PM »
[1] •Memories of the Lossoth [Dunland]
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Skirmish: Remove a weather condition in your discard pile from the game to make a [Dunland] Man strength +1.
Regroup: Discard a [Dunland] Man to take a weather condition into hand from your draw deck.
"...a great storm of wind arose, and came with blinding snow out of the North..."
1V? (1C134)

It probably isn't sufficient on its own to get the job done, but I wanted to bridge the cultural gap between [Isengard] and [Dunland]. This [Dunland] tale seemed like a fun way of doing just that, leaning into the supposed-relation between the Dunlendings and the Snowmen of Forochel.

I could see a (strange) deck trying to use this. I like it, though probably could use weather cards, rather than conditions. That way you might actually consider using Cruel Charadras. [/font]



(0) •Ring of Grandeur [Dwarven]
Artifact • Ring
Strength +1
Vitality +1
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Bearer is damage +1.
"'"...and you shall have great reward and lasting friendship from the Lord."'"
1V? (13U4)

As simple a Ring as you can get but it's a very pretty Ring.

Seems fine


(0) •White Ship of Mithlond [Elven]
Possession • Support Area
Regroup: Remove your Elf, Wizard, or Bilbo from the game to choose one of the following: remove a burden and a threat; heal 2 companions; discard a Shadow condition borne by a companion; or shuffle up to 2 Free Peoples cards from your discard pile into your draw deck. Characters removed from the game this way may not be played again.
"And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed on into the West..."
1V? (18U136)

It's too complicated for one card, but I wanted to send applicable characters 'beyond the dead pile' without allowing them to be replayed later, a loophole exposed by Falls of Rauros.

I like this one. Is there a rule that ring bearers cannot be removed from the game like how they can't be discarded or returned to hand? If not, my Bilbo RB is unkillable, I play 4 Riding Like the Wind and win.  It probably should spot an elf, or even 'spot two elves (or Cirdan)', anyway.

[1] Whispers of a Nameless Fear [Gandalf]
Event • Response
Spell.
If a Shadow artifact or Shadow search card is played, spot Gandalf to draw a card. He gains muster until the end of the turn.
"'The Enemy is fast becoming very strong. His plans are far from ripe, I think, but they are ripening. We shall be hard put to it.'"
1V? (3C36)

A card all about mobilization in the face of distant but mounting threats.

I would never use this card. Even if I knew I'd be able to play it, I still wouldn't. I could have drawn that card by not having this one in my deck.


(0) •Sméagol, Bound to the Precious [Gollum]
Companion
Strength: 3
Vitality: 4
Signet: Frodo
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
Frodo is strength +2 and may not put on The One Ring.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is killed and no player can spot a Ring-bound Hobbit, make Sméagol the Ring-bearer (resistance 4 minus the current region number).
"'But there's two of them. They'll wake too quick and kill us,' whined Sméagol in a last effort. 'Not now. Not yet.'"
1V? (7U60)

Smeagol's presence so close to the Ring-bearer forces Frodo deeper into his position of authority, increasing his strength but also his peril. And if chances comes to pass that all your Hobbits get squished by a stray Orc or Spider... well, there's still trusty Smeagol to carry the Ring! Just be careful with that resistance.

This may be the coolest dream card I've ever seen! I love it!  Perhaps it should only work for a ring bound hobbit ringbearer, but this seems so whacky! Release Them x4 and voila! You can now use Unbound Companions and a Smeagol RB.


(0) Coronation of the King [Gondor]
Event • Fellowship
Tale. To play, spot the fellowship in region 3.
Exert Aragorn twice to draw a card for each culture you can spot in the fellowship, then reinforce up to 3 culture tokens, each of a different culture.
"'The King of Gondor and Lord of the Western Lands... and he has taken back all his ancient realm. He will ride soon to his crowning, but he waits for you.'"
1V? (12R124)

I wrote this card to blend into Elessar Telcontar, since he cares about cross-cultural contamination.

I doubt I'd use this: only works in region 3 (so max on 2 turns), and if it's drawing 4+ cards, your deck has Chief Counsellor problems. But it seems fine balance-wise


[1] Frightened Far Afield [Isengard]
Event • Maneuver or Regroup
Spell.
Spot Saruman and up to 3 Free Peoples mounts to have the Free Peoples player return those mounts to his or her draw deck in any order, five cards from the top.
"The horses were gone. They had dragged their pickets and disappeared... As they stood, it seemed to them that they heard, far off in the night, the sound of horses whinnying and neighing."
1V? (4R106)

I know, I know, it's a bit of a mechanical headache and no other card functions like this one - but I like the idea of temporarily denying a [Rohan] player their mounts without losing them completely.

The card fits the lore nicely. Not overpowering as if they're buried 5 cards from the top, they likely won't be drawn immediately to clog a shadow turn.


[1] Narrow Ledge [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
At the start of your shadow phase, you may discard a [Moria] archer from hand to draw a card.
Each [Moria] archer gains ambush [1].
"A shrill yell went up: they had been seen."
1V? (2R49)

An attempt has been made to buff [Moria] archers slightly. Narrow Ledge is a cumulative draw engine that also increases the value of any archers who survive into a skirmish.

I doubt anyone likes Moria Archers more than me, but they need so much more to function outside of fellowship block. Condition recursion (above Host of Moria) is a minimum of what they require to be playable.


[2] Many Forces Marshalled [Raider]
Event • Response
If a besieger or a Nazgûl is killed, play a [Raider] mount from your draw deck or discard pile; its twilight cost is -3.
"...fortune had betrayed him for the moment, and the world had turned against him; victory was slipping from his grasp even as he stretched out his hand to seize it. But his arm was long. He was still in command, wielding great powers."
1V? (8C63)

There's a cycle of cards hidden inside this one, each relaying on the death of an off-culture minion to do something aggressive.

Southrons are viable in Expanded. But they have enough ways of getting their mounts already that are far easier to play.


[2] •Guthwinë [Rohan]
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a valiant [Rohan] Man.
Skirmish: Play this possession from your hand. Then, if bearer is Éomer, you may exert him to wound each minion he is skirmishing.
"'Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising / I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing.'"
1V? (12C114)

I think I write a new Guthwine card about once a year.

Dernhelm's Blade for (valiant) Eomer. Nice to give something for the set 20 guy. I like it enough just for that


[3] Hounds of Sauron [Sauron]
Condition • Support Area
Search. Spell.
Each time you play a [Sauron] tracker, you may exert it to make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
Discard this condition at the start of the regroup phase.
"Without warning a storm of howls broke out fierce and wild all about the camp."
1V? (5C65)

Me and Dain have recently worked on some [Sauron] Warg subculture cards, but I wanted to try encapsulating the whole incident on a single card. Hounds of Sauron uses [Sauron] trackers as proxies for Wolves, adding a fresh layer of lethality to the tracker subculture but only for a limited time.

Lovely card. Perfectly costed, and very useful.


(0) •Mathom-house of Michel Delving [Shire]
Artifact • Support Area
Fellowship: Play a Hobbit ally to stack the top card of your draw deck here.
Maneuver: Add [1] and discard a Shadow card stacked here to play a [Shire] character or [Shire] possession stacked here as if played from hand.
Regroup: Add [1] to take a [Shire] card stacked here into hand.
1V? (13R152)

[Shire]'s version of Library of Orthanc.

Now this is fun! Can see it being used in a Sam ringbearer deck.


(0) •Barrows of Tyrn Gorthad [Wraith]
Condition • Support Area
While the fellowship is at site 2[F], each companion is resistance -4.
At the start of each shadow, assignment, and regroup phase, you may play a Wraith minion from your discard pile; its twilight cost is -1. If you do, discard this condition at the end of the regroup phase.
"The night was railing against the morning of which it was bereaved, and the cold was cursing the warmth for which it hungered."
1V? (1U332)

Buff card for Wraiths, both [Wraith] and [Sauron].
I've always liked cards like Eastern Emyn Muil, Henneth Annun, Cliffs of Emyn Muil, and the other Towers-block conditions showcasing specific locations along the Ring-bearer's path. Here's another entry in the cycle, but for [Wraith], and it lands all the way back at site 2[F], and if you can get it down in time will drop the whole fellowship's resistance by 4 apiece. The rest of the card is written to allow a Shadow player to return Wraiths from the discard pile throughout a given turn.

A version of Out of Sight and Shot, but for wraiths. They need it! Might corrupt a Galadriel or Gimli early, but that's a risk of bidding with low resistance.


[3] Redhorn Gate
Site-4[F]
Mountain. When the fellowship moves to or from this site, the first Shadow player may play a weather card from his or her draw deck.
1V? (2U8)

More weather shenanigans.

fine

----------

Bonuses:

(0) Barrow-blade (W)(Arnor)
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Relic. (This card may only be played from your discard pile.) Bearer must be a Hobbit.
Bearer is strength +2 and damage +1 while skirmishing a Nazgûl or a Wraith.
"...forged many long years ago by Men of Westernesse: they were foes of the Dark Lord, but they were overcome by the evil king of Carn Dûm in the Land of Angmar."
1V? (9R21)

Relic artifacts would need support in getting into play, but beyond that this is just Flaming Brand but for a Hobbit and expanded to cover Wraiths as well as Nazgul.

Seems appropriately costed due to difficulty to play. I'm sure you have some way in mind outside of These are my People


[5] •Treebeard, Shepherd of the Wood (G)(Entish)
Companion • Ent
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Cunning: 7
Damage +1. Unhasty.
Skirmish:
Exert Treebeard to make an Ent or Tree strength +2 for each unbound Hobbit you spot (limit +4).
"'And there are wastes of stump and bramble where once there were singing groves. I have been idle. I have let things slip.'"
1V? (0W4)

(Slight flavor break giving unhasty to Treebeard, as the keyword has long been associated with the Gondorian stewardship. :P)

I like this one a lot, but Enraged Shepherd to is so stupidly overpowered, all reasonable Treebeards like this one would fall by the wayside. I feel it could be given some way to become hasty.


Great cards! I really enjoyed reviewing these.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2020, 04:38:34 PM by Legion »

April 13, 2020, 07:06:48 PM
Reply #2

menace64

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Re: Card-for-a-culture, +2 bonuses.
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2020, 07:06:48 PM »
Quote from: Legion
I could see a (strange) deck trying to use this.

It would absolutely be a strange deck, but I see [Dunland] and [Isengard] as cultures that deserve a share of overlap. They're neighbors, after all!

Quote from: Legion
I like it, though probably could use weather cards, rather than conditions. That way you might actually consider using Cruel Charadras.

Good catch! I've changed it to target weather cards.

While my mind is on the subject of [Dunland] / [Isengard] working together...

[2] •Unferth, Worm's Lackey [Isengard]
Minion • Man
Strength: 6
Vitality: 2
Site Number: 3
Unferth is strength +1 for each other Shadow Man you can spot (limit +3).
At the start of each assignment phase, you may spot 3 [Isengard] Men to kill an ally.
"'Let others deal with these irksome guests.'"
1V? (4C178)

This new Unferth gels with [Dunland] and [Raider], and can kill allies if left unchecked.

[4] Unferth's Bodyguards [Isengard]
Minion • Man
Strength: 9
Vitality: 3
Site Number: 3
Damage +1.
At the start of each assignment phase, you may spot 3 [Isengard] Men to wound an ally (or kill a villager).
"Wonder was in their eyes but little friendliness; and they looked darkly upon Gandalf."
1V? (6R57)

The bodyguard's bodyguards! This minion doesn't relate to other cultures, but it's hard to avoid writing cards for [Isengard] Men when given an opportunity to do so, neglected subculture that it is.

[5] Down From the Foothills [Dunland]
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Exert Saruman thrice and spot 3 [Dunland] Men to spot an unbound companion's signet. Until the regroup phase, each unbound companion with that signet is strength -5, loses all defender bonuses, and must exert each time he or she takes a wound during a skirmish.
"...Saruman had told them that the men of Rohan were cruel and burned their captives alive."
1V? (13C87)

Here's a nod to Down From the Hills except it's a toy of Saruman's: goading an entire population to sudden and brutal war! Rabble-rouser is great and all but now [Dunland] has a reason to try out other personas of Saruman, or they now have access to a second way of burning through Rabble-rouser's vitality.

And one more:

(0) •Seat of Orthanc [Isengard]
Artifact • Support Area
To play, spot Saruman.
At the end of each phase, you may exert Saruman to stack your [Dunland] or [Isengard] minion here.
Shadow: Remove [1] to take a card stacked here into hand.
"'I have not brought you hither to be instructed by you, but to give you a choice.'"
1V? (17R39)

I figure what [Dunland] / [Isengard] needs is a way to fix its minion drops. Of course you still need Saruman to make this work, but fortunately once he's out he can stack himself!

----------

Quote from: Legion
Is there a rule that ring bearers cannot be removed from the game like how they can't be discarded or returned to hand? If not, my Bilbo RB is unkillable, I play 4 Riding Like the Wind and win.  It probably should spot an elf, or even 'spot two elves (or Cirdan)', anyway.

I left a bunch of text out that would have covered that base, but I figured if you put your Ring-bearer out of play you automatically lose. As for a To Play requirement, I agree completely. I've gone with "To play, exert 2 Elves" since that includes allies.

---

Quote from: Legion
I would never use this card. Even if I knew I'd be able to play it, I still wouldn't. I could have drawn that card by not having this one in my deck.

Haha fair point! I couldn't tell you what my starting intentions were when I wrote the card. What about this:

(0) Whispers of a Nameless Fear [Gandalf]
Event • Response
Spell.
If a Shadow artifact or Shadow search card is played, spot Gandalf to draw a card, then each companion gains muster until the end of the turn.
"'The Enemy is fast becoming very strong. His plans are far from ripe, I think, but they are ripening. We shall be hard put to it.'"
1V? (3C36)

Now the only limiting factor is having to react to something the Shadow does, but it's totally free minus a card slot. Muster is extended to every companion.

---

Quote from: Legion
Perhaps it should only work for a ring bound hobbit ringbearer, but this seems so whacky! Release Them x4 and voila! You can now use Unbound Companions and a Smeagol RB.

Thank you x2 for pointing out the synergy with Release Them - I love it so much I've given Smeagol a new subtitle and picture since it's clear to me that this Smeagol is the "cute" Smeagol. Docile. Wouldn't hurt a fly, this one!

(0) •Sméagol, Nice Sméagol [Gollum]
Companion
Strength: 3
Vitality: 4
Signet: Frodo
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
Unless Sméagol is the Ring-bearer, the Ring-bearer is strength +2 and may not put on The One Ring.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is killed and no player can spot a Ring-bound Hobbit, make Sméagol the Ring-bearer (resistance 4 minus the current region number).
"'But there's two of them. They'll wake too quick and kill us,' whined Sméagol in a last effort. 'Not now. Not yet.'"
1V? (18U37)

I prevented the first effect from applying to Smeagol if/whenever he gets the Ring, since putting it back on his finger would be the only thing on his mind.

---

Quote from: Legion
I doubt I'd use this: only works in region 3 (so max on 2 turns), and if it's drawing 4+ cards, your deck has Chief Counsellor problems. But it seems fine balance-wise

Yup. It's tricky. Ooh what if:

(0) Coronation of the King [Gondor]
Event • Fellowship
Tale. To play, spot the fellowship in region 3.
Exert Aragorn twice to draw a card for each culture you can spot in the fellowship, then reinforce up to 3 culture tokens, each of a different culture.
You may remove from the game 4 other [Gondor] cards in your discard pile to play this event from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.
"'The King of Gondor and Lord of the Western Lands... and he has taken back all his ancient realm. He will ride soon to his crowning, but he waits for you.'"
1V? (12R124)

It's a mouthful now but at least you wouldn't have to bother holding onto it? Just cycle through it and play it when you want to.

---

Quote from: Legion
Condition recursion (above Host of Moria) is a minimum of what they require to be playable.

So maybe something like...

[3] Dark Domain [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may place 3 [Moria] Orcs from your discard pile beneath your draw deck to play a [Moria] condition from your discard pile.
Regroup: Remove [3] to play a [Moria] condition from your discard pile. Discard this condition.
"Away beyond the shadows at the western end of the hall there came cries and horn-calls."
1V? (11S112)

It's expensive but get a few of them rotating each other in-and-out of play and you might just stand a chance against Secret Sentinels or Sleep, Caradhras. Maybe?

---

Quote from: Legion
Southrons are viable in Expanded. But they have enough ways of getting their mounts already that are far easier to play.

So what you're saying is I need to make this crazier.

[2] Many Forces Marshalled [Raider]
Event • Response
If a besieger or a Nazgûl is killed during a skirmish, play a [Raider] mount from your draw deck or discard pile on each of your Southrons; each mount's twilight cost is -2.
"...fortune had betrayed him for the moment, and the world had turned against him; victory was slipping from his grasp even as he stretched out his hand to seize it. But his arm was long. He was still in command, wielding great powers."
1V? (8C63)

You're right on the money that this card needs the payoff to be larger than the cost, which in this case is diluting your Shadow side by mixing cultures. Now every Southron gets a mumak! (I did also add "during a skirmish" which might kill the card again; lemme know what you think.)

----------

Quote from: Legion
Seems appropriately costed due to difficulty to play. I'm sure you have some way in mind outside of These are my People

I didn't have anything in mind when I wrote the card but here's a few options for how relics might come into play:

[4] •Troll's Hoard (R)(Mountain)
Condition • Support Area
Each time an artifact or possession is discarded from play, spot your (R) Troll to add a (R) token here.
Skirmish: Make your (R) Troll strength +1 for each (R) token here. If that Troll loses the skirmish, discard this condition.
When this condition is discarded, the Free Peoples player may play a relic from his or her discard pile.
1V? (1R189)

I see the (R) Trolls as being almost-exclusively good at strength, but somewhat-easily avoidable.

[5] Trollshaw Vagrant (R)(Mountain)
Minion • Troll
Strength: 12
Vitality: 2
Site Number: 2 (Or Cunning: 2)*
Damage +1. Lurker.
Each time the fellowship moves, discard this minion.
"But they were trolls. Obviously trolls. Even Bilbo, in spite of his sheltered life, could see that: from the great heavy faces of them, and their size, and the shape of their legs, not to mention their language, which was not drawing-room fashion at all, at all."
1V? (19P22)

*In my imaginary "Second Edition"/"Fourth Age" version of the game, the adventure path has yet again been completely overhauled, melding the best of everything and opening games up to the fabled 27-site adventure (if that's the sort of game you want). In this format each site now carries culture icons on it, designating what sorts of characters are roaming there. Anything that matches is native to that site and pays no roaming penalty. (There are also strategies for "diverting" an opponent's fellowship down a non-ideal path, sometimes even breaking the fellowship.) With the jettison of Resistance as a global Free Peoples character, now every character has Cunning (and sometimes a Signet as well). ...or not. It's all just a playground of intermittent game-design-fancy.

In either case, Trollshaw Vagrant's third stat would be 2.

---

[2] •Mithril-coat, Gift of Thorin [Shire]
Artifact • Armor
Vitality +1
Relic. (This card may only be played from your discard pile.) Bearer must be a Ring-bound Hobbit.
Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses.
Response: If you have initiative and a Ring-bound Hobbit is about to take a wound, discard 3 cards from hand and play this artifact from your discard pile onto that Hobbit to prevent that wound.
"'A corslet of Moria-silver? That was a kingly gift!'"
1V? (3C112)

It doesn't factor-away strength bonuses as Mithril-coat does, but like Dwarf-mail it catches damage bonuses. Gift of Thorin comes with a Vitality bonus but you can only get to by way of the discard pile.

---

[2] Gift of Parting [Elven]
Event • Response
If the fellowship moves from a river dwelling site, discard an Elf ally with vitality X to play up to X [Elven] artifacts or possessions from your discard pile.
"'We have drunk the cup of parting,' she said, 'and the shadows fall between us. But before you go, I have brought in my ship gifts which the Lord and the Lady of the Galadhrim now offer you in memory of Lothlórien.'"
1V? (1R253)

Of course there's easier ways:

[1] Treasure Chest [Shire]
Possession • [Shire] Dwelling
At the start of your turn, you may exert a [Shire] ally to play a [Shire] artifact or weapon from your discard pile.
Shadow: Discard this possession to add [4].
"The legend of Bilbo's gold excited both
curiosity and hope; for legendary gold (mysteriously obtained, if not positively ill-gotten), is, as every one knows, any one's for the finding - unless the search is interrupted."

1V? (1R318)

I couldn't find a picture of a box. Which gives me an idea...

(0) Box [Rohan]
Possession • Mount
Strength +1
To play, spot a [Rohan] Man and an Elf companion. Bearer must be a Dwarf.
If bearer is Gimli, after all skirmishes and fierce skirmishes have been resolved, you may exert him to make him participate in one additional assignment and skirmish phase.
"'But I am content. Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"
1V? (5U9)

And finally:

[3] Who Shall Guide Them? [Rohan]
Event • Fellowship
Exert Théoden and spot any number of mounted [Rohan] companions to make each of those companions defender +1 until the regroup phase.
"Suddenly he lifted the blade and swung it shimmering and whistling in the air. Then he gave a great cry. His voice rang clear as he chanted in the tongue of Rohan a call to arms."
1V? (4R284)

----------
Quote from: Legion
Great cards! I really enjoyed reviewing these.

Thank you  \:D/ it's always fun to let my mind wander into this gamespace.

April 17, 2020, 12:14:01 PM
Reply #3

menace64

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Re: Card-for-a-culture, +2 bonuses.
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2020, 12:14:01 PM »
[1] •Aldor, Defender of the Keep [Rohan]
Ally • Home 3[T] & 6[T] • Man
Strength: 3
Vitality: 2
Villager. To play, spot a valiant [Rohan] Man (or Aragorn).
Maneuver: If Aldor is bearing a ranged weapon, exert him to wound a minion.
"'Dartho!'"
2V? (4R262)


April 24, 2020, 01:50:32 PM
Reply #4

Legion

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...

[2] •Unferth, Worm's Lackey [Isengard]
Minion • Man
Strength: 6
Vitality: 2
Site Number: 3
Unferth is strength +1 for each other Shadow Man you can spot (limit +3).
At the start of each assignment phase, you may spot 3 [Isengard] Men to kill an ally.
"'Let others deal with these irksome guests.'"
1V? (4C178)

This new Unferth gels with [Dunland] and [Raider], and can kill allies if left unchecked.

I like it. Seems adequately costed.

[4] Unferth's Bodyguards [Isengard]
Minion • Man
Strength: 9
Vitality: 3
Site Number: 3
Damage +1.
At the start of each assignment phase, you may spot 3 [Isengard] Men to wound an ally (or kill a villager).
"Wonder was in their eyes but little friendliness; and they looked darkly upon Gandalf."
1V? (6R57)

The bodyguard's bodyguards! This minion doesn't relate to other cultures, but it's hard to avoid writing cards for [Isengard] Men when given an opportunity to do so, neglected subculture that it is.

Fine. These guys needed more minions.

[5] Down From the Foothills [Dunland]
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Exert Saruman thrice and spot 3 [Dunland] Men to spot an unbound companion's signet. Until the regroup phase, each unbound companion with that signet is strength -5, loses all defender bonuses, and must exert each time he or she takes a wound during a skirmish.
"...Saruman had told them that the men of Rohan were cruel and burned their captives alive."
1V? (13C87)

Here's a nod to Down From the Hills except it's a toy of Saruman's: goading an entire population to sudden and brutal war! Rabble-rouser is great and all but now [Dunland] has a reason to try out other personas of Saruman, or they now have access to a second way of burning through Rabble-rouser's vitality.

A fun idea. Nails Trust Me decks hard, but it feels sad that it doesn't punish post set 10 companions.

And one more:

(0) •Seat of Orthanc [Isengard]
Artifact • Support Area
To play, spot Saruman.
At the end of each phase, you may exert Saruman to stack your [Dunland] or [Isengard] minion here.
Shadow: Remove [1] to take a card stacked here into hand.
"'I have not brought you hither to be instructed by you, but to give you a choice.'"
1V? (17R39)

I figure what [Dunland] / [Isengard] needs is a way to fix its minion drops. Of course you still need Saruman to make this work, but fortunately once he's out he can stack himself!

I would worry that this just sets up Uruk Foot Soldier swarms. Perhaps make them stack on controlled sites and make the ability pick a specific phase? Minions are more useful when stacked on sites, but you need to spend a bit of effort controlling them first.
----------

Quote from: Legion
Is there a rule that ring bearers cannot be removed from the game like how they can't be discarded or returned to hand? If not, my Bilbo RB is unkillable, I play 4 Riding Like the Wind and win.  It probably should spot an elf, or even 'spot two elves (or Cirdan)', anyway.

I left a bunch of text out that would have covered that base, but I figured if you put your Ring-bearer out of play you automatically lose. As for a To Play requirement, I agree completely. I've gone with "To play, exert 2 Elves" since that includes allies.

---

Quote from: Legion
I would never use this card. Even if I knew I'd be able to play it, I still wouldn't. I could have drawn that card by not having this one in my deck.

Haha fair point! I couldn't tell you what my starting intentions were when I wrote the card. What about this:

(0) Whispers of a Nameless Fear [Gandalf]
Event • Response
Spell.
If a Shadow artifact or Shadow search card is played, spot Gandalf to draw a card, then each companion gains muster until the end of the turn.
"'The Enemy is fast becoming very strong. His plans are far from ripe, I think, but they are ripening. We shall be hard put to it.'"
1V? (3C36)

Now the only limiting factor is having to react to something the Shadow does, but it's totally free minus a card slot. Muster is extended to every companion.

I'd still never use this (you never need more than 2 muster like ever), and there are more reliable ways to get it. But that may just be me, though Nenya does this better and was never played

---

Quote from: Legion
Perhaps it should only work for a ring bound hobbit ringbearer, but this seems so whacky! Release Them x4 and voila! You can now use Unbound Companions and a Smeagol RB.

Thank you x2 for pointing out the synergy with Release Them - I love it so much I've given Smeagol a new subtitle and picture since it's clear to me that this Smeagol is the "cute" Smeagol. Docile. Wouldn't hurt a fly, this one!

(0) •Sméagol, Nice Sméagol [Gollum]
Companion
Strength: 3
Vitality: 4
Signet: Frodo
Ring-bound. To play, add a burden.
Unless Sméagol is the Ring-bearer, the Ring-bearer is strength +2 and may not put on The One Ring.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is killed and no player can spot a Ring-bound Hobbit, make Sméagol the Ring-bearer (resistance 4 minus the current region number).
"'But there's two of them. They'll wake too quick and kill us,' whined Sméagol in a last effort. 'Not now. Not yet.'"
1V? (18U37)

I prevented the first effect from applying to Smeagol if/whenever he gets the Ring, since putting it back on his finger would be the only thing on his mind.

---

Quote from: Legion
I doubt I'd use this: only works in region 3 (so max on 2 turns), and if it's drawing 4+ cards, your deck has Chief Counsellor problems. But it seems fine balance-wise

Yup. It's tricky. Ooh what if:

(0) Coronation of the King [Gondor]
Event • Fellowship
Tale. To play, spot the fellowship in region 3.
Exert Aragorn twice to draw a card for each culture you can spot in the fellowship, then reinforce up to 3 culture tokens, each of a different culture.
You may remove from the game 4 other [Gondor] cards in your discard pile to play this event from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.
"'The King of Gondor and Lord of the Western Lands... and he has taken back all his ancient realm. He will ride soon to his crowning, but he waits for you.'"
1V? (12R124)

It's a mouthful now but at least you wouldn't have to bother holding onto it? Just cycle through it and play it when you want to.

Definitely more playable now. I like it a lot more!

---

Quote from: Legion
Condition recursion (above Host of Moria) is a minimum of what they require to be playable.

So maybe something like...

[3] Dark Domain [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may place 3 [Moria] Orcs from your discard pile beneath your draw deck to play a [Moria] condition from your discard pile.
Regroup: Remove [3] to play a [Moria] condition from your discard pile. Discard this condition.
"Away beyond the shadows at the western end of the hall there came cries and horn-calls."
1V? (11S112)

It's expensive but get a few of them rotating each other in-and-out of play and you might just stand a chance against Secret Sentinels or Sleep, Caradhras. Maybe?

Very creative. Moria Swarm is now back in business (Underdeeps especially). I think it should be unique so it cannot pull itself. That would be terrifying: deck out at site 7. Play only this site 8 and load your deck for site 9 with the regroup action.

---

Quote from: Legion
Southrons are viable in Expanded. But they have enough ways of getting their mounts already that are far easier to play.

So what you're saying is I need to make this crazier.

[2] Many Forces Marshalled [Raider]
Event • Response
If a besieger or a Nazgûl is killed during a skirmish, play a [Raider] mount from your draw deck or discard pile on each of your Southrons; each mount's twilight cost is -2.
"...fortune had betrayed him for the moment, and the world had turned against him; victory was slipping from his grasp even as he stretched out his hand to seize it. But his arm was long. He was still in command, wielding great powers."
1V? (8C63)

You're right on the money that this card needs the payoff to be larger than the cost, which in this case is diluting your Shadow side by mixing cultures. Now every Southron gets a mumak! (I did also add "during a skirmish" which might kill the card again; lemme know what you think.)

That's a fun level of crazy! But knowing it's a possibility means you'd kill off all the Southrons before killing the Nazzie. What if you discard a (big) Nazzie or Besieger in the assignment phase as the cost? Gothmog's done a runner, bring out the elephants.
----------

Quote from: Legion
Seems appropriately costed due to difficulty to play. I'm sure you have some way in mind outside of These are my People

I didn't have anything in mind when I wrote the card but here's a few options for how relics might come into play:

[4] •Troll's Hoard (R)(Mountain)
Condition • Support Area
Each time an artifact or possession is discarded from play, spot your (R) Troll to add a (R) token here.
Skirmish: Make your (R) Troll strength +1 for each (R) token here. If that Troll loses the skirmish, discard this condition.
When this condition is discarded, the Free Peoples player may play a relic from his or her discard pile.
1V? (1R189)

I see the (R) Trolls as being almost-exclusively good at strength, but somewhat-easily avoidable.

[5] Trollshaw Vagrant (R)(Mountain)
Minion • Troll
Strength: 12
Vitality: 2
Site Number: 2 (Or Cunning: 2)*
Damage +1. Lurker.
Each time the fellowship moves, discard this minion.
"But they were trolls. Obviously trolls. Even Bilbo, in spite of his sheltered life, could see that: from the great heavy faces of them, and their size, and the shape of their legs, not to mention their language, which was not drawing-room fashion at all, at all."
1V? (19P22)

*In my imaginary "Second Edition"/"Fourth Age" version of the game, the adventure path has yet again been completely overhauled, melding the best of everything and opening games up to the fabled 27-site adventure (if that's the sort of game you want). In this format each site now carries culture icons on it, designating what sorts of characters are roaming there. Anything that matches is native to that site and pays no roaming penalty. (There are also strategies for "diverting" an opponent's fellowship down a non-ideal path, sometimes even breaking the fellowship.) With the jettison of Resistance as a global Free Peoples character, now every character has Cunning (and sometimes a Signet as well). ...or not. It's all just a playground of intermittent game-design-fancy.

In either case, Trollshaw Vagrant's third stat would be 2.

Hard to judge with such a small pool revealled. I look forward to seeing more!

---

[2] •Mithril-coat, Gift of Thorin [Shire]
Artifact • Armor
Vitality +1
Relic. (This card may only be played from your discard pile.) Bearer must be a Ring-bound Hobbit.
Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses.
Response: If you have initiative and a Ring-bound Hobbit is about to take a wound, discard 3 cards from hand and play this artifact from your discard pile onto that Hobbit to prevent that wound.
"'A corslet of Moria-silver? That was a kingly gift!'"
1V? (3C112)

It doesn't factor-away strength bonuses as Mithril-coat does, but like Dwarf-mail it catches damage bonuses. Gift of Thorin comes with a Vitality bonus but you can only get to by way of the discard pile.

I probably prefer the other two coats, but this is also fine.

---

[2] Gift of Parting [Elven]
Event • Response
If the fellowship moves from a river dwelling site, discard an Elf ally with vitality X to play up to X [Elven] artifacts or possessions from your discard pile.
"'We have drunk the cup of parting,' she said, 'and the shadows fall between us. But before you go, I have brought in my ship gifts which the Lord and the Lady of the Galadhrim now offer you in memory of Lothlórien.'"
1V? (1R253)

Nicely themed, but Elven stuff doesn't discard so easily. If there were more cards like Elven Brooch, it would be a lot better.

Of course there's easier ways:

[1] Treasure Chest [Shire]
Possession • [Shire] Dwelling
At the start of your turn, you may exert a [Shire] ally to play a [Shire] artifact or weapon from your discard pile.
Shadow: Discard this possession to add [4].
"The legend of Bilbo's gold excited both
curiosity and hope; for legendary gold (mysteriously obtained, if not positively ill-gotten), is, as every one knows, any one's for the finding - unless the search is interrupted."

1V? (1R318)

 Does the shadow ability mean you can only do it once (and then only if played after the shadow phase)? Seems tough to pull off, I'd rather have another sword and just play that.

I couldn't find a picture of a box. Which gives me an idea...

(0) Box [Rohan]
Possession • Mount
Strength +1
To play, spot a [Rohan] Man and an Elf companion. Bearer must be a Dwarf.
If bearer is Gimli, after all skirmishes and fierce skirmishes have been resolved, you may exert him to make him participate in one additional assignment and skirmish phase.
"'But I am content. Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"
1V? (5U9)

Thematically nice, though limited usefulness: if you have Elves, Rohan and Gimli, you are spreading yourself very thinly for Gimli to be a massive companion. Decimates Isen Orcs, though.

And finally:

[3] Who Shall Guide Them? [Rohan]
Event • Fellowship
Exert Théoden and spot any number of mounted [Rohan] companions to make each of those companions defender +1 until the regroup phase.
"Suddenly he lifted the blade and swung it shimmering and whistling in the air. Then he gave a great cry. His voice rang clear as he chanted in the tongue of Rohan a call to arms."
1V? (4R284)

An improved Forth Eorlingas. Seems ok in that respect.

----------
Quote from: Legion
Great cards! I really enjoyed reviewing these.

Thank you  \:D/ it's always fun to let my mind wander into this gamespace.

Well they really have been very creative! Keep it up!

April 24, 2020, 02:35:44 PM
Reply #5

Legion

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[1] •Aldor, Defender of the Keep [Rohan]
Ally • Home 3[T] & 6[T] • Man
Strength: 3
Vitality: 2
Villager. To play, spot a valiant [Rohan] Man (or Aragorn).
Maneuver: If Aldor is bearing a ranged weapon, exert him to wound a minion.
"'Dartho!'"
2V? (4R262)

Fits nicely into Merry's Sword decks. Give him a javelin to hurl and it doesn't detract from him needing it. Why Maneuver instead of archery? Is it because he shot before he should have? If so, I like it!

April 25, 2020, 08:06:11 PM
Reply #6

menace64

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Quote from: Legion
I would worry that this just sets up Uruk Foot Soldier swarms. Perhaps make them stack on controlled sites and make the ability pick a specific phase? Minions are more useful when stacked on sites, but you need to spend a bit of effort controlling them first.

(0) •Seat of Orthanc [Isengard]
Artifact • Support Area
To play, spot Saruman.
Response: If your [Dunland] or [Isengard] minion wins a skirmish, spot Saruman to stack that minion on a site you control (limit once per phase).
Shadow: Remove [1] to take your [Dunland] or [Isengard] minion stacked on a site into hand.
"'I have not brought you hither to be instructed by you, but to give you a choice.'"
1V? (17R39)

I really like the idea of grafting Seat of Orthanc into site control mechanics - that makes the card feel more like the center of a network of conquest, enabling Saruman to move his forces around all the territory he's claimed. I also moved that first ability to Response and limited the trigger to once per phase. (Uruk trackers, being fierce, would be twice as triggersome.)

---

[3] •Dark Domain [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may place 3 [Moria] Orcs from your discard pile beneath your draw deck to play a [Moria] condition from your discard pile.
Regroup: Remove [3] to play a [Moria] condition from your discard pile. Discard this condition.
"Away beyond the shadows at the western end of the hall there came cries and horn-calls."
1V? (11S112)

Added unique!

---

Quote from: Legion
Quote from: menace64
[1] •Aldor, Defender of the Keep [Rohan]
Why Maneuver instead of archery? Is it because he shot before he should have? If so, I like it!

Precisely. Old man started a war!

----------

[Ring] •The One Ring, The Least of Rings
(11R207)
Response: If a Shadow player plays a Ring or uses the special ability of a Ring, or if the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound, wear The One Ring until the regroup phase to draw a card.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.

This One Ring grants no stat boost to the Ring-bearer but has a wider range of utility than its other personas, adding a fresh incentive to a Free Peoples player when determining whether or not to wear The One Ring. The Great Ring is going to eclipse One Rings until the end of time in terms of power level, but I've tried to find a way to give Least of Rings a way to shine.

-----

[7] •Treebeard, With •Merry and •Pippin (G) (Entish)
(4R103)
Companion • Ent
Strength: 13
Vitality: 4
Cunning: 6 (or Signet: Gandalf)
Archer. Defender +1. To play, reveal Gandalf from your hand and discard Merry and Pippin from play.
Add 2 to the number of unbound Hobbits any player can spot.
"The old Ent now took the hobbits back, and set them on his shoulders again, and so they rode proudly at the head of the singing company with beating hearts and heads held high."
1V?

100% whimsical card.

-----

[4] •Gandalf, Sneaker-seeker [Gandalf]
(0P64)
Companion • Wizard
Strength: 6
Vitality: 4
Cunning: 8 (or Signet: Gandalf)
Ranger.
Each time a search card or a lurker is played, you may draw a card.
"'Together we sought for Gollum down the whole length of Wilderland, without hope, and without success. But at last, when I had given up the chase and turned to other parts, Gollum was found.'"
1V?

The draw effect is useless most of the time but a Gandalf Ranger is potent, which is why I dropped this Gandalf's strength to 6. This also represents Gandalf at a fairly low point: the picture given is an approximation, and I'd prefer Gandalf to be nearly-ragged with mud and exhaustion, having tracked Gollum half-way across Middle-earth.

-----

(0) Bite [Gollum]
(11R43)
Event • Skirmish
Exert Gollum to wound a character involved in his skirmish. Pass your next skirmish action.
"Gollum hissed and spat, but he did not let go."
1V?

This card wanted to be a simple and direct method for Gollum to issue a wound in a skirmish. I understand the interaction with Promise Keeping but Bite wanted to this way so here it is. "Pass your next skirmish action" is to give the Freeps player a chance to resolve the skirmish before you can do anything additional.

---

[2] •Gollum, Escapee of Barad-dûr [Gollum]
(5U26) or (12U39)
Minion
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Cunning: 7 (or Site Number: 3)
Lurker. Tracker.
Each time the fellowship moves, you may reveal this card from your hand to place up to 2 Orc trackers from your discard pile on top of your draw deck.
"'He's over there,' he cackled. 'Always there. Orcs will take you all the way. Easy to find Orcs east of the River. Don't ask Sméagol.'"
1V?

I've always wanted to see [Gollum] develop as a splash culture for certain Orc decks. This Gollum is all about staying out of the way while still assisting the movements of Sauron's outlying forces.

---

[1] •A Path and Some Stairs [Gollum]-SH
(5R113)
Condition • Support Area
Search.
Regroup:
Spot Gollum (or Sméagol) and remove 2 threats to play the fellowship's next 2 sites, but only if they are lair or mountain sites. Discard this condition.
"'A little path leading up into the mountains; and then a stair, a narrow stair, O yes, very long and narrow. And then more stairs. And then... a tunnel, a dark tunnel...'"
1V?

It's a slow card but it'll get the job done if you're looking to foul up an adventure path.

-----

(0) •Anthology of Ring-lore [Isengard]
(4U161)
Artifact
To play, spot Saruman.
Each time a Ring is played or revealed from any player's hand, add an [Isengard] token here.
Each Free Peoples character bearing a Ring (except the Ring-bearer) is cunning -1 for each [Isengard] token here.
"'And Saruman? But great though his lore may be, it must have a source.'"
1V?

I wanted this card to reward an [Isengard] player for Rings being in the game but I also wanted to include a One Ring blind spot, so that's what I did.

---

[2] Send Me Not From Your Side [Isengard]
(18C94)
Event • Assignment
Spell.
Spot Gríma and a [Rohan] Man to return those characters (and all cards borne by them) to their owner's hands.
"'I at least will stand by you when all others have gone. Do not send your faithful Gríma away!'"
1V?

Expensive and situational, this card can bounce Grima + any [Rohan] Man, prolonging Grima's ability to inhibit the fellowship.

-----

[3] •Old Man Willow, Knotted and Twisted [Wraith]
(11S239)
Minion • Tree
Strength: 6
Vitality: 6
Cunning: 6
Enduring. To play, spot a companion bearing a [Wraith] condition.
Maneuver: Exert Old Man Willow twice to prevent a companion of lower cunning from participating in skirmishes at this site (limit once per site).
This minion may not bear possessions and is discarded if not at a forest.
1V?

Kinda-sorta a hybrid of LoBD and KoW. Kinda. Sorta.

May 03, 2020, 05:13:46 PM
Reply #7

menace64

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Zero-Cost Shadow Possessions:

(0) •Devotional Dagger [Dunland]
(11R91)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a unique [Dunland] Man.
Each [Dunland] Man is strength +2 for each wound on each character in his skirmish.
"'We will fight for you.'"

If you can protect the bearer, Devotional Dagger grants Third Marshal's strength booster to your rabble.
Originally I had a Vitality -1 debuff on this and allowed it to be borne by any [Dunland] Man, but then it occurred to me that this would prevent Freca from using it... which is too big a flavor-fail to allow, so I ditched the vitality drop and limited it to unique [Dunland] Men.

-----

(0) •Black Stone [Gollum](SH)
(10R19)
Possession
Bearer must be Gollum. Discard this possession unless at a mountain or underground site.
Response: If Gollum wins a skirmish, discard this possession to make the Ring-bearer put on The One Ring until the regroup phase.
"Something struck Sam violently in the back, his legs were knocked from under him and he was flung aside, striking his head against the stony floor, as a dark shape sprang over him. He lay still and for a moment all went black."

There aren't many Shadow cards that induce wearing The One Ring, but such a mechanic feels right at home in the [Gollum] culture.

-----

(0) •Grima's Horse [Isengard]
(12R171)
Possession • Mount
Vitality +1
Bearer must be an [Isengard] Man.
Maneuver: If bearer is Grima, exert him to take an [Isengard] machine into hand from your draw deck.
"''You stink of horse.'"

Okay, so this one is a little weird. The vitality boost and openness to all [Isengard] Men are here to buff the subculture slightly, and the maneuver effect has twofold purpose: first, to give your Grima something else to do with his vitality if/when you're facing a fellowship immune to his trickery; second, to bridge [Isengard] Men with machines, since both subcultures have been relatively stagnant.

-----

(0) Goblin Shortbow [Moria]
(2C60)
Possession • Ranged Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a [Moria] Orc.
Bearer is an archer and gains ambush [1].
"Arrows whined and whistled down the corridor as he sprang back."

Opens up the [Moria] archer subculture a bit more, making it easier to field archers.

-----

(0) Raider Chariot [Raider]
(1U73)
Possession • Mount
Strength +1
Vitality +1
Site Number +1
To play, discard a Shadow card from hand. Bearer must be an Easterling.
Bearer is fierce.
While at a battleground or plains site, bearer takes no more than 1 wound during each skirmish.
"...they were stronger and better armed than any that had appeared before."

A nifty little way of folding Wainriders into the game without forcing a glut of new cards.

-----

(0) Troll's Hammer [Sauron]
(15U115)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a [Sauron] Troll.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may discard a Free Peoples fortification.
Skirmish: Exert bearer twice to make it strength +4.
"'Battle is vain. Why should we wish to live longer?'"

Giving [Sauron] Trolls more toys feels wrong since they're already potent, so I've tried to keep Troll's Hammer fairly limited. Yes, a +4 buff is strong, but 2 exertions makes the Hammer's bearer an easy target for directed archery fire.

-----

(0) Shroud of the Formless [Wraith]
(1U232)
Possession • Cloak
Bearer must be a Nazgûl.
While you can spot more Nazgûl among minions than any other race, the fellowship archery total is -1 for each Nazgûl you spot.
Regroup: Remove a threat to return bearer to his owner's hand.
"'...just as the black robes are real robes that they wear to give shape to their nothingness when they have dealings with the living.'"

Shuts down archery when added to a Nazgul-heavy deck, and comes with a Ring-esque regroup bounce effect.

June 01, 2020, 07:31:30 PM
Reply #8

menace64

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Re: m64's DC Thread: A Host of Potential V-Set 1 cards.
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2020, 07:31:30 PM »
I've been kicking around a whole bunch of ideas for cards which might find a home in some upcoming Virtual Set. These cards would all be for Fellowship block. I'm looking for balance feedback!

[2] •Gimli, Obstinate Visitor [Dwarven]
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Frodo
Damage +1.
Regroup: Exert an Elf whose home site is 6[F] and add [1] to heal Gimli.
"'I will go forward free,' he said, 'or I will go back and seek my own land, where I am known to be true of word, though I perish alone in the wilderness.'"

This Gimli would fit into Lothlorien decks, utilizing the vitality of your Elf allies who aren't of immediate use.

----------

[3] •Boromir, The Bold [Gondor]
Companion • Man
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Signet: Frodo
While you can spot an unbound Hobbit, Boromir is defender +1.
While you can spot 2 unbound Hobbits, Boromir is enduring.
"'What news from the North, O mighty wind, do you bring to me today? / What news of Boromir the bold? For he is long away.'"

Increasing the synergy between Boromir and Merry/Pippin, while also introducing the enduring keyword to fellowship block. Seems right to start with Boromir.

-----

(0) Took Up His Father's Sword [Gondor]
Event • Response
If a unique [Gondor] Man is killed in a skirmish, transfer a weapon he or she bears to another eligible bearer.
"'On the slopes of Mount Doom they fought for the freedom of Middle-earth.'"

General-use card, but now that I think about it this might now have any valid targets in Fellowship block, since Sword of Boromir, Ranger's Sword, and Aragorn's Bow all play on their unique counterpart. I think there's probably another [Gondor] possession lurking in the dream-mists...

----------

(0) •Beyond Light and Knowledge [Moria]
Condition
Response: If the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, discard a unique [Moria] minion from hand to play this condition on an unbound companion.
Unless skirmishing a unique [Moria] minion, bearer's game text does not apply.
"'...to the uttermost foundations of stone.'"

Cycles excess copies of The Balrog (or any other unique [Moria] minion) to punish a Freeps player for double moving. As a response condition (new concept), this is basically a trap card since the Freeps player can only know if it's safe to move if they've Glamdringed or Stinged you.

-----

[2] Dark Waters [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may play The Watcher in the Water from your discard pile.
The Watcher in the Water gains lurker.
Skirmish: Discard a tentacle to make The Watcher in the Water strength +1.

(0) A Single Purpose [Moria]
Event • Skirmish
Exert The Watcher in the Water any number of times to make a tentacle strength +2 and damage +1 for each exertion.
"The others swung round and saw the waters of the lake seething, as if a host of snakes were swimming up from the southern end."

Without access to Evil-smelling Fens in a Fellowship block format, Watcher will continue to languish. I wrote Dark Waters to enable a Shadow player to cycle through WitW since they can pull it back using Dark Waters, and then it + A Single Purpose can buff both the Watcher and its tentacles.

----------

[4] It Betrayed Isildur [Sauron]
Event • Skirmish
Search.
Exert a [Sauron] tracker to make the Ring-bearer take off The One Ring.
"'...to his death.'"

Ring-bearer hate. Always welcome, although setting a fair cost on this card is a bit of a challenge. The previous iteration exerted a [Sauron] Orc, and I'm prepared to make it exert 2 [Sauron] trackers.

----------

[2] •Bilbo, Rival of the Old Took [Shire]
Ally • Home 3[F] • Hobbit
Strength: 1
Vitality: 2
Regroup: Remove a tale in your discard pile from the game to take a [Shire] card into hand from your discard pile. Any Shadow player may remove a burden or a threat to prevent this.
"'And in one year more, if I am spared, I shall equal the Old Took. I should like to beat him...'"

Stretches the utility of tales by burning them for other [Shire] cards. Or works to peel off burdens/threats.

-----

(0) Candleabra [Shire]
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a Hobbit.
Skirmish: Exert bearer to wound a Man he or she is skirmishing.
"'Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!'"

Spiritual sequel to Frying Pan but geared for clobbering Men. I'm thinking that maybe Ruffians might find themselves as a subculture in Fellowship block; if not, then this card can only hit Bill Ferny.

-----

(0) •Free Pastries [Shire]
Possession
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Hobbit ally whose home site is 1[F].
If bearer takes a wound or is assigned to a skirmish, discard this possession to draw a card.
"...bright-eyed, red-cheeked, with mouths apt to laughter, and to eating and drinking."

[1] •Myrtle Bracegirdle, Seeker of Provenders [Shire]
Ally • Home 1[F] • Hobbit
Strength: 2
Vitality: 2
Fellowship: Exert Myrtle Bracegirdle to play a Hobbit ally from your draw deck.
"'Good gracious you have been productive!'"

Hobbiton ally buffs. Free Pastries extends the utility of an ally but disappears if said ally gets hurt or is forced to fight. Myrtle Bracegirdle makes babies.

-----

(0) •Old Bilbo's Treasure [Shire]
Condition • Support Area
To play, discard Bilbo.
Each time an opponent plays a Nazgul, you may exert a Ring-bound Hobbit to reveal a site at random from your adventure deck. If the revealed site is a dwelling, exert that Nazgul twice.
"'There is a connexion with Bilbo's old adventures...'"

Manipulating the adventure deck is a mechanic I've toyed with in a few cards, and I think there's a lot of mileage in the mechanic. I know there aren't technically any dwellings in Fellowship block, but I figure we'd errata the appropriate sites to include the keyword.

----------

[3] •Old Man Willow, Dark Heart [Wraith]
Minion • Tree
Strength: 2
Vitality: 6
Site Number: 2
Old Man Willow may not be assigned to a skirmish and is roaming at non-forests.
At the start of each assignment phase, you may exert Old Man Willow twice to prevent up to 3 companions (whose total strength equals 7 or less) from being assigned to skirmishes this phase.

There isn't a great cultural fit for OMW, but I figure with the Barrow-wights next door and the Black Riders all over the place, [Wraith] is the most sensible home for this tree. You may remember this card from my old Reflections Gold set.

-----

[2] A Shadow Fell Between Them [Wraith]
Condition
Response: If the Ring-bearer exerts or adds a burden outside of a skirmish, reveal a Nazgul from hand to play this card from your hand. Bearer must be the Ring-bearer.
Each time an ally exerts, wound that ally.
"...a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face..."

Broad ally hate, if employed in a slightly roundabout fashion. This card would slow down Elrond, Lord of Rivendell and other such ally engines to be found in Fellowship block.

-----

[1] What Do They Eat When They Can't Get Hobbit? [Wraith]
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot 3 [Wraith] cards (or 3 Hobbits).
Each time you play a Shadow card with a twilight cost of 1, add a [Wraith] token here.
Response: If a Hobbit is about to heal (except at a sanctuary), remove a [Wraith] token here or discard this condition to prevent that.

Hobbit hate.

June 07, 2020, 10:49:01 AM
Reply #9

Inspire

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Re: m64's DC Thread: A Host of Potential V-Set 1 cards.
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2020, 10:49:01 AM »
I've been kicking around a whole bunch of ideas for cards which might find a home in some upcoming Virtual Set. These cards would all be for Fellowship block. I'm looking for balance feedback!

[2] •Gimli, Obstinate Visitor [Dwarven]
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Frodo
Damage +1.
Regroup: Exert an Elf whose home site is 6[F] and add [1] to heal Gimli.
"'I will go forward free,' he said, 'or I will go back and seek my own land, where I am known to be true of word, though I perish alone in the wilderness.'"

This Gimli would fit into Lothlorien decks, utilizing the vitality of your Elf allies who aren't of immediate use.
I like this one. It's a little redundant with Shoulder to Shoulder, but the flavor is great and I could see a use for it.
----------

[3] •Boromir, The Bold [Gondor]
Companion • Man
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Signet: Frodo
While you can spot an unbound Hobbit, Boromir is defender +1.
While you can spot 2 unbound Hobbits, Boromir is enduring.
"'What news from the North, O mighty wind, do you bring to me today? / What news of Boromir the bold? For he is long away.'"

Increasing the synergy between Boromir and Merry/Pippin, while also introducing the enduring keyword to fellowship block. Seems right to start with Boromir.
Enduring seems like a difficult keyword to introduce into the Fellowship block, given that its origin was in the start of the power creep that was set 8. Boromir can easily exert himself with either his sword and the horn, resulting in an extremely powerful companion, particularly within the confines of the Fellowship block. That said, the cost of keeping two unbound hobbits is hardly insignificant.
-----

(0) Took Up His Father's Sword [Gondor]
Event • Response
If a unique [Gondor] Man is killed in a skirmish, transfer a weapon he or she bears to another eligible bearer.
"'On the slopes of Mount Doom they fought for the freedom of Middle-earth.'"

General-use card, but now that I think about it this might now have any valid targets in Fellowship block, since Sword of Boromir, Ranger's Sword, and Aragorn's Bow all play on their unique counterpart. I think there's probably another [Gondor] possession lurking in the dream-mists...
I can't see it being played much, if at all, but interesting idea nonetheless. It might be slightly more useful (albeit less flavorful) if it was an fellowship and/or maneuver and/or skirmish action that played a weapon (or possession) from discard.
----------

(0) •Beyond Light and Knowledge [Moria]
Condition
Response: If the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, discard a unique [Moria] minion from hand to play this condition on an unbound companion.
Unless skirmishing a unique [Moria] minion, bearer's game text does not apply.
"'...to the uttermost foundations of stone.'"

Cycles excess copies of The Balrog (or any other unique [Moria] minion) to punish a Freeps player for double moving. As a response condition (new concept), this is basically a trap card since the Freeps player can only know if it's safe to move if they've Glamdringed or Stinged you.
I think the idea is interesting, although my design philosophy would be  to encourage double (or even triple) moving, rather than discouraging it.
-----

[2] Dark Waters [Moria]
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may play The Watcher in the Water from your discard pile.
The Watcher in the Water gains lurker.
Skirmish: Discard a tentacle to make The Watcher in the Water strength +1.
I was out of the game by the time the lurker keyword was introduced, but the Watcher seems like the quintessential recipient. This one is great.

(0) A Single Purpose [Moria]
Event • Skirmish
Exert The Watcher in the Water any number of times to make a tentacle strength +2 and damage +1 for each exertion.
"The others swung round and saw the waters of the lake seething, as if a host of snakes were swimming up from the southern end."

Without access to Evil-smelling Fens in a Fellowship block format, Watcher will continue to languish. I wrote Dark Waters to enable a Shadow player to cycle through WitW since they can pull it back using Dark Waters, and then it + A Single Purpose can buff both the Watcher and its tentacles.

----------

[4] It Betrayed Isildur [Sauron]
Event • Skirmish
Search.
Exert a [Sauron] tracker to make the Ring-bearer take off The One Ring.
"'...to his death.'"

Ring-bearer hate. Always welcome, although setting a fair cost on this card is a bit of a challenge. The previous iteration exerted a [Sauron] Orc, and I'm prepared to make it exert 2 [Sauron] trackers.
I really like the idea, but unless I'm missing something, I'm not seeing the utility in the fellowship block. Both fellowship block rings are response actions and have no cost to put on, so I'm not sure how the Shadow player benefits from removing it.
----------

[2] •Bilbo, Rival of the Old Took [Shire]
Ally • Home 3[F] • Hobbit
Strength: 1
Vitality: 2
Regroup: Remove a tale in your discard pile from the game to take a [Shire] card into hand from your discard pile. Any Shadow player may remove a burden or a threat to prevent this.
"'And in one year more, if I am spared, I shall equal the Old Took. I should like to beat him...'"

Stretches the utility of tales by burning them for other [Shire] cards. Or works to peel off burdens/threats.
This seems like it could be rather strong given how well [Shire] is able to control the burden count.

On a related note, threats were probably my favorite new mechanic introduced after the fellowship block. If we were to introduce a post-fellowship block mechanic to the fellowship block, threats would be my first choice.

-----

(0) Candleabra [Shire]
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a Hobbit.
Skirmish: Exert bearer to wound a Man he or she is skirmishing.
"'Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!'"

Spiritual sequel to Frying Pan but geared for clobbering Men. I'm thinking that maybe Ruffians might find themselves as a subculture in Fellowship block; if not, then this card can only hit Bill Ferny.
This one is great - it's funny and works within the context of the fellowship block. That said, it becomes problematic in any format outside of fellowship (Dunland would really suffer against this).
-----

(0) •Free Pastries [Shire]
Possession
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Hobbit ally whose home site is 1[F].
If bearer takes a wound or is assigned to a skirmish, discard this possession to draw a card.
"...bright-eyed, red-cheeked, with mouths apt to laughter, and to eating and drinking."
Fun - although given how easily [Shire] allies can be healed, I'm not sure how much use it would see.

[1] •Myrtle Bracegirdle, Seeker of Provenders [Shire]
Ally • Home 1[F] • Hobbit
Strength: 2
Vitality: 2
Fellowship: Exert Myrtle Bracegirdle to play a Hobbit ally from your draw deck.
"'Good gracious you have been productive!'"

Hobbiton ally buffs. Free Pastries extends the utility of an ally but disappears if said ally gets hurt or is forced to fight. Myrtle Bracegirdle makes babies.

-----

(0) •Old Bilbo's Treasure [Shire]
Condition • Support Area
To play, discard Bilbo.
Each time an opponent plays a Nazgul, you may exert a Ring-bound Hobbit to reveal a site at random from your adventure deck. If the revealed site is a dwelling, exert that Nazgul twice.
"'There is a connexion with Bilbo's old adventures...'"

Manipulating the adventure deck is a mechanic I've toyed with in a few cards, and I think there's a lot of mileage in the mechanic. I know there aren't technically any dwellings in Fellowship block, but I figure we'd errata the appropriate sites to include the keyword.
That seems like it could be rather strong (obviously depending on how many dwellings are added). [Shire] vitality is available in abundance, although needing Bilbo isn't a trivial cost.

I'm sure I've mentioned before, but from a personal design philosophy I generally avoid cards that target a single race or culture. Targeted cards make sense from a flavor perspective, but mechanically they push the game further into a ‘rock-paper-scissors' contest.

----------

[3] •Old Man Willow, Dark Heart [Wraith]
Minion • Tree
Strength: 2
Vitality: 6
Site Number: 2
Old Man Willow may not be assigned to a skirmish and is roaming at non-forests.
At the start of each assignment phase, you may exert Old Man Willow twice to prevent up to 3 companions (whose total strength equals 7 or less) from being assigned to skirmishes this phase.

There isn't a great cultural fit for OMW, but I figure with the Barrow-wights next door and the Black Riders all over the place, [Wraith] is the most sensible home for this tree. You may remember this card from my old Reflections Gold set.
I'd agree that the Wraith culture is the best fit for minions of the Tom Bombadil adventures. The Wraith culture spent six sets in desperate need of low-cost minions to fill in the gaps - OMW and the barrow-wights could certainly help them there.

-----

[2] A Shadow Fell Between Them [Wraith]
Condition
Response: If the Ring-bearer exerts or adds a burden outside of a skirmish, reveal a Nazgul from hand to play this card from your hand. Bearer must be the Ring-bearer.
Each time an ally exerts, wound that ally.
"...a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face..."

Broad ally hate, if employed in a slightly roundabout fashion. This card would slow down Elrond, Lord of Rivendell and other such ally engines to be found in Fellowship block.
Is the intent for this card only to be playable except as a response action, or is the response action merely an alternative opportunity to play this card? If the former, I think this might need to be clarified.
-----

[1] What Do They Eat When They Can't Get Hobbit? [Wraith]
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot 3 [Wraith] cards (or 3 Hobbits).
Each time you play a Shadow card with a twilight cost of 1, add a [Wraith] token here.
Response: If a Hobbit is about to heal (except at a sanctuary), remove a [Wraith] token here or discard this condition to prevent that.

Hobbit hate.