Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #5

[menace64]

Welcome to Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs!

Each week I'll post the collector's information for one of the cards in the set's card-list.

Contestants are free to create whatever card they see fit for that slot in the card-list, keeping in mind the surrounding cards. As the contest progresses, the card-list will become more and more defined, guiding the contestants' choices.

The theme of our set is Lairs! You're free to interpret this however you want.

Not every card has to fit the theme, of course, but it's something to keep in mind when coming up with entries.

Each week a poll will go up for the previous week's entries. Simply vote for one you like the most. In the event of a tie, I'll let a random result generator make the decision.


Last week's winner...
Durin's Heir wins with their potent card, Stronghold of Adorn River! (Check the facebook group for a bonus!)


Last week's entries to pick from for Card #5...

Sméagol Lied
Event
Response: If an event is about to be used, exert Gollum twice to prevent that.
"Sméagol lied."

From Lowest Dungeon to Highest Peak
(Image)
Event • Skirmish
Spell. If Gandalf is skirmishing only 1 minion, make him strength +1 for each of the following that is true: He is at a mountain or underground site; he is wounded; he is exhausted; it is unique; it has at least 15 strength; it has a damage bonus; it is fierce; it bears a weapon.

Designer's notes:
I wanted to write a skirmish pump relating to his battle in the Balrog's lair, something comprehensive that puts Gandalf in a position to go toe-to-toe with Durin's Bane. Under perfection conditions - Gandalf is exhausted and is skirmishing The Balrog possessing a weapon at a mountain/underground site - this card would grant an obscene +8 strength boost, but under 'normal' conditions you're likely to get +3, +4, or sometimes +5 out of it.
Putting this card into Slot #5 would severely limit the options for and in the set but honestly I'm kind of doing that deliberately as to make more room for Shadow cards - it's quite a bit of fun to write cards with empty slots in mind!
(Also, I checked to see whether or not this would even fit on a card. The answer is yes, barely.)

Fastness of Mirkwood
Event • Skirmish
Tale. Choose an opponent who may discard any number of cards from his or her support area. Make a minion skirmishing an Elf strength -X, where X is the number of cards remaining in the chosen opponent's support area.
"‘The Wood-elves tracked him first, an easy task for them.'"

Designer's notes:
Hopefully the wording is clear: the intent is that the Shadow player has the option to discard any number of cards from their own support area (including zero) - the strength penalty is then computed based on the number of cards remaining. It would be weak early in the game before the Shadow player is able to set up, and inconsistent late (as the Shadow player may be willing to toss away their support area to win key skirmishes at sites 8 or 9 with the game coming to a close) - however, it has a chance to be an unusually large skirmish pump in the right situation (similar to Forearmed in that regard). It also doesn't play well with Galadriel, LR (I consider this a feature) given her propensity to easily eliminate the Shadow support area. 

•Durin's Axe, Omen of Fortune
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Strength +3  Vitality +1
Bearer must be Balin. He is damage +2.
While Balin is skirmishing, wounds may not be limited, negated or prevented.
Regroup: If you cannot spot a minion, add 3 threats to liberate a site.
"'He stooped and looked in Mirrormere, / And saw a crown of stars appear...'"

Designer's notes:
A formidable ancient Axe lately associated with tragedy. As other ancient Dwarvish smithcrafts (like Narsil and Angrist) it cuts through anything it's set against, taking no heed of protective texts (Deceived Wizards, Easterling Polearm, Hides...) but being "cursed" it gives the same treatment to bearer (so Balin won't be saved by From the Armory, Dwarven Bracers or Armor of Khazad). The Regroup skill finally gives Dwarves the potential to liberate sites from the Shadow's domain, by increasing the stakes in a perilous adventure that can suddenly turn very ill.

As the 5th card of the set I'd make it the last card, along with Balin at least (#3) and perhaps a new Book of Mazarbul (#4). (Btw, Orcs should be jumping on the site-control bandwagon )

•Forests of Mirkwood
Condition • Support Area
While the fellowship is at a forest site, each unbound Elf archer is strength +2.

This week's contest is...
Card #21!

Our first card that is easy to put parameters on! Huzzah! Since Bag End Hearth is Card #20, your entry must be:

• A card (after Bag End Hearth)
• An card
• A card
• A site

Closing date: May 30th. Good luck!


Lairs Card List
Number - Name - (Culture • Type) - Contestant - Week it won
1.
2. Stronghold of the Adorn River ( • Possession) - Durin's Heir - 3
3.
4.
5. SUBJECT OF THIS WEEK'S VOTE
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14. Wrested Kingdom ( • Condition) - menace64 - 1
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20. Bag End Hearth ( • Condition) - Inspire - 2
21. IN CREATION THIS WEEK
22.
23.
24.
25.

[SGollum]

Saved From Cirith Ungol  
Event • Skirmish
If the Fellowship is at any site 8, spot another hobbit and discard Mithril Coat to wound a minion Frodo is skirmishing twice.
I made this card to represent the greed that the orcs have when arguing over Frodo's mithril coat. By restricting this ability to site 8 it is thematic and not too powerful. The high twilight cost gives the Shadow player a chance to play another minion on site 9. I also had solo Frodo decks in mind while making this card as that is my favorite deck.

[Durin's Heir]

•Bandobras, Bullroarer Took
Companion • Hobbit
Strength 6  Vitality 4  Resistance 8
Took. Defender +1.
Discard Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
Each Hobbit is strength +1 and damage +1.
Skirmish: Exert Bandobras to wound a minion not assigned to a skirmish twice.
"He charged the ranks of the goblins... and knocked their king Golfimbul's head clean off with a wooden club."

He brings a totally different experience when playing a deck, discarding the previous core of characters except Bilbo (and Frodo or Sam BoGN if carrying the Ring) and replacing them with a totally new key figure that actually likes to skirmish. The Bullroarer can surround himself with peasants like Farmer Maggot HotM, Fatty Bolger, Tolman Cotton and Westfarthing Businessman and turn them into killing machines in the battle front!

Besides his big stats and the battle boost to the whole Shire, Bandobras can fend 2 foes simultaneously and even maim or finish minions that already fought their skirmishes (or that never were in one, like Rabble Rouser or KoI).

[Inspire]

From Lowest Dungeon to Highest Peak
(Image)
Event • Skirmish
Spell. If Gandalf is skirmishing only 1 minion, make him strength +1 for each of the following that is true: He is at a mountain or underground site; he is wounded; he is exhausted; it is unique; it has at least 15 strength; it has a damage bonus; it is fierce; it bears a weapon.

Designer's notes:
I wanted to write a skirmish pump relating to his battle in the Balrog's lair, something comprehensive that puts Gandalf in a position to go toe-to-toe with Durin's Bane. Under perfection conditions - Gandalf is exhausted and is skirmishing The Balrog possessing a weapon at a mountain/underground site - this card would grant an obscene +8 strength boost, but under 'normal' conditions you're likely to get +3, +4, or sometimes +5 out of it.
Putting this card into Slot #5 would severely limit the options for and in the set but honestly I'm kind of doing that deliberately as to make more room for Shadow cards - it's quite a bit of fun to write cards with empty slots in mind!
(Also, I checked to see whether or not this would even fit on a card. The answer is yes, barely.)

I voted for this one. Despite its upside, I'm not sure it's necessarily superior in strength to many of the other skirmish pumps like Mysterious Wizard or even Under the Living Earth (which both seem a bit easier for the FP player to plan around), but I think it's certainly more interesting - which earns bonus points from me. I think the wording might need to be tweaked (the card says "it" in reference to the minion that Gandalf is skirmishing, but it wouldn't hurt to clarify that), although that may difficult given the text limits. Unlike menace64, I'd still prefer to have a additional spot or two for , , and , but I liked this one enough to forgo them.

[Inspire]

•Merry, Conspirator
Companion • Hobbit
Strength: 3
Vitality: 4
Signet: Frodo
At the start of each of your turns, you may shuffle your hand into your draw deck and draw 5 cards.
"‘Ever since this spring we have kept our eyes open, and done a good deal of planning on our own account. You are not going to escape so easily!'"

Dialing in the right draw amount was a challenge for me - 6 felt like too much (and I didn't want pseudo-mulligan Merry outshining the real thing) - however 4 felt like too few, especially once you start getting into formats with initiative. 5 cards seems like enough to rescue you from a bad draw or two each game, but not so many as to make it a common occurrence.    

[menace64]

Leaving the Shire
Event • Response
If the fellowship moves from a dwelling site, shuffle X allies into your draw deck to reveal the top X cards of an opponent's draw deck. Remove for each Shadow card revealed.
"'I have sometimes thought of going away, but I imagined that as a kind of holiday, a series of adventures like Bilbo's or better, ending in peace. But this would mean exile, a flight from danger into danger, drawing it after me...'"

[menace64]

6 votes, 4 entries, 2 days left, and 1 three-way-tie! Lookin' good!