Next Updates for the Hobbit Draft Game

[Durin's Heir]

On less important matters:

- Ring of Thrór: This card has still 1 free line for another skill (while keeping the lore text). Each time Sauron got back a Ring of Power, his servants started gathering again and his schemes moved much faster. That can be represented by a small skill like "Shadow: Play a minion to add ", which would be very useful with any Shadow (moreover with Nazguls, by playing either a Nazgul or an Orc to discard). And with The Great Enemy.

Any skill on the Ring of Thrór will be a 2-card combo (requires to play Sauron + the Ring) that won't stay on the board (support area), and this skill uses only minions from hand, so it can't be abused. Also, adding another skill will differentiate this artifact from Decipher's Saruman's Staff. A bit of originality will be welcomed by many a player.


- Such A High Cost: I found some good Tolkien quotes you might find interesting for this card's lore text. Each of these uses a maximum of 3 card lines, which is the room left by the game text.

    - from Unfinished Tales:
"'But alas! Thorin did not live to enjoy his triumph or his treasure.'"

    - from The Hobbit:
"'I go now to the halls of waiting to sit beside my fathers, until the world is renewed... I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth...'"

"Bilbo knelt on one knee filled with sorrow. 'Farewell, King under the Mountain!' he said."

"'This is a bitter adventure, if it must end so; and not a mountain of gold can amend it.'"

"Then Bilbo turned away, and he went by himself, and sat alone wrapped in a blanket, and... he wept until his eyes were red and his voice was hoarse."

"'A mercy it is,' he said at last to himself, 'that I woke up when I did. I wish Thorin were living, but I am glad that we parted in kindness.'"

"And turning towards the Mountain he added: 'Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili! May your memory never fade!'"

[-Enola-]

- Wizard Staff: You're right the Staff must not be played before site 4, but the effect of the Staff is powerful. I think most players will keep their Staff in hand until site 4 (except for Gandallf FoT or Gandalf LotC).

- Crown of Erebor: I know you will add some flavor for Dain Ironfoot on this card . But I want only useful effects, the strength +1 bonus for Dain seems not so useful.
With the Hobbit Draft Game Online now, you may test this card .

- [Smaug] The Arkenstone: I don't think the transfer to Bard is a true advantage (only Bilbo strength +1 and 2 more doubts...). Sure, you can kill Bard and discard the Arkenstone, but Bard can only fight site 6 if you have no other [Esgaroth] card or Skillful negociator...
I prefer the current version (the 4 doubts ability is the transfer to Bard or another ally, and he keeps it without any modification on the fellowship or himself).

- Ring of Thrór: You are right. I will change it with this new line:

The twilight cost of each minion is -1.

Sauron and the Nazguls are very hard to play together. With such reduction, I hope it will be different....

- Such A High Cost: Ok for a 2 lines, which one your prefer ?

- Azog Swarm: with the Hobbit Draft Game Online, I think we will need a keyword for this Shadow. Indeed, in order to avoid the mixing with Goblin Swarm, it seems necessary.


I still owe you The Last Lights of Durin's Day review. But I was very busy, and the Hobbit Draft Game Online also took me a lot of time.

[Durin's Heir]

- Wizard Staff: Agree.

- Ring of Thrór: Hmmm, quite interesting! It's focused on Nazguls only, but that way you avoid having 2 active skills in the same card. And avoids powerful combos with Orc Swarm shadows. Seems fine! Now, you can change it a bit to allow other minions like Azog SoS or Bolg SoS to get that twilight reduction: "Each or minion is twilight cost -1." Not necessary at all, but can be better.

- Crown of Erebor: I think +1 strenght IS useful. The current Dain (unarmed) can only defeat Narzug, Yazneg and Orkish Aggressor. That's too weak. But if Dain is base strength 8 he will be able to:

* Defeat strength 7 minions (Wicked Spider, Assaulting Goblin, Orkish Veteran). Thus he'll need less healing.
* Not be overwhelmed by str 14/15 minions: Witch King, Sauron, Smaug (with Smaug's Awakening), Toldea + Dol Guldur Blade, [Troll] Trolls + Troll Knife...
* Be worthy of bearing a Dwarven Spear, instead of giving it to Dwalin/Balin/Nori (strength 10 beats a lot more minions than strength 9; those companions can use followers instead).

Now, healing ANY Dwarf character is a helpful effect. And given that To Me! O My Kinsfolk! hasn't too many copies and is a 2-card combo (you need Roäc in play or discard pile), it'll be hard to abuse it.

- Such A High Cost:  There are 3 available lines. But if we are using only 2, I like this one: "'Farewell, good thief... I go now to the halls of waiting to sit beside my fathers, until the world is renewed...'"
When reading The Hobbit some 12 or 13 years ago, I couln't help but cry with that part  .



- The Shadow Arkenstone: You are totally right, Thorin Pack has no way of making Bard skirmish at other sites. What limits this card is having it in a specific FP Pack. If it were in the Smaug Pack instead, it would punish heavily any of these packs: Mirkwood, Esgaroth and White Council (Galadriel strength 0?!). And in any other case, it'd at least weaken Bilbo and Dwarves, and potentially add 2 dangerous doubts.

In those FP Packs, the FP player would be forced to use either "weak companions + viable allies", or "strong companions + weak allies". The point is, with those packs you tend to use allies AND companions to defend yourself, and you'll now be forced to choose one or the other. That, if the Shadow Arkenstone is relocated to Smaug's Pack.

Then we'd need to decide how to add The Shadow Arkenstone into Smaug's Pack. Perhaps removing 2 or 3 copies of other cards, or removing all copies of a card and relocating it to Thorin's Pack...

[Durin's Heir]

- The Shadow Arkenstone: I made another version after posting the latter, slightly different but much better. It makes more attractive to transfer it to Bard.

•The Arkenstone, King's Jewel [No Culture]
Artifact
Strength -2
Plays on Bilbo. Bearer is damage +1.
If bearer is Bard, he is strength +3 and characters are strength -2. If bearer is Thorin, Elves and Men are strength -3.
Bilbo, Bard and Thorin gain this ability: "Maneuver: Add 2 doubts to transfer the Arkenstone to this character".
"'What is that? In your hand... Show me!'"

Bearer gains damage +1, showing the fierce defensiveness and wrath The Arkenstone produces on anyone who holds it. So if bearer is:

1) Bilbo: Bilbo is strength -2 (and damage +1).
2) Bard: All Dwarves are strength -2. Bard is strength +1 (and damage +1). +2 doubts.
3) Thorin: Thorin is strength -2 (and damage +1). Elves and Men are strength -3. +2 doubts.

1) Bilbo: He keeps the Arkenstone as a total secret (dwarves don't get affected), but suffers a strong pressure from deciding what to do with it. Again, -2 strength makes him VERY vulnerable (str 3 only with Sting!).

2) Bard: Bilbo is now protected by Bard (no strength reduction). Bard is in a strong position (hence the strength +1). Dwarves suffer a stronger strength reduction than before (-2), so you free Bilbo from the punishment but each Dwarf takes it instead. +2 doubts also.

3) Thorin: Thorin is consumed by greed (he's now the weakest Dwarf in the company!), but all his companions and Bilbo are relieved. Again, Elves and Men will flee or die. +2 doubts...

All in all, Thorin will be strength -2 in any case, unless Bilbo bears it and takes that str -2. And either Bilbo will get that risk, or you won't use strong companions AND Elves/Men support.

Hope you like it more. This, like the previous, will work well if we move it to Smaug's Pack.

[-Enola-]

Since the Arkenstone is in the Thorin pack, I think the Shadow Arkenstone must be in the Thorin Pack.

With this new Arkenstone, the best way to counter it seems to keep it on Bilbo. I still prefer the current version of the Shadow Arkenstone.

[Durin's Heir]

Since the Arkenstone is in the Thorin pack, I think the Shadow Arkenstone must be in the Thorin Pack.

Currently, the Ring of Thrór is in the Thráin Pack, while the Ring of Thrór is in the Sauron Pack. They don't coincide often. And Sauron's Pack is weaker against the Thráin Pack. The same relation would be between Smaug's Pack and the Thorin Pack.

With this new Arkenstone, the best way to counter it seems to keep it on Bilbo. I still prefer the current version of the Shadow Arkenstone.

But keeping it on Bilbo means making his base strength 1 (3 with Sting, 5 if also bears and wears The One). The risk is really high if he keeps it. Orkish Aggressor/Gollum will simply destroy him! Orkish Aggressor has 3 copies in any kind of deck, so if Bilbo keeps the Arkenstone your opponent will use all his/her hand (Hatred Rekindled/Troll Campfire) and copies of Host of Thousands to abuse that. The Shadow player still gets a lot of a single card.

If Thorin gets it, he (your main fighter) gets -2 strength and Elf/Man allies get totally impaired. +2 doubts. A lot for a single card.
If Bard gets it, Dwarves have big troubles but you can still support the Company with Men/Elves. +2 doubts. Again, a lot from a single card.

So if your strategy is based on:
- Men/Elves/White Council: Not Thorin! You'll want the Arkenstone on Bard (2 doubts, Dwarves are str -2) or Bilbo (Bilbo is str -2) at all costs.
- Dwarves: Not Bard! Either Thorin (he'll lose a lot of skirmishes; +2 doubts), or Bilbo (he's str -2, can be easily overwhelmed).
- Bilbo: Not Bilbo! That means 2 doubts. Either Bard or Thorin, Smaug will feast on your defenders (Thorin won't suvive him with ease).

So you'll decide who gets it depending on what's your strategy. But also, depending on the Shadow strategy you are facing:
- Swarm: Not Bilbo, at any cost! If Bard, your companions will lose or die easily. If Thorin, you lose all durable support from allies.
- Corruption: Again, not Bilbo (or Gollum/Aggressor will devour him). But those 2 doubts must be removed with haste, or carried with wisdom. In both cases (Bard or Thorin), Thorin will lose 2 strength so you'll be more vulnerable to Fat Spider, Bolg Son of Azog and Smaug.
- Beatdown: Bilbo. You'll need Thorin (and companions, and allies) will all his (their) strength. But watch out with the Aggressor!

Therefore, the combination of your strategy and your opponent's will determine which option is the less uncomfortable. A hard choice. All paths are dangerous!


While this version gives the FP player more options to maneuver it, it works on the whole sitepath (not only at sites 7 to 9). That's very important. For instance, at site 9 it matters very little if your Elves and Men are killed (you need only Bilbo alive and not corrupted), but at region 1 or 2 it brings consequences that will remain, maiming your ally-support 'till the very end.

Again, a lot from a single card.

[-Enola-]

I change some cards in order to counter more efficently the Free Peoples cards in their packs:

- Savage Warg: much more focused on cards.

- Jail: "exert twice" now to prevent the stacking of a Wise character. It seems easier to play.

- Power Struggle: the first ability is now more powerful. The cost is .

- Enchanted River: more powerful now against Gandalf FoT+Radagast, the fellowship has to find a way to keep Gandalf in play.

- Such a High Cost: I hope the condition will be very useful now against allies.

- Banner of Command: there were not many ways to discard the Spear.


The Ring of Thror is not in the Thrain Pack because only Sauron can bear it. So we had to put it in the Beatdown Pack 2 with the Shadow.

The Arkenstone is really weak. The way we found to make it much more important is to put a very powerful Shadow Arkenstone in this pack. So a way to counter this Shadow artifact is to play the Arkenstone before the Shadow Arkenstone.

[Durin's Heir]

- Wizard Staff: I see a • in the title... is it unique now?!? I thought cards previously released (the FP packs without the add-ons) weren't subject to change. I don't think it's necessary to make it unique. Playing 2 on site 4 means more just before site 5 (!), and the skill to fetch spells will work well only if you keep exerting Balin (double the staves, double the strain on Balin).

In respect of Beorn's House, I found a simple way to fix the hand clogging if you get the Staff before site 4: "Fellowship: Spot (or play from your draw deck) a staff to prevent...". It might be a bit too long for the card room, if that's the case by removing the parenthesis should be ok ("Spot or play...").

I change some cards in order to counter more efficently the Free Peoples cards in their packs:

I think it's a good approach to enrich strategy. . But in some cases can destroy the flavor of a card, in those might be better to create a totally new card and leave the flavor-rich card unchanged to use in another pack...

- Savage Warg: I like it. It's strong in both effect and (film) flavor. With the Wizard pack, the maximum cards in play are 6, = up to 3 exertions (with also the White Council pack, = up to 4). So at the end of the game you can grind the Company if you choose a strong Orc to bear it. If proves to be too powerful when playesting, you can add a site keyword requirement to trigger it: "Each time bearer wins a skirmish at a plains or a battleground...". Therefore Rhudaur, sites 9 (except Thrór's Throne) and Watchful Orc will trigger it.

- Power Struggle: Seems fine. to recover a conditions is more balanced. And the passive skill replaces the previous one of Enchanted River.

- Enchanted River: Seems very powerful, yes! Beorn's House can prevent only Gandalf from triggering that, but then FoT won't escape from tough skirmishes.

- Such a High Cost: This is an addition only, that's good. to wound an ally once doesn't seems overpowered, and sometimes that's all you needed to get your first card in the dead pile (if you got another copy, Danger Wrapped in Shadows, or Power Struggle).

Now, if Thorin is dead you won't have the choice to wound or add 2 doubts (like Isengard Smith, with 5 companions discards all FP possessions but can't touch artifact weapons); you'll only add doubts. If you want it to be a choice, change it to this: "Discard this condition to choose one: wound a ally, or add 2 doubts if you cannot spot Thorin".

...

- Banner of Command: I don't like this change . I understand and like the purpose, but the pervious version of Banner of Command was really good. I'd change the pic and title to "Orc Banner", and leave the Banner of Command to other packs. Besides, it should spot a minion/an Orc, otherwise you will be able to discard those possessions without playing any minion.

The "prevent wounds" Banner of Command can work really well in Bolg's Pack, replacing the Orkish Bow. Remove the twilight adding part, and add a skill to play it from discard, like "Shadow: Exert Azog or Bolg twice to play this condition from your discard pile". Make it cost . And even change it to possession, to make it harder to discard...

•Banner of Command
Possession • Support Area
To play, exert an Orc.
Shadow: Exert Bolg or Azog twice to play this possession from your discard pile.
Skirmish: Remove at a battleground to prevent an Orc from taking wounds.


- Jail: "Exert twice" is better against vitality 2 Wise fellows. But then it's too powerful with that tiny cost of discarding just a single minion (think of a Moria Swarm, oh my!). I'd raise the cost to "2 minions", and change the prevention to "that any wise character may exert twice to prevent this". That way, any other Wise character with vitality 3 or more can try to save Gandalf. Besides, think on Elrond's healing skill: if you exert him once to save Gandalf, he'll be vitality 2 so becomes a target of Jail, but even so Gandalf might pass from vitality 1 to 2 only and won't be saved! This should give them more chances:

"Regroup: Discard 2 minions to stack a Wise character on this condition. Any Wise character may exert twice to prevent this. Copies of characters stacked here cannot be played."

...

- The Shadow Arkenstone: Hmmm, I think it will be ok in the Thorin pack with the version. It'd be stronger in the Smaug sub-pack, because works much better against 3 different FP packs, and none of those are Thorin Pack. But even against Thorin Pack only, it will provide big problems to the Company:

- Bilbo: He'll be strength 1 without Sting (Smaug will try it!), or 3 with Sting. Then as stated before, Orkish Aggressor/Gollum will be really annoying and perilous, and every Shadow can try that .
- Thorin: He'll be strength -2, and that's very good for any kind of Shadow (it's similar to Smaug discarding Orcrist!). And +2 doubts are powerful by themselves.
- Bard: This is no option (except you are at site 6 and can kill Bard). If you don't want Bilbo as bearer, either way Thorin will be str -2 and will add 2 doubts.

I really feel this is the right way to portray the Shadow Arkenstone. Machiavel's old divide and rule, but without the unclear wording of "non-Wise characters" and "except of bearer's culture (and if...)".

So it's totally ok if it remains in Thorin Pack. As long as it's this version, or something with a similar flavor and strength . And Thorin Pack will be less compatible with Mirkwood, Esgaroth and White Council packs, that's an addition I think .

The Arkenstone is really weak. The way we found to make it much more important is to put a very powerful Shadow Arkenstone in this pack. So a way to counter this Shadow artifact is to play the Arkenstone before the Shadow Arkenstone.

I don't like cards being useful mainly as a counter to other cards, that's fine for TCGs (Stand Against Darkness, Curse From Mordor) but not here with such limited options. But we cannot (I believe) change The Arkenstone . So it will be better at Thorin Pack.

[-Enola-]

- Wizard Staff: I see a • in the title... is it unique now?!? I thought cards previously released (the FP packs without the add-ons) weren't subject to change. I don't think it's necessary to make it unique. Playing 2 on site 4 means more just before site 5 (!), and the skill to fetch spells will work well only if you keep exerting Balin (double the staves, double the strain on Balin).

The Wizard Staff was printed with the •. I didn't change any cards previously printed and I won't .

Yes, I change the Beorn's House. I hope it's ok now.

- Power Struggle 2x and Terrifying Legend 3x: in order to have the same structure as Wizard Pack and Bilbo Pack.

- Stone Giants: There were too few ways to bring back conditions from the discard pile.

- Jail: Ok I change it. But 2 minions will be unplayable. The cost is now .

- Banner Command: Your version will be unplayable with most of the Shadows, and doesn't counter well the cards in the Dain Pack. I change the discarding ability for skirmish phase.

With Banner Command and Such A High Cost, we need to manage allies (in a powerful way!), possessions and maybe healing on Thorin and Dain and followers.

- Such A High Cost: Ok, I change the "or" for a "and".

In such draft game, we need some Shadow cards in order to counter the fellow metagame.

- Shadow Arkenstone: I try to follow your idea with only one sentence (the first ability has to be as simple as possible). I change it directly on the card.

Thank you !!!

[Durin's Heir]

The Wizard Staff was printed with the •. I didn't change any cards previously printed and I won't .

That relieves me!

- Beorn's House:
- Such A High Cost:
- Jail: Playtesting might be necessary. But I think it's fine.
- Power Struggle 2x and Terrifying Legend 3x: OK to have a uniformed copies per each "site specific" condition.

- Stone Giants: Interesting. Seems good. Now, if this card meets Power Struggle, as both share the Maneuver phase you can create a loop (until twilight runs out). You'll need 2+ cards in the dead pile, and the cost will be per loop plus the twilight of those conditions recovered, so that will reduce its impact. But if that still worries you (Such A High Cost, Were-worms), you can change its phase to Regroup (or anything except Maneuver and Shadow). Then the twilight cost can be reduced to compensate such change.


- Banner of Command: Actually I liked your new version's gametext. But I don't like it along with the "Banner of Command" title and picture, there's no real lore connection . So I'd change its title to "Orc Banner" (or "Orkish Banner", "Goblin Banner"...), and the picture should refer instead to a banner on the battlefield merely.

•Banner of Command Orc Banner
Condition • Support Area
To play, exert an Orc.
Each time the fellowship moves, add for each ally you can spot.
Skirmish: Exert an Orc to discard a possession borne by a character it is skirmishing. Discard this condition.

The "Banner of Command" of Azog at Ravenhill, that banner is really strong in both gametext and flavor. It's really well depicted I believe, changing it to other purposes than wound-prevention will spoil it. Besides, that version can cover the wound prevention that Bolg's Army needs, replacing the Orkish Bow. That Swarm pack 2 has both Azog and Bolg to spot, so the replay skill will be easy to use.

•Banner of Command
Condition • Support Area
To play, exert an Orc.
Maneuver: Exert Bolg or Azog to play this condition from your discard pile.
Skirmish: Remove at a battleground to prevent an Orc from taking wounds.


- Shadow Arkenstone: Flavor-wise, the punishment on Elves and Men is really important (and the Thorin pack hasn't small chances of coinciding with any of the Mirkwood, Esgaroth or White Council pack; it's actually 42,9% (3 of 7) with 4 players, so it has gameplay relevance!). Besides, Bard shouldn't get a strength reduction, he's the only one who gets a direct benefit from it in the film/book.

All in all, the version I propose isn't hard to understand (says explicitly each thing that will happen), is relatively short and portrays well that Machiavel effect on the main FP cultures. The damage bonus can be erased, it adds useless text to the card.

Thank you !!!

You are welcome, my friend. It's always a pleasure.

[-Enola-]

- Stone Giants: I will change the phase for the Skirmish phase?

- Banner of Command: Ok, I can change the name, but I think this condition is great with the current image. The number of allies during the Battle of the Five Armies increases the number of Orcs in this battle. This is part of the Azog's strategy.

- Shadow Arkenstone: Yes, your version could be ok to understand, but it's hard to make quickly a clear strategy around it. In a draft, most players need to see quickly how a card works before they use it. I prefer the previous version:

"If bearer is Bilbo, each companion is strength -2."
"Thorin gains this ability..... and discard it for 4 doubts."
 -> Dwarves take a lot of time to search of the Arkenstone and are focused on it. And we can add 4 doubts to discard the Arkenstone (simpler as giving it to Bard). We still have this "divide" rule between Bilbo and the Dwarves (but no more with the Men and Elves).

[Durin's Heir]

- Stone Giants: Hmmm, I've been rethinking this combo, and the card needs too many things to work with that combo, so now I'm not convinced about changing it (and lore-wise, Maneuver or Shadow are the perfect phases for this card ). Just saw a theoric possibility of playing a loop, but that mighty loop needs: 1) LOTS of twilight ( + the cost of the other conditions, per loop); 2) 2 or more cards in the dead pile; 3) both Esgaroth and Bilbo pack coinciding (or a constructed format); 4) Ancestral Knowledge can destroy the chain (even with 3 or less conditions: after discarding Stone Giants, you'll depend on Power Struggle alone to continue the chain). Needs too many things.


- Banner of Command: The name and the picture are tied. There's no advantage of preserving the title for another card, if that other card won't use the picture too. The idea of Azog commanding directly from a higher ground, is to make him see the big picture and direct his (Sauron's) forces to any weak point he can spot, and also to disrupt the FP strong points. So this Banner of Command should give him power to order his support forces to stay at the rear guard (Assaulting Goblin!!), and the shock forces to the vanguard (mounted Orcs, The Wolves/Orc Army, Demolition Troll...).

That's very different from the current card's text. I like the current card, but would prefer to have the Banner of Command in the Swarm Pack 2 (Bolg's Army), with the current card in the Dain pack with another name and picture.


- Shadow Arkenstone: "Your version could be ok to understand, but it's hard to make quickly a clear strategy around it." You as the Shadow player really don't have the control over this card, you only play this "burning coal" and lay it on the FP player's hands. He/she will have to decide, but all paths lead to great peril. So you don't have a direct strategy about it. You can only have an indirect strategy, like punishing Bilbo with the Orkish Aggressor if he bears it (that is, taking advantage of the FP player's choice), but absolutely nothing else. And even if you don't change your strategy around the FP player's choice, it'll still be a great burden over his/her shoulder.

"We still have this "divide" rule between Bilbo and the Dwarves (but no more with the Men and Elves)." The main "divide and rule" effect was between the Dwarves vs the Elves-Men coallition. Not between Bilbo and the Dwarves (which indeed happened, but ended after Bilbo joined Bard's forces and thus was protected by them and Gandalf). So we must portray that FP division too. It will be really important when this Thorin pack coincides with either the Mirkwood or the Esgaroth pack, or even with the White Council pack.

A last thing: with Dwarven Song (or Thrór's Heirlooms from another pack), The Arkenstone will be really easy to play, for a wise player that knows or foresees the power of the Shadow version. AND, the Shadow player only has Smaug's regroup skill to discard the version, and no way to pull Smaug before site 8. So the Shadow Arkenstone must be really powerful.

[-Enola-]

I will probably add some Shadow cards in the main deck in order to have 30 cards in both sides :
- 2x Fimbul, Orkish Assassin : strength 7 vitality 2 site 3, Damage +1. To play exert an Orc. Shadow: Discard this minion from play to play an Orc from your draw deck.
- +1 Anger
- +1 Host of Thousands
- +1 card (Hatred Rekindled now, but we have to decide on this)

http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Main_deck2.html

Stone Giants: Ok, I don't know yet if this card will be like this or if we will come back to the "exert X companions" ability. We will see after some tests.

Banner of Command: Maybe we can change this if a non-assigned Orc can discard a possession rather than the skirmishing Orc? Or

Skirmish: Exert an Orc to discard a weapon borne by a character assigned to a skirmish. Discard this condition.

Shadow Arkenstone: I have not a big team of playtesters, so I need simple cards for simple tests. I think this card needs an expensive and simple way to be discarded (add 4 doubts seemed fine) in order to play the Arkenstone).

[Durin's Heir]

I will probably add some Shadow cards in the main deck in order to have 30 cards in both sides :
- 2x Fimbul, Orkish Assassin : strength 7 vitality 2 site 3, Damage +1. To play exert an Orc. Shadow: Discard this minion from play to play an Orc from your draw deck.
- +1 Anger
- +1 Host of Thousands
- +1 card (Hatred Rekindled now, but we have to decide on this)

http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Main_deck2.html

Quite interesting! I like the extra copies, +1 Hatred Rekindled is key to build big decks (40+ per side), besides having only 2 copies makes the Shadow very vulnerable to condition discard. +1 Anger will make the game much more dynamic. I like the inclusion of Fimbul, and his skill will work very well with those +1 Hatred Rekindled and +1 Hosts of Thousands. Great!

I was working on a Fimbul card time ago, but never finished it. I like your version, but would prefer a different lore text. Something like this: "'Dwarf-blood!'"

Shadow Arkenstone: I have not a big team of playtesters, so I need simple cards for simple tests. I think this card needs an expensive and simple way to be discarded (add 4 doubts seemed fine) in order to play the Arkenstone).

The FP player has much more chances to play the version before the Shadow player gets its own: there are 3x copies of the Arkenstone (+2x Dwarven Song), against only 2x Shadow ones. (Besides, Bilbo Collector of Treasures and Thrór's Heirlooms can coincide and help to play it even sooner.) So the Shadow player will have the problem of discarding the other version most of the times, and to do so he/she has Smaug's regroup skill alone (and Wrath of the Dragon in Smaug's pack, but the FP player decides what artifact gets discarded). Which makes the Shadow Arkenstone will often be played only after Smaug!!


The problem I see is that the Arkenstone shouldn't be self-discarded. The Arkenstone was to Thorin's Company as valuable as the Ring of Thrór or Durin's Axe was to Balin's Expedition, or even like the Silmarils to the Noldor. It's just too valuable for them. For everyone. To Smaug and Thorin, it was a treasure above the whole hoard. To Bard, it was a means of negotiation. Even Bilbo was charmed by it, and wanted it above his 14th share: "Suddenly Bilbo's arm went towards it drawn by it enchantment... 'Now I am a burglar indeed! But I suppose I must tell the dwarves about it - some time. They did say I could pick and choose my own share; and I think I would choose this, if they took all the rest!'"

So he doesn't get rid of it; he retains it from Thorin (even after his oath of revenge!). Later he tries to prevent war amongst the FPs with it. In the film, Balin suggests that "perhaps it is best it remains lost", but even so Bilbo doesn't throw it away; besides, Bilbo's role in the film is to regain it, and it had the new value of giving Thorin authority over the remaining Dwarf-realms.


I don't think this card will be too complicated after all. It can be accommodated where it does less harm. The FP player will choose if weakens either Bilbo, or all Dwarves, or Thorin (+ all Elves/Men), depending on what's his/her FP and what Shadow is facing. But it will always cause some trouble and weakness. There are many possible combos, but the effects are very straightforward so the decisions are much easier (that reduces a lot the real combos). When facing a specific Shadow, it will be passed to the bearer who offers the less disadvantage to that specific Shadow. That can have a cost of +2 doubts, and will open a new disadvantage. That's all.




EDIT: I owe you some words about Stone Giants, Banner of Command, and the keyword for Azog's Swarm. I'll be editing this post to add such comments.

The discussion about the Last Lights of Durin's Days is idle. If you had some time for thoughts about my last proposal, it'd be nice to hear them .

[-Enola-]

Ok I try this new Arkenstone.

http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Cards_Good_def/Shadow_Arkenstone.png