Next Updates for the Hobbit Draft Game

[Durin's Heir]

- Dark Bats: Hmmm, interesting. Yes, the doubt prevention makes a nice synergy with the Battle of the Five Armies site 9. In Azog's pack, the Were Worms can add twilight by discarding the cards the Bats will be drawing, but you must play the Bats at shadow phase first. Seems right. The prevention might be even better for the Shadow player, if using that site 9, so adding a text like that can be unnecessary I think. Many shadows won't have 3 Orcs to spot but won't suffer anyway, like the 3 Trolls.

- Underground Lake: Even better! The new text makes it very useful for site mimicking cards.

- He Is Summoning His Servants: Perhaps the Shadow skill should be 1st, and the passive skill be 2nd.

But the skill for allies must assign the Wise ally to a minion (not merely allow him/her to fight), otherwise Sauron will use all assignment actions to assign all Nazgûls before the normal assignment by the FP takes place. Anyway, the skill might not specify the culture of the minion, to be clearer or shorter.


- The Arkenstone, King's Jewel: Hmmm, alright. I cannot compete with that... the Divide and Rule Arkenstone has a strong disadvantage that just can't be solved, that's the lack of allies in Thorin's pack, which makes it must be playtested with many other packs in order to measure the effect on allies. I guess I have to surrender.

Now, your Arkenstone has a wording error: "(or 3 doubts to discard this artifact)". Must be instead "to discard it".

If only hypothetically there was a "Battle of the Five Armies" Pack or so with Dale and Mirkwood allies, an Arkenstone like mine would be great for such hypotetical pack... (at this stage of things you can surely read my mind: I have a complete prototype for such a pack )


...


Well, there are still some things I owe you. 3 cards: the Last Lights of Durin's Day, Wrath of the Dragon and Twisted Gold. There's also the "List of Missing Things", and the pictures for the Travellers Pack (I've had problems getting a 48fps version of AUJ, the pictures get too blurry at 24fps). That's all. I'm working on all those 5 2 items.



- Twisted Gold of Dragon: I like A LOT your idea of taking a Shadow card of your choice from the draw deck, portrays well Smaug's clever and psychopathic mind. With 2 copies you might remove to take Sauron + his Ring of Thrór, to have both monsters on the board. But the cost is immense (Sauron'll require + per assignment, and then is Smaug's cost), so shouldn't be a problem. You can get better things for less twilight, like 1 or 2 copies of Dissension or Anger to burn everything in Smaug's path. 


- Wrath of the Dragon: Hmmm, I think the passive skill is redundant with Dragon's Malice, and that room can be used for something better (and more wrathful) like a skill to fight a 3rd time (like the Witch King's Beast). Moreover, Dragon's Malice has 4 copies and this card has 2, so this condition must be a game-changer.

"After all fierce skirmishes have been resolved, you may exert Smaug twice to make him participate in one additional assignment and skirmish phase." 4 card lines. To prevent an easy corruption with Dragon's Malice, it might also remove 1 or 2 doubts as cost:

"After all fierce skirmishes are over, you may exert Smaug twice and remove a doubt to make him participate in one additional assignment and skirmish phase." 4 lines too.


- The Last Lights of Durin's Day: You are right, adding twilight AND doubts is too much. But wounding each minion twice isn't consistent with the idea of the Dwarves running reckless towards the Mountain (with hordes of Goblins, Wargs or Elves on their trail); the minions must survive and keep the hunt to discourage double moves.

I'd prefer some healing on companions (because the idea of returning to the Mountain ignited hope into their hearts). That'd be either each time the fellowship moves at regroup, or the cost of a replaying skill:

- "Each time the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, heal 2 companions."
- "Regroup: Heal 2 companions to play this condition from your discard pile."

The Shadow player chooses who gets healed. I prefer the latter: a replay skill is expensive in twilight, but is more reliable to portray the pressure on the Company (which was a problem of time, you can combat and "discard" an enemy's influence, but not time's influence). Besides, makes the regroup phase more interesting as the Shadow player can affect the double-move decision of the FP player.

Now, this condition makes sense only at sites 1 to 7. After entering the Mountain they have no reason at all to move fast. So it can discard itself at sites 8 and 9, but then it's totally useless at those sites... this should solve both problems: "At sites 8 and 9, draw up to 3 cards and discard this condition."

That way, if you play it too late it's still useful to draw cards (like an event that costs ). And drawing cards portrays the Company moving slower, which is what happened inside Erebor to not be surprised by the Dragon (and instead attack him by surprise).


•The Last Lights of Durin's Day [No culture]
Condition • Support area
At the end of each turn, add a doubt and exert Thorin if the fellowship didn't move more than once.
At sites 8 and 9, draw up to 3 cards and discard this condition.
Regroup: Heal 2 companions to play this condition from your discard pile.
"'It is our one chance to find the hidden door.'"

I hope you like it.

[-Enola-]

Dark Bats: After some tests, the condition "If you cannot spot 3 Orcs..." is better only for Goblin Swarm and Sauron Beatdown. The bats could also be played back with Old Forest Road.

He Is Summoning His Servants: Sauron could assigned all Nazguls before. The idea of this ability is more a support in emergency case (the Dwarves cannot manage Sauron and the Nazguls). If only the Nazguls are in play, the Wises can fight them, but against Sauron and the Nazguls, they are too strong and only Sauron can be fought.
The card framework is similar as Reckless Pride, Ancient Blade...

The Arkenstone, King's Jewel: Thank you .

Wrath of the Dragon: I change the first sentence, but I want to stay under 2 card lines for the first sentence. 5 card lines are enough for a single card.

[Durin's Heir]

- The Arkenstone, King's Jewel:
- Wrath of the Dragon: Seems powerful!

- Dark Bats: Bats chasing Radagast at the Old Forest Road! This will be the only minion with the race "bat", so you might change that to "creature" to wink Decipher's Watcher in the Water and tentacles.

- He Is Summoning His Servants: That may need playtesting, because a cost reduction of 2 per Nazgûl may flood the board with ringwraiths. Perhaps will be enough with removing the restriction to companions, allowing to exert also Bilbo and Gandalf. That because Sauron can assign Dwarves or exert them, but can't touch Bilbo's vitality, which would be a resource to summon The Wise.


- Bill Ferny Sr: Ferny might prefer sometimes to not fight Thorin (moreover if he's dead), so I'd add a way to exert him:

Bill Ferny Senior, Spy and Mercenary
Minion • Man
Strength 4  Vitality 3  Site 2
While Bill Ferny Senior is unwounded, he can only be assigned to skirmish Thorin and by a Shadow player.
Shadow: Exert Bill Ferny Senior twice to play a condition from your draw deck.

You wanted to play conditions from draw deck, and that's a perfect job for a spy . Moreover, Ferny will allow The Last Lights of Durin's Day to be played soon (as both belong to the Travellers Pack theme), and thus reap its full effect.

[-Enola-]

Thank you. Ok I change the Dark Bats for "creature".

After some tests, I also change Demolition Troll, Azog Commander (he prevents the discard of Were Worms during maneuver phase if at a battleground), Enchanted River (reconcile the hand was too powerful) and the cost of The Great Enemy.

Not At Home can now bring back Shadow cards from the discard pile. It's important in a draft if you don't have enough copies of an important Shadow card.

Terrifying Legend wasn't good enough against [Dale] allies. I use your idea of additional skirmishes .

[Durin's Heir]

- Dark Bats:
- Enchanted River:
- The Great Enemy:
- Terrifying Legend: Being a Regroup action, Bard can try to kill them first which is great for the flavor.

- Demolition Troll: Does that mean there will be more fortifications ? There's currently only one (the Great Barricade). Dale men might have a "Dale Causeway" or an "Eastern Parapet" (in a "BotFA pack"), while Thorin & Company would have the Ancient Forges or a Molten Gold Monument (in a "Reclaiming Erebor" pack).

- Azog, Commander: Makes sense with both flavor and gameplay . To discard the conditions, the FP player will need to first kill him ("cut the head off the snake"), then Bifur and Sting can try to remove his influence. Vicious Warg can force the keyword. But the FP player has still the 1st maneuver action . So you may change the Vicious Warg to be a passive skill "at the start of the maneuver phase", or to be an active Shadow skill (but with a higher twilight cost, as the Were-worms' cost reduction will affect not only during maneuver an onwards, but also at shadow).

- Not At Home: The cost and effect seem balanced, but I wonder if is good to have Smaug at site 9 with this (would be possible if is killed at 8). The classical "(except Smaug)" will solve that, and rearranging the discard of Not at Home to the end will make it fit in 3 lines.

Regarding the Goblin Domain skill, perhaps at a sanctuary should exert only once. The only way to get rid of your companions (and keep below a fearsome number) is to throw them to the lions or arrows, and since 2 versions of Gandalf have problems playing them selectively from deck, they'll tend to use any Dwarf that comes into hand. Of course there's condition discard, so my worries may be unfounded.

[-Enola-]

Terrifying Legend: Maybe I will change it a bit. It's really evil with a lot of twilight pool and Hidden Attack. Or change Hidden Attack.

Demolition Troll: Yes, I think we can put some fortifications in the Balin Pack and the Blue Mountains Pack.

Azog Commander: I prefer not. I want to see the Shadow player uses Watchful Orc more than Vicious Warg (the Orcs from the draw deck must be very useful). With this way, the Free Peoples player has still a window with Ancestral Knowledge to discard the Were-Worms. The Shadow player could still make the site a battleground with the Vicious Warg and then play the Were-Worms back with the Wolves Army .

Not At Home: You're right. But I want only a 3-lines regroup ability for this card (6 lines max. in total). You have ideas? Maybe only Shadow condition? I don't think the sanctuary exception seems necessary (Goblin Domain doesn't need it). With these 2 versions of Gandalf, we need a small deck (max 35/35) and there are still 3-4 companions in the starting which will not give pool by playing them ^^.

[Durin's Heir]

- Azog Commander: Alright, seems better for the balance.

- Terrifying Legend: You can add this to Hidden Attack: "You cannot use regroup special abilities (except of [Gundabad] Orcs)" (2 lines, and some LOTR TCG cards like A Grey Ship and Reckless We Rode use a similar text). There are few cards that carry a Shadow regroup ability:

- Smaug and Not At Home (main deck)
- Warg and War-warg
- Fat Spider
- Jail
- Terrifying Legend
- Bolg's Army Orcs

Such text prevent the Orcs played by Hidden Attack from feeding those cards in bold (while the rest'd need to be used before Hidden Attack; Gundabad Orcs like Bolg's Army are excluded and can still wound the Company). That also makes a more stable basis on which develop new Shadow regroup skills, which can appear in the Beatdown Pack 3 (Elves, Dale Men and Giants).


- Not At Home: Ok for not including a sanctuary exception. To keep the regroup skill in 3 lines with a Smaug-exception, you can put the cost of the regroup skill at the end, like Arrow From the South: "Heal a archer for... Discard this condition". I'd be then like this:

"If a companion is in the dead pile, each companion comes into play exhausted.
Regroup: Place a Shadow card (except Smaug) from your discard pile on top of your draw deck. Discard this condition."


...


- Blue Mountains pack: The pack will need a generic weapon, but if it's centered around followers (Bifur, Bofur, Bombur...) they cannot bear possessions. I got this solution to show those followers wielding weapons:

•Weaponry of Ered Luin
Possession • Support Area
Each companion bearing a Dwarf follower is strength +1.
Maneuver: Discard 2 cards from hand to attach a follower from your support area to a companion that doesn't bear a follower (without paying its aid cost).

Doesn't make Bilbo stronger, only the Dwarf companions (to not make Dori overpowered). The maneuver skill is a substitute for aid costs (you said Bofur is rarely used), but can't be used to pile up many followers on the same companion. Hope you like it.

[-Enola-]

I change Not At Home and Hidden Attack. I think Terrifying Legend doesn't need any change.

I'm working on the current packs. There will be a Hobbit Draft Game Open in October in Paris! I need to make the final tests for the current packs. There are other cards you want to change?

[Durin's Heir]

I change Not At Home and Hidden Attack. I think Terrifying Legend doesn't need any change.

Ok for Terrifying Legend and Not At Home. But I believe Hidden Attack may be a bit expensive given the new limited effect, perhaps changing the cost to + exert will be better, or to + spot.

I'm working on the current packs. There will be a Hobbit Draft Game Open in October in Paris! I need to make the final tests for the current packs. There are other cards you want to change?

Magnificent! By now, I can see some small details that can be considered for a change:

- Azog, Commander: He states " conditions cannot be discarded from play". Therefore, if both Swarm packs coincide the Great Goblin's Power won't prevent wounds (at a battleground). If you want to correct that, change it to "While at a battleground, conditions can't be discarded by Free Peoples cards." Although that limitation can be kept to balance Azog's swarming power.

- Vicious Warg: Removing only seems too easy... I mean the minions cost little twilight, the Were-worms create or a multiple of that (a lot can remain to inhibit double moves) and will make them cost -1, then Azog plays them from discard. Removing at the mid or late game (site 5 or 7) to get the perfect conditions for a swarm, it seems unnatural. I believe removing will be better.

- Ulaire Enquea, Nelya & Otsea: They say "each time the FP player transfers a follower". Followers are transferred twice: once at maneuver to a companion, and back to the support area at the end of the turn. So those Nazgûls should specify "the FP player transfers a follower to a companion" or "from his or her support area", to prevent them from triggering at the end of the turn.

- Ulaire Cantea & Nertea: They say "if the FP player discards a condition", might be better to specify "Shadow condition" in the case another FP condition is made in the future. If something self-discardable like Enraged or Stout and Strong is ever released, Cantea would trigger although no Shadow condition'd be discarded.

- Ancestral Feuds: Can't discard [Dale] Iron Weapons borne by dwarves. And would discard weapons borne by Men (there isn't yet any, but a Dwarven Sword might be bearable by dwarves and men; Esgaroth and Dale swords were Dwarf-made)... change it to be alike Goblin Song: "When the fellowship moves to site 5, discard each weapon borne by a companion".

- Du Bekâr!: Says "(except companion)", but should be plural "(except companions)" or singular with a pronoun "(except a companion)".


Some other details might need a change, details that don't affect the gameplay like the lore text and the symbols/numbers at the bottom right corner of the cards.

For instance, all the new releases (the add-ons for the FP packs and the new 5 Shadow cards for the Main deck) should say "2016 HOBBIT DRAFT GAME" (instead of 2015). And the versions of Bilbo that were changed to survive Gollum better (Reliable Companion and Collector of Treasures) should have in the bottom right corner an "(A)" symbol instead of the original "(1)", showing it was modified.

[Gil-Estel]

Enola, my French friend! What is this enormous project?? Is this all you? Card design, both text wise as graphic wise? And you are going to print physical cards? Wow

[-Enola-]

Ok for Terrifying Legend and Not At Home. But I believe Hidden Attack may be a bit expensive given the new limited effect, perhaps changing the cost to + exert will be better, or to + spot.

We test this card last thursday, the card is very strong. I remove the reduction cost and it's now cost , so it's only harder to play 2 Orcs. It's still really strong, you can test it with the Hobbit Draft Game Online.

- Azog, Commander: He states " conditions cannot be discarded from play". Therefore, if both Swarm packs coincide the Great Goblin's Power won't prevent wounds (at a battleground). If you want to correct that, change it to "While at a battleground, conditions can't be discarded by Free Peoples cards." Although that limitation can be kept to balance Azog's swarming power.

Only one similar swarm pack will be in the booster (with different number of copies according to the number of players), so there will be no Goblin Shadow in the same boosters as the Azog Shadow. For the Hobbit on gemp (still no news from dmaz....), it's the reason why I wanted to make them different with the keyword "assailant". Or even a different culture for the Azog Shadow?

- Vicious Warg: Removing only seems too easy... I mean the minions cost little twilight, the Were-worms create or a multiple of that (a lot can remain to inhibit double moves) and will make them cost -1, then Azog plays them from discard. Removing at the mid or late game (site 5 or 7) to get the perfect conditions for a swarm, it seems unnatural. I believe removing will be better.
- Du Bekâr!: Says "(except companion)", but should be plural "(except companions)" or singular with a pronoun "(except a companion)".
- Ancestral Feuds: Can't discard [Dale] Iron Weapons borne by dwarves. And would discard weapons borne by Men (there isn't yet any, but a Dwarven Sword might be bearable by dwarves and men; Esgaroth and Dale swords were Dwarf-made)... change it to be alike Goblin Song: "When the fellowship moves to site 5, discard each weapon borne by a companion".

All changed! With a new picture for Vicious Warg.

- Ulaire Enquea, Nelya & Otsea: They say "each time the FP player transfers a follower". Followers are transferred twice: once at maneuver to a companion, and back to the support area at the end of the turn. So those Nazgûls should specify "the FP player transfers a follower to a companion" or "from his or her support area", to prevent them from triggering at the end of the turn.
- Ulaire Cantea & Nertea: They say "if the FP player discards a condition", might be better to specify "Shadow condition" in the case another FP condition is made in the future. If something self-discardable like Enraged or Stout and Strong is ever released, Cantea would trigger although no Shadow condition'd be discarded.

You are right, but Bert and William have the same kind of "mistakes", it's just stronger (in most of the cases, the FP players doesn't transfer anything). Btw, It also works for the prevent of Bofur .

Some other details might need a change, details that don't affect the gameplay like the lore text and the symbols/numbers at the bottom right corner of the cards.

For instance, all the new releases (the add-ons for the FP packs and the new 5 Shadow cards for the Main deck) should say "2016 HOBBIT DRAFT GAME" (instead of 2015). And the versions of Bilbo that were changed to survive Gollum better (Reliable Companion and Collector of Treasures) should have in the bottom right corner an "(A)" symbol instead of the original "(1)", showing it was modified.

Argh! I need to export all the new cards again. There will be a last Hobbit test tournament the 2 July, then I will probably print all the new cards (after more than a year of playtesting and discussions ).


All cards under test here: http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Boosters2.html

[-Enola-]

Enola, my French friend! What is this enormous project?? Is this all you? Card design, both text wise as graphic wise? And you are going to print physical cards? Wow

Hi Heije! It's a long time that I didn't see you. Yes, I'm working on the Hobbit Draft Game for 2 years (and Durin's Heir helps me a lot). I already print some physical cards and we make several tournaments (one with 8 players, several others with 5-6 players). There will be a French Hobbit Draft Game Open in October-November 2016 in Paris with maximum 16 players (and probably more than 12 players). You can print the HD cards here http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Download.html (and also play the game online by direct IP ).

I hope I will see you for the Hobbit Draft Game Open ^^.

[Durin's Heir]

- Hidden Attack: Alright!
- Vicious Warg, Du Bekâr! & Ancestral Feuds: Ditto. The new Vicious Warg seems superb!
- Nazguls: Seems fair! Besides, the Ringwraiths here share role with the 3 Trolls.

Argh! I need to export all the new cards again. There will be a last Hobbit test tournament the 2 July, then I will probably print all the new cards (after more than a year of playtesting and discussions ).

The year number and symbols are things nobody will note, so leave that perfectionist detail to the end. The correction of lore text problems will require another upload if you hurry too much. So keep calm and upload all those non-gameplay changes at the same time .

I'll hurry then with the lore text corrections, and any little gameplay error I might be missing now.

Only one similar swarm pack will be in the booster (with different number of copies according to the number of players), so there will be no Goblin Shadow in the same boosters as the Azog Shadow.

Does it mean that for 8 players, there'll be 2x of the same Swarm pack? That 'd limit a lot the creativity of players .

I don't see a big risk with mixing both packs. Keep in mind that you'll still have only 3x15 booster cards to draft, so mixing both subcultures means diluting them. AND the way the 2 subcultures "swarm" is too different to combine efficiently: "Goblin Town" orcs work at Shadow phase by drawing and adding pool with Runner/Scimitar, while Azog's army works at Maneuver and from discard. Azog must often keep twilight left at shadow to use at maneuver, so drawing and playing more at shadow can be counterproductive. The engine is still possible but requires too many toothed wheels: GG's Power + Scimitar + Footman at shadow, and Azog + mount or Footman + Were-worms with 3+ cards in hand at maneuver. Too frail....

The Great Goblin's Power can't add twilight with Vicious Warg; the Were-worms replace the Goblin Runner's twilight but at maneuver (when the Goblin Town pack can't play cards); Hatred Rekindled works well with Goblin Town but cripples the cards needed for the Were-worms; Goblin Sneak is of little use to Azog as he prefers to have the orcs in discard pile; the Scimitar will compete with Vicious Warg for Goblin Footman's replay (there's no Relics of Moria) but the weapon is no match for the mount (with the Were-worms flooding the pool); the Vicious Warg can obstruct the Swarms as makes bearer fierce, which forces it to either retreat too soon or risk a fierce skirmish to Thorin, Gwaihir, Orcrist's wounding or even Bifur's condition control....

The Goblin Towners can benefit at site 9 from the Were-worms' cost reduction, and can get mounts for more muscle (a mounted Great Goblin ). That's not OP. The only things that worry me are 1) Assaulting Goblin preventing too easily direct wounds that'd counter swarms, and 2) Goblin Swarms with Azog's big guys (and Azog's life protecting the Swarms).

Let Azog the way he is, as he interferes with the only usefulness the Great Goblin's Power can give to his subculture. You can restrict the Assaulting Goblin by making its skill work only at a battleground (perhaps at an underground too) as the Goblin Towners will be forced to dilute with expensive Vicious Wargs or Watchful Orcs to force that site keyword. For the Goblin Swarms I have nothing , although that card is still the main target of condition discard and doesn't synergize with the potential of Wargs.

Or even a different culture for the Azog Shadow?

Don't create an new culture, there are too many. The Goblin Army was from the whole Misty Mountains and "Moria" stands for them all, while Bolg's army is from all the Grey Mountains (but "Gundabad" stands for them; I know Gundabad was in the northern Misty Mountains but that's where the Grey Mountains orcs usually gathered, given its position and stronghold). The Moria Orcs of the film are often called "Dol Guldur Orcs" for the place of their gathering and arming, then they would be Orcs (with Site number 4). But no, is what fits better in my opinion.

For the Hobbit on gemp (still no news from dmaz....), it's the reason why I wanted to make them different with the keyword "assailant".

In a constructed environment on Gemp, the FP will have many advantages and ways to counter. There won't be more "boxing dwarves" (with 3 different generic weapons and Dwarven Song); followers will have many copies per deck; condition discard will be tough with An Accorn and Ancestral Knowledge; the Ring of Thrór + Bofur + Dori will help Kili or Dwalin to absorb a whole swarm in a site; orc heads will roll to Battle of Azanulbizar and Dawn Take You All; Percy and Bard will lead a new host of defenders; Thranduil will be fighting at Thorin's command...

There will be also the R-list to moderate things.


To get the HDG on Gemp, try writting a PM to Merrick. I believe he can contribute with either direct work on such task, or guide in who can help you with it.

I'll try to PM them both soon too.

[Durin's Heir]

I got 3 small observations to post by now. Only 1 is about gameplay, but is a very slight suggestion and unlikely to happen. The rest are all lore text or wording:

Gameplay:
- Bolg's Army: I wonder if these swarm/wound cards are too powerful at the early game. I'm only seeing the chance to raise the Site Number of them to 4 (just like Orcs), for flavor purposes (and to wink the Orcs). But gameplay is what matters, so only if they happen to need to be softened at the early game merely, that change will delay them enough. And will make them mix a bit worse with the Wargriders pack (reducing OP combos).

Wording:
- The Evil Becomes Stronger: The card refers first to an " archer" and then to an " ally". That can be confusing to some. So you can change it to "Spot an archer ally" to remove that chance of confusion.

Lore text:
- His Wrath Was Redoubled: The lore text lacks suspension points in the parts when you trim the text. Should be like this: "The roar... tossed wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers."

Apparently you are avoiding the word 'guns' (a bit out of context in a mythologic story), which is alright, but drums shouldn't be problematic, so the text can be longer and more dramatic: "The roar of his voice was like drums... he tossed wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers."

...

There will be a last Hobbit test tournament the 2 July, then I will probably print all the new cards (after more than a year of playtesting and discussions ).

I'm glad to hear that! It'd be the 1st Extension Set. It might need a name, so the extensions don't end with names like the albums of the jazzrock band Chicago (III, V, VI, VII, VIII... XXXVI!!!)... I'll try to squeeze my mind for a proper name.

So this Extension Set will include:
- 5 fixed new Shadow cards for the Main Deck
- Add-ons of 12 cards, one for each of the 8 Supplementary Packs
- 1 new Swarm pack and 1 new Beatdown pack, each of 40 cards

Have a good while at the July 2 tournament!

[-Enola-]

The year number and symbols are things nobody will note, so leave that perfectionist detail to the end. The correction of lore text problems will require another upload if you hurry too much. So keep calm and upload all those non-gameplay changes at the same time .

I'll hurry then with the lore text corrections, and any little gameplay error I might be missing now.

Yes, I will do that at the end. It will be great if you have all the lore text corrections before the 2 July

Does it mean that for 8 players, there'll be 2x of the same Swarm pack? That 'd limit a lot the creativity of players .

Not really. At 8 players, you need enough cards to create a decent Shadow. With only 15 Troll cards in a total of 360 cards, nobody will ever build a correct Troll Shadow. That's why, we just need to double the number of copies of the same Swarm or Beatdown Pack.

I made a Scilab program to simulate drafting and counter-drafting of 8 players. In average, a player will draft 70% of his targeted Shadow (for example, 14 cards of the Spider Shadow).

I don't see a big risk with mixing both packs.

For the Goblin Swarms I have nothing , although that card is still the main target of condition discard and doesn't synergize with the potential of Wargs.

Don't create an new culture, there are too many. The Goblin Army was from the whole Misty Mountains and "Moria" stands for them all, while Bolg's army is from all the Grey Mountains (but "Gundabad" stands for them; I know Gundabad was in the northern Misty Mountains but that's where the Grey Mountains orcs usually gathered, given its position and stronghold). The Moria Orcs of the film are often called "Dol Guldur Orcs" for the place of their gathering and arming, then they would be Orcs (with Site number 4). But no, is what fits better in my opinion.

The only risk I saw was the Goblin Swarms card, but even with the keyword "Assailant" they will be no change, only with a culture change for the Azog swarm. Azog CotWA will greatly benefited from the Goblin Swarms, and will probably change it for an overpowered Shadow.
 

In a constructed environment on Gemp, the FP will have many advantages and ways to counter. There won't be more "boxing dwarves" (with 3 different generic weapons and Dwarven Song); followers will have many copies per deck; condition discard will be tough with An Accorn and Ancestral Knowledge; the Ring of Thrór + Bofur + Dori will help Kili or Dwalin to absorb a whole swarm in a site; orc heads will roll to Battle of Azanulbizar and Dawn Take You All; Percy and Bard will lead a new host of defenders; Thranduil will be fighting at Thorin's command...

On gemp, in order to avoid some overpowered combos, we could have two different formats:
- Swarm Pack 1 + Beatdown Pack 1 + Bilbo Pack +  Mirkwood Pack + Thorin Pack + Wizard Pack
- Swarm Pack 2 + Beatdown Pack 2 + Dain Pack + Esgaroth Pack + Thrain Pack + White Council Pack

There will be also the R-list to moderate things.

Gemp can handle the quantity of one card. For example, there will be only one available copie of Bard and 2 available copies of the Thror's Map.

To get the HDG on Gemp, try writting a PM to Merrick. I believe he can contribute with either direct work on such task, or guide in who can help you with it.

I'll try to PM them both soon too.

I PM dmaz a lot. Try to PM them both, I need a HDG lobby .