The Way Into Mordor - Gollum (5/12: "...he had bowed and worshipped her....")

[Smeagollum]

No issues? Wow. Hey, I ain't complaining.

Time for a little LOTR TCG trivia. How many Shadow cards did Decipher make that can hold tokens? The answer is below...










...give up?

I'll tell you then. The answer is: one. Yes, really. Larder is the ONLY one. Interestingly, Decipher took the time to make a Shadow card ten sets later that reinforces tokens (Enemy In Your Midst), and those two cards have the distinction of being the only Shadow token cards in LOTR TCG.

Surprised? I certainly was. But I bet you will NOT be surprised that I decided to do something about this. And it starts below. Enjoy!

•A Wicked Creature
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves, spot 4 cards to add X tokens here, where X is the current region number.
Shadow: Exert Gollum and remove a token from here to add a threat.
Regroup: Exert Gollum and remove a token from here to make the Free Peoples player choose to either add a burden or wound a Ring-bound companion.
"‘Not wholly, perhaps, but malice eats it like a canker, and the evil is growing. He will lead you to no good.'"

Now THAT is a worthy token card, eh? Super-versatile as a burden adder, threat adder, wounder, and double-move discourager...er. Er?

•Wicked, Tricksy, False
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion wins a skirmish, add a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token from here to heal a minion. Limit once per skirmish.
Skirmish: Exert a minion and remove a token from here to exert a minion skirmishing Gollum (or wound that companion if he or she is Ring-bound).
"‘Kill him! Kill him! Kill them both. And then we take the precious and we be the master.'"

Here, however, things are a little more clear-cut. Skirmish exerting/wounding is a Gollum staple, and the healing can really make other such cards (or other nasties like Dark As Darkness) REALLY hum along.

I guess I'm in an evil mood today.... Are these TOO good, or just the right blend of balance and viciousness?

Like the cards! Nice combo-interaction with Fishingboat (if your opponent plays it that is).

Game Text: Bearer must be Smeagol. When you play Fishing Boat, you may reinforce a [GOLLUM] token. Each time Smeagol is about to be overwhelmed in a skirmish, you may remove 2 [GOLLUM] tokens to make him strength +2 until the end of that skirmish.

So when your opponent plays with Smeag and Fishing boat he can use the shadowtokens as well. Very nice interaction.

[DáinIronfoot]

•Wicked, Tricksy, False
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion wins a skirmish, add a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token from here to heal a minion. Limit once per skirmish.
Skirmish: Exert a minion and remove a token from here to exert a minion skirmishing Gollum (or wound that companion if he or she is Ring-bound).
"‘Kill him! Kill him! Kill them both. And then we take the precious and we be the master.'"

You got the word minion instad of companion.

Whoops! :oops: Good catch.

No new FP cards ready for today, but I DO have some for this thread.

With Mother's Day still close in the rear view mirror, let's dive into one of the few mothers represented in LOTR TCG. Not that her children probably call or send flowers and cards on her special day, since she tends to eat them if they hang around too long.

If you haven't figured out who I'm talking about by now...well, either you've got a MAJOR case of the "Mondays" or had a very, very rough childhood.

•Shelob, Dark Terror of Cirith Ungol
Minion • Spider
Strength: 8
Vitality: 8
Site: 8
Enduring. Fierce. Toil 2.
While you can spot threats equal to the number of Ring-bound companions in play, Shelob is damage +1.
Each time Shelob wins a skirmish, you may exert or heal her.
"‘We could let her do it....And then we takes it once they're dead.'"

I know, I know...Shelob seems to be appearing early, with this being a Two Towers set and all. But keep in mind that in the novel, Frodo and Sam's journey is actually detailed all the way up to Frodo's capture and the Tower of Cirith Ungol, whereas in the film, it cuts off while they're still in Ithilien. Since Decipher tended to follow more along the lines of the film versions in the Fellowship, Tower, and King blocks, I have tended to do the same...but this is a rare exception. After all, Shelob is teased extensively throughout even the film version of The Two Towers. So while most of the Frodo/Sam/Gollum events from Ithilien on will still wait until the next, RotK-based set The End Of All Things, Shelob makes a small bonus appearance here as well.

As for this actual DC, it's a pretty simplistic Shelob. No fancy tricks like Her Ladyship and Menace. Just a nice beatstick version that ties in nicely with the threat and Ring-bound themes Gollum lives for in this set. And with the toil, she obviously pairs especially well with Gollum himself.

•Torech Ungol
Condition • Support Area
Each minion at a mountain or underground site gains ambush (or ambush if roaming).
Shadow: If the fellowship is in region 3, play Shelob from your hand or discard pile; her twilight cost is -1 for each threat you can spot. Discard this condition.
"‘But there is some dark terror that dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul.'"

Always thought Gollum, Shelob, and ambush seemed like a match made in heaven. Or in...someplace else.

•Dreadful and Perilous
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is played, you may discard a tale or stealth card.
"Its name was Cirith Ungol, a name of dreadful rumour. Aragorn could perhaps have told them that name and its significance: Gandalf would have warned them. But they were alone...."

Not much to say here except to remind folks that there are several potent stealth conditions scattered throughout my sets (and over half a dozen in this set alone), so that part might not be as worthless as it appears at first glance. Of course, this already hurts old favorites like A Talent For Not Being Seen and Escape anyway, so maybe I didn't need to say anything at all.

[Thranduil]

•Shelob, Dark Terror of Cirith Ungol
Minion • Spider
Strength: 8
Vitality: 8
Site: 8
Enduring. Fierce. Toil 2.
While you can spot threats equal to the number of Ring-bound companions in play, Shelob is damage +1.
Each time Shelob wins a skirmish, you may exert or heal her.
"‘We could let her do it....And then we takes it once they're dead.'"

Toil Shelob is AWESOME (if not especially useful, given there's only 1 guy you can use to toil her)! But, I don't like the second line - it seems complicated and not especially good or necessary. I would be happy to play her with just enduring, fierce and her winning trigger. What would be really awesome is if she had toil 4 (so generally half her cost), though this is assuming that you only have Gollum as a minion. Or if not, you could just specify Gollum.

•Torech Ungol
Condition • Support Area
While at a mountain or underground site, each minion gains ambush (or ambush if roaming).
Shadow: If the fellowship is in region 3, play Shelob from your hand or discard pile; her twilight cost is -1 for each threat you can spot. Discard this condition.
"‘But there is some dark terror that dwells in the passes above Minas Morgul.'"

I don't think the roaming ability is particularly flavourful, I might take it out. Otherwise, excellent card.

•Dreadful and Perilous
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is played, you may discard a tale or stealth card.
"Its name was Cirith Ungol, a name of dreadful rumour. Aragorn could perhaps have told them that name and its significance: Gandalf would have warned them. But they were alone...."

Yeah, fair enough. Probably could be .

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

Hmmm...would really prefer another review or two before moving on....

[FM]

Are there enough ways to pitch cards? I see a lot of conditions which you only want one down, but playing one in a rather large deck would be nearly-suicidal, but I'm afraid there might be no reward for playing more of them, focusing on them.

[sickofpalantirs]

all fine by me...I reviewed and than was like...wait I can't add anything.  meh.

[DáinIronfoot]

Are there enough ways to pitch cards? I see a lot of conditions which you only want one down, but playing one in a rather large deck would be nearly-suicidal, but I'm afraid there might be no reward for playing more of them, focusing on them.

You know, that's an excellent point. I think I'll make a card or two that you can stack other cards on, which would then allow you to do something with extra copies of these unique conditions. How would that be?

Thanks for the reviews, fellas!

Much like with the Sméagol thread, today features some skirmish events. These help make for a solid Gollum/Shelob relationship, and might be the last Shelob cards in this set. (Still deciding how much of her to save for the next set, even though the ideas are flowing right now.) Anyway, enjoy!

Cut Off From Light and Regret
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Spot a minion not assigned to a skirmish to have that minion replace a minion skirmishing a companion.
"...in past days he had bowed and worshipped her, and the darkness of her evil will walked through all the ways of his weariness beside him...."

Just so-so with Gollum or Shelob, but combine them, and this is an easy, free way to bounce the two of them around as desired.

We'll Pay Everyone Back!
Event • Skirmish
Make Gollum strength +2 (or +4 if you can spot Shelob).
"‘...when She throws away the bones and the empty garments, we shall find it, we shall get it, the Precious, a reward for poor Sméagol who brings nice food.'"

An It's My Birthday that YOU have control over. Almost a must in any Gollum/Shelob deck, and quite frankly, I can't believe Big D didn't make a simple card like this already.

[Thranduil]

Cut Off From Light and Regret
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Spot a minion not assigned to a skirmish to have that minion replace a minion skirmishing a companion.
"...in past days he had bowed and worshipped her, and the darkness of her evil will walked through all the ways of his weariness beside him...."

Awesome! A bit expensive, but I suppose with Shelob you'll definitely be toiling it at least once.

We'll Pay Everyone Back!
Event • Skirmish
Make Gollum strength +2 (or +4 if you can spot Shelob).
"‘...when She throws away the bones and the empty garments, we shall find it, we shall get it, the Precious, a reward for poor Sméagol who brings nice food.'"

Yeah, very fair and simple. Could cost though.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

Cut Off From Light and Regret
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Spot a minion not assigned to a skirmish to have that minion replace a minion skirmishing a companion.
"...in past days he had bowed and worshipped her, and the darkness of her evil will walked through all the ways of his weariness beside him...."
should it be replace another gollum minion? or just any minion.

We'll Pay Everyone Back!
Event • Skirmish
Make Gollum strength +2 (or +4 if you can spot Shelob).
"‘...when She throws away the bones and the empty garments, we shall find it, we shall get it, the Precious, a reward for poor Sméagol who brings nice food.'"

fine.

[DáinIronfoot]

Cut Off From Light and Regret
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Spot a minion not assigned to a skirmish to have that minion replace a minion skirmishing a companion.
"...in past days he had bowed and worshipped her, and the darkness of her evil will walked through all the ways of his weariness beside him...."

should it be replace another gollum minion? or just any minion.

I meant it to be any minion...do you think that's too good?

[sickofpalantirs]

I don't really know...it seems like it definitly could be, especially with cards like orc miscreant + bladed gauntlets.  That way they survive to use their evil regroup abilities.

on the other hand, that might be precisely what your after...

[DáinIronfoot]

Well, Gollum does already have Controlled By The Ring, so this is just bringing Shelob into the equation.

[FM]

I think it's coll with Spider Poison (or whatever its called) down. Nice little interaction.

[lem0nhead]

Cut Off From Light and Regret
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Spot a minion not assigned to a skirmish to have that minion replace a minion skirmishing a companion.
"...in past days he had bowed and worshipped her, and the darkness of her evil will walked through all the ways of his weariness beside him...."

Yeesh this could have some complicated affects.

We'll Pay Everyone Back!
Event • Skirmish
Make Gollum strength +2 (or +4 if you can spot Shelob).
"‘...when She throws away the bones and the empty garments, we shall find it, we shall get it, the Precious, a reward for poor Sméagol who brings nice food.'"

Yeah sound.