The Way Into Mordor - Dwarves (7/18: Warfare That Suits a Dwarf)

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, in the (now locked) poll I conducted about which FP culture you all wanted next, it looks like and tied. However, since one of the votes was my own , we'll be doing...Dwarves!

Actually, just one Dwarf. (Probably.) And here he is! Gee, can you guess who it might be?

As with the original Towers block (and King block, for that matter), the entire culture in this set revolves around Gimli. That doesn't mean it's a weak or even necessarily small culture, though! Underestimate Gimli, and like his many victims, you'll pay the price for it. He can more than hold his own, and while some of his stuff works best with other Dwarves around, most of it is very easy to toss in with other cultures, and several cards will specifically tie in with others like , , , and others. He's like a hired hitman, and a very good one at that.

Enjoy!

•Gimli, Stout and Strong
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Thorin
Valiant. Damage +1.
Skirmish: If Gimli is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him to have him replace a companion (except the Ring-bearer) in a skirmish. Gimli gains hunter 2 (or hunter 3 if the companion replaced is valiant or a Dwarf) until the end of that skirmish.
"‘Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!'"

Fun fact: this is one the this set's two "starters", just like most Big D sets have two (Aragorn and Théoden for The Two Towers, Éowyn and Legolas for The Battle of Helm's Deep, and Faramir and The Witch-king for Ents of Fangorn, for examples). Anyway, this is the non-hunter version (even though he can technically BECOME a hunter); Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli each have one "Three Hunters"-style hunter version and one Helm's Deep warrior version. This is the latter.

And he's pretty versatile. His ability works no matter what kind of deck you toss him (no pun intended ) into, but he's especially good with the Rohirrim (thanks to his valiant) and Dwarves (thanks to his signet). But what deck CAN'T benefit from a potential 9-strength damage +1 companion that can hop from skirmish to skirmish, eh?

•Gimli's Battle Axe, Restless Weapon
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer is damage +1.
If bearer is Gimli, each time he wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal him.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and play a skirmish event with a twilight cost of to make bearer strength +X.
"‘My axe is restless in my hands.'"

And here's the axe he pulls out in large-scale battles, such as at Helm's Deep. The healing obviously pairs nicely with Gimli's ability, or with the skirmish ability on THIS card.

[Thranduil]

•Gimli, Stout and Strong
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Thorin
Valiant. Damage +1.
Skirmish: If Gimli is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him to have him replace a companion (except the Ring-bearer) in a skirmish. Gimli gains hunter 3 until the end of that skirmish.
"‘Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!'"

Seems perhaps too versatile. I think I would reduce the hunter to 2 or specify him for a specific deck build with a spotting requirement (like some Men or Legolas or something). In fact, I think I might make his signet Théoden instead of all that stuff I just suggested, just so that he seems more firmly placed within a strategy.

•Gimli's Battle Axe, Restless Weapon
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer is damage +1.
If bearer is Gimli, each time he wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal him.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and play a skirmish event with a twilight cost of to make bearer strength +X.
"‘My axe is restless in my hands.'"

I would take out the healing so that the skirmish ability wouldn't need the exertion thereby saving text and complexity and making it more fun! Plus, there aren't that many skirmish events with (substantial) twilight costs anyway (certainly not that people use). Dwarf-Lords about covers it.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

•Gimli, Stout and Strong
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Thorin
Valiant. Damage +1.
Skirmish: If Gimli is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him to have him replace a companion (except the Ring-bearer) in a skirmish. Gimli gains hunter 3 until the end of that skirmish.
"‘Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!'"

Seems perhaps too versatile. I think I would reduce the hunter to 2 or specify him for a specific deck build with a spotting requirement (like some Men or Legolas or something). In fact, I think I might make his signet Théoden instead of all that stuff I just suggested, just so that he seems more firmly placed within a strategy.

Did something similiar. Makes the text a little more complicated, but not overly so, I don't think. The change I made is actually more in line with how I originally had him written.

•Gimli's Battle Axe, Restless Weapon
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer is damage +1.
If bearer is Gimli, each time he wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal him.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and play a skirmish event with a twilight cost of to make bearer strength +X.
"‘My axe is restless in my hands.'"

I would take out the healing so that the skirmish ability wouldn't need the exertion thereby saving text and complexity and making it more fun! Plus, there aren't that many skirmish events with (substantial) twilight costs anyway (certainly not that people use). Dwarf-Lords about covers it.

Duly noted, but I will have a couple that make the text more worthwhile. I'd rather leave it as is for now, but I will keep your comments firmly in mind...and I think we'll come back and reexamine it after I spoil some more of the culture.

[sickofpalantirs]

Alright, in the (now locked) poll I conducted about which FP culture you all wanted next, it looks like and tied. However, since one of the votes was my own , we'll be doing...Dwarves!

Actually, just one Dwarf. (Probably.) And here he is! Gee, can you guess who it might be?

As with the original Towers block (and King block, for that matter), the entire culture in this set revolves around Gimli. That doesn't mean it's a weak or even necessarily small culture, though! Underestimate Gimli, and like his many victims, you'll pay the price for it. He can more than hold his own, and while some of his stuff works best with other Dwarves around, most of it is very easy to toss in with other cultures, and several cards will specifically tie in with others like , , , and others. He's like a hired hitman, and a very good one at that.

Enjoy!

•Gimli, Stout and Strong
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Thorin
Valiant. Damage +1.
Skirmish: If Gimli is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him to have him replace a companion (except the Ring-bearer) in a skirmish. Gimli gains hunter 2 (or hunter 3 if the companion replaced is valiant or a Dwarf) until the end of that skirmish.
"‘Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!'"
coolio!

•Gimli's Battle Axe, Restless Weapon
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer is damage +1.
If bearer is Gimli, each time he wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal him.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and play a skirmish event with a twilight cost of to make bearer strength +X.
"‘My axe is restless in my hands.'"

hum...I agree with thran take out the healing ability, and the exertion. and chance the exertion to add 1 or a threat or sumtin.

[DáinIronfoot]

Well, I don't know what's become of lem0n--was he going on vacation or something and I just missed the memo?--but when he gets back, he's more than welcome to review Gimli. In fact, I'd prefer that.

For now, though, I can't keep everyone else waiting forever, so let's move on. There will be another Gimli later (a Three Hunter version), but for now, let's stick with the Helm's Deep version and get to some good old-fashioned skirmishing. Enjoy!

Khazâd! Khazâd!
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a Dwarf that is damage +X to make that Dwarf defender +X (limit +3) until the regroup phase.
"Down from the wall leapt Gimli with a fierce cry that echoed in the cliffs....He soon had work enough."

Pop quiz...how many cards already exist that add defender bonuses? If you guessed one, you're right! Believe it or not, you have to go all the way back to Fellowship block to find it: Disquiet Of Our People. This is unacceptable to me. So here's one that turns a Dwarf's greatest strength (damage) into their greatest weakness (defender bonuses). It's pretty expensive though, either in twilight or exertions. At least you get a choice in the matter.

Sprung Out of the Shadows
Event • Skirmish
Exert a companion (except a Dwarf) to make a Dwarf damage +1 and strength +3 (or +4 if the companion exerted is Aragorn).
"‘I cannot jump the distance! You'll have to toss me!'"

Just your standard pump, with a twist...you exert a NON-Dwarf to pull it off. This obviously fits perfectly into a deck with just one or two Dwarves and a bunch of other companions.

And may as well get a couple of our reprints out of the way....

Khazâd Ai-mênu (reprint)
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or strength +3 and damage +1 if you can spot Legolas).
"‘The Orcs are behind the wall. Ai-oi! Come, Legolas! There are enough for us both.'"

One of my all-time favorites. I just HAD to have this one back...and I even made an cousin you'll see later.

Best Company (reprint)
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or +4 if at a battleground).
"An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled."

I tried to think of some way to redo this, but it just wasn't working, so I opted to just reprint instead. Dwarves will get a few battleground-related cards in this set, as opposed to the shameful two (only two?!) battleground-related events Big D opted to make for the culture.

[Thranduil]

Khazâd! Khazâd!
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a Dwarf that is damage +X to make that Dwarf defender +X (limit +3) until the regroup phase.
"Down from the wall leapt Gimli with a fierce cry that echoed in the cliffs....He soon had work enough."

Personally, I'd just forget about the limit as the card seems to be perfectly costed without it. And if you think about it, since fellowship block only has had defender bonuses, with 1 that I can think of for .

Sprung Out of the Shadows
Event • Skirmish
Exert a companion (except a Dwarf) to make a Dwarf strength +3 and damage +1.
"‘I cannot jump the distance! You'll have to toss me!'"

Yeah looks good.

Khazâd Ai-mênu (reprint)
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or strength +3 and damage +1 if you can spot Legolas).
"‘The Orcs are behind the wall. Ai-oi! Come, Legolas! There are enough for us both.'"

I always loved that card too!

Best Company (reprint)
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or +4 if at a battleground).
"An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled."

I tried to think of some way to redo this, but it just wasn't working, so I opted to just reprint instead. Dwarves will get a few battleground-related cards in this set, as opposed to the shameful two (only two?!) battleground-related events Big D opted to make for the culture.

I was never a big fan of this one though. I've always thought that it wasn't as useful as the underground one from fellowship block.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

Well, I don't know what's become of lem0n--was he going on vacation or something and I just missed the memo?--but when he gets back, he's more than welcome to review Gimli. In fact, I'd prefer that.

For now, though, I can't keep everyone else waiting forever, so let's move on. There will be another Gimli later (a Three Hunter version), but for now, let's stick with the Helm's Deep version and get to some good old-fashioned skirmishing. Enjoy!

Khazâd! Khazâd!
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a Dwarf that is damage +X to make that Dwarf defender +X (limit +3) until the regroup phase.
"Down from the wall leapt Gimli with a fierce cry that echoed in the cliffs....He soon had work enough."
kinda makes dwarf guards totally pwning...but...really twilight wouldn't make a huge difference...I would make it exert 2-3 dwarves...IDK I guess disquiet of our people isn't that hard to get...now I'm just rambling...I guess it is fine.

Sprung Out of the Shadows
Event • Skirmish
Exert a companion (except a Dwarf) to make a Dwarf strength +3 and damage +1.
"‘I cannot jump the distance! You'll have to toss me!'"

maybe strength +3 and damage +1 if it is aragorn?

[DáinIronfoot]

Sprung Out of the Shadows
Event • Skirmish
Exert a companion (except a Dwarf) to make a Dwarf strength +3 and damage +1.
"‘I cannot jump the distance! You'll have to toss me!'"

maybe strength +3 and damage +1 if it is aragorn?

Did something similiar. Too good now?

[Thranduil]

I suppose I'm not hugely bothered. Cards like Battle Fury, Noble Intentions and A Marvel were never very good, so I guess I can see those parentheses working nicely.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

yep. looks good now.though it could be +3, or +4 and damage +1 to look more like the 3 thran posted.

[lem0nhead]

Well, I don't know what's become of lem0n--was he going on vacation or something and I just missed the memo?--but when he gets back, he's more than welcome to review Gimli. In fact, I'd prefer that.

Urgh, blocked nose sore throat temperature aching vomiting.... Enough to keep anyone from their DC commitments! Im back now though with only slightly mucusy sinuses!! Yay 

•Gimli, Stout and Strong
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Thorin
Valiant. Damage +1.
Skirmish: If Gimli is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him to have him replace a companion (except the Ring-bearer) in a skirmish. Gimli gains hunter 2 (or hunter 3 if the companion replaced is valiant or a Dwarf) until the end of that skirmish.
"‘Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!'"

So like a Gandalf the white rider for dwarves eh? Yeah he's pretty cool.

•Gimli's Battle Axe, Restless Weapon
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer is damage +1.
If bearer is Gimli, each time he wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal him.
Skirmish: Exert bearer and play a skirmish event with a twilight cost of to make bearer strength +X.
"‘My axe is restless in my hands.'"

Coooool.

Khazâd! Khazâd!
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a Dwarf that is damage +X to make that Dwarf defender +X until the regroup phase.
"Down from the wall leapt Gimli with a fierce cry that echoed in the cliffs....He soon had work enough."

Thats a bit ridiculous, Thran is off his head, cost is irrelevant for basically a one site magic bullet to handle a crap load of minions. I have got Thrarin to damage +8 at least before and i know that has been exceeded by others. Site 9 Thrarin takes everything and the rb lives. Either limit it or make it a flat bonus.

Pop quiz...how many cards already exist that add defender bonuses? If you guessed one, you're right! Believe it or not, you have to go all the way back to Fellowship block to find it: Disquiet Of Our People.

That is actually quite interesting!

This is unacceptable to me.

Snigger.

Sprung Out of the Shadows
Event • Skirmish
Exert a companion (except a Dwarf) to make a Dwarf damage +1 and strength +3 (or +4 if the companion exerted is Aragorn).
"‘I cannot jump the distance! You'll have to toss me!'"

Cool.

[Thranduil]

I have to say that defender bonuses have never seemed particularly good to me, except in rare cases like Third Marshall. But if site 9 is a worry, you could always exempt region 3 from the ability.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Do you not see my point though? I agree with you to an extent but this is abuseable as heck. Anything +8 is pretty powerful let alone the ability to have 1 guy take on everything a shadow player can throw at u.

[Thranduil]

I see your point, but I don't think it actually has much gameplay application because it requires you to have this event in hand and your opponent to play a swarm of 14+ minions to start being abusable.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

There are a few ways to get dwarven events into hand its not that hard and also playing 4 of it u can get one in your hand for when you need it easy enough. But its not even JUST swarm stopping. It stops swarm and beatdown and pretty much anything, as the one guy takes either crud loads of minions, several nasty medium ones or a giant like the rog or sauron AND anything left.

[Anvar]

I think I agree with the Citrusy one. Dwarves don't do defender bonuses anymore. Similarly, Elves don't do burden removal, despite the appearance of Elf Song in fellowship. Defender bonuses are only really a feature of Gondor and Rohan.

If Dwarves are going to get a card that gives defender bonuses, they need to pay more of a cost than twilight in the assignment phase, and a card with potentially unlimited defender bonus is too much for any culture and leads to too much road bumping.

Imagine a deck that at site 6 plays Radagast, the Brown and then triple moves by suiciding a Dwarf each turn to the ever growing swarm of minions. Dwarves shouldn't have that ability, and no one should have such a large bonus.

My suggestion would be: Spot a Dwarf that is damage +1 to make him Defender +1. The cost could be turned down to 3 with toil 1.

Hope that's helpful,
Anvar

[DáinIronfoot]

For now, I've given Khazâd! Khazâd! it's original limit back. I may change it to something like Anvar's suggestion if others think that's a good idea...?

For now, here's a couple more. Enjoy!

•Stout Companion
Condition
Resistance +1
Tale. Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal a non-[Dwarven] companion.
Regroup: Discard this condition to heal bearer (twice if at a battleground or mountain site).
"‘But you comfort me, Gimli, and I am glad to have you standing nigh with your stout legs and your hard axe. I wish there were more of your kin among us.'"

Just in case Gimli (or your other lone Dwarf) needs a little extra help, this turns him into an even better helper. Too much, though?

Help As I May
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
Exert Gimli and name a race (except Dwarf). Make Gimli and each companion of the named race (except the Ring-bearer) strength +3 until the regroup phase.
"‘Come, Gamling, let us see how things go on the wall!'"

The spiritual successor to Lend Us Your Aid, which I always thought was an awesome card and would have been used by more people if it were only a little more versatile. Here's my attempt at that. But again, is it too good?

[Thranduil]

•Stout Companion
Condition
Resistance +1
Tale. Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal a non-[Dwarven] companion.
Regroup: Discard this condition to heal bearer (twice if at a battleground or mountain site).
"‘But you comfort me, Gimli, and I am glad to have you standing nigh with your stout legs and your hard axe. I wish there were more of your kin among us.'"

I think I'd bring the cost down to , maybe remove uniqueness and remove the first ability.

Help As I May
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
Exert Gimli and name a race (except Dwarf). Make Gimli and each companion of the named race (except the Ring-bearer) strength +3 until the regroup phase.
"‘Come, Gamling, let us see how things go on the wall!'"

I actually have a deck based around Lend Us Your Aid. This feels a bit too much like a reprint for me without actually being one (especially as the title is effectively Lend Us Your Aid looked up in a thesaurus and changed person! ). I would either reprint it, or make something entirely different.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

•Stout Companion
Condition
Resistance +1
Tale. Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a fierce skirmish, you may heal a non-[Dwarven] companion.
Regroup: Discard this condition to heal bearer (twice if at a battleground or mountain site).
"‘But you comfort me, Gimli, and I am glad to have you standing nigh with your stout legs and your hard axe. I wish there were more of your kin among us.'"

Seems fine.

Help As I May
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
Exert Gimli and name a race (except Dwarf). Make Gimli and each companion of the named race (except the Ring-bearer) strength +3 until the regroup phase.
"‘Come, Gamling, let us see how things go on the wall!'"

Seems ok as theres not gonna be that many occassions where its that useful, otherwise it would be immense. Id maybe up the cost to 4.

[DáinIronfoot]

Made a small tweak as suggested by lem0n. If anyone else (like, say, SoP ) wants to review those, be my guest. But for now, let's get to a rehash of a big theme from the Towers block: stacking. These aren't your typical stacking cards, though....  Enjoy!

Tough Bones
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf and a valiant companion.
Each time you play another card, you may stack a card from hand on this condition.
Regroup: Discard this condition to draw X cards, where X is the number of cards stacked on this condition.
"‘I felt them in my feet as we came up from the dike.'"

•I Am Content
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is about to be killed or discarded in a skirmish involving a Dwarf, you may stack that minion here instead.
Regroup: Exert a Dwarf, discard this condition, and add to make a Shadow player assign X wounds to minions (limit 4), where X is the number of cards stacked here.
"‘Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"

[lem0nhead]

Made a small tweak as suggested by lem0n. If anyone else (like, say, SoP ) wants to review those, be my guest. But for now, let's get to a rehash of a big theme from the Towers block: stacking. These aren't your typical stacking cards, though....  Enjoy!

He says hes very busy at the moment! 

Tough Bones
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf and a valiant companion.
Each time you play another card, you may stack a card from hand on this condition.
Regroup: Discard this condition to draw X cards, where X is the number of cards stacked on this condition.
"‘I felt them in my feet as we came up from the dike.'"

Hmmm i sense a very strong move here. Using gimli who stops ur conditions discarding u could keep this on the table and move to a site with, what? maybe 20 cards drawn? Suppose it heavily depends on the size of deck though which mgiht balance it. Could get way obscene! Dwarves play weapons and pumps like nutters.

•I Am Content
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is about to be killed or discarded in a skirmish involving a Dwarf, you may stack that minion here instead.
Regroup: Exert a Dwarf, discard this condition, and add to make the Shadow player assign X wounds to minions, where X is the number of cards stacked here.
"‘Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"

You know i dont like stealing other peoples cards Dain! Why dont you just use tokens or something?

[Thranduil]

Tough Bones
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf and a valiant companion.
Each time you play another card, you may stack a card from hand on this condition.
Regroup: Discard this condition to draw X cards, where X is the number of cards stacked on this condition.
"‘I felt them in my feet as we came up from the dike.'"

Interesting. I would say that the limited effect probably balances the ease of stacking cards there. But, some of the old stacking cards required cards. Maybe that's something worth thinking about here?

•I Am Content
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is about to be killed or discarded in a skirmish involving a Dwarf, you may stack that minion here instead.
Regroup: Exert a Dwarf, discard this condition, and add to make the Shadow player assign X wounds to minions, where X is the number of cards stacked here.
"‘Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"

It's interesting, but I like the idea of making X the twilight cost of the minion you're discarding. Then you wouldn't need to discard the condition either and it wouldn't need to be unique.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

This country has tough bones.•I Am Content
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is about to be killed or discarded in a skirmish involving a Dwarf, you may stack that minion here instead.
Regroup: Exert a Dwarf, discard this condition, and add to make the Shadow player assign X wounds to minions, where X is the number of cards stacked here.
"‘Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"

It's interesting, but I like the idea of making X the twilight cost of the minion you're discarding. Then you wouldn't need to discard the condition either and it wouldn't need to be unique.

...what? I don't quite follow. What wording would you recommend? That might clear it up for me.

[Thranduil]

Sorry, I meant something like this:

Regroup: Exert a Dwarf and discard a minion stacked here with twilight cost X to assign X wounds to minions.

This might be too good, in which case I might suggest keeping the adding as well.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

So like this?

Regroup: Exert a Dwarf, discard a minion stacked here, and add to make the Shadow player assign X wounds to minions, where X is the cost of the minion discarded.

[Thranduil]

Could be. I was just throwing ideas out...

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

That makes it just a bit immense, you could practically have a constant store of regroup wounding for whenever you want and you could do it loads in 1 turn as well.

[sickofpalantirs]

Made a small tweak as suggested by lem0n. If anyone else (like, say, SoP )
I actually can't remember why I didn't review them...oh yeah...I had a lesson at 1:00 and had to mow 2 lawns  I remember now

Tough Bones
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf and a valiant companion.
Each time you play another card, you may stack a card from hand on this condition.
Regroup: Discard this condition to draw X cards, where X is the number of cards stacked on this condition.
"‘I felt them in my feet as we came up from the dike.'"
I think this could cost 0. though possibly should be unique?

•I Am Content
Condition • Support Area
Each time a minion is about to be killed or discarded in a skirmish involving a Dwarf, you may stack that minion here instead.
Regroup: Exert a Dwarf, discard this condition, and add to make the Shadow player assign X wounds to minions, where X is the number of cards stacked here.
"‘Till now I have hewn naught but wood since I left Moria.'"

go with thran's idea...as trying to understand this card has roughly destroyed my spammers brain

[DáinIronfoot]

That makes it just a bit immense, you could practically have a constant store of regroup wounding for whenever you want and you could do it loads in 1 turn as well.

After further consideration, I tend to agree with the citrusy one. It would be tough to pull off until later in the game, but your suggestion, Thran, could lead to some minor insanity with enough minions stored up, especially with multiple copies out. The way it's designed now, you can pull it off only once for each condition, and it still takes a little work to get there.

I think I may make another card similiar to what you're talking about though, with X being the cost of one minion. I DO like that part of the suggestion.

For now, it's time for a rare evening posting.

To keep the them going, here're a couple more stacking-related cards...specifically ones that start to blend stacking and tokens a bit. Enjoy!

Cunning Folk
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf and discard a card (except a companion) to shuffle another Free Peoples condition (and all cards stacked on it) into your draw deck. Draw a card for each token on that condition.
"‘We do not shape stone with battle-axes, nor with our finger-nails. But I will help as I may.'"

•Secret Ways
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf.
When you play this condition, you may add a token here for each mountain and underground site you can spot.
Fellowship: Discard this condition or remove a token from here to stack a card (except an event) from your discard pile on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
"‘Such a refuge would be to the liking of a dwarf.'"

[sickofpalantirs]

Cunning Folk
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf and discard a condition to shuffle another Free Peoples condition (and all cards stacked on it) into your draw deck. Draw a card for each token on that condition.
"‘We do not shape stone with battle-axes, nor with our finger-nails. But I will help as I may.'"
fine

•Secret Ways
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf.
When you play this condition, you may add a token here for each mountain and underground site you can spot.
Fellowship: Discard this condition or remove a token from here to stack a card (except an event) from your discard pile on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
"‘Such a refuge would be to the liking of a dwarf.'"

why except an event?

[Thranduil]

Cunning Folk
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf and discard a condition to shuffle another Free Peoples condition (and all cards stacked on it) into your draw deck. Draw a card for each token on that condition.
"‘We do not shape stone with battle-axes, nor with our finger-nails. But I will help as I may.'"

Interesting. So it works with stacking and tokens? I might make some other cost though - discarding one of your own conditions appears to be quite high to do something that only works if you work at it.

•Secret Ways
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf.
When you play this condition, you may add a token here for each mountain and underground site you can spot.
Fellowship: Discard this condition or remove a token from here to stack a card (except an event) from your discard pile on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
"‘Such a refuge would be to the liking of a dwarf.'"

Could you try and fit 'Homestead' in the title? I say that because it's very similar to the cycle of Homestead cards from Bloodlines. Other than that, I like it. But the combo with Sindri would make me tempted to include events - and with that you could perhaps make it 2 tokens.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Cunning Folk
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf and discard a condition to shuffle another Free Peoples condition (and all cards stacked on it) into your draw deck. Draw a card for each token on that condition.
"‘We do not shape stone with battle-axes, nor with our finger-nails. But I will help as I may.'"

I agree with Thran about discarding a condition. Thats a nasty cost get change. Aside from that though this could be ridiculous! Id make this cost 2 at LEAST in twilight. Dwarven tokens arent exactly hard to get a hold of!

•Secret Ways
Condition • Support Area
Tale. To play, spot a Dwarf.
When you play this condition, you may add a token here for each mountain and underground site you can spot.
Fellowship: Discard this condition or remove a token from here to stack a card (except an event) from your discard pile on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
"‘Such a refuge would be to the liking of a dwarf.'"

Well I need to see the card/token stacking tactic developed a bit more before i can say if thats good for your DC's DI. But i like it how it works with the ones that D made, I can think of an awesome use for this in my loyalty unshaken deck. Would be fantastic.

[DáinIronfoot]

Okay, I have to confess I'm a little confused as to what's being recommended with Cunning Folk. Are you saying the twilight cost needs to come up in addition to the current costs, or that I should raise the twilight cost by drop the conditon discarding cost?

For now, I've tweaked it so can discard ANY card (except companions) instead of being limited to conditions. That gives more options, especially with the myriad of possessions available. I have left Secret Ways alone, though; I don't really want to change the title, since it's pure coincidence that it matches Big D's Homesteads (and the Dwarves already have one anyway), and I'd really rather it not work with events, as that is best reserved for other cards, methinks. I wasn't looking to turn this into the ultimate event recycler. If you think either card needs further changes, though, let me know.

For now, however, while we're on the topic of possessions....

•Gimli's Armor, Work of Erebor
Possession • Armor
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses from weapons.
If bearer is Gimli, each minion skirmishing him loses all hunter bonuses.
"...there was no hauberk in the hoards of Edoras of better make than his short corslet forged beneath the Mountain in the North."

•Gimli's Helm, Gift of Kings
Possession • Armor
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
If bearer is Gimli, he may not be exerted by Shadow cards during a skirmish.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard a possession borne by bearer to prevent that wound.
"But he chose a cap of iron and leather that fitted well upon his round head...."

•Gimli's Pipe, Carved In the North
Possession • Pipe
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Each time a pipeweed is about to be discarded from play, you may stack that pipeweed on a condition that already has a card stacked on it instead.
Regroup: Discard a pipeweed stacked on a condition to reinforce a token.
"‘Gimli re-filled his pipe...he lit it with his flint and tinder....'"

Notice all three of these can be borne by ANY Dwarf. A couple are certainly better with Gimli, but I didn't want to make Gimli the only Dwarf you could viably bring along for the ride with the rest of your fellowship.

I'm not a big fan of these subtitles (except, perhaps, for the very appropriate one for Gimli's Helm), so if you aren't either and can think of something better, I'm all ears.

[lem0nhead]

•Gimli's Armor, Work of Erebor
Possession • Armor
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses from weapons.
If bearer is Gimli, each minion skirmishing him loses all hunter bonuses.
"...there was no hauberk in the hoards of Edoras of better make than his short corslet forged beneath the Mountain in the North."

Hmmm on the side of too good but ok.

•Gimli's Helm, Gift of Kings
Possession • Armor
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
If bearer is Gimli, he may not be exerted by Shadow cards during a skirmish.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard a possession borne by bearer to prevent that wound.
"But he chose a cap of iron and leather that fitted well upon his round head...."

Cool, thats very sweet, me likey.

•Gimli's Pipe, Treasure of Moria
Possession • Pipe
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Fellowship: Discard a pipeweed to shuffle a card stacked on a condition into your draw deck.
"‘Gimli re-filled his pipe...he lit it with his flint and tinder....'"

Not that useful i have to say.

[DáinIronfoot]

Completely overhauled the pipe. Better now?

[NappyKorn]

Hey I like the pipe. I have played my dwarven stack deck several times and have stacked a non-event card on loyalty unshaken to get the drawing ability then later wished I had a way to get it back into hand somehow. I like and would add it to my deck

Edit: Well you overhauled it before my post shame on you Dain I liked it as was.

[lem0nhead]

Sorry dain i think its worse than it was! What ever you seem to envisage with it doesnt seem to be very powerful or useful enough for it to command a place in a deck.

Except for Nk clearly

[DáinIronfoot]

Really? Hmmm. I thought it would be mucho useful in that it lets you add an extra card (or cards) to your conditions that you can potentially use and abuse, OR it lets you add more token reinforcement. With enough pipeweed, it could do both in droves.

I thought about doing something with threats, but I wasn't sure if giving Dwarves threat removal was a great idea....

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[lem0nhead]

If it let you put a Dwarf card on the condition maybe but a pipeweed is not very useful. Most of them require dwarf cards to be good or if youre using sindri. Thats where im coming from.

But i guess its not a pipe if it dont use the pipeweed. Hey ho leave it then dain.

This is my last review for 2 weeks anyway so cyas later!

[DáinIronfoot]

Hmmm. Some options, then:

- card drawing
- event recycling
- threat removal
- strict token reinforcement
- something else...?

From what I see, though, several old-school stacking cards can benefit from ANY Free Peoples card that's stacked, not necessarily ones. Courtesy of My Hall is a great example. Maybe if I "reprinted" that....

If not that, though, what would be better?

[lem0nhead]

See my edited response!

 

Bye

[DáinIronfoot]

Take care, my lem0ny friend. I have a feeling reviews will be hard to come by with you gone.

[sickofpalantirs]

•Gimli's Armor, Work of Erebor
Possession • Armor
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses from weapons.
If bearer is Gimli, each minion skirmishing him loses all hunter bonuses.
"...there was no hauberk in the hoards of Edoras of better make than his short corslet forged beneath the Mountain in the North."
maybe marvel of erebor?

•Gimli's Helm, Gift of Kings
Possession • Armor
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
If bearer is Gimli, he may not be exerted by Shadow cards during a skirmish.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard a possession borne by bearer to prevent that wound.
"But he chose a cap of iron and leather that fitted well upon his round head...."
I like the subtitle...

•Gimli's Pipe, Treasure of Moria
Possession • Pipe
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Fellowship: Stack a pipeweed on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Regroup: Discard a pipeweed stacked on a condition to reinforce a token.
"‘Gimli re-filled his pipe...he lit it with his flint and tinder....'"

fine

[Thranduil]

•Gimli's Armor, Work of Erebor
Possession • Armor
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses from weapons.
If bearer is Gimli, each minion skirmishing him loses all hunter bonuses.
"...there was no hauberk in the hoards of Edoras of better make than his short corslet forged beneath the Mountain in the North."

My problem here is that the balance is all a bit weird - for any Dwarf, it's not great, but for Gimli it's too good. Perhaps I would make the universal ability simply loses damage bonuses and Gimli's text losing all bonuses from possessions? Or all gamtext keywords?

•Gimli's Helm, Gift of Kings
Possession • Armor
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
If bearer is Gimli, he may not be exerted by Shadow cards during a skirmish.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound, discard a possession borne by bearer to prevent that wound.
"But he chose a cap of iron and leather that fitted well upon his round head...."

Why is this an apt subtitle? Seems good. But it hardly needs the extra ability for Gimli. Perhaps it should instead get the resistance bonus only if it's Gimli.

•Gimli's Pipe, Treasure of Moria
Possession • Pipe
Resistance +1
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Fellowship: Stack a pipeweed on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Regroup: Discard a pipeweed stacked on a condition to reinforce a token.
"‘Gimli re-filled his pipe...he lit it with his flint and tinder....'"

What had Gimli's pipe to do with Moria? I think I would make one of the abilities 'pipeweed or card', probably the fellowship one.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

Ooo! Ooo! Just had a thought for the Pipe. How about this?

•Gimli's Pipe, Carved In the North
Possession • Pipe
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Each time a pipeweed is about to be discarded from play, you may stack that pipeweed on a condition that already has a card stacked on it instead.
Regroup: Discard a pipeweed stacked on a condition to reinforce a token.
"‘Gimli re-filled his pipe...he lit it with his flint and tinder....'"

NOW it has some serious potential, I think. Instead of having to actually discard pipeweeds (which many other pipes require), you can put them on a condition and either turn them into tokens or, better still, potentially get them back by shuffling them into your draw deck with another card like Rest By Blind Night or my own Cunning Folk! Pipeweed could ALWAYS use good recusion like that, right?

Since it's probably more powerful like this, I dropped the resistance bonus.

How is it NOW, though?

[Thranduil]

•Gimli's Pipe, Carved In the North
Possession • Pipe
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
Each time a pipeweed is about to be discarded by another Free Peoples card, you may stack that pipeweed on a condition that already has a pipeweed stacked on it instead.
Regroup: Discard a pipeweed stacked on a condition to reinforce a token.
"‘Gimli re-filled his pipe...he lit it with his flint and tinder....'"

I like it much better. You don't need to say 'another Free Peoples card' because the default meaning of 'discard' is from play and the regroup ability does not discard them from play, but from conditions. And also how are you going to get the pipeweed on there in the first place? I think it would be fine if it stacked pipeweeds on a condition that has a card stacked on it, not just a pipeweed.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

And also how are you going to get the pipeweed on there in the first place? I think it would be fine if it stacked pipeweeds on a condition that has a card stacked on it, not just a pipeweed.

Whoops. That's what I meant to do. Fixed now. Thanks!

[FM]

I liked the Pipe a lot, makes playing with pipes all that much more attractive, since you can actually get more than 1 use off a Pipeweed. I have a generic issue, however, that I wanted to have explained, and since you guys mess around with DCs a lot, who better, right?
If it's a specific character's card, like Gimli's Pipe, Frodo's Cloak, etc, I CAN understand it being able to be borne by other characters, as to increase its playability. However, shouldn't it have AT LEAST some kind of link to the rightful owner? An ability, a bonus, anything? Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, it could simply be named Dwarven Pipe, or •Dwarven Pipe, Carved In the North, it doesn't need to be GIMLI'S pipe. And as I said, of course, it's not an issue with the particular card, but generically speaking, Thorin's Helm, for instance, should have some kind of relation to Thorin. For the Pipe specifically, for instance, you could simply add a "To play, spot Gimli" line. IMO, there oughta be SOME kind of relation between the possession and the rightful owner.

[DáinIronfoot]

If it's a specific character's card, like Gimli's Pipe, Frodo's Cloak, etc, I CAN understand it being able to be borne by other characters, as to increase its playability. However, shouldn't it have AT LEAST some kind of link to the rightful owner? An ability, a bonus, anything? Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, it could simply be named Dwarven Pipe, or •Dwarven Pipe, Carved In the North, it doesn't need to be GIMLI'S pipe. And as I said, of course, it's not an issue with the particular card, but generically speaking, Thorin's Helm, for instance, should have some kind of relation to Thorin. For the Pipe specifically, for instance, you could simply add a "To play, spot Gimli" line. IMO, there oughta be SOME kind of relation between the possession and the rightful owner.

A good and fair question.

Normally, I agree with you 100%: specific possessions/artifacts should have a connection to their (normal) owner. If you look back just a little further from the pipe, you'll see I posted new versions of Gimli's Helm and Gimli's Armor. They too can be borne by any ol' Dwarf, but have Gimli-specific abilities, so they're not nearly as useful on any Dwarf but Gimli. I try to do this for all such possessions/artifacts, either by limiting them to being borne by a specific character or having certain text/bonuses/abilities that are only "unlocked" when in use by that specific character.

Every now and then, however, I break with that pattern. Sometimes it's because extra text just wouldn't fit, sometimes it's because it's used by more than one character in the storyline, and sometimes (as in the pipe's case) it's because I simply don't see the need. Trying to tie together Dwarves, pipes, pipeweeds, stacking, AND tokens in the same deck would be hard enough as it is, so limiting it further to being Gimli-exclusive would make it even less viable. So the new version of Gimli's Pipe is the rare exception to the "rule".

Does that help at all?

[DáinIronfoot]

Well with lem0nhead AND Thranduil both on vacation for the next two weeks (I'm telling you, they ran off to plot something together!), things will be a little different around here for the next two weeks as well:

1.) I will passing out gold for each useful review I get while the boys are away. This will hopefully entice some of you capabale reviewers and DCers out there (you know who you are! ) into using your hidden talents. And hey, maybe you'll actually find yourself having fun and stick around this forum, eh?

2.) I will likely not be posting new DCs as regularly as usual. Don't fret, though...I'll still be doing lots of DCing in the background. In truth, this is a great opportunity for me to build my "reserves" back up. See, normally, I have a good-sized list of completed DCs that I pull cards from to post each day. This lets me pick and choose what to post without feeling pressure to create them on the spot (though I still do from time to time) while constantly working to keep those reserves refilled. This also helps me to keep up with demand () during the times where I'm having writer's block, as I can just fall back on cards I've already made in the past and post from that list until my creativity returns. And when it does, I just fill up my reserves again. With schooling sucking up LOTS of my time lately, my reserves are almost dry. So now that school's over, it's time to build them back up...which I'll be doing the next couple weeks. So it'll be a short term conservation in posting to build up big things for the future. Follow all that?

3.) Did I mention GOLD? :hey: That's right...each review will earn you gold. I know it ain't useful yet, but it will be as soon as we get that shop up and running. Trust me, if you don't have a lot of gold then, you'll be wishing you'd jumped on chances for it while you could. Hint, hint: this is one of those golden (eheh ) opportunities.

Alright, time to get back to dream cards. If you're new to this thread, welcome! I'm currently working through the middle of my five DC sets, The Way Into Mordor, focused around events from The Two Towers. This here is the culture, which means it's (mostly) all about Gimli and the old-school Towers block strategies (big skirmishing and card stacking), mixed with some newer stuff (tokens and hunters).

If you ARE new, I'd recommend going back real quick and skimming through this thread to get a "feel" for the overall culture thus far. And if you have any questions about this set or any of my others, please feel free to ask and I'll answer as best I can and bring you up to speed. Don't be shy!

Right now, I've been focusing on Gimli at Helm's Deep. Eventually, I'll go backwards to Gimli as part of The Three Hunters and focus on that side for a while. For now, though, here are new Helm's Deep-related cards. Enjoy!

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a skirmish, you may exert him to choose one: reinforce a token; or stack a card from hand here or on another condition that has a card already stacked on it.
If this condition is discarded from play or from a condition it is stacked on, you may heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

As I mentioned, the culture in this set goes back to a good amount of card stacking, and mixes in tokens. My goal is to bring the two together a bit so you could potentially build a deck around both, and this is one card intended to do that. If nothing else, at least it offers some good healing. And Dwarves could always use more healing, right?

Speaking of which....

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Choose one: spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

A pretty good healing card on its own, but get this on a tale condition (two of which I posted back on page 2), and it becomes the ULTIMATE healer.

[MR. Lurtzy]

Anything for gold.

Well with lem0nhead AND Thranduil both on vacation for the next two weeks (I'm telling you, they ran off to plot something together!), things will be a little different around here for the next two weeks as well:

1.) I will passing out gold for each useful review I get while the boys are away. This will hopefully entice some of you capabale reviewers and DCers out there (you know who you are! ) into using your hidden talents. And hey, maybe you'll actually find yourself having fun and stick around this forum, eh?

2.) I will likely not be posting new DCs as regularly as usual. Don't fret, though...I'll still be doing lots of DCing in the background. In truth, this is a great opportunity for me to build my "reserves" back up. See, normally, I have a good-sized list of completed DCs that I pull cards from to post each day. This lets me pick and choose what to post without feeling pressure to create them on the spot (though I still do from time to time) while constantly working to keep those reserves refilled. This also helps me to keep up with demand () during the times where I'm having writer's block, as I can just fall back on cards I've already made in the past and post from that list until my creativity returns. And when it does, I just fill up my reserves again. With schooling sucking up LOTS of my time lately, my reserves are almost dry. So now that school's over, it's time to build them back up...which I'll be doing the next couple weeks. So it'll be a short term conservation in posting to build up big things for the future. Follow all that?

3.) Did I mention GOLD? :hey: That's right...each review will earn you gold. I know it ain't useful yet, but it will be as soon as we get that shop up and running. Trust me, if you don't have a lot of gold then, you'll be wishing you'd jumped on chances for it while you could. Hint, hint: this is one of those golden (eheh ) opportunities.

Alright, time to get back to dream cards. If you're new to this thread, welcome! I'm currently working through the middle of my five DC sets, The Way Into Mordor, focused around events from The Two Towers. This here is the culture, which means it's (mostly) all about Gimli and the old-school Towers block strategies (big skirmishing and card stacking), mixed with some newer stuff (tokens and hunters).

If you ARE new, I'd recommend going back real quick and skimming through this thread to get a "feel" for the overall culture thus far. And if you have any questions about this set or any of my others, please feel free to ask and I'll answer as best I can and bring you up to speed. Don't be shy!

Right now, I've been focusing on Gimli at Helm's Deep. Eventually, I'll go backwards to Gimli as part of The Three Hunters and focus on that side for a while. For now, though, here are new Helm's Deep-related cards. Enjoy!

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Regroup: Discard this condition to heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"
Good card.
As I mentioned, the culture in this set goes back to a good amount of card stacking, and mixes in tokens. My goal is to bring the two together a bit so you could potentially build a deck around both, and this is one card intended to do that. If nothing else, at least it offers some good healing. And Dwarves could always use more healing, right?

Speaking of which....

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"
Should cost or have less of a wonderful ability.
A pretty good healing card on its own, but get this on a tale condition (two of which I posted back on page 2), and it becomes the ULTIMATE healer.

[sickofpalantirs]

I disagree...both are fine.

[MR. Lurtzy]

It's too easy to instantly heal a dwarf.

[FM]

Yeah, that about does it, even though I'd just go and call it Dwarven Pipe, if it was me.
Ok, let's get to reviewing, since I promised I'd skulk around.

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Regroup: Discard this condition to heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

I'd lose the second ability and the exertion cost, leaving room for OTHER cards to discard the tales for benefits, making the FP player think through when building a deck: "Do I pack 4 of these and risk getting stuck with some in my hand? Do I pack 1-2 for the bonus? Should I pack stuff that let me discard some tales for benefit? What other tales, then, could I pack into the deck?". Stuff like this. It's fine as it is, though, it'd just be a designing option.
Or perhaps you could abuse triggered effects, to make them combo together, for instance:
If this condition is discarded from play, you may heal each (exhausted) Dwarf.
This kind of thing (again, not necessarily on THIS card, of course) would open up a lot of room for creative designing, not to mention messing around with the Shadow player's head every now and then.

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

Truly awesome. I like how it can be played outside dedicated decks, as well, like a hybrid Pipeweed deck.
I don't know about text-space issues, but I think this card, which is already awesome, would be truly unique if you added a line like: Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card, you may discard that tale to repeat this, perhaps upping the cost a bit.
Also, since the second part is part of the text, does it mean you can only do it in the Regroup Phase? Like you would be basically playing the event from a different place for a different effect? And does that mean you have to pay the cost? Because if not, then the ability should be in a new sentence, I think.
This card specifically made me remember some MtG cards with a mechanic called Entwine. Some cards give you 2 choices, and if you paid the Entwine cost on them, you got to do both. Now, it won't work with this specific card, because it keys off "playing" the event from two different places, but I think it's a thought you might want to consider, getting some 2-way cards to give you BOTH benefits for an added (usually pretty steep, though) cost.

[DáinIronfoot]

Yeah, that about does it, even though I'd just go and call it Dwarven Pipe, if it was me.

Problem is I've already got one of those from my Fellowship of the Ring-centric set, The Road Ahead.

http://lotrtcgwiki.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=4717 - down near the bottom of the page

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Regroup: Discard this condition to heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

I'd lose the second ability and the exertion cost, leaving room for OTHER cards to discard the tales for benefits, making the FP player think through when building a deck: "Do I pack 4 of these and risk getting stuck with some in my hand? Do I pack 1-2 for the bonus? Should I pack stuff that let me discard some tales for benefit? What other tales, then, could I pack into the deck?". Stuff like this. It's fine as it is, though, it'd just be a designing option.
Or perhaps you could abuse triggered effects, to make them combo together, for instance:
If this condition is discarded from play, you may heal each (exhausted) Dwarf.
This kind of thing (again, not necessarily on THIS card, of course) would open up a lot of room for creative designing, not to mention messing around with the Shadow player's head every now and then.

LOVE that idea. I've replaced the regroup ability with text very similiar to your suggestion. How do you like it now?

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

Truly awesome. I like how it can be played outside dedicated decks, as well, like a hybrid Pipeweed deck.
I don't know about text-space issues, but I think this card, which is already awesome, would be truly unique if you added a line like: Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card, you may discard that tale to repeat this, perhaps upping the cost a bit.
Also, since the second part is part of the text, does it mean you can only do it in the Regroup Phase? Like you would be basically playing the event from a different place for a different effect? And does that mean you have to pay the cost? Because if not, then the ability should be in a new sentence, I think.
This card specifically made me remember some MtG cards with a mechanic called Entwine. Some cards give you 2 choices, and if you paid the Entwine cost on them, you got to do both. Now, it won't work with this specific card, because it keys off "playing" the event from two different places, but I think it's a thought you might want to consider, getting some 2-way cards to give you BOTH benefits for an added (usually pretty steep, though) cost.

My goal was for this (and much of the culture in this set, really) to be good with a Dwarf heavy deck OR with just one or two Dwarves splashed in with other companions. Glad I pulled it off.

The text is actually VERY similiar to this card's older "cousin", Slaked Thirsts (and based around the same events, even). Like that card, this is basically two cards in one: you can choose to spot the tale and heal once and draw once, OR choose to discard this card from a tale it is stacked on and heal (up to) 3 times. You can't do both, but you can do either one during regroup, and the second one CAN be done with sneakily avoiding the cost if you managed to stack it. Should I add in the requirement of adding or for the second bit?

Once again, big fan of your idea about discarding the tale to repeat the effect. I think I'll leave it off this card, but I WILL create at least one card that does that, especially since it ties in so nicely with my Not Left Behind rewrite.


Both cards have been tweaked a bit, so once they meet approval of the crowd, we'll move on to some new stuff. Oh, and as promised, all three of you reviewers earned yourself some .

[FM]

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may choose one: exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token; or stack a card from hand here or on another condition that has a card already stacked on it.
If this condition is discarded from play or from a condition it is stacked on, you may heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

Right now I've got mixed feelings with either healing each exhausted Dwarf or simply healing A Dwarf. Or even healing each Dwarf. It's unique... But then again, it's pretty easy to just play 4, since you benefit from stacking it. But then again, it requires discarding it from the stacked condition... Right now I think I'd go with a simple "you may heal a Dwarf" line.

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

Right now, the text seems to imply you pay the cost and respect the phase to play it. I'd leave it as:
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card.
Regroup: If this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
This way, you CLEARLY turn one card in two in "feeling", it's an event in the first case, and something like a condition in the second, all respecting the regroup phase, and with the second one clearly having no tie to the event's original twilight cost. Not to mention, again, it opens up creative design by giving phase-tied abilities to events, so they can be used as different cards while stacked anywhere for any reason.

[DáinIronfoot]

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may choose one: exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token; or stack a card from hand here or on another condition that has a card already stacked on it.
If this condition is discarded from play or from a condition it is stacked on, you may heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

Right now I've got mixed feelings with either healing each exhausted Dwarf or simply healing A Dwarf. Or even healing each Dwarf. It's unique... But then again, it's pretty easy to just play 4, since you benefit from stacking it. But then again, it requires discarding it from the stacked condition... Right now I think I'd go with a simple "you may heal a Dwarf" line.

The new card I design and will post in the near future will pretty much do just that. So unless you see this one as being overpowered or underpowered, I'll leave it as is.

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

Right now, the text seems to imply you pay the cost and respect the phase to play it. I'd leave it as:
Spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card.
Regroup: If this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
This way, you CLEARLY turn one card in two in "feeling", it's an event in the first case, and something like a condition in the second, all respecting the regroup phase, and with the second one clearly having no twilight cost. Not to mention, again, it opens up creative design by giving phase-tied abilities to events, so they can be used as different cards while stacked anywhere for any reason.

Hmmm. That would certainly work, but I prefer to stick with Big D's wording most of the time (with the exception of some of their poorly-written cards near the end). I noticed one key phrase that was missing from this that WAS on Slaked Thirsts, though: "Choose one" at the beginning of the text. I've fixed that, so now it reads exactly as Slaked Thirsts does. I think that's nice and clear.

I DO have a couple events I've posted through my sets so far that do different things depending on which phase you play them in, so your idea is one we share. I just don't think it's necessary in this particular case.

[FM]

The first one looks fine, without having to exert to stack a card. Much better. Also, you get to heal an exhausted Dwarf (which the Shadow player might have taken for dead) out of the blue, since you can stack it and discard the condition it's stacked on pretty much during a skirmish, catching them red-handed. It's fine. Healing ANOTHER Exhausted Dwarf would just be a bonus.
With the secon card, though, the problem is, is still suggests you pay for the second ability.
But that might be because I play MtG now, and wording is more of an issue there, so for LotR players it may be clear that you don't pay the twilight cost in the second case. Otherwise, well, just lose the extra there, on the regroup for a triple healing is still nice, I think. Or even lower the event's cost to .

[DáinIronfoot]

With the secon card, though, the problem is, is still suggests you pay for the second ability.
But that might be because I play MtG now, and wording is more of an issue there, so for LotR players it may be clear that you don't pay the twilight cost in the second case. Otherwise, well, just lose the extra there, on the regroup for a triple healing is still nice, I think. Or even lower the event's cost to .

Ah, okay. NOW I understand the confusion.

A card's twilight cost is only paid when it is actually PLAYED. Stacking does not count as playing, so if you stack an event (or any other card) from your hand, discard pile, draw deck, etc. (as you would have to do when stacking this card), you would NOT pay its cost, since it is not technically entering "play" and therefore not being played.

So, in a nutshell, the wording is very much in line with LOTR TCG rules, and you would pay ONLY the for the second option in the text, and not the additional to play it, since you never really DO play it. Does that make sense?

[FM]

Kinda. But makes it easier on my eyes, yes.

[DáinIronfoot]

Okay, since 2/3 of my "normal" reviewers are gone, those of you filling in get a special treat today. Two of the cards below are brand new, and two have been posted elsewhere before but are still some of my favorite cards. Since you're likely new to this, they'll be new to you, right? So you get FOUR cards today.

Oh, and only two are actual cards. It'll make sense why that is when you see them, as the two new ones are pretty well tied together. Anyway, as always...enjoy!

•Gimli, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
Damage +1.
While at a battleground, Gimli is strength +1.
While at a mountain site, Gimli is strength +1.
Assignment: Exert Gimli and add a threat to make a minion gain or lose fierce until the regroup phase.
"‘It does my heart good to be so close to the mountains...this is good quality rock.'"

•Legolas, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Elf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
While Legolas bears a unique hand weapon, he is damage +1.
Each time you play a or skirmish event, you may exert Legolas to make him strength +1. Then, if Legolas is at a battleground, you may heal him.
"‘This is a fight we cannot win. It will become a massacre.'"

The two cards above are the ones I've posted before. They're actually from an entirely different set called Ages of Middle-earth, centered around the awesome video game The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age by EA Games, but also acting as a sort of "Reflections" set with other LOTR material as well. Anyway, since Gimli and Legolas both appear in The Third Age at Helm's Deep, that's how they appear in Ages of Middle-earth, each also featuring a new signet based around the main character from the game. Just ignore the signet for now, though, and let me know what you think of the rest.

Oh, one thing I SHOULD note: represents the "Mirkwood" culture, the only all-new culture in my sets. It is the second biggest Free Peoples culture (behind only, ironically, ) in my first set Lasting Alliances (a set centered mostly around The Hobbit), but it is sprinkled throughout my other sets as well. Most stuff focuses on the Wood-elves of Mirkwood (including Legolas in later sets), but also has a mix of Men (Beornings), Eagles, and even a certain Wizard (no, not Gandalf...try his "cousin" ). Just know that much of is similiar to the culture, though Elves have more of an emphasis on skirmishing and less on archery than their brethren. Legolas sometimes gets to dabble in both, as is the case here.

Now, the reason I've gone back and posted that pair is directly related to today's new cards:

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"

Before you point it out, I'll do it myself...the titles of these are rather lame. :-\ They're semi-direct pulls from the text of The Two Towers, but still...meh. If you have any better suggestions, I'm all ears.

Now, on to what they actually do. Obviously, these are the younger cousins of My Axe Is Notched and Final Count. They're both better and worse than those old-school cards: better in that they can boost up to +5 (rather than the original +3), but worse in that they require not just winning skirmishes, but killing (or otherwise discarding) minions in those skirmishes. For Gimli that's not quite as big an issue with his standard damage bonus, but with Legolas it might be tougher to pull off...or will it? This allows his archery stuff to count as well, but also note the Legolas I re-spoiled above...he can get a damage bonus too! And though I don't want to spoil more cards just yet (this IS, after all, a thread...we'll get to Elves in another thread eventually), suffice it to say that at least one version of Legolas in THIS set can potentially get a damage bonus or two as well. So it's not THAT out of the question.

But is it good enough? Or does limiting it to killing/discarding minions make it too impractical, even for a potential +5 bonus?

Oh, and yes...gold will still be dished out for reviews this week AND next, so don't miss out!

[sickofpalantirs]

•Gimli, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
Damage +1.
While at a battleground, Gimli is strength +1.
While at a mountain site, Gimli is strength +1.
Assignment: Exert Gimli and add a threat to make a minion lose or gain fierce until the regroup phase.
"‘It does my heart good to be so close to the mountains...this is good quality rock.'"
I think it should be gain or lose...instead of lose or gain. but thats just me. 

•Legolas, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Elf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
While Legolas bears a unique hand weapon, he is damage +1.
Each time you play a or skirmish event, you may exert Legolas to make him strength +1. Then, if Legolas is at a battleground, you may heal him.
"‘This is a fight we cannot win. It will become a massacre.'"
fine

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"
too good. all you need is one token than reinforce like mad for +5 bonus...theres gotta be a better way...maybe tokens here cannot be reinforced?

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"

coolio

[FM]

•Gimli, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
Damage +1.
While at a battleground, Gimli is strength +1.
While at a mountain site, Gimli is strength +1.
Assignment: Exert Gimli and add a threat to make a minion lose or gain fierce until the regroup phase.
"‘It does my heart good to be so close to the mountains...this is good quality rock.'"

VERY cool! I like how you can give fierce to a wimpy minion, so as to abuse some of the stuff you have created, for instance allowing for you to get rid of pesky minions for a possible double-move. Very nice.

•Legolas, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Elf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
While Legolas bears a unique hand weapon, he is damage +1.
Each time you play a or skirmish event, you may exert Legolas to make him strength +1. Then, if Legolas is at a battleground, you may heal him.
"‘This is a fight we cannot win. It will become a massacre.'"

Like it as well. Ties well with Gimli indeed, and is ALSO nicely abusable!

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"

Well, not much to say, I always liked the Towers conditions, so I like these ones as well, and I really don't think it's that hard to pull off, and let's face it, it just gets easier as the game progresses and the counters start piling up. However, as a general advice, I'd suggest to try a hand at stuff like Bow of the Galadhrim, instead of regular damage bonuses, for elves. Gives them a little more versatility. Of course, seeing a damage +1 line on Legolas makes me happy, but keep the other way to do so in mind as well.

[DáinIronfoot]

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"

Well, not much to say, I always liked the Towers conditions, so I like these ones as well, and I really don't think it's that hard to pull off, and let's face it, it just gets easier as the game progresses and the counters start piling up. However, as a general advice, I'd suggest to try a hand at stuff like Bow of the Galadhrim, instead of regular damage bonuses, for elves. Gives them a little more versatility. Of course, seeing a damage +1 line on Legolas makes me happy, but keep the other way to do so in mind as well.

So if they're easy enough to pull off and reinforce like crazy, as SoP fears, should I cut back on the limit some?

And don't worry, I'm not going crazy with damage-heavy Elves. Legolas and one other Elf are the only ones that can gain it specifically (and both require certain possessions to do so), and while I have two events in this set (and this set only) that can do it as well, one is very specific (requires spotting Gimli) and the other is rather costly. I ain't making Elves into Dwarf clones, don't worry. Just a little taste of it.

[MR. Lurtzy]

Okay, since 2/3 of my "normal" reviewers are gone, those of you filling in get a special treat today. Two of the cards below are brand new, and two have been posted elsewhere before but are still some of my favorite cards. Since you're likely new to this, they'll be new to you, right? So you get FOUR cards today.

Oh, and only two are actual cards. It'll make sense why that is when you see them, as the two new ones are pretty well tied together. Anyway, as always...enjoy!

•Gimli, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
Damage +1.
While at a battleground, Gimli is strength +1.
While at a mountain site, Gimli is strength +1.
Assignment: Exert Gimli and add a threat to make a minion gain or lose fierce until the regroup phase.
"‘It does my heart good to be so close to the mountains...this is good quality rock.'"
Excellent.

•Legolas, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Elf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
While Legolas bears a unique hand weapon, he is damage +1.
Each time you play a or skirmish event, you may exert Legolas to make him strength +1. Then, if Legolas is at a battleground, you may heal him.
"‘This is a fight we cannot win. It will become a massacre.'"
A limit on the healing there should be.

The two cards above are the ones I've posted before. They're actually from an entirely different set called Ages of Middle-earth, centered around the awesome video game The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age by EA Games, but also acting as a sort of "Reflections" set with other LOTR material as well. Anyway, since Gimli and Legolas both appear in The Third Age at Helm's Deep, that's how they appear in Ages of Middle-earth, each also featuring a new signet based around the main character from the game. Just ignore the signet for now, though, and let me know what you think of the rest.

Oh, one thing I SHOULD note: represents the "Mirkwood" culture, the only all-new culture in my sets. It is the second biggest Free Peoples culture (behind only, ironically, ) in my first set Lasting Alliances (a set centered mostly around The Hobbit), but it is sprinkled throughout my other sets as well. Most stuff focuses on the Wood-elves of Mirkwood (including Legolas in later sets), but also has a mix of Men (Beornings), Eagles, and even a certain Wizard (no, not Gandalf...try his "cousin" ). Just know that much of is similiar to the culture, though Elves have more of an emphasis on skirmishing and less on archery than their brethren. Legolas sometimes gets to dabble in both, as is the case here.

Now, the reason I've gone back and posted that pair is directly related to today's new cards:

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"
Groovy.

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"
Good.

Before you point it out, I'll do it myself...the titles of these are rather lame. :-\ They're semi-direct pulls from the text of The Two Towers, but still...meh. If you have any better suggestions, I'm all ears.

Now, on to what they actually do. Obviously, these are the younger cousins of My Axe Is Notched and Final Count. They're both better and worse than those old-school cards: better in that they can boost up to +5 (rather than the original +3), but worse in that they require not just winning skirmishes, but killing (or otherwise discarding) minions in those skirmishes. For Gimli that's not quite as big an issue with his standard damage bonus, but with Legolas it might be tougher to pull off...or will it? This allows his archery stuff to count as well, but also note the Legolas I re-spoiled above...he can get a damage bonus too! And though I don't want to spoil more cards just yet (this IS, after all, a thread...we'll get to Elves in another thread eventually), suffice it to say that at least one version of Legolas in THIS set can potentially get a damage bonus or two as well. So it's not THAT out of the question.

But is it good enough? Or does limiting it to killing/discarding minions make it too impractical, even for a potential +5 bonus?

Oh, and yes...gold will still be dished out for reviews this week AND next, so don't miss out!

[FM]

I don't think reinforcing is THAT problematic, since you have to reinforce TWO different conditions, and then agian, all it does is give out a strength bonus. I say leave it as it is. However, you COULD simply block off reinforcing, if it's not what you had in mind when designing the conditions and you think it may be abusable.

[DáinIronfoot]

Nah, I think I'll leave it alone. The strategy could use a little help to get off the ground, and like you said, that would require dedicated token reinforcement for BOTH cultures.

Here's a card that helps in that department, though....

•Send Them To Me!
Condition
Strength +1
Bearer must be a unique Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Discard this condition at the end of the turn.
"‘Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen!...'"

And the card I promised to make based on some of FM's suggestions for Not Left Behind and The Score Is Reduced:

Flint and Tinder
Event • Fellowship
Spot a pipeweed and a Dwarf to play a tale condition from your discard pile. Then you may discard a pipeweed from play or from a condition it is stacked on to place this event on top of your draw deck.
"‘But first—if you have finished eating—you shall fill your pipes and light up.'"

I thought about limiting this to tales, but in the end I opted to make it a little more versatile since cramming Dwarves, pipeweeds (and presumably pipes), and tales into the same deck is already difficult enough to put one MORE constraint on things.

[FM]

I'd make the first card's ability a "you may" triggered ability. Just as to benefit better players, like, the ones who pay attention to the game and remember they CAN perform a maneuver action, rather than FORCING them to "remember". Otherwise, it's cool. A little abusable, but still cool.
As for the second card, I LOVE "responses"! But response events in LotR should tell WHAT you should be responding to, shouldn't they?

[DáinIronfoot]

I'd make the first card's ability a "you may" triggered ability. Just as to benefit better players, like, the ones who pay attention to the game and remember they CAN perform a maneuver action, rather than FORCING them to "remember". Otherwise, it's cool. A little abusable, but still cool.

So I should have "you may" in there for BOTH sentences? Seems like a little overkill to me....

Or are you saying to take it out of the second sentence and JUST put it in the beginning?

As for the second card, I LOVE "responses"! But response events in LotR should tell WHAT you should be responding to, shouldn't they?

DOH! That's supposed to be a different phase. I think I meant fellowship.

[FM]

Didn't catch the other "may". #$&*@! it. But I think I, for one, would use the may just in the beggining. If he remembers to use the triggered ability, he'll remember to use the effect.

[sickofpalantirs]

•Send Them To Me!
Condition • Support Area
At the start of each maneuver phase, name a unique Dwarf. Until the regroup phase, each time that Dwarf wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
"‘Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen! Twenty!...'"
stop the lore at nineteen IMSOshould it just be discard this condition at the beginning of the regroup phase and ditch the until the regroup phase thing...would seem less complicated

Flint and Tinder
Event • Fellowship
Spot a pipeweed and a Dwarf to play a tale condition from your discard pile. Then you may discard a pipeweed from play or from a condition it is stacked on to place this event on top of your draw deck.
"‘But first—if you have finished eating—you shall fill your pipes and light up.'"

fine

[DáinIronfoot]

•Send Them To Me!
Condition • Support Area
At the start of each maneuver phase, name a unique Dwarf. Until the regroup phase, each time that Dwarf wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
"‘Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen! Twenty!...'"

stop the lore at nineteen IMSOshould it just be discard this condition at the beginning of the regroup phase and ditch the until the regroup phase thing...would seem less complicated

Changed the lore and retooled the card in a manner similiar to what you suggested. You're right, it DOES seem much less complicted. Is it better now, in your opinion?

[sickofpalantirs]

I think it should be at the end of the regroup phase...but either works. get FM"s opinion

[FM]

I think the condition might be a little underpowered now...

[MR. Lurtzy]

Nah, I think I'll leave it alone. The strategy could use a little help to get off the ground, and like you said, that would require dedicated token reinforcement for BOTH cultures.

Here's a card that helps in that department, though....

•Send Them To Me!
Condition
Strength +1
Bearer must be a unique Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Discard this condition at the end of the turn.
"‘Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen!...'"
Good, though it doesn't really need to be unique.
And the card I promised to make based on some of FM's suggestions for Not Left Behind and The Score Is Reduced:

Flint and Tinder
Event • Fellowship
Spot a pipeweed and a Dwarf to play a tale condition from your discard pile. Then you may discard a pipeweed from play or from a condition it is stacked on to place this event on top of your draw deck.
"‘But first—if you have finished eating—you shall fill your pipes and light up.'"
Good.
I thought about limiting this to tales, but in the end I opted to make it a little more versatile since cramming Dwarves, pipeweeds (and presumably pipes), and tales into the same deck is already difficult enough to put one MORE constraint on things.

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, I confess. I went full bore at the culture recently, getting lots of material ready to for my other current DC thread, and poor Gimli kind of got left in the dust. But I do have ONE new card ready for today, and it's a rather important and--for Dwarves, anyway--revolutionary one, giving the culture something they currently lack. I probably won't do anything else like this, so this will probably be a very unique card even within the confines of my DC sets, but...well, let me know what YOU think. That's why I post these, after all, rather than just hoarding them to myself. Well, that and the fact that never sharing them would be rather silly. Plus I'd maybe go insane if I just created all these and then didn't DO anything with them.

Ahem. Right, card. "Get to the point, Dwarf," I hear you scream. Alright. Here 'tis. Enjoy!

Breaking the Silence
Event • Response
Toil 2.
If a Shadow condition or Shadow event is played, spot a Dwarf who has resistance 5 or more and add a threat to return that condition to its owner's hand.
"‘The words of this wizard stand on their heads. In the language of Orthanc help means ruin, and saving means slaying, that is plain. But we do not come here to beg.'"

[MR. Lurtzy]

Needs to cost !

[FM]

Could easily cost 0. Absurdly situational, most of the times it won't do you much good against events (except stuff like Red Wrath, which cost a lot), and it just "cancels" a condition (usually more expensive, so might work better) for a turn, sometimes not even a full one. Costing a card, an exertion of a probably value character AND a threat? More than enough. If it made it be discarded, however, then it'd be nice as it is.

[DáinIronfoot]

Left the cost as is, but changed it from exerting to spotting and slapped on a toil 1. So now, it's a basically a rewrite of the other with the cost dropped to , though more flexible now. Good, or does it need further tweaking?

[FM]

I still think twilight is not necessary. After all, what good is "bouncing" a condition back if you're giving them twilight to possibly just go and replay it? "Bounce" effects should have exertions, and such, in their costs, perhaps even discarding, but not twilight. I guess the toil fixes that, but then it gets TOO harsh, needing 2 exertions to cost 0...

[DáinIronfoot]

I still think twilight is not necessary. After all, what good is "bouncing" a condition back if you're giving them twilight to possibly just go and replay it? "Bounce" effects should have exertions, and such, in their costs, perhaps even discarding, but not twilight. I guess the toil fixes that, but then it gets TOO harsh, needing 2 exertions to cost 0...

Alright, I'll change it to cost. Good?

Back to good, old-fashioned skirmishing today. Enjoy!

Let Him Be
Event • Skirmish
Exert a Dwarf (except the Ring-bearer) to make another companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength +X, where X is that Dwarf's resistance.
"‘Let him go, lad....'"

Ai-oi!
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or +4 if in a fierce skirmish).
"‘Twenty-one!' cried Gimli. He hewed a two-handed stroke and laid the last Orc before his feet."

[FM]

Both good enough, although I'd make the first one cost 0 as well, not THAT big of a pump without some serious tanking first anyway. But I guess 1 is fine.

[DáinIronfoot]

At first I changed Let Him Go as you suggested, FM, but then I had a thought and did something else entirely. How do you like it now? Too good? Should I cap it or raise the cost to ?

[MR. Lurtzy]

Make the first one cost 2 now, seeing as it's easy to get a strength +6.

[FM]

Yeah, it's better to raise the cost.

[DáinIronfoot]

Done. for both of you.

Just one more card today as we slowly begin to transition from Helm's Deep Gimli to Gimli of The Three Hunters....

Where Is He?
Event • Regroup
Discard a condition to make an opponent wound a minion once for each token on that condition and each card stacked on that condition.
"‘Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing.'"

[MR. Lurtzy]

Could prolly cost .

[FM]

Hum... I think it's fine, after all, it can be a pretty good wipe out...

[MR. Lurtzy]

But wouldn't it be only wounding a single minion?

[FM]

Nope. Read as: "For each token here, the Shadow player must wound a minion". Basically, perform the action once for each token. Remove a token, the Shadow player wounds a minion. Remove a token, the Shadow player wounds a minion. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[MR. Lurtzy]

Well, if that's what it means then it should stay at .

[Thranduil]

3.) Did I mention GOLD? :hey:

I like your sneaky methods! :hey:

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may choose one: exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token; or stack a card from hand here or on another condition that has a card already stacked on it.
If this condition is discarded from play or from a condition it is stacked on, you may heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

I would make the first line more on these lines: 'Each time a Dwarf wins a skirmish, you may exert him to choose one: reinforce a token; or stack a card...' I just don't think it's useful enough requiring your opponent to play fierce minions.

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Choose one: spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

I would remove the adding from the second option - it seems fine without it. But, I would like either both or neither abilities to work with tales - doing half and half doesn't sit well with me. Perhaps you could simply have it: 'Spot a tale to choose one:...'

•Gimli, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
Damage +1.
While at a battleground, Gimli is strength +1.
While at a mountain site, Gimli is strength +1.
Assignment: Exert Gimli and add a threat to make a minion gain or lose fierce until the regroup phase.
"‘It does my heart good to be so close to the mountains...this is good quality rock.'"

This does make that last card more useful and some other cards about fierce skirmishes, but I still stand by my earlier point. But this card seems fine.

•Legolas, Defender of Helm's Deep
Companion • Elf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Berethor
While Legolas bears a unique hand weapon, he is damage +1.
Each time you play a or skirmish event, you may exert Legolas to make him strength +1. Then, if Legolas is at a battleground, you may heal him.
"‘This is a fight we cannot win. It will become a massacre.'"

Ah yes, I remember these guys. They're still good.

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"

I'm feeling that these cards are a little too similar to the Two Towers cards without being the same. I would reprint the originals (perhaps with a minor modification to make them more useful) or make entirely new cards. For example, the quotes you give are about Legolas' and Gimli's counts surpassing each other, so maybe a mechanic by which you get bonuses for the difference between the two numbers of tokens would be very interesting.

•Send Them To Me!
Condition
Strength +1
Bearer must be a unique Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Discard this condition at the end of the turn.
"‘Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen!...'"

I would reduce the cost and reduce the effect. I think I would make it and non-unique, bearer must be a Dwarf and no strength bonus.

Flint and Tinder
Event • Fellowship
Spot a pipeweed and a Dwarf to play a tale condition from your discard pile. Then you may discard a pipeweed from play or from a condition it is stacked on to place this event on top of your draw deck.
"‘But first—if you have finished eating—you shall fill your pipes and light up.'"

This is quite fun!

Breaking the Silence
Event • Response
Toil 1.
If a Shadow condition or Shadow event is played, spot a Dwarf who has resistance 5 or more and add a threat to return that condition to its owner's hand.
"‘The words of this wizard stand on their heads. In the language of Orthanc help means ruin, and saving means slaying, that is plain. But we do not come here to beg.'"

I would increase the cost to I think (maybe with Toil 2 instead of Toil 1) - this is not something that Dwarves should find easy by any means.

Let Him Be
Event • Skirmish
Exert a Dwarf to make another companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength +X, where X is that Dwarf's resistance.
"‘Let him go, lad....'"

I think I would take the cost down to and prevent you exerting Gimli, BoG, who is after all has the most resistance bonuses of any Dwarf in the game.

Ai-oi!
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or +4 if in a fierce skirmish).
"‘Twenty-one!' cried Gimli. He hewed a two-handed stroke and laid the last Orc before his feet."

Nice and simple.

Where Is He?
Event • Regroup
Discard a condition to make an opponent wound a minion once for each token and card stacked on that condition.
"‘Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing.'"

Wording's a bit off here - it appears that you wound a minion for each token stacked on a condition, which is obviously impossible. '... wound a minion once for each token on that condition and each card stacked on that condition.' would be the easiest way to fix it.

It's good to be back!

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

We were not plotting anything Mr Dwarf! Although freakily Thran was extremely close to where i was, Rhodes is a greek island, and i hear Thran was in mainland Greece. That right Thran?

Anyway its pure coincidence and any future subterranean movement, insurrections, rebellions or underground resistance are completely unassociated with my good self and my fellow reviewer!  :hey:

As Thran has been kind enough to sort out all your cards ive missed ill steal his format. Thanks mate!

•Not Left Behind
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a Dwarf wins a fierce skirmish, you may choose one: exert that Dwarf to reinforce a token; or stack a card from hand here or on another condition that has a card already stacked on it.
If this condition is discarded from play or from a condition it is stacked on, you may heal each exhausted Dwarf.
"‘It was only a feeble blow and the cap turned it. It would take more than such an orc-scratch to keep me back.'"

With that last line i feel it needs to cost 3. Without it its beautifully balanced or with the change ditto.

The Score Is Reduced
Event • Regroup
Choose one: spot a tale and a Dwarf companion to heal that Dwarf and draw a card; or, if this card is stacked on a tale, discard it and add to heal a Dwarf up to 3 times.
"‘You truants might make amends by finding us some of the plunder that you spoke of. Food and drink would pay off some of my score against you.'"

Nice.

•Counting Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may add a token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Scoring Game are each X, Legolas is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘Twenty-one! Now my count passes Master Legolas again.'"

Too similar might as well do a reprint.

•Scoring Game
Condition • Support Area
Tale. Each time a minion is killed or discarded in a skirmish involving Legolas (or as a result of Legolas' archery ability), you may add an token here.
While the number of tokens here and the number of tokens on Counting Game are each X, Gimli is strength +X (limit +5).
"‘I desired to tell Master Gimli that my tale is now thirty-nine.'"

Ditto.

•Send Them To Me!
Condition
Strength +1
Bearer must be a unique Dwarf.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token or stack a card from hand on a condition that has a card already stacked on it.
Discard this condition at the end of the turn.
"‘Seventeen! Eighteen! Nineteen!...'"

Could cost 1 i think.

Flint and Tinder
Event • Fellowship
Spot a pipeweed and a Dwarf to play a tale condition from your discard pile. Then you may discard a pipeweed from play or from a condition it is stacked on to place this event on top of your draw deck.
"‘But first—if you have finished eating—you shall fill your pipes and light up.'"

Ok but doesnt seem massively useful.

Breaking the Silence
Event • Response
Toil 1.
If a Shadow condition or Shadow event is played, spot a Dwarf who has resistance 5 or more and add a threat to return that condition to its owner's hand.
"‘The words of this wizard stand on their heads. In the language of Orthanc help means ruin, and saving means slaying, that is plain. But we do not come here to beg.'"

You state return that condition but it also affects events. I think you should pick one though.

Let Him Be
Event • Skirmish
Exert a Dwarf to make another companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength +X, where X is that Dwarf's resistance.
"‘Let him go, lad....'"

Seems a tad too good. A strength +7 pump using gimli is excessive for 2.

Ai-oi!
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or +4 if in a fierce skirmish).
"‘Twenty-one!' cried Gimli. He hewed a two-handed stroke and laid the last Orc before his feet."

Fine.

Where Is He?
Event • Regroup
Discard a condition to make an opponent wound a minion once for each token and card stacked on that condition.
"‘Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing.'"

Cool could cost 2 though.



It's good to be back!

Yup youre darn right.

Thranduil
[/quote]

[DáinIronfoot]

I'll make some tweaks to the other cards in a minute. For now, I want to get new cards up before SoP leaves. He's logged in right now!

Alright, shifting from Helm's Deep Gimli to Three Hunter Gimli, though we may dabble a little in Helm's Deep again before the culture is over. But what better way to get into Gimli's hunter side than with the hunter himself? Enjoy!

•Gimli, Dwarf of Many Journeys
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Aragorn
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
While you can spot Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli gains hunter 1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may exert him to make a hunter companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.'"

•Axe of Erebor, Walking-axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this possession to exert a minion.

[sickofpalantirs]

I'll make some tweaks to the other cards in a minute. For now, I want to get new cards up before SoP leaves. He's logged in right now!
got me

Alright, shifting from Helm's Deep Gimli to Three Hunter Gimli, though we may dabble a little in Helm's Deep again before the culture is over. But what better way to get into Gimli's hunter side than with the hunter himself? Enjoy!

•Gimli, Dwarf of Many Journeys
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Aragorn
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
While you can spot Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli gains hunter 1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may exert him to make a hunter companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.'"
maybe damage+1 or hunter 1...until the regroup phase

•Axe of Erebor, Walking Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."
hum...I guess maybe just gorn and leggo but...IDK

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this weapon to exert a minion.

fine

[menace64]

•Gimli, Dwarf of Many Journeys
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Aragorn
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
While you can spot Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli gains hunter 1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may exert him to make a hunter companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.'"

While I admit that there's not much room for creativity with the hunter keyword, this card kind of escapes me. I'm ever-thoughtful of flavor, and this Gimli is lacking, I think. I understand the first bit about gaining another hunter, but that damage bonus part just doesn't quite work for me. However, not every card can be a perfect representation of the story (obviously), so don't change anything. By the way, I like the possibility of giving Legolas (or just about any Elf) a damage bonus.

•Axe of Erebor, Walking Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."

I think the subtitle should be "Walking-axe", since 'walking' is directly describing the axe (hurray for compound modifiers!). Again, just a nitpick.
The text is clunky, but there's no better way to really write it. Trust me, I tried. 

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this weapon to exert a minion.

Again, I would suggest a hypenated title. And I'm pretty sure this overshadows Hand Axe. Not only do you get the +1 strength most of the time, but you also get to spot another hunter in the fellowship. Then you can get a direct exertion. Oh well. Since it's got a twilight cost, it would appeal to different players. It's not easy to design a card in similar function to an older card without throwing the older card out the window. This is about as good as it gets.
Oh yeah, and the archery ability should say "discard this possession".

[lem0nhead]

•Gimli, Dwarf of Many Journeys
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Aragorn
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
While you can spot Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli gains hunter 1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may exert him to make a hunter companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.'"

Its ok, feel a little bland and too specific but would be ok if left.

•Axe of Erebor, Walking Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."

The axe has legs or what? Again ok but theres no fireworks.

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this weapon to exert a minion.

Discard this possession. Apart from that its ok.

[FM]

•Gimli, Dwarf of Many Journeys
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Aragorn
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
While you can spot Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli gains hunter 1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may exert him to make a hunter companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.'"

Kinda... meh. I would probably not play it, his signet is appealing to King in Exile, but then again, KiE is not a hunter, so...

•Axe of Erebor, Walking-axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."

Gandalf? Really? Why?

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this possession to exert a minion.

Hunters are good at killing, if you're throwing the axe, you should wound the prey, not exert it.

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, tweaks made. Thanks, guys!

Continuing full bore at the hunter side of Gimli today, with some cards that make him particularly good when with his other...uh...Two Hunters.

•A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds / /
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
While Aragorn and Legolas each bear a ranged weapon and are each hunters, the fellowship archery total is +1.
While Legolas and Gimli each bear a hand weapon and are each hunters, they are each damage +1.
While Gimli and Aragorn each bear a weapon and are each hunters, they are each strength +1.

Very wordy, I know, but I didn't want such nice and FREE bonuses to be TOO easy.

Obviously, these Three Hunters are best when armed.

Quick As May Be (reprint)
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and an Elf companion to wound a minion.
"‘I think, nonetheless, that we no longer need any trail to tell us which way to go.'"

One of my all-time favorites...I couldn't help but reprint it.

And in the same vein:

No Vain Pursuit
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and a ranger to discard an exhausted or roaming minion.
"‘You are our guide, and you are skilled in the chase.'"

Yeah, it's not a card, but it fits, right? Besides, I already "finished" the culture, so....

[DáinIronfoot]

•Axe of Erebor, Walking-axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."

Gandalf? Really? Why?

Because this set has a Gandalf hunter and a few cards to try and tie him in with The Three Hunters.

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this possession to exert a minion.

Hunters are good at killing, if you're throwing the axe, you should wound the prey, not exert it.

I'd love to, but I think that would be too powerful.

Thanks for continuing to review!

[FM]

•A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds / /
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
While Aragorn and Legolas each bear a ranged weapon and are each hunters, the fellowship archery total is +1.
While Legolas and Gimli each bear a hand weapon and are each hunters, they are each damage +1.
While Gimli and Aragorn each bear a weapon and are each hunters, they are each strength +1.
While you can spot Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and they are each hunters and unwounded, the move limit is +1.

I've played a bit with multi-cultural cards before, I like the idea! I love the flavor of the card, but I think it's weird to see Legolas gaining damage and Aragorn gaining strength. Perhaps the other way around? However, the idea of a possible damage +2 legolas makes me smile...

Quick As May Be (reprint)
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and an Elf companion to wound a minion.
"‘I think, nonetheless, that we no longer need any trail to tell us which way to go.'"

Back when we had "small deck" tournaments in Tower Block, and no rares were allowed, I ALWAYS played wounding with "the Three Hunters" (believe it or not, it's what I called the deck back then), and Quick As May Be was a staple!

No Vain Pursuit
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and a ranger companion to discard an exhausted or roaming minion.
"‘You are our guide, and you are skilled in the chase.'"

I think it's very funny how you can have Arwen and Gimli discard a minion with a Gondor card! Perhaps make it multicultural for as well?

[lem0nhead]

•A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds / /
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
While Aragorn and Legolas each bear a ranged weapon and are each hunters, the fellowship archery total is +1.
While Legolas and Gimli each bear a hand weapon and are each hunters, they are each damage +1.
While Gimli and Aragorn each bear a weapon and are each hunters, they are each strength +1.
While you can spot Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and they are each hunters and unwounded, the move limit is +1.

Its seems excessive on 1 card id chop the cost to 2 and drop the last line. or even just drop the last bit.


No Vain Pursuit
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and a ranger companion to discard an exhausted or roaming minion.
"‘You are our guide, and you are skilled in the chase.'"

I dont think there are any ranger non-companions. Just say and a Ranger. Hmmm change roaming to something else imho.

[sickofpalantirs]

random thoguht that I don't want to forget...we are long overdo for the FPCA!

Alright, tweaks made. Thanks, guys!

Continuing full bore at the hunter side of Gimli today, with some cards that make him particularly good when with his other...uh...Two Hunters.

•A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds / /
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
While Aragorn and Legolas each bear a ranged weapon and are each hunters, the fellowship archery total is +1.
While Legolas and Gimli each bear a hand weapon and are each hunters, they are each damage +1.
While Gimli and Aragorn each bear a weapon and are each hunters, they are each strength +1.
While you can spot Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and they are each hunters and unwounded, the move limit is +1.
I would cut the last ability

Obviously, these Three Hunters are best when armed.


No Vain Pursuit
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and a ranger companion to discard an exhausted or roaming minion.
"‘You are our guide, and you are skilled in the chase.'"

fino

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, I dropped the last ability from A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds and dropped the cost to . I suppose I can always create another card specifically for the move limit if I want to do that too.

Let's get back to some skirmishing.

Forget the Miles
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf companion strength +2 (or +5 if the fellowship has moved more than once this turn).
"Stone-hard are the Dwarves in labour or journey...."

Just a cousin to cards like Final Shot and Hamstrung.

That One Counts As Mine!
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Make a Dwarf strength +2. If that Dwarf wins this skirmish, you may take a skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
"‘Bring your pretty face to my axe!'"

[lem0nhead]

Forget the Miles
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf companion strength +2 (or +5 if the fellowship has moved more than once this turn).
"Stone-hard are the Dwarves in labour or journey...."

Fine but couldnt you have come up with something besides moving? Im just being pedantic now!

That One Counts As Mine!
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2. If that Dwarf wins this skirmish, you may take a event into hand from your discard pile.
"‘Bring your pretty face to my axe!'"

Should it be , do you think? If so, maybe with some toil? Or with the second part requiring that Dwarf to exert or something?

Definately its very powerful, if you add toil id make it cost 3 toil 2.

[sickofpalantirs]

Alright, I dropped the last ability from A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds and dropped the cost to . I suppose I can always create another card specifically for the move limit if I want to do that too.

Let's get back to some skirmishing.

Forget the Miles
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf companion strength +2 (or +5 if the fellowship has moved more than once this turn).
"Stone-hard are the Dwarves in labour or journey...."
fine

Just a cousin to cards like Final Shot and Hamstrung.

That One Counts As Mine!
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Make a Dwarf strength +2. If that Dwarf wins this skirmish, you may take a event into hand from your discard pile.
"‘Bring your pretty face to my axe!'"

I would actually cut cost to 2...just to make things interesting.

[FM]

Forget the Miles
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf companion strength +2 (or +5 if the fellowship has moved more than once this turn).
"Stone-hard are the Dwarves in labour or journey...."

Good enough IMO.

That One Counts As Mine!
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Make a Dwarf strength +2. If that Dwarf wins this skirmish, you may take a event into hand from your discard pile.
"‘Bring your pretty face to my axe!'"

So it's a reusable pump? Niiiiiice! Of course, I can see you wanting a DIFFERENT card some times, but I'd use it straight as a reusable pump in a deck, no questions asked. THEN I'd leave to the in-game situation to check if I might want ANOTHER thing back. Basically, I think it might be too good is what I'm trying to say, perhaps limit it to skirmish events? Then you'd still get a reusable pump, or a pump that trades itself for a BETTER pump, so, for instance, you could pack a small number of conditional pumps, like against Uruk-hais, and keep getting it back.

[lem0nhead]

Oooo hadnt noticed it wasnt skirmish events only. Yeah i 2nd FM's review on that aspect.

[DáinIronfoot]

Good idea with the skirmish restriction. Will do.

In the meantime, speaking of reusable events....

My Heart Burns
Event • Regroup
Heal a hunter. Then, if you can spot 3 hunters, you may return this event to your hand.
"‘...I would have started sooner but now I must rest a little to run the better.'"

And something to use before following up with that healing....

Forget My Wrath
Event • Skirmish
Exert a hunter to make a non- hunter strength +3 or strength -3.
"‘So many strange things have chanced that to learn the praise of a fair lady under the loving strokes of a Dwarf's axe will seem no great wonder.'"

[FM]

Really nice, both of them!

[sickofpalantirs]

it took me a bit to catch what the 2nd card was doing...I'll blame it on work...

[FM]

On WHOSE work?!?

[lem0nhead]

My Heart Burns
Event • Regroup
Heal a hunter. Then, if you can spot 3 hunters, you may return this event to your hand.
"‘...I would have started sooner but now I must rest a little to run the better.'"

Interesting, i like. Might be a bit good if you can make 3 dwarves hunters....

Forget My Wrath
Event • Skirmish
Exert a hunter to make a non- hunter strength +3 or strength -3.
"‘So many strange things have chanced that to learn the praise of a fair lady under the loving strokes of a Dwarf's axe will seem no great wonder.'"

Very cool me likey.

[sickofpalantirs]

On WHOSE work?!?

\my work, ie my job...

[DáinIronfoot]

Probably thought I was done with Dwarves once I started up the culture, eh?

Nope, not just yet. I admit I'm in the cleaning up phase though, in which I look at what I've done and try to find holes that need to be plugged. One BIG hole I found is that while I have several cards that do stuff with cards stacked on conditions (eight, by my count), I currently have only TWO conditions that can have cards stacked on them, and one of those stacks minions, not Free Peoples cards! This won't do at all.

So here are a couple more conditions that hopefully help stop this rat-hole. Er, I mean, plug THIS hole. Yeah.

Warfare That Suits Me
Condition • Support Area
Tale. If you have initiative at the start of each maneuver phase, you may stack a card from hand here.
Fellowship: Add to take a card stacked here into hand.
Skirmish: Discard a card stacked here to make a Dwarf strength +1 for each card stacked here (limit +6).
"‘But, maybe, I shall come yet where I can stand and fight.'"

The ultimate stacker, as it were, with a variety of things you can DO with those stacked cards. Takes a bit of work to get that skirmish ability going, but once you do....

•How Shall I Come?
Condition • Support Area
Skirmish: Make a Dwarf that has a damage bonus and is assigned to a skirmish damage -1 until the regroup phase to stack a Free Peoples card from hand here. Make a companion of that card's culture damage +1. Limit once per skirmish.
"‘Men need many words before deeds....Though I doubt not that these Rohirrim are fell-handed when they come to it. Nonetheless this is not the warfare that suits me.'"

I know some people are leery--and rightly so!--about giving out damage bonuses to certain cultures. Should I exert the Dwarf instead of merely spotting?

[FM]

Well, I think it's not supposed to give damage bonuses at all,but you could spot a Dwarf ASSIGNED TO A SKIRMISH and make HIM loseHIS damage bonus, to compensate.

[Elf_Lvr]

Warfare That Suits Me
Condition • Support Area
Tale. At the start of each maneuver phase, if you have initiative, you may stack a card from hand here.
Fellowship: Add to take a card stacked here into hand.
Skirmish: Discard a card stacked here to make a Dwarf strength +1 for each card stacked here.
"‘But, maybe, I shall come yet where I can stand and fight.'"

Since it's non-unique and dwarves probably have a way to stack more cards there than your maneuver ability naturally allows, I'd probably cap the second ability somewhere.

•How Shall I Come?
Condition • Support Area
Skirmish: Make a Dwarf assigned to a skirmish damage -1 and stack a Free Peoples card from hand here to make a companion of that card's culture damage +1. Limit once per skirmish.
"‘Men need many words before deeds....Though I doubt not that these Rohirrim are fell-handed when they come to it. Nonetheless this is not the warfare that suits me.'"

It's fine. However, I see no reason why you couldn't make a dwarf with no damage bonus "damage -1," (which would lead to an obvious rule issue if it ended up at damage -1 in a skirmish...)  to give the other guy a bonus. Maybe change the wording around so it requires a dwarf that already has some kind of damage bonus.

[lem0nhead]

WOW Dain dont faint but you have another reviewer!

Warfare That Suits Me
Condition • Support Area
Tale. At the start of each maneuver phase, if you have initiative, you may stack a card from hand here.
Fellowship: Add to take a card stacked here into hand.
Skirmish: Discard a card stacked here to make a Dwarf strength +1 for each card stacked here.
"‘But, maybe, I shall come yet where I can stand and fight.'"

Phrase If you have iniative at the start of the maneuver phase.... I like this card!

•How Shall I Come?
Condition • Support Area
Skirmish: Make a Dwarf assigned to a skirmish damage -1 and stack a Free Peoples card from hand here to make a companion of that card's culture damage +1. Limit once per skirmish.
"‘Men need many words before deeds....Though I doubt not that these Rohirrim are fell-handed when they come to it. Nonetheless this is not the warfare that suits me.'"

I am one of the guys that dont like givin any culture especially those that dont have it, damage bonuses but here i actually think its ok except for one oversight. The dwarf regains his damage at the end of the skirmish so you need to stipulate til the regroup or its broken.

EDIT: And what EL said about no damage bonus!

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, awfully convoluted now, but How Shall I Come? is now working as everyone suggested. Thanks, guys. Good to have you back, EL.

[Thranduil]

•Gimli, Dwarf of Many Journeys
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Signet: Aragorn
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
While you can spot Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli gains hunter 1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may exert him to make a hunter companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘You speak evil of that which is fair beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you.'"

Apart from the initial hunter bonus which makes him too good for his cost (as per my usual rant), he's interesting - a bit like a built in Whatever End.

•Axe of Erebor, Walking-axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Gimli.
He gains hunter 1 for each of the following that is assigned to a skirmish: Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf.
"Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed."

Interesting. But I would probably take out Gandalf and replace it with an unbound Hobbit, if you're going on Three Hunters theme.

Throwing Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains hunter 1.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this possession to exert a minion.

Seems reasonable.

•A Marvel Among the Three Kindreds / /
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
While Aragorn and Legolas each bear a ranged weapon and are each hunters, the fellowship archery total is +1.
While Legolas and Gimli each bear a hand weapon and are each hunters, they are each damage +1.
While Gimli and Aragorn each bear a weapon and are each hunters, they are each strength +1.

Seems a bit complicated to remember which character gets which bonus when. I'd prefer something simpler where the bonus from each line only applies to 1 character and perhaps depends on no more than 1 other.

No Vain Pursuit
Event • Maneuver
Spot a Dwarf companion and a ranger to discard an exhausted or roaming minion.
"‘You are our guide, and you are skilled in the chase.'"

Fair enough, but I feel that a regroup discarding event fits better in the model.

Forget the Miles
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf companion strength +2 (or +5 if the fellowship has moved more than once this turn).
"Stone-hard are the Dwarves in labour or journey...."

Fair enough, but it makes a lot more sense in and culture than it does in .

That One Counts As Mine!
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Make a Dwarf strength +2. If that Dwarf wins this skirmish, you may take a skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
"‘Bring your pretty face to my axe!'"

This one I like. I would probably just make it or without toil, though.

My Heart Burns
Event • Regroup
Heal a hunter. Then, if you can spot 3 hunters, you may return this event to your hand.
"‘...I would have started sooner but now I must rest a little to run the better.'"

This kind of ability works much better in a Shadow card, not Free Peoples (where you can add infinite twilight without much thought). I would instead make it go on top of your draw deck so that at least you have to work to get it back with Hearth and Hall, otherwise it's too good I feel.

Forget My Wrath
Event • Skirmish
Exert a hunter to make a non- hunter strength +3 or strength -3.
"‘So many strange things have chanced that to learn the praise of a fair lady under the loving strokes of a Dwarf's axe will seem no great wonder.'"

This is fun.

Warfare That Suits Me
Condition • Support Area
Tale. If you have initiative at the start of each maneuver phase, you may stack a card from hand here.
Fellowship: Add to take a card stacked here into hand.
Skirmish: Discard a card stacked here to make a Dwarf strength +1 for each card stacked here (limit +6).
"‘But, maybe, I shall come yet where I can stand and fight.'"

That skirmish event seems excessively good - what's the point of the Axe of Erebor then? I think it should discard a card to make a Dwarf strength +1, or possibly a specific type of card (eg. Free Peoples) for a +2 bonus.

•How Shall I Come?
Condition • Support Area
Skirmish: Make a Dwarf that has a damage bonus and is assigned to a skirmish damage -1 until the regroup phase to stack a Free Peoples card from hand here. Make a companion of that card's culture damage +1. Limit once per skirmish.
"‘Men need many words before deeds....Though I doubt not that these Rohirrim are fell-handed when they come to it. Nonetheless this is not the warfare that suits me.'"

I don't quite understand why this is so complicated. A lot of confusion could be saved by 'At the start of each skirmish involving a Dwarf with a damage bonus...' though losing it until the regroup phase is not a bad idea.

Thranduil