If I made no mistake, there is more than 85-90% chance to have a skirmish event before site 4 (if you draw 4 cards each time you reconcile with a deck of 70 cards with only 4 skirmish events).
We're not understanding well each other... the old Leader of Dwarves played a Dwarf companion once per turn, that's up to 4 times (and often 4 times) before moving to site 5. And so does
LotC. Any Skirmish phase skill will have 1 site less to work, which is fine (although will be able to use the skill more than once per turn, if no limit added). So I'm talking about using the skill 3 or 4 times before losing Gandalf at 5, not only once!
If we're talking about setting up the Company well before dissappearing, 1 or 2 uses of the set up skill are clearly insufficient. The other 3 Gandalfs don't have that problem: The Grey plays whenever and whatever he wants (as far as doubts aren't excessive), Friend of Thorin starts with 1 companion more (than the new
LoD, and than The Grey) and cycles much better, and
LotC plays 1 companion per turn like the old
LoD (but doesn't get discarded).
In order to be coherent with the other Gandalf, we will only let Dwarf companions to be played from deck (and not Dwarven followers).
The Grey isn't coherent with the rest in that he's the only that can play artifacts. And the only who can also play companions from discard pile (and again, artifact too). In The Clouds Burst (Format #2), the artifact playing skill will save him all worries of being discarded at site 5, due to
Narya.
This new Leader of Dwarves is in clear disadvantage, as he cannot play 3 or 4 Dwarf companions before site 5 as all the 4 other Gandalfs can (that is, the 3 other + the old
LoD). So why not thinking outside of the box with followers? Besides, isn't he the "Leader of ALL Dwarves" in the Company?
We made a quick test yesterday. This new Gandalf was really nice to play.
I really believe he must be nice to play, and that's great if you ask me. But I also want him to be more stable, because a bad draft will really kill this new version most of the times. Unless he can get access to a good cycling mechanism (for the FP side).
I believe most of the new fun comes from the reconcile skill, and including Dwarf followers won't change that part at all. Moreover, being able to pull both Ori and Balin (without depending on Bilbo's Kitchen) will synergize marvelously with it! Even MORE fun!
Besides, you wanted to increase Ori's play and usefulness. This can be a good way to do so.
You can always wager that you can't afford to pay a doubt opt not to. Beefing up your shadow phase during your Free Peoples' turn is huge, and it shouldn't be a no-brainer.
Yeah, you're right. And this Gandalf will have the same doubt strain as The Grey, assuming that both use all their skills once per turn.
The only thing that worries me is that The Grey has easy access to
Glamdring to keep doubts at bay, and can also replay it if needed. This new
LoD will need to use Site 2 to get it (to the detriment of Orcrist and
Sting), and will also use
Glamdring's effect in max 3 sites before Mirkwood/Old Forest Road/Dol Guldur takes place... and that, assuming your opponent plays any minion (weak enough to lose vs Gandalf) in each of those sites.
Besides, playing no minions at
Trollshaw Forest (ergo, no Maneuver phase) is evil!