The Way Into Mordor - Isengard (12/31: Token Machine Stuff)

[DáinIronfoot]

Well, now that the move over here is about as complete as it's going to get, I think it's time to stop just posting random cards and get back on track, working through my third DC set--my Two Tower centric set--The Way Into Mordor.

For those who faithfully reviewed my cards at CC, you probably remember I was working my way through the culture. I had already done Men and a couple different versions of Saruman, but there is much, MUCH more still to do. I was working through Uruk trackers at the time of CC's untimely demise, and after that we still have warrior Uruks (like those at Helm's Deep) and Orcs and perhaps a few other surprises as well.

For now, though, let's get back to the trackers. To review, here are the cards I had already posted:

•Uglúk, Patrol Leader
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 2.
The roaming penalty for each other tracker you play is -2.
Each time Uglúk wins a fierce skirmish, you may exert 2 trackers (or 1 tracker twice) to capture a companion assigned to skirmish an tracker.
"‘We took the prisoners....We came out of Isengard, and led you here, and we shall lead you back by the way we choose.'"

•Mauhúr, Expert Scout
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 8
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 1.
While the fellowship is at a battleground, forest, or plains site, each other tracker gains hunter 1 and you may play Mauhúr any time you could play an assignment event.
Assignment: Exert Mauhúr to play an tracker from your hand. That tracker gains hunter 2 until the regroup phase.
"Then suddenly the answering cries of orc-voices came...from the direction of the forest and the mountains. Mauhúr had apparently arrived...."

•Lugdush, Isengarder
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 10
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
Each unbound Hobbit is strength -1.
Skirmish: Exert Lugdush to cancel a skirmish involving an tracker. The Free Peoples player may make the move limit -1 for this turn to prevent this.
"‘Put those Halflings down!' ordered Uglûk....‘You, Lugdush, get two others and stand guard over them!'"

Uruk Captor
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
While you can spot another tracker, this minion gains hunter 2 for each captured companion you can spot (or hunter 3 if that companion is a Hobbit).
"‘Kill all but NOT the Halfings; they are to be brought back ALIVE as quickly as possible.'"

Uruk Trailer
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 1.
This minion is strength +1 for each search card you can spot.
"‘And we march day and night. That clear?'"

Uruk Traveler
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 1.
Each time a search card is played on a companion, you may exert this minion to exert that companion.
"‘We'll find a use for your legs before long. You'll wish you had got none before we get home.'"


These all seemed to be approved by reviewers, so let's get going again with some all-new cards. Enjoy!

Uruk Shadower
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 1
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Lurker.
Each time an tracker wins a fierce skirmish, this minion is strength +2 and damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘We have ways of paying for tricks that you won't like, though they won't spoil your usefulness for the Master.'"

Uruk Hounder
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 2.
During a fierce skirmish involving this minion, it is strength +3 and damage +1.
"Boromir had blown his great horn till the woods rang, and at first the Orcs had been dismayed and had drawn back; but when no answer but the echoes came, they had attacked more fierce than ever."

•Isengarder Company
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
While you can spot 2 other hunters, Isengarder Company gains hunter 2.
While you can spot 2 other trackers, Isengarder Company is damage +1.
At the start of each skirmish involving Isengarder Company, each character in that skirmish bearing a search card must exert.
"‘We are the fighting Uruk-hai! We slew the great warrior.'"

Some old-school trackers, especially Uruk Hounder (which is a very close relative of no less than four trackers: Uruk Chaser, Uruk Runner, Uruk Foot Soldier, and Uruk Plains Runner). Uruk Shadower is in the same vein, while the Isengarder Company is a big Uruk group that gets better under certain conditions, like a number of similiar Uruks.

Again, several references to search cards. We'll get to some--old and new--shortly, I promise.

[Thranduil]

Uruk Shadower
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 1
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Lurker.
Each time an tracker wins a fierce skirmish, this minion is strength +2 and damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘We have ways of paying for tricks that you won't like, though they won't spoil your usefulness for the Master.'"

Perhaps this guy could have 2 separate abilities, one for normal skirmishes that lasts until the fierce assignment phase, then the one above.

Uruk Hounder
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 2.
During a fierce skirmish involving this minion, it is strength +3 and damage +1.
"Boromir had blown his great horn till the woods rang, and at first the Orcs had been dismayed and had drawn back; but when no answer but the echoes came, they had attacked more fierce than ever."

Fair enough.

•Isengarder Company
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
While you can spot 2 other hunters, Isengarder Company gains hunter 2.
While you can spot 2 other trackers, Isengarder Company is damage +1.
At the start of each skirmish involving Isengarder Company, each character in that skirmish bearing a search card must exert.
"‘We are the fighting Uruk-hai! We slew the great warrior.'"

Looks good I think. But I'm always bad at balancing big minions...

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

Uruk Shadower
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 1
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Lurker.
Each time an tracker wins a fierce skirmish, this minion is strength +2 and damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘We have ways of paying for tricks that you won't like, though they won't spoil your usefulness for the Master.'"

ditto thran

Uruk Hounder
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 2.
During a fierce skirmish involving this minion, it is strength +3 and damage +1.
"Boromir had blown his great horn till the woods rang, and at first the Orcs had been dismayed and had drawn back; but when no answer but the echoes came, they had attacked more fierce than ever."

cut hunter to 1

•Isengarder Company
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
While you can spot 2 other hunters, Isengarder Company gains hunter 2.
While you can spot 2 other trackers, Isengarder Company is damage +1.
At the start of each skirmish involving Isengarder Company, each character in that skirmish bearing a search card must exert.
"‘We are the fighting Uruk-hai! We slew the great warrior.'"

fine

[lem0nhead]

Uruk Shadower
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 1
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Lurker.
Each time an tracker wins a fierce skirmish, this minion is strength +2 and damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘We have ways of paying for tricks that you won't like, though they won't spoil your usefulness for the Master.'"

Nice balance with the fierce thing but still really nasty.

Uruk Hounder
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 2.
During a fierce skirmish involving this minion, it is strength +3 and damage +1.
"Boromir had blown his great horn till the woods rang, and at first the Orcs had been dismayed and had drawn back; but when no answer but the echoes came, they had attacked more fierce than ever."

Hmmm again really nasty.

•Isengarder Company
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce.
While you can spot 2 other hunters, Isengarder Company gains hunter 2.
While you can spot 2 other trackers, Isengarder Company is damage +1.
At the start of each skirmish involving Isengarder Company, each character in that skirmish bearing a search card must exert.
"‘We are the fighting Uruk-hai! We slew the great warrior.'"

Arent all your isengard hunters trackers?

[DáinIronfoot]

Arent all your isengard hunters trackers?

Not necessarily. The majority of trackers are also hunters, yes, but not all. And there are a few hunters that are not trackers.

But we'll get to them later. For now, we stick with our trackers, and finally get to some of the promised search cards. Old-school LOTR TCG players will probably remember these from the Tower block, though Big D didn't do as much with them as they could have, and thus it was only a moderately effective strategy (much like Men and their conditons that played on companions, which we covered at the start of this culture over at CC). I hope to make it a little more painful--and thus more viable--without being overpowered. Let's see how I do...enjoy!

First, we'll get a couple reprints out of the way....

Weary (reprint)
Condition
Search. Plays on a Free Peoples character. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time the Free Peoples player assigns bearer to skirmish an tracker, bearer must exert.
"‘There is some will that lends speed to our foes and sets an unseen barrier before us....'"

Many Riddles (reprint)
Condition
Strength -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on a companion (except the Ring-bearer).
Assignment: Exert an tracker and remove to assign that tracker to bearer. Bearer may exert to prevent this.
"‘Aragorn and his companions searched far and wide about the field of battle, but the light faded, and evening soon drew down, dim and misty.'"

Hopefully you can tell what I'm going for with search by these two cards I've brought back: exerting and some direct assigning. To me, these concepts make the most sense with trackers, as they're after specific targets and those targets have to work hard to stay away from the rabid Uruks on their tail.

Here's a new one in this same vein....

Wasted on Cross-Country
Condition
Strength -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on an unbound companion. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, the Free Peoples player must add or wound bearer.
"‘Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell.'"

You can try to run away down the sitepath, but if you do, you have to work extra hard (wound) or make it easier on your pursuers to harass you (adding twilight). Not a very pleasant choice, eh? Perhaps it's better to take a rest while you can and NOT try double-moving, eh?

[Thranduil]

I think I'd prefer a reduced cost for reduced ability. I'd be more likely to spend for adding than for .

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

listen to the elf

[lem0nhead]

Id prefer a reduced cost for the same ability. Theres no way this 1 card is worth 2 for 3 or 1 for 2. 1 for 3 makes it useable as you cant guarantee youre facing a running fellowship. And for it to target just one comp per card. Gotta be just change the cost.

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, changed as suggested.

Here's a new one, and another reprint to make all search cards more viable. Enjoy!

A Bitter End
Condition
Resistance -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on an unbound companion. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time bearer exerts, you may exert an tracker to make the Free Peoples player choose one: exert bearer again; or make bearer strength -2 until the regroup phase.
"‘The stars are faint; and I am weary as I have seldom been before, weary as no Ranger should be with a clear trail to follow.'"

Kill Them Now (reprint)
Event • Shadow
Make an tracker strength +2 (or +4 if skirmishing a character bearing a search card).
"‘Evening's coming on, and we ought to get a move on.'"

[lem0nhead]

Alright, changed as suggested.

Here's a new one, and another reprint to make all search cards more viable. Enjoy!

A Bitter End
Condition
Resistance -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on an unbound companion. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time bearer exerts, you may exert an tracker to make the Free Peoples player choose one: exert bearer again; or make bearer strength -2 until the regroup phase.
"‘The stars are faint; and I am weary as I have seldom been before, weary as no Ranger should be with a clear trail to follow.'"

Wow thats sick on eowyn greenleaf etc. Might tone it down a bit to maybe no resistance loss or unique.

[Thranduil]

Alright, changed as suggested.

Here's a new one, and another reprint to make all search cards more viable. Enjoy!

A Bitter End
Condition
Resistance -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on an unbound companion. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time bearer exerts, you may exert an tracker to make the Free Peoples player choose one: exert bearer again; or make bearer strength -2 until the regroup phase.
"‘The stars are faint; and I am weary as I have seldom been before, weary as no Ranger should be with a clear trail to follow.'"

Again, doesn't seem worth . would probably be fine. Though I'd like something simpler as it seems a bit too complex now. Maybe 'Each time bearer exerts, he or she is strength -1 until the regroup phase.

Wow thats sick on eowyn greenleaf etc. Might tone it down a bit to maybe no resistance loss or unique.

I really can't see it's that good. It takes from the pool and exerts a tracker to play, then you have to exert a tracker each time you want to use its ability.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

A Bitter End
Condition
Resistance -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on an unbound companion. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time bearer exerts, you may exert an tracker to make the Free Peoples player choose one: exert bearer again; or make bearer strength -2 until the regroup phase.
"‘The stars are faint; and I am weary as I have seldom been before, weary as no Ranger should be with a clear trail to follow.'"

Again, doesn't seem worth . would probably be fine. Though I'd like something simpler as it seems a bit too complex now. Maybe 'Each time bearer exerts, he or she is strength -1 until the regroup phase.

For once, overruled. The main point of this is to force the FP player to exert again, as such a stiff strength reduction could mean the difference between mere defeat and overwhelming...especially with some of the staple exert-for-cool-ability companions lem0n mentioned. I think a pat -1 reduction would make this a very weak card.

Wow thats sick on eowyn greenleaf etc. Might tone it down a bit to maybe no resistance loss or unique.

I really can't see it's that good. It takes from the pool and exerts a tracker to play, then you have to exert a tracker each time you want to use its ability.

Yes, but the fact that it practically shuts down some of the most powerful companions in the game makes it plenty good, methinks. I'd rather leave it as is, especially since one reviewer thinks it's OP and the other thinks it's UP. That usually means it's perfect.

[menace64]

It's fine. Putting the hurt on powerful companions is never bad.

[sickofpalantirs]

Alright, changed as suggested.

Here's a new one, and another reprint to make all search cards more viable. Enjoy!

A Bitter End
Condition
Resistance -1
Search. To play, exert an tracker. Plays on an unbound companion. Limit 1 per bearer.
Each time bearer exerts, you may exert an tracker to make the Free Peoples player choose one: exert bearer again; or make bearer strength -2 until the regroup phase.
"‘The stars are faint; and I am weary as I have seldom been before, weary as no Ranger should be with a clear trail to follow.'"

I wikey...

so one think sits OP, one thinks its UP and one thinks its perfect...and then theres menace

[menace64]

so one think sits OP, one thinks its UP and one thinks its perfect...and then theres menace

But you forget... only my opinion matters.