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Chamber of Mazarbul / Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #16

« Last post by menace64 on Today at 01:05:29 PM »

Doughty Men
Event • Response
If the fellowship moves to a mountain site, spot 2 Men in the fellowship to remove for each Hobbit companion.
"Even now, burdened as he was, he was widening the track for those who followed..."

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Chamber of Mazarbul / Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #16

« Last post by TelTura on Today at 03:26:37 AM »

•No Answer But Echoes
Condition • Support Area
At the start of the maneuver phase, choose one: exert Boromir to play a companion from your draw deck, or all minions are strength +1 until the regroup phase.
Response: if an exhausted companion is about to take a wound, discard 4 cards from hand to prevent that wound.
'At first the Orcs had been dismayed, and had drawn back...'


I actually came here to do a Horn, but I see that's been done.  I suppose I'll see if the same thing I was aiming for could work as a condition instead...

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Fellowship / Re: Starting LOTR TCG Deck Building With Fellowship Block

« Last post by elfwarrior on August 11, 2020, 05:19:07 PM »

I read in the wiki that Saruman Keepr of Isengard Went with cheaper Uruk-hai and lots of pumps. the idea is to use cheaper uruks (no lurtz or 5 cost uruks) to get more out with Saruman.
Using Saruman and cheaper uruk-hai and and lots of pumps (went with 0 cost pumps) and 35 cards to match the free peoples deck I found. (would that work?) (close to 34) I could also build my own free peoples with Gandalf plus that ally. I'm sure I will need to edit this shadow deck no matter what I pair it with but I don't know what to change. Also could Troop of Uruk-hai or Orthanc Assassin or Lurtz fit in here or are their twilight costs too high?

23 Minions
4x Uruk Captain (brings back Uruk-hai)
4x Uruk Ravager
4x Uruk Warrior
4x Uruk Lieutenant
4x Uruk Slayer
3x Uruk Guard

8 Pumps
4x Savagery to Match Their Numbers
4x Saruman's Ambition

4 Sauruman
4x Saruman Keeper of Isengard

To use Elrond and Ottar, man of laketown, which Gandalf would be better with this deck? The card draw Gandalf or a Legolas and Gimli Start for Gandalf Friend of the Shirefolk? Who would go with Gandalf the Grey Pilgrim?

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Fellowship / Re: Starting LOTR TCG Deck Building With Fellowship Block

« Last post by elfwarrior on August 11, 2020, 04:46:41 PM »

Maybe I saw more of an Orthanc Berzerker corruption deck, with worry and can you protect me from yourself, than a normal uruk-Hai deck, The Wiki entry under Sauruman keeper of Isengard says he goes better with cheaper uruk-hai and lots of pumps, how many pumps is a lot, and how important is worry?

I remember a fellowship of Legolas Greenleaf and Awen starting and then Aragorn and Gandalf friend to the Shirefolk, Frodo Old Bilbo's Heir and Allies like Bounder and Gandalf Allies. Also Arwen's sword helps. No idea how to build free peoples.

I found this free peoples deck in the wiki under Legolas Greanleaf, it has Gwemegil and Elrond Lord of Rivendell. As well as Aragorn, like the deck I saw did but no Gandalf. It starts Arwen and Legolas.

Example Decks
Fellowship Block “Super Friends” by Ringbearer

Ring-bearer: Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
Ring: The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
1x Arwen, Daughter of Elrond
1x Legolas, Greenleaf
4x Aragorn, Heir to the White City 6
2x Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith 8
1x Celeborn, Lord of Lorien 9
3x Elrond, Lord of Rivendell 12
3x Galadriel, Lady of Light 15
1x Orophin, Lorien Bowman 16
1x Rúmil, Elven Protector 17
2x Gwemegil 19
2x Aragorn's Bow 21
1x Armor 22
1x Flaming Brand 23
1x Horn of Boromir 24
2x Ranger's Sword 26
2x Sting 28
2x Secret Sentinels 30
2x The Last Alliance of Elves and Men 32

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Fellowship / Re: Starting LOTR TCG Deck Building With Fellowship Block

« Last post by Phallen Cassidy on August 10, 2020, 08:14:01 PM »

In general, 40 cards is pretty big unless you play on drawing and discarding a lot of cards (which your Shadow side won't). Most people would steer you down to 34 at most. The closer to 30 the better as a rule (I myself rarely drop below 36 and cycle until it hurts instead). This is especially true in Fellowship block, where before site 7 you often won't have the twilight to do what you want. You definitely want Keeper of Isengard in there if possible. He doesn't really count as a minion himself, but makes every other minion you play worth two and makes them nigh on invincible. Leaning into Worry and Orthanc Berserker makes this a much more specialized deck -- in general the 4 wounds you'd deal in skirmishes are worth more than the exertion or burden on Frodo, especially once Sam, Son of Hamfast takes the burdens away. Still, as you saw it's certainly doable.

Because Uruk-hai are relatively expensive, you're right to look for cycling. Otherwise you could find yourself stuck with a hand full of minions too often while your FP is getting thrashed. The easiest way around this is Elrond, Lord of Rivendell with Ottar, Man of Laketown to draw 4 cards every Fellowship turn and discard whatever you don't need to boot (before Tower Assassin comes knocking, anyway). So you'll need Gandalf. The Grey Pilgrim and Friend of the Shirefolk are really the only two choices, and which you want depends on how you want to play.

The Grey Pilgrim will draw you another 6-8 cards over the course of the game. He's the perfect accent for any strategy, though you need to start with him to get the most out of him. Friend of the Shirefolk is the opposite, you probably want to play him once he'll be strength 9 -- easiest if you're already starting Legolas and Gimli. You'll have to build your deck with him in mind, but the result is a strong Fellowship that can do it all.

If you're interested, there's a few good posts gathered here that might be able to guide your decisions. I was a forge-my-own-path type getting into the game, which is why I'm being more general than specific. Of course, if you want detailed suggestions I'll be happy to provide them!

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Fellowship / Re: Starting LOTR TCG Deck Building With Fellowship Block

« Last post by elfwarrior on August 10, 2020, 01:46:33 PM »

What goes with Uruk-Hai?

Here is an Uurk-Hai attempt based on a game I watched on GEMP
40 cards

Minions: 29
2x Lurtz Servant of Isengard
4x Troop of Uruk Hai
4x Uruk Captain
4x Orthanc Assassin
4x Orthanc Berserker
4x Uruk Warrior
4x Uruk Lieutenant
3X Uruk Guard

Events 8
3x Uruk-Hai Sword
4x Savagery to Match Their Numbers

Weapons
4x Worry

I was going for high power minions. After watching a game on GEMP I saw the importance of Worry, Orhanc Berserker and Orthanc Assassin. The deck with Uruk-Hai won. Worry helps add burdens when Uruk Hai win fights. Orthanc Berserker can exhaust a companion if there is enough burdens. What  is a good number of Uruk Hai for this strategy, does 40 cards/side work? I also saw Uruk Ravager (cheaper with Saruman) and Saruman Keeper of Isengard. How do I fit Saruman in there? I also saw Can You Protect Me From Yourself.


I would like something with some card cycling/card draw for free peoples to get more Uruk-Hai if I need to go for a shadow win.

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Chamber of Mazarbul / Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #16

« Last post by Cw0rk on August 09, 2020, 03:45:28 PM »

Oath of Cirion
Tale. Bearer must be a Valiant Man. Limit 1 per bearer.
Bearer is strength +1 for each Knight you can spot (limit +3).
"Such an oath had not been heard in Middle-earth since Elendil himself had sworn alliance with Gil-galad King of the Eldar."

Context : http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/o/oathofcirion.html

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Chamber of Mazarbul / Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #16

« Last post by Durin's Heir on August 09, 2020, 12:00:57 AM »

•Horn of Boromir, From Vanished Years
Possession
Vitality +1
Bearer must be Boromir or Denethor.
Maneuver: If bearer is Denethor, exert him to exert a minion.
Skirmish: If bearer is Boromir, exert him to make a minion strength -2.
"'And now the horn of the elder son lies in two pieces upon the lap of Denethor, sitting in his high chair...'"

This gives a much higher strategic value to the House of the Stewards: a wide SotSF skill for Boromir's lively lungs, or an attrition tool for Denethor's grievous mind. Bringing them back from obscurity. No mere fighters anymore.

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Chamber of Mazarbul / Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #16

« Last post by menace64 on August 08, 2020, 10:16:32 PM »

Welcome to Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs!

Each week I'll post the collector’s information for one of the cards in the set’s card-list.

Contestants are free to create whatever card they see fit for that slot in the card-list, keeping in mind the surrounding cards. As the contest progresses, the card-list will become more and more defined, guiding the contestants’ choices.

The theme of our set is Lairs! You're free to interpret this however you want.

Not every card has to fit the theme, of course, but it’s something to keep in mind when coming up with entries.

Each week a poll will go up for the previous week's entries. Simply vote for one you like the most. In the event of a tie, I'll let a random result generator make the decision - but each of the tied cards will appear in the final set card list.


On to Stuff!


Last week's winner...
Inspire adds another adventuring Hobbit with Pippin, Out of the Bog and Briar!


Last week's entries to pick from for Card #17...

•Angmar Haunts Us Still
Condition • Support Area
To play, stack a Nazgûl here.
Each Nazgûl is twilight cost -1 for each Nazgûl stacked here.
Response: If this condition is about to be discarded, stack a Nazgûl from play or from hand here to prevent that.
"'You only slew his steed.  It was a good deed; but the Rider was soon horsed again.'"

•Westward March From Rhûn
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may spot 2 Men to stack an Easterling here from your draw deck.
Shadow: Play an Easterling stacked here to stack an Easterling here from your draw deck (limit once per site).
Regroup: Remove a burden or discard this condition to shuffle up to two Easterlings from your discard pile into your draw deck.

Variag Armaments
Possession • Hand Weapon/Shield
Strength +2
Vitality +2
To play, bearer must not be bearing any possessions. Bearer must be an Easterling.
Response: If bearer wins a skirmish, exert him to play a hand weapon from your discard pile.
"...and the Variags surged up from the south..."

Designer's notes: I took elements of both Pavise and Elven Armaments and smashed them together into a card that invokes a "hand weapons matter" theme for a sub-sub-culture that doesn't exist: Variags. I would've added a twilight discount into the Response effect, but seeing as the other two Easterling-bearable hand weapons are already free (Easterling Polearm and Raider Halberd) I suppose Decipher took care of this on their end.

•Ill-favoured Fellow
Minion • Man
Strength: 7
Vitality: 1
Site: 2
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may remove the game text (except card type and race) from a companion (except the Ring-bearer) until the regroup phase. The Free Peoples player may make the Ring-bearer put on The One Ring until the regroup phase to prevent this.
“One of the Bree-landers, who seemed to have been in the Shire several times, wanted to know where the Underhills lived and who they were related to.”

Designer's notes: Ill-favoured Fellow offers (likely Twilight Nazgul in particular) a means to temporarily neutralize a key companion, while providing the Free Peoples player the option to risk a Return to Its Master or Wraith World in order to prevent the effect.

The Pits of !Dol Guldur
Possession • Support Area
Nazgûl (and trackers) gain hunter 2.
Assignment: Exert a or minion twice to assign it to a character bearing a Ring (allow him or her to skirmish if an ally). He or she may exert instead.
"Wolves pursued him, Orcs waylaid him... he was tormented and the Ring taken from him, and then at last he died."

Designer's notes: Ever wanted to dig an obnoxious Elf lord/lady out of his/her bunker? Or divert Durin III to a lesser threat, while your Orcs/Nazgul feast on his weaker kinsfolk? Or punish Gandalf for exerting too much? I tell you, Elrond won't be (ab)using Vilya so freely if that implies having too little vitality to avoid being hunted by Sauron's forces!

This week’s contest is...
Card #7!

• A card (after Worse Than Orcs)
• A card (before Sheltered Hollow)

...you better believe I'll be thinking about a viable entry to spoil 's second card. Heh. 


Closing date: August 15th! Good luck!


Lairs Card List 
Number - Name - (Culture • Type) - Contestant - Week it won
1. Burned Village ( • Condition] - Dictionary - 12
2. •Stronghold of the Adorn River ( • Possession) - Durin's Heir - 3
3. •Balin, !Lord of Moria ( • Ally) - menace64 - 8
4.
5. Sméagol Lied ( • Event) - SGollum - 4
6. Worse Than Orcs ( • Event) - menace64 - 9
7. IN CREATION THIS WEEK
8. Sheltered Hollow ( • Condition) - TelTura - 6
9.
10.
11. Smoke From Isengard ( • Condition) - menace64 - 13
12.
13.
14. •Wrested Kingdom ( • Condition) - menace64 - 1
15.
16. •Úlairë Attëa, Khamûl ( • Minion) - SGollum - 7
17. SUBJECT OF THIS WEEK'S VOTE
18. Southern Stranger ( • Minion) - Inspire - 10
19.
20. •!Bag End Hearth ( • Condition) - Inspire - 2
21. •Merry, Conspirator ( • Companion) - Inspire - 5
22. •Pippin, Out of the Bog and Briar ( • Companion] - Inspire - 14
23. The Black Gate (Site) - SGollum - 11
24.
25.


The Misadventure Deck (cards that lost due to tied-decision but will appear in final cardlist! Maybe?)
26. •Durin’s Axe, Omen of Fortune
27. From Lowest Dungeon to Highest Peak
28. Orkish Whip
29. •Mountains of Shadow[/list]

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Chamber of Mazarbul / Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #15

« Last post by Durin's Heir on August 08, 2020, 09:09:41 PM »

Well, this one is a Lair or I am not a Dwarf:

The Pits of !Dol Guldur
Possession • Support Area
Nazgul (and trackers) gain hunter 2.
Assignment: Exert a or minion twice to assign it to a character bearing a Ring (allow him or her to skirmish if an ally). He or she may exert instead.
"Wolves pursued him, Orcs waylaid him... he was tormented and the Ring taken from him, and then at last he died."

Ever wanted to dig an obnoxious Elf lord/lady out of his/her bunker? Or divert Durin III to a lesser threat, while your Orcs/Nazgul feast on his weaker kinsfolk? Or punish Gandalf for exerting too much? I tell you, Elrond won't be (ab)using Vilya so freely if that implies having too little vitality to avoid being hunted by Sauron's forces!