Quick noob question...

[timmyd42]

Hi folks, so I'm a little late to the game...
A quick question, does the key word Valiant do anything?

[Gil-Estel]

it is an unloaded keyword, so not to be compared to unloaded ones as skirmish, maneuver or other phaseactions. It does do something, some cards take advantage of spotting a Valiant man. Simbelmyne for instance.

[timmyd42]

Thanks for the quick reply. 

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

Many keywords (ranger, unbound, beseiger, machine, fortification, forest, etc.) are similarly unloaded, and are designed solely to be referenced by other cards (e.g. "Spot a ranger to do X."). The only keywords that have any inherent effect (loaded keywords) are as follows:

Ambush - Each time this minion is assigned to a skirmish by the Free Peoples' player, its owner may add .
Archer - The fellowship/minion archery total is +1.
Damage +X - Each time this character wins a skirmish, each losing character takes X additional wounds.
Defender +X - If this character may participate in skirmishes, the Free Peoples' player may assign this character to up to X+1 minions.
Enduring - This character is strength +2 for each wound on it.
Fierce - This minion may participate in fierce skirmishes.
Hunter X - While skirmishing a non-hunter, this character is strength +X.
Lurker - The Free Peoples' player may not resolve a skirmish involving this minion unless all unresolved skirmishes involve at least one lurker minion. 
Muster - At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card to draw a card (all your muster discards must take place simultaneously, prior to drawing any such cards).
Ring-bearer - This companion must be the Ring-bearer (i.e. he may not be in play unless he is the Ring-bearer; unlike companions with ringed resistance, who may be played as normal companions).
Sanctuary - At the start of each turn at this site, the Free Peoples player may remove up to 5 wounds from companions. Note that all sites 3 and 6 are automatically sanctuaries, whether they explicitly say so or not (the term "sanctuary" was, in effect, transformed from a keyword into an independent mechanic when Decipher decided to make site order malleable in Shadows).
Toil X - When you play this card, you may exert any number of characters from its culture to make its twilight cost -X for each character exerted in this way.
Unhasty - The Free Peoples player may not assign this character to a skirmish unless a card permits you to do so. Exception: Unhasty allies may be assigned to skirmishes when at their home sites.

All keywords other than those above are unloaded, and have no inherent effect.

[OneFathom]

Many keywords (ranger, unbound, beseiger, machine, fortification, forest, etc.) are similarly unloaded, and are designed solely to be referenced by other cards (e.g. "Spot a ranger to do X."). The only keywords that have any inherent effect (loaded keywords) are as follows:

Ambush - Each time this minion is assigned to a skirmish by the Free Peoples' player, its owner may add .
Archer - The fellowship/minion archery total is +1.
Damage +X - Each time this character wins a skirmish, each losing character takes X additional wounds.
Defender +X - If this character may participate in skirmishes, the Free Peoples' player may assign this character to up to X+1 minions.
Enduring - This character is strength +2 for each wound on it.
Fierce - This minion may participate in fierce skirmishes.
Hunter X - While skirmishing a non-hunter, this character is strength +X.
Lurker - The Free Peoples' player may not resolve a skirmish involving this minion unless all unresolved skirmishes involve at least one lurker minion. 
Muster - At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card to draw a card (all your muster discards must take place simultaneously, prior to drawing any such cards).
Ring-bearer - This companion must be the Ring-bearer (i.e. he may not be in play unless he is the Ring-bearer; unlike companions with ringed resistance, who may be played as normal companions).
Sanctuary - At the start of each turn at this site, the Free Peoples player may remove up to 5 wounds from companions. Note that all sites 3 and 6 are automatically sanctuaries, whether they explicitly say so or not (the term "sanctuary" was, in effect, transformed from a keyword into an independent mechanic when Decipher decided to make site order malleable in Shadows).
Toil X - When you play this card, you may exert any number of characters from its culture to make its twilight cost -X for each character exerted in this way.
Unhasty - The Free Peoples player may not assign this character to a skirmish unless a card permits you to do so. Exception: Unhasty allies may be assigned to skirmishes when at their home sites.

All keywords other than those above are unloaded, and have no inherent effect.

Well done, Sammy.  Helpin' a noob out like that.

[Witchkingx5]

Yep, have a

[timmyd42]

Thanks for the info.  This helps out a lot.  The game is very interesting, I only wish I had gotten involved earlier when there was more support (and product) from the makers. It's a little overwhelming looking at the entire product base while starting from scratch.  Thanks again for the help.

[OneFathom]

TimmyD:

Dude, send me your address via PM.  I'll send you a bunch of my old rares, free of charge.  Welcome to the game!

[hrcho]

Muster - At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card to draw a card (all your muster discards must take place simultaneously, prior to drawing any such cards).

Someone told me that nothing in LotR TCG happens simulatneosly. Is this an exception?

[TheJord]

It simply means you have to discard all the cards from all the relevant muster characters you are using, not discard 1, draw 1, discard 1, draw 1...etc etc.

[legolas3333]

correct me if i'm wrong but i thought that if you have three characters with muster you can choose to use only two of them right?

[hrcho]

Definition of muster says "you may" which means you can choose to use it or not. So you can have 9 characters with muster but choose not to use any of them (9 musters are pointless any way, since you can have a maximum of 8 cards in your hand at the end of the regroup phase).

[legolas3333]

yeah i get that, but if i have 3 characters with muster can i choose to discard 2 to draw 2 or must i use all 3?

[hrcho]

Of course! Sorry for not clearing it up enough

You can perform any combination. Each muster action is an action for itself.

[legolas3333]

ok cause the way i was reading the jords post made me think you had to use all or none of them