Adding threats

[Ulmo]

During our game today we were playing King Block and sites City Gates* and The Dimholt came out.
My starting fellowship was Frodo and Aragorn and I was playing Wraith companions.
While my fellowship was at site 3, I figured I couldn't get an enduring companion from my draw deck because I couldn't add 3 threats as I only have 2 companions.
Then getting to site 5, I added 2 threats because that's all I could add.
Site 3 is a Fellowship action and site 5 is mandatory, no getting around it.
Now I'm wondering if I could have added 2 threats at site 3 to play a companion.

Which is right?

And for the record, CCCORNIV played 2 Mordor Orcs strength 9 at site 5 to make Frodo, without his hobbit sword, very dead.

[MR. Lurtzy]

With mandatory actions, you must complete as much as you can. With optional actions, you must complete the whole thing.

[DáinIronfoot]

The cost of using The Dimholt's ability is 3 threats. If you are unable to add at least 3 threats, you can't do it. Period. So you played that part correctly.

You also played Site 5 correctly. If you are unable to add more than 2 threats, then you do as much as you can to fulfill that site's requirements. Since you could add only 2 instead of the 3 asked for, you did your best to meet the requirements, and thus 2 threats was the right number to add.

[Ulmo]

Thanks, that's what I thought it was.  Lurtzy and Dain get

Now I need to rethink my Wraith companion deck  

[Kralik]

Now I need to rethink my Wraith companion deck  

Are you using Aragorn, Driven by Need? I'd recommend starting with two wraiths, and then having many copies of Aragorn, DbN and Stronger and More Terrible.

[SomeRandomDude]

Wraith decks run 4 copies of each of those. It usually works pretty well.

[Elf_Lvr]

Hearts Raised can be good, especially if you really want to start Aragorn. I also should assume that you're using Frodo, Hope of Free Peoples?

[Ulmo]

I'm not using Aragorn, DbN as I only have 2 and they're in a different deck.
I am using Aragorn, CoG which is nowhere near as good, but that's the breaks you get when building with real cards.
I am using Frodo, HoFP.
I may swap Aragorn with Gandalf DotW to get extra bump from 3 wraiths.

[Kralik]

I am using Aragorn, CoG which is nowhere near as good, but that's the breaks you get when building with real cards.

Keeping your wraiths healed isn't all that useful! Better if they are exhausted (str +4/+6) and cannot die with Swept Away.