Lands of Shadow - How Insightful. (12/18)

[menace64]

I'll go ahead and make that change on Uneasiness. And yes, there is a "Sam's [Something]" card. 

[Thranduil]

As for Gollum's presence in Lands of Shadow, he's the only version. How does he seem to be a rare (and why would "feeling" like a rare prevent him from being common)?

He just seems to be a bit too flashy to be a common. Common Gollums tend to be simpler like Old Villain, Vile Creature, Nasty Treacherous Creature. On the other hand, as he's the only Gollum in the set, you'd want players to have reasonable access to him which is why I suggested uncommon instead.

•Beyond the Black Border
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot Sméagol.
Each time the fellowship moves, wound Sméagol and add a burden.
At the start of each regroup phase, heal each Ring-bound companion that did not skirmish at this site.
Regroup: Spot Frodo, Sam, and Sméagol to play the fellowship's next site (if it is a mountain). Discard this condition.
"…and passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor… Still far away, forty miles at least, they saw Mount Doom, its feet founded in ashen ruin…"
M1U13

I'm not sure the advantage is enough to warrant the wound and burden for the disadvantage - I might have one or the other. As it is, I would be most tempted to move with it during the fellowship phase, get the bonus at the start of the regroup then immediately discard it without ever keeping it around.

•Sméagol's Promise
Condition
To play, spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer. Bearer must be Sméagol.
While Frodo has resistance 6 or more, Sméagol is resistance +2.
Regroup: Discard this condition to take 2 cards into hand from your discard pile.
"‘We're in sight of the pass, of a way in, and if we can find it now, then I suppose our agreement can be said to be over. You have done what you promised, and you're free: free to go back to food and rest, wherever you wish to go…'"
M1U17

I think the duality should hurt Frodo - I think the regroup ability should exert Frodo.

Uneasiness
Event •Response
If an event is played, spot Sméagol to cancel it (and draw a card if he has resistance 5 or more).
"‘It's tomorrow,' said Gollum, ‘or this was tomorrow when hobbits went to sleep. Very foolish, very dangerous – if poor Sméagol wasn't sneaking about to watch.'"
M1R18

There's another Sméagol cancelling card isn't there? Time for Food? As it is - this one seems outclassed by it. How about a way of recurring this event so that it becomes more useful (like the cycle with Banners Blowing, Kindreds Estranged from Bloodlines)?

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

•Beyond the Black Border
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot Sméagol.
Each time the fellowship moves, wound Sméagol and add a burden.
At the start of each regroup phase, heal each Ring-bound companion that did not skirmish at this site.
Regroup: Spot Frodo, Sam, and Sméagol to play the fellowship's next site (if it is a mountain). Discard this condition.
"…and passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor… Still far away, forty miles at least, they saw Mount Doom, its feet founded in ashen ruin…"
M1U13

Hmmm the penalty is probbaly not worth the pay off. At least two of your (probably) 3 rb companions need to be healed just to balance the wound on smeagol let alone the burden and thats unlikely they will not have fought.

•Sméagol's Promise
Condition
To play, spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer. Bearer must be Sméagol.
While Frodo has resistance 6 or more, Sméagol is resistance +2.
Regroup: Discard this condition to take 2 cards into hand from your discard pile.
"‘We're in sight of the pass, of a way in, and if we can find it now, then I suppose our agreement can be said to be over. You have done what you promised, and you're free: free to go back to food and rest, wherever you wish to go…'"
M1U17

I like it but id add a twist for even more flavour. If Frodo has less than 6 smeagol is resistance -1.

Uneasiness
Event •Response
If an event is played, spot Sméagol to cancel it (and draw a card if he has resistance 5 or more).
"‘It's tomorrow,' said Gollum, ‘or this was tomorrow when hobbits went to sleep. Very foolish, very dangerous – if poor Sméagol wasn't sneaking about to watch.'"
M1R18

Could cost 1 easily but also a bit of a hand clogger.

[Gate Troll]

•Gollum, Desperate for The Ring
Minion
Strength 5
Vitality 4
Site Number 3
Flanking (If this minion is not assigned to a skirmish, at the start of another of your character's skirmishes, you may exert this minion to replace that character in the skirmish).
At the start of Gollum's skirmish, if he is skirmishing the Ring-bearer, the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring.
"He was a leaned, starved, haggard thing, all bones and tight-drawn sallow skin. A wild light flamed in his eyes, but his malice was no longer matched by his old griping strength."
M1C15

Awesome. Definitely would be worth playing.

Crazed by Fell Longing
Event • Response
If the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring, spot Gollum and cancel all skirmishes (if any). Suspend the current phase and assign Gollum to skirmish the Ring-bearer. Gollum is strength +6 during this skirmish. Both Gollum and the Ring-bearer gain dominate. If the Ring-bearer wins the skirmish, Gollum is killed; Gollum's owner discards his or her hand and the suspended phase resumes. If Gollum wins the skirmish, the Ring-bearer is killed and Gollum reclaims The One Ring.
M1R14

Sweetness. I like it. Decipher should have played around with this aspect of the game more... 

I'm So Sorry
Event • Fellowship
If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, add 3 burdens to heal all wounds from another companion.
"‘What have I said? What have I done? Forgive me! After all you have done. It is the horrible power of the Ring. I wish it had never, never, been found. But don't mind me, Sam. I must carry the burden to the end. It can't be altered. You can't come between me and this doom.'"
M1R101

I don't have a problem with this one. Healing coolness.

I want to see more [gollum]. 

[Gate Troll]

•Beyond the Black Border
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot Sméagol.
Each time the fellowship moves, wound Sméagol and add a burden.
At the start of each regroup phase, heal each Ring-bound companion that did not skirmish at this site.
Regroup: Spot Frodo, Sam, and Sméagol to play the fellowship's next site (if it is a mountain). Discard this condition.
"…and passing through found themselves on the very edge of the last fence of Mordor… Still far away, forty miles at least, they saw Mount Doom, its feet founded in ashen ruin…"
M1U13

It could get a bit OP but it looks good for now.

•Sméagol's Promise
Condition
To play, spot Frodo as the Ring-bearer. Bearer must be Sméagol.
While Frodo has resistance 6 or more, Sméagol is resistance +2.
Regroup: Discard this condition to take 2 cards into hand from your discard pile.
"‘We're in sight of the pass, of a way in, and if we can find it now, then I suppose our agreement can be said to be over. You have done what you promised, and you're free: free to go back to food and rest, wherever you wish to go…'"
M1U17

I love this card. I think you are very good at capturing the 'spirit' of the book in DCs. 

Uneasiness
Event •Response
If an event is played, spot Sméagol to cancel it (and draw a card if he has resistance 5 or more).
"‘It's tomorrow,' said Gollum, ‘or this was tomorrow when hobbits went to sleep. Very foolish, very dangerous – if poor Sméagol wasn't sneaking about to watch.'"
M1R18

Meh. I'm not a huge fan of event canceling; every warg-rider card out there seems to have some variant of the ability. I suppose it fits Smeagol though.

I like the first one, I really like the second and the third one seems to be okay.

[menace64]

Thanks for all the reviews, fellas. I tinkered with Beyond the Black Border, making it exert Smeagol or discard itself each time you move. I'd completely forgotten about Time for Food... so I tweaked Uneasiness into doing something a little more, uh, extreme.

There's only 2 cards left, and they both revolve around Sam (it's almost like I planned it to happen like this!).

•Sam's Choice
Condition
Bearer must be Sam.
While Sam is the Ring-bearer, he is resistance +2, and each time he wins a skirmish, you may play the fellowship's next site.
Response: If the Ring is transferred to Sam, discard this condition to reconcile your hand.
"‘No chance to go back with It and get advice or permission. No, it's sit here till they come and kill me over master's body, and gets It; or take It and go.' He drew a deep breath. ‘Then take It, it is!'"
M1U104

This is one card in the 'reconcile your hand' cycle in Lands of Shadow, but it obviously does more than that. This card illustrates Sam's resolve as the Last Companion in the Fellowship to get the job done at any cost. His Master is dead; ultimately that won't even slow him down.

•Sword of Samwise, Blade of the Brave
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Sam.
Assignment: Assign a minion of higher strength to skirmish Sam to heal him.
Response: If Sam is about to be overwhelmed, exert him twice to make him strength +6.
"No onslaught more fierce was ever seen in the savage world of beasts, where some desperate small creature armed with little teeth, alone, will spring upon a tower of horn and hide that stands above its fallen mate."
M1R106

Now I was surprised that Decipher never made a Sword of Samwise card. This weapon has two closely-interacting abilities. The first heals Sam under the condition that he's walking into a skirmish he "knows" he can't win; the second will keep him alive. Keep in mind that Sam can be a Ring-bearer and let me know if the response action is overdoing it.

For a third card... I think I should spoil a site.

Ashen Plains
Each minion is strength +1 for each race in the fellowship over 2.
M1U129

Oh golly. This site will seem a lot more potent once you see the new minions!
(By the way, this site is not a plains for the simple reason that no companion could possibly get a benefit from being here.)

[Thranduil]

•Sam's Choice
Condition
Bearer must be Sam.
While Sam is the Ring-bearer, he is resistance +2, and each time he wins a skirmish, you may play the fellowship's next site.
Response: If the Ring is transferred to Sam, discard this condition to reconcile your hand.
"‘No chance to go back with It and get advice or permission. No, it's sit here till they come and kill me over master's body, and gets It; or take It and go.' He drew a deep breath. ‘Then take It, it is!'"
M1U104

Very interesting. So you either set it up as a transfer or long-term bonus? I'm worried this might be too good in region 3 (though I understand region 3 is the point flavourwise).

•Sword of Samwise, Blade of the Brave
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Sam.
Assignment: Assign a minion of higher strength to skirmish Sam to heal him.
Response: If Sam is about to be overwhelmed, exert him twice to make him strength +6.
"No onslaught more fierce was ever seen in the savage world of beasts, where some desperate small creature armed with little teeth, alone, will spring upon a tower of horn and hide that stands above its fallen mate."
M1R106

It seems to me like Sam's sword is such a nothing compared to Sting which is much more important and impressive. I understand you have already made a Sting, but if the strategy here is to kill Frodo and pass the Ring to Sam, I quite like the idea of a Sting which transfers with the Ring. As a card in itself, I would say that +4/+5 would be enough for the response ability, but otherwise looks very solid.

Ashen Plains
Each minion is strength +1 for each race in the fellowship over 2.
M1U129

Fair enough. I want to see now!

Thranduil

[menace64]

Oooh. I like that idea for transferring Sting. Let's try. This is the original Sting.

•Sting, Blade of the Chosen
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Frodo.
At the start of each skirmish involving Frodo, you may exert Sam to make Frodo strength +2.
Maneuver: If Frodo has resistance 7 or more, exert him twice to discard a support area possession.
"‘Come! Let us see what Sting can do. It is an elven-blade. There were webs of horror in the dark ravines of Beleriand where it was forged. But you must be the guard and hold back the eyes… Do not be afraid.'"
M1R105

If we're going for a transfering Sting, then - obviously - that lore's gotta go. Along with it the maneuver ability.

•Sting, Blade of the Chosen
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Frodo.
At the start of each skirmish involving Frodo, you may exert Sam to make Frodo strength +2.
Response: If Frodo dies, transfer Sting to Sam. He is strength +3 until the start of the regroup phase.
"Sam did not wait to wonder what was to be done, or whether he was brave, or loyal, or filled with rage. He sprang forward with a yell, and seized his master's sword in his left hand. Then he charged."
M1R105

to Thranduil for the inspiration of a flavorful card. Make sure to tell me which Sting y'all like better.

[Thranduil]

I obviously love the second one!



Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

•Sam's Choice
Condition
Bearer must be Sam.
While Sam is the Ring-bearer, he is resistance +2, and each time he wins a skirmish, you may play the fellowship's next site.
Response: If the Ring is transferred to Sam, discard this condition to reconcile your hand.
"‘No chance to go back with It and get advice or permission. No, it's sit here till they come and kill me over master's body, and gets It; or take It and go.' He drew a deep breath. ‘Then take It, it is!'"
M1U104
should cost something methinks...



•Sword of Samwise, Blade of the Brave
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be Sam.
Assignment: Assign a minion of higher strength to skirmish Sam to heal him.
Response: If Sam is about to be overwhelmed, exert him twice to make him strength +6.
"No onslaught more fierce was ever seen in the savage world of beasts, where some desperate small creature armed with little teeth, alone, will spring upon a tower of horn and hide that stands above its fallen mate."
M1R106
thats a nice quote...I like the card though.


Ashen Plains
Each minion is strength +1 for each race in the fellowship over 2.
M1U129

it shoudl still be a plains
jk , maybe a battleground though?
2nd sting better.

[menace64]

It seems the new Sting is the one that'll make it into the set.

But is not the topic for today! In fact, we're as far away from the Shire as could be imagined. Now we walk into the realm of Mordor, the real Lands of Shadow.

The culture returns in a big way, featuring a new subculture I've dubbed the "native Mordor" subculture. These guys live, breathe, and die on the ashen wastelands of Gorgoroth, toiling away as servants to the Eye. They are the armies of Orcs left behind while The Witch-king went to war with the West.

And they absolutely loathe all things good.

Descent
Event • Regroup
Spot a companion of resistance X and spot X minions to exhaust that companion.
"With a last struggling effort Frodo raised himself on his hands, and struggled on for maybe twenty yards. Then he pitched down into a shallow pit that opened unexpectedly before them, and there he lay like a dead thing."
M1R73

Not much need be said about this card. It's nasty, and works better on companions who are on the verge of giving up.

The Footsteps of Doom
Event • Response
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 2, exert a minion to add .
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 3, exert a minion to add and add a burden.
"All this last day Frodo had not spoken, but had walked half-bowed, often stumbling, as if his eyes no longer saw the way before his feet. Sam guessed that among all their pains he bore the worst, the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind."
M1U79

One of the few events that can be triggered from two different actions, this card is not something to be trifled with. Moving during the regroup phase becomes perilous.
I'm considering making this into a non-unique condition that does the same thing.

Gorgoroth Mutilator
Minion • Orc
Strength 9
Vitality 2
Site Number 6
Dominate (A character skirmishing this character may not exert).
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, spot another Orc to make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
"He sprang on the fallen body, and stamped and trampled it in his fury, stooping now and again to stab and slash it with his knife. Satisfied at last, he threw back his head and let out a horrible gurgling yell of triumph. Then he licked his knife, and put it between his teeth…"
M1C83

This is one of the basic grunts of the new native Orc strategy. Dominate is big in this culture, as you'll see in posts to come.

[Elf_Lvr]

Descent
Event • Regroup
Spot a companion of resistance X and spot X minions to exhaust that companion.
"With a last struggling effort Frodo raised himself on his hands, and struggled on for maybe twenty yards. Then he pitched down into a shallow pit that opened unexpectedly before them, and there he lay like a dead thing."
M1R73

I think it should be "with resistance X." I like the card.

The Footsteps of Doom
Event • Response
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 2, exert a minion to add .
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 3, exert a minion to add and add a burden.
"All this last day Frodo had not spoken, but had walked half-bowed, often stumbling, as if his eyes no longer saw the way before his feet. Sam guessed that among all their pains he bore the worst, the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind."
M1U79

Interesting. Since it requires some living, unwounded minions when the Free Peoples player moves, I'd say it's alright.

Gorgoroth Mutilator
Minion • Orc
Strength 9
Vitality 2
Site Number 6
Dominate (A character skirmishing this character may not exert).
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, spot another Orc to make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
"He sprang on the fallen body, and stamped and trampled it in his fury, stooping now and again to stab and slash it with his knife. Satisfied at last, he threw back his head and let out a horrible gurgling yell of triumph. Then he licked his knife, and put it between his teeth…"
M1C83

Fair enough, but he'll need something to boost his strength a bit before he can win. I'm sure you'll manage something, though.

A reprint of Enduring Evil would fit well in this set, I think. Or something quite similar. I see... in the mists of the future... burdens, many burdens...

[Thranduil]

Descent
Event • Regroup
Spot a companion of resistance X and spot X minions to exhaust that companion.
"With a last struggling effort Frodo raised himself on his hands, and struggled on for maybe twenty yards. Then he pitched down into a shallow pit that opened unexpectedly before them, and there he lay like a dead thing."
M1R73

I would follow EL's wording and swap the minions with the resistance, but otherwise the card seems to be good.

The Footsteps of Doom
Event • Response
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 2, exert a minion to add .
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 3, exert a minion to add and add a burden.
"All this last day Frodo had not spoken, but had walked half-bowed, often stumbling, as if his eyes no longer saw the way before his feet. Sam guessed that among all their pains he bore the worst, the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind."
M1U79

You should make it into a non-unique condition and not a response event. If you draw this in region 2, it's just a wasted card. For this reason I probably wouldn't put it in a deck.

Gorgoroth Mutilator
Minion • Orc
Strength 9
Vitality 2
Site Number 6
Dominate (A character skirmishing this character may not exert).
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, spot another Orc to make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
"He sprang on the fallen body, and stamped and trampled it in his fury, stooping now and again to stab and slash it with his knife. Satisfied at last, he threw back his head and let out a horrible gurgling yell of triumph. Then he licked his knife, and put it between his teeth…"
M1C83

Yeah, he seems sensible. Given his site number I'm not sure that he needs to cost . Maybe he could have vitality 3 for the same cost?

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

The Footsteps of Doom
Event • Response
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 2, exert a minion to add .
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 3, exert a minion to add and add a burden.
"All this last day Frodo had not spoken, but had walked half-bowed, often stumbling, as if his eyes no longer saw the way before his feet. Sam guessed that among all their pains he bore the worst, the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind."
M1U79

You should make it into a non-unique condition and not a response event. If you draw this in region 2, it's just a wasted card. For this reason I probably wouldn't put it in a deck.

Then make it a unique condition! With four of these, it'd be 4 burdens and every time you moved twice into region 3... which would be very few sites, but certainly enough to be a game-winner all by itself.

If it was a condition, give it unique, drop the twilight adding to , perhaps, and give it some kind of "discard this condition to..." ability?

[lem0nhead]

Descent
Event • Regroup
Spot a companion of resistance X and spot X minions to exhaust that companion.
"With a last struggling effort Frodo raised himself on his hands, and struggled on for maybe twenty yards. Then he pitched down into a shallow pit that opened unexpectedly before them, and there he lay like a dead thing."
M1R73

Niiiiice, REALLY like this cardm very clever.

The Footsteps of Doom
Event • Response
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 2, exert a minion to add .
If the fellowship just moved to a site in region 3, exert a minion to add and add a burden.
"All this last day Frodo had not spoken, but had walked half-bowed, often stumbling, as if his eyes no longer saw the way before his feet. Sam guessed that among all their pains he bore the worst, the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind."
M1U79

Coolio, maybe should cost a bit more though like 2.

Gorgoroth Mutilator
Minion • Orc
Strength 9
Vitality 2
Site Number 6
Dominate (A character skirmishing this character may not exert).
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, spot another Orc to make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
"He sprang on the fallen body, and stamped and trampled it in his fury, stooping now and again to stab and slash it with his knife. Satisfied at last, he threw back his head and let out a horrible gurgling yell of triumph. Then he licked his knife, and put it between his teeth…"
M1C83

Nice.