Since it's a condition, it's also very prone to removal.
Hmm. I actually don't think Descent would work properly if it's worded as seen. I'll flip the spotting requirement to X minions. And, now that I think about it, the Mutilator could work fine at 10 strength, yes?
Speaking of him... today we're going deeper into
's love of the
dominate keyword.
Gorgoroth Battalion
Minion • Orc
Strength 12
Vitality 4
Site Number 6
Dominate (A character skirmishing this character may not exert). To play, spot a
minion.
"‘…great forces arrayed against him in Mordor, and more still being gathered…'"M1C82
Nice and simple. This reminds me... did someone suggest a while back to change dominate to something like "characters skirmishing this companion/minion may not be exerted by its owner's cards"? I'm starting to like that more, since it leaves an opponent open to exerting that character if he can. If you think this sounds better, let me know and we'll make the change official.
•Durthang Lieutenant
Minion • Orc
Strength 11
Vitality 3
Site Number 6
Dominate.Each time you play a
Orc, you may spot a Man or Elf companion to make Durthang Lieutenant is strength +2 until the start of the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Exert Durthang Lieutenant to make it strength +1.
"Beside them, running up and down the line, went two of the large fierce uruks, cracking lashes and shouting."M1R75
Pretty simple, mechanically. His first ability is a taste of the race-hating (dare I call it racism?) that this new native Mordor strategy is capable of, and that second ability is just a "meh, why not" kind of deal. All together, the Lieutenant *can* reach some zany levels of strength. On top of that, he's got dominate, which shuts down the opponent's ability to use some (or all) of a companion's skills.
•Gorgoroth Warlord
Minion • Orc
Strength 13
Vitality 3
Site Number 6
Dominate.Gorgoroth Warlord may not take wounds during a skirmish.
Response: If a companion loses a skirmish involving Gorgoroth Warlord, exert Gorgoroth Warlord to make the Free Peoples player wound a companion of another race.
"In the red glare Sam, cowering behind the stair-door, caught a glimpse of his evil face as it passed: it was scored as if by rending claws and smeared with blood; slaver dripped from its protruding fangs; the mouth snarled like an animal."M1R84
"wound/exert a companion of another race" shows up quite a bit on
cards in
Lands of Shadow, representing Sauron's ability to turn brother against brother. The Warlord is a beast. That's his job. To be a beast.
You know... since that first card was super-simple, I think we'll do one more...
Great Garrison
Minion • Orc
Strength 20
Vitality 4
Site Number 6
Dominate. To play, spot 3
cards.
Free Peoples cards with flanking lose
flanking and may not gain
flanking.Each time a companion loses a skirmish to this minion, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion.
"‘Hardly had our strength sufficed to beat off the first great assault. The next will be greater. This war then is without final hope, as Denethor perceived. Victory cannot be achieved by arms…'"M1R85
Haha! Destruction! Mayhem! Slaughter!
This sucker is non-unique and has about the highest strength/vitality you can sanely throw onto a minion. The only requirement to play him is that you spot 3
cards, and then it's nothing but benefits. You shut down flanking and get additional wounds for winning skirmishing.
So what's the trade-off? How is this not hands-down the best minion ever? Well, remember. This (in my eyes) is a new block that doesn't mingle with older cards, and this new subculture has absolutely no access to
fierce or
damage. Naturally the strength will go up, and the Free Peoples player had better not lose skirmishes, because wounds can pile up just as quickly as before.