Return to the Paths of the Dead - Abandoning All Reason

[Thranduil]

I'm also having troubles with Théoden, though I'm not quite sure what those troubles are! His text just feels like something you'd expect on a living character, not a dead one. That said I have no idea what would be better, but something about him is not sitting right with me.

Thranduil

[Anvar]

Hmmm. I'll give it some thought. Theoden's text is to work with a Desperation strategy, allowing you to get back possessions that you have inadvertently milled. I think I get your point, though, and I'll think about giving him a different text.

[lem0nhead]

Yeah cos otherwise you wait the entire game to lose your deck AND kill a companion. Not the best strategy when youre trying to win!

[DáinIronfoot]

I'd at least make them both valiant and perhaps give Theoden his "While you can spot a Man, Theoden's twilight cost is -1" line so they're a LITTLE more useful before their death.

Perhaps some ability for each when they're played, too? Because don't tombs allow potentially getting "dead" characters back?

[Anvar]

Both companions now have valiant and twilight reduction costs. Theoden has a new text preventing possessions and companions from being discarded.

At present, there is no way of playing companions back from tombs. Also, you probably wouldn't play both of these guys in the same deck, since it would mean losing 2 of your 9 companions, and also losing 1/3 of Theodred's bonus.

[DáinIronfoot]

Currently, the rewrite on Theoden is actually a liability with cards like the famous Riddermark Javelin, as it prevents discarding your own cards! I'd rewrite it to prevent Shadow cards from discarding them or, better still, go back to a text like you had before that allows pulling them back. I liked that much, MUCH better myself.

Also, I'd recommend Theodred's cost only be reduced if you can spot a valiant companion. Makes it a LITTLE more balanced. Not terrible as is, but since there ARE cards that benefit from Theodred's presense (The Renowned, Bitter Tidings), getting him at by spotting ANY Man is a little too good, methinks.

Sorry to be so nitpicky...just trying to help out!

[Thranduil]

•Theodred, Doomed to Die
Companion • Man
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Valiant.
While you can spot a companion, Theodred is twilight cost -1.
While this card is in your dead pile, Theoden, Eomer and Eowyn are strength +2 and resistance -2.
"They stooped then to lift the body, and found that Theodred still breathed; but he lived only long enough to speak his last words: Let me lie here - to keep the Fords till Eomer comes."

Yeah, perhaps go more the way of the current Theodred making the reduction only trigger from particular kinds of Men, valiant, resistance or perhaps only for Eomer and/or Theoden.

•Theoden, Last of his Line
Companion • Man
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 7
Valiant.
While you can spot a companion, Theoden is twilight cost -1.
While this card is in your dead pile, possessions and companions cannot be discarded.
"'I myself will go to war, to fall in the front of the battle, if it must be. Thus shall I sleep better.'"

I do actually like this one much better, but it does have to just prevent Shadow players from discarding your possessions or companions.

Thranduil

[Anvar]

Thanks for the comments on the last cards. Today, a few support cards for desperation strategies. The first is part of a big cycle but differs in that there isn't a draw back attached to scouring the wrong cards. Enjoy.

Ride to Ruin
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a mounted Man.
Each time the fellowship moves you may scour 3 cards. For each card you scour wound a minion.
"'...and the world's ending!'"

•Charge of Despair
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a mounted Man.
Desperation - the move limit is +1.
"'...a sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises!'"

[lem0nhead]

Ride to Ruin
Condition • Support Area
To play spot a mounted Man.
Each time the fellowship moves you may scour 3 cards. For each card you scour wound a minion.
"'...and the world's ending!'"


Might as well be free as its only a one shot per round regroup action.

Charge of Despair
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a mounted Man.
Desperation - the move limit is +1.
"'...a sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises!'"

Might as well make it unique, even with desperation its a bit too easy to make the move limit more than +1 permanently.

[Thranduil]

Ride to Ruin
Condition • Support Area
To play spot a mounted Man.
Each time the fellowship moves you may scour 3 cards. For each card you scour wound a minion.
"'...and the world's ending!'"

Not that I think there's a problem with the card, but what was the thinking behind not putting in a drawback text?

Charge of Despair
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a mounted Man.
Desperation - the move limit is +1.
"'...a sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises!'"

You'd have to be pretty fast discarding your deck to get desperation when the move limit still matters. Seems too expensive.

Thranduil

[Anvar]

There isn't a drawback text for a few reasons:
-This was the first card of the cycle I designed, and it made the most sense as a way of getting rid of minions on the double.
-Since it only works on the double move anyway, giving it a drawback seemed a bit harsh.
-They are the elite riders of middle-earth, so their 'ride' card is the best

[lem0nhead]

-Since it only works on the double move anyway, giving it a drawback seemed a bit harsh.

Thats the most important factor, it doesnt need a drawback its currently UP anyway.

[DáinIronfoot]

Ride to Ruin
Condition • Support Area
To play spot a mounted Man.
Each time the fellowship moves you may scour 3 cards. For each card you scour wound a minion.
"'...and the world's ending!'"

Seems okay to me. Needs a comma after "To play", though.

•Charge of Despair
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a mounted Man.
Desperation - the move limit is +1.
"'...a sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises!'"

Yeah, I side more with Thran here...not likely to make much difference by the time you scour your whole deck...but then again, it COULD make for a nasty surprise if you spring it early enough. Probably fine.

[Anvar]

Imagine that you have Charge of Despair in play, and your fellowship is at site six. All you have to do is achieve Desperation before the end of the Regroup phase at site 8 in order to triple move to 9, which is the most important potential triple in the game.

When you look at it like that, the chances of running out of cards are significantly higher.

[Anvar]

Some Rohan support cards that seem worth grouping together:

Evermind
Event • Fellowship
Spot 2 men to take into hand a companion from your draw deck, or spot a man in the dead pile to take into hand a companion and a possession from your draw deck.
"'Ever has it grown on the tomb of my forebears - now it shall cover the grave of my son.'"

•Snowmane, Master's Bane
Possession • Mount
Bearer must be a Man.
Strength: +2
At the start of each skirmish involving bearer, each minion skirmishing bearer must exert.
Desperation - If you have no cards in your draw deck, each time bearer takes a wound he must exert. If bearer is Theoden, he gains enduring 2.
"'Faithful servant yet master's bane / Lightfoot's foal, swift Snowmane.'"

•Snowmane's Howe
Condition • Support Area
Tomb. (Cards stacked here count as being in the dead pile. If discarded, place all stacked cards in the dead pile).
When you play this condition, stack a mount here from your discard pile.
While a unique mount is stacked here, each mounted Man gains enduring 1.
"Green and long grew the grass on Snowmane's Howe, but ever black and bare was the ground where the beast was burned."