The Way Into Mordor - Sméagol (5/13: Pitifully Anxious To Please)

[sickofpalantirs]

Not much in the way of skirmishing for Sméagol so far, so here are a couple potent events to help out in that department. Enjoy!

Don't Look At Us!
Event • Skirmish
Spot Sméagol and add a burden to make a minion skirmishing a Ring-bound companion strength -3 (or -4 if that minion is a or minion).
"‘I can't find it. Ach!' He got up and clenched his long hand into a bony fleshless knot, shaking it towards the East. ‘We won't!' he cried. ‘Not for you.'"
fine. It just seems like that it should cost 0 to me...

Stiffening and Listening
Event • Assignment
Stealth. Exert Sméagol twice to spot a minion; that minion cannot be assigned to a skirmish until the regroup phase. Any Shadow player may remove 2 burdens or 2 threats to prevent this.
"...his uneasiness grew, and every now and again he stood up to his full height, craning his neck eastward and southward."

cannot be assigned to a skirmish by either player would be clearer, in addition I think it should be a maneuver event and cost 1-2 with exerting smeagol once.

If you didn't have 2 burdens or threats could they not prevent it?

[DáinIronfoot]

Stiffening and Listening
Event • Assignment
Stealth. Exert Sméagol twice to spot a minion; that minion cannot be assigned to a skirmish until the regroup phase. Any Shadow player may remove 2 burdens or 2 threats to prevent this.
"...his uneasiness grew, and every now and again he stood up to his full height, craning his neck eastward and southward."

cannot be assigned to a skirmish by either player would be clearer, in addition I think it should be a maneuver event and cost 1-2 with exerting smeagol once.

I'll hold off on changes until more reviews roll in, but for now I'll say that I don't think the "by either player" is strictly necessary. Not a bad thought, though...you know I preach for clarity even when it doesn't seem strictly necessary. Yeah, I might do that after all.

If you didn't have 2 burdens or threats could they not prevent it?

That's my understanding, yes, which is why in this case, I'm not sure I agree with you, FM. Yes, sometimes the "get out of jail free" option for the opponent is too lenient. But if done right, I think it makes for a difficult decision for that player either way, and this is likely one of those times. Two burdens or two threats can he HUGE, especially since it's entirely possible (as SoP pointed out) that it's not something you'll necessarily be able to pull off no matter HOW bad you want to.[/tt]

[Thranduil]

Don't Look At Us!
Event • Skirmish
Spot Sméagol and add a burden to make a minion skirmishing a Ring-bound companion strength -3 (or -4 if that minion is a or minion).
"‘I can't find it. Ach!' He got up and clenched his long hand into a bony fleshless knot, shaking it towards the East. ‘We won't!' he cried. ‘Not for you.'"

Yeah, fair enough. Title rather similar to DLAT though...

Stiffening and Listening
Event • Assignment
Stealth. Exert Sméagol twice to spot a minion; that minion cannot be assigned to a skirmish until the regroup phase. Any Shadow player may remove 2 burdens or 2 threats to prevent this.
"...his uneasiness grew, and every now and again he stood up to his full height, craning his neck eastward and southward."

Difference between this and "choice" cards (I'm thinking of things like Vectis Dominator, to use a MTG analogy, which I think is a terrible card because of the opponent's choice involved) is that this one can be built around - if you're already running burden and threat removal, then it may be that the Shadow player will not be able to prevent it. Nevertheless, it does seem a bit expensive for an (albeit powerful) effect that is not guaranteed to go off.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

I dropped the cost of Stiffening and Listening to , but I'm hesitant to change it from two exertions, since the idea was to prevent dropping two or three copies of the event at a time. But if you think it still needs further tweaking, let me know.

Yesterday was skirmish-related events, and today it's skirmish-related conditions. Enjoy!

Tricksy Lights
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. If any number of burdens are about to be added by a Shadow card, discard Sméagol (or exert him if that Shadow card is a twilight card) to prevent that.
Response: If the fellowship moves to a marsh site, discard this condition to play Sméagol from your discard pile.
"‘Don't you heed them! Don't look! Don't follow them!'"

Pitifully Anxious To Please
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Ring-bound companion is about to exert, you may exert Sméagol instead.
Response: If a special ability is used in a skirmish involving a Ring-bound companion, spot Sméagol and discard this condition to cancel all effects of that special ability.
"From that moment a change, which lasted for some time, came over him. He spoke with less hissing and whining, and he spoke to his companions direct, not to his precious self."

[Thranduil]

•Tricksy Lights
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. If any number of burdens are about to be added by a Shadow card, discard Sméagol (or exert him if that Shadow card is a twilight card) to prevent that.
Response: If the fellowship moves to a marsh site, discard this condition to play Sméagol from your discard pile.
"‘Don't you heed them! Don't look! Don't follow them!'"

Interesting card, and fair enough. Doesn't seem to need uniqueness though.

Pitifully Anxious To Please
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Ring-bound companion is about to exert, you may exert Sméagol instead.
Response: If a special ability is used in a skirmish involving a Ring-bound companion, spot Sméagol and discard this condition to cancel all effects of that special ability.
"From that moment a change, which lasted for some time, came over him. He spoke with less hissing and whining, and he spoke to his companions direct, not to his precious self."

I might prefer the title "Anxious to Please", and it doesn't seem like a cost condition - I could see myself paying for this. I like the flavour of the first line, very interesting.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Tricksy Lights
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. If any number of burdens are about to be added by a Shadow card, discard Sméagol (or exert him if that Shadow card is a twilight card) to prevent that.
Response: If the fellowship moves to a marsh site, discard this condition to play Sméagol from your discard pile.
"‘Don't you heed them! Don't look! Don't follow them!'"

Think you need to make the first part a response, or change the wording to "Each time". Other than that i like it.

Pitifully Anxious To Please
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Ring-bound companion is about to exert, you may exert Sméagol instead.
Response: If a special ability is used in a skirmish involving a Ring-bound companion, spot Sméagol and discard this condition to cancel all effects of that special ability.
"From that moment a change, which lasted for some time, came over him. He spoke with less hissing and whining, and he spoke to his companions direct, not to his precious self."

Nice but id make it unique as the first part is powerful so would be powerful to be backed up and i dont thnik stacking 4 of those nuke special abilities is fair.