My attempt at some Hobbit cards

[Thranduil]

•Drawn by Greed
Condition • Support Area
Each time a possession or artifact is played, add a token here.
Shadow: Discard this condition to play Smaug from your hand or discard pile with twilight cost -X where X is the number of tokens on this card.

Fair enough. Perhaps it should play Smaug from your draw deck instead? Not sure 8 Smaugs is very pleasant...

Shadow of the Mountain
Condition • Support Area
To play spot a card.
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in the same region as The Lonely Mountain, the free peoples player must exert a companion.

Awesome! I think it should probably be unique and maybe have some other minor ability. It's a cool mirror of the Throne of the Dark Lord. Could you make it something like "Dragon's Hoard" so that you could make it an artifact as well? You're definitely going to need some Smaug possessions and artifacts.

Thranduil

[Braler]

Thanks Thran for the input!  I liked those ideas, very helpful i made the appropriate changes.  Im still workin on new cards, hopefully will have something to post soon.

[Gerontius]

Alright the Smaug strategy is still evolving so any input to that extent would be welcomed.  That being said here is something that i have in mind at the moment.

•Drawn by Greed
Condition • Support Area
Each time a possession or artifact is played, add a token here.
Shadow: Discard this condition to play Smaug from your hand or draw deck with twilight cost -X where X is the number of tokens on this card.

Good, fairly balanced. It could be compared to black sails of umbar, but I think that card is fairly powerful anyway.

Smaug's Horde
Artifact • Support Area
To play spot a card.
When you play Smaug you may discard a possession.
Each time the fellowship moves to a site in the same region as The Lonely Mountain, the free peoples player must exert a companion.

I'm not quite sure about this card. What I'm worried about is that the first effect is very powerful if this card isn't unique, but the second effect is barely useful it this card is unique. Maybe change the first effect to "Shadow: Play Smaug to discard a possession". That way you don't get to discard 4 possessions each time you play Smaug.

I really like the Smaug mechanics, keep it up!

[Braler]

Nice catch Old Took, i hadn't thought about that first ability like that... i was going for the ability to stockpile more horde for more power.  Definitely need to change that first ability though like you said. 

[Thranduil]

Nice catch Old Took, i hadn't thought about that first ability like that... i was going for the ability to stockpile more horde for more power.  Definitely need to change that first ability though like you said. 

I'd prefer even more if the ability didn't change and it was unique. After all, Smaug only had 1 hoard.

Thranduil

[Braler]

I have been debating what exactly a ring should look like for this set from the very begining.  Finally, I have had an idea... now im sure it needs some work so please make some comments on this ring for me.  Here is what i had in mind.  I thought about the traits of the ring in the Hobbit and it occured to me that since Sauron was not so frantic in his search for the ring at this time, it was much less dangerous.  Now, in the spirit of balance i was trying to decide how to represent this.  Then it occured to me, how about i encorperate this Stealth mechanic into this version of the ring since that too was a huge part for the ring in this story. Here is what i have.

•The One Ring, Curious Trinket 
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound, make the Ring-bearer wear The One Ring until the end of the phase.
While the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring, he or she gains stealth and each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.

[Thranduil]

•The One Ring, Curious Trinket 
Bearer gains stealth.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound, make the Ring-bearer wear The One Ring until the end of the phase.
While the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.

I would suggest a slightly different approach:

"•The One Ring, Curious Trinket
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound, he or she wears The One Ring until the end of the phase.
While the Ring-bearer wears The One Ring, he or she gains stealth and each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead."

This build slaps you round the face with invisibility, and I think that's a good thing!

Just don't go thinking too deeply into my choice of metaphor...

Thranduil

[Braler]

I like it thanks Thran.  Its been a while since i have posted anything.  Ive been on a mission trip for a week but now im back and here are some more cards.

Here is an odd one im trying to still figure out... any help would be nice

Breath of Smaug
Event • Maneuver or Regroup
Maneuver: Discard Smaug to wound each companion.
Regroup: Exert Smaug 3 times to wound each companion.

And now for some creepy crawlies

Skulking Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 6
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
Each character skirmishing this minion loses stealth.

Spinning Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
When you play this minion, you may play a web from your draw deck.

Stalwart Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 8
Vit: 3
Site 5
Enduring. Fierce.

Thick Webs
Possession • Support Area
Web. To play, spot a web and exert a spider.
The fellowship archery total is -1.

Sticky Webs
Possession • Support Area
Web.To play, exert a spider.
If a companion loses a skirmish to a spider and there are no possessions staked here, the free peoples player must stack one of that companion's possessions on this card.

[Thranduil]

Breath of Smaug
Event • Maneuver
Exert Smaug four times to wound each companion.

Coolness. I might make it regroup just so that the FP player has enough time to stop it, because if this goes out it could be the end of a fellowship.

Skulking Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 6
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
Each character skirmishing Skulking Spider loses stealth.

Spiders are stealthy. Couldn't they have stealth? I'm not sure how much enduring fits them all (it would be a good splash, but i'm not sure all of them should have it).

Spinning Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
When you play this minion, you may play a web from your draw deck.

This is cool. Just waiting for a web now...

Stalwart Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 8
Vit: 3
Site 5
Enduring. Fierce.

Good solid design.

Thick Webs
Possession • Web
To play, spot a web, plays to your support area.
The fellowship archery total is -1.

I think I'd rather it was "To play, spot a Spider." But, this does work against an enduring strategy.

Sticky Webs
Possession • Web
To play, spot a spider, plays to your support area.
If a companion loses a skirmish to a spider, the free peoples player must place one of that companion's possessions on this card. (Limit one)

Very nice design.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Breath of Smaug
Event • Maneuver
Exert Smaug four times to wound each companion.

Could probably cost 1.
Skulking Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 6
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
Each character skirmishing Skulking Spider loses stealth.

Nice but as its non unique you can say "this minion".

Spinning Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
When you play this minion, you may play a web from your draw deck.

Sound.

Stalwart Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 8
Vit: 3
Site 5
Enduring. Fierce.

Ok.

Thick Webs
Possession • Web
To play, spot a web, plays to your support area.
The fellowship archery total is -1.

Not amazingly useful on its own im guessing lots of webs out are important though?

Sticky Webs
Possession • Web
To play, spot a spider, plays to your support area.
If a companion loses a skirmish to a spider, the free peoples player must place one of that companion's possessions on this card. (Limit one)

Think its a little bit harsh really as a couple of these out and the freeps is gonna lose ALL his possessions fast. Like the flavour but would tone it down some how.

[DáinIronfoot]

Breath of Smaug
Event • Maneuver
Exert Smaug four times to wound each companion.

I agree with lem0n that is probably fine, and a spin on Thran's idea...perhaps make this a maneuver OR regroup event, and have it DISCARD Smaug if played during maneuver and exert him perhaps three times if played during regroup. Just to shake things up!

Skulking Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 6
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
Each character skirmishing Skulking Spider loses stealth.

I just echo the others. I think enduring works fine as a Spider "theme".

Spinning Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Site: 5
Enduring.
When you play this minion, you may play a web from your draw deck.

Good stuff.

Stalwart Spider
Minion • Spider
Str: 8
Vit: 3
Site 5
Enduring. Fierce.

Nice general minion.

Thick Webs
Possession • Web
To play, spot a web, plays to your support area.
The fellowship archery total is -1.

To save a little text, you could do this instead:

Thick Webs
Possession • Support Area
Web. To play, spot a web.
The fellowship archery total is -1.

I agree with Thran, though...this works against enduring, so perhaps do something else with it, like allow it to be discarded or remove tokens (or cards stacked on other webs, which would tie nicely into your next card) to prevent special ability use?

Yeah, I really like that idea. So perhaps this:

Thick Webs
Possession • Support Area
Web. To play, spot a web.
Response: If a special ability is used, discard a web or a card stacked on a web to prevent all effects of that ability.

Sticky Webs
Possession • Web
To play, spot a spider, plays to your support area.
If a companion loses a skirmish to a spider, the free peoples player must place one of that companion's possessions on this card. (Limit one)

Yeah, it's a touch powerful. Perhaps allow the choice of exerting that companion instead?

And just to clean it up a wee bit....

Sticky Webs
Possession • Support Area
Web. To play, spot a Spider.
Each time a companion loses a skirmish involving a Spider, the Free Peoples player must exert that companion or stack one of that companion's possessions here.

With "each time", you can drop the one-time limit, since that's implied. Also consider opening this up to ALL Spiders so Shelob can get in on the fun. I think I'd leave the spotting requirement as is, but allow the ability work with any Spider.

Nice cards!

[Braler]

There i like the changes, thanks for all the input! 

[Braler]

Well, much has happened since last i posted here, i have moved jobs and states and life has taken some interesting turns but now I'm finally getting settled.  Hopefully I will be able to post more regularly again.  Meanwhile i have decided that it might be fun to turn this post into my first attempt at a DC block.  As always, any and all thoughts, advise, or comments are welcomed.  So here goes my attempt at a Hobbit block.  It will consist of the first set which will be titled The Hobbit, followed by one titled Adventures, and one titled Battles.  The theme of the block will revolve around the concept of greed and all of its forms.  This was key to the story of the Hobbit so it seems only natural.  Often characters were defined by how they dealt with this.  Hopefully i will be able to capture this feeling in the various ways in which the cultures in this set will deal with greed.  Each culture will be heavy on possessions compared to previous sets due to the nature of a "greedy" block I will begin with the culture.  The strategy here will revolve around archery and a new stealth mechanic.  This hopefully reflects the differences between the wood-elves who live in Mirkwood and the elves in previous sets.  Although, Rivendell will play a minor role.  
Anyway, here are the Companions:

•Elrond, Runewise
Companion • Elf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
To play, spot Gandalf or an Elf.
Each companion bearing a hand weapon is strength +1.
"Elrond knew all about runes of every kind.  That day he looked at the swords they brought from the trolls' lair.

•Thranduil, Woodland King
Companion • Elf
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Each time you play an possession at a forest site, you may choose an opponent to discard a card from hand.
though his hoard was rich, he was ever eager for more

•Legolas, Woodland Prince
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Stealth.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may take a stealth event from your discard pile into hand.
 
Mirkwood Hunter
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Hunter 1.
At the start of each skirmish involving this companion, reinforce a token on a stealth condition.

[Thranduil]

Good to see you around again!

•Elrond, Runewise
Companion • Elf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
To play, spot Gandalf or an Elf.
Each companion bearing a hand weapon is strength +1.
"Elrond knew all about runes of every kind.  That day he looked at the swords they brought from the trolls' lair.

Hmmm... I like the connection to Glamdring and Orcrist, but I'd prefer a fetching ability than a strength pump - seems to fulfill the flavour better. I think I want something like: Fellowship: Exert Elrond twice to take into hand a Free Peoples possession or artifact from your draw deck." And maybe with a "If that card was Glamdring, Orcrist or Sting, you may heal him once" or something. This also allows the flavour or decoding the map. Or perhaps a simpler ability, something like "Each Free Peoples possession or artifact is twilight cost -1."

•Thranduil, Woodland King
Companion • Elf
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Each time you play an possession at a forest site, you may choose an opponent to discard a card from hand.
though his hoard was rich, he was ever eager for more

Interesting, but very limited.

•Legolas, Woodland Prince
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Stealth.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may take a stealth event from your discard pile into hand.

Yeah cool.
 

Mirkwood Hunter
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Hunter 1.
At the start of each skirmish involving this companion, reinforce a token on a stealth condition.

Nice!

[ket_the_jet]

•Elrond, Runewise
Companion • Elf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
To play, spot Gandalf or an Elf.
Each companion bearing a hand weapon is strength +1.
"Elrond knew all about runes of every kind.  That day he looked at the swords they brought from the trolls' lair.

I'll be honest, I like the idea of fetching possessions as well. But how does Elrond even do that in the novel?

•Thranduil, Woodland King
Companion • Elf
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Each time you play an possession at a forest site, you may choose an opponent to discard a card from hand.
though his hoard was rich, he was ever eager for more

Seems like a cool card, but I'd probably never use it.

•Legolas, Woodland Prince
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Stealth.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may take a stealth event from your discard pile into hand.

Cool, but I don't know what I think about stealth companions.

Mirkwood Hunter
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Hunter 1.
At the start of each skirmish involving this companion, reinforce a token on a stealth condition.

I think that if he is hunter 1 he needs to be strength 5.
-wtk