My attempt at some Hobbit cards

[sickofpalantirs]

Alright, thanks goes to all of you who have been reviewing these cards, especially the newer ones, while i was trying to get a feel for just what i wanted out of these elves but i think i have it now.  I would appreciate some thoughts on what i think is now a finalized Legolas. 

•Legolas, Woodland Prince 
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer.
While you can spot another Stealth companion, Legolas gains Stealth.
While you can spot a Stealth condition, each minion skirmishing Legolas is strength -1.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may take a Stealth event from your discard pile into hand.
maybe exert him to take an event? just taking it seems a bit OP.

•Galion
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Fellowship: Play an possession to draw a card.
fine  thrans all over it

Hidden Movements
Event • Fellowship/Regroup
Stealth.
To play, exert an companion.
Stealth companions do not add to the number of companions when calculating movement costs until the end of the phase.
is that how you phrase it? movement costs? if you go with thrans wording, I'd give it a limit of 3-4  even if your stealthy, if theres enough of you youll be heard

Hidden Shot
Event • Archery
Stealth.
Spot two Stealth companions to make the fellowship archery total +1.

fine

[MR. Lurtzy]

That ability on Hidden movements should, imao, be what the stealth keyward is normally.

[Gerontius]

Alright, thanks goes to all of you who have been reviewing these cards, especially the newer ones, while i was trying to get a feel for just what i wanted out of these elves but i think i have it now.  I would appreciate some thoughts on what i think is now a finalized Legolas. 

•Legolas, Woodland Prince 
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer.
While you can spot another Stealth companion, Legolas gains Stealth.
While you can spot a Stealth condition, each minion skirmishing Legolas is strength -1.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may take a Stealth event from your discard pile into hand.

An idea would be to play a Stealth event from your discard pile, then make several varying events that play during the skirmish phase... It would make this Legolas a little weaker, but open up some interesting combos.

Now i have some more elven cards to post.

•Galion
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Fellowship: Play an possession to draw a card.

Okay. The resistance could be higher, and a second effect would be nice, but I guess this is still a good card.

Hidden Movements
Event • Fellowship/Regroup
Stealth.
To play, exert an companion.
Stealth companions do not add to the number of companions when calculating movement costs until the end of the phase.

Go with Thran's suggestion, and give it a limit. If your not careful this could turn out to be a very cheap card.

Hidden Shot
Event • Archery
Stealth.
Spot two Stealth companions to make the fellowship archery total +1.


Okay. Are you going to make bows for these mirkwood elves?

[Braler]

Thanks again for the help and input.  I made a few changes so here we push on. As far as new bows for these elves goes, i have been building the set around the assumption these elves will be using the standard Elven Bow and they will have some things that suppliment this.  However, if anyone has a suggestion on what might make a good bow for this set i would be interested.  I am basing the elves in this set on the section of the Hobbit where these Mirkwood elves are described in contrast with the other elves of Middle Earth.  JRRT explains that since most of these elves had never made the journey to Valinor with the other elves and stayed in the dark forests of the world instead, they are more dangerous if somewhat less wise in magic and healing.  So, from this i have taken the approach that these elves will be stronger at fighting and shooting and sneaking while weaker at healing and telepathy.  That is why i took the hard line on the stealth cloak.  On that note here are the Stealth conditions.  One focus here will be to weaken minions before the archery phase and give them an option to weaken minions if the archery phase is bypassed.

•Woodland Snares
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play exert a Stealth Elf.
When you play this condition, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Discard this condition to exert a minion for each token here.

Hidden Preparations
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play spot a Stealth Elf.
Each time you play a Stealth event, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Exert a Stealth companion and spot X tokens on this card to discard a minion with twilight cost X. (any shadow player may exert that minion twice to prevent this) Discard this condition.

•Fighting in the Shadows
Condition • Support Area
Stealth.
While you can spot 3 Stealth elves, each wounded minion skirmishing a Stealth companion is strength -2.

[Thranduil]

Woodland Snares
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play exert a Stealth Elf.
When you play this condition, you may place two tokens here.
Maneuver: Discard this condition to exert a minion for each token here.

Hmm... Because of the exertion, I reckon this is fine.

Hidden Preparations
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play spot a Stealth Elf.
Each time you play a Stealth event, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Exert a Stealth companion and spot X tokens on this card to discard a minion with twilight cost X. (any shadow player may exert that minion twice to prevent this) Discard this condition.

Very interesting and very powerful; certainly a card to build a deck around. I think it's okay, though.

•Fighting in the Shadows
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play exert a Stealth Elf.
While you can spot 3 Stealth elves, each wounded minion skirmishing a Stealth companion is strength -2.

This one doesn't need the exertion or could cost , I reckon. A good and strong card.

As for your bows, how about some kind of bow that shoots from a hidden location? Something like:

Mirkwood Bow
Possession • Ranged Weapon
Bearer must be a Elf.
You may exert a stealth companion to play this possession any time you could play a maneuver event.
Archery: Return this possession to your hand to exert a minion.

[Braler]

I was really curious to see the reactions to these stealth conditions.  They sort of define this strategy for the elves.  Anybody else have an opinion on them?  I would really appreciate another couple reviews.

[Thranduil]

I was really curious to see the reactions to these stealth conditions.  They sort of define this strategy for the elves.  Anybody else have an opinion on them?  I would really appreciate another couple reviews.

The Chamber seems to be ridiculously empty these days... I can give you my opinions again, though!

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

never fear, sick of palantirs is here!

Woodland Snares
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play exert a Stealth Elf.
When you play this condition, you may place two tokens here.
Maneuver: Discard this condition to exert a minion for each token here.
that is VERY powerful.  I'd say start it out at one token, crazy good with things like hearth and hall.  so either one token, or make it unique IMSO.

Hidden Preparations
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play spot a Stealth Elf.
Each time you play a Stealth event, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Exert a Stealth companion and spot X tokens on this card to discard a minion with twilight cost X. (any shadow player may exert that minion twice to prevent this) Discard this condition.
this is kewl

•Fighting in the Shadows
Condition • Support Area
Stealth.
While you can spot 3 Stealth elves, each wounded minion skirmishing a Stealth companion is strength -2.

like a blades drawn, except doesn't get discarded.  very kewl.

stealth bows would be an interesting idea...

[lem0nhead]

Thran/SoP, dont forget DI has a baby now so thats why theres 1 less reviewer plus im busy at work more and with my wife pregnant i dont go on at home cos busy there too!

Woodland Snares
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play exert a Stealth Elf.
When you play this condition, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Discard this condition to exert a minion for each token here.

This is an awesome card with vast potential, thus my feelings are you need to unique it!

Hidden Preparations
Condition • Support Area
Stealth. To play spot a Stealth Elf.
Each time you play a Stealth event, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Exert a Stealth companion and spot X tokens on this card to discard a minion with twilight cost X. (any shadow player may exert that minion twice to prevent this) Discard this condition.

Seems alright.

•Fighting in the Shadows
Condition • Support Area
Stealth.
While you can spot 3 Stealth elves, each wounded minion skirmishing a Stealth companion is strength -2.

Bit too hard me thinks, there was a card or 2 like this in tower block but they get discarded at the end of the phase.

[Braler]

Thanks guys for the reviews.  On the last condition, i see that it seems quite strong at first look but with the stealth dynamic as it is now, the only way to have stealth is to have a woodland cloak on that companion (except for Legolas).  With the woodland cloak, as soon as you use a special ability, you lose stealth.  For that last condition to work, you must have 3 elves still in stealth during the skirmish with whatever stealth companion happens to be skirmishing and the minion has to be wounded so i dont think it will be too bad to have it hang around instead of discarding it at regroup.  Anyway, i would be happy to see any more reviews.  Ok, so now i have a question to pose.  I am trying to figure out where to go with these minions for the hobbit, they dont seem to want to fit into any culture very well.  I am toying around with the idea of introducing a new culture but then i dont know how to define it... anyway any help or input would be welcomed.

[Thranduil]

Anyway, i would be happy to see any more reviews.  Ok, so now i have a question to pose.  I am trying to figure out where to go with these minions for the hobbit, they dont seem to want to fit into any culture very well.  I am toying around with the idea of introducing a new culture but then i dont know how to define it... anyway any help or input would be welcomed.

I think some of them fit obviously into cultures. For example, Orcs of the Misty Mountain obviously can be (though is possible, it makes less sense given that it isn't actually Moria).

I think Smaug fits best in culture, though people in the past have used a symbol for [Mountain] or [Smaug].

Spiders of Mirkwood are an interesting question. Based on the fact that they're the Necromancer's minions, I used for them, but I suppose theoretically you could use if you think the Necromancer is more of a "wraithly" personification of Sauron. Other people have invented the [Mirkwood] culture by using the symbol which is often used both for minions and Elves of Mirkwood.

Not sure what to do with Wargs or Trolls. If you have a [Mountain] culture, then wargs could easily fit in there. Otherwise, I think I'd make them based on the fact that Warg mounts are in the culture. As for Trolls, they've appeared in and and either one might make sense, or perhaps .

Hope that helps.

Thranduil

[Braler]

Ok, thank you very much Thran, here ya go!  
So here is the Smaug idea i have been toying around with tell me what you guys think.

•Smaug, Greedy Wyrm 
Minion • Dragon
Str: 15
Vit: 5
Site: 8
Fierce. Damage +1
Smaug is strength +1 for each possession and artifact you can spot.

Clearly playing on the greed dynamic here, but i cant decide if i want his strength to go up or his twilight down per possession.  If i did the twilight thing, i think i would make him about a 20 strength.

[Thranduil]

Ok, thank you very much Thran, here ya go!  
So here is the Smaug idea i have been toying around with tell me what you guys think.

•Smaug, Greedy Wyrm 
Minion • Dragon
Str: 15
Vit: 5
Site: 8
Smaug is strength +1 for each possession and artifact you can spot.

Clearly playing on the greed dynamic here, but i cant decide if i want his strength to go up or his twilight down per possession.  If i did the twilight thing, i think i would make him about a 20 strength.

I think this is awesome! But, I reckon he needs Fierce to be worth his massive cost, or maybe something which differentiates possessions and artifacts like:

"Smaug is strength +1 for each possession you can spot.
Smaug is strength +2 for each artifact you can spot."

or maybe:

"Smaug is strength +1 for each possession you can spot.
Smaug is damage +1 for each artifact you can spot."

Thranduil

[Braler]

Woops, i was in a hurry when i posted that and i seem to have forgotten the fierce, damage +1 part.  Fixed it now.

[Braler]

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.

not sure about this next one but i want to build a card around this idea

•Smaug's Hoard
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 for each artifact you can spot.