The Way Into Mordor - Isengard (12/31: Token Machine Stuff)

[sickofpalantirs]

wait so can duel characters still only have 1 of each class of possession?

[lem0nhead]

And yes, lem0n, I intended it to lack true enforcement. Would correcting that help it out, do you think?

Not really, i just cant predict the balance on it.

[FM]

I still think dual characters are too messy to work as they are, I think you should either work with the idea of a flip/split card or a dual-sided card (but then, it'd require sleeves to be used, not that there's something wrong with it, after all, it's just a DC...)

[DáinIronfoot]

I still think dual characters are too messy to work as they are, I think you should either work with the idea of a flip/split card or a dual-sided card (but then, it'd require sleeves to be used, not that there's something wrong with it, after all, it's just a DC...)

Well, the only potential messiness I see is with cards that exert or wound, as you mentioned. Everything else, I think, is covered.

I don't intend to have a lot of them, either. The only ones I can think of off-hand are:

Saruman & Gríma (this set)
Boromir & Faramir (this set)
Merry & Pippin (this set)
Frodo & Sam (already in my set The Road Ahead)
Úlairë Attëa & Úlairë Cantëa (already in my set The Road Ahead)
Fíli & Kíli (already in my set Lasting Alliances)
Legolas & Gimli (future set)
Úlairë Lemenya & Úlairë Nertëa (future set)

Maybe a couple more, so you're looking at a grand total of 10-12.

If I can get the exert/wound thing cleared up and clarified (and I really think saying they BOTH take the exertion/wound and thus the vitality, since it shared, is only affected once clears it up just fine), the rest works out, I think. But I'll take a look at flip/split and see if I can get some more ideas there.

[DáinIronfoot]

Back to some Berserkers today: one of the smallest, and one of the biggest. Enjoy!

Berserk Grunt
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Berserker 1. (This character is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.)
While exhausted, this minion is fierce.
"Again and again the Orcs gained the summit of the outer wall...."

•Battle-Scarred Berserker
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 2. Berserker 1. (This character is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.)
While exhausted, Battle-Scarred Berserker is fierce.
Regroup: Discard Battle-Scarred Berserker to wound X companions, where X is the number of Free Peoples cultures you spot over 2.
Few of Saruman's berserkers survive to become veterans. Those that do are incredibly deadly warriors.

[lem0nhead]

Berserk Grunt
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on a character in its skirmish.
While exhausted, this minion is fierce.
"Again and again the Orcs gained the summit of the outer wall...."

Seems excessively good, even for a beserker. I like him, i mean hes great! But for a standard minion he does rock socks a bit. Should a berserker be a hunter? Perhaps thats whats wrong, maybe remove that for balance, as its not flavoursome either.

•Battle-Scarred Berserker
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 2.
Battle-Scarred Berserker is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.
While exhausted, Battle-Scarred Berserker is fierce.
Regroup: Exert Battle-Scarred Berserker and discard it to wound X companions, where X is the number of Free Peoples cultures you spot over 2.
Few of Saruman's berserkers survive to become veterans. Those that do are incredibly deadly warriors.

Similar note on hunter.... Doesnt fit. The regroup text is not that good also. You want him to be wounded so you wont have the spare exertion and even then its barely worth it unless you face 3 hunters and only just then.

[sickofpalantirs]

Well while we're being controversial, let's get back to another tracker trick...everyone's favorite concept: capturing! Now before you scream about how broken capturing and rescuing are, remember that the new and improved concept (described over here) seemed to meet everyone's approval, so keep that in mind as you review. And try to enjoy.

Uruk Sentinel
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 6
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Tracker. Fierce. Hunter 1. To play, spot an minion.
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, you may spot another tracker and exert this minion to capture a companion or ally in that skirmish.
"‘We took the prisoners. We are the servants of Saruman the Wise, the White Hand: the Hand that gives us man's-flesh to eat.'"
fairly balanced...I don't any necessity to make him have to spot a minion to be played though...

They're Fresh
Event • Shadow
You may discard an card from hand or from play to play this event during the regroup phase.
Spot a captured character in your support area to choose one: play a tracker from your hand or discard pile; or wound that captured character twice.
"‘What about their legs? They don't need those. Ooh, they look tasty.'"

fine

[DáinIronfoot]

...wha? Those cards are WAY old, my friend.

[sickofpalantirs]

now...how did I find those i wonder...agree with lem0n on the correct cards.

[lem0nhead]

A *bit* better now Dain. 

[FM]

Berserk Grunt
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1.
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on a character in its skirmish.
While exhausted, this minion is fierce.
"Again and again the Orcs gained the summit of the outer wall...."

I think it could be a little bit better, right now seems like an overcosted minion that'll end up dead in the archery phase, or get assigned to any tanking companion that'll tear it to pieces, I'd never want to draw these early on a game. Perhaps raising his strength to 8 might help, or maybe raise his cost a bit and give him the Troop of Uruk-hai ability? Btw, Dáin, I think you should assign rarity to your cards, makes easier to judge them. For instance, this card is fine as a common, could have 8 strength as an uncommon and could be better as a rare.

•Battle-Scarred Berserker
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 11
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 2.
Battle-Scarred Berserker is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.
While exhausted, Battle-Scarred Berserker is fierce.
Regroup: Discard Battle-Scarred Berserker to wound X companions, where X is the number of Free Peoples cultures you spot over 2.
Few of Saruman's berserkers survive to become veterans. Those that do are incredibly deadly warriors.

Now THIS one, on the other hand, is nice! However, again, it's great as a rare, but as an uncommon, I think it has too much game-text (it'd never cut it as a common, so I won't bother).

[DáinIronfoot]

Yeah, you're not the first to recommend assigning C/U/R/R+ status to my cards. It's something I plan on fully implementing for my upcoming, final two planned sets, as the DCs I'm designing for those sets come with rarity as part of the text. I just lazily haven't done it for my first two sets, and haven't yet for THIS set. I intend to go back and do it, I really do. I just haven't yet.

I imagine in this case, however, that the Grunt would be a common and the BsB a rare.

If you intend to keep reviewing, I'll make an effort to start with rarities with the cultures in THIS set from here on out. So once and are finished, rarity will begin showing up in the future. Deal?

[FM]

Deal.

[lem0nhead]

Hey how come when i ask for rarities i get "yeah yeah ill do it REAL soon  " but when FM bats his eyelashes at you, you quick march double time!

Think theres some favouritism going on here.

Hurumph! 


 

[DáinIronfoot]

Like I said, FM wasn't "the first to recommend assigning C/U/R/R+ status to my cards". Who did you THINK I meant when I told him that, my juicy friend?

Alright, I've done conditions that play on companions for Men and trackers, so why not a couple for our warriors, too? Enjoy!

Exhaustion
Condition
Strength -1
Response: If a skirmish involving an Uruk-hai is about to end, exert that Uruk-hai to play this condition on a Free Peoples character in that skirmish.
Each time bearer uses a special ability in his or her game text, he or she must exert.
"...as he ran he stumbled in his weariness. At once his enemies leapt forward."

Ouch. Too potent, do you think?

Evil News
Condition
Skirmish: Play this condition on a companion skirmishing an Uruk-hai.
Bearer may not be spotted by other Free Peoples cards (unless borne by bearer) and may not spot other Free Peoples cards (unless borne by bearer).
Discard this condition at the start of the regroup phase.
"‘I last saw him fighting on the ground behind the wall, but the enemy swept us apart.'"

Does the wording make sense? Basically, it's supposed to "cut off" the bearer from using any FP conditions, events, and/or support from the abilities of other characters. They get to keep and use any cards they bear, but nothing else. So did I word it correctly?

Things Go Ill
Event • Skirmish
Exert an Uruk-hai (or heal an Uruk-hai berserker) to exert a companion skirmishing that Uruk-hai and bearing an condition.
"Up came the Orcs, yelling, with their long arms stretched out to seize him."

Works very nicely with pretty much any of the play/transfer-to-a-FP-character conditions I've made...which, as I said, there are quite a few of already. This + the damage bonuses many Uruks have could mean instant death for companions if they lose.