Back to the Light - Review

[ket_the_jet]

Scouting Ahead
Event • Any phase
Stealth.
Spot a companion with resistance 5 or more to foresee 1. (Look at the top card of your draw deck; place it on top of or beneath your draw deck).
B C 48

I think Foresee is a cool but telepathy never had the same ring (or flavor) as telepathy. I think that any reference to telepathy in Gondor should be titled after Denethor or Aragorn's use of the Palantir.

Gathering to His Call
Event • Any phase
Exert an minion to add .
B C 67

Wildly powerful during the Shadow phase. And a common!

Brief Respite
Event • Any phase
Spot a companion to remove a burden.
B R 92

See, this could just as easily be a "response event" that is:
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add a burden, spot a [Hobbit] to prevent that.

Browbeat
Event • Any phase
Spot an minion to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance -2.
B U 99

I don't know the culture well enough to know how this fits in.

Hosts of Minas Morgul
Event • Any phase
Search.
Spot a minion to draw a card.
B C 112

That's neat, but I feel like it has the most application during the Shadow phase...so why not just make it Shadow phase? Or, like above, make it a response to a Free People's action where it could conceptually be used, like:
Response: If a companion exerts, spot a minion to draw a card.

That wouldn't work during the Fellowship phase, but if you are implementing that new rule, then it wouldn't matter!

•Saruman, Fallen Istar
Minion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
SIt: 4
Traitor.
While skirmishing a companion with resistance 6 or more, Saruman is strength +3 and damage +1.
Any Phase: Exert Saruman to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance +2 or -2.
"‘Our list of allies grows thin.'"
L R 80

Maybe I am missing something, but what would be the benefit of making a companion +2 resistance?

•Sceptre of the Dark Lord, Weapon of Despair
Artifact • Support Area
Each time you play a unique minion, you may add a token here.
Any phase: Remove X tokens from here to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance -X.
L R 142[/quote]
As a support area Artifact, it might see more play than you'd expect...I don't really have other thoughts on this except how does a Sceptre inspire fear when it is sitting in a support area and not grasped by the Dark Lord?
-wtk

[lem0nhead]

Brief Respite
Event • Any phase
Spot a companion to remove a burden.
B R 92

See, this could just as easily be a "response event" that is:
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add a burden, spot a [Hobbit] to prevent that.

Thats not so helpful if you dont have the card in hand when the burden is added.

•Saruman, Fallen Istar
Minion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
SIt: 4
Traitor.
While skirmishing a companion with resistance 6 or more, Saruman is strength +3 and damage +1.
Any Phase: Exert Saruman to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance +2 or -2.
"‘Our list of allies grows thin.'"
L R 80

Maybe I am missing something, but what would be the benefit of making a companion +2 resistance?

Yeah to trigger his first line of gametext.

[Thranduil]

Thanks for the incredible number of reviews here - I haven't seen this much interest in the forums for months! Now we need some other people's DCs so that it's not an autocracy... But to everyone involved, and you've given me a lot of food for thought.

What I think I will do is I will keep the any phase actions sprinkled throughout the set but I think it's not the best material for a global culture cycle, and so I will replace this cycle with another one. Some of these events will stay (I'm a big fan of Browbeat and Healing Drought for example). So this will probably become a foreseeing cycle, because one of the things I was conscious of was that there was not enough foresight in The Twilight World. Which also answers the question about telepathy - in this block, foresee is an evergreen keyword (ie. it appears in all cultures) and so everyone has some telepathic interactions. Obviously, the culture is by far the best at it.

I will repost some changed cards later today, but in the meantime any further comments or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

Thats not so helpful if you dont have the card in hand when the burden is added.

Yeah, but you could say that about most cards.

Yeah to trigger his first line of gametext.

Haha...whoops.
-wtk

[lem0nhead]

Yeah i suppose you could but thats why a blanket card like Thran printed is better than a response. Unconditonal removal is far better than prevention imho.

[sickofpalantirs]

Scouting Ahead
Event • Any phase
Stealth.
Spot a companion with resistance 5 or more to foresee 1. (Look at the top card of your draw deck; place it on top of or beneath your draw deck).
B C 48
maybe or 2 if they are a ranger?

Gathering to His Call
Event • Any phase
Exert an minion to add .
B C 67
thats powerful...but I think ok.

Brief Respite
Event • Any phase
Spot a companion to remove a burden.
B R 92
fine.

Browbeat
Event • Any phase
Spot an minion to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance -2.
B U 99
fine.  perhaps until the regroup phase?

Hosts of Minas Morgul
Event • Any phase
Search.
Spot a minion to draw a card.
B C 112
wraith and card drawing? forestguls maybe...maybe or place a card form hand beneath your drak deck?

There are also 2 cards from Light & Shadow:

•Saruman, Fallen Istar
Minion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
SIt: 4
Traitor.
While skirmishing a companion with resistance 6 or more, Saruman is strength +3 and damage +1.
Any Phase: Exert Saruman to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance +2 or -2.
"‘Our list of allies grows thin.'"
L R 80
kewl.

•Sceptre of the Dark Lord, Weapon of Despair
Artifact • Support Area
Each time you play a unique minion, you may add a token here.
Any phase: Remove X tokens from here to make a companion (except the Ring-bearer) resistance -X.
L R 142

fine

[Thranduil]

How about this for Galadriel:

•Galadriel, Ring-bearer
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot an companion, Galadriel's twilight cost is -3.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may place a card from your hand on top of your draw deck.
B C 14

Other changes:

Forgotten Secrets
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Maneuver: Spot a companion and discard this condition to remove up to 2 Shadow cards in a Shadow player's discard pile from the game.
B U 3

Resist the Shadow
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert an companion and either a companion or a companion to add an token here.
Maneuver: Remove an token here to make an unbound companion resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
B C 18

We'll deal with the other any phase cards when we come to them, and we'll have some new cards some time tomorrow.

Thranduil

[Not a Zombie]

How about this for Galadriel:

•Galadriel, Ring-bearer
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot an companion, Galadriel's twilight cost is -3.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may place a card from your hand on top of your draw deck.
B C 14

I'd make her title more like bearer of Nenya (or whichever ring she bears). Ring-bearer is kinda misleading. I really like it otherwise, she'd be in all my telepathy decks

Other changes:

Forgotten Secrets
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Maneuver: Spot a companion and discard this condition to remove a Shadow card in a Shadow player's discard pile from the game.
B U 3

good

Resist the Shadow
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert an companion and either a companion or a companion to add an token here.
Maneuver: Remove an token here to make an unbound companion resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
B C 18

Fine.

We'll deal with the other any phase cards when we come to them, and we'll have some new cards some time tomorrow.

Thranduil

[Thranduil]

While we're talking about rings, let's take a look at these 3 (the first is actually from Light & Shadow, but it quite obviously fits this cycle):

•Narya, Hidden Fire
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add any number of twilight tokens, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
"'I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame or Anor.'"
L R 40

•Nenya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
Response: If a burden is about to be added by a Shadow card, discard an card from hand to prevent that.
B R 17

•Vilya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Elrond.
Response: If a companion is about to be wounded or exerted by a Shadow card, exert 2 other companions to prevent that.
B R 20

[lem0nhead]

How about this for Galadriel:

•Galadriel, Ring-bearer
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot an companion, Galadriel's twilight cost is -3.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may place a card from your hand on top of your draw deck.
B C 14

Better but still not useful enough. Good for a common though.

Forgotten Secrets
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Maneuver: Spot a companion and discard this condition to remove a Shadow card in a Shadow player's discard pile from the game.
B U 3

Id make it two cards as this is a lot of effort for 1 removal.

Resist the Shadow
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert an companion and either a companion or a companion to add an token here.
Maneuver: Remove an token here to make an unbound companion resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
B C 18

My previous point stands. Would never exert 2 companions for such a paltry bonus.

Thranduil

[Thranduil]

My previous point stands. Would never exert 2 companions for such a paltry bonus.

Yeah - I never said it was a good card! I might play it in a limited deck, but definitely not constructed.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

•Narya, Hidden Fire
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add any number of twilight tokens, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
"'I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame or Anor.'"
L R 40
I almost feel like doing something with spells or resistance for an added bonus, like if its a spell remove 1 or something, but its fine as is.

•Nenya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
Response: If a burden is about to be added by a Shadow card, discard an card from hand to prevent that.
B R 17
I'm slightly worried about elven burden control, as to my knowledge aside from elf song they don't have a whole lot.

•Vilya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Elrond.
Response: If a companion is about to be wounded or exerted by a Shadow card, exert 2 other companions to prevent that.
B R 20

fine.

[ket_the_jet]

•Narya, Hidden Fire
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add any number of twilight tokens, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
"'I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame or Anor.'"
L R 40

Neat. That's pretty cool with me...but not too many cards add significant twilight...Goblin Runner is the only one that comes to mind.

•Nenya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
Response: If a burden is about to be added by a Shadow card, discard an card from hand to prevent that.
B R 17

I don't like the subtitle "Hidden Ring." That applies to Nenya and Vilya. You could make it more like the Towers Common Sam if you wanted where it is "any number of burdens..." I don't like seeing over-powered cultures get stronger though.

Furthermore, when you think about Nenya, how did it help anyone resist burdens? If anything, it made Galadriel want the One Ring more. I think you should think about that from a flavor standpoint.

•Vilya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Elrond.
Response: If a companion is about to be wounded or exerted by a Shadow card, exert 2 other companions to prevent that.
B R 20

This fits well in the sense that L. Ron was a healer...This is my favorite one.
-wtk

[lem0nhead]

•Narya, Hidden Fire
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add any number of twilight tokens, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
"'I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame or Anor.'"
L R 40

Yeah this is ok.

•Nenya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
Response: If a burden is about to be added by a Shadow card, discard an card from hand to prevent that.
B R 17

Any number of burdens would be OP, SoP is right about giving elves this kind of power. Ket is right on flavour as well.

•Vilya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Elrond.
Response: If a companion is about to be wounded or exerted by a Shadow card, exert 2 other companions to prevent that.
B R 20

This i feel is slightly underpowered, 2 exertions is imo a really bad cost for anything. Wounds are the most vital costs for freeps players over discard, pool adding etc. Maybe exert another and add 3?

[legolas3333]

While we're talking about rings, let's take a look at these 3 (the first is actually from Light & Shadow, but it quite obviously fits this cycle):

•Narya, Hidden Fire
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Response: If a Shadow card is about to add any number of twilight tokens, discard a card from hand to prevent that.
"'I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame or Anor.'"
L R 40

Hmm, kinda a play on gandalf's hat? Nice

•Nenya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
Response: If a burden is about to be added by a Shadow card, discard an card from hand to prevent that.
B R 17

A little to powerful i think maybe make it limit once per site

•Vilya, Hidden Ring
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Elrond.
Response: If a companion is about to be wounded or exerted by a Shadow card, exert 2 other companions to prevent that.
B R 20

ok, nice