Back to the Light - Review

[Thranduil]

Thanks for all your thoughts! A few words from me.

On burden removal: In the current game environment, there is essentially 1 culture that does burden removal, obviously . There are a few cards, but most of them (except for the powerful rare ones like Watch and Wait and Foe-hammer) are not particularly good (Ease the Burden?). I think it's unhealthy when something can only be done by 1 culture, and so it's important to spread it out. As such, I have been pushing burden removal as secondary in and (and to an extent, - although it usually needs support to do so), where the flavour makes perfect sense. It's just like Magic when they realised that only got haste and so made it secondary in .

On Narya, Hidden Fire: You may remember Gandalf, Mover of All which you can find here (a little down the page). This is one of the main reasons it deals with twilight tokens, and provided the inspiration to the other 2 rings.

On the other two rings: I completely see your point ket about the flavour. What I'm trying to get across in these two rings is the power they have in protecting the Elves and all those around them - it is because of Vilya and Nenya that Rivendell and Lothlórien respectively survived until the end of the Third Age. This is my justification for Nenya, Hidden Ring - it represents not Galadriel's strengths, but the power the Ring has over Lothlórien and those whop enter its protection.

So I will look over those 2 and probably post updated versions at a later date. Not sure about the subtitles though... Anyone have better suggestions? I obviously want it to fit in with Hidden Fire, and Hidden Water and Air sounds a bit bad...

Now for some plays on the Naith at the Battle of Helm's Deep. This also includes some valiant tribal support, and a remake of Valor.

Unrelenting
Event • Skirmish
Make a valiant or companion strength +2 (or +3 if skirmishing a wounded minion).
B C 19

Deflection
Event • Response
If a Shadow event is played, spot an companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. If the revealed card is a Free Peoples card, cancel that Shadow event and place it on top of its owner's draw deck. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of or beneath your draw deck in any order).
B U 10

•Dual Fighting
Condition • Support Area
While you can spot 3 valiant companions with resistance 7 or more, each minion is strength -2 for each wound on that minion.
Discard this condition if the fellowship did not move during the regroup phase.
B R 11

The title of the that one is bad - other suggestions I would love (it's obviously a remake of one of my favourite cards from the Two Towers, Blades Drawn).

[ket_the_jet]

Deflection is badass. I really like that card.

Dual Fighting could easily be renamed. Something like "Bow and Blade" or whatever the Elvish is that Aragorn speaks when he says, "Release Arrows!" at Helm's Deep. Yeah. That'd be badass.
-wtk

[legolas3333]

Thanks for all your thoughts! A few words from me.

On burden removal: In the current game environment, there is essentially 1 culture that does burden removal, obviously . There are a few cards, but most of them (except for the powerful rare ones like Watch and Wait and Foe-hammer) are not particularly good (Ease the Burden?). I think it's unhealthy when something can only be done by 1 culture, and so it's important to spread it out. As such, I have been pushing burden removal as secondary in and (and to an extent, - although it usually needs support to do so), where the flavour makes perfect sense. It's just like Magic when they realised that only got haste and so made it secondary in .

On Narya, Hidden Fire: You may remember Gandalf, Mover of All which you can find here (a little down the page). This is one of the main reasons it deals with twilight tokens, and provided the inspiration to the other 2 rings.

On the other two rings: I completely see your point ket about the flavour. What I'm trying to get across in these two rings is the power they have in protecting the Elves and all those around them - it is because of Vilya and Nenya that Rivendell and Lothlórien respectively survived until the end of the Third Age. This is my justification for Nenya, Hidden Ring - it represents not Galadriel's strengths, but the power the Ring has over Lothlórien and those whop enter its protection.

So I will look over those 2 and probably post updated versions at a later date. Not sure about the subtitles though... Anyone have better suggestions? I obviously want it to fit in with Hidden Fire, and Hidden Water and Air sounds a bit bad...

Now for some plays on the Naith at the Battle of Helm's Deep. This also includes some valiant tribal support, and a remake of Valor.

Unrelenting
Event • Skirmish
Make a valiant or companion strength +2 (or +3 if skirmishing a wounded minion).
B C 19

Ok! i like it much since it works with multiple cultures

Deflection
Event • Response
If a Shadow event is played, spot an companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. If the revealed card is a Free Peoples card, cancel that Shadow event and place it on top of its owner's draw deck. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of or beneath your draw deck in any order).
B U 10

awesome! one of the things i like about other TCGs that lotr never got into much was preventing other peoples cards especially events and conditions, i like the idea a lot

•Dual Fighting
Condition • Support Area
While you can spot 3 valiant companions with resistance 7 or more, each minion is strength -2 for each wound on that minion.
Discard this condition if the fellowship did not move during the regroup phase.
B R 11

hmm i like the card, i can't think of a good title for it, and another thing is that unless you have valiant companions i couldn't see me using it

The title of the that one is bad - other suggestions I would love (it's obviously a remake of one of my favourite cards from the Two Towers, Blades Drawn).

[Thranduil]

Great thanks guys! I'll come up with some better title for that last card. Leithio i philinn! is what Aragorn says to the Elves (Release the Arrows) but I wasn't sure it looked good as a title.

In the meantime, that finishes off the culture, so let's look at some stuff. First some cross-culture cards from cultures we've already seen:

Emissaries of the West
Event • Fellowship
Spell. Toil 2. (When you play this card, you may exert any number of companions to make its twilight cost -2 for each companion exerted in this way).
Spot a companion with resistance 6 or more to discard each condition.
B U 13

Obviously the crossover here is condition discard, which is a strength of both the and cultures.

•Brand, Ally of Erebor
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
Skirmish: If Brand has resistance 6 or more, exert him to take a or skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
B R 1

This one is a twin to Dáin Ironfoot, Heir of Durin that we saw before.

Then the first reprint for that reprinted cycle:

Not the First Halfling (reprint)
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert Gandalf and either an companion or a companion to add a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token here to make a minion skirmishing an unbound companion strength -2.
B C 27

And finally an interesting idea for a Gandalf. I'm not sure about it, but you'll let me know what you think!

•Gandalf, Olórin
Companion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Valiant.
Gandalf gains the cultures of each other companion with resistance 6 or more.
B U 23

[ket_the_jet]

Emissaries of the West
Event • Maneuver
Spell. Toil 2.
Spot a companion with resistance 6 or more to discard each condition.
B U 13

I feel like this is nice but should probably be a Fellowship action or not have toil. In the fellowship, one exertion and it is Sleep, Caradhras. With no exertions it is Grown Suddenly Tall. Both of those are pretty good options.

•Brand, Ally of Erebor
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
Skirmish: If Brand has resistance 6 or more, exert him to take a or skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
B R 1[/quote]
He is awesome. I haven't seen any skirmish events yet but I know they'll be badass!

•Gandalf, Friend of the Free Peoples
Companion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Valiant.
Gandalf gains the cultures of each other companion with resistance 6 or more.
B U 23

That is actually a pretty cool idea. I am not sure that is how Decipher would have worded it (at least, back in their heyday)...but that is cool especially if your events don't spot Elves and Dwarves but and companions, like we have seen! I approve...except for of the subtitle. I know they are tough, but that is bland and not fun. Maybe Mithrandir or Greyhame-like--Olorin, Tharkun, Incanus (less likely)...one of these names that describes that he is known as different things to different people.

Hope these help!
-wtk

[Thranduil]

Great ideas ket. I want to keep Emissaries of the West maneuver because that makes it more , but I've upped the cost quite considerably. Also changed Gandalf's subtitle according to your suggestion.

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

Neat. I like those a lot more now! might be overkill, but like Grown Suddenly Tall there has to be some reason not to play it!

Also, sorry about the typo...I'm sure it was understood that I meant Sleep, Caradhras.
-wtk

[sickofpalantirs]

a few words?  your points make sense though.

Deflection
Event • Response
If a Shadow event is played, spot an companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. If the revealed card is a Free Peoples card, cancel that Shadow event and place it on top of its owner's draw deck. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of or beneath your draw deck in any order).
B U 10
I think this would be much cooler if it was foresee one.  Allowing you to place it beneath your draw deck and hope for better luck...

•Dual Fighting
Condition • Support Area
While you can spot 3 valiant companions with resistance 7 or more, each minion is strength -2 for each wound on that minion.
Discard this condition if the fellowship did not move during the regroup phase.
B R 11

fine by me.  except the title is kinda weird.  I would have just reprinted blades drawn personally, as that is a pretty kewl title.


Emissaries of the West
Event • Maneuver
Spell. Toil 2. (When you play this card, you may exert any number of companions to make its twilight cost -2 for each companion exerted in this way).
Spot a companion with resistance 6 or more to discard each condition.
B U 13
with each condition, I think 7 would be fine.


•Brand, Ally of Erebor
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
Skirmish: If Brand has resistance 6 or more, exert him to take a or skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
B R 1
fine.




•Gandalf, Olórin
Companion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Valiant.
Gandalf gains the cultures of each other companion with resistance 6 or more.
B U 23

That is...sweet.  Honestly I don't know what else to say.  Kewl idea.

[legolas3333]

Great thanks guys! I'll come up with some better title for that last card. Leithio i philinn! is what Aragorn says to the Elves (Release the Arrows) but I wasn't sure it looked good as a title.

In the meantime, that finishes off the culture, so let's look at some stuff. First some cross-culture cards from cultures we've already seen:

Emissaries of the West
Event • Maneuver
Spell. Toil 2. (When you play this card, you may exert any number of companions to make its twilight cost -2 for each companion exerted in this way).
Spot a companion with resistance 6 or more to discard each condition.
B U 13

i would like to compare this to New-awakened which makes this somewhat powerful, maybe make the resistance requirement the same as gandalf's resistance to bring it down a bit.

Obviously the crossover here is condition discard, which is a strength of both the and cultures.

•Brand, Ally of Erebor
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
Skirmish: If Brand has resistance 6 or more, exert him to take a or skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
B R 1

hmm i'm reluctant to have anyone start as archer, but he's ok i guess

This one is a twin to Dáin Ironfoot, Heir of Durin that we saw before.

Then the first reprint for that reprinted cycle:

Not the First Halfling (reprint)
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert Gandalf and either an companion or a companion to add a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token here to make a minion skirmishing an unbound companion strength -2.
B C 27

great idea almost like a card D would've made back in the glory days of lotr!

And finally an interesting idea for a Gandalf. I'm not sure about it, but you'll let me know what you think!

•Gandalf, Olórin
Companion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Valiant.
Gandalf gains the cultures of each other companion with resistance 6 or more.
B U 23

wait, so he could be like 4 different cultures?? that's awesome!

[ket_the_jet]

I have no problem with people who are archers starting as archers. Just throwing that out there. Brand was known as an archer.
-wtk

[Thranduil]

I'm glad you guys liked my Gandalf! I think he might see some play - the ability to count as a Wizard and the main culture of your deck seems powerful. I've changed Emissaries of the West to a fellowship event so that it loses some power and flexibility, and it still fits as a card.

Apparently this post is going to be rare central. Here are 3 multicultural rares, the first two of which are part of the spellshaper cycle (notice Fireworks and Mighty Steed):

•Gandalf's Cart, Purveyor of Fireworks
Possession
Res: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Fellowship or Regroup: Exert Gandalf to shuffle up to 2 or cards from your discard pile into your draw deck.
B R 24

•Shadowfax, Pride of Rohan
Possession • Mount
Bearer must be Gandalf.
At the start of each skirmish involving Gandalf, each minion skirmishing him must exert.
Skirmish: If Gandalf is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him twice to have him replace an unbound companion with resistance 6 or more in a skirmish.
B R 83

Alliance of the Free Peoples
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
, , , and companions may exert for this card's toil.
Spot Gandalf to make each unbound companion strength and resistance +5 until the regroup phase.
B R 21

[ket_the_jet]

•Gandalf's Cart, Purveyor of Fireworks
Possession
Res: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Fellowship or Regroup: Exert Gandalf to shuffle up to 2 or cards from your discard pile into your draw deck.
B R 24

Fireworks was always one of my favorite cards so I approve!

•Shadowfax, Pride of Rohan
Possession • Mount
Bearer must be Gandalf.
At the start of each skirmish involving Gandalf, each minion skirmishing him must exert.
Skirmish: If Gandalf is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him twice to have him replace an unbound companion with resistance 6 or more in a skirmish.
B R 83

I am not sure that Pride of Rohan is a great subtitle, but I do agree that Shadowfax should be a card. What are your thoughts on making it "Bearer must be a Wizard?"

Alliance of the Free Peoples
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
, , , and companions may exert for this card's toil.
Spot Gandalf to make each companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength and resistance +5 until the regroup phase.
B R 21

Here is an idea. And I don't know how you like it. But rather than listing characters that can exert for the toil cost, how about:
Toil 2.
When you play this card, you can spot Gandalf to make each companion gain the culture until the regroup phase. Make each companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength +5 and resistance +5 until the regroup phase.

I don't know if that works because you would have to pay the cost before you get the "Each companion gains the culture" part. But something like that. Also, I think that toil 3 or would be reasonable.
-wtk

[legolas3333]

I'm glad you guys liked my Gandalf! I think he might see some play - the ability to count as a Wizard and the main culture of your deck seems powerful. I've changed Emissaries of the West to a fellowship event so that it loses some power and flexibility, and it still fits as a card.

Apparently this post is going to be rare central. Here are 3 multicultural rares, the first two of which are part of the spellshaper cycle (notice Fireworks and Mighty Steed):

•Gandalf's Cart, Purveyor of Fireworks
Possession
Res: +1
Bearer must be Gandalf.
Fellowship or Regroup: Exert Gandalf to shuffle up to 2 or cards from your discard pile into your draw deck.
B R 24

so fireworks right...

•Shadowfax, Pride of Rohan
Possession • Mount
Bearer must be Gandalf.
At the start of each skirmish involving Gandalf, each minion skirmishing him must exert.
Skirmish: If Gandalf is not assigned to a skirmish, exert him twice to have him replace an unbound companion with resistance 6 or more in a skirmish.
B R 83

so it's shadowfax with a built in Mighty Steed...

Alliance of the Free Peoples
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
, , , and companions may exert for this card's toil.
Spot Gandalf to make each companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength and resistance +5 until the regroup phase.
B R 21

I hate to say this but down from the hills is more powerful in the right deck, i'd lower the cost a little probably to 10 toil 3

[ket_the_jet]

I hate to say this but down from the hills is more powerful in the right deck, i'd lower the cost a little probably to 10 toil 3

Down From the Hills affects one companion. This affects all of them (except the Ring-Bearer). Which actually makes me think...

Thranduil: Do you think it should only affect unbound companions?
-wtk

[Thranduil]

Here is an idea. And I don't know how you like it. But rather than listing characters that can exert for the toil cost, how about:
Toil 2.
When you play this card, you can spot Gandalf to make each companion gain the culture until the regroup phase. Make each companion (except the Ring-bearer) strength +5 and resistance +5 until the regroup phase.

I don't know if that works because you would have to pay the cost before you get the "Each companion gains the culture" part. But something like that. Also, I think that toil 3 or would be reasonable.
-wtk

I know what you mean. In fact, the original idea of this card was that the card itself was all those cultures, so that they could exert by default. But then I decided it was perhaps too complicated to present. I will certainly change it to unbound companions which actually fits the flavour better.

Thranduil