Back to the Light - Review

[legolas3333]

Well, if you guys are going to be like that, I might post some more!

Kingsfoil (reprint)
Possession
Bearer must be a Man.
Fellowship: Discard this possession from play to heal a companion and, if that companion is a companion, you may discard a condition he or she bears.
B C 48

awful simply awful card what a waste



I thought about making a new version of this card, but in the end, while there's already a card that does pretty much exactly what I want it to do, why would I change it?

Hands of the King
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert a companion and either a companion or a companion to add a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token here to heal a companion.
B C 46

I like it though you should maybe change it to regroup.

So this is the component of the NtFH cycle.

It is Not This Day!
Condition • Unbound Companion
Res: +1
Tale.
To play, spot a companion.
Limit 1 per companion.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a Free Peoples token or discard a Shadow token.
B U 47

do you mean remove a shadow culture token?

One of the themes of this block is obviously resistance, and so there are a series of conditions that play on companions for resistance modifiers. And this also gives me the chance to reinforce one of 's strengths - culture tokens.

•Pippin, Knight of Gondor
Companion • Hobbit
Str: 5
Vit: 4
Res: 8
Knight.
Skirmish: Exert Pippin twice to make him strength +1 for each companion you can spot.
B R 49

ok... maybe make a limit.

And here is another spellshaper. Notice that he's a Pippin, Guard of Minas Tirith that comes with an inbuilt Pippin's Sword!

[Not a Zombie]

Well, if you guys are going to be like that, I might post some more!

Kingsfoil (reprint)
Possession
Bearer must be a Man.
Fellowship: Discard this possession from play to heal a companion and, if that companion is a companion, you may discard a condition he or she bears.
B C 48

I thought about making a new version of this card, but in the end, while there's already a card that does pretty much exactly what I want it to do, why would I change it?

Hands of the King
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert a companion and either a companion or a companion to add a token here.
Regroup: Remove a token here to heal a companion.
B C 46

Cool.

So this is the component of the NtFH cycle.

It is Not This Day!
Condition • Unbound Companion
Res: +1
Tale.
To play, spot a companion.
Limit 1 per companion.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a Free Peoples culture token or discard a Shadow culture token.
B U 47

Awesome!

One of the themes of this block is obviously resistance, and so there are a series of conditions that play on companions for resistance modifiers. And this also gives me the chance to reinforce one of 's strengths - culture tokens.

•Pippin, Knight of Gondor
Companion • Hobbit
Str: 5
Vit: 4
Res: 8
Knight.
Skirmish: Exert Pippin twice to make him strength +1 for each companion you can spot.
B R 49

Pretty neat, but I don't know of anyone  who used  the origional  pippin with his sword, mostly because of lack of other support. I'd love to see this more developed 

And here is another spellshaper. Notice that he's a Pippin, Guard of Minas Tirith that comes with an inbuilt Pippin's Sword!

[Thranduil]

Pretty neat, but I don't know of anyone  who used  the origional  pippin with his sword, mostly because of lack of other support. I'd love to see this more developed 

I guess this guy already has an advantage being the culture himself, but I honestly don't know. I don't have enough support to work out what the meta would be after the "release" of my DC sets!

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

Hands of the King
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert a companion and either a companion or a companion to add a token here.
Regroup: Remove a token here to heal a companion.
B C 46

Makes sense and plays with the healing abilities of Gondor royalty. But why a companion?

It is Not This Day!
Condition • Unbound Companion
Res: +1
Tale.
To play, spot a companion.
Limit 1 per companion.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a Free Peoples culture token or discard a Shadow culture token.
B U 47

This would get a lot of play, methinks.

•Pippin, Knight of Gondor
Companion • Hobbit
Str: 5
Vit: 4
Res: 8
Knight.
Skirmish: Exert Pippin twice to make him strength +1 for each companion you can spot.
B R 49

Neat card. I always thought that the SoG Pippin was underrated. But this one is good too and a Knight to boot!

Just a side note, why haven't your last two batches of cards had lore?
-wtk

[Thranduil]

Makes sense and plays with the healing abilities of Gondor royalty. But why a companion?

Ah you're right - I was copying the cultures for A Path Appointed, but here it doesn't make sense. I will change it to because Merry was healed by Aragorn too.

Just a side note, why haven't your last two batches of cards had lore?

I have done hardly any lore texts for this block except for the Light & Shadow, which is also why the card titles for the first set are so much better than for the follow-up sets. The only lores I've been putting on here is when I'm trying to push a particular flavour that might not be immediately obvious, or if I had already made a similar card and found lore for it.

Thranduil

[Thranduil]

I basically hate designing cards. This set gave me a lot of opportunity to write cards in the culture that were actually from other cultures, in this case . And so we'll have a cross-culture event followed by a whole host of Men.

Old Alliance
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2. (When you play this card, you may exert any number of your characters to make this card's twilight cost -2 for each character exerted in this way).
Make a companion with resistance 5 or more strength +2 for each wound on each minion he or she is skirmishing.
B C 82

•Boromir, Defender of the Halflings
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Valiant.
At the start of the assignment phase, you may exert Boromir and another or companion to make Boromir defender +1 and unable to take more than 1 wound in a skirmish until the regroup phase.
B U 92

•Faramir, Defender of the Halflings
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Ring-bound.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert Faramir and another or companion to cancel a minion's game text until the regroup phase.
B U 94

•Beregond, Friend to Pippin
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Knight. Valiant.
Skirmish: Exert Beregond twice to make an unbound companion strength +1 for each or card in your discard pile.
B R 90

Boromir and Faramir were always in this set, and I made a version of Beregond in the last set (his first) at common. When I posted him, I think it was ket who said that it was a shame to have such a kickass character without a kickass version, and at that point I suddenly realised that I could put him as a rare guy as well. And as a cross between Pippin's Sword (or Pippin, Knight of Gondor above) and GEW, with a hint of Chance Observation thrown in, he sort of counts as a spellshaper. He also touches on a theme that will be dealt with on a lot of rare Shadow cards in this set.

Thranduil

[legolas3333]

I basically hate designing cards. This set gave me a lot of opportunity to write cards in the culture that were actually from other cultures, in this case . And so we'll have a cross-culture event followed by a whole host of Men.

Old Alliance
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2. (When you play this card, you may exert any number of your characters to make this card's twilight cost -2 for each character exerted in this way).
Make a companion with resistance 5 or more strength +2 for each wound on each minion he or she is skirmishing.
B C 82

um flashes of rally cry drop the cost to 1 an lose the toil

•Boromir, Defender of the Halflings
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Valiant.
At the start of the assignment phase, you may exert 2 other or companions to make Boromir defender +1 and unable to take more than 1 wound in a skirmish until the regroup phase.
B U 92

hmm, seems a bit powerful with all the vitality 4 hobbits, maybe make it exert him and another or

•Faramir, Defender of the Halflings
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Ring-bound.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert 2 other or companions to cancel a minion's game text until the regroup phase.
B U 94

same comment as above, make it exert him and another companion

•Beregond, Friend to Pippin
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Knight. Valiant.
Skirmish: Exert Beregond twice to make an unbound companion strength +1 for each or card in your discard pile.
B R 90

kewl, nice card

Boromir and Faramir were always in this set, and I made a version of Beregond in the last set (his first) at common. When I posted him, I think it was ket who said that it was a shame to have such a kickass character without a kickass version, and at that point I suddenly realised that I could put him as a rare guy as well. And as a cross between Pippin's Sword (or Pippin, Knight of Gondor above) and GEW, with a hint of Chance Observation thrown in, he sort of counts as a spellshaper. He also touches on a theme that will be dealt with on a lot of rare Shadow cards in this set.

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

Old Alliance
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2. (When you play this card, you may exert any number of your characters to make this card's twilight cost -2 for each character exerted in this way).
Make a companion with resistance 5 or more strength +2 for each wound on each minion he or she is skirmishing.
B C 82

I don't mind the toil cost because it works for companions, but I think the pump should just make a Man strength + for each wound...so that Rohan, Gondor, and Gandalf can get the benefits from it.

•Boromir, Defender of the Halflings
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Valiant.
At the start of the assignment phase, you may exert other 2 or companions to make Boromir defender +1 and unable to take more than 1 wound in a skirmish until the regroup phase.
B U 92

Can you exert one of each? You should probably word that as so.

•Faramir, Defender of the Halflings
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Ring-bound.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert 2 other or companions to cancel a minion's game text until the regroup phase.
B U 94

And make the minion unable to gain keywords?

•Beregond, Friend to Pippin
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Knight. Valiant.
Skirmish: Exert Beregond twice to make an unbound companion strength +1 for each or card in your discard pile.
B R 90

Meh...Beregond as a companion? I understand why, but it is more likely that Pippin is a companion than Beregond in the Shire. He's certainly a good card, of course!
-wtk

[Thranduil]

The last 2 cards today. Thanks for all the thoughts on that previous lot, and any further thoughts would also be appreciated.

Scouting Ahead
Event • Regroup
Stealth.
Exert a ranger companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. Remove , where X is the twilight cost of the revealed card.
B C 50

Defended Barricade
Condition • Support Area
Str: -1
Fortification.
Bearer's game text may not be used.
Maneuver: Exert a knight companion with resistance 5 or more to transfer this condition to a minion.
B R 43

[legolas3333]

The last 2 cards today. Thanks for all the thoughts on that previous lot, and any further thoughts would also be appreciated.

Scouting Ahead
Event • Regroup
Stealth.
Exert a companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. Remove , where X is the twilight cost of the revealed card.
B C 50

Nice card, the wording seems awkward but I'm not sure how to change it.

Defended Barricade
Condition • Support Area
Str: -1
Fortification.
Bearer's game text may not be used.
Maneuver: Spot a knight companion with resistance 5 or more to transfer this condition to a minion.
B R 43

a little powerful since it's maneuver, I would say exert a knight with resistance 5 or more

[ket_the_jet]

Scouting Ahead
Event • Regroup
Stealth.
Exert a companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. Remove , where X is the twilight cost of the revealed card.
B C 50

Seems like a nice card. Maybe you would want to make it exert a Ranger so it is more similar to An Able Guide? How many Knights are scouting ahead?

Defended Barricade
Condition • Support Area
Str: -1
Fortification.
Bearer's game text may not be used.
Maneuver: Spot a knight companion with resistance 5 or more to transfer this condition to a minion.
B R 43

I agree with l3333. Exerting seems pretty necessary because this fortification is better than the Phial of Galadriel right now!
-wtk

[Thranduil]

Made some changes. Now I'm very busy, but I just have time to post the culture (apart from Curunír's Staff which we've already seen).

Sharkey's Men
Minion • Man
Str: 9
Vit: 2
Sit: 2
Traitor. (Traitor is unloaded).
When you play this minion, you may foresee 2. If you foresee a traitor minion, you may reveal it and take it into hand. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards beneath your draw deck in any order, and the rest on top of your draw deck in any order).
B C 54

Mark of the White Hand
Condition • Support Area
Shadow: Remove or spot an traitor character to make each minion gain the culture until the regroup phase.
Maneuver: Spot an minion and discard this condition to return all Free Peoples cards borne by a corrupted companion to their owner's hand. (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
B U 53

•Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Chief Shirriff
Minion • Hobbit
Str: 3
Vit: 4
Sit: 2
Traitor.
When you play Lotho Sackville-Baggins, you may play a traitor minion from your draw deck.
Assignment: Assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins to a companion. The Free Peoples player may add a burden to prevent this and assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins.
B R 52

Uniting the Two Towers
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
, , , and minions may exert for this card's toil.
Spot a unique minion to allow you to decide the order of skirmishes until the regroup phase.
B R 55

[sickofpalantirs]

Made some changes. Now I'm very busy, but I just have time to post the culture (apart from Curunír's Staff which we've already seen).

Sharkey's Men
Minion • Man
Str: 9
Vit: 2
Sit: 2
Traitor. (Traitor is unloaded).
When you play this minion, you may foresee 2. If you foresee a traitor minion, you may reveal it and take it into hand. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards beneath your draw deck in any order, and the rest on top of your draw deck in any order).
B C 54
for helper text.  he's fine.

Mark of the White Hand
Condition • Support Area
Shadow: Remove or spot an traitor character to make each minion gain the culture until the regroup phase.
Maneuver: Spot an minion and discard this condition to return all Free Peoples cards borne by a corrupted companion to their owner's hand. (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
B U 53
well this combos nicely with the 2 towers..

•Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Chief Shirriff
Minion • Hobbit
Str: 3
Vit: 4
Sit: 2
Traitor.
When you play Lotho Sackville-Baggins, you may play a traitor minion from your draw deck.
Assignment: Assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins to a companion. The Free Peoples player may add a burden to prevent this and assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins.
B R 52
fine.

Uniting the Two Towers
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
, , , and minions may exert for this card's toil.
Spot a unique minion to allow you to decide the order of skirmishes until the regroup phase.
B R 55

why not just say any minion can exert? you already have the cultural enforcement with Isengard.

[legolas3333]

Made some changes. Now I'm very busy, but I just have time to post the culture (apart from Curunír's Staff which we've already seen).

Sharkey's Men
Minion • Man
Str: 9
Vit: 2
Sit: 2
Traitor. (Traitor is unloaded).
When you play this minion, you may foresee 2. If you foresee a traitor minion, you may reveal it and take it into hand. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards beneath your draw deck in any order, and the rest on top of your draw deck in any order).
B C 54

ok, i like it

Mark of the White Hand
Condition • Support Area
Shadow: Remove or spot an traitor character to make each minion gain the culture until the regroup phase.
Maneuver: Spot an minion and discard this condition to return all Free Peoples cards borne by a corrupted companion to their owner's hand. (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
B U 53

aha, a play on wormtoungue, and would the minions with the first ability retain their own culture?

•Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Chief Shirriff
Minion • Hobbit
Str: 3
Vit: 4
Sit: 2
Traitor.
When you play Lotho Sackville-Baggins, you may play a traitor minion from your draw deck.
Assignment: Assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins to a companion. The Free Peoples player may add a burden to prevent this and assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins.
B R 52

second ability you can drop the line "and assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins"

Uniting the Two Towers
Event • Maneuver
Toil 2.
, , , and minions may exert for this card's toil.
Spot a unique minion to allow you to decide the order of skirmishes until the regroup phase.
B R 55

i agree with SoP

[Thranduil]

and would the minions with the first ability retain their own culture?

Yes they would.

second ability you can drop the line "and assign Lotho Sackville-Baggins"

No I can't! Otherwise Lotho can do that infinitely. Note for example Reclaim the Precious.

Thranduil