shadows-and-beyond-site-region-theme-draft-thoughts....

[ununtrium]

Hi there!

I have never been happy with the new site/region rules startin with the Shadows set. It always seemed to me totally random and counter-productive to any sort of storyline of a game. That has always been a very strong and positive aspect of the movie block site mechanics that you play your own little movie sequence during a game.

Well, this cannot be exactly replicated, but maybe one could build certain region themes.

I came across the maps package from the LotR role-playing game that Decipher was publishing alongside the TCG.
Basically you do not need those particular maps, but they are nice to look at...You get the idea though, right?

I haven't tried it, but maybe it be done that three regions based on the maps are chosen for game region purposes?

All the sites from sets 11-18 would have to be classified according to the Middleearth region they are located in. That should not be too hard.

Then, three maps are selected at random. As each map has a particular group of sites associated with it, the sites corresponding to the chosen maps are eligible.

For the game, those sites could either be drafted by the players or they could be played at random.

Either way you do away with the otherwise completely random and unrelated, unmotivated site sequence. It never made much sense to me that your first site in region 1 could be Mount Doom, then you switch to a Shire site and then go to a Mordor site again. Doesn't make any sense!

Anyway, what do you think?

[Kenddrick]

It never made much sense to me that your first site in region 1 could be Mount Doom, then you switch to a Shire site and then go to a Mordor site again. Doesn't make any sense!
Anyway, what do you think?

Agree with you totally!

[sharkey]

I never really cared. It's weird, sure, but it brings in some nice gameplay mechanics.

[Kralik]

I never really cared. It's weird, sure, but it brings in some nice gameplay mechanics.

Did you start playing LotR before or after the site path changes?

[sharkey]

Before. I've been playing since the game came out! I got and Aragorn deck, and lucky me, one of the random rares was Aragorn, RotN!

[ununtrium]

I really got into the game only about a year ago and quickly bought one of all the different starters there were when a gaming store closed down. A friend and I played the starters one after the other and the movie block starters were the best in every aspect. WotR-block was horrible. The Hunters Block Starters were a return to form and quite nice, but the site mechanics really did not work at all.

Maybe I am more of a role-player, but I really like to have each game and deck have a certain theme and storyline. You can still have a certain deck theme with the "mark II" sets, but a storyline? - I hardly think so. And that ruins it for me, so I thought something should be done to amend this fault of the newer sets.

[sharkey]

I have been playing the game for, I guess, 10 years now. I think the mechanics make the gameplay much more unpredictable and random. It allows greater control over the site path, allowing you to really punish someone for making a bad move.

[ununtrium]

I completely understand that. However, building competitive decks does have its limits, when you start sacrificing the whole context of the game, even if the rules allow for it.

This is not a question of right or wrong, but simply one of preferences. To me the challenging thing is to be competitive within the storyline. That is why I do not like alternate ringbearers. It it an interesting thought, but it just seems wrong after a couple of minutes.

However, alternate ringbearers still make more sense than this whole new site path stuff. Even in an alternate reality, you still gotta have some kind of probability. And that means that you can't jump back and forth all over Middle Earth. It just defeats one of the major aspects of the game in the first place.

[sharkey]

To me, the game is about reaching site 9. To you, it's about travelling to Mt. Doom. Preferences. It's also probably indicative that I like alternate ringbearers.

[ununtrium]

That is exactly my sentiment. It is great to have room for these different options.

[Kenddrick]

Maybe I am more of a role-player, but I really like to have each game and deck have a certain theme and storyline.

Same here as well! It just feels more proper and complete that way doesn't it?

To me, the game is about reaching site 9. To you, it's about travelling to Mt. Doom. Preferences. It's also probably indicative that I like alternate ringbearers.

I agree with you. Everyone has their own preferences.

[Elessar's Socks]

The site path in FotR block was about the only one that felt right to me. Thematic-wise the fellowship was mostly together, so we don't have Ring-bound folks traveling the unbound path as in Tower and King. I also like the feel of its site 9 regions more than Orthanc and Mordor's doorstep (instead of Mount Doom), respectively.

Gameplay-wise there's the sense of anticipation when both players can prepare for what's coming in a set amount of time. I guess my fonder memories have to do with FotR block as well: the Nazgul drop at Ford of Bruinen, losing mounts underground, the Balrog at The Bridge of Khazad-dum, allies at site 6 and perhaps a Gift of Boats run, Orcs forcing a stop at Shores of Nen Hithoel, and one final muster at site 9.

I do think the later mechanics make for interesting gameplay, but at that point I stopped paying attention to where my fellowship was. Caras Galadhon wasn't a sanctuary after the troubles in Moria--it's just the site that limits assignments. As for "fixing" it, I've wondered if it'd be smoother sailing just to introduce a new site path and format (maybe using text slips). Not talking about the PC here, just something anyone can do for fun.

[sharkey]

Fellowship sites definately had the most character. Aragorn at site 1; Discard at 2; 2 less twilight at 4; Balrog at 5; Hand revealed at 6; Lots of archery at 8; and All minions fierce ones at 9.

[Smeagollum]

Weel I recall that there was a guy from finland who made a whole system with sites per region. Can't remember exactly if it was written on the old decipherboards or at cobra. I think it was cobra. But maybe aomebody else can recall it?

[Smeagollum]

And here I found it 

http://www.lotrtcgwiki.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=4839