Light & Shadow Block Review

[Thranduil]

Cruel Scimitar and Endless Host are basically two toned down reprints of cards. The problem I have with them is that Post-Shadows cards are much stronger than Pre-Shadows cards and if they are weaker than the card, they won't used a lot.

Cruel Scimitar yes. This is because Goblin Scimitar is very very good, and Cruel Scimitar fits slightly better on the power curve. Endless Host, however, is not a reprint: notice that it plays any minion from your discard pile.

Also, to think that Pre-Shadows is much less powerful than post-Shadows is I don't think strictly correct. What about Morgul King? Greenleaf? Dauntless Hunter? Durin III? Easterling Captain Crunch? Goblin Swarms? And what about all those terrible cards from Shadows onwards? There are some individual especially powerful cards from Hunters on, like Gothmog, Rapid Reload, Thorongil and so on, but overall I don't think the power level is actually that different. More I would say that Movie block is generally slightly under the power curve (because they didn't know what they were doing) and Hunters onwards is slightly above the power curve (because they weren't as careful with what they were doing).

Anyway, sorry about that rant.

Assembling the Host is pretty weak compared to Endless Host.

Yeah, it's not a very good card. That's luckily fine!

March of Despair: Why did you choose [Uruk-Hai] and ?

Mechanically because no other card did and and because they already had a thing going. Flavour, because of Isengard and Morgul Orcs.

Orkish Footpad: It should probably be 'minion from your discard pile to the bottom of your draw deck.

I was copying the wording of Goblin Sneak. EDIT: But I actually got it slightly wrong, so now it's corrected.

Thranduil

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

on ancient chieftan i think you chould make it (or two cards)

I agree; otherwise he would be splashed in a lot of decks to set up key combos.

[Thranduil]

Okay, taken out the parentheses and added fierce to Ancient Chieftain for spotting an card.

Thranduil

[Thranduil]

L&S (5, 1/1/3)
Awoken in the Darkness
Event • Shadow
Discard any number of minions to play The Balrog from your draw deck or discard pile. Its twilight cost is -1 (or -2 if the current site is underground) for each minion discarded in this way.
L U 101

•The Balrog, Demon of the Ancient World
Minion • Balrog
Str: 17
Vit: 5
Sit: 4
Fierce.
Discard all other minions.
While skirmishing a companion with resistance 4 or less, The Balrog is strength +3 and damage +1.
L C 102

•The Balrog, Nameless Fear
Minion • Balrog
Str: 17
Vit: 5
Sit: 4
Damage +1. Fierce.
When you play The Balrog, you may play a artifact from your draw deck or discard pile.
Each companion with resistance 4 or less cannot use special abilities.
L R 103

•The Balrog's Sword, Weapon of Shadow
Artifact • Hand Weapon
Str: +3
Bearer must be The Balrog.
Each time The Balrog wins a skirmish, you may exert a companion with resistance 4 or less.
Regroup: Discard this artifact to add a burden.
L R 104

•Whip of Many Thongs, Weapon of Flame
Artifact
Res: -3
Bearer must be The Balrog.
Skirmish: Exert The Balrog to transfer this artifact to a companion skirmishing The Balrog.
L R 105


BL (1, 0/0/1)
•The Mines of Moria
Condition • Support Area
Toil 4.
While the fellowship is at an underground site, each of your cards in play, in hand, in your draw deck or in your discard pile gain the culture, and vice versa.
B R 66

[Cw0rk]

All of these cards are pretty cool. None of these Balrog are as powerful as The Balrog, Demon of Might but I'm not even sure if it is a playable card. The 'and vice versa' part of the last card is pretty unique , but I guess this is the best way to word it anyway.

[Thranduil]

L&S (16, 6/6/4)
Berserk Fury
Event • Skirmish
Spot an minion to make a minion strength +3 (and damage +1 if skirmishing a companion with resistance 3 or less) for each wound on the minion you spotted.
L U 163

Brood of Isengard
Event • Shadow
Search.
When you play this event, you may foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
Spot an minion to discard a support area condition.
L U 164

Exhaustion
Condition • Unbound Companion
To play, spot an minion.
Bearer is resistance -1 for each wound on him or her.
Skirmish: Play this condition from your hand.
L C 165

Find the Halflings!
Event • Assignment
Search.
Spot an minion to assign a minion to a companion with resistance 3 or less.
L U 166

•Frontal Assault
Condition • Support Area
Engine.
While you can spot an minion, the minion archery total is +1.
Shadow: Discard this condition and spot another card to draw 2 cards, then discard a card from hand.
L R 167

Hard Pressed
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may foresee 1. (To foresee 1, look at the top 1 card of your draw deck; place it on top of your beneath your draw deck).
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an minion strength +2 (and discard a Free Peoples condition if you can spot 6 companions).
L C 168

Isengard Herald
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 8
Vit: 3
Sit: 5
Damage +1.
At the start of each skirmish involving this minion, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is an card, you may exert this minion to exert a companion it is skirmishing.
L U 169

Isengard Lackey
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 9
Vit: 3
Sit: 5
Damage +1. Tracker.
Shadow: Exert this minion to foresee 1. If you foresee a Free Peoples card, you may reveal it to make an unbound companion resistance -3 until the regroup phase. (To foresee 1, look at the top 1 card of your draw deck; place that card on top of or beneath your draw deck).
L U 170

Isengard Pathfinder
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Aggressor. Damage +1. Tracker. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
When you play this minion, you may spot a companion with resistance 3 or less to draw a card.
L C 171

Isengard Pursuer
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Damage +1. Tracker.
Skirmish: Exert a minion to play this minion from your hand; it is fierce until the regroup phase. If you exerted an minion in this way, you may also foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
L U 172

Isengard Tracker
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 9
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Aggressor. Damage +1. Tracker. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
Each companion skirmishing this minion is resistance -2.
L C 173

•Lugdush, Servant of Saruman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Damage +1. Tracker.
Response: If your tracker minion wins a skirmish, play Lugdush from your hand; he is strength +3 and fierce until the regroup phase.
L R 174

Quarrelsome Uruk
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 10
Vit: 2
Sit: 6
Damage +1. Traitor.
Shadow: Discard a minion from your hand to make this minion one of the following until the regroup phase: strength +2; fierce; or an aggressor. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
L R 175

Ruination
Event • Skirmish
Search.
This event's twilight cost is -1 for each companion with resistance 3 or less.
Discard each Free Peoples card borne by characters in a skirmish involving an minion.
L R 176

•Shagrat, Quarrelsome Captain
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 13
Vit: 3
Sit: 6
Damage +1. Traitor. Aggressor. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
Each time a minion is played during a skirmish involving Shagrat, you may make Shagrat strength +3.
L C 177

Warrior of Cirith Ungol
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Sit: 6
Damage +1. Traitor.
This minion is strength +1 for each Shadow culture you can spot.
L C 178


TW (8, 3/3/2)
Berserk Rage
Condition • Support Area
Toil 2.
Each of your wounded minions is strength +1 (or +2 if skirmishing a corrupted companion). (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
T U 97

Burning of the Westfold
Event • Skirmish
Make an minion strength +2 (or +3 and an aggressor if skirmishing a companion).
T C 98

•Lieutenant of Orthanc, General of the White Hand
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 12
Vit: 3
Sit: 5
Besieger. Damage +1. Toil 2.
T C 99

New Devilry
Possession • Support Area
Engine. Toil 1.
Shadow: Transfer this possession to an or besieger minion.
Regroup: If this possession is borne by a minion, discard it to discard each condition. If there are no conditions, wound each character instead.
T R 100

•Orthanc Champion, Minion of the White Hand
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 12
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Aggressor. Besieger. Damage +1. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
Assignment: Make the Free Peoples player assign a companion with resistance 3 or less to Orthanc Champion.
T R 101

Orthanc Crossbowman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 6
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Archer. Besieger.
When you play this minion, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is an or card, you may exert a companion (or wound a corrupted companion). (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
T U 102

Orthanc Devastator
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 8
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Besieger. Damage +1.
At the start of each skirmish involving this minion and a companion with resistance 3 or less, you may discard a condition from play (or 2 conditions it that companion is corrupted). (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
T C 103

Reinvigorate
Event • Skirmish
(You choose the value of X. Except when you play this card, its twilight cost is 0).
Spot an minion to heal X minions.
T U 104


BL (8, 3/3/2)
Browbeat
Event • Maneuver
Exert an minion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is a Shadow card, you may make an unbound companion resistance -4 until the regroup phase. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
B C 99

Fury of Isengard
Condition • Support Area
Shadow: Exert an minion and either an or minion to add an token here.
Skirmish: Remove an token here to exert an unbound companion.
B U 100

Isengard Ambusher
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 9
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Ambush . Damage +1. Tracker.
Skirmish: Exert this minion to play a minion from your hand. If that minion is a minion, make a companion lose all gametext keywords until the regroup phase.
B U 101

Isengard Scourer
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 11
Vit: 3
Sit: 5
Damage +1. Tracker.
When you play this minion, you may foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
B C 102

Isengard Searcher
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 7
Vit: 2
Sit: 5
Damage +1. Tracker.
While you can spot a companion with resistance 3 or less, this minion is an aggressor. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
B C 103

Marked
Condition • Unbound Companion
Str: -1
Res: -1
Search.
To play, exert an or tracker minion.
Bearer may not use his or her special abilities.
B R 104

Tear Them All Down!
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
Spot an minion to discard a condition. The Free Peoples player may discard the top 5 cards of his or her draw deck to prevent this.
B U 105

•Uglúk, Minion of Isengard
Minion • Uruk-hai
Str: 9
Vit: 3
Sit: 5
Aggressor. Fierce. Tracker. (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
The roaming penalty for each tracker minion you play is -2.
While you can spot an minion in your discard pile, each other tracker minion is strength +2.
B R 106

[Cw0rk]

When you play a minion with Shagrat, who gets s+3, Shagrat or the minion?

Warrior of Cirith Ungol should have it's twilight cost reduced to . Having site number 6 is a huge disadvantage and some of the previous Cirith Ungol Uruks were 7/2/6 and 8/2/6 and costed .

Wow, New devilry is pretty strong but can be balanced. Maybe that you could raise it's twilight cost a little bit, to .

I'm just thinking, with all these cards, there could be a Hobbit Apettite reprint with a twilight cost of .

Everything else is fine. Good job.

[Thranduil]

Did several wording fixes. I thought some of them were confusing as well as Shagrat (which I actually didn't spot).

Hobbit Appetite could be an card. But cards are obviously very dangerous for FP cards because you can always add an infinite amount of twilight, and so there are none in this block.

[simplegarak]

2 •Gimli, Goldentongue Dwarven
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Damage +1. Unyielding. (Gimli's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
Gimli may use his resistance to resolve skirmishes instead of his strength.
"‘It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues… yet that is not true of Gimli.'"
L R 9

This one kind of bugs me.  It's more or less saying that "Gimli will always have a value of 6 in a skirmish".  Sure, you might say that there are some shadow cards that reduce his resistence but there are more of those than there are shadow cards reducing strength so... why would he ever use his game text?


0 Forgotten Secrets Dwarven
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
When you play this condition, you may spot a Dwarven companion to foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
Maneuver: Discard this condition to reveal the top card of your draw deck. Remove X Shadow cards in an opponent's discard pile from the game, where X is the twilight cost of the card revealed.
B U 3

Dang, can you imagine this deck with the Elf manipulators?  "Hi, I'll put Sauron on top of my deck and then take out most of your discard pile."


3 •Galadriel, Lady of the Noldor Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
To play, spot an Elven card.
At the start of the fellowship phase, you may search your draw deck for a Free Peoples card, reveal it, then shuffle your draw deck and place that card on top of it.
"‘… ere the fall of Nargothrond or Gondolin I passed over the mountains, and together through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat.'"
L R 22

Holy... what is it about Galadriel that makes her lean toward brokeness?  Or are you intending to use her with all those drawing Gimlis?


4 •Glorfindel, Lord of the Noldor Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 9
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Ranger. Unyielding. (Glorfindel's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
While Glorfindel is assigned to a skirmish, each other companion with resistance 7 or more is strength +2.
"‘Ai na vedui Dúnadan! Mae govannen!'"
L R 23

So, unless your opponent is playing with hard resistence reduction, Glorfindel is always an 11.  He either needs to cost 5/6 or have a printed 7 strength.


2 •Legolas, Elven Delegate Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
While Legolas has resistance 6 or more, the fellowship archery total is +1.
"‘The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told.'"
L C 25

Again, a guy with a built-in 2 archery?  Sure you can get a burden out to shut that down but with that many arrows coming at you, how likely is it?


2 •The Mirror of Galadriel, Guide for the Wise Elven
Artifact • Support Area
To play, spot an Elven card.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert a companion with resistance 7 or more to foresee 3. Then, you may draw a card. (To foresee 3, look at the top 3 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
"‘What shall we look for, and what shall we see?'"
L R 27

ANY companion?  Seems like maybe it should be "exert with res >7" to forsee then, if that companion was , you may draw a card.


2 •Calaglin, Silent Sentinel Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Ranger.
Each time you play an Elven event, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is a Free Peoples card, you may exert a minion.
T C 6

=O  I'm so going to grab this guy, the 2 shots legolas and stock as many archery events as I can, then DARE the enemy to get a minion to me.


2 •Celeborn, Lord of the Golden Wood Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot Galadriel, Celeborn's twilight cost is -1.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck to discard a Shadow condition with twilight cost less than the twilight cost of the card revealed.
T R 7

Dang, this guy, combined with Elf manipulation that dwarf card are just mean.  Reveal Sauron, discard any condition then remove it from game.


3 •Erestor, Wise Councillor Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 5
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Unyielding. (Erestor's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
At the start of the regroup phase, if Erestor has resistance 7 or more, you may reconcile your hand.
T U 9

HOW is this guy not broken?  I'm stocking him with Radaghast then running the heck down the site path.


4 Ghosts of Men Elven
Event • Maneuver
Twilight.
To play, spot an Elven companion.
Exert any number of companions with resistance 15 or more to foresee the same number of cards. For each Free Peoples card you foresee, you may reveal it to remove a burden or wound a twilight minion.
‘"I do not fear them."'
T R 11

When you say "same number of cards" do you mean the number of people you exerted or the total resistence you aimed for?  Still, you can exert above and beyond the res 15, which means you could exert 9 companions, see (I'm assuming) 9 cards and - if you've set it up right - remove 9 burdens.  B@9 anyone?


2 Silent Watchers Elven
Condition • Support Area
Stealth.
Response: If a minion is played, discard an Elven character from hand to wound that minion.
Response: If a Shadow condition is played, discard an Elven character from hand and discard this condition to discard that condition.
T R 14

Yep, I'm putting that in the mondo archery deck too.  Then I'm stocking as many Elf allies I can.



4 •Elrond, Ring-bearer Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Valiant.
At the start of each skirmish involving Elrond, you may exert him to discard the top card of your draw deck. Make a minion strength -X, where X is the twilight cost of the discarded card.
B C 12

Wait, can he be a ring-bearer?


3 •Galadriel, Ring-bearer Elven
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot an Elven 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

See above.  Also: YES I am so making an invincible archery deck.


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

Why not just make this a Gandalf event?


3 A Mortal Life Elven
Event • Maneuver
Tale. Toil 2.
Spot a Gondor companion with resistance 5 or more to heal up to 2 other companions.
B C 16

Again, other than the toil thing, why not make this a Gondor event?  I'd be more inclined to throw this into a Knight deck (toil be danged) than bother with it in any Elf deck.

[Thranduil]

This one kind of bugs me.  It's more or less saying that "Gimli will always have a value of 6 in a skirmish".  Sure, you might say that there are some shadow cards that reduce his resistence but there are more of those than there are shadow cards reducing strength so... why would he ever use his game text?

Obviously I'm not sure you would use his game text as I've never playtested these cards. But my instinct is that it is a cool enough line of text that it doesn't matter!

Dang, can you imagine this deck with the Elf manipulators?  "Hi, I'll put Sauron on top of my deck and then take out most of your discard pile."

I don't think removing 18 cards in your discard pile from the game is that big a deal (how many cards or strategies care that much about the discard pile anyway?). That said, I have been thinking it's a bit out of place with the other similar cards that don't deal with the twilight costs of cards so it might get changed to fixed value like 3.

Holy... what is it about Galadriel that makes her lean toward brokeness?  Or are you intending to use her with all those drawing Gimlis?

I really don't think she's broken. You have to spend twilight in your starting fellowship for a companion that essentially can't fight (not like Lady Redeemed, for example). And, on top of that, you need the other card to be a cost companion to be able to play her in your starting fellowship at all. And if you don't start her, she's not that impressive.

So, unless your opponent is playing with hard resistence reduction, Glorfindel is always an 11.  He either needs to cost 5/6 or have a printed 7 strength.

2 things. 1) this is a resistance themed block, so there will definitely be resistance reductions being played (though perhaps that needs better emphasising). 2) He only pumps other companions.

ANY companion?  Seems like maybe it should be "exert with res >7" to forsee then, if that companion was , you may draw a card.

That's a great suggestion, but I often feel that the game has too much cultural reinforcement. My wording is part of encouraging multiculture strategies.

=O  I'm so going to grab this guy, the 2 shots legolas and stock as many archery events as I can, then DARE the enemy to get a minion to me.

What I might have him do is put the card on the bottom of your draw deck afterwards, or require an exertion. He probably is too good.

HOW is this guy not broken?  I'm stocking him with Radaghast then running the heck down the site path.

As I said, it's a resistance themed block. I think he's okay, but I can see the argument of taking his resistance to 6.

When you say "same number of cards" do you mean the number of people you exerted or the total resistence you aimed for?  Still, you can exert above and beyond the res 15, which means you could exert 9 companions, see (I'm assuming) 9 cards and - if you've set it up right - remove 9 burdens.  B@9 anyone?

It's the number of cards of guys you exerted. Setting up 9 cards would be tough, but I see the argument. In fact, I think almost everywhere else foresee is limited to about 3 or 4 so I may tag that limit on there.

Wait, can he be a ring-bearer?

No sorry! The answer to Galadriel is the same. They're called Ring-bearers because their texts mimic the Reflections Vilya and Nenya respectively. I was indeed looking for new subtitles for them for exactly that reason that they would be confusing, and any suggestions would be most welcome! That goes with quite a lot of cards where the titles are more like playtest names than finished titles.

Why not just make this a Gandalf event?

Again, other than the toil thing, why not make this a Gondor event?  I'd be more inclined to throw this into a Knight deck (toil be danged) than bother with it in any Elf deck.

The one also has toil. The whole set is built on culture-shifting, and this is part of the cycle designed to help promote multicultural decks. You may also notice that all of these culture-shifted toil events have effects that could be seen in either culture.

Thanks for the reviews! I will make some changes, and I can't wait for you to take a look at the rest of my cards!

Thranduil

[simplegarak]

I changed Celeborn's subtitle (sorry Felipe!).

Now we're onto the next culture.

L&S (20, 8/6/6)
Dazzling Flash
Event • Skirmish
Spell.
Make a Wizard strength +2. If he wins that skirmish, you may remove a burden.
"It flared with a sudden white radiance like lightning; and his voice rolled like thunder."
L C 29

I dunno... seems like Gandalf has a lot of stuff, can we get some love for companions in general?  (maybe, "make +2, if that person was a wizard and wins, remove a burden")

•Gandalf, Mover of All
Companion • Wizard
Str: 7
Vit: 4
Res: 8
While the number of twilight tokens is equal to Gandalf's strength, Shadow skirmish events may not be played.
While the number of twilight tokens is equal to Gandalf's vitality, he cannot take wounds.
While the number of twilight tokens is equal to Gandalf's resistance, burdens may not be added by Shadow cards.
"'For... this is his victory.'"
L R 31

That's... interesting.  But on the timing of cards, don't you remove twilight before playing the event, thus skirting around condition 1?  Maybe change it to skirmish special abilities since events don't get enough love?

The Last Race
Event • Regroup
This event's twilight cost is -1 for each companion with resistance 6 or more.
Spot a Wizard to make the move limit +1 and foresee 3. Each Shadow player may immediately reconcile. (To foresee 3, look at the top 3 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
L U 38

The balance toward the shadow player.... doesn't seem to be that much.  I mean, that's probably the last regroup event/action you'd play and so they would reconcile anyway.  Maybe make a reference to radaghast and have the Shadow players discard cards to draw/retrieve from discard pile?

•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

Ouch!  This seems to me to have high broken potential.

•Radagast, Traveller in Great Need
Companion • Wizard
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 6
Unhasty. Unyielding. (Radagast cannot be assigned to a skirmish by the Free Peoples player unless a Free Peoples card allows him to do so and his resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
While you can spot Gandalf, Radagast's twilight cost is -2.
Each time you play a event, you may allow Radagast to be assigned to skirmish until the regroup phase.
"‘Gandalf!' he cried. ‘I was seeking you. But I am a stranger in these parts.'"
L U 42

You could start a fellowship with that one gandalf and this guy.  Also, I think his last text should be, "Response: If a event was played, Radagast loses Unhasty until the regroup phase."

•A True Company
Condition • Support Area
To play, exert a Wizard and remove 2 burdens.
If a companion is killed, remove this condition from the game and add 3 burdens.
"‘Then it has all been in vain! The Fellowship has failed.' ‘Not if we hold true to each other.'"
L R 44

Drop several of these then "sleep caradrahs" to clear them out.  Interesting... though I think they should have some twilight cost.

Word of Command
Event • Fellowship
Spell.
Spot a Wizard to discard a condition.
"‘The door burst in pieces… All the wall gave way, and the roof of the chamber as well, I think.'"
L C 48

Or just stock these to make the previous card easy burden removal.

Root Out the Shadow ***
Event • Skirmish
Search.
Make a companion strength +2 (and discard an or condition).
T C 20

I think the () part should be "and if that companion is a wizard, you may discard an or condition"

•Treebeard, Fangorn
Companion • Ent
Str: 12
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Unhasty. Unyielding. (Treebeard cannot be assigned to a skirmish by the Free Peoples player unless a Free Peoples card allows him to do so and his resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
At the start of the assignment phase, reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is a or card, you may assign unhasty companions until the regroup phase.
While Treebeard has resistance 6 or more, he is damage +2.
T U 21

Again, might just streamline it to "all companions lose unhasty".  Also, make it an assignment action.

United in Bravery
Event • Skirmish
Spell.
To play, spot a Wizard.
Exert any number of companions to discard a minion with strength less than the total resistance of those companions.
T R 22

I don't know about this being a skirmish event.  Maybe regroup or maneuver.

Valour of the West
Event • Skirmish
Tale. Toil 3.
Make a companion strength +5.
T U 23

umm... very B@9.  Drop 2 of these to make my ring bearer strength +10 - who cares about +14 twilight?  Not even for site 9, just any time during a turn where I had no intention or ability to move any more.

Moria! Moria!
Event • Response
Tale. Toil 2.
If a minion is killed in a skirmish involving a companion with resistance 4 or more, that minion's owner must discard the top 8 cards of his or her draw deck.
B U 26

How about "minion killed in a skirmish involving , that minion's owner discards X cards from his or her draw deck where X is that companion's resistance (limit 8)"?

That way it won't be completely useless and dead weight in your hand if you resistances get low.

•Pippin, Hasty Hobbit
Companion • Hobbit
Str: 3
Vit: 4
Res: 8
Each other and companion (except in your starting fellowship) is twilight cost -1.
B C 28

Should be phrased: Fellowship: Play a or companion.  That companion's twilight cost is -1.

[simplegarak]

Serving the Master (FP)
Event • Response
When you play this card, you may foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound (or a burden that is in place of a wound), exert Sméagol or Gollum to prevent that wound (or burden).
"He would cackle with laughter and caper, if any jest was made, or even if Frodo spoke kindly to him, and weep if Frodo rebuked him."
L U 58

This is just something that kind of bugged me about decipher in general.  I mean, does EVERY culture have to have the latest new mechanic?  I mean, it makes perfect flavor sense for elves and gandalf to have forseeing but gollum?

•Sméagol, Sworn to the Precious (FP)
Companion
Str: 3
Vit: 4
Res: 5
Ring-bound. Traitor. (Traitor is unloaded).
To play, add a burden.
While the Ring-bearer is not wearing The One Ring, Sméagol is strength and resistance +2.
"‘We'll be nice to them, very nice, if they'll be nice to us…'"
L C 60

I kind of wish this was like that Gandalf.  Just make him a 5-4-7 and say, "While the ring-bearer is wearing the One Ring, Smeagol is strength and resistance -2".  That way, the player has to keep up with the less common occurrence than the more common one.

•Sméagol's Promise (FP)
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot Sméagol.
While you can spot a Ring-bearer, Sméagol is resistance +2.
Skirmish: Discard this condition and exert Sméagol twice to make the Ring-bearer take off The One Ring.
"‘I will serve the master of the Precious.'"
L R 61

This needs SOME alternate effect.  All rings go on during either the maneuver phase, or the skirmish phase.  If I was going to play these "ring-themed" smeagol cards, I would definitely go with a skirmish ring and then always assign lurkers to Frodo/Sam.  Pop on the ring last in the last skirmish phase and it comes off immediately afterwards.

TW (5, 2/2/1)
Go Away! (FP)
Event • Skirmish
Make a character strength +2 (and wound a character he or she is skirmishing).
T C 26

I'd have to check... from the phrasing of this card, could you accidentally kill off your own Smeagol?

Share the Load (FP)
Event • Fellowship
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).
Spot a companion to remove 2 burdens.
B U 38

Toil on a freep card just seems silly.  I mean, the most you'll ever be able to drop it is by 2.

[Thranduil]

I dunno... seems like Gandalf has a lot of stuff, can we get some love for companions in general?  (maybe, "make +2, if that person was a wizard and wins, remove a burden")

Could do. That's not bad. When I designed Light & Shadow, I had only planned on Wizards, then quickly realised it wouldn't work.

That's... interesting.  But on the timing of cards, don't you remove twilight before playing the event, thus skirting around condition 1?

I'm pretty sure this card stops Shadow players from even beginning to play events and so they can't remove twilight for them.

umm... very B@9.  Drop 2 of these to make my ring bearer strength +10 - who cares about +14 twilight?  Not even for site 9, just any time during a turn where I had no intention or ability to move any more.

I'm really not sure that this is an issue. Just discard The Tale of the Great Ring at 9, or Elendil's Valor, or numerable other cards that also save your RB.

This is just something that kind of bugged me about decipher in general.  I mean, does EVERY culture have to have the latest new mechanic?  I mean, it makes perfect flavor sense for elves and gandalf to have forseeing but gollum?

Firstly, it does make flavour sense in culture - it's him planning and scheming. Secondly, this is not just an LotR thing to put new mechanics in all cultures, it is a generic TCG thing. Thirdly, just as in other TCGs, some mechanics make sense to be in all cultures equally (like toil, for example), some do not. This is a mechanic that does not, which is why it appears the most in , and hardly at all in and for example.

I kind of wish this was like that Gandalf.  Just make him a 5-4-7 and say, "While the ring-bearer is wearing the One Ring, Smeagol is strength and resistance -2".  That way, the player has to keep up with the less common occurrence than the more common one.

That is fair play. Strongly consider it.

I'd have to check... from the phrasing of this card, could you accidentally kill off your own Smeagol?

Yes you could! Perhaps not so accidentally? Maybe there's a crazy combo. Anyway I liked the gimmick of having both the FP and Shadow version of this card having identical texts!

Toil on a freep card just seems silly.  I mean, the most you'll ever be able to drop it is by 2.

Yeah, so you'll either drop it by 2 or you won't. Given that toil is a mechanic I'm already using in the set, it's sillier to say "When you play this card, you may exert Sméagol..."

Thranduil

[simplegarak]

3 •Boromir, Steward's Son Gondor
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Knight. Ranger.
While you can spot Faramir, Boromir's twilight cost is -2.
Each time Boromir wins a skirmish, you may make another Gondor companion strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Remember today, little brother. Today, life is good!'"
L C 69

With Faramir, Captain of Gondor you can start this Boromir for free.  Think about that...

•Boromir, Steward's Heir
Companion • Man
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 5
Defender +1. Ranger. Unyielding. Valiant. (Boromir's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, Boromir loses all gametext keywords.
"‘My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing. And now our… our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right and I would do it.'"
L R 68

Should be "...Boromir loses all keywords and cannot gain keywords."

Elendil! Elendil!
Event • Maneuver
Tale.
Exert a companion with resistance 5 or more to remove all game text keywords and special abilities on a minion until the regroup phase.
"Drawing his bright sword and crying Elendil! Elendil! he crashed through the trees."
L U 70

This is why you need to be very clear.  Do you mean the minion loses all game text AND keywords or just keywords?  Also, perhaps make it an "or" instead of an "and" event?

Shield of Minas Tirith
Possession • Shield
Res: +1
Bearer must be a companion.
Bearer wins draws in skirmishes.
L U 76

I don't know... something about this bugs me.

Provisions of the City
Event • Fellowship
Toil 2.
Heal each companion that did not exert for this card's toil.
T U 43

Translated: Pay , heal everyone in your fellowship.  Way, WAY too good.

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

Do you intend for the ring-bearers to be able to bear 4 of these?

[simplegarak]

umm... very B@9.  Drop 2 of these to make my ring bearer strength +10 - who cares about +14 twilight?  Not even for site 9, just any time during a turn where I had no intention or ability to move any more.

I'm really not sure that this is an issue. Just discard The Tale of the Great Ring at 9, or Elendil's Valor, or numerable other cards that also save your RB.

True, but most of those require at least some card commitment.  This one gives you a great benefit no matter what ring-bearer you're playing with.  In essence, there's no reason for any deck to not use this card.  Plus, what can the shadow player do against it?

Firstly, it does make flavour sense in culture - it's him planning and scheming. Secondly, this is not just an LotR thing to put new mechanics in all cultures, it is a generic TCG thing. Thirdly, just as in other TCGs, some mechanics make sense to be in all cultures equally (like toil, for example), some do not. This is a mechanic that does not, which is why it appears the most in , and hardly at all in and for example.

Ah, ok  I understand now.