Reflections II - Complete List

[Thranduil]

So I said several times that Light & Shadow block (currently going through review at the link you can find in my sig) was leading towards another Reflections set, called uninspiringly: Reflections II (I might attach a subtitle to that as we go through, but for the moment that's what it looks like).

It will be 81 cards (40 FP (20R, 20R+), 40 SH (20R, 20R+) and 1 Ring (R+)) and will include some iconic reprints (though not many).

The first Reflections set dealt with the Rings of Power and the Last Alliance of Elves & Men primarily. So the obvious question is: what will Reflections II focus on?

The answer:
The run up to the Lord of the Rings (like the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, the defeat of the Necromancer at Dol Guldur, Balin's expedition to Moria, the founding of Helm's Deep) and some of the minor action during that doesn't get much coverage (the Grey Company, the Woses).

What's new in Reflections II?
The set will introduce a "semi-new" keyword: enduring X. Does what it says on the tin really - strength +X for each wound. This will rewrite all previous cards that use enduring to read enduring 2 except for Orc Slaughterer who will now suddenly read enduring 4 as his game text.

Other than that, all the mechanics and keywords are reruns, including: fortifications, engines, besiegers, valiant, toil, foresee (from L&S block).

Also I mentioned several times that in making L&S block draftable, the fraction of characters at C/U in the set had to be around 50% or more, and so there was simply no room at all for followers. This is going to be rectified in Reflections II which will bring back followers in a BIG way - the introduction they always really deserved. This is going to involve some rewriting of older cards, which we'll see later (MTG had to do this as well with the "great creature type update" and such things, so I don't feel too bad doing it! I would make something like the equivalent of MTG's Oracle to store the correct text of updated cards).

So without further ado, let's see a card!

The other day I was having crazy fun with some crazy ideas for Rings. But some of them didn't work so well and some of them were not flavourful and it was very tough to work out which of my fairly off-the-wall cards were good ones.

This I think is one of the best I came up with. I'm not sure about its subtitle as yet (as you'll see), but I wanted to make a Ring that impacts how you play your entire game much more than just how you put it on and stuff, like the Binding Ring which you can build a whole deck around (I may post some of these other ideas at a later date).

So what do you guys think?

•The One Ring, Needs to Run
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
At the end of each regroup phase, if the fellowship did not move on during that phase, add 2 burdens.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound in a skirmish, make him or her wear The One Ring until the regroup phase.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.
"'The Ring is already at work in the Fellowship...'"
R2 R+ 1

[Cw0rk]

2 burdens for not double moving seems to be a lot. Why not only one?

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

The set will introduce a "semi-new" keyword: enduring X. Does what it says on the tin really - strength +X for each wound. This will rewrite all previous cards that use enduring to read enduring 2 except for Orc Slaughterer who will now suddenly read enduring 4 as his game text.

Good. IMO, that's what they should have done in the first place (it offers greater flexibility and some interesting mechanics, e.g., a 2-strength, 3-vitality minion with enduring 6).

•The One Ring, Needs to Run
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
At the end of each regroup phase, if the fellowship did not move on during that phase, add 2 burdens.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound in a skirmish, make him or her wear The One Ring until the regroup phase.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.
"'The Ring is already at work in the Fellowship...'"
R2 R+ 1

As worded, it seems the burdens would be added even if the move limit is reached, i.e., 2 burdens a turn. If that's the intent, maybe it would be better to just say, "At the end of each turn, add 2 burdens." If the intent is only to add 2 burdens if the FP player single-moves, change it to, "At the end of each turn during which the fellowship did not move during the regroup phase, add 2 burdens."

I do agree that 2 burdens for single-moving is a bit steep for +1 vit/res versus The Ruling Ring; maybe make the bonuses a little bigger.

Also, "needs to run" sounds like a dog or something. Maybe "Borne With Great Haste"?

[Cw0rk]

Are you planning to have alternate ring-bearers in your set?
I've been thinking, why isn't there a Deagol Ring-bearer? I mean, all alternate RBs are characters who have had the ring (ex. Bilbo) or could potentially have it (ex. Boromir). Why not Déagol?

[Thranduil]

Are you planning to have alternate ring-bearers in your set?
I've been thinking, why isn't there a Deagol Ring-bearer? I mean, all alternate RBs are characters who have had the ring (ex. Bilbo) or could potentially have it (ex. Boromir). Why not Déagol?

There will be ARBs. This is because most of them (except Sam, Gandalf and Faramir) will have rotated out and I think ARBs are very healthy for the game. Most of them will be reprints, but there will be at least 1 high profile new version. I currently do not have a Déagol planned, though it's not ridiculous as it all happens in the early 3rd Age, which is one of the set's themes. I will give it some thought.

As worded, it seems the burdens would be added even if the move limit is reached, i.e., 2 burdens a turn. If that's the intent, maybe it would be better to just say, "At the end of each turn, add 2 burdens." If the intent is only to add 2 burdens if the FP player single-moves, change it to, "At the end of each turn during which the fellowship did not move during the regroup phase, add 2 burdens."

Indeed good points. I think I intended to add 2 burdens when you didn't move on, but adding some burdens at the end of each turn is not such a bad idea either.

Also, "needs to run" sounds like a dog or something. Maybe "Borne With Great Haste"?

Yeah like I said, that was a functional subtitle, not a real subtitle. I need something that represents something to do with the lore about the ring slowly corrupting the fellowship so they need to go as fast as they can.

I think I ought to post some of my other ideas so that you know what I was thinking about when I came up with this version. As I said above, the idea was to make a Ring that fundamentally altered the way you play your game. These were my ideas (though again, subtitles are descriptions NOT real subtitles!):

IDEA #1
•The One Ring, Likes to Be Alone
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
The total twilight cost allowed for your starting companions is reduced by 1.
RR

OR

Each time you play a companion, if you can spot 6 companions, place a companion in the dead pile.
RR

OR

Each time the fellowship moves, if you can spot 6 companions, place a companion in the dead pile
RR

OR

The maximum number of companions you may have in your fellowship is reduced by 2.
RR



IDEA #1.5
Friendly Ring
The total cost of companions in your starting fellowship is increased by 1.
AtAR




IDEA #2
•The One Ring, Needs to Run
The One Ring
Str: +2
Res: +2
The fellowship must move on each regroup phase if the move limit allows.
RoR

OR

The template above.



IDEA #4
•The One Ring, Preventing Potential
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
Your maximum hand size is 6.
RR

OR

You may only draw a maximum of 4 cards each turn.
RR

OR

Each event and condition you play is twilight cost +1.
RoR



IDEA #5
•The One Ring, Selfish Ring
The One Ring
Str: +2
Vit: +1
While wearing the OR, each other companion is strength -1.
RoR







I also have reasons why I didn't use any of the templates I've shown above, but I'd like to see your reactions to them first.

NB: When I put a ring subtitle under game text, I mean that's the template for how the RB takes wounds as burdens (ie. it's the difference between the RR which you can only put on during a skirmish and RoR which you can put on at any time - except for idea #1.5 which uses the AtaR template of adding a burden during a skirmish, not the strength pump).

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

•The One Ring, Needs to Run
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
At the end of each regroup phase, if the fellowship did not move on during that phase, add 2 burdens.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound in a skirmish, make him or her wear The One Ring until the regroup phase.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.
"'The Ring is already at work in the Fellowship...'"
R2 R+ 1

Maybe make it based on when the Free People's Player reconciles rather than at the end of each regroup phase? I understand there are cards that allow you to reconcile outside of the end of your turn, but it seems like that would be much easier for wording since moving again occurs at the end of the regroup phase.

As for the response part, this is straight off of The One Ring, the Ruling Ring.
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound in a skirmish, he or she wears The One Ring until the regroup phase.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound in a skirmish, add a burden instead.

for Sam for the BEST subtitle!
-wtk

[legolas3333]

yeah, just change it to at the end of turn or when the free peoples player reconciles and it'll be fine.

[MR. Lurtzy]

You can't be serious with those subtitles.

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

You can't be serious with those subtitles.

He's not.

These were my ideas (though again, subtitles are descriptions NOT real subtitles!):

[Thranduil]

Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound in a skirmish, he or she wears The One Ring until the regroup phase.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound in a skirmish, add a burden instead.

Yeah quite right. I made these cards on a train where I didn't have internet!

So we know how to fix my original given template: "When you reconcile in a regroup phase, if you did not move more than once this turn, add 2 burdens".

But, what are your opinions about the other templates?

[legolas3333]

the friendly ring seems cool, but, it could easily be abused, maybe this one

The total twilight cost allowed for your starting companions is reduced by 1.

but make it so it's affects each player, that would be better than a single person getting the bonus

[Thranduil]

the friendly ring seems cool, but, it could easily be abused, maybe this one

The total twilight cost allowed for your starting companions is reduced by 1.

but make it so it's affects each player, that would be better than a single person getting the bonus

But you can't because your Ring is only active in your turn, not your opponent's turns. I don't think there is a way to cleanly do that.

Thranduil

[legolas3333]

wait, what if you did something along the lines of Aragorn, WTG, like extra bonuses if the RB is the only companion you can spot

[FM]

You could name your set "Deflections" or "Refractions", as a spoof but ALSO as creative names to tie it in with the first one's idea.

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

IDEA #1
•The One Ring, Likes to Be Alone
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
The total twilight cost allowed for your starting companions is reduced by 1.
RR

OR

Each time you play a companion, if you can spot 6 companions, place a companion in the dead pile.
RR

OR

Each time the fellowship moves, if you can spot 6 companions, place a companion in the dead pile
RR

OR

The maximum number of companions you may have in your fellowship is reduced by 2.
RR

How about:
•The One Ring, Source of Discord
The One Ring
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Res: +1
Each time the fellowship moves while you can spot 4 companions, exert the Ring-bearer or add a threat. Do this once for each companion over 3.
RR
"It's no use. I must go to Mordor alone."

Not sure if the quote is exactly right, but you get the idea.