Reflections II - Complete List

[Thranduil]

My computer has decided to die a horrible death, and given all my files are in mac format and I'm now stuck using a PC, I don't have any of the cool cards I was going to post.

Let's see if I can remember one though. We'll take a change of pace and look at one of the other backstories of LotR: Balin.

•Herald of the Balrog
Minion • Orc
Str: 3
Vit: 1
Sit: 4
Maneuver: If the fellowship is at an underground site and the only minion you can spot is Herald of the Balrog, discard him to end the maneuver phase and skip the archery phase.
If Herald of the Balrog is discarded from play, play The Balrog from your draw deck or discard pile; its twilight cost is -6. Shuffle your draw deck.
R2 R+

•Óri, Chronicler of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
At the start of each fellowship phase, you may play a non-event Free Peoples tale from your discard pile.
R2 R

They were something like that at any rate...

[ket_the_jet]

I'm not fond of the Orc. I think he should at least be two vitality so that he doesn't get iced with the first maneuver action.

High-risk, and probably not enough reward.

As for the Dwarf, I like the thought, but how prominent are Tales in Standard anyways? They seemed to die off after FotR block.
-wtk

[Thranduil]

I'm not fond of the Orc. I think he should at least be two vitality so that he doesn't get iced with the first maneuver action.

High-risk, and probably not enough reward.

You could be right. But do you like the concept?

As for the Dwarf, I like the thought, but how prominent are Tales in Standard anyways? They seemed to die off after FotR block.
-wtk

Well noticed! I use tales a little in the block immediately preceeding this, and they sort of make a comeback in Treachery & Deceit, but this set has more plans for tales.

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

As for the Orc, wouldn't you rather play Troll Swarm or something where you can play multiple large minions instead of maybe one minion?

I don't think I would use him in Movie Block either. Anyways, that's a lot of text to squeeze onto one card.
-wtk

[ket_the_jet]

What about:

When you play this minion, if it is the only minion you can spot, discard it to play the Balrog from your draw deck or discard pile and end your Shadow phase.
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

I think that 'you may play a Free Peoples tale non-event card from your discard pile' could be reworded like that 'you may play a non-event tale from your discard pile'. Shadow cards are inactive during your fellowship phase so I don't think you can play them anyway. You also don't need to specify that it is a card.

If you want your Herald of the Balrog to survive to Quick as May Be, you could say 'At the start of the maneuver phase...'. Can you also explain a bit what the Herald of the Balrog is doing in the books?

[Thranduil]

I think that 'you may play a Free Peoples tale non-event card from your discard pile' could be reworded like that 'you may play a non-event tale from your discard pile'. Shadow cards are inactive during your fellowship phase so I don't think you can play them anyway. You also don't need to specify that it is a card.

I would rather specify Free Peoples card for the sake of super clarity. Just as there is no ambiguity in the wording of MTG cards, I try to make my LotR cards have no ambiguity.

If you want your Herald of the Balrog to survive to Quick as May Be, you could say 'At the start of the maneuver phase...'. Can you also explain a bit what the Herald of the Balrog is doing in the books?

Tis true, but there should be ways round him like QaMB or NTitL I felt. It is a bit of a flavour stretch: obviously there's no character in the book or the film who has that name or that role per se, but I wanted to represent The Balrog ambushing Balin's company in Moria and I thought the idea was cool enough to carry me through. Obviously, if I'm wrong and the idea is not a particularly good one, then there is no need for him!

[ket_the_jet]

Why not just make the Orc a condition? Like, a three cost condition or something that plays the Balrog from draw deck or discard for -6 if you cannot spot a minion. You can still have the "you cannot play other minions" stipulation, but I wouldn't immediately end the Shadow phase otherwise you can't add the cool weapons on the Balrog.
-wtk

[Gate Troll]

meh, I like the orc. Though he seems a little too middlground.  Maybe get rid of the other stuff and just make him reduce the Balrog's cost by .

[Cw0rk]

I think that 'you may play a Free Peoples tale non-event card from your discard pile' could be reworded like that 'you may play a non-event tale from your discard pile'. Shadow cards are inactive during your fellowship phase so I don't think you can play them anyway. You also don't need to specify that it is a card.

I would rather specify Free Peoples card for the sake of super clarity. Just as there is no ambiguity in the wording of MTG cards, I try to make my LotR cards have no ambiguity.

Ok, you can keep Free Peoples for the sake of clarity but you don't have to specify that it is a card...

'you may play a Free Peoples non-event tale'

Goblin Scavengers doesn't specify that the weapon has to be a card.

[Thranduil]

I think that 'you may play a Free Peoples tale non-event card from your discard pile' could be reworded like that 'you may play a non-event tale from your discard pile'. Shadow cards are inactive during your fellowship phase so I don't think you can play them anyway. You also don't need to specify that it is a card.

I would rather specify Free Peoples card for the sake of super clarity. Just as there is no ambiguity in the wording of MTG cards, I try to make my LotR cards have no ambiguity.

Ok, you can keep Free Peoples for the sake of clarity but you don't have to specify that it is a card...

'you may play a Free Peoples non-event tale'

Goblin Scavengers doesn't specify that the weapon has to be a card.

No indeed - that's a bit of an MTG wording. Just testing it out for size, probably will remove it.

Thranduil

[Thranduil]

As happened for Reflection I, you get through the block and realise there are hardly any cards to make them a viable strategy. This led to the creation of all the Dwarf-lords, especially Durin III who is a powerhouse.

So I go through Light & Shadow block knowing there aren't enough cards (who unfortunately, do not have an awful lot to say about the block's themes) and also remember that Durin III & co. are now all rotated out. So I tried to make a sort-of replacement, as you can see:

•Balin, Last King of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 7
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Enduring 2. Valiant.
Balin is damage +1 for each wound on him.
R2 R+ 3

And then, while I was dealing with Balin's retaking of Moria, I should include cards like Óri and the Book of Mazarbul. You'll notice a small dead pile theme (cf. The Horn of Helm a while back).

•Book of Mazarbul, Chronicles of Moria
Possession • Support Area
Tale.
Each time a minion is killed in a skirmish involving a companion, you may stack that minion here.
Skirmish: Discard a card stacked here to make an unbound companion strength +1 and damage +1 for each companion in the dead pile.
R2 R+ 4

[legolas3333]

i like both of them a lot

[Ulmo]

I like them both.
Balin is good, bringing in Valiant on the Dwarf culture.

Book of Mazarbul, what about using tokens instead of stacking minions on the fellowship side? 
Each time a minion is killed in a skirmish involving a companion, you may place a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token to make an unbound companion strength +2 and damage +1 for each companion in the dead pile.

[Thranduil]

Book of Mazarbul, what about using tokens instead of stacking minions on the fellowship side? 
Each time a minion is killed in a skirmish involving a companion, you may place a token here.
Skirmish: Remove a token to make an unbound companion strength +2 and damage +1 for each companion in the dead pile.

I understand that and it's a good point. My instinct is that stacking minions rather than having them go to the discard pile is a better weapon against the or cultures, which may be worth considering.

Thranduil