Newb Question... but what do "blocks" and other terms mean?

[HAL_9OOO]

I have heard about blocks before such as "movie block", standard legal, extended, draft and all these different game types before but I am not really sure what they mean. And how does this affect how my friends and I play the game as we have sites from a lot of different sets? Should we take heed of the x-list? And where can we find the most comprehensive rules, card clarifications and any other information that can help us play the game? (I know some are stickies in archives but wondering if there is anything else). Basically we need to catch up since we weren't really involved in the game/community before .

[legolas3333]

Movie Block: A format that is meant to represent the game pre-shadows, King sites (Sets 1-10)
Standard: Decipher's last issued standard rotation, WotR sites(Sets 7-19)
Expanded: All blocks allowed, WotR sites (sets 1-19)

and yes, take heed of the x-list or you'll be seeing Mordor Fiend + The Dark Lord's Summons

X and R-lists here

http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,120.0.html

[MR. Lurtzy]

You can use all of the newer sites in Standard, not just WoTR.

[simplegarak]

Oh, also another term you might need:

A "block" is considered 3 sets of cards.  They are usually divided up as 1 large set followed by two smaller sets though sometimes additional smaller sets will be thrown in.

Thus:
Sets 1-3 are "Fellowship Block"
Sets 4-6 are "Towers block"
and sets 7-10 are "King block"

[HAL_9OOO]

Hmmm well most likely we will be playing cards from sets 1-10 with maybe a couple from the later ones. What type of site system do you guys propose for the best fun? If we only used king sites for example, would cards that required fellowship and two tower sites just not work? Or would playing with shadow style sites be better?

And thanks for help so far guys! Appreciate it!

[simplegarak]

I stand somewhat corrected.  Here's the LotR rule book on blocks:

Each game has one of the following formats:
• Fellowship block – only cards from sets 1, 2, and 3,
• Tower block – only cards from sets 4, 5, and 6,
• King block – only cards from sets 7, 8, and 10,
• War of the Ring block – only cards from sets 11, 12, and 13,
• Open – all cards allowed, including set 9 (Reflections), using only sites from set 11 onward (Shadows).
• Standard – a tournament format similar to Open, but including the X-List (see the Current Rulings document, available for download).

Set 9 is in no "official" block.

[Witchkingx5]

Set 9 is in no "official" block.

...but is most fun to play anyway!!

[simplegarak]

Set 9 is in no "official" block.

...but is most fun to play anyway!!

Amen to that brother.

Amen - to - that.

[Faelach]

I'll be honest but set 9 (and 8, released the same week) marked the beginning of the end for me.
-wtk

The weird thing about Siege of Gondor is that is was one of the most beautifully designed (picture-wise) movie block sets IMO.  I have the complete set in foil, and it's definitely one of my favorite sets to glance through in my binders.  Catapult was definitely a sign of the end, though.

Reflections marked a HUGE shift in the game.  I for one was thrilled upon its initial release because the cards seemed so ridiculously good, which was fun.  Once you started playing with them, though, you sensed the downhill slide of the game starting to happen.

[simplegarak]

I'll be honest but set 9 (and 8, released the same week) marked the beginning of the end for me.
-wtk

The weird thing about Siege of Gondor is that is was one of the most beautifully designed (picture-wise) movie block sets IMO.  I have the complete set in foil, and it's definitely one of my favorite sets to glance through in my binders.  Catapult was definitely a sign of the end, though.

Reflections marked a HUGE shift in the game.  I for one was thrilled upon its initial release because the cards seemed so ridiculously good, which was fun.  Once you started playing with them, though, you sensed the downhill slide of the game starting to happen.

If I may amend an old rhyme:
"When Reflections was good, it was very VERY good,
But when it was bad it was horrid."

There are some things that I just really loved, like alternate ring-bearers... but when they started making alt RB'ers who had NEVER HELD THE RING I was not happy.

Don't even bring up Galadriel, Lady Redeemed.  (It was only my dedication that kept me going up to Black Rider)

[Elrohir]

Standard: Decipher's last issued standard rotation, WotR sites(Sets 7-19)

Standard Formats sites are from set 11 and on used.

[Witchkingx5]

But I think that alternate Ring-Bearers made the game more versitile, cus' Decks like corruption had then more chances to win against a Ring-Bearer, which was pretty strong though, but had just 6 resistance. It also opened the way to mono-culural Decks, the whle Frodo story was sometimes quiet annoying cus' had to put in Sting, and maybe some pupms for Frodo and so on, but then, you could just pack in like Gimli, BoG in a Dwarven Deck and all your pumps and Weapons were also useful for <our new Ring-Bearer.

There are some things that I just really loved, like alternate ring-bearers... but when they started making alt RB'ers who had NEVER HELD THE RING I was not happy.

Yeah, that's stupid. Agree to it, completely.