The Way Into Mordor - Gandalf (8/28: "You still speak in riddles.")

[DáinIronfoot]

A couple more spells revolving around Gandalf wrenching Theoden from Grima and Saruman's control. Enjoy!

Drawn Out Like Poison
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to discard a Shadow follower or a Shadow card borne by a companion or ally.
"‘I release you from this spell.'"

Not All Is Dark
Event • Assignment
Spell.
Exert Gandalf and discard a card from hand to remove all twilight tokens from the twilight pool.
"‘Too long have you sat in the shadows....'"

I have no idea about the costing on these, and the second one especially. They seem alright?

[lem0nhead]

Drawn Out Like Poison
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to discard a Shadow follower or a Shadow card borne by a companion or ally.
"‘I release you from this spell.'"

Sound, *maybe* should cost 2.

Not All Is Dark
Event • Assignment
Spell.
Exert Gandalf and discard a card from hand to remove all twilight tokens from the twilight pool.
"‘Too long have you sat in the shadows....'"

Wow could be insanely powerful. As it is it seems fine but thinking of the applications it could be put to.... Flood pool with maneuever and skirmish events and in 1 fierce assignment ,empty it for the double? There is no cost associated with it in terms of pool to make it fair as it would make the cards pointless. Im not sure what im suggesting though. lets see if Anvar or someone replies.

[DáinIronfoot]

Not All Is Dark
Event • Assignment
Spell.
Exert Gandalf and discard a card from hand to remove all twilight tokens from the twilight pool.
"‘Too long have you sat in the shadows....'"

Wow could be insanely powerful. As it is it seems fine but thinking of the applications it could be put to.... Flood pool with maneuever and skirmish events and in 1 fierce assignment ,empty it for the double? There is no cost associated with it in terms of pool to make it fair as it would make the cards pointless. Im not sure what im suggesting though. lets see if Anvar or someone replies.

Yeah, that was about my thinking. It's really hard to judge, I know, since the only comparable card is Gandalf's Hat, which works quite differently (and AFTER skirmishes, at that). We'll see what others say about it, eh?

[lem0nhead]

Well i will stick my neck out and say its under costed at the very least. Cos 2 burdens is way worse than an exertion on gandalf plus it removes pool the shadow can use in the skirmish this go so its possibly even stronger.

[DáinIronfoot]

How about I discard more cards along with that exertion, then? Like two or three?

[lem0nhead]

Im not sure cos you get the choice so it is potentially not only helping you to filter but could use the loss of initiative to your advantage to.

Youre right; lets get another opinion lol.

[Thranduil]

I think the first could be - Gandalf likes expensive cards anyway.

Second is very interesting. Perhaps discarding cards is not a good cost (burdens on Gandalf's Hat is better). Perhaps exerting Gandalf and adding some burdens?

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

Drawn Out Like Poison
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to discard a Shadow follower or a Shadow card borne by a companion or ally.
"‘I release you from this spell.'"

Awesome.

Not All Is Dark
Event • Assignment
Spell.
Exert Gandalf and discard a card from hand to remove all twilight tokens from the twilight pool.
"‘Too long have you sat in the shadows....'"

I think it's well-costed, in fact, it seems underpowered to me, because it doesn't remove twilight from events (unless your opponent has a fierce minion).

[Anvar]

Drawn Out Like Poison
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to discard a Shadow follower or a Shadow card borne by a companion or ally.
"‘I release you from this spell.'"

This could just say discard a follower since you wouldn't ever want to discard your own. Otherwise I think this is a useful card, but should cost 2.

Not All Is Dark
Event • Assignment
Spell.
Exert Gandalf and discard a card from hand to remove all twilight tokens from the twilight pool.
"‘Too long have you sat in the shadows....'"

As I understand it, this would stop the Shadow player from using Skirmish events, and help with the double move. As such, it is better than Gandalf's Hat. On the other hand, the hat is a possession, and this is just an event. My inclination is to give the Shadow player a way out. eg. Exert Gandalf to remove all twilight from the twilight pool. Your opponent may discard a minion to prevent this.

Alternatively, adding threats is always a good cost for something like this, where burdens would seem a bit much.

[menace64]

I was going to suggest adding threats, but Anvar beat me to it. However, when needing to add an additional cost to a card, I try to keep it as flavorful as possible. Obviously, burdens are out here (it irks me that Gandalf's Hat adds burdens... how does the hat make Frodo's journey more difficult?). Threats could work, since Gandalf was revealing his true power to Saruman and basically pushing him into a corner.

But, given the scene in question, maybe a specific kind of card discarded from your hand would fit the bill? What if the cost is "...and discard 2 spells from hand" to help demonstrate just how hard is was to free Theoden from Saruman's hold?

[FM]

On that account, Theoden claimed for Herugrim when he was released, so the cost could be to actually PLAY Herugrim on Theoden? Or DISCARD Herugrim either from play (limiting the card) or from hand (allowing you to simply toss in Herugrim in a deck to make this work, althgouh I don't know why someone would do this). These are not really good ideas, I know, but I'm just following M64's point about flavor.

[DáinIronfoot]

Wow, that's a lot more discussion than I anticipated. I'll raise the cost of Drawn Out Like Poison to , but it looks like Not All Is Dark might take more thought than a quick fix. I'd be more inclined to go with threats than tying it specifically to Herugrim or Theoden (though I'm all about story-inspired flavor and do LOVE that idea), but we'll see. I'll update on when I've tweaked the card, and probably just repost the modified version later since so many folks weighed in on it. Thanks, everyone. for all!

These might be a little controversial as well, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Neither is entirely new, as the concepts of each have been used on other cards, but these go about it in new and hopefully interesting ways. Enjoy!

A Faint Light Growing
Condition • Support Area
Spell.
Response: If the twilight pool has fewer than 3 twilight tokens and a companion with the Gandalf signet or bearing a condition is about to take a wound, spot Gandalf and add to prevent that wound.
"‘Dark have been my dreams of late, but I feel as one new-awakened. I would now that you had come before, Gandalf.'"

He Is Come Again
Event • Skirmish
If you cannot spot a twilight token, you may play this event from your discard pile.
Spot Gandalf to make an unbound companion bearing a condition strength +1 for each Gandalf signet you can spot (limit +4).
"There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun."

[sickofpalantirs]

A Faint Light Growing
Condition • Support Area
Spell.
Response: If the twilight pool has fewer than 3 twilight tokens and a companion with the Gandalf signet or bearing a condition is about to take a wound, spot Gandalf and add to prevent that wound.
"‘Dark have been my dreams of late, but I feel as one new-awakened. I would now that you had come before, Gandalf.'"
uh...intimidate is so much better...maybe and wound a minion and your talking

He Is Come Again
Event • Skirmish
If you cannot spot a twilight token, you may play this event from your discard pile.
Spot Gandalf to make an unbound companion bearing a condition strength +1 for each Gandalf signet you can spot (limit +4).
"There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun."

after replaying once I'd remove it from the game. than you could maybe cut to 1 twilight

[Elf_Lvr]

Neither is entirely new, as the concepts of each have been used on other cards, but these go about it in new and hopefully interesting ways. Enjoy!

We'll do things that are quite new, in interestin' ways!

A Faint Light Growing
Condition • Support Area
Spell.
Response: If the twilight pool has fewer than 3 twilight tokens and a companion with the Gandalf signet or bearing a condition is about to take a wound, spot Gandalf and add to prevent that wound.
"‘Dark have been my dreams of late, but I feel as one new-awakened. I would now that you had come before, Gandalf.'"

It's fine, especially since it pretty much prevents the transfer of followers if you want to use it. Makes Not All is Dark a bit more playable.

He Is Come Again
Event • Skirmish
If you cannot spot a twilight token, you may play this event from your discard pile.
Spot Gandalf to make an unbound companion bearing a condition strength +1 for each Gandalf signet you can spot (limit +4).
"There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun."

I know the replaying won't happen often, but I'd be a bit more comfortable if it removed itself from the game afterwards.

[FM]

I think it's AWESOME as it is, after all, it IS pretty conditional.