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

[Elf_Lvr]

Opened Clearly
Event • Assignment
You may add to play this event during the fellowship phase.
Spot Gandalf to reveal each player's hand. Choose an opponent to discard a card from your hand, then discard a card from each opponent's hand.
"‘I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off....'"

Very -esque. I love it, it's very versatile.

Speaking In Riddles
Condition • Support Area
Riddle.
Each time you play a spell, you may exert Gandalf to remove a burden or a threat.
Each time the fellowship moves, add 2 burdens or 2 threats or discard this condition.
"‘A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.'"

I think the balance is fine - it certainly does make Gandy, PG more powerful, but the moving cost balances it out nicely. Two threats is a high cost to pay for , they don't have much to remove them (besides Citadel to Gate, of course) but the burdens are manageable.

I would, however, make it unique, because I could see someone discarding it and loading it back into their deck with Fireworks, then having 4 copies out at site 8. That could get a bit out of hand...

I don't know, it probably doesn't need uniqueness, but I think I could find a way to make it broken if I tried. It is culture, after all.

Now that I think about it, Shadowfax, GotM makes this fairly obsolete, so... it's probably fine as is.

Wow, kinda long review to say "It looks good, Dain!" but I guess I don't really start thinking about what I'm saying 'till mid-review.

[Anvar]

Opened Clearly
Event • Assignment
You may add to play this event during the fellowship phase.
Spot Gandalf to reveal each player's hand. Choose an opponent to discard a card from your hand, then discard a card from each opponent's hand.
"‘I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off....'"

Speaking In Riddles
Condition • Support Area
Riddle.
Each time you play a spell, you may exert Gandalf to remove a burden or a threat.
Each time the fellowship moves, add 2 burdens or 2 threats or discard this condition.
"‘A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.'"

Great cards. I think that Speaking in Riddles has too much text. I would choose a cost for moving and stick with it. I would probably go for add 2 burdens or discard this condition.

Anvar

[sickofpalantirs]

And now for some -cost cards that are a little more normal. Well, kind of. Enjoy!

Opened Clearly
Event • Assignment
You may add to play this event during the fellowship phase.
Spot Gandalf to reveal each player's hand. Choose an opponent to discard a card from your hand, then discard a card from each opponent's hand.
"‘I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off....'"
fine

Nothing like a little telepathy, eh?

Speaking In Riddles
Condition • Support Area
Riddle.
Each time you play a spell, you may exert Gandalf to remove a burden or a threat.
Each time the fellowship moves, add 2 burdens or discard this condition.
"‘A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.'"

I'd stick with the old add a threat or discard this condition...but thats up to you.

[lem0nhead]

Opened Clearly
Event • Assignment
You may add to play this event during the fellowship phase.
Spot Gandalf to reveal each player's hand. Choose an opponent to discard a card from your hand, then discard a card from each opponent's hand.
"‘I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten. I can see many things far off....'"

Nice but really punishing for 2, id make this cost 1 on its own and 3 in the fellowship as youre potentially discarding a few players best cards in their hand before ths shadow in multiplayer and if not in fellowship youre revealing all the hands for free AND getting a benefit.

Speaking In Riddles
Condition • Support Area
Riddle.
Each time you play a spell, you may exert Gandalf to remove a burden or a threat.
Each time the fellowship moves, add 2 burdens or discard this condition.
"‘A habit of the old: they choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long explanations needed by the young are wearying.'"

Way way way UP, so in 1 turn you have to play three spells and exert gandalf three times to get a net bonus (a threat isnt worth a burden so that part is completely overlooked)? Or otherwise, if you plan on discarding it you still need to be exerting gandalf which is a painful cost at the best of times. Not really useful enough to ever comandeer a place on any of my decks.

[menace64]

That's what I thought when I read it, lemon. At the very cheapest use, you can exert Gandalf once or twice during the phase you play it, then ditch it when you move. At that point I still don't think it's worth it.

The only real reason to put a movement-penalty clause on a card is either, A) if there's no inherent cost in the previous lines of text; or, B) if the cost in the previous lines of text is nowhere near balanced enough for the ability it provides.

I think you should either make the card unique and drop the movement-penalty, or you should make it spot Gandalf instead of exerting him and *keep* the movement penalty.

[Thranduil]

Speaking In Riddles has a lot of potential with your discarding Gandalf theme. I think exerting and a movement penalty is the way to go, but it could perhaps be only 1 burden. Or a burden and a threat to really put some pressure on Gandalf.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

Changed the moving penalty to 2 burdens OR the option I imagine would be chosen more often than not: a burden and a threat. Still too harsh? Some mixed opinions on this, I see.... At least my DCs are generating good discussion lately!

[Thranduil]

Doesn't that make the original change from "2 burdens or 2 threats" to "2 burdens" a bit irrelevant? I would still go for 1 choice, not 2.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Sorry DI but my review has barely changed with this amendment. m64 backs up my point really well and i agree with him still.

[Thranduil]

You could try it without the combos, having just: "Fellowship: Exert Gandalf to remove a burden or a threat." That could be very interesting with the movement penalty.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

I kind of like Thran's idea, but I was trying to specifically reward players who took the time to load up on spells, so that would make for a completely different card (and possibly be a little too good when comboed with cards like Have Patience and Moment of Respite...especially with BoO!).

So, last chance for this card with a movement penalty: I changed it to 1 burden or 2 threats. How is that? Maybe even nerf it to 1 burden or 1 threat and make it unique?

[lem0nhead]

The part that me and menace have the bugbear with though DI is the exert gandalf. Its just to costly and would never be used. I get what youre trying to do and by all means stick with the reward spells bit but dont exert gandy for each burden. Its just not viable whilst it requires such a harsh execution.

[sickofpalantirs]

works for me...gives the ents some damage which I am not sure is good...but hey...

[lem0nhead]

works for me...gives the ents some damage which I am not sure is good...but hey...

What the heck are you talking about? lol

[sickofpalantirs]

sorry I was looking back several pages accidentally...I think the card should be each time the fellowship moves add a threat or discard, like swept away.