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

[Thranduil]

Long Count of Years
Condition • Support Area
Tale. When you play this condition, you may spot an Ent to add a token here for each river and forest site on the adventure path.
Fellowship: Remove X tokens from here to play an Ent at twilight cost -X.
Skirmish: Remove a token from here to make an Ent strength +1 and damage +1.
"‘Only three remain of the first Ents that walked in the woods before the Darkness: only myself, Fangorn, and Finglas and Fladrif – to give them their Elvish names; you may call them Leaflock and Skinbark if you like that better.'"

I think with token reinforcement the skirmish ability needs to be 2 tokens.

Release the River
Event • Regroup
Spot 2 unbound Hobbits and exert each unbound Hobbit twice (or once if at a river) to heal each Ent and liberate a site.
"‘Break the dam! Release the river!'"

I'm not quite sure I'm feeling the concept of this card. I would remove the parentheses anyway because it doesn't scan too well.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

Tweaked both cards. Let me know if they're any better. or ?

In the meantime, here are some more random Entish (and Treeish) cards. Enjoy!

•Nut and Acorn, Root and Twig
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Tree takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make an Ent strength +2 until the regroup phase.
Each time an Ent takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make a Tree strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Many of these trees were my friends....They had voices of their own.'"

I figured that Ents and Trees could use a little more help working together. Hopefully, this is a big enough potential boost to make mixing them worth it.

•Not Our War
Condition • Support Area
Toil 1. To play, spot 3 Ents.
At the start of the regroup phase, make a Shadow player wound a minion for each Ent that was not involved in a skirmish this turn.
"‘The Ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we have always done.'"

A long-awaited answer to Thran's suggestion of rewarding unhasty Ents for NOT fighting. Tried desperately to make it powerful yet balanced...how'd I do?

[Thranduil]

•Nut and Acorn, Root and Twig
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Tree takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make an Ent strength +2 until the regroup phase.
Each time an Ent takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make a Tree strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Many of these trees were my friends....They had voices of their own.'"

Weird, but lots of fun!

•Not Our War
Condition • Support Area
Toil 1. To play, spot 3 Ents.
At the start of the regroup phase, make a Shadow player wound a minion for each Ent that was not involved in a skirmish this turn.
"‘The Ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we have always done.'"

I think I'd prefer it to cost about and have a discarding ability, but it's balanced as is.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

•Nut and Acorn, Root and Twig
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Tree takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make an Ent strength +2 until the regroup phase.
Each time an Ent takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make a Tree strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Many of these trees were my friends....They had voices of their own.'"

Cool but im not sure if it would work both ways round, i.e. the trees wouldnt be stronger cos of the ents taking wounds.


•Not Our War
Condition • Support Area
Toil 1. To play, spot 3 Ents.
At the start of the regroup phase, make a Shadow player wound a minion for each Ent that was not involved in a skirmish this turn.
"‘The Ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we have always done.'"

Its ok mate certainly balanced, but maybe not useful enough for unhasty dudes.

[Elf_Lvr]

•Nut and Acorn, Root and Twig
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Tree takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make an Ent strength +2 until the regroup phase.
Each time an Ent takes a wound (except during the archery phase), you may make a Tree strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Many of these trees were my friends....They had voices of their own.'"

Very... different. I don't think there's ever been much gained from Losing skirmishes. I like it.

•Not Our War
Condition • Support Area
Toil 1. To play, spot 3 Ents.
At the start of the regroup phase, make a Shadow player wound a minion for each Ent that was not involved in a skirmish this turn.
"‘The Ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we have always done.'"

Neat.

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, back to some good old-fashioned beatdowns before we get back to some more precise actions by our Ents. At least one of you was looking for some ways to get Ents matched up against multiple minions and make them truly enraged (especially by the loss of their comrades), so here are my best efforts. Enjoy!

Striding and Storming
Condition • Support Area
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may spot an Ent or Tree in the dead pile to make an Ent lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an Ent strength +1 for each companion in the dead pile.
"‘I thought that they had been really roused before; but I was wrong. I saw what it was like at last. It was staggering. They roared and boomed and trumpeted, until stones began to crack and fall at the mere noise of them.'"

Way back in the first post of this thread, I teased the potential of making Ents tougher and nastier if some of their fellow Ents kicked the bucket with Beechbone. This makes that sort of "strategy" all the better. Saved From The Fire becomes an even better card, but I may have another DC very soon that speeds up the process of killing your Ents too. (No, not today.)

Positively Hasty
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
If a wounded Ent is not assigned to a skirmish, have that Ent replace an unbound companion in a skirmish.
"‘He let out a great ‘hoom-hom', and a dozen more Ents came striding up.'"

Here's a fun one that lets your Ents jump from skirmish to skirmish and beat down multiple minions the same turn. This is a very good way to save any smaller companions (like unbound Hobbits) you have in tow with your Ents. It's also another way to bring your unhasty Ents into battle.

Set To Work
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Exert an Ent 3 times (or 2 times if you can spot a companion in the dead pile) to make that Ent strength +6, damage +1, defender +1, and lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
"‘They pushed, pulled, tore, shook, and hammered; and clang-bang, crash-crack, in five minutes they had these huge gates just lying in ruin....'"

Basically Down From The Hills for Ents, though with a little more strength, a little less damage, no wound prevention, but on the plus side, the loss of unhasty. Turn even your more passive Ents into absolute one-companion wrecking crews...just add water! :hey:

[lem0nhead]

•Striding and Storming
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot 2 Ents.
At the start of each maneuver phase, you may spot X companions in the dead pile to make X Ents lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an Ent strength +3 for each companion in the dead pile (limit +9).
"‘I thought that they had been really roused before; but I was wrong. I saw what it was like at last. It was staggering. They roared and boomed and trumpeted, until stones began to crack and fall at the mere noise of them.'"

"the" manuever phase not "each". Should be dead ents or trees, they said themselves the war is not their war, they care little for the humas etc... its only when their kin die when they get angry. And change it to +2 and limit +8.

Positively Hasty
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
If a wounded Ent is not assigned to a skirmish, have that Ent replace an unbound companion in a skirmish.
"‘He let out a great ‘hoom-hom', and a dozen more Ents came striding up.'"

Cool beans.

Set To Work
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a or companion in the dead pile and exert an Ent twice to make that Ent strength +6, damage +1, defender +1, and lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
"‘They pushed, pulled, tore, shook, and hammered; and clang-bang, crash-crack, in five minutes they had these huge gates just lying in ruin....'"

Again make gandalf companion an ent or tree. id make this cost 5 with toil 2.

[DáinIronfoot]

Changed Striding and Storming, but I left Set To Work working with any companion (for now, at least). Didn't want it to be too restrictive, since it DOES require you to actually kill a companion to get working in the first place.

[Thranduil]

•Striding and Storming
Condition • Support Area
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may spot X Ents and Trees in the dead pile to make X Ents lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an Ent strength +2 for each companion in the dead pile (limit +8).
"‘I thought that they had been really roused before; but I was wrong. I saw what it was like at last. It was staggering. They roared and boomed and trumpeted, until stones began to crack and fall at the mere noise of them.'"

Very entertaining. I think I'd prefer it to be non-unique with a lesser skirmish ability (maybe +1 for each) and spotting 1 Ent/Tree in the discard pile to make an Ent lost unhasty, so that it stacks. At the moment, this is seeming like a too easy solution to all your unhasty issues, given that if you have a few Ents in your dead pile, the number of Ents in your fellowship is going to be smaller.

Positively Hasty
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
If a wounded Ent is not assigned to a skirmish, have that Ent replace an unbound companion in a skirmish.
"‘He let out a great ‘hoom-hom', and a dozen more Ents came striding up.'"

This is awesome!

Set To Work
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a companion in the dead pile and exert an Ent twice to make that Ent strength +6, damage +1, defender +1, and lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
"‘They pushed, pulled, tore, shook, and hammered; and clang-bang, crash-crack, in five minutes they had these huge gates just lying in ruin....'"

I think I would prefer something which did not require a dead companion but instead gave you most of the bonuses, then additional bonuses if you can spot a dead companion.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

•Striding and Storming
Condition • Support Area
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may spot X Ents and Trees in the dead pile to make X Ents lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an Ent strength +2 for each companion in the dead pile (limit +8).
"‘I thought that they had been really roused before; but I was wrong. I saw what it was like at last. It was staggering. They roared and boomed and trumpeted, until stones began to crack and fall at the mere noise of them.'"

Very entertaining. I think I'd prefer it to be non-unique with a lesser skirmish ability (maybe +1 for each) and spotting 1 Ent/Tree in the discard pile to make an Ent lost unhasty, so that it stacks. At the moment, this is seeming like a too easy solution to all your unhasty issues, given that if you have a few Ents in your dead pile, the number of Ents in your fellowship is going to be smaller.

Done and done!

Set To Work
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Spot a companion in the dead pile and exert an Ent twice to make that Ent strength +6, damage +1, defender +1, and lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
"‘They pushed, pulled, tore, shook, and hammered; and clang-bang, crash-crack, in five minutes they had these huge gates just lying in ruin....'"

I think I would prefer something which did not require a dead companion but instead gave you most of the bonuses, then additional bonuses if you can spot a dead companion.

I'm afraid that that would get very clumsy, very fast. I did something similiar but different...let me know if that's any better.

[Thranduil]

Good stuff!

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

Striding and Storming
Condition • Support Area
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may spot an Ent or Tree in the dead pile to make an Ent lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an Ent strength +1 for each companion in the dead pile.
"‘I thought that they had been really roused before; but I was wrong. I saw what it was like at last. It was staggering. They roared and boomed and trumpeted, until stones began to crack and fall at the mere noise of them.'"

Nice. But beside SftF, there's really no way that this boost would be worth dumping your companions.

Positively Hasty
Event • Skirmish
Toil 2.
If a wounded Ent is not assigned to a skirmish, have that Ent replace an unbound companion in a skirmish.
"‘He let out a great ‘hoom-hom', and a dozen more Ents came striding up.'"

Neat.

Set To Work
Event • Assignment
Toil 2.
Exert an Ent 3 times (or 2 times if you can spot a companion in the dead pile) to make that Ent strength +6, damage +1, defender +1, and lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
"‘They pushed, pulled, tore, shook, and hammered; and clang-bang, crash-crack, in five minutes they had these huge gates just lying in ruin....'"

Good lord. I guess it's okay, but WOW.

[DáinIronfoot]

Striding and Storming
Condition • Support Area
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may spot an Ent or Tree in the dead pile to make an Ent lose unhasty until the regroup phase.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an Ent strength +1 for each companion in the dead pile.
"‘I thought that they had been really roused before; but I was wrong. I saw what it was like at last. It was staggering. They roared and boomed and trumpeted, until stones began to crack and fall at the mere noise of them.'"

Nice. But beside SftF, there's really no way that this boost would be worth dumping your companions.

Well, it DOES make Shadow of the Wood into a useful card for a change. And there's also this:

Scorched and Blistered
Event • Skirmish
Place an Ent in the dead pile to discard each minion skirmishing that Ent and make each other wounded Ent damage +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘One of them, Beechbone I think he was called...got caught in a spray of some liquid fire and burned like a torch: a horrible sight. That sent them mad.'"

Is THAT enough, do you think?

If it's any consolation, I also plan on having a card that can remove companions in the dead pile from the game, allowing you to potentially do this over and over. We won't get there for a while though...not until we get to Gandalf himself. But just an FYI for now.

[lem0nhead]

I think the heal each other ent is excessive, as the ent could be losing the fight about to be killed anyway and all of a sudden the minions have been discarded AND the rest of the tree shepherds are fightin fit! Maybe tone that bit down IF you see my point?

[DáinIronfoot]

I do, but I figured the high cost offset that, especially since this is an event you have to hold in your hand for the right moment (rather than a condition like Sent Back). Maybe raise the cost even further and add a little toil?