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

[Thranduil]

I would reduce the cost to make it just discard the minions. I was expecting a card like this, and I'm glad of it!

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

Scortched and Blistered
Event • Skirmish
Place an Ent in the dead pile to discard each minion skirmishing that Ent and heal each other Ent.
"‘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.'"

I'm not sure if the healing is OP, but it just doesn't seem to fit a card like this. A card about ents burning probably shouldn't heal them. I think strength or damage bonuses would be better. The  damage bonuses especially might warrant a higher cost (potentially with some toil.)

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, I left the cost as is, but dropped the healing in favor of some selective damage bonuses. I was reluctant to do more strength, since Beechbone and other cards like Striding and Storming already center around strength, but I like EL's idea about damage. So, is it okay now?

[Thranduil]

It's fine, but I'd still prefer a card with lower cost that just discarded the minions - I'd be much more likely to put into a deck, I think.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

Okay, time for some simple events, ones that bring Trees back into the discussion. Two of these are easy pumps, and two do...something else that can greatly benefit your Trees and Ents. Enjoy!

Queer and Wild
Event • Skirmish
Exert an Ent or Tree to make it strength +3.
"‘They can move very quickly, if they are angry.'"

Grey and Menacing
Event • Skirmish
Make a companion strength +2 (or +3 if skirmishing an Orc or Uruk-hai).
"Wailing they passed under the waiting shadow of the trees; and from that shadow none ever came again."

A Land Changed
Event • Fellowship or Maneuver
Spot 2 Trees to replace the fellowship's current site with a forest site from your adventure deck.
"‘It is not wizardry, but a power far older, a power that walked the earth, ere elf sang or hammer rang.'"

Stone-Cracking and Earth-Gnawing
Event • Fellowship or Regroup
Spot 2 Ents or 3 Trees to replace a site in the fellowship's current region with a forest, river, or marsh site from your adventure deck.
"‘Ents and Huorns were digging great pits and trenches, and making great pools and dams, gathering all the waters of the Isen and every other spring and stream that they could find.'"

[lem0nhead]

Queer and Wild
Event • Skirmish
Exert an Ent or Tree to make it strength +3.
"‘They can move very quickly, if they are angry.'"

Ok enough.

Grey and Menacing
Event • Skirmish
Make a companion strength +2 (or +4 if skirmishing an Orc or Uruk-hai).
"Wailing they passed under the waiting shadow of the trees; and from that shadow none ever came again."

Id like to see the reasoning behind this its quite a good +2/+4 pump.

A Land Changed
Event • Fellowship or Maneuver
Spot 2 Trees to replace the fellowship's current site with a forest site from your adventure deck.
"‘It is not wizardry, but a power far older, a power that walked the earth, ere elf sang or hammer rang.'"

Id choose fellowship or manuever, both seems to flexible for trees but not the end of the world.

Stone-Cracking and Earth-Gnawing
Event • Fellowship or Regroup
Spot 2 Ents or 3 Trees to replace a site in the fellowship's current region with a forest, river, or marsh site from your adventure deck.
"‘Ents and Huorns were digging great pits and trenches, and making great pools and dams, gathering all the waters of the Isen and every other spring and stream that they could find.'"

Is the formula for all your ent card titles "'adjective ' and 'adjective'"? Sound.

[DáinIronfoot]

Grey and Menacing
Event • Skirmish
Make a companion strength +2 (or +4 if skirmishing an Orc or Uruk-hai).
"Wailing they passed under the waiting shadow of the trees; and from that shadow none ever came again."

Id like to see the reasoning behind this its quite a good +2/+4 pump.

Because Trees (and Ents) HATE Orcs and Uruks, as I tried to emphasize (without going overboard, hopefully) on my Tree companions. I figured this was balanced enough since it relies entirely on the Shadow player for that +4 bump.

Stone-Cracking and Earth-Gnawing
Event • Fellowship or Regroup
Spot 2 Ents or 3 Trees to replace a site in the fellowship's current region with a forest, river, or marsh site from your adventure deck.
"‘Ents and Huorns were digging great pits and trenches, and making great pools and dams, gathering all the waters of the Isen and every other spring and stream that they could find.'"

Is the formula for all your ent card titles "'adjective ' and 'adjective'"?

Once again, blame Tolkien, not me. Most of my card titles are pulled directly from the text of the novels, word for word...and that includes all the "and"s.

[lem0nhead]

Because Trees (and Ents) HATE Orcs and Uruks, as I tried to emphasize (without going overboard, hopefully) on my Tree companions. I figured this was balanced enough since it relies entirely on the Shadow player for that +4 bump.

Yeah but youve made it any gandalf companion so i presumed you had more reason. In that case id rather you change it to ent or tree not just hat companions.

[Thranduil]

Queer and Wild
Event • Skirmish
Exert an Ent or Tree to make it strength +3.
"‘They can move very quickly, if they are angry.'"

To be honest, for these events is too expensive. I'd see it at or with an option for +4.

Grey and Menacing
Event • Skirmish
Make a companion strength +2 (or +4 if skirmishing an Orc or Uruk-hai).
"Wailing they passed under the waiting shadow of the trees; and from that shadow none ever came again."

Given the range and power of companions, there's a good argument that this should cost or give a maximum +3.

A Land Changed
Event • Fellowship or Maneuver
Spot 2 Trees to replace the fellowship's current site with a forest site from your adventure deck.
"‘It is not wizardry, but a power far older, a power that walked the earth, ere elf sang or hammer rang.'"

AWESOME! Really clever text, but perhaps should cost .

Stone-Cracking and Earth-Gnawing
Event • Fellowship or Regroup
Spot 2 Ents or 3 Trees to replace a site in the fellowship's current region with a forest, river, or marsh site from your adventure deck.
"‘Ents and Huorns were digging great pits and trenches, and making great pools and dams, gathering all the waters of the Isen and every other spring and stream that they could find.'"

I don't see the need for 2 of these types of cards. Perhaps this one should play the fellowship's next site if it's a forest, river etc.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

Stone-Cracking and Earth-Gnawing
Event • Fellowship or Regroup
Spot 2 Ents or 3 Trees to replace a site in the fellowship's current region with a forest, river, or marsh site from your adventure deck.
"‘Ents and Huorns were digging great pits and trenches, and making great pools and dams, gathering all the waters of the Isen and every other spring and stream that they could find.'"

I don't see the need for 2 of these types of cards. Perhaps this one should play the fellowship's next site if it's a forest, river etc.

I had considered that, but I figured playing the next site is better left to cultures like and . Considering the differences between this and A Land Changed, I think there's room for both.

I did make the other changes you recommended.

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, a few more mostly-random Ent cards today. Assuming I don't get another bout of inspiration with these guys, I think we'll move on to a certain Wizard beginning tomorrow. For now...enjoy!

Break Into Splinters
Event • Skirmish
Toil 1.
Spot 3 Ents to discard an engine, machine, or possession.
"‘We are made of the bones of the earth. We can split stone like the roots of trees, only quicker, far quicker, if our minds are roused!'"

Sort of specific with the engines and machines, but possessions could be a lifesaver against many Shadow strategies, especially corsairs. Mwaha!

A Wizard Should Know Better!
Condition • Support Area
While you can spot 3 Ents, the twilight cost of each Shadow spell is +1.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to wound a minion skirmishing an Ent (twice if that minion is an Orc, Uruk-hai, or Wizard).
"‘It is the orc-work, the wanton hewing – rárum – without even the bad excuse of feeding the fires, that has so angered us; and the treachery of a neighbour, who should have helped us.'"

I figured I had to splash in at least a LITTLE anti-Saruman stuff for our Ents. They just loathe him so much....

The Tree-killer!
Event • Response
If an Ent wins a skirmish, you may exert that Ent to capture a minion in that skirmish.
"‘There was a pale figure hurrying away in and out of the shadows of the pillars, and it had nearly reached the stairs to the tower-door. But it was a near thing. Quickbeam was so hot after him, that he was within a step or two of being caught and strangled....'"

If you don't know or have forgotten my capturing/rescuing concept, here's a brief review:

You may capture an opponent's character much like controlling an opponent's site. Captured characters go in your support area. Captured characters cannot be used by their owner, and the player who captured them can get some benefits from them. Companions, allies, and minions can all be captured, though it usually isn't terribly easy to do so, especially for Shadow players.

Captured characters can become "un-captured" when their owner rescues them somehow, but that's not the only way to get them back....

Captured companions/allies remain captured ONLY while there are minions in play. As soon as the last minion is killed or discarded, all captured companions/allies are automatically rescued...which makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Captured minions, however, remain captured indefinately...which also makes sense, since there are obviously always companions in play to keep those minions captured. If the fellowship chooses to end their turn, they may hold onto captured minions or choose for them to be discarded (as any minions in play would be) on a case-by-case basis.

However, each time the fellowship moves, each player must pay twilight equal to the total printed cost of all characters they have captured. Any character NOT paid for in this way is automatically rescued.

Rescued companions/allies are automatically returned to the fellowship (or support area...wherever they were before), and rescued minions return to play, free to harass the fellowship again. This is true whether automatically rescued as described above, or if some other type of card is played or effect takes place that rescues a character.

[lem0nhead]

Break Into Splinters
Event • Skirmish
Toil 1.
Spot 3 Ents to discard an engine, machine, or possession.
"‘We are made of the bones of the earth. We can split stone like the roots of trees, only quicker, far quicker, if our minds are roused!'"

Cool.

A Wizard Should Know Better!
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Shadow spell is played, you may exert an Ent to return that spell to its owner's hand.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to wound a minion skirmishing an Ent (twice if that minion is an Orc, Uruk-hai, or Wizard).
"‘It is the orc-work, the wanton hewing – rárum – without even the bad excuse of feeding the fires, that has so angered us; and the treachery of a neighbour, who should have helped us.'"

I dont think this does what its supposed to, i think you need to say and cancel the effects or else this way they get the effect and then get the card to hand again ready for replaying!

The Tree-killer!
Event • Response
If an Ent wins a skirmish, you may exert that Ent to capture a minion in that skirmish.
"‘There was a pale figure hurrying away in and out of the shadows of the pillars, and it had nearly reached the stairs to the tower-door. But it was a near thing. Quickbeam was so hot after him, that he was within a step or two of being caught and strangled....'"

Fair enough.

[DáinIronfoot]

A Wizard Should Know Better!
Condition • Support Area
Each time a Shadow spell is played, you may exert an Ent to return that spell to its owner's hand.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to wound a minion skirmishing an Ent (twice if that minion is an Orc, Uruk-hai, or Wizard).
"‘It is the orc-work, the wanton hewing – rárum – without even the bad excuse of feeding the fires, that has so angered us; and the treachery of a neighbour, who should have helped us.'"

I dont think this does what its supposed to, i think you need to say and cancel the effects or else this way they get the effect and then get the card to hand again ready for replaying!

Yes, but eventually they'll run out of twilight to do so. I didn't want to simply cancel it and make it TOO easy, since Ents ARE still vulnerable to Saruman's wizardry to a degree.

I changed it to something else that hopefully makes it a bit nastier.

[lem0nhead]

Still not getting why you want to return it to their hand? For hand clog?

[DáinIronfoot]

Partially, and also partially because it makes it so they CAN still try to use that spell, but it's going to cost them. How much twilight are they willing to shell out to use just one spell?

I think giving Ents the ability to outright cancel spells would be a bit too good, and also wouldn't make complete sense. Makes much more sense to me to leave THAT sort of thing to Gandalf and instead make spells tougher to use against Ents, but not necessarily impossible.