What counts as a "skirmish special ability"?

[LoveMeAndDespair]

It happened when I was at the site, Cavern Entrance, which says "Skirmish special abilities cannot be used".

I had in play the following cards:
Forearmed (Game Text: Skirmish: ...)
Elrond, Venerable Lord (Game Text: To play, spot an Elf. At the start of each skirmish involving Elrond, ...)
Vilya, Ring of Air (Game Text: Bearer must be Elrond or Gil-galad. Skirmish: ...)
Arwen, Daughter of Elrond (Game Text: Ranger. While skirmishing a Nazgul, ...)
Glorfindel, Revealed in Wrath (Game Text: When Glorfindel is in your starting fellowship, his twilight cost is -2. Skirmish: ...)
Nenya, Ring of Adamant (Game Text: Bearer must be Galadriel. Maneuver: ...)
Galadriel, Keeper of Nenya (Game Text: At the start of each turn, heal Galadriel. Skirmish: ...)

I was unsure which of these cards' effect texts I could still use.

I came to the conclusion that:
- I cannot use Galadriel or Glorfindel's special text because they are characters with skirmish
- I can use Arwen and Elrond's special text because they are characters that don't say skirmish
- I can use Nenya because it is Maneuver
- I cannot use Vilya becuase it is a possession with skirmish
- I cannot use Forearmed because it is an event with Skirmish

Was I right?
Or could I have used Forearmed because it was played from hand, not already in play?

[legolas3333]

Any skirmish abilities on permanent cards (companions, possessions and conditions) such as Vilya, Ring Of Air or Elrond, Witness To History, cannot be used, any "while skirmishing" or "at the start of each skirmish"  can be used, any skirmish events can be used, any other special abilities and events for a non-skirmish phase can be used.

[LoveMeAndDespair]

any skirmish events can be used

So you're saying I could have used Forearmed?

[legolas3333]

yes

[Elessar's Socks]

A skirmish special ability is basically game text on non-event cards that begins with "Skirmish:"

[Mythdracon]

But an event card with "Skirmish:" is not a "skirmish special ability"? O_o Sheesh, I had no idea. How confusing.

[jdizzy001]

that is why decipher changed the set up of events in ROTK

[MuadDib85]

Skirmish events can be played at Cavern Entrance. They are not skirmish special abilities.

Cavern Entrance stops things like:

Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien
Pippin, Wearer of Black and Silver
Ring of Doom

[ket_the_jet]

Of course, Cavern Entrance* was much better...
-wtk

[Marcoliboar]

Of course, Cavern Entrance* was much better...
-wtk

ahhh the good old days!

this remides me of my Risk a Little Light (1C82) and Questions That Need Answering (1R81) swarm deck

[legolas3333]

my favorite TS deck was Saruman's snows + Cavern Entrance* no help for the freeps

[LoveMeAndDespair]

But an event card with "Skirmish:" is not a "skirmish special ability"? O_o Sheesh, I had no idea. How confusing.

At least I'm not the only one who thinks so!

[Kev-La]

Of course, Cavern Entrance* was much better...
-wtk

My friends and I play a casual format with sets 1-10 (plus 11R1, the early WETA promos, and virtual cards replacing the Movie Block x-list). I therefore have only the original Cavern Entrance* in my collection.
Do you folks think it's probably valid for the games I'm playing, or should I add the Cavern Entrance version as an errata for it?

[Tbiesty]

Since Cavern Entrance* can only be used as site 7, while Cavern Entrance could be used at any time, the fact it is better balances out in my opinion. So I'd leave it as is; that's what my playing group does.

[Kev-La]

Sorry, I was getting confused. Cavern Entrance* is one of the Sites we only ever use when playing our version of Towers Format or Towers Standard Format (we usually play our version of Movie Format, as I described above, which only uses Sites from sets 7, 8 and 10). It is therefore only ever used by us as Site 7.