Rise of the Ring - The Hobbit

[Elf_Lvr]

Hey guys. Now that I'm back up and running on the forums, I figured I might as well get at least one of my old DC sets back again.

I'm not sure if RotR - Silmarillion will ever see the light of day again, but I really liked the style of The Hobbit. So we'll start with that.

I'll probably post a lot of the "old" cards from the set. Like in this first post.

The Most Remarkable Tales
Event * Fellowship
Tale.
Exert Gandalf to choose one: play the fellowship's next site if it is a forest or dwelling, remove a burden, or take a card from your discard pile into hand.
If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale.

Wizard's Talk
Event * Fellowship
Spot Gandalf to choose one: Add to draw a card, add to heal a Hobbit, or add to remove a burden.
"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is morning to be good on?"

A Fair Response
Event * Response
If an opponent plays an event, spot a Hobbit to cancel that event. If that event was a maneuver or skirmish event, you may heal a companion.
"All of them at once," said Bilbo.


Troublesome Things
Event * Skirmish
Discard a card from hand to cancel a skirmish involving a Hobbit.
"I should think so - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them."

A Wizard's Gaze
Event * Fellowship
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to reveal an opponent's hand. Then, you may exert him to discard a revealed card with a twilight cost of 3 or less.
He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.


A Fair Rebuttal
Event * Response
If an opponent uses a special ability, spot Gandalf to cancel its effects. If that ability was a maneuver or skirmish special ability, you may add a threat to return a spell from your discard pile to hand.
"What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off."


The Most Spectacular!
Condition * Support Area
Spell. Toil 1.
To play, spot Gandalf.
Response: If you play a spell, discard this condition to copy its effects, ignoring costs.
Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!"


Review as you see fit; you've seen these before.

I'm going to change the Dwarves in this set a lot, so they'll be the next up, after I get a few thoughts on these. Thanks.

[DáinIronfoot]

The Most Remarkable Tales
Event * Fellowship
Tale.
Exert Gandalf to choose one: play the fellowship's next site if it is a forest or dwelling, remove a burden, or take a card from your discard pile into hand.
If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale.

Nifty. Can't complain about any of it, though the last one seems a tad easy. Perhaps stack that card on top of your deck instead.

Wizard's Talk
Event * Fellowship
Spot Gandalf to choose one: Add to draw a card, add to heal a Hobbit, or add to remove a burden.
"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is morning to be good on?"

I think I remember this card, actually. Liked it then; like it now.

A Fair Response
Event * Response
If an opponent plays an event, spot a Hobbit to cancel that event. If that event was a maneuver or skirmish event, you may heal a companion.
"All of them at once," said Bilbo.

Maybe raise it to .

Troublesome Things, Adventures
Event * Skirmish
Discard a card from hand to cancel a skirmish involving a Hobbit.
"I should think so - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them."

I'd drop "Adventures" from the title...seems confusing with the comma in there. I like this otherwise, though since you would have to hold this AND another card in hand to use it, it's probably okay at .

A Wizard's Gaze
Event * Fellowship
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to reveal an opponent's hand. Then, you may exert him to discard a revealed card with a twilight cost of 3 or less.
He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.

Don't forget to bold "spell". Nifty card, though might be better if it exerted him.

A Fair Rebuttal
Event * Response
If an opponent uses a special ability, spot Gandalf to cancel its effects. If that ability was a maneuver or skirmish special ability, you may return a spell from your discard pile to hand.
"What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off."

Good, though perhaps the latter part should add more twilight or something to use.

The Most Spectacular!
Condition * Support Area
Spell. Toil 1.
To play, spot Gandalf.
Response: If you play a spell, discard this condition to copy its effects, ignoring costs.
Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!"

I think "repeat" would be better than "copy". I like this a lot, though.

[Thranduil]

The Most Remarkable Tales
Event * Fellowship
Tale.
Exert Gandalf to choose one: play the fellowship's next site if it is a forest or dwelling, remove a burden, or take a card from your discard pile into hand.
If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale.

I'm never sure of the wording for the first ability. Should it be 'play a forest or dwelling as the next site'? Other than that, it's a good card - but I feel like it should at least have something to do with tales, maybe an option to play a tale condition from your discard pile?

Wizard's Talk
Event * Fellowship
Spot Gandalf to choose one: Add to draw a card, add to heal a Hobbit, or add to remove a burden.
"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is morning to be good on?"

Oh yeah, I love these cards!

A Fair Response
Event * Response
If an opponent plays an event, spot a Hobbit to cancel that event. If that event was a maneuver or skirmish event, you may heal a companion.
"All of them at once," said Bilbo.

Perhaps needs to spot more than 1 Hobbit, with the option of just Bilbo.

Troublesome Things
Event * Skirmish
Discard a card from hand to cancel a skirmish involving a Hobbit.
"I should think so - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them."

Perhaps should cost ? And is it useful in a set where the only Hobbit is the Ring-bearer?

A Wizard's Gaze
Event * Fellowship
Spell.
Spot Gandalf to reveal an opponent's hand. Then, you may exert him to discard a revealed card with a twilight cost of 3 or less.
He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.

Looking good.

A Fair Rebuttal
Event * Response
If an opponent uses a special ability, spot Gandalf to cancel its effects. If that ability was a maneuver or skirmish special ability, you may add a threat to return a spell from your discard pile to hand.
"What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!" said Gandalf. "Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won't be good till I move off."

Fair enough, but I'm worried these cancelling cards are too cheap - after all up till now it's been a very rare ability.

The Most Spectacular!
Condition * Support Area
Spell. Toil 1.
To play, spot Gandalf.
Response: If you play a spell, discard this condition to copy its effects, ignoring costs.
Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!"

Fun stuff!

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

Good point on Troublesome Things. I might add on a "If that Hobbit is the Ring-bearer" clause.

The first canceling card I know of is Strength of Kings, from FotR block, and that's free, so I'm basing their low costs off that. The reason they cost more than is their secondary effect. After all, they are rather circumstantial.

[Elf_Lvr]

The dwarves of the company are of course central to our story, and so I'm probably going to make multiple DC's of each for the set. However, our most basic set is going to come in right now. The last time I had a go at these they turned out kind of bland... and lacked a common theme. The latter versions of these Dwarves might also be a little off the topic, but these ought to be tied together strongly. So, I'm going to pull a Decipher and resurrect an old theme, with possibly some new twists. These guys are going to key off tales, and maybe a bit of resistance as well.

Let's start with the biggest and best.

•Thorin, In His Own Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 8
Vitality: 4
Resistance: 5
To play, spot 2 Dwarves (or Bilbo).
For each tale you can spot, Thorin is resistance +1 (limit +4).
Skirmish: Discard a tale to make a Dwarf strength +2 (and damage +1 if that Dwarf has resistance 6 or more).
Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted "pray don't mention it," and stopped frowning.

•Balin, Whitebeard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 4
Resistance: 8
Each other Dwarf is resistance +1.
Balin is strength +1 for each tale you can spot (limit +4).
Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had been invited.

And the littlest, but not necessarily worst...

•Kili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Kili (except in your starting fellowship), you may play Fili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Kili has resistance 5 or more, he is damage +1.
"Kili at your service!"

•Fili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Fili (except in your starting fellowship), you may play Kili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Fili has resistance 5 or more, he can take no more than one wound in each skirmish.
"And Fili!" added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.

[MR. Lurtzy]

•Fili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Fili, you may play Fili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Fili has resistance 5 or more, he can take no more than one wound in each skirmish.
"And Fili!" added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.

Prolly mean when you play Fili  you may play Kili right?

[lem0nhead]

•Thorin, In His Own Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 8
Vitality: 4
Resistance: 7
To play, spot 2 Dwarves (or Bilbo).
Each other Dwarf is resistance +1.
Skirmish: Discard a tale to make a Dwarf strength +2.
Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted "pray don't mention it," and stopped frowning.

Cool, nicely balanced.

•Balin, Whitebeard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 5
Resistance: 7
Balin is strength +1 and resistance +1 for each tale you can spot (limit +4).
Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had been invited.

I dont think he should have vitality 5, thats insane for a small dwarf comp, its the same as sauron for crying out loud!

•Kili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Kili, you may play Fili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Kili has resistance 5 or more, he is damage +1.
"Kili at your service!"



•Fili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Fili, you may play Kili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Fili has resistance 5 or more, he can take no more than one wound in each skirmish.
"And Fili!" added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.

[Thranduil]

•Thorin, In His Own Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 8
Vitality: 4
Resistance: 7
To play, spot 2 Dwarves (or Bilbo).
Each other Dwarf is resistance +1.
Skirmish: Discard a tale to make a Dwarf strength +2.
Thorin indeed was very haughty, and said nothing about service; but poor Mr. Baggins said he was sorry so many times, that at last he grunted "pray don't mention it," and stopped frowning.

Hmm... I actually don't think that Thorin should be adding to anyone's resistance, nor should he have high resistance - he does after all go mad after treasure and tries to kill Bilbo. Without his first line and at resistance 5/6 with the presumably large amount of tales you're going to introduce, he'd probably be fine, though he might want an option to make that Dwarf gain a damage bonus.

•Balin, Whitebeard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 5
Resistance: 7
Balin is strength +1 and resistance +1 for each tale you can spot (limit +4).
Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had been invited.

I wholeheartedly agree with lem0n on this one - vitality 5 is Sauron and Balrog territory, no dwarf should have it (not even Durin III has it). Strength 7 vitality 4 is much more acceptable. In fact, I would change his text and put on the resistance bonus currently on Thorin - it makes much more sense on Balin.

•Kili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Kili, you may play Fili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Kili has resistance 5 or more, he is damage +1.
"Kili at your service!"

•Fili, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
When you play Fili, you may play Kili from your draw deck or discard pile.
While Fili has resistance 5 or more, he can take no more than one wound in each skirmish.
"And Fili!" added the other; and they both swept off their blue hoods and bowed.

Fun! Good stuff.

Thranduil

[Anvar]

Should Kili and Fili have as a clause "except in your starting fellowship". As currently printed, you could put one of them in your starting fellowship and then immediately play the other, which just seems a little bit odd.

Anvar

[Elf_Lvr]

Thanks for the advice, guys, especially Thran.  coming for that.

Anyways, although I wanted a few more people to review (*cough*DainSoP*cough*) I'll go ahead and post a few more Dwarves now.

•Dwalin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While you can spot 2 Dwarves, Dwalin is twilight cost -1.
At the start of each of your fellowship phases, you may discard a tale to heal a Dwarf (or Bilbo).
Skirmish: If Dwalin has resistance 5 or more, exert him to make him damage +1.
"Dwalin at your service!" he said with a low bow.

•Oin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While you can spot 2 Dwarves (or Bilbo), Oin is twilight cost -1.
Maneuver: Play a tale to make an unbound Dwarf resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
...off they marched with their broad hands stuck in their gold and silver belts to join the others.

•Gloin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 5
When you play Gloin (except in your starting fellowship), you may play a tale from your draw deck or discard pile.
"He looks more like a grocer than a burglar!"

[DáinIronfoot]

Anyways, although I wanted a few more people to review (*cough*DainSoP*cough*) I'll go ahead and post a few more Dwarves now.

Doh! In my reviewing spree this morning, I thought I HAD reviewed that last batch. I know I looked over them, but I guess I never actually reviewed. Sorry, my friend! Allow me to make penance by giving these their first review.

•Dwalin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
At the start of each of your fellowship phases, you may discard a tale to heal a Dwarf (or Bilbo).
Skirmish: If Dwalin has resistance 5 or more, exert him to make him damage +1.
"Dwalin at your service!" he said with a low bow.

Seems alright to me. You must have a LOT of tales for that first ability to work properly, but I assume you do.

•Oin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Maneuver: Play a tale to make an unbound Dwarf resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
...off they marched with their broad hands stuck in their gold and silver belts to join the others.

I think you could get away with making him cost , or at least be -1 while you can spot a couple Dwarves.

•Gloin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 5
When you play Gloin (except in your starting fellowship), you may play a tale from your draw deck or discard pile.
"He looks more like a grocer than a burglar!"

Nifty! No complaints here.

[Elf_Lvr]

I like the -1 cost idea. Thanks.

[Thranduil]

•Dwalin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
At the start of each of your fellowship phases, you may discard a tale to heal a Dwarf (or Bilbo).
Skirmish: If Dwalin has resistance 5 or more, exert him to make him damage +1.
"Dwalin at your service!" he said with a low bow.

Seems good, but he needs a twilight reduction for spotting a Dwarf or 2 or in your starting fellowship otherwise he won't be used much.

•Oin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While you can spot 2 Dwarves (or Bilbo), Oin is twilight cost -1.
Maneuver: Play a tale to make an unbound Dwarf resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
...off they marched with their broad hands stuck in their gold and silver belts to join the others.

Yeah, a reduction like that one!

•Gloin, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 5
When you play Gloin (except in your starting fellowship), you may play a tale from your draw deck or discard pile.
"He looks more like a grocer than a burglar!"

Looks good. Definitely doesn't need a reduction - he's like Proud and Noble Man. Glóin does have an accent, though, as does Óin.

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

Lets get the rest of these guys done with, shall we?

•Ori, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Each time Ori wins a skirmish, you may heal another Dwarf with resistance 5 or more.
Maneuver: Remove 2 tales from your discard pile from the game to make a Dwarf resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
Very soon two purple hoods, a grey hood, a brown hood, and a white hood were hanging on the pegs...

•Nori, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
At the start of the fellowship phase, you may exert Nori to play a possession (except a hand weapon) from your draw deck.
Skirmish: Discard 3 cards from hand to play a tale from your discard pile.
Dori, Nori, and Ori brought out flutes from somewhere inside their coats...

•Dori, At Your Service
Companion * Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While Dori has resistance 5 or more, he has muster.
Regroup: Exert Dori and discard a tale to discard a minion.
He had hardly turned the knob, before they were all inside, bowing and saying "at your service" one after another.

•Bifur, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While the fellowship is in region 1, Bifur is strength +2.
Skirmish: Discard a tale from hand to make Bifur damage +1.
"At your service!" said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row.

•Bofur, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While the fellowship is in region 2, Bofur is resistance +2.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 3 threats, add a threat to take a tale from your discard pile into hand.
Bifur and Bofur went out too, and came back with clarinets that they had left among the walking-sticks.

•Bombur, At Your Service
Companion * Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Resistance: 6
While the fellowship is in region 3, Bombur is damage +1.
Response: If a Dwarf with resistance 5 or more is about to take a wound, exert Bombur to prevent that wound.
For one thing, Bombur was immensely fat and heavy.

[lem0nhead]

Stop moving so fast before i get time to review the last lot!

Lets get the rest of these guys done with, shall we? NO WAIT 4 ME!

•Ori, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Each time Ori wins a skirmish, you may heal another companion with resistance 5 or more.
Maneuver: Remove 2 tales from your discard pile from the game to make a Dwarf resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
Very soon two purple hoods, a grey hood, a brown hood, and a white hood were hanging on the pegs...

His maneuver is only slightly ok which balances his awesome first line.

•Nori, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
At the start of the fellowship phase, you may exert Nori to play a possession (except a hand weapon) from your draw deck.
Skirmish: Discard 2 cards from hand to play a tale from your discard pile.
Dori, Nori, and Ori brought out flutes from somewhere inside their coats...

Needs to be played on a dwarf for sure, cant see him equipping anyone else with anything. id make his skirmish ability 3 cards or its a bit good.

•Dori, At Your Service
Companion * Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While Dori has resistance 5 or more, he has muster.
Regroup: Exert Nori and discard a tale to discard a minion.
He had hardly turned the knob, before they were all inside, bowing and saying "at your service" one after another.

Awesome.

•Bifur, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While the fellowship is in region 1, Bifur is strength +2.
Skirmish: Discard a tale from hand to make Bifur damage +1.
"At your service!" said Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur standing in a row.

Cool again. Nice dwarves here!

•Bofur, At Your Service
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
While the fellowship is in region 2, Bofur is resistance +2.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 3 threats, add a threat to take a tale from your discard pile into hand.
Bifur and Bofur went out too, and came back with clarinets that they had left among the walking-sticks.

Not sure the conditonal res is particularly useful. Ok though.

•Bombur, At Your Service
Companion * Dwarf
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Resistance: 5
While the fellowship is in region 3, Bombur is vitality +1.
Response: If a Dwarf with resistance 5 or more is about to take a wound, exert Bombur to prevent that wound.
For one thing, Bombur was immensely fat and heavy.

Arghh no 5 vitality! Tis silly!