V1: Goblin Archer

[Ringbearer]

This threard is for the discussion of Goblin Archer V1.


My start:

 Goblin Archer 
Minion - Goblin.
4/3/4
Archer.
When you play Goblin Archer, add for each archer (limit 5).
Goblin Archer is strength +1 for each archer in play.

A rough setup, open for discussions.

[TheJord]

Goblin Archer
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Archer
At the start of the archery phase, spot 4
archers to exert a companion for each of these
races you can spot in the fellowship: Dwarf, Elf,
Man, and Wizard.

I don't think ever had a card that adopted this idea, I thought it would add some spice.

[Ringbearer]

One remark, IIRC we cant change the type, culture, twilight cost, power, vitality, signet and site number of cards.

[Tbiesty]

Goblin Archer
Minion • Orc
Strength: 4
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
While you can spot 3 archers, add 1 to the minion archery total.
Response: If a Hobbit takes a wound during the
archery phase, discard this minion to add a burden
(or 2 burdens if the fellowship is at an underground site).

[TheJord]

One remark, IIRC we cant change the type, culture, twilight cost, power, vitality, signet and site number of cards.

I'm pretty sure it's only title, sub-title and lore we can't change.

[hrcho]

Goblin Archer
Minion • Orc
Strength: 4
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
While you can spot another archer, add 1 to the minion archery total for each companion over 5.
Archery: Exert this minion twice to make the fellowship archery total -4.


OR


Goblin Archer
Minion • Orc
Strength: 4
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
Add 1 to the minion archery total for each of these races you can spot in fellowship: Man, Elf, Dwarf.
Add 1 to the minion archery total if you can spot an ally.


OR


Goblin Archer
Minion • Orc
Strength: 4
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
Each time the ringbearer takes a wound during archery phase, you may discard a archer to add a burden.

[Ringbearer]

So far the additions seem nice, tho i wonder what Moria does with burdens?

[Thranduil]

One remark, IIRC we cant change the type, culture, twilight cost, power, vitality, signet and site number of cards.

I'm pretty sure it's only title, sub-title and lore we can't change.

No it's the top of the card we can't change. That's title, sub-title, twilight cost and culture (and picture). Everything in the bottom half of the card can change, including: game text, lore text, collector number (which has to change), strength, vitality, site number/resistance/signet, type and sub-type (though type and sub-type for the time being we will treat as fixed).

A common theme in the suggestions so far is that we want this card to make a archer theme viable. BUT, watch out because the card is non-unique! This is going to be the biggest constraint on power level and ability.

Another theme that almost always comes up in discussions about the culture is corruption (made tantalising by cards like Must Do Without Hope). I'd like to see that.

Goblin Archer
Minion • Orc
Strength: 9
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Archer.
Archery: Exert this minion to add a burden; it does not add to the minion archery total.

Sort of like an inverse Greenleaf...?

[Ringbearer]

This card is horrible. It has little use in Moria, more a nice splash minion in the nazgul culture. 4 of these can mean 8 burdens.

[TheJord]

A viable corruption strategy is always going to be multi-culture. They don't have enough cards, never mind corruption cards, to be viable by themselves.

would need a large expansion to open more strategies.

[Thranduil]

Fair enough! What other themes and sub-themes have gone unnoticed in decks? (Obviously archery is the most obvious for a guy called "Goblin Archer", but it's possible we could combine them).

[TheJord]

Goblin Spear, Lost to the Goblins and Must Do Without Hope are the current burden strategies

They have a slight assignment strategy with Frenzy and The End Comes

I like the idea behind Throw Yourself in Next Time, targeting as the most uncomfortable in the goblin realm. Targeting restricts card usage though.

Everyone knows for twilight generation and discard playing. If we want to open up new strategies, we will have to (V) about 10 more cards.

[FM]

I'm gonna think-rant like I did in Gimli's topic.
Goblin Archer is a card from set one, meaning it introduced the concept of archers to the game. That being said, I think the card should mess with archers and nothing more. So, from a deckbuilding standpoint, what is the problem with this card?
1- It costs too much;
2- It's effect is not good enough for the cost.

So, WHY are those things a problem?
1- Because most minions tend to cost a lot less for better effects (however, BECAUSE of this, cost shouldn't be a problem, given a good enough effect);
2- Most archer decks do not care for being slaughtered AFTER they are tallied for the Shadow archery total.

What are archers deckbuilding problems?
1- The deck is entirely dependent on Brown Lands to work in Fellowship Block, and not very good outside the block where it does not exist;
2- Direct wounding makes the strategy suck (even in Fellowship Block, with TWO powerful Greenleaf effects).
3- The deck needs to deal A LOT of wounds, and it tends to not work on its own.

So, how do you address this issues?
Seems pretty simple:

Goblin Archer (V)
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
For each other archer you can spot, the Shadow archery total is +1.

You make him a walking Brown Lands, so he demands wounding be directed at him, letting the rest through, or he makes things wild. Might prove too powerful, but at that cost, I highly doubt there will be more than 1 down at any given time. Still, recursion might prove annoying, so he might warrant a "may not be played from the discard pile" clause. Or:

Goblin Archer (V)
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
When you play this minion, you may spot an opponent's site to replace it with your site of the same number.
archers cannot take wounds, except during the skirmish phase.

You force Brownlands and, outside Fellowship block, prevent some damage to force arrows through. If this proves too powerful, you can make wound-prevention a response action.

[Thranduil]

I like your second one most, FM. How about something like:

Goblin Archer (V)
Minion • Orc
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
While the fellowship is at an underground site, your archer minions cannot take wounds (except during skirmish phases).

Solves the problem of non-uniqueness by having no effect for more of them out. And he could have some other ability if the power level needed to be pushed up.

Thran

[TheHobbit13]

What about giving him an ability that would punish people for using archery.
 Goblin Archer
Minion • Strength: 4
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
Archer.
While you can spot another   archer,
The Minion archery total is +x where x is the fellowship archery total
Response: If the RB takes a wound during the
archery phase, discard this minion to wound a companion (or 2 companions if you can spot 6 or more).