The Paths of the Dead - Mustn't Hurt Preciouss

[Anvar]

Hi one and all,
Sorry for such a long delay in posting new cards. I've started a new job which is taking an awful lot of time. Anyway, here are some Dwarven cards to whet your appetite.

You might remember the following cards from the Elven culture:

•Legolas, Grey Archer
Companion • Elf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 7
Archer. Return - add a threat.
Desperation - at the start of the archery phase you may wound a minion.

•Bow of the Galadhrim, Drawn in Anger
Possession • Ranged Weapon
Strength: +1
Legendary - 1
Bearer must be Legolas.
Each time you play an skirmish event in a skirmish involving Legolas, you may scour 4 to exert a minion.


Well, here are the Dwarf versions:

•Gimli, Of the Grey Company
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 7
Damage +1. Return -
Desperation - Gimli is strength +4 and damage +1.
" ‘An Elf will go underground and a Dwarf dare not!' "

•Axe of Erebor, Wielded in Rage
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength: +2
Legendary -
Bearer must be Gimli. He is damage +1.
Each time you play a skirmish event in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may scour a card to make a companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.

[DáinIronfoot]

First off, you've got a few little errors, like doing "Dwarf" instead of "Dwarven" inside the brackets, and capitalizing "strength" when it's not necessary and not bolding damage. (I'll correct stuff I see as I quote.) That all being said, let's get to the nitty-gritty of the actual cards here....

•Gimli, Of the Grey Company
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 7
Damage +1. Return - add a threat.
Desperation - Gimli is strength +4 and damage +1.
" ‘An Elf will go underground and a Dwarf dare not!' "

Seems awfully good, but there ARE versions of Gimli that can get about that powerful without too much trouble, so it's probably fine. Might be better at 6 resistance even though I love 7 resistance Gimlis.

•Axe of Erebor, Wielded in Rage
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength: +2
Legendary -
Bearer must be Gimli. He is damage +1.
Each time you play a skirmish event, you may scour a card to make a companion damage +1.

Nifty, but perhaps limit those events to ones played during Gimli's skirmish. Otherwise that ability becomes just beastly in Dwarf-heavy decks. Dwarves are excellent at card drawing already, so allowing them to scour so easily for a nice benefit AND draw cards seems a bit much.

[Thranduil]

•Gimli, Of the Grey Company
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 7
Damage +1. Return - add a threat.
Desperation - Gimli is strength +4 and damage +1.
" ‘An Elf will go underground and a Dwarf dare not!' "

Perhaps Gimli's return should be adding twilight just because if you're having to return your companions, you might not be able to add many threats and Dwarves are better at recursion anyway.

•Axe of Erebor, Wielded in Rage
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength: +2
Legendary -
Bearer must be Gimli. He is damage +1.
Each time you play a skirmish event in a skirmish involving Gimli, you may scour a card to make a companion damage +1 until the regroup phase.

Yeah, it's solid.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Both look after the others comments, but the axe seems very good.

[FM]

Can you explain the keywords for me? I'm intrigued by their name, they seem to be fun!

[DáinIronfoot]

Can you explain the keywords for me? I'm intrigued by their name, they seem to be fun!

As I understand it....

Legendary represents an additional cost the opponent must pay to discard. So in this case, the Shadow player would have to remove if they were to somehow discard Axe of Erebor, Wielded In Rage.

Return is a cost that can be paid to pull a card back from the discard pile. So if Gimli, Of the Grey Company were in the discard pile (and another copy was not in play, of course), a threat could be added to play him as if from hand.

Desperation text triggers automatically when your draw deck is exhausted. Anvar has many cards that scour (aka discard cards from the top of your draw deck) to help you intentionally discard large chunks of your deck and trigger desperation on cards, then he uses return to pull cards you really need back from the discard pile.

I was skeptical at first--and still am a bit--about the whole thing working, but at least within the framework of this set, I think a player would actually have a decent shot at pulling it off, basically turning their discard pile into their draw deck and allowing them to pull the cards they want from it WHEN they want them. The ONLY problem I see so far is in removing threats, since his cards add a ton of them.

[Anvar]

Legendary cards also go to the dead pile if discarded.

Anvar

[DáinIronfoot]

Ah, right...to tie in with tombs and all.

[Anvar]

Yes indeed. Also, note that Legendary isn't actually my mechanic, and that I 'borrowed' it from Thranduil, who used it in his 2nd age set.

Anvar

[FM]

Pretty cool, all of them! I might even considering borrowing some.

[Anvar]

One more card for the weekend. I think I designed this card, or one much like it, for the never ending DC thread, but here it is with Desperation. This is an example of a card where Desperation is something of a double-edged sword. When Desperation comes, all treasure is locked away:

•Lost Treasure Hoard
Condition • Support Area
Each time you draw a card in the fellowship phase you may spot 2 Dwarves to add a token here.
Desperation - while you can spot a Dwarf, tokens cannot be added, removed or reinforced.
"'I soon understood that his heart was hot with brooding on his wrongs, and the loss of the treasure of his forefathers...'"

[DáinIronfoot]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand the point of the card. Yes, having extra tokens around is nice, but the drawback means I would NEVER use this in a deck built around desperation. Was that the point? If so, I would think it would be better saved for another set where desperation is not such an emphasis.

[Anvar]

Well, it has a double use. You could use it in a Desperation deck to counter decks that rely on tokens (eg. Corsairs) or you could use it in a token deck, where this could provide a stream of tokens. Just don't delve too greedily or too deep...

Anvar

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, I suppose that's fair enough. I MIGHT toss one into a desperation deck if I thought opponent's tokens would be a problem, but obviously you're not going to use this with tokens AND a desperation strategy. Like I said, fair enough.

[Thranduil]

I don't think a desperation token deck makes sense, but that Treasure Horde looks amazing in a standard token deck. That card with NPNS and Heavy Axe, Gloin et cetera looks amazing, and so it's good that it has some nasty drawback which you'll trigger if you're not too careful. I don't think I'd use it in any other deck, though. It might give you a reason for splashing Gloin, but probably not.

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

Seems ok to me. Odd but ok.

[Anvar]

Thanks for the reviews. A few more Dwarf cards today. Sorry for the lack of lore, but I don't have time to look up quotes at the moment. The latter two cards are part of the theme to encourage multi-culture shadow sides.

Desperate Action
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or spot a Dwarf to make a companion with desperation gain enduring 2).

•Whirl of Axes
Condition • Support Area
To play spot 2 Dwarves.
Skirmish: Exert a Dwarf to exert a minion he or she is skirmishing. Then exert each other minion of the same culture. Discard this condition.

Hack and Slash
Event • Skirmish
Add a threat and spot a minion to make a Dwarf strength +1 for each minion of the same culture as that minion.

[DáinIronfoot]

Desperate Action
Event • Skirmish
Make a companion strength +2 (or make a companion with desperation gain enduring 2).

Good, but I definately recommend limiting the enduring to companions as well, OR make this event spot a Dwarf or two to play. Way too splashable in desperation decks otherwise.

•Whirl of Axes
Condition • Support Area
Skirmish: Exert a minion skirmishing a companion. Then exert each other character with the same culture. Discard this condition.

Not sure why the second part says "character" instead of just "minion", but otherwise fine. Very powerful, but fine.

Actually...on second thought, I'd make it spot at least 2 Dwarves to play in the first place.

Hack and Slash
Event • Skirmish
Add a threat and spot a minion to make a companion strength +1 for each character with the same culture as that minion.

I think it's "of the same culture", but that's about the only flaw I see. Certainly discourages swarms!

[Thranduil]

Desperate Action
Event • Skirmish
Make a companion strength +2 (or make a companion with desperation gain enduring 2).

What does it mean "with desperation"? It's not entirely clear, but presumably you mean if a companion has a desperation ability, triggered or not? I feel like this event should have return as well, but maybe it only returns if you can spot a Dwarf.

•Whirl of Axes
Condition • Support Area
Skirmish: Exert a minion skirmishing a companion. Then exert each other character with the same culture. Discard this condition.

What if you're running Sméagol and the culture is ? There doesn't seem to me such an important reason why it doesn't say "other minion with the same culture." I think DI's spotting requirement is not a bad idea either.

Hack and Slash
Event • Skirmish
Add a threat and spot a minion to make a companion strength +1 for each character with the same culture as that minion.

Same note on the minion/character bit. Fair enough otherwise.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

whirl of axes should cost 2 IMSO...I mean dwarves really don't need that much help knocking people off with their damage...

[Elf_Lvr]

I'd ditto Dain's comments.

[lem0nhead]

Desperate Action
Event • Skirmish
Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or spot a Dwarf to make a companion with desperation gain enduring 2).

Niiiiiice.

•Whirl of Axes
Condition • Support Area
To play spot 2 Dwarves.
Skirmish: Exert a minion skirmishing a Dwarf. Then exert each other minion of the same culture. Discard this condition.

Bloody #$&*@! thats insane. Like best card ever, no effectual cost and its like a blitzkreig! Why am i the only one to think this could be mental. It has potential to place like 4 or 5 exertions or more if youre being swarmed, for 2? It doesnt require any additonal pool adding, exerting a comp, burden or threats? Its amazing!

Hack and Slash
Event • Skirmish
Add a threat and spot a minion to make a Dwarf strength +1 for each minion of the same culture as that minion.

Nice.

[sickofpalantirs]

yes lem0n, but since when do dwarves need help killing minions? I mean yeah its useful for double moves, but its not gonna make or break a turn...maybe it should cost 3 or require an exertion, I will give it that.

[lem0nhead]

Well true dwarves will kill stuff when they win, but a.) they have to win and if theres is like 5 minions you cant guarantee that and b.) it does it before they dish damage so it stops anything that exerts for an action or needs vitality like wargs. Its still amazing regardless of the culture.

[Anvar]

Thanks for all the comments. I have put up the cost of whirl of axes, but it is supposed to be very good, and supposed to discourage mono-culture shadow sides.

Todays cards are on the theme of the dead pile. I think Dain asked how you get rid of threats in my dream card set. While I envision there being a gandalf card or two to help out with that, the brutal answer for this set is that you kill a companion! Let me know what you think about the Last King of Moria.

•Balin, Last King of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1.
To play, spot a Dwarf.
While Balin is in your dead pile, each exhausted Dwarf is enduring 1 and damage +1.
"'He is dead then,' said Frodo. 'I feared it was so.' Gimli cast his hood over his face.

•Tomb of Balin
Condition • Support Area
Tomb. (Cards stacked here count as being in the dead pile. If discarded, place all stacked cards in the dead pile).
When you play this, stack a Dwarf here from your discard or dead pile.
Each time a Dwarf takes a wound, you may spot a card stacked here and scour a card to exert a minion.
"'We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"

•Book of Mazarbul, Last Record of Moria
Possession
Resistance: +1
Tale.
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
At the start of the fellowship phase you may draw a card for each character in your dead pile.
"'...The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.'"

[sickofpalantirs]

Thanks for all the comments. I have put up the cost of whirl of axes, but it is supposed to be very good, and supposed to discourage mono-culture shadow sides.

Todays cards are on the theme of the dead pile. I think Dain asked how you get rid of threats in my dream card set. While I envision there being a gandalf card or two to help out with that, the brutal answer for this set is that you kill a companion! Let me know what you think about the Last King of Moria.

•Balin, Last King of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1.
While Balin is in your dead pile, each exhausted Dwarf is damage +2.
"'He is dead then,' said Frodo. 'I feared it was so.' Gimli cast his hood over his face.
coolio!

•Tomb of Balin
Condition • Support Area
Tomb. (Cards stacked here count as being in the dead pile. If discarded, place all stacked cards in the dead pile).
When you play this, stack a Dwarf here from your discard or dead pile.
Each time a Dwarf takes a wound, you may spot a card stacked here and scour a card to exert a minion.
"'We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"
fine.

•Book of Mazarbul, Last Record of Moria
Possession
Tale.
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
At the start of the fellowship phase you may draw a card for each character in your dead pile.
"'...The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.'"

fine

[DáinIronfoot]

•Balin, Last King of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1.
While Balin is in your dead pile, each exhausted Dwarf is damage +2.
"'He is dead then,' said Frodo. 'I feared it was so.' Gimli cast his hood over his face.

Considering his only text triggers while he is dead, perhaps follow the path of Linnar and make him cost only . Or at least have his cost reduced while you can spot another Dwarf.

•Tomb of Balin
Condition • Support Area
Tomb. (Cards stacked here count as being in the dead pile. If discarded, place all stacked cards in the dead pile).
When you play this, stack a Dwarf here from your discard or dead pile.
Each time a Dwarf takes a wound, you may spot a card stacked here and scour a card to exert a minion.
"'We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"

In a word: evil. I love it.

•Book of Mazarbul, Last Record of Moria
Possession
Tale.
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
At the start of the fellowship phase you may draw a card for each character in your dead pile.
"'...The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.'"

Seems alright.

[Thranduil]

•Balin, Last King of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1.
While Balin is in your dead pile, each exhausted Dwarf is damage +2.
"'He is dead then,' said Frodo. 'I feared it was so.' Gimli cast his hood over his face.

I want something truly brutal for Balin's death: how about enduring 1/2?

•Tomb of Balin
Condition • Support Area
Tomb. (Cards stacked here count as being in the dead pile. If discarded, place all stacked cards in the dead pile).
When you play this, stack a Dwarf here from your discard or dead pile.
Each time a Dwarf takes a wound, you may spot a card stacked here and scour a card to exert a minion.
"'We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"

Very entertaining!

•Book of Mazarbul, Last Record of Moria
Possession
Tale.
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
At the start of the fellowship phase you may draw a card for each character in your dead pile.
"'...The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.'"

Interesting rethink of the original. I think I'd prefer it to play to the support area or give a stat bonus of some kind to its bearer.

Thranduil

[DáinIronfoot]

•Book of Mazarbul, Last Record of Moria
Possession
Tale.
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
At the start of the fellowship phase you may draw a card for each character in your dead pile.
"'...The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.'"

Interesting rethink of the original. I think I'd prefer it to play to the support area or give a stat bonus of some kind to its bearer.

Funny you should mention that...I almost recommended before that it give resistance +1. 'Twould be a great add-on to a deck with BoG as the Ring-bearer then.

[lem0nhead]

•Balin, Last King of Moria
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1.
To play, spot a Dwarf.
While Balin is in your dead pile, each exhausted Dwarf is enduring 1 and damage +1.
"'He is dead then,' said Frodo. 'I feared it was so.' Gimli cast his hood over his face.

Fine.

•Tomb of Balin
Condition • Support Area
Tomb. (Cards stacked here count as being in the dead pile. If discarded, place all stacked cards in the dead pile).
When you play this, stack a Dwarf here from your discard or dead pile.
Each time a Dwarf takes a wound, you may spot a card stacked here and scour a card to exert a minion.
"'We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"

Wow powerful but guess its ok.

•Book of Mazarbul, Last Record of Moria
Possession
Resistance: +1
Tale.
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
At the start of the fellowship phase you may draw a card for each character in your dead pile.
"'...The last thing written is in a trailing scrawl of elf-letters: they are coming. There is nothing more.'"

Nice, maybe undercosted.

[Anvar]

Nice, maybe undercosted.

Wow, you're usually the first one to point out that cards that rely on having dead companions aren't a good thing

[Anvar]

A few desperation cards today for the Dwarves, including their entry in the Ride cycle:

Iron Guard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Enduring 1.
Desperation - this companion gains enduring 1.

Gleam of Gold
Event • Fellowship
Add a threat to draw 2 cards.
Desperation - add a threat to take two events into hand from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf to scour 3 cards. For each Free Peoples card you scour in this way, make each opponent scour a card. For each Shadow card you scour in this way, each opponent may draw a card.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

[Incognito]

Iron Guard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Enduring 1.
Desperation - this companion gains enduring 1.

Okay, I suppose, but nothing to write home about.

Gleam of Gold
Event • Fellowship
Add a threat to draw 2 cards.
Desperation - add a threat to take two events into hand from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.

Now this is really cool. Something a desperation deck could really use.

[0] Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf and scour 3 cards to make each opponent scour 3 cards.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

Cost symbol needs parenthesis, not brackets.

I think I missed the definition of "scour." Remind me?

[Anvar]

scour = discard off the top of your draw deck. Just to save space on cards really.

[Thranduil]

Iron Guard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Enduring 1.
Desperation - this companion gains enduring 1.

What do you mean by "Iron Guard"?

Gleam of Gold
Event • Fellowship
Add a threat to draw 2 cards.
Desperation - add a threat to take two events into hand from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.

Very cool, but I reckon it should cost .

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf and scour 3 cards to make each opponent scour 3 cards.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

Classic! You have a real vengeful and spiteful feel to these cards which is really awesome.

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

Iron Guard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Enduring 1.
Desperation - this companion gains enduring 1.

I'm not sure - such a common enduring guy seems a bit good to me, but his desperation ability doesn't seem quite worth it.

Gleam of Gold
Event • Fellowship
Add a threat to draw 2 cards.
Desperation - add a threat to take two events into hand from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.

I disagree with Thran, I think the cost should stay at .

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf and scour 3 cards to make each opponent scour 3 cards.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

I don't know. I think this is way good in discard decks. I might make it exert that Dwarf to do so, or possibly make the card unique. Or both.

[Anvar]

What do you mean by "Iron Guard"?

Well, I was actually referring to this:
http://uk.games-workshop.com/storefront/store.uk?do=Individual&code=99061465016&orignav=16

Maybe not the best place to go for cards, but it seemed like a great title. Also note that without desperation, Iron Guard will typically only reach 8 strength. Not bad, but nothing compared to the Elven Hunters...

Anvar

[lem0nhead]

Iron Guard
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Enduring 1.
Desperation - this companion gains enduring 1.

Meh ok.

Gleam of Gold
Event • Fellowship
Add a threat to draw 2 cards.
Desperation - add a threat to take two events into hand from your discard pile. Then remove this event from the game.

Nice.

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf and scour 3 cards to make each opponent scour 3 cards.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

LOL nice but id make you scour 4 cards and everyone else 3 or else its pure dwarven NPE abuse.

[Anvar]

Bear in mind that in the context of my set, Ride Behind can trigger your opponents' desperation.

Still, I will consider altering it in some way.

Anvar

[menace64]

I think Ride Behind needs to be unique if you plan on leaving it as-is. With four out, you can scour 12 cards a turn which is way beyond anything that should be possible on a turn-by-turn basis.

[Anvar]

Okay, I want to keep this non-unique, to keep it in line with the other cards in the cycle, but after your comments I decided to keep it in line other ways as well. Now it does different things depending on what you scour. Let me know what you think:

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf to scour 3 cards. For each Free Peoples card you scour in this way, make each opponent scour a card. For each Shadow card you scour in this way, each opponent may draw a card.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

And todays cards are the last two in the Dwarf culture:

•Dain Ironfoot, Fallen King
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1. Return -
Desperation - Dain Ironfoot gains enduring X where X is his damage bonus.
'"...and now we hear that Dain has fallen, fighting in Dale again, even while we fought here. I should call that a heavy loss, if it was not a wonder rather that in his great age he could still wield his axe as mightily as they say that he did..."'

Death Blow
Event • Maneuver
Place a Dwarf in the dead pile to kill or discard a minion.
"'...standing over the body of King Brand before the Gate of Erebor until the darkness fell."'

[Thranduil]

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf to scour 3 cards. For each Free Peoples card you scour in this way, make each opponent scour a card. For each Shadow card you scour in this way, each opponent may draw a card.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"

Yeah, it's awesome! Either way you get to mill their deck.

•Dain Ironfoot, Fallen King
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1.
Desperation - Dain Ironfoot gains enduring X where X is his damage bonus.
'"...and now we hear that Dain has fallen, fighting in Dale again, even while we fought here. I should call that a heavy loss, if it was not a wonder rather that in his great age he could still wield his axe as mightily as they say that he did..."'

This guy's awesome! A great take on the damage theme. Compared to the current Dain Ironfoot though, he's not very good. Maybe he should retain some cost reduction for other Dwarves in the starting fellowship or have a cheap return cost.

Death Blow
Event • Maneuver
Place a Dwarf in the dead pile to kill or discard a minion.
"'...standing over the body of King Brand before the Gate of Erebor until the darkness fell."'

Great, but I feel it could be .

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

Okay, I want to keep this non-unique, to keep it in line with the other cards in the cycle, but after your comments I decided to keep it in line other ways as well. Now it does different things depending on what you scour. Let me know what you think:

Ride Behind
Condition • Support Area
Each time the fellowship moves you may spot a Dwarf to scour 3 cards. For each Free Peoples card you scour in this way, make each opponent scour a card. For each Shadow card you scour in this way, each opponent may draw a card.
"'Come, you shall sit behind me, friend Gimli,' said Legolas. 'Then all will be well, and you need neither borrow a horse nor be troubled by one.'"
cool could cost 0 though

•Dain Ironfoot, Fallen King
Companion • Dwarf
Strength: 7
Vitality: 3
Resistance: 6
Damage +1. Return -
Desperation - Dain Ironfoot gains enduring X where X is his damage bonus.
'"...and now we hear that Dain has fallen, fighting in Dale again, even while we fought here. I should call that a heavy loss, if it was not a wonder rather that in his great age he could still wield his axe as mightily as they say that he did..."'
coolio...MAYBEEE a limit on that desperation...enduring 4 maybe?

Death Blow
Event • Maneuver
Place a Dwarf in the dead pile to kill or discard a minion.
"'...standing over the body of King Brand before the Gate of Erebor until the darkness fell."'

kill or discard? should it be worded like that?

[Anvar]

kill or discard? should it be worded like that?

This is deliberate. Note that killing does not mean discarded anymore, and I have a cycle of Orcs that like to be discarded rather than killed. This way, you get the choice as to what you wish them to count as.

Anvar

[Anvar]

Right then, time to move on to the evil side of the Gollum culture. At the moment, I don't actually have any Smeagol cards at all - can't think what makes sense on that half in this set - but I digress.

So, what is Gollum all about? Gollum culture has a large theme of making multi-culture shadow decks work. It's big on threats, but bigger as a splash into other decks. On that note, here are two very splashable cards:

•Gollum, Persistent Villain
Minion
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Site: 3
Return - .
If Gollum is killed, remove him from the game.

Betrayed Shadow
Condition • Support Area
To play spot Gollum or Smeagol.
Desperation - each shadow card gains "Return - exert Gollum and remove ".

[DáinIronfoot]

•Gollum, Persistent Villain
Minion
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Site: 3
Return - .
If Gollum is killed, remove him from the game.

Hmmm. He's alright, but I likely wouldn't ever use him. There are plenty of ways to get ANY Gollum back from discard, and the ones I'd grab would have useful text and certainly lack that nasty drawback. If Gollum is big on threats in your sets, then how about some text that works with threats? This version is pretty weak right now, I think.

Betrayed Shadow
Condition • Support Area
To play spot Gollum or Smeagol.
Desperation - each shadow card gains "Return - exert Gollum and remove ".

Make sure to capitalize "Shadow"...and it probably wouldn't hurt to do the same to the "each" here. I might remove with the ability and reduce the cost of the condition itself to or even , but that's me.

[Thranduil]

•Gollum, Persistent Villain
Minion
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Site: 3
Return - .
If Gollum is killed, remove him from the game.

I agree with DI, I wouldn't use it over Plotting Deceiver, for example. He needs a decent ability as well. And his return cost should perhaps be easier. Or perhaps make it something different and have no return cost at all! That could be really cool - he can always be recurred, but if killed he's lost and he doesn't have another ability.

Betrayed Shadow
Condition • Support Area
To play spot Gollum or Smeagol.
Desperation - each shadow card gains "Return - exert Gollum and remove ".

AWESOME! DI makes quite a good point, though.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

listen to the dwarf and the elf...they know what they're saying

[Elf_Lvr]

I don't really need to say it - but I think Dain and Thran are right.

[lem0nhead]

Ditto, Ditto and Ditto.

[sickofpalantirs]

no it'd actually be ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto....EL was ditto ditto ditto...I think

no wait I was ditto, so el was ditto ditto, and yes you would be ditto ditto ditto...so your good

[lem0nhead]

LOL. I can count my dittos thank you very much!

[Anvar]

My brain is a bit too frazzled at the moment to make changes to the previous cards. Hopefully I'll do something about them soon.

In the mean time, here are some more cards:

Leap from the Shadows shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return - exert Gollum.
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +2. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

Dark Allies Shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return -
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +1 for each Shadow culture you can spot. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

This Fellow Ain't Dead Shadow
Event • Response
If a companion loses a skirmish involving a Gollum minion, spot an or minion to discard that companion.
"She jabs them with her stinger and they go as limp as a boned fish. Then she has her way with them."

[DáinIronfoot]

My brain is a bit too frazzled at the moment to make changes to the previous cards. Hopefully I'll do something about them soon.

I understand how that goes, so some advice: perhaps just make it so that each time you play Persistent Villain from the discard pile (or perhaps just "except from hand"), you get to add a threat? That would make him MUCH more viable.

Leap from the Shadows shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return - exert Gollum.
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +2. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

The only problem I see is that it's a LITTLE too good compared to cards like Hobbitses Are Dead (more specific), No End of Wickedness (requires exerting), and Cunningly Hidden (which can also be pulled back, but costs ). Perhaps raise the cost to and make the strength boost +3. I'd like it a LOT more then. It's okay now, I would just like /+3 a little better.

Dark Allies Shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return -
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +1 for each Shadow culture you can spot. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

Nice. Again, might be better, afterwhich you could reduce the return cost to .

[0] This Fellow Ain't Dead Shadow
Event • Response
If a minion has just won a skirmish against a companion, spot an or minion to discard that companion.
"She jabs them with her stinger and they go as limp as a boned fish. Then she has her way with them."

I think the wording should be "If a minion wins a skirmish, spot an or minion to discard a companion in that skirmish." It's awesome, and I LOVE the synergy, but it should probably cost a lot more, like or so. Maybe not...kinda unsure about this one. I'd wait and see what other reviewers think, but that's my gut reaction.

[lem0nhead]

Leap from the Shadows shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return - exert Gollum.
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +2. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

Meh seems a tad UP for the cost, but cant see how to rectify that.

Dark Allies Shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return -
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +1 for each Shadow culture you can spot. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

Ok ish.

This Fellow Ain't Dead Shadow
Event • Response
If a minion has just won a skirmish against a companion, spot an or minion to discard that companion.
"She jabs them with her stinger and they go as limp as a boned fish. Then she has her way with them."

Wow hellishly nasty but nice, i feel "and that companion is then exhausted then..." is less OP and more flavoursome.

[Thranduil]

Leap from the Shadows shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return - exert Gollum.
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +2. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

Actually, I think it should cost - the other cards DI mentioned are not great and never make the cut in my decks.

Dark Allies Shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return -
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +1 for each Shadow culture you can spot. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

This is good.

This Fellow Ain't Dead Shadow
Event • Response
If a minion has just won a skirmish against a companion, spot an or minion to discard that companion.
"She jabs them with her stinger and they go as limp as a boned fish. Then she has her way with them."

Why do you need "against a companion"? A more usual wording would be "If a companion loses a skirmish involving a minion..." Perhaps lem0n has a good point about "if that character is then exhausted".

Thranduil

[Gate Troll]

My brain is a bit too frazzled at the moment to make changes to the previous cards. Hopefully I'll do something about them soon.

In the mean time, here are some more cards:

Leap from the Shadows shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return - exert Gollum.
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +2. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

I'd change it so you'd exert Gollum twice or make it .


Dark Allies Shadow
Event • Skirmish
Return -
Spot Gollum to make a minion strength +1 for each Shadow culture you can spot. If you played this using the return cost, remove this card from the game.

Would only work in a rainbow deck so I'd make it and exert Gollum.

This Fellow Ain't Dead Shadow
Event • Response
If a minion has just won a skirmish against a companion, spot an or minion to discard that companion.
"She jabs them with her stinger and they go as limp as a boned fish. Then she has her way with them."

Neat!

[sickofpalantirs]

everything I would say has been said...

[Anvar]

Thanks for the comments. Some theme cards for Gollum today:


•Mustn't Hurt Preciouss Shadow
Condition • Support Area
Desperation - Each time you play a card using return, you may spot Gollum or Smeagol to add a threat. If you can't add a threat, add a burden instead.

All Dead Shadow
Event • Shadow
Exert Gollum to add a threat for each card in each dead pile.

[Thranduil]

All Dead Shadow
Event • Shadow
Exert Gollum to add a threat for each card in each dead pile.

I think it should be "Exert Gollum or Sméagol", and perhaps could cost .

Other card is good! :hey:

Thranduil

[lem0nhead]

  is all i have to say.

[Elf_Lvr]

Both are sweeet.