Some card explanations

[theoldwizard]

There are some cards that I don't really understand their use, or I need a rule explained. Here they are:

1) Can Narsil be in play the same time as Anduril? I kinda think so, but it seems really strange to have them both in play at once, seeing as they are the same sword.
2)Aragorn, ROTN can be exerted mutiple times to be defender +2 or +3. Is it a normal strategy to make him +3 and send him to his death?
3)Aragorn's Bow, Rangers Longbow seems too good. Is it possible to just add a threat for each vitality of each minion? If so, couldn't you do that the whole game? Sure, you would have tons of threats, but how could you get killed if you don't ever fight?
4)Gandalf, Bearer of Obligation..I have this card and for the love of me, can't figure out a good reason to use it. I just can't see an upside of using it instead of a different RB and Gandalf, Leader of Men. Is there something I'm missing?
5)The rule of 4 prevents someone in their fellowship phase from taking more than 4 cards in hand. If I had 2 Calculated Risk, would I be able to use the 2nd one to draw 1 card, or would the rule prevent me from using it at all?
6)Do you use Aragorn, HttWC's power before or after you add twilight tokens for movement?
7)If I played 13R36, I woudn't be able to use it until the start of my next turn?
8)Bill Ferny. Nazgul have such low site numbers already. Why is he considered a good card?
9)I see a lot of people think that Steadfast Champion is a really good card. This is how I understand it: If I have 4 comps and I play SC on Gandalf, then when it's the assignment phase and the opponent has, let's say, 3 minions, couldn't he just stack all 3 on Gandalf and overwhelm him, thus making him unable to use SC?

Whew. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this and help me.

[ket_the_jet]

1) Can Narsil be in play the same time as Anduril? I kinda think so, but it seems really strange to have them both in play at once, seeing as they are the same sword.

Yes. While they are both unique, they do not have the same title.

2)Aragorn, ROTN can be exerted mutiple times to be defender +2 or +3. Is it a normal strategy to make him +3 and send him to his death?

That is almost exclusively his strategy as a splash companion.

3)Aragorn's Bow, Rangers Longbow seems too good. Is it possible to just add a threat for each vitality of each minion? If so, couldn't you do that the whole game? Sure, you would have tons of threats, but how could you get killed if you don't ever fight?

You can only have as many threats as you have companions on the table. That said, Aragorn's Bow, Ranger's Longbow is good.

4)Gandalf, Bearer of Obligation..I have this card and for the love of me, can't figure out a good reason to use it. I just can't see an upside of using it instead of a different RB and Gandalf, Leader of Men. Is there something I'm missing?

There really isn't a good reason to use it.

5)The rule of 4 prevents someone in their fellowship phase from taking more than 4 cards in hand. If I had 2 Calculated Risk, would I be able to use the 2nd one to draw 1 card, or would the rule prevent me from using it at all?

You can use the second Calculated Risk to draw one card.

6)Do you use Aragorn, HttWC's power before or after you add twilight tokens for movement?

Before moving.

7)If I played 13R36, I woudn't be able to use it until the start of my next turn?

That is correct.

8)Bill Ferny. Nazgul have such low site numbers already. Why is he considered a good card?

He is basically a strength +4 pump for any minion since the Free Peoples cannot assign him. He's especially devastating with Desperate Defense of the Ring.

9)I see a lot of people think that Steadfast Champion is a really good card. This is how I understand it: If I have 4 comps and I play SC on Gandalf, then when it's the assignment phase and the opponent has, let's say, 3 minions, couldn't he just stack all 3 on Gandalf and overwhelm him, thus making him unable to use SC?

Even if you have an assignment action, only one minion can be assigned per companion via the action. Any leftover minions are assigned by the Shadow player, but Steadfast Champion really only lets the shadow player choose who he or she will assign to Gandalf.

Keep in mind Steadfast Champion is X-Listed due to a recursion combination with Treebeard, Keeper of the Watchwood.

*Pant, pant.* That was a lot of questions.
-wtk

[theoldwizard]

Thanks a lot for answering those! The only one I'm confused about is Bill Ferny. I don't really understand what you said.

Edit: Ohhh, I get it now. For some reason I was reading his card like some Saruman cards, as if he isn't able to skirmish at all.

[Thranduil]

Thanks a lot for answering those! The only one I'm confused about is Bill Ferny. I don't really understand what you said.

The ability for Shadow players to assign minions to companions of their choice (and indeed, a companion already assigned to a minion), even a small one such as Bill Ferny, is really powerful. Also, Bill has basically no cultural reinforcement so you can use him in any deck. Just try playing him a few times and you'll probably see how powerful he really is!

As for BoO vs. LoM, it depends on the sort of deck you're playing. LoM is usually better, but there are some situations when you want to have 2 companions as well as Gandalf, in which case you'd play BoO. The clearest example of this for me is for a Men deck where I can seriously see someone starting BoO so they can start with 2 Men.

Thran

[Doom]

Honestly, I really don't think BoO has ANY use at all. I remember that someone thought of a Gandalf shotgun using that, with some kind of infinite loop, but really didn't do much at all. And I've never seen a single (good) deck using him.

[leokula]

I built my cousin an Ent deck, the one that starts both hobbits and about 4 or 5 other ents... in this deck I'm using Gandalf BoO and pairing with Moria, so I get some crazy cycling, as well as a 7 base strength ring-bearer. With Glamdring, he can fight a little and remove some burdens.

[Doom]

I think you'd be better off with using LoM, like Ellingsen's ents.
Most ent decks Ive played have generally used him or LotC. You don't have to play him in your starting fellowship either, as A Wizard is Never Late can help play him early.

[leokula]

I agree with you for a tier deck, but for fun moments, Gandalf BoO can be cool

[TheJord]

I have even won a game with a BoO deck

[Doom]

Apparently BoO does have SOME uses then
Who knew?

[SomeRandomDude]

I run a killer BoO deck- it involves Gandalf men. Essentially, it revolves around Strange Meeting, Last Stand, Librarian and followers, with lots of copies of each. Also packs some events and random toolkit items- cycles fast so that I can smash with my shadow ( Ferny kill).

Has Brand, has Barliman Butterbur, has Grimbeorn, has Ghan-Buri-Ghan. Most importantly, has Erland, Dale Counselor, which can, in a pinch, get me my two cards for next turn.

[jdizzy001]

The "problem" with BoO decks is that they are rare intensive. That being said, for gccg players rare intensive isn't a problem. Gandy men is very fun to run. They remove burdens easily and cards like erland let you fish lost cards from your discard pile. Throw in a few spells that discard minions and something like brooding on tomorrow with which to abuse initiative and you got yourself a deck that won't quick. It may not win, but it won't quit