can someone please explain held?

[bozoderek]

I really don't understand this card. (Held) Why would I want frodo to be corrupted at site 9? How is it beneficial? I hear people says it good but I don't understand. Also. When the game says spot any culture token to heal someone of that race, is this only fellowship culture tokens? Because it is a fellowship card? Lastly, what cards allow you to take control of a site? I have lots that liberate...or take place IF I control a site, but not to take control of one. Can you do it without a card? Thanks guys.

[bibfortuna25]

You don't want Frodo to be corrupted. But by using held, you can use it as an "emergency" wound-to-burden soak for Frodo, without having to put on the Ring. That can be useful in certain situations. But you need to get rid of Held before you reach site 9, otherwise you'll get corrupted.

"When the game says spot any culture token to heal someone of that race, is this only fellowship culture tokens? Because it is a fellowship card? "

Do exactly what the card says. No more, no less. If you could tell me which card you're talking about, then I could give a more specific answer.

"Lastly, what cards allow you to take control of a site? I have lots that liberate...or take place IF I control a site, but not to take control of one. Can you do it without a card? Thanks guys."

There are too many cards to list. Browse the card lists (from set 4 onwards) to see cards that take control of sites.

[bozoderek]

AH, now i see what my issue was. The card was Ring of Barahir. But i see now it says "companion". Thanks for all that though. Really helpful. I was puzzling over that card (held) for some time. One other question though, If a card is damage +x and they are skirmishing the ring bearer, does he have to take x burdens when he puts on the one ring? of just one burden?

[bibfortuna25]

If a minion is damage +1, two wounds are assigned to the losing character. Depending on which Ring you are using, Frodo can convert any of those wounds into burdens. Just read the text of the Ring and you'll easily be able to figure it out.

[bozoderek]

Thanks! 

[Prince_of_Ithilien]

Held
+1 to Bib's explanation of Held.  It's one of those risk/reward cards that may find use if Frodo does a bit of fighting for you, and if your deck heals better than if removes burdens (or if game situations present a sudden allergy to using the ring).  If you decide to use Held, there are plenty of cards that can wound/discard minions so that you can get rid of it (Gondor and Rohan do this very well).  Direct wounding in skirmishes can help clear minions, too (ex. Mind Your Own Affairs adds lets you do this without putting on the ring).  In Towers Standard format, Sleep, Caradhras would also nix it.

Healing with tokens
Spotting culture tokens to heal - the card that comes to mind is Ring of Barahir.  In any case, while it is your turn, your shadow cards are inactive, so it would only apply to your free peoples characters.  Your opponent's minions can't make use of your card's text, so minions couldn't heal doing this.  Likewise, during your opponent's turn, your free peoples cards are inactive, so spotting a shadow culture token wouldn't heal your minions (Arrow from the South and Scaling Ladder are two shadow cards that come to mind for using tokens to heal minions).

Site Control
I like searching card databases and some retail sites if I'm looking for a card with a certain text.  Searching here at TLHH is good - I have also found ccg-singles.com to be a handy resource (ex. typing "take control site" will bring up any card printed from all sets.

Hope this is useful - all the best to you!

[Prince_of_Ithilien]

Just saw your new post about dmg+1:
One thing to keep in mind - if you decide to split between wounds and burdens (ex. giving Frodo one of each), be sure to take the damage as a wound first and the rest as burdens, since some rings require that he take burdens once you put the ring on.

Side note:  Some rings also need to keep an eye on timing.  Ruling Ring and Isildur's Bane let you take as a response, while Answer to All Riddles can only be used in a skirmish (can't take archery wounds as burdens).

Enjoy the possibilities  :-)

[bozoderek]

Thanks, Prince_of_Ithilien, Really good answers. Above and beyond what i was expecting

[Prince_of_Ithilien]

Sure thing - always glad to make the game as enjoyable as possible  :-)

[dmaz]

To rehash this Held thing:

If I use this in an expanded deck with Frodo and any non-response ring, I basically have free protection from wounding outside the phase which I can put on the ring, correct?

Because it is a Towers card, and the card doesn't say "any site 9" then it won't do anything to me when I move to site 9 in Movie block or Expanded, correct?

This could be useful protection against an archery deck, or a way around Isildur's Bane's penality cost...

[bibfortuna25]

It works on any site 9 from any block.

[dmaz]

It works on any site 9 from any block.

Ok cool...wasn't sure if the block rule applied to it.

I have thrown it on Frenzied Fighter before though, hoping he would turn into a minion at site 9. Nothing happened as far as I can remember.