More Virtual Cards (Cruel Caradhras, take II)

[Thranduil]

Okay, I revised Foes of Mordor above. Let's see what you think!

Thranduil

[Elf_Lvr]

They look good now.

By the way, you murder token reinforcing with a blunt shovel. I miss 4 athelas on a companion + guarded city.

Foes of Mordor might warrant a higher cost. It can be +6 against easily and even +8 against Shelob.

[Anvar]

I guess you can't really think of these virtual cards as replacements for the old, but as additions. Think of them as forming an entirely new block of cards. With that, you can judge them in their own right rather than as against the originals.

[Thranduil]

I guess you can't really think of these virtual cards as replacements for the old, but as additions. Think of them as forming an entirely new block of cards. With that, you can judge them in their own right rather than as against the originals.

I was thinking about that, and I was judging that as a real set, it would have to work simultaneously in 2 ways:

1) As a post-Hunters "Fellowship (V) block", rotating King block and making a new standard of War of the Ring, Hunters and Fellowship (V).

2) As a replacement of Fellowship block in Movie block format (ie. making an optional new movie block consisting of Fellowship (V), Towers and King), or perhaps instead as a companion to Fellowship block making the originals and virtuals interchangeable.

Tell me what you think about that!

Now to finish off some more more or less standalone cards.

Pursuit Just Behind (V)
Condition • Support Area
Str: -2
Sit: +2
Skirmish: Exert a ranger to transfer this condition to a minion he or she is skirmishing.
"'We must do something to delay the enemy first. We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"
1 V 111

Natural Cover (V)
Event • Archery
Stealth.
Spot a Man to choose one: make the minion archery total -3; or make a minion lose all attribute bonuses until the regroup phase.
2 V 35

Flee In Terror (V)
Event • Regroup
Spot 2 Men (or a ranger) that is not exhausted to discard a minion or liberate a site.
"Aragorn smote to the ground the captain that stood in his path, and the rest fled in terror of his wrath."
2 V 33

[Elf_Lvr]

Pursuit Just Behind (V)
Condition • Support Area
Str: -2
Sit: +2
Skirmish: Exert a companion to transfer this condition to a minion he or she is skirmishing.
"'We must do something to delay the enemy first. We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"
1 V 111

I think it deserves a higher cost, but since you can't change that, I guess it's okay. It'd be underpowered at only strength -1, for example.

Natural Cover (V)
Event • Archery
Stealth.
Spot a Man to choose one: make the minion archery total -3; or make a minion lose all attribute bonuses until the regroup phase.
2 V 35

"...and unable to gain..." would make this much better.

Flee In Terror (V)
Event • Regroup
Spot a Man that is not exhausted to discard a minion or liberate a site.
"Aragorn smote to the ground the captain that stood in his path, and the rest fled in terror of his wrath."
2 V 33

Maybe make it spot 2 Men or a ranger.

[DáinIronfoot]

Pursuit Just Behind (V)
Condition • Support Area
Str: -2
Sit: +2
Skirmish: Exert a companion to transfer this condition to a minion he or she is skirmishing.
"'We must do something to delay the enemy first. We will make them fear the Chamber of Mazarbul!'"
1 V 111

I'd prefer this only work with rangers, personally. 'Twould make it a bit more balanced, too.

Natural Cover (V)
Event • Archery
Stealth.
Spot a Man to choose one: make the minion archery total -3; or make a minion lose all attribute bonuses until the regroup phase.
2 V 35

Bravo for stealth. This is a good one, too.

Flee In Terror (V)
Event • Regroup
Spot a Man that is not exhausted to discard a minion or liberate a site.
"Aragorn smote to the ground the captain that stood in his path, and the rest fled in terror of his wrath."
2 V 33

I like EL's suggestion.

[Thranduil]

Changed according to suggestions. Now some miscellaneous possessions, I think:

Great Shield (V)
Possession • Shield
Bearer must be a Man.
The minion archery total is -1.
Each minion skirmishing bearer is strength -1 for each keyword in its gametext.
1 V 107

Armor (V)
Possession • Armor
Bearer must be a Man.
While skirmishing more than one minion, bearer is strength +2.
Response: If a minion bearer is skirmishing is about to use a special ability, exert bearer or discard this possession to prevent that.
"Then Elendil the Tall and his mighty sons, Isildur and Anárion, became great lords; and the North-realm they made in Arnor and the South-realm in Gondor…
1 V 92

Flaming Brand (V)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Str: +1
Bearer must be a Man.
If bearer is a ranger or valiant Man, this possession may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may exert a minion (or wound a fierce minion).
"… a glimpse of Strider leaping out of the shadows with a flaming brand of wood…"
2 V 32

[DáinIronfoot]

Now some miscellaneous possessions, I think:

Hey, and you left them as possessions! Now where's that hand-clapping smiley when you need it?

Great Shield (V)
Possession • Shield
Bearer must be a Man.
The minion archery total is -1.
Each minion skirmishing bearer is strength -1 for each keyword in its gametext.
1 V 107

Never been a big fan of shields modifying strength, but I guess this works. LOVE what this does to Horror of Harad.

Armor (V)
Possession • Armor
Bearer must be a Man.
While skirmishing more than one minion, bearer is strength +2.
Response: If a minion bearer is skirmishing is about to use a special ability, exert bearer or discard this possession to prevent that.
"Then Elendil the Tall and his mighty sons, Isildur and Anárion, became great lords; and the North-realm they made in Arnor and the South-realm in Gondor…
1 V 92

Instead of the current strength boosting, how about making it "While skirmishing more than one minion, each minion skirmishing bearer is strength -1"? Or just drop the "While skirmishing more than one minion" part altogether and just make it "each minion skirmishing bearer is strength -1".

Anyway, the response action is pretty strong, but not overly so, I don't think. Seems fine.

Flaming Brand (V)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Str: +1
Bearer must be a Man.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may exert a minion (or wound a fierce minion).
"… a glimpse of Strider leaping out of the shadows with a flaming brand of wood…"
2 V 32

Ew. I mean, the exerting/wounding is nice, but this would be MUCH better if it could be borne with another weapon, like the original, or at least had more boosts against minions (ALSO like the original).

[Thranduil]

Never been a big fan of shields modifying strength, but I guess this works. LOVE what this does to Horror of Harad.

I can tell you why I did it. Shields are not really for protection; they're actually weapons using what your opponent has against him.

Ew. I mean, the exerting/wounding is nice, but this would be MUCH better if it could be borne with another weapon, like the original, or at least had more boosts against minions (ALSO like the original).

The first is changed, and it does work nicely against Nazgûl because they're fierce. Also, I don't want to make it too much like the original given the fact that it's on the X-list!

Thranduil

[Anvar]

Not sure why Flaming Brand works for Knights. Rangers I understand, Valiant I can perhaps accept, but I can't see knights wielding flaming brands to any great effect...

Anvar

[DáinIronfoot]

Not sure why Flaming Brand works for Knights. Rangers I understand, Valiant I can perhaps accept, but I can't see knights wielding flaming brands to any great effect...

I agree. I understand wanting to culturally enforce it a bit, but knights just don't make much sense. Better to stick with just rangers and (maybe) valient Men. Somehow that latter one seems wrong too, though....

[Thranduil]

Not sure why Flaming Brand works for Knights. Rangers I understand, Valiant I can perhaps accept, but I can't see knights wielding flaming brands to any great effect...

I was just representing the most skilled of Men, and knights always get left out of everything so I didn't want to leave them out! But I have anyway...

Thranduil

[Thranduil]

Now let's move onto one of the big themes from this set:

Strength of Kings (V)
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Each time a companion wins a skirmish, you may exert that companion to add a token here. Then if that companion is Aragorn, Isildur or Elendil, you may heal him.
Skirmish: Remove a token from here to remove .
"'Believe not that in the land of Gondor the úmenor is spent, nor all its pride and dignity forgotten.'"
1 V 115

Sentinels of Númenor (V)
Condition • Support Area
When you play this condition, you may spot a Man to add a token here.
Each time a minion is played, you may add and remove a token from here to draw a card.
"… they still preserved through the suns and rains of forgotten years the mighty likenesses in which they had been hewn."
2 V 37

This will seem more useful after the next cards are posted...

Citadel of Minas Tirith (V)
Condition • Support Area
Fortification.
Fellowship: Play a condition to your support area to add a token here.
Regroup: Remove 2 tokens from here to transfer a fortification from a minion to your support area.
Regroup: Remove 3 tokens from here to discard a minion.
"'One day our paths will lead us there, and the Tower guards will take up the call - the Lords of Gondor have returned.'"
3 V 40

Banner of the White Tree (V)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Man.
Skirmish: Remove a token to make bearer strength +1.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may reinforce a token.
"'Many Elves and mighty Men, and many of their friends, had perished in the war.'"
3 V 39

[Anvar]

Love the cards. Does remove twilight in the skirmish phase? Don't see a major problem with it, it just seems a bit odd.

Also, I'd like to see Banner of the White Tree give a +1 strength bonus - I know the other banners don't but I think it would make them more playable.

[Thranduil]

Does remove twilight in the skirmish phase? Don't see a major problem with it, it just seems a bit odd.

Not especially, but they do like to prevent Shadow players from using skirmish events!

Thranduil