Next Updates for the Hobbit Draft Game

[Durin's Heir]

- The Shadow Arkenstone: Interesting. The important differences are:

1) Thorin makes Men and Elves str -2 instead of -3. That's good Will be much simpler to remember.
2) Bard doesn't get rid of the printed -2 str to bearer. This part worries me a lot:-k.

Bard is the centerpiece of the Dale culture. Only he and the Esgaroth Volunteers can fight outside site 6. So making their best fighter base str 4 is too heavy an impairment for the Esgaroth pack. I know weapons can still give him some survival skills, but the only minions he ever might defeat would be str 6 or lower: Gollum, the Aggressor, Goblin Sneak and Goblin Runner.

So both Bard and Thorin are really bad options to the Esgaroth pack. Thus, the FP player will prefer to defend itself using the Dwarf companions, and throw those 2 Dale allies to the lions (Lorien Elf style!). There's no real incentive to pass him the Arkenstone. Only Mirkwood and White Council packs will prefer the Arkenstone on Bard. So I strongly believe the Shadow Arkenstone should give +3 to Bard when bearing it. To a base strength of 7.



- Alfrid: The previous point makes me think about the number of fighting allies. Mirkwood has 4, while the whole Esgaroth culture has 2 (which are also much weaker). That's a big problem. We must correct that problem (to make Bard a more appealing bearer of the Shadow Arkenstone), and the only way to do so is to change the add-ons: Alfrid or Town Hall. So I'd either replace Alfrid with a fighting/shooting Percy,... or something better: change Alfrid's maneuver skill.

•Alfrid, Lickspittle [Dale]
Maneuver: Discard Alfrid to make a [Dale] Man strength +2 and may participate in skirmishes until the regroup phase.

"He spurs another guy to join the fight... while running from it!" That way you can have +1 Dale fighter at a moment of great need (The Master might fight and heal himself at the next turn). And if Bard dies, you'll still be able to use the Esgaroth Volunteers. The pack lacks (temporary) pumps (only Take Up Arms can help them) so this solves that problem too, without giving them too much power.



- Dwarven Song: I said the Shadow Arkenstone shouldn't discard itself. I still think so. But you have a point when saying there must be a way to discard it: if it's played before the FP player sets up, the Company will carry a really deadly risk (either Thorin will be weak, or Bilbo will be str 1!).

Dwarven Song can have a line added to "discard a Shadow possession or Shadow artifact", or "discard a Shadow card borne by a companion". Something like this:

Dwarven Song
Event • Regroup
Discard an attached follower with a twilight cost of X to play X possessions or X artifacts from your draw deck. You may exert a companion to discard a Shadow card borne by him.

That's not at Maneuver but at Regroup, so you still have to deal with the evil Arkenstone for a while. And you still have to "discard an attached follower". If we ever add the Morgul Arrow, this addition will be able to combat it.

[-Enola-]

*Arkenstone, King's Jewel: [Smaug] Artifact Cost 2 Strength -1
Plays on Bilbo.
At sites 7 to 9, wound bearer at the end of the maneuver phase. (If bearer is Bilbo, add a doubt instead.)
Thorin gains this ability: ‘‘ Maneuver: Add a doubt to transfer the Arkenstone to Thorin (or 3 doubts to discard this artifact)."

I prefer a self-discarding Arkenstone. I don't think Bard must be a bearer of the Arkenstone. I change the Arkenstone for a new kind of effect (Blade Tip like).


*Crown of Erebor: Artifact Cost 2
Each time you play Roac, you may heal Thorin or Dain Ironfoot. Then, you may remove a doubt.
Assignment: If you cannot spot Thorin, allies may be assigned to skirmishes.

I change this card (I add the "remove doubts" ability).

Such a High Cost: Condition Cost 3
While there is a character in the dead pile, each companion is strength -1.
Maneuver: Discard this condition to wound a ally (and add 2 doubts if you cannot spot Thorin).

The strength reduction were too strong, I remove the uniqueness of the card.


*Alfrid: [Dale] Ally Cost 2 Strength 4 Vitality 3.
To play, spot The Master or exert a companion.
Maneuver: Play a [Dale] card (except Bard) from your draw deck or discard pile. Discard Alfrid.

Alfrid is great to counter Terrifying Legend.


*Stone Giants: Condition Cost 2
Each time the fellowship moves to site 4, the Free Peoples player must exert 2 companions.
Maneuver: Play a condition from your discard pile (or up to 2 conditions if you spot a companion in the dead pile). Discard this condition.

Simpler to control now.


Main deck

http://hobbitdraftgame.free.fr/Main_deck2.html

We are going to add these cards (4x Anger would be too strong):
- 2x Fimbul
- 1x Host of Thousands
- 2x Not at Home

*Not at Home: [Gundabad] Condition Cost 0
Each time a companion is played at site 5 or higher, that companion must exert.

[Durin's Heir]

- Crown of Erebor: Cool! That counters the doubts added via King Under the Mountain, and gives a totally new skill to Thorin + To Me! O My Kinsfolk!.

- Such a High Cost: Now looks like Field of the Fallen. But not being unique, the maneuver action can be too powerful. So I'd add a limit to doubts: "Maneuver: Discard this condition to wound a ally. Add 2 doubts if you cannot spot Thorin (limit 2)."

That way any corruption combo with Stone Giants/Power Struggle will be prevented too. The cost might then be reduced to .

- Stone Giants: Seems better . You don't need to say "or up to 2 conditions if you spot", because spotting is optional (it's not "if you CAN spot"). It's enough with "or 2 conditions if you spot...", exactly like Secret Sentinels. Or "or up to 2 conditions if you can spot a companion...", if you want to make things even clearer.

Main deck

We are going to add these cards (4x Anger would be too strong):
- 2x Fimbul
- 1x Host of Thousands
- 2x Not at Home

Yes, 4x Anger would destroy the balance with FP pumps. Agree.

I love Not At Home! Bravo! It's that kind of card that seems not too powerful at first sight but ends up being really tough. Lore-wise, it represents a subtle and persistent detail during the whole the story, not a highlighted device or minion, that's really cool for flavor!

It will punish the abuse of companion replacement, like Goblin Domain with archery. And will protect your other conditions (Hatred Rekindled) indirectly, as will give more targets to condition-discard.


- Alfrid: I like the change from "exert a [Dale] Man" to "exert a companion". After all, he was annoying everyone in his path . But I think only 2 fighting allies (in absense of Smaug) for the whole culture is low ... How can we solve that problem?

Terrifying Legend is a unique condition with only 3x copies, so can be countered by Ancestral Knowledge. But to counter the scarceness of fighting allies there is nothing. Besides, losing a possession or Man ally isn't as hard as losing a companion to Smaug, so Terrifying Legend might be offering more advantages than a punishment to the FP player .

Having only 2 Man fighters in the Esgaroth pack makes the "Divide and Rule" Shadow Arkenstone less viable. If you have to choose between neglecting either the Dwarves or the Esgaroth Men, if one option isn't painful you'll choose it with eyes closed. Reducing the strength of only 2 allies (from 6 to 4), hasn't a big impact.


- Jail: I've been thinking about this card, and the cost of discarding only 1 minion will be really OP with most Shadow packs, as either Beatdown packs provide durable minions or Swarm packs provide too many minions. The White Council pack doesn't provide a way to counter the survival of those minions. To do so, you'd need:

- Condition discard, or
- Damage bonuses (The Wise can win but often don't kill!), or
- Massive minion wounding (any phase), or
- Massive minion discard (any phase), or
- Massive healing to Wise characters (preferably at regroup).

Lindir is doing nothing about those. And is an irrelevant character in the film (and totally absent in the book). It's a great card, but I'd rather have him in a new "Rivendell Pack" containing Vilya, Hadafang, the Shards of Narsil, some Imladris Cavalry and things like that. In the White Council pack, I'd much rather have a card like this:

•Nenya
Artifact • Ring
Vitality +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
At the start of each of your turns, you may add to heal a Wise ally.
Regroup: Exert Galadriel twice and spot X Ring artifacts to wound X minions twice (except Smaug).

"Its rays glanced upon a ring about her finger...", or
"'The power of the Lady... wields the Elven-ring.'"

The passive skill is a copy of Lindir's (healing Wise allies is really important) but more costly (Galadriel's vitality will be very powerful). The Regroup skill can be used only once per phase (she won't have 5 vitality). It can counter Jail at some extent, by killing often 1 or 2 minions at once (before Jail can work). Has a synergy with any Ring, either Shadow or FP, so Sauron can be punished for carrying the Ring of Thrór.


About Ring artifacts, there would be now a total of 5 to spot: The One (Main deck), Narya & Nenya (White Council pack), the or Ring of Thrór (Thráin/Sauron pack), and Vilya (in the brand new Rivendell pack). 4 or 5 FP and 1 Shadow. We might even include a 6th Ring, which would be a Ring shared amongst all Nazguls. A support area Ring artifact, for example:

•Nine for Mortal Men Doomed to Die
Artifact • Ring
Plays to your support area.
Each time the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, heal each minion.
Response: If a Nazgul is about to take a wound, remove to prevent it.
"'Long ago they fell under the dominion of The One, and they became Ringwraiths, shadows under his great Shadow...'"

That is just a sample of the possibilities of what can be done. There might be mechanics for both Shadow and FP that spot Rings to gain benefits.


- The Shadow Arkenstone: You said "I prefer a self-discarding Arkenstone. I don't think Bard must be a bearer of the Arkenstone. I change the Arkenstone for a new kind of effect (Blade Tip like)."

I couldn't disagree more. Bard gets the Arkenstone in the book, and there and in the film, it's a very important part to set the FP armies at a strong position to defend the Lonely Mountain and their own lives (though not by the good will of theirs, but in spite of it by a Higher Providence that professor Tolkien called "Eucatastrophe"). Look at this book quote:

"'This is the Arkenstone of Thrain,' said Bilbo... 'I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining.' Then Bilbo, not without a shudder, not without a glance of longing, handed the marvellous stone to Bard, and he held it in his hand, as though dazed."

Therefore Bard gets a stronger position to negotiate. And that upsets the Dwarves. Curiously, Thorin's denial to pay for the stone causes the Armies he considers his enemies to remain. But in the meanwhile, their disunity puts them at the edge of war. And when the Goblins and Wargs attack, those allies are outside the Mountain, where they could have endured much better than in open field (at the 2nd Battle of Dale, the Men and Dwarves armies barricade behind the walls of Erebor, which saves them from being terminated by the outnumbering Easterlings). So the eucatastrophe helps but doesn't undo all wrongs and mistakes done.

I know, with only the Thorin pack, passing the Stone to Bard has no incentive. But if that Thorin pack coincides with another pack that uses support from Elves or Men, Bard will have important things to protect, or those important things will be ruined (and won't help the FP player).

[-Enola-]

- Such a High Cost: Ok, I change the card. The limitation applies only for the card, not for the others cards (like Sixth Level, Great Siege-towers, ...). So only one doubt and must be ok.

- Stone Giants: Well observed!!

- Not At Home: Thanks. Exactly, Anger is too powerful and the FP player doesn't put so much FP boosts in his deck. I will change the cost of the card for or .

- Alfrid: The Esgaroth Pack doesn't work in the same way as the Mirkwood Pack. All cards are focused on Bard.

- cards: I change these cards, only strength 10 for Sauron, the Ring gives the ability during the assignment phase and the condition seems more balanced now.

- Nenya: Good idea, ok for a new pack focused on Lindir and Vilya. But Nenya must be stronger (the player needs to take Galadriel during the draft).

•Nenya
Artifact • Ring
Vitality +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
At the start of your turn, you may heal a Wise ally.
Maneuver: Exert Galadriel and another Wise character to return a Shadow condition to its owner's hand (limit once per phase).


- Arkenstone: I make an Arkenstone with your idea.




Bard needs the Arkenstone only to bargain a part of the treasure. He doesn't really want it. In the Arkenstone I propose,  the discarding ability is here to model this. Bilbo is very scared to send away the problem caused by the Arkenstone.

Moreover, the Arkenstone causes fear to Bilbo and exerts Thorin.

[Durin's Heir]

- Such a High Cost: Seems good. There is a couple of ways to keep the 2 doubts per condition, limiting those doubts to only 2, no matter how many conditions you have or replay. 1st is to add a condition, like "If you cannot spot Thorin (and no doubt was added this phase), add 2 doubts". The problem it brings, is that now the maneuver skill uses 4 card lines, and the lore text will suffer from it .

The other solution is to add a text to "skip your maneuver actions":

"Maneuver: Wound a ally. If you can
not spot Thorin, add 2 doubts. Skip your
maneuver actions. Discard this condition."

The room is so small that I couldn't even add connection words like "and" (and was forced to split the word "cannot" into "can not"). But this should do it! The condition is expensive, discarding it means losing the potential -1 str to Dwarves. This would preserve the proper original power, while preventing too much doubts and keeping the lore text unharmed.

- Stone Giants:

- Not At Home: If now its cost is or , it might be non-unique. Or might have another small skill, something like this: "Each time the fellowship moves, add for each exhausted companion you spot." Or both.

- Alfrid: The Esgaroth Pack doesn't work in the same way as the Mirkwood Pack. All cards are focused on Bard.

- Alfrid: I know all cards are focused on Bard, that's a good thing. But the difference in power is too big. The Mirkwood pack provides 4 fighting allies, which are strong by themselves, rely mainly on The Evil Becomes Stronger to fight so can't fight all the time (but Thranduil and Elf Army can use other resources), and don't have any weapon.

The Esgaroth pack provides only 2 fighting allies, which are weak and can get some strength with weapons (though those are borne better by Dwarf companions). They rely on themselves (not on events) to fight, and can heal. But with their low strength and vitality (and no pumps), they can die easily (Esgaroth Volunteers dies to any dmg+1, str 6 or 8 minion). Bard can kill minions at regroup, or 1 at archery with the Black Arrow. Iron-forged weapon can finish exhausted minions.

Mirkwood fighters:
- Thranduil. Str 9, Vit 4. Relies on Thorin and events. Can survive Smaug once (unless Anger says hello!) or fight him twice, protecting your Dwarf companions from death at 8 .
- Legolas. Str 6, Vit 3. Relies on The Evil Becomes Stronger; = Str 8.
- Tauriel. Str 6, Vit 3. Ditto.
- Elf Army. Str 7, Vit 4. Relies on The Evil Becomes Stronger ( = Str 9, Vit 4) or spotting more minions than companions (and exerting = Str 7, Vit 3).

Esgaroth fighters:
- Bard. Str 6, Vit 3. Relies on exerting Baïn. Can be healed by The Master, and/or Baïn. Can wield 2 weapons for Str 9.
- Esgaroth Volunteers: Str 6, Vit 3. Relies on exerting itself ( = Vit 2!) and spotting Bard. Can be healed by Baïn. Can wield 1 weapon for Str 8. Given the low vitality, any str 8 dmg+1 minion kills them.

That all. The difference is really huge! The Elves are OK, but Men should be stronger. Alfrid can replay weapons to wound minions, that's alright. But he's the only card that can be still changed, and the pack needs either another fighter like Percy, or something to make non-fighters join the battlefield, and make those skirmishing allies stronger. The latter is what my last proposal does (Alfrid would be a pump + summon event, but sitting in your support area instead of your hand ).


Alfrid might even do both things:

•Alfrid, Lickspittle [Dale]
Ally • Home 6 • Man
Strength 4 Vitality 3
To play, exert a companion or a [Dale] Man.
Maneuver: Play a [Dale] card from your discard pile, or make a [Dale] Man strength +2 and participate in skirmishes until the regroup phase. Discard Alfrid.

He still plays [Dale] things but only from discard (useful to get back wounding weapons), or can instead summon a [Dale] Man in play to the fight (a Str 7 Master will have good surviving skills). The "(except Bard)" part, and the cost were trimmed to get the card into 5 lines, and preserve the current lore text unaltered.

Do you want a bit more power? Alfrid might both play a [Dale] card, AND then summon another [Dale] Man to fight. "Play a [Dale] card from your discard pile. Then, make a [Dale] Man strength +2 and participate in skirmishes...". That would flatten the score considerably: 4 strong Mirkwood fighters, vs 3 moderately strong Esgaroth fighters (who can heal).



- Sauron cards: I like 2 of these 3 changes. The Ring of Thrór will be more strategical at assignment (you can force bad exert-to-assign decisions by bluffing!). Danger Wrapped in Shadows looks better with less strength addition; anyway I'd change its limit from +2 to +3 per skirmish.

But Sauron shouldn't be strength 10. Radagast defeated the Witch King with ease (whose strength is +4) but feared to face The Necromancer. Elrond/Saruman will be str 11 with Former Herald! Gandalf + Glamdring is str 9, he would need only 1x Take Up Arms, or Beorn/Bombur (or 2 small followers) to defeat him. But Elrond and Saruman got frightened when Sauron appeared, and Gandalf got almost killed by him...

I agree that str 15 is too strong for only " twilight + another card" combo. For such strength, his twilight cost should be around 7 or 9. But then his standalone skills (Orcs are fierce, exert-to-assign) will have little impact with so little twilight left. How can we reconcile both points? The Ring of Thrór makes Sauron fight, and the rest has little impact. If you change the Ring of Thrór's cost to or , you'd get a non-fighter cheap version, and an upgraded fighting expensive version.

If twilight is moderate, you will decide if making Sauron fight, or play many Orcs/Nazgul to assign at will. If twilight is abundant, BOTH!


- Nenya: Great for a new Rivendell pack ! I prefer Nenya wounding at regroup, due to 2 things:

1) The new maneuver skill is Decipher's Vilya, but more powerful as it costs a bit less.
2) The wounding skill can represent what she did to that poor Orkish Veteran who was trying to kill Gandy! She uses then Nenya only, later she picks the Phial. And the Veteran was doing what Jail does... so it has a really strong flavor.

I never liked Vilya's skill returning my conditions. Fairly overpowered. And one of the most annoying things in the LOTR TCG (you said long time ago, we must avoid NPE cards and combos). We can formulate the regroup skill in a different way:

"Regroup: Exert Galadriel twice and spot X Wise characters to wound X minions, or wound a minion (except Smaug) X times." Only once per turn (4 vitality doesn't allow more). That's all.


- The Arkenstone: I will answer this point later, I must leave now. But the graphical versions of both cards look very good!

[-Enola-]

- Nenya: The problem with the massive minion wounding in regroup is the Bolg Shadow. This Shadow will have big problems against such card, without any way to solve it. So I propose damage bonuses or massive wounding during maneuver or skirmish (easier to balance for every Shadow), or even another ability for condition discard:

Nenya's power is preservation, protection, and concealment from evil.

- Such a High Cost: The card seems ok now. I prefer a more weak but balanced card.

- Not at Home: The goal is to prevent the replacement of some companions after site 5. The first sites are used to set up the fellowship.

- cards: Ok, I add a cost for the ability of the Ring. If the Ring costs more than , the ability for Nazguls will be useless.
I put back Sauron at strength 15. But he is really strong, unbeatable, I think he doesn't have to be fierce, only damage +1. Otherwise, he will only be used as a very strong minion, not as a leader (in the shadow) of the Orcs and  the Nazguls.

- Alfird: The allies will probably not be assigned to skirmishes at site 5 (due to Forest River), but all Esgaroth allies can at site 6. Ok, the Men allies are not very strong. I can add on Alfrid:

[Dale] allies cannot be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled.

or

[Dale] allies cannot be wounded (except during skirmish phases).

[Durin's Heir]

- Nenya: My last proposal was "X wounds to a single minion, or wound X minions once" (and X will be from 1 to 4). I think Bolg's Army can survive that, and use the remaining minions to trigger Jail and counter Galadriel / Elrond / Gandy.

Damage bonuses... you know I have a soft spot about them ! I've been designing a Saruman's Staff for another Extension, that makes each Wise character damage +1 (as he was the Chief of them all, and directed -and even protagonized- the attack on Dol Guldur). Perhaps Nenya should give strength and damage by exerting Galadriel, or damage only but not by exerting (as it will interfere with her skirmish skill), but discarding FP cards from hand for instance...

Nenya's power is preservation, protection, and concealment from evil.

Hmmm, that's true according to the books. But in the film, she uses her Ring to annihilate that Orc ... Massive healing at regroup can show her preservation powers. There is a lot of options now...

This is my current idea about Saruman's Staff (though I prefer Nenya here, given PJ's nice work about the connection of the Elven rings and their bearers):

•Saruman's Staff, Chief's Device
Artifact • Staff
Strength +2  Vitality +1
Bearer must be Saruman.
Each Wise character is damage +1.
Fellowship: Exert Saruman twice to take a card into hand from your discard pile.
"'But Saruman has long studied the arts of the Enemy himself, and thus... we drove him from Dol Guldur.'"


- Such a High Cost: That's alright.

- Not at Home: I know that's the goal, but being unique makes somewhat easy to get rid of it (not only Ancestral Knowledge, but also Sting and Bifur). It's also cumulative, so if you could have 2 non-unique copies you'd force the FP player to direct his/her condition discard first against those 2, and then against other conditions like Hatred Rekindled. I'd prefer to include that change, but I like it as it is anyway.

- Danger Wrapped in Shadows: Great for "limit +3".

- The Ring of Thrór: Clever solution! That way the vitality bonus + cheaper Nazguls will be obligatory, while spending to get a fighting Sauron will be optional.

I think he must be fierce. BUT the assignment skill must work only "during this (assignment) phase" and not "until the regroup phase". That way, you can pay to make him skirmish only once at either the normal or the fierce skirmish (at your choice, like Uruk Trackers with Get Back!). Or afford to make him skirmish twice. 6 + 5 = 11, if both Sauron and his Ring are played from hand. If both are recovered from discard with Danger Wrapped..., +4 = 15 twilight! Seems fair in my opinion.

"Assignment: Remove to make the first sentence of Sauron's game text not apply during this phase."

And will give an use to the twilight generated by the FP player not only during maneuver and archery, but during skirmishes too (The Eagles Are Coming, Thráin's skill, event pumps...). The non-fierce skirmishes can give you some unexpected twilight to make him fight a second time.

A last thing. He's like Smaug: "Strong, strong, strong!". But not unbeatable. Thorin can be str 13 dmg+2 with only 2 small followers and Orcrist, all which remain on the board and can be played by any deck. Not including Take Up Arms, Battle Fury (+4 for each!), Oakenshield, followers, Great Barricade, Galadriel or Lindir, Gathering of the 3 Rings, Burglar's Contract... Thorin can face him, the problem is that Sauron will then distract your main fighter from other threats. Or can assign Thorin directly to another minion.


- Alfrid: "The allies will probably not be assigned to skirmishes at site 5 (due to Forest River), but all Esgaroth allies can at site 6." That's right, though that requires exertions and Elves will still shoot arrows, and Watchful Orc (or Thrór's Map) can replace Forest River with Mirkwood / Old Forest Road. But that's alright, site 6 is a tough site and having a host of Men (or Lorien allies in FOTR block) helps a lot to double move from 4. Didn't notice that before, thanks for that hint!

On Alfrid, you might add an active a passive skill instead: Assignment: "Each [Dale] Man bearing a weapon may participate in skirmishes". That way a str 7 to 9 Bard (bearing an Iron Weapon or Black Arrow, or both), str 8 Esgaroth Volunteers, str 7 The Master, str 6 Baïn, or even str 6 Alfrid can fight anywhere (as long as you play those weapons on Man allies). Or you can use him to play a [Dale] card, but not both skills (as the maneuver skill will discard him before assignment Man allies can be asigned).

On the options you provide, none can help Esgaroth Volunteers to survive a dmg+1 minion (they must exert to vit 2 or 1 to fight). So skipping that exertion (like that assignment skill I propose), or making them much stronger (to allow them to not lose), or a skill like Armor / Belt of Erebor, or like Dwarven Bracers... those can help them survive really. I remember a Lake-town Armor card that prevented a wound time ago. But we must refer to Alfrid (or to a Man/Woman leader like Percy or Hilda Bianca), not to items. Until a new Extension set.


- I still owe you the revision of the Shadow Arkenstone. And Banner of Command. And the keyword for Azog's Army.


EDIT: The new skill proposed for Alfrid should be passive, instead of an Assignment special ability. Corrected it.

[-Enola-]

- The Ring of Thrór: Nice solution , ok for this (I think the card is understandable without "this phase")

"Assignment: Remove to make the first sentence of Sauron's game text not apply."

- Not at Home: I prefer a unique condition, because there are only 2 copies of this condition. So, the set up of this condition could be random. I prefer a stable effect on the later sites to avoid randomness.

- Alfrid: Ok for more participating [Dale] allies. There is another problem, most of these allies depend on Bard. If Bard dies due to Narzug (it happens sometimes), the [Dale] engine stops. So, I propose this:

 • Alfrid, Lickspittle : Cost (2). Ally. Man. Home 6. Strength 4. vitality 3. Each [Dale] Man bearing a weapon may participate in skirmishes. Response: If a [Dale] ally is about to take any number of wounds, discard Alfrid to prevent this.

- Nenya: My last proposal was "X wounds to a single minion, or wound X minions once" (and X will be from 1 to 4). I think Bolg's Army can survive that, and use the remaining minions to trigger Jail and counter Galadriel / Elrond / Gandy.

Regroup: Exert Galadriel twice and spot X Wise characters to wound X minions, or wound a minion (except Smaug) X times.

The problem with this proposition is the need of exerting Galadriel twice. I prefer an effect with only one exert: a double exert will make the use of Galadriel's skirmish ability difficult.

[Durin's Heir]

- The Ring of Thrór: Great!

- Not at Home: OK.

- Alfrid: I like it! That will keep the Dale culture working for a longer time, and AWINL can return him after being used. Perhaps the playing cost should be "To play, add a doubt" to be like Bofur's aid cost (who prevents wounds too), and also represent his scornful and obstructive attitude towards his fellow men.

The passive skill might be a little different, saying "Each other [Dale] Man bearing a weapon..." to represent his coward heart. Then he would stand at the background while other Men (bearing weapons) do the dirty work. And your response action can protect those fighting Men. But each time he does so and returns, you'll have to pay and a doubt. Just for flavor .

But I really like your version, it has my total approval.

[-Enola-]

Perfect, I made the modifications on the Ring of Thrór and Alfrid.

I also included the new Nenya. It's more a card able to use Balin (his ability is not often used) and the other events of the pack. With this indirect way, I think Galadriel can counter Jail (with Gathering of the Three Rings, Former Herald, Take up arms....).

[Durin's Heir]

- Nenya: Great! I like the new Nenya. With Balin, it will aim to kill by winning skirmishes with Take Up Arms, Gathering of the 3 Rings and Former Herald. Or by direct wounding with Dawn Take You All (Galadriel and Erlond can heal Gandalf's 2 exertions, and Nenya will heal Galadriel). Really good!

If winning skirmishes happens to not be enough during playtests, a damage bonus mechanism might be added to Wise characters. But the combined force of Gathering of the 3 Rings and Galadriel's skirmish skill will let many towering minions at the reach of the Dwarven hands to finish the job. Dwalin, Thorin, Glóin and Fili (and Bombur) will provide damage bonuses.


- Alfrid: Nice! There are 2 small writing errors on the new version: the first skill "Each other [Dale] Man..." misses the dot "." at the end. And the second skill says "to prevent this", while should be "to prevent that". Otherwise, magnificent!


- Orkish Bow: The mention of a damage bonus to counter Jail, and the mention of Bolg's Army also, force me to think about Orkish Bow's anti-damage text. I still believe it's overpowered. Trapped and Alone cancels only 5 FOTR cards: Glamdring, Ranger's Sword, Blade of Gondor, Gimli's Battle Axe and Gwemegil. The other ways of adding damage remain: Gimli's instrinsic bonus, Lord of Moria, events (Cleaving Blow, Flurry of Blows, Battle Fury), Dagger Strike, Voice of Rauros... all were unaffected by Trapped and Alone. Besides it it a condition, much easier to discard in both LOTR TCG and the Hobbit Draft Game than a Shadow possession.

If the Orc Army bears the Orkish Bow, the only way to kill bearer (in order to free all FP damage bonuses) will be to directly wound it 3 times (Orcrist can contribute with 1 only), and win a skirmish against it. If also bears a mount (Azog's Amry has mounts on the same Swarm pack 2), the number of direct wounds will raise to 4 or 5!

So in my opinion the Orkish Bow should either have a different skill, or cancel only the damage bonus from cards borne (that means Orcrist, Dwarven Axe at a mountain, and Bombur). An optional skill like this might work: "Response: If an Orc at a battleground is about to take a wound, remove to prevent it."

[-Enola-]

Alfrid: Thank you for this . I change it.

Nenya: I will probably change it for a fellowship ability rather than a maneuver ability. I will also add a cost "exert Galaidriel and add " but no more times limit. The maneuver ability is really strong (you see what you need), maybe too much ?

Orkish Bow: Ok we can change it, but and at a battleground are too huge conditions for this ability. These [Gundabad] Orcs use a lot of twilight tokens, moreover Goblin Footman must be really useful in this Shadow too. We need something different:

Each time bearer takes a wound, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion or discard a card from hand.

Or even a condition instead of a possession:

Orkish Bloodlust : Cost (1). Gundabad. Condition. +1 health.
Bearer must be a [Gundabad] Orc.
Bearer is strength +2 for each wound on him.
Skirmish: Remove to play a  [Gundabad] condition from your discard pile.


Most of the companions have damage bonuses and Orcrist with his ability gives 2 more wounds (Orcrist is a big problem for this Shadow).

[-Enola-]

Travellers Pack

Dwarven Cloak
Possession • Cloak
Bearer must be a companion or Bilbo.
The twilight cost of each event is -1.
Response: If bearer is about to exert, discard 2 cards from hand to place no token for that exertion.
"He hung his hooded cloak on the nearest peg..."


Dwarven Shovel
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a companion.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Fellowship: Exert bearer to place 2 Free Peoples cards from your discard pile beneath your draw deck.
"'We're making a long-term deposit!'"


Dwarven Thirst
Event • Fellowship
Discard X cards from hand to heal X companions.
"'Ale on the count of three! One... Two... Up!'"


Never Forgave, Never Forgot
Event • Skirmish
Make a character strength +2 and damage +1. You may attach a follower from your support area to a companion (without paying its aid cost).
"'The fire was red, it flaming spread; the trees like torches blazed with light.'"


A Chance Meeting
Event • Fellowship
Exert Gandalf and Thorin to reveal the top 10 cards of your draw deck. Take up to 2 cards revealed into hand. Shuffle your draw deck.
"'The Dragon of Erebor is on my mind, and I do not think that he will be forgotten by the grandson of Thrór.'"


Also A Took
Event • Skirmish
Make Bilbo strength +3. If Bilbo wins this skirmish, you may take into hand a card from your discard pile.
"'It never ceases to amaze me. The courage of Hobbits.'"


•The Last Lights of Durin's Day [Smaug]
Condition • Support area
At the end of each turn, add a doubt and exert Thorin if the fellowship didn't move more than once.
Each time the fellowship moves more than once, you must wound each minion twice.
"'It is our one chance to find the hidden door.'"

Your proposition was too powerful, I think this one could be ok. It really changes the game.


The Prancing Pony
Site 1
At the start of your fellowship phase, you may add to take into hand a or event from your draw deck.

[Durin's Heir]

- Nenya: Interesting. Twilight at fellowship, to allow the Shadow players to reap it. And no limit... She can assemble an attack to Dol Guldur, by recovering more than 1x Former Herald. Great!

Yes, the previous version allowed to see exactly what you need. And each turn she and Elrond healing many/all exertions from Gandy and her... That probably falls into the same NPE category as Decipher's Vilya.


- Alfrid: I don't know if the card has enough room for that change. And Alfrid fought: he was faced by Ogres in the film, but "discarded himself" to "prevent that". There isn't (YET!) a card like Dunlending Warrior to assing allies at the Shadow player's will, so only the FP player will assign Alfrid to skirmishes, and that can only happen at site 6 or if Bilbo summons him with Skilled Negociator (but not by bearing a weapon). So it's not necessary.

If you want to change the doubt cost (maybe to protect from Corruption Shadows?), "exert a companion" seems better. That will pass wounds from Dale allies to your companions (albeit at a very good price: X wounds prevented to a Man = 1 companion exerted). AWINL will replay him, but that's risky as it's not a condition/ally in the support area. So he can come back soon, can come back late... or can never come back.

Each time bearer takes a wound, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion or discard a card from hand.

- Orkish Bow: That proposal is very interesting. Discarding cards can be considered a way of exerting your mind (not your body). Can be good for both gameplay and flavour. Seems good at first glance.

You proposed another skill, a Response to wounds with a cost of exerting bearer or discarding 2 cards. I like that even more, it has a stronger flavor in my opinion. Protects the Goblin Footman, who will be used very often and with so small vitality, wound protection will prolong his usefulness A LOT. Also, if borne by The Orc Army (or Bolg) it will bring the flavor of a real army (or a strong leader) backing up individual Orcs in the field, providing them some escape and preventing an easy death.


The condition is a copy of Seasoned Leader... Have you ever seen what can do a Desert Lord when bearing only 1 copy of such condition? Str 17 + 3 directed exertions! But the Orc Army will be str 19 if exhausted (can soak archery, or can exhaust at regroup and prevent a 2nd move), I think it's too much for a single card. Besides, it gives no job to the Goblin Footman.

[-Enola-]

Nenya: Yes, you're right.

Alfrid: Ok, I will not change him. I didn't want to see Alfrid skirmishing and another [Dale] ally, that way, Alfrid can discard himself (and cancel his skirmish) to prevent the wound of the other ally.

The first ability of Terrifying Legend was rarely used, so I proposed this:

• Terrifying Legend : Cost (2). [Smaug] Condition • Support area.
Each time a Free Peoples character is overwhelmed, you may discard a Free Peoples possession.
Assignment: Exert a minion twice to make a Man ally (except Bard) participate in skirmishes and assign this minion to skirmish that ally.

Orkish Bow: I think I will change for a different version of the previous one.

Orkish Bow : Cost . [Gundabad] Possession. Ranged Weapon. Strength +1.
Bearer must be a [Gundabad] Orc. Bearer is an archer.
While bearer is at a battleground or forest site, each Orc takes no more than 1 wound during each skirmish phase.

Maybe river rather than battleground?

The next 2 packs will probably be Elrond Pack (Lindir+Vilya+...) and a Balin Pack (with effects on Ori, Dwalin,...).