• The Daily Five • Wild men of the Dunland fells

[Pepin The Breve]

   Hi there. i usually don´t came to much to Chambers and don´t post anything here but i just saw this cards by chance and i may risk some comments:

   3 •Surrounded Moria 
Condition • Support Area
To play spot three goblins. At the start of the regroup phase, if no Goblin has lost a
skirmish at this site, you may discard this condition and each minion from play to wound
each unbound companion once (or twice if that companion is unwounded).
""Slash them! Beat them! Bite them! Gnash them!""

   You have to add the text: "discard this condition at the end of regroup phase". Otherwise you could play 3 orcs and the condition at one site, then when the freeps move again you just don´t play nothing and use this hability (since no orc would have loose a skirmish) to wound all unbounds, pretty evil if you ask me! Or you can just play some nasty minion that is unlike to lose the skirmish and the effect would be even worst.

   About the Goblin Blade i have to disagree with FM. Make a Moria weapon add twilight is just madness. Imagine the combo Scavengers + Armories + a weapon that add twilight per se!!! You could play the Balrog every turn, or Saruon, or Shelob + Sting of Shelob, or whatever you had at hand and want to play (or could get from discard). I think we have to take in consideration the culture characteristics, not only ake direct comparisons with other cards.

   At overall i think your cards are pretty much overpowered althogh some are pretty nice.

   Anyway that´s just my opinion and maybe that is the right place to let our imagination flows 

[Gate Troll]

Dude, thanks for reviewing!  Have a .

•Surrounded
Condition • Support Area
To play spot three goblins. At the start of the regroup phase, if no Goblin has lost a
skirmish at this site, you may discard this condition and each minion from play to wound
each unbound companion once (or twice if that companion is unwounded).
""Slash them! Beat them! Bite them! Gnash them!""

I added the bold to show that the condition is discarded. You also discard the minions as well.
It's unique so that keeps it from being too powerful.

0 Goblin Blade Moria
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Bearer must be a goblin. When you play this you may add 1.
Each time bearer wins a skirmish you may exert him and discard
this possession to wound a companion.
"...and the bent swords that they use."

I don't quite get your comments about this one. It only adds .
Thats hardly OP.I also don't understand what you said about the rest of the cards being OP.
In what way are they OP?

[Pepin The Breve]

    I think you can add almost infinite twilight if you combine some of your new cards with the older  cards. If this is not  suposed to happen than i think is not that broken.

    Well, let´s say that your opponent singles to 3 giving you 6 twilight. You can play some undergound site that cost 3 to make it to 9.. .
    and then...

- Play a Goblin Scout, adding 3. Now you have 11.
- Play Goblin Taskmaster. remove 6 add 2 so you have 7 pool left.
- Play Goblin Guards (if i understand he is some kind of "let me get the stonger companion"). Still 4 left
- Play the Magnificient One exerting two guys to make it to 4.

  Now you have 4 minions at site 3 (when most fellowships are far from being seted up), one of which is pretty nasty, making a bad day for the freeps 

  Notice that if you got pretty good draws you could play the whip also to make the great goblin even nastier 

   If your opponent start, move once, stops... you move once and stop you may have enough cycling to get this 4 cards at hand not depending on all that luck (assuming that you have 4 copies of each at the deck) or something near it and a freeps that cicles good.

   Maybe if your guys were site 4, like the other Moria people, the thing get more balanced.

   Anyway, my goal here is not just critisize other people ideas, i´m just trying to explain why i thought that some of your cards seems a little too powerfull to me. Maybe with some adjustments you can make them a little less powerfull but still competitive and giving possibilities to nasty combos. 

   I think some of your cards are pretty cool, like Goblin Swordsman and Goblin Bow.

  My overall sugestion is rise the site number of your guys to 4 and review the text of some cards like The Great Goblin, Magnificent One (Toil 1 maybe?)

[Thranduil]

•The Great Goblin, Magnificent One
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Damage +1. Fierce. Toil 2.
While the fellowship is in Region 1 the Great Goblin is strength +3.
While the fellowship is in Region 2 each Goblin is strength +1 and Fierce.
While the fellowship is in Region 3 each time you play a Goblin you may add .
Regroup: Discard two cards from hand and exert The Great Goblin twice to make
the move limit +1 and to make the fellowship move again.
""Who are these miserable persons?" said the Great Goblin."

The Great Goblin doesn't seem that magnificent to me (he's a bit ugly!), but never mind. Regardless of anything else, this guy has far too much text. I would cut either 2/3 of the region abilities or the regroup ability. I was also wondering why your Goblins were site number 3 not 4 (and Pepin: GT said when he first posted these cards that the symbol did not represent Moria in this case, but the Goblins of the Misty Mountains so Goblin Armories doesn't combo).

Goblin Swordsman
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 9
Vitality: 1
Site: 3
Fierce.
Each time you play a Hand Weapon on this minion you may add .
Regroup: If the Fellowship is at an Underground site you may remove to
make the move limit +1 and to make the Fellowship move again.
"…and armed goblins were standing round him carrying the axes and bent swords that they use."

Removing is too cheap. Remove , especially with the current twilight adding of these Goblins.

Goblin Scout
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 5
Vitality: 1
Site: 3
Lurker. When you play this minion, if you may add (or if you
are at a Mountain or Underground site you may add ).
"…and they chose their very quickest runners with the sharpest ears and eyes."

Goblin Runner is also overpowered and far too splashable and this guy is site 3! Compare Goblin Runner to Scurrying Goblin to see how much Decipher realised Goblin Runner was too good. This guy needs cultural enforcement, no lurker, and he'd be fine.

Goblin Bow
Possession • Ranged Weapon
When you play Goblin Bow, if the Fellowship is at a Underground site
you may add . Bearer must be a Goblin. Bearer is an Archer.
Goblin bows are crude, but deadly in large numbers

Okay, this seems fine. I was thinking it was a very cheap way of getting archer on minions (which is normally quite expensive), but because it's a possession I think it's fine.

Ambushed
Event • Assignment
Spot two Goblins to play a Goblin from your discard pile. That Goblin is strength +3.
"Out jumped the goblins, big goblins, great ugly-looking goblins, lots of goblins…"

"... until the regroup phase" - otherwise the bonus fizzles after the assignment. Nice card, actually.

Thranduil

[Gate Troll]

Depending on your site path this minion is either expensive or cheap.
He's damage +1, and potentially .

Goblin Soldier
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Damage +1. If you play this minion at an
Underground, Battleground or Mountain
site it is twilight cost -1. If you play this minion at a
Plains, River or Dwelling site it is twilight cost +1.
"...goblins in full armor with drawn swords sitting just inside the door..."

This guy is crazy swarming in action so  I tried to give him a lot of negative repercussions
to level things out. Remember, Limit X means limit X copies of this card in your draw deck.

Frenzied Goblin
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 1
Site: 3
Limit 3. To play, spot a Goblin.
Regroup: At the start of the Regroup phase you must remove every twilight
token from the twilight pool, heal a companion and remove this card from the game.
"...they were madly angry..."

Another Goblin weapon. So far, these possessions purposely never reference
the culture so that they can tie in with any other Goblins that may be made.

Goblin-made Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Goblin. Bearer is damage +1.
Regroup: Discard this possession to add .
"...axes...they make very well..."

Scavenged Spear is made to be reminiscent of Spear of the White Hand.
Strength and Vitality bonuses, and another way to add twilight.

Scavenged Spear
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Goblin. If bearer is killed you may add .
Goblins often scavenge the well-crafted weapons of men and elves

A goblin strength pump based on the song that the goblins sung as they carried Bilbo and the dwarves to the Great Goblin.

Goblin Chant
Event • Skirmish
Make a Goblin strength +2
(or strength +4 if you can spot an exhausted companion).
"Clap! Snap! the black crack! Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down down to Goblin-town You go my lad!"

Let's keep those reviews coming! 

[Thranduil]

Goblin Soldier
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Fierce. Damage +1. If you play this minion at an
Underground, Battleground or Mountain
site it is twilight cost -1. If you play this minion at a
Plains, River or Dwelling site it is twilight cost +1.
"...goblins in full armor with drawn swords sitting just inside the door..."

I consider fierce a disadvantage on this minion. I think I'd just leave it out.

Frenzied Goblin
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 1
Site: 3
Limit 3. Regroup: Remove every twilight token
from the twilight pool, heal a companion and remove this card from the game.
"...they were madly angry..."

Currently, it's worded as an optional ability, which is presumably not what you're going for. I would do 1 of 2 things: make it limit 1, to play spot a Goblin and remove the regroup ability; or take out the limit 3, make it spot 2 or 3 Goblins to play and have the simpler text "At the start of the regroup phase, remove this minion from the game." Interesting concept though.

Goblin-made Axe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Goblin. Bearer is damage +1.
Regroup: Discard this possession to add .
"...axes...they make very well..."

Yeah, it's alright.

Scavenged Spear
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +1
Vitality +1
Bearer must be a Goblin. If bearer is killed you may add .
Goblins often scavenge the well-crafted weapons of men and elves

Spear of the White Hand is good enough as it is, and are the best Shadow culture at vitality adders. This weapon should cost .

Goblin Song
Event • Shadow
Make a Goblin strength +2
(or strength +4 if you can spot and exhausted companion).
"Clap! Snap! the black crack! Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down down to Goblin-town You go my lad!"

Apart from the fact that I don't like the word "song" here (it's not like the music of Ainur, for example, or the songs of the Elves) and I think "chant" or something more derogatory fits much better, it seems like a fine card - if it was a skirmish and not a shadow event!

Thranduil

[Gate Troll]

Done.

[Gate Troll]

I've been absent from this thread for too long. Time to get cracking!     

Bolg is a costly devil but his Toil and strength and damage bonuses make him definitely worth it. 

•Bolg, of the North
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 9
Damage +1. Fierce. Toil 2. When you play Bolg
you may exert him to play a minion from your discard pile.
For each Goblin you can spot Bolg is strength +1.
"Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain!"

This minion has multiple purposes. It's a good way to redirect Durin III or Aragorn, Elessar Telcontar
as well as providing exertions to get out Bolg.

•Bodyguards of Bolg
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 11
Vitality: 4
Site: 9
To play, exert a Goblin (or spot Bolg).
Assignment: Exert this minion to assign it to the
companion with the highest strength. While you can spot
Bolg this minion is damage +1 and is not roaming.
"The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them…"

Another Goblin that keys off of cost reduction.

Goblin Assaulter
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 8
Vitality: 2
Site: 9
If you play this minion at site 4 or site 5
it is twilight cost -2 and strength +2.If you play
this minion at site 9 it is damage +1. If you
play this minion at any other site its twilight cost is +1.
"…and others were streaming down recklessly , heedless
of those that fell screaming from cliff and precipice…"

A basic strength pump that ties in with the Goblin/Mountain.

Ambushing Assault
Event • Skirmish
Make a Goblin strength +2
(or +4 if the current site is a Mountain)
"Goblins had scaled the Mountain from the other side…"

This possession costs making it a bit pricey but its built-in wound prevention make it worth the cost.

Steel Scimitar
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Goblin.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound
you may remove to prevent that wound.
"…goblins of huge size with scimitars of steel."


•EDIT•
600th post!
w00t!

[Thranduil]

•Bolg, of the North
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 9
Damage +1. Fierce. Toil 2. When you play Bolg you may exert
him to play a minion from your discard pile. For each Goblin
you can spot Bolg is strength +1 and damage +1.
"Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain!"

Site 9 minions is certainly interesting, but I'm not sure they're very good. That said, this guy is overpowered even with his site number because he gets ridiculous damage bonuses combined with fierce and his trigger ability is not culturally enforced. He should only play a minion and he should not be damage +1 for each Goblin - strength +1 is more than enough for him, and it might indeed be too good with his toil; he might be better at base strength 10.

•The Bodyguard of Bolg
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 11
Vitality: 5
Site: 9
To play, exert a Goblin (or spot Bolg).
Assignment: Exert this minion to assign it to the companion
with the highest strength. While you can spot Bolg this minion
is damage +1.and does not come into play roaming.
"The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them…"

You should be sure to not start another ability on the same line as a special ability. Five vitality is also far too much - 3 would be fine for his cost and ability.

Goblin Assaulter
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 8
Vitality: 2
Site: 9
If you play this minion at site 4 or site 5
it is twilight cost -2 and strength +2.If you play
this minion at site 9 it is damage +1. If you
play this minion at any other site its twilight cost is +1.
"…and others were streaming down recklessly , heedless
of those that fell screaming from cliff and precipice…"

I think this guy has too much text. I would remove the third ability because it seems unnecessary - the pros for playing it sites 4,5 and 9 mean that you don't need cons for playing him elsewhere. Ah, you also need to specify "any site 4" otherwise it only works on the Fellowship site path.

Ambushing Assault
Event • Skirmish
Make a Goblin strength +2
(or +4 if the current site is a Mountain)
"Goblins had scaled the Mountain from the other side…"

It's alright. Could be .

Steel Scimitar
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Goblin.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound
you may remove to prevent that wound.
"…goblins of huge size with scimitars of steel."

I don't think scimitars should be preventing wounds. Make it an armour and I'd be fine with it. (This card also needs type and sub-type, by the way!). For a Shadow possession, it could also cost not .

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

I've been absent from this thread for too long. Time to get cracking!     

Bolg is a costly devil but his Toil and strength and damage bonuses make him definitely worth it. 

•Bolg, of the North
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 9
Damage +1. Fierce. Toil 2. When you play Bolg you may exert
him to play a minion from your discard pile. For each Goblin
you can spot Bolg is strength +1 and damage +1.
"Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain!"
limit on the second ability please

•The Bodyguard of Bolg
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 11
Vitality: 5
Site: 9
To play, exert a Goblin (or spot Bolg).
Assignment: Exert this minion to assign it to the companion
with the highest strength. While you can spot Bolg this minion
is damage +1.and does not come into play roaming.
"The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them…"
fine...though some punctuation problems

Goblin Assaulter
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 8
Vitality: 2
Site: 9
If you play this minion at site 4 or site 5
it is twilight cost -2 and strength +2.If you play
this minion at site 9 it is damage +1. If you
play this minion at any other site its twilight cost is +1.
"…and others were streaming down recklessly , heedless
of those that fell screaming from cliff and precipice…"
would that be site 4-5 fellowship? or any site 4-5?and it is strength +2 until the regroup phase/end of  turn

Ambushing Assault
Event • Skirmish
Make a Goblin strength +2
(or +4 if the current site is a Mountain)
"Goblins had scaled the Mountain from the other side…"
fine.

Steel Scimitar
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Goblin.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound
you may remove to prevent that wound.
"…goblins of huge size with scimitars of steel."

cut cost to 1, Yeah I think some armor would be interesting, maybe steel armor and you could keep a strength +1 boost

[FM]

•Bolg, of the North
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 9
Damage +1. Fierce. Toil 2. When you play Bolg you may exert
him to play a minion from your discard pile. For each Goblin
you can spot Bolg is strength +1 and damage +1.
"Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain!"

This is... sick. This guy is a tank! I loved him! Gotta love a big, bad, nasty Goblin! Might want to tone down his damage bonuses, though, or cap it.

•The Bodyguard of Bolg
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 11
Vitality: 5
Site: 9
To play, exert a Goblin (or spot Bolg).
Assignment: Exert this minion to assign it to the companion
with the highest strength. While you can spot Bolg this minion
is damage +1.and does not come into play roaming.
"The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them…"

Needs a bit of rewording. Damage bonuses should be bolded, and the last bit should be simply "is not roaming". Other than that, I'd change his name to Bolg's Bodyguard, I just think it's cooler. I think, though, that he has HUGE vitality, and that may be too abusable. I think 3 vitality would be more than enough, at his cost and strength.

Goblin Assaulter
Minion • Goblin
Strength: 8
Vitality: 2
Site: 9
If you play this minion at site 4 or site 5
it is twilight cost -2 and strength +2.If you play
this minion at site 9 it is damage +1. If you
play this minion at any other site its twilight cost is +1.
"…and others were streaming down recklessly , heedless
of those that fell screaming from cliff and precipice…"

Weird. But I like weird cards. I love how "deceitful" he is, costing actually 4 most of the time.

Ambushing Assault
Event • Skirmish
Make a Goblin strength +2
(or +4 if the current site is a Mountain)
"Goblins had scaled the Mountain from the other side…"

I see no reason as to not make it cost 0, most strength pumps that wok like this don't require twilight. Unless you want to toss in a damage bonus and reduce the second part to +3.

Steel Scimitar
Possession • Hand Weapon
Strength +2
Bearer must be a Goblin.
Response: If bearer is about to take a wound
you may remove to prevent that wound.
"…goblins of huge size with scimitars of steel."

I don't know, I just think it's not that spectacular, having to remove twilight. I think you could cost it at 1 or even 0 without too many problems, or you could use Broad-Bladed Sword's text instead and cost it at 1. But then it'd just be a copy of it... Oh, I know! Leave it at 2, but make bearer unable to be wounded by Free Peoples cards (so YOU can exert him or direct archery fire to him if you wnat to), perhaps even letting it heal the bearer when you play it!

[DáinIronfoot]

Agree with the others, though I think 4 vitality would be okay for the Bodyguard.

[Gate Troll]

I changed several things but I kept the Steel Scimitar the same as that is exactly what it is meant to do.
Swords can be used to block other swords you know. 

[Gate Troll]

Now we come to the end of the culture, at least for a while. Here we take a look at some trolls from The Hobbit.
The three Trolls are designed are designed to work together independent of any other minions. Lets take a look at William:

William is a very capable minion. He has a Her Ladyship-like ability and and a few other good abilities.
High strength is a trademark of trolls and William, or Bill, is no exception. 

•William, Troll Leader
Minion • Troll
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Site: 2
Damage +1.
Maneuver: Exert William and spot a companion.
That companion may not participate in skirmishes or archery fire until the next turn.
Skirmish: Exert William to make him strength +1 or damage +1.
Regroup: If the fellowship moves again you may exert William twice to add .
"William choked. "Shut yer mouth!" he said as soon as he could."

Bert is slightly weaker than William and has a healing capability as well as a safeguard against being overwhelmed. 

•Bert, Argumentative Troll
Minion • Troll
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 2
Damage +1.
Skirmish: Exert an unique troll to heal Bert or to add .
Unique trolls may not be overwhelmed unless their strength is tripled.
""Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey if it doesn't look like mutton
tomorrer" said one of the trolls."

Tom is rather interesting in that he actually heals enemies to gain bonuses, he's a little weaker than all the others but with a little more vitality than Bert. 

•Tom, Complaining Troll
Minion • Troll
Strength: 10
Vitality: 4
Site: 2
Damage +1.
Skirmish: Heal a companion X times to make Tom strength +X and damage +X.
If you can spot at least three unique trolls, skip the archery phase.
""Never a blinking bit of manflesh have we had for long enough," said the second one"

Troll Purse saves twilight, possibly broken but I'll let you, my good reviewers decide. 

Troll Purse
Possession • Support Area
Regroup: Exert a Troll and spot to play X tokens on this card.
Shadow: Remove X tokens from this card to add
"" 'Ere, 'oo are you?" it squeaked as it left the pocket..."

Troll Larder is a lovely strength adder for your Bill, Bert and Tom group and
though quite wordy is relatively simple in concept.

•Troll Larder
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a troll.
Response: Each time a free peoples artifact or possession is discarded you
may remove to stack it here. Each troll is strength +1 for each card
stacked here (limit 5). If there are more than 5 cards stacked here each troll is
damage +1 for each card here over 5. Each time a unique troll is killed you
must remove two cards stacked here and shuffle them into their owner's draw deck.
""Don't you realize that the trolls must have a cave or hole dug somewhere to hide from the sun in?""

[DáinIronfoot]

Not sure if the culture makes sense for these guys. No real connection there. Perhaps , or ?

•William, Troll Leader
Minion • Troll
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Site: 2
Damage +1.
Maneuver: Exert William and spot a companion.
That companion may not participate in skirmishes or archery fire until the next turn.
Skirmish: Exert William to make him strength +1 or damage +1.
Regroup: If the fellowship moves again you may exert William twice to add .
"William choked. "Shut yer mouth!" he said as soon as he could."

The maneuver ability is grossly overpowered since it can be used multiple times. Exert William twice, and then it's okay, I think. And since he's a Site 2 minion, I'd strongly consider raising his cost to .

•Bert, Argumentative Troll
Minion • Troll
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 2
Damage +1.
Skirmish: Exert an unique troll to heal Bert or to add .
Unique trolls may not be overwhelmed unless their strength is tripled.
""Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey if it doesn't look like mutton
tomorrer" said one of the trolls."

I can't see the overwhelming thing ever making a difference. I'd probably drop that for something else. Perhaps a wound-prevention ability? I'd also drop the twilight adding, or have that part trigger only when a Troll wins a skirmish, since it's just sick otherwise. And again, would probably be better than with the low site number.

•Tom, Complaining Troll
Minion • Troll
Strength: 10
Vitality: 4
Site: 2
Damage +1.
Skirmish: Heal a companion X times to make Tom strength +X and damage +X.
If you can spot at least three unique trolls, skip the archery phase.
""Never a blinking bit of manflesh have we had for long enough," said the second one"

I think he'd be better without the initial damage +1 bonus. I like the general idea, but it's hard to judge the balance. cost might be good here, too.

Troll Purse
Possession • Support Area
Regroup: Exert a Troll and spot to play X tokens on this card.
Shadow: Remove X tokens from this card to add
"" 'Ere, 'oo are you?" it squeaked as it left the pocket..."

Hmmmm. I'd exert the Troll twice and REMOVE rather than just spot it. Then it becomes much more balanced, but still very interesting.

Oh, and I'd require the Shadow bit to spot a Troll.

•Troll Larder
Condition • Support Area
To play, spot a troll.
Response: Each time a free peoples artifact or possession is discarded you
may remove to stack it here. Each troll is strength +1 for each card
stacked here (limit 5). If there are more than 5 cards stacked here each troll is
damage +1 for each card here over 5. Each time a unique troll is killed you
must remove two cards stacked here and shuffle them into their owner's draw deck.
""Don't you realize that the trolls must have a cave or hole dug somewhere to hide from the sun in?""

Instead of spotting a Troll to play, I'd spot the Troll as part of the stacking trigger. Makes it a little less splashable with other possession/artifact-discarding races and cultures. This one is also difficult to gauge the balance on, but I THINK it's at least on the right track with that final drawback. Not that Trolls are easy to outright kill, of course....