LOTR Part 4: The Ring Goes South

 

LOTR Part 4: The Ring Goes South (easy mode)
The Road Darkens cards have been added to the card pool. With the party arriving at Rivendell, the Campaign allows for me to change up my party without receiving the permanent threat penalty. I like to use at least one hero included with the new expansion, and in this case that means I am playing with Gandalf (he is the only hero in The Road Darkens)! Gandalf is a very powerful hero, but this comes with a threat cost of a whopping 14. It may have been wiser to pair Gandalf with two hobbits, who have lower threat costs, but I know the team I build needs to take on a Balrog eventually, so I want a warrior and access to the Tactics sphere. Thematically, the three best choices are Gimli (threat of 11), Legolas (threat of 9), and Boromir (threat of 11). I chose Gimli because he is a heavier hitter, but also because I want to give him a shot at Durin’s Bane. For my last hero, I wanted a low threat option. Thematically, that leaves Merry and Pippin. I didn’t want Merry (otherwise I would only have the Tactics sphere), so Pippin stayed in the party! Hopefully he proves more useful in Moria than he does in the books… I also want to stress a large negative aspect to using Gandalf. First off, I can’t use Gandalf ally cards, which have been super helpful so far. Also, per campaign rules, if a hero dies, they cannot be used for future quests in the campaign, in either hero or ally form. This could be a huge problem because if Gandalf dies as a hero, I will no longer have access to my Gandalf ally cards, which are some of the most powerful cards in the game. Let’s hope Gandalf does better in Moria this time… or I can at least pray that there is a mechanism in campaign mode to have him return as Gandalf the White.
Heroes:			Campaign Pool:
Current:    Gandalf    Gimli    Pippin    Frodo Baggins (TBR) Previously Used in Campaign:    Aragorn    Sam Gamgee			Boons:    + Anduril    + Glamdring    + Mithril Shirt    + Sting    Gildor Inglorion    Noble Hero (Frodo Baggins) Burdens:    Gandalf’s Delay
Deck
Allies (21):		Attachments (19):			Events (10):
x2 Barliman Butterbur x3 Elrond x2 Erebor Hammersmith x1 Henamarth Riversong x1 Master of the Forge x3 Wandering Ent x1 Beorn x2 Boromir x2 Farmer Maggot x2 Gondorian Spearman x2 Vassal of the Windlord		x2 Fast Hitch x2 Protector of Lorien x2 Self Preservation x2 Citadel Plate x1 Dagger of Westernesse x2 Dwarven Axe x1 Horn of Gondor x2 Gandalf’s Staff x2 Wizard Pipe x3 Fellowship of the Ring			x1 Risk Some Light x2 Halfling Determination x1 Quick Strike x3 Flame of Anor x3 Frodo’s Intuition
Legend
Allies	Allies put into play during the Planning Phase this turn			Activity log. ED: Encounter Deck EE: Enemy from ED EL: Location from ED ET: Treachery from ED EO: Objective from ED SA: staging area >>: engages #: Event card played PA: Player A +: enters play -: exits play ===: Quest Card completed QC: Quest Card //: defeats
Attachments	Attachments put into play during the Planning Phase this turn
Threat	Staging Area threat / player threat at beginning of round
Engaged Enemies	Engaged enemies at the beginning of turn (damage tokens on enemy)
Location Log	Location at beginning of turn >> location traveled to this turn during Travel Phase
Setup
Allies	--			Boon: Sting added to hand. Boon: Mithril Shirt, Glamdring, and Anduril shuffled into PA’s deck.
Attachments	--
Threat
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log
Turn 1
Allies	+ Wandering Ent			+++QC 1 Completed+++ EE: Howling Warg EE: Howling Warg PA >> Howling Warg PA // Howling Warg
Attachments	+ Gandalf’s Staff (Gandalf) + Sting (Frodo) + Fast Hitch (Frodo) + Dwarven Axe (Gimli)
Threat	0 / 31
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	>> Redhorn Pass
Turn 2
Allies	+ Wandering Ent			EL: Hills of Hollin PA >> Howling Warg PA // Howling Warg
Attachments	+ Mithril Shirt (Frodo)
Threat	2 / 32
Engaged Enemies	Howling Warg
Location Log	Redhorn Pass >> Hills of Hollin
Turn 3
Allies	+ Boromir			ET: Regiments of Crows +++QC 2 Complete+++ SA: + Great Warg Chief Great Warg Chief >> PA Howling Warg put into play, >> PA PA // Great Warg Chief
Attachments	--
Threat	0 / 33
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	Hills of Hollin >>
Turn 4
Allies	+ Wandering Ent			EE: Howling Warg PA // Howling Warg
Attachments	--
Threat	0 / 38
Engaged Enemies	Howling Warg
Location Log
Turn 5
Allies	--			EL: Redhorn Foothills # Frodo’s Intuition +++QC 3 Complete+++ SA: + Watcher in the Water Frodo captured by Watcher in the Water Howling Warg >> PA Frodo returns to PA # Flame of Anor PA // Howling Warg
Attachments	--
Threat	2 / 39
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	>> Doors of Durin, Redhorn Foothills
Turn 6
Allies	+ Barliman Butterbur + Henmarth Riversong			EE: Hound of Sauron EL: Redhorn Foothills - Fellowship of the Ring Watcher in the Water // Barliman Butterbur PA // Hound of Sauron
Attachments	+ Fellowship of the Ring (Frodo)
Threat	5 / 40
Engaged Enemies	Watcher in the Water
Location Log	Doors of Durin, Redhorn Foothills >> Doors of Durin, Redhorn Foothills
Turn 7
Allies	+ Beorn + Erebor Hammersmith			ET: Storm of Howls EE: Great Warg Chief Frodo uses the Ring to re-draw EL: Redhorn Foothills # Halfling Determination Doors of Durin explored +++QC 4 Complete+++
Attachments	+ Wizard’s Pipe (Gandalf)
Threat	5 / 41
Engaged Enemies	Watcher in the Water
Location Log	Doors of Durin, Redhorn Foothills >>
===Victory=== Score: 116

Reflection:

What a game! I received so many attachment Boons in Rivendell right at the start, and this only amplified my attachment-heavy deck. My characters were ready to rock and roll right out of the gate; I never felt overwhelmed in this scenario, but each turn felt action-packed and a lot of fun.

And can we talk about Frodo? He had so many attachments! The One Ring, Noble Hero, Fast Hitch, Sting, and Mithril Shirt. The dude had a willpower of 4, a defense of 3, and could ready once per round. Additionally, with Sting's ability if I used him to defend (I did twice, I believe) I could deal automatic damage based on the threat of a random Encounter Deck draw. 

I am also very pleased with Gandalf as a hero. With his all 3 stats, he was used as he was needed for questing, attacking, or defending. His staff consistently helped the team, and Flame of Anor is EXCELLENT in a pinch, as it readies Gandalf and gives him an attack stat boost. I did not notice the absence of his ally card this game.

Most Valuable Cards (MVCs)

MVC #1: Wandering Ent (Celebrimbor's Secret). All 3 copies showed up, and with their impressive all-2 stats I was equipped for all kinds of challenges. I have noticed these guys consistently are used in games, and I think this is due to (a) my affinity toward the Lore sphere and (b) the fact that they are such a good deal; they are cheap allies with high stats. Their only downside is that they must enter play exhausted, so cannot be used the round they start (without some other card effect). Wandering Ent is from one of the adventure packs I purchased, Celebrimbor's Secret, which I purchased for the sole reason of getting Galadriel as a hero (who I have yet to play with). What luck!

MVC #2: Gandalf’s Staff (The Road Darkens). So powerful! I could have used this for card draw or canceling shadow cards, but I found myself using it heavily for resource generation instead to get good cards into play quickly. This paired very nicely with my attachments.

MVC #3: Halfling Determination (The Black Riders). An event that costs one Tactics resource and gives +2 to all stats for hobbit heroes! This has so many applications, but in the end I used it to get +4 willpower to explore the Door of Durin a turn early, saving me from an additional attack from the Watcher in the Water, having to travel to Redhorn Foothills AGAIN, and taking any other shit the Encounter Deck had to offer. I like to have at least a few willpower boosters in my deck for just such occasions (Frodo's Intuition is another great one, but only can be used in the Saga Expansions).

Looking Forward

I am also feeling good about my team for Moria next time. Gimli is heavy hitter. This game, he got his Dwarven Axe early and took two damage, giving him 6 attack power for most of the game. If I were to have drawn the Citadel Plate, this could have easily gone higher. Not to mention all the other bonus attachments I received in Rivendell! You never know what cards will be in your hand, but I feel like there is a good chance I'll have a high attacking team by the end of the next scenario.