* LotR TCG * The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 03-08-2003, 05:53 PM

Have any of you played the Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game by Decipher? Sharkû and I have been playing it for a while, and we’ve decided that it would be great if we could see if there are other Downs members who play or if we could get some new people interested. I thought I would start with a basic description of the game and then see if anyone has questions or comments.

What is The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game?
LotR:TCG is a card game based on the Peter Jackson films of the Lord of the Rings. The beautifully made cards show images from the films, and play is designed so that games often follow along closely with the story line of the movies. Two or more players, each with decks divided evenly with Free Peoples and Shadow cards, try to move their Frodo card successfully along an Adventure Path or to prevent the other play from doing so. Because each deck must have the same amount of Free Peoples and Shadow cards in it, the game is very balanced and immensely fun to play.

Types of Cards
Like any card game, you must have a deck of cards. In the case of LotR:TCG, you will have several different kinds of cards in your deck. These include Frodo and the One Ring plus companions, allies and minions, events, conditions, possessions and artifacts, and sites.

Companions (Free Peoples)
Samwise, Gandalf, and Aragorn are oft-seen companion cards, but other characters such as Eomer, Faramir, and Haldir are also companions. These cards are played to protect Frodo and each other from the attacks of the opposing player’s minions. They remain on the table until killed.

Allies (Free Peoples)
Elrond, Galadriel, and Treebeard are ally cards. They are played to assist the companions with healing, protecting, and other skills. They remain on the table until killed.

Minions (Shadow)
The Witch King, Saruman, and the Balrog are minion cards. There are many minions, few as powerful as these three, but all used to attack the opposing player’s companions and allies. They remain on the table until killed or the end of the turn.

Events (Free Peoples and Shadow)
These cards do many things, but some events cards increase (or decrease) the fighting capabilities of companions, allow hobbits to sneak away from skirmishes (explained later), or cause the other player to discard cards from their hand. They are discarded immediately after they are played.

Conditions (Free Peoples and Shadow)
These cards change the environment of the game. They do such things as limit what cards the opposing player can use or increase a player’s capabilities if certain other cards are on the table. Conditions usually remain in play until the end of a turn or the entire game.

Possessions and Artifacts (Free Peoples and Shadow)
Sting, Shadowfax, and Narya are examples of possessions and artifacts. They increase the capabilities of the companion or ally cards they are played on or give them special abilities. They remain with the companion or ally they are played on until that card is killed. Minions can also have possessions (The Balrog's whip and sword are two examples).

Sites
Site cards are special because they are not shuffled into your deck. Instead, each player has nine site cards set aside and, depending on who is ahead in the game, the sites are laid out one at a time in an order that roughly follows the movies. This is the Adventure Path that players must move their Frodo card down in order to win the game.

Summary
As you can see, there are many different kinds of cards and endless possibilities of combinations. In the next section of this article, I will describe the different cultures of cards that exist in Lotr:TCG. Until then, here’s the page where you can see all of the cards in the game:
Card Lists.

Please feel free to ask any questions or post any comments here on this thread. Our goal it to familiarize more people with the game and maybe get a few more to join us!

[ March 09, 2003: Message edited by: The Barrow-Wight ]

VanimaEdhel · 03-09-2003, 05:19 PM

Aren't some of those cards the ones that come with the Special Edition DVD Gift Set? Because the layout of the Gollum Free Card they showed reminded me a lot of the layout of the Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn cards that I received with the Gift Set...

It's not a really big question, I know, but I was curious...

Phrim · 03-09-2003, 07:30 PM

Actually, I play quite extensively, and at a competitive level. I'm also involved in the playtesting process for Decipher, the game's producer. Incidentally, if anyone's hitting any of the big gaming conventions this year (Origins, GenCon, Dragon*Con), look me up.

Vanima: The cards found in the LOTR 5-DVD Set are indeed from the same game. They're probably worth $10-$15 by themselves...

Rumil · 03-10-2003, 04:42 PM

Dear Barrow Wight, not directly about cards, but... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

There are plenty of (old and new) Middle Earth related games ie. cards, computer games, boardgames, computer RPGs, traditional RPGs, miniature wargaming etc.

Where in the forums would you recommend that people post on these subjects? I've seen posts here and in Newbies and Mayhem. Would you like to see people posting about games, and do you think there's enough interest for a new 'games' forum?

Discuss...... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 03-10-2003, 06:06 PM

Rumil, in answer to your question, LotR:TCG will be our test topic for a possible games forum. We want to see how this goes before we start a whole new section.

Thanks

**The Saucepan Man** · 03-10-2003, 07:47 PM

I would be very interested in a Games Forum, since I own (and enjoy playing) a variety of LotR board-games (both old and new). I posted about some of them here, but the thread got buried pretty quickly.

The Trading Card game sounds interesting. I presume that it is similar to other Trading Card games, such as Magic: The Gathering. I have never actually played any of these, but they sound fun.

Is there any scope for setting up and playing games on-line, with players communicating their moves through PMs? I would certainly be interested in getting involved in something like that.

Rumil · 03-11-2003, 08:29 PM

Ah, no wonder I came out as the Barrow Wight when I took the 'who do you most resemble' test [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I'd be keen to see a new Games forum, trading cards aren't my thing really, but I'd like to post on wargaming and perhaps the old Iron Crown Enterprises MERP roleplaying game. The LoTR Risk sounds fun, I vaguely remember playing drinking games with conventional risk, (drink a finger for every country you capture - its a great leveller, perhaps we should inform Lush?)

By the way, does anyone remember the old computer games Shadowfax on the BBC micro and The Hobbit on the spectrum? Ah, happy days!

InklingElf · 03-12-2003, 12:59 PM

I'm a bit of a gamer myself [in board games, video games etc.] I've been searching alot for LotR trading cards-I've seen some in BORDERS, but they were a bit expensive. I am very much interested in playing it soon [right after major tests!]-and start a new collection too.

BTW: as Rumil has said, I also hope a new Games Forum will be created. But for now this thread will suffice...

Phrim · 03-13-2003, 09:49 AM

Hi InklingElf,

Usually LotR trading cards can be found more in specialty gaming shops rather than more mass-market stores. Decipher maintains a rather extensive list of stores that sell their products, which can be found here. The suggested retail price for a pack of 11 cards is $3.29, though sometimes you can find them for a bit less than that.

Hope that helps!

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 03-13-2003, 01:02 PM

The cards can be bought retail for what Phrim said, but if you are willing to drop some money down to get a good collection started, you can often buy boxes on e-bay for as low as $1.50 to $2.00 per pack. I bought a 36-pack Fellowship of the Ring (the first set of cards in the game - there are now five), that's 396 cards including 108 rares and and average of 6 foils) for only $60 including shipping. This was a great deal and the best I've got so far.

A games forum is definitely a possiblity, but I'm just not sure it would generate enough interest to justify its existence. I, too, like the board games and even have the old SSI War of Middle-earth Game sitting in my closet (along with the Knieza LotR game). For now, I still want to get something going for the card game before expanding.

Playing over the internet actually works quite well. Sharku and I have played several games using mIRC as our communication media. It involves a lot of trust, though, and I'm still suspicious of the Old Man's 100% success rate against me [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] A game played in real life takes 45-60 mins maximum (normally), and doing it online takes about twice that. (It takes Sharkey and I days to complete a game because we're never in much of a hurry and only do a turn at a time).

Decipher is developing an online version of the game, but it is only now about ready for beta testing and will be a while before it is available.

I'll post my cultures article soon.

Phrim · 03-13-2003, 02:03 PM

There's actually another option for playing online. A few people have modified the program "Apprentice" (used for playing Magic: the Gathering) for LotR:TCG; most people I know that play online often use that. You can find information about that here. It is somewhat hard-to-use, but most people agree that it's easier than keeping track of everything manually.

Oh, and in addition to eBay, there's a number of online merchants that sell LotR:TCG boxes at large discounts, if you're willing to buy in bulk. I personally use Potomac Distribution, which is very cheap, but the minimum order is $100.

InklingElf · 03-20-2003, 03:22 PM

Hello Phrim, and thanks for the links.

Barrow: how does mIRC work? I don't normally play online [as I am used to live hand-to-hand combat [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]].

I'll certainly check out the stocks on e-bay for the cards. If not-I'll check out Phrim's links.

Durelin · 03-22-2003, 07:21 PM

I play at home, I've never played competitively because I don't have a place to. Also, I don't think I'm ready for that. I have a ton of cards, some pretty good ones, but my skill level...let's just say it has much room for improvement. Anybody got two of Lurtz? I never got him, but I got his sword and "Lurtz's Battle Cry". Meh. Well, I have two Aragorn, Ranger of the North.

Um, does anyone get a lot of foils? I barely have any. Doesn't really matter, just wondering...

Also, I was wondering if anyone else has found it confusing that all the heroes have pretty bad stats? And what's with Gimli having the same strength as the elf? Gimli is a sturdy dwarf!? And Boromir, he has less health than Aragorn? What? Anybody else find that strange, or do they know why it's that way. Am I wrong in thinking this?????

Smeh. Too many question marks, eh? Well, thankyou Barrow Wight for starting this thread. I've always loved TCG's. Now I'm trying the RPG also by Decipher. Man, that is confusing. Too many rules and charts and codes and such. Anyways, you bought some of the new set yet? Battle of Helm's Deep?

You can get 'em for that cheap? And on ebay? Well, I think I'll just keep my local comic store going. I like my comic store. The people save posters and empty boxes and stuff for me. They're so nice! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ March 22, 2003: Message edited by: Durelin ]

Phrim · 03-23-2003, 04:46 PM

Just from my experience, while new players do tend to lose a lot at tournaments, it's often a very good place to meet people, trade, and learn how to build better decks. And usually the more experienced players already have way too many commons and uncommons, and will give new players cards they don't need from the prize support for free. Always a good way to start building up your collection. Some people will even give you specific commons and uncommons if you ask for them, and they happen to have them on them.

Also, League Nights are another great way to get yourself better acquainted with the game, and great fun besides.

Dain · 03-25-2003, 12:03 PM

I haven't seen the card game, but Decipher's new RPG is good (as I've been saying here and there--yes, a games forum would be excellent, and there are already a few threads in newbies that could be moved there).

I remember there being a card game out a while ago that I always wanted to get my hands on but never did. It was not film-related, I think, but it seemed to have a similar playing style, from what I read about it. I'm always interested to see how the rate all the characters--like the dwarves in the Hobbit--and I like that more than actually playing these card games, somehow...but that's just crazy ol' me!

InklingElf · 03-26-2003, 06:04 PM

Durelin: You're so blessed! I'm somewhat in the same spot as you are. My cousin's dad has a friend who owns a game warehouse, and every so often we would go down there to check out what's new and rare [he even gives us stuff for free sometimes!].

Come to think of it,I haven't ben there in ages, but I wouldn't think he would give us anything LotR for free [yet]. Bleh [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] Maybe a discount but I got to have the time! :stamps her foot in frustration:. Stupid tests!

Durelin · 04-20-2003, 07:27 PM

*bump* Well, now. This is a popular thread, now isn't it! I know you gamers are out there! You just can't find this thread...right?

InklingElf: I know I am! But you are more than I! I'm not blood related! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] But, I got a GREAT deal from the one guy at my comic store a few days ago. I got TWO Eowyn decks for $10! That's buy one get one free! He had them on sale for $7.99, but he gave me both for ten. Even though they're the same cards, come on! I had a tean dollar bill anyone! He didn't cost me tax either! It is soooo awesome! Yay! But, unfortunately, my best friend there left. He used to save me posters and empty boxes and he knew more about the stuff! It was sad, he got a better job! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Anyway, how do you few gamers like the new Battle of Helm's Deep set?

Oh, and could someone who is up to date on that online playing inform me on the status of the project? Thankyou! I am very much in need of someone to play with. That'll make it easy!

steve · 04-22-2003, 03:05 PM

I dont know much about the new card game, i have a aragorn starter deck and some packs, but i have something else that purplexes me, its a these deck from a LotR trading card game, there is no name for the game or anything, all i know is it game in a gold box with the eye of sauron on it, its absed around the nazgul and searching for the ring (they made up nazgul names) and all the artwork is by the artist who did the covers for book of last tales 1 and 2

InklingElf · 04-23-2003, 03:39 PM

:yawns: Oh my! I haven't been here in ages! I'm still clinging on to the thought of a gams forum though...

Durelin: =)I guess it was good of me to find a forum for LotR gamers =) Well, I haven't been to the stores lately, but I'll check that game out -- you see I've been studying and playing alot of Xenosaga lately -- and I haven't seen any cards or board games since... Don't worry I won't lose my touch -- I hope EA will come up with a Return of the King vid game -- and to tell you the truth, I found Two Towers kind of short. Now where did you place my cards at?

Durelin · 04-23-2003, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Now where did you place my cards at?

Huh? You talking to me?

About the TT video game, I thought that it was really quite boring. All you did was pump the 'x' button as fast as you could. Really old after a while. I think I'm going to look into that FOTR game because it's more of an adventure game. I'm not really that into video games, so I haven't played that one yet. Man. I think this games forum thing isn't going to 'become'. Sad. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

Ainaserkewen · 04-24-2003, 04:24 PM

I have friends who bug me because I like LOTR and one as a joke, bought me a deck of these cards. I don't know if I'd play(merr) but collecting would be fun. I've got Arogorn and Gandalf and Theoden among others.

Phrim · 04-29-2003, 09:05 AM

The Battle of Helm's Deep expansion was a mixed bag, in my opinion. Dwarves and Elves didn't really get too much from the expansion at all. As far as the Knights of Gondor go, I've yet to see a good deck based around those, but I suspect the Fortifications might be decent combined with a Help in Doubt and Need strategy. The Ent companions are particularly good, if only for the fact that they're more guys you can fetch with A Wizard Is Never Late. I really don't like any of the Rohan cards except Arrow-Slits (great for getting rid of Wargs, Mumaks, Hides, etc etc) and Thundering Host. The play-during-maneuver ability really doesn't impress me. As for Hobbit and Smeagol and stuff, I've seen decks that use it, but playing lots of Hobbits and Smeagol tends to have to move too slowly against large fierce minions like Nazgul.

As far as the new Shadow strategies go, I like the Dunland guys that the opponent can discard to get rid of them, but I'm not entirely sold, since there just aren't enough to make a whole strategy of them. Isengard gets Grima, Chief Counselor, who *really* punishes people for playing too many cultures, but from what I've seen, people aren't playing that many cultures anyway. As for Wargs, I haven't seen them in action yet, but a friend of mine swears by them. The Sauron Orcs are great, having trackers with 3 vitality is great for playing cards like Under the Watching Eye and exerting for Hate, and more ways to draw cards drastically helps your cardflow. As for Mumaks, they are a drastic improvement for the underpowered Raider culture, but they're just far too vulnerable to Arrow-Slits.

Anyone else have any opinions?

[ April 29, 2003: Message edited by: Phrim ]

manaratowen · 04-30-2003, 11:29 PM

ive really only collected the tcg's. but the more i get the more i want to ply. but i have no idea as to how to build a deck, except to use a starter or a deluxe set. but that seems kinda boring and i know you can build a costom playing deck. and a nother reason i dont play, is because i dont have anywhere close to me to play. i would have to drive an hour to play, and then id have to get a babysitter, and its a huge ordeal, so yea, an online game would be awesome. and from what i saw on deciphers online game site, its still in beta version. i cant wait until the "real" version comes out.

Phrim · 08-21-2003, 09:23 AM

In a perhaps futile attempt to get people talking about LotR TCG again, does anyone have opinions of the new Ents of Fangorn expansion? Here's some of my thoughts...

With only three Dwarven cards in the entire expanion, the Dwarves once again manage to get the short end of the stick. This is unfortunate, as Dwarves really haven't been a focus since the Mines of Moria expansion released over a year ago, but I guess inevitable as there just weren't many Dwarves in the most recent movie. Elves, on the other hand, do gain a signficant number of cards, including new versions of Elrond, Galadriel, and Arwen. The new Elrond is a replacement for the now-banned Lord of Rivendell version, though a lot more limited (but the healing aspect is nice). While most decks won't have enough Elf cards to use him too effectively (I still don't think Elves are worthy of an entire deck devoted to them), you can combine him with the new card Forewarned to make him more of a sure thing. The new Galadriel is a great tool for helping Elves (namely Arwen, the Elven culture's primary fighter) actually win skirmishes, something that has been difficult in the past. I'd certainly consider her in a deck that starts or focuses around winning skirmishes with Arwen, a strategy that has merit because of her effectiveness against the ever-popular Nazgul. However, on the whole, using Elrond and Galadriel is not as effective as it once was, because with the Horn of Boromir banned, these allies will likely never see battles themselves. The new Arwen, on the other hand, is mostly a disappointment, with the demise of Elven healing. With all the Nazgul that's currently being played, the Daughter of Elrond version is still the best choice.

The "Gandalf" culture gained a lot with this expansion, due to the fact that Ents are curiously included within it. The Ents gain some heavy hitters, with Treebeard, Quickbeam, and both the Host and Horde of Ents. With new Ent strength boosters like Ent Moot and Enraged, these mighty ents may never lose a skirmish, even against the powerful Nazgul. However, because most Ent strategies involve keeping Merry and Pippin alive, you need to keep a lot of companions on the table, making Ulaire Enquea especially effective against you, especially paired with Not Easily Destroyed. In addition, the Ents tend to cost a lot to play, so that shadow strategies that feed off of this will prosper. Also in the Gandalf culture is one of the most underrated cards of the set, the Mithrandir version of Gandalf. While he does have the nasty habit of inflicting wounds on himself all the time (maybe he should get counseling), his enormous base power combined with the wide variety of support cards available easily offset this. And it's really not that hard to heal him, either.

The new Smeagol and Gollum cards are, once again, too gimmicky for my taste. While the old version of Gollum may serve burden-decks well, I can't see anyone using the new cards. The new Gondor cards are not incredibly exciting either, with most of them dedicated to helping Faramir's groupies, the Rangers of Ithilien. While Ancient Roads is a much-needed alternate way of making minions roaming, these hardy men still couldn't win a fight versus a Nazgul if their lives depended on it. Also included is a new version of Aragorn, who is designed to work well with several non-Gondor cultures. His Rohan combo text works particularly well, if you can spare a mount for the ranger, no easy task since horses are often better played on your Rohan companions. It does have merit in a Help in Doubt and Need deck, however.

Rohan, already one of the strong cultures before the release of this set (a Rohan deck won the World Championships recently, in fact), gains a few key improvements in the expansion. Hrethrel is a great new companion: as long as you can exert his foes with a mount, he essentially has a base power of 9. This is more than the popular standby, the Elite Rider, who is usually a strength of 8 when mounted. However, the Elite Rider does maintain one advantage in that Hrethrel cannot be started with Eomer because of spotting requirements. Another quality companion in this set is Hama, who is especially effective against Rohan's nemesis, the Dunlendings. While he may not win many skirmishes, the doorward can easily disarm a Dunlending bearing a War Club, allowing you to keep your valued spears and mounts on your fighting companions. We Left None Alive is another great Rohan strength booster, giving you up to a +6 bonus against those problematic 1-vitality minions (like many Dunlendings) or against a fierce minion who has already taken a few hits. The set also features a new version of Eomer, but for the most part he is overcosted: rarely will you have large quantities of cards in your hand that you want to discard for a one-time boost. Best off sticking with the Third Marshall version, whose text, while it may not boost other companions, is free to use.

The Shire culture boasts a new Merry and Pippin, both of whom are designed for and work very well with Ents. In addition, Long Slow Wrath can work wonders in keeping the underpowered Hobbits alive, a must for many Ent decks. However, most of the other Shire cards are too gimmicky to see much use. Don't even get me started on Held.

Well, that about sums up my thoughts on Free Peoples cards. I'll probably write a post about the new Shadow cards in a bit. Anyone have any comments?

[ August 21, 2003: Message edited by: Phrim ]

peonydeepdelver · 08-23-2003, 11:02 AM

I've been wanting to get trading cards, but more just to have than to play with. But I may play if it's easy to learn. Can anyone tell me how much they cost (about) and where to get 'em? I was thinking of checking the places where my brother gets his Yu-Gi-Oh cards...

Durelin · 08-25-2003, 06:15 AM

The Yu-gi-oh card place is where you can probably get them. No garuntees, but most comic stores or gaming stores sell them.

Prices:

Starter Decks - $10.99
Booster Packs - $3.29

Those are the usual prices. At my local comic store, I can get them for $9.99 and $2.99, so it all depends. The prices above are the retail value Decipher gives them, I believe, so don't pay more than that!

If you're going to do serious collecting, there is the FOTR Anthology set, which comes with 18 cards in Tengwar. Plus a Draft Pack and three of each set booster packs, and a starter pack. I got two draft packs instead of one, but my One RIng has a white dot on it. So...

Anyways, did that help?

peonydeepdelver · 08-25-2003, 11:27 AM

Oh, thankee very much Durelin! I'll have to go check it out. My brother's friend slept over and left a pack of them here by accident. Heheh.

Durelin · 09-15-2003, 12:02 PM

That was totally uncalled for, Iarwain.

And you're welcome, peony. How's the pack the kid left? [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

Iarwain · 09-19-2003, 04:33 PM

My appologies. As you can see, it's gone. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Durelin · 09-27-2003, 01:53 PM

No prob.

You really didn't have to delete it.

Anyways, I have been slacking off, and am not up to date on the TCG. Can anyone tell me when I should expect the ROTK expansion to take my money?

Phrim · 09-27-2003, 03:38 PM

The Return of the King expansion releases on November 5th, here's the press release from Decipher, Inc.:

Quote:

NEWS RELEASE
DECIPHER TRADING CARD GAME STUDIO

GET AN ADVANCE LOOK INTO THE WORLD OF MIDDLE-EARTH ON NOVEMBER 5TH WHEN THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ TRADING CARD GAME BEGINS A NEW CHAPTER WITH THE RETURN OF THE KING™ NEWEST BASE SET TO HIT STORES WORLDWIDE WEEKS BEFORE THE STUNNING FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE EPIC THE LORD OF THE RINGS FILM TRILOGY UNFOLDS ON DECEMBER 17TH

(Norfolk, VA – September 16, 2003) – It all began with The Fellowship of the Ring™ as Frodo Baggins and his Hobbit friends embarked on a journey unlike anything they could have ever imagined. The journey then continued with The Two Towers™ as the Fellowship of Nine disbanded in various forms, each encountering adventures that would bring them closer to the evil lurking within Middle-earth. Now, J.R.R. Tolkien fans around the world anxiously await New Line Cinema's theatrical release of The Return of the King™, the final chapter that is sure to be the most highly anticipated film of Peter Jackson's epic dramatic trilogy.

Decipher is proud to bring this electrifying chapter of the trilogy to life with the latest base set for The Lord of the Rings™ Trading Card Game: The Return of the King™. Available worldwide on November 5th, The Return of the King will tell the tale of Aragorn – revealed as the hidden heir to the Kings of the West – as he joins with the forces of Gondor to take down the armies of Sauron, while Frodo races to destroy the One Ring at Mount Doom. With breathtaking new images from the film featured on 365 new cards for new characters, sites, and themes, this set is sure to be a must-have for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, Peter Jackson's trilogy, and TCG players alike.

The Return of the King also introduces exciting, new gameplay mechanics that represent the increasing threat of the shadow of Sauron. "Threats" are a new mechanic that presents players with an activated effect using wounds that threaten every Fellowship companion when just one dies. "Initiative" is an innovative new mechanic that activates powerful cards that key off of the cards a player has in hand. This will discourage the Fellowship player from playing every card possible to survive and will also add new discarding strategies for the Shadow player in order to win initiative.

"The Lord of the Rings trilogy has given us an opportunity to take an exceptional storyline and bring it to life in a format that can convey all of the dramatic twists and turns that are inherent to the plot," said Decipher Senior Game Designer Tom Lischke. "Although The Return of the King is the final chapter in the film trilogy, this base set is the beginning of yet another enlivening block for the trading card game — which introduces even more new characters and mechanics. And, unlike the film, it won't end here. We have plans for new expansions for The Lord of the Rings TCG for years to come."

Players will be able to participate in release day events on November 5th. Retail locations worldwide will participate in these tournaments where prizes will be awarded to the top finishers. In addition, a special Release Day card will be presented to all competitors.

This 365-card base set contains: 121 rare cards; 121 uncommon cards; 121 common cards; and two starter-only premium cards.

The Return of the King will be available in the following product configurations:

63-card Starter Decks: Starter decks will be available in two versions, Éomer and Aragorn. Each deck has three random rare cards, 2 premium cards, and a rulebook. MSRP: US $10.99
Booster Packs: 11-card packs will include 1 rare plus a mixture of common and uncommon cards. Foil cards will be found in approximately one out of six booster packs. MSRP: US $3.29
As with previous The Lord of the Rings TCG cards, all cards in The Return of the King will receive a foil treatment in a parallel set.

The Lord of the Rings™ TCG: The Return of the King set continues the mission introduced with The Fellowship of the Ring, which introduced the top award-winning trading card game of 2001 and 2002. Players try to win the game by advancing their Ring-bearer to the end of the adventure path; killing the opponent's Ring-bearer; or corrupting the opponent's Ring-bearer.

Just in time for New Line Cinema's December 17, 2003 theatrical release of the third and final installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, look for the new base set of The Lord of the Rings TCG in November when The Return of the King releases in stores worldwide!

A number of articles and other information about Return of the King can be found on Decipher's website, at:

http://www.decipher.com/indexes/index-lotrking.html

Durelin · 09-28-2003, 11:13 AM

Thanks Phrim!

Good, I'll be able to scrape up some money by then...hopefully. Though there's also the clix coming out...

EDIT: Scratch that. The clix look really...well...stupid. (I tried to think of a more intelligent term, but...)

[ October 07, 2003: Message edited by: Durelin ]

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 12-06-2003, 11:17 AM

Is anyone playing the online beta of LotR:TCG. If so, it might be interesting if some of us go together and played a game or two. I'm registered and would like to play a ROTK block game.

steve · 12-06-2003, 10:58 PM

I would love to play a game of it with you Mr Barrow Wight but im having problems with my deck

steve · 12-21-2003, 11:39 AM

I have Set up an account on the Beta test, my account is Cygnus.X1 with a Haradrim avitat, if anyone wants to have a standard match with me, I will probably be in casual games or tradeing

Samwise · 12-26-2003, 06:20 PM

Very interesting. I own a few of these cards, purchased from ebay, but I have found nowhere I could purchase a "full deck" -- so to speak (of CARDs, I mean.) [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Phervasaion · 12-28-2003, 09:57 AM

I do not have any of these cards. But, I have gor this Dungeons and Dragons board game that was inspired by the LotR books. I had it for christmas. Anyone else got it?

03-08-2003, 05:53 PM	#1
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	* LotR TCG * The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game Have any of you played the Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game by Decipher? Sharkû and I have been playing it for a while, and we’ve decided that it would be great if we could see if there are other Downs members who play or if we could get some new people interested. I thought I would start with a basic description of the game and then see if anyone has questions or comments. What is The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game? LotR:TCG is a card game based on the Peter Jackson films of the Lord of the Rings. The beautifully made cards show images from the films, and play is designed so that games often follow along closely with the story line of the movies. Two or more players, each with decks divided evenly with Free Peoples and Shadow cards, try to move their Frodo card successfully along an Adventure Path or to prevent the other play from doing so. Because each deck must have the same amount of Free Peoples and Shadow cards in it, the game is very balanced and immensely fun to play. Types of Cards Like any card game, you must have a deck of cards. In the case of LotR:TCG, you will have several different kinds of cards in your deck. These include Frodo and the One Ring plus companions, allies and minions, events, conditions, possessions and artifacts, and sites. Companions (Free Peoples) Samwise, Gandalf, and Aragorn are oft-seen companion cards, but other characters such as Eomer, Faramir, and Haldir are also companions. These cards are played to protect Frodo and each other from the attacks of the opposing player’s minions. They remain on the table until killed. Allies (Free Peoples) Elrond, Galadriel, and Treebeard are ally cards. They are played to assist the companions with healing, protecting, and other skills. They remain on the table until killed. Minions (Shadow) The Witch King, Saruman, and the Balrog are minion cards. There are many minions, few as powerful as these three, but all used to attack the opposing player’s companions and allies. They remain on the table until killed or the end of the turn. Events (Free Peoples and Shadow) These cards do many things, but some events cards increase (or decrease) the fighting capabilities of companions, allow hobbits to sneak away from skirmishes (explained later), or cause the other player to discard cards from their hand. They are discarded immediately after they are played. Conditions (Free Peoples and Shadow) These cards change the environment of the game. They do such things as limit what cards the opposing player can use or increase a player’s capabilities if certain other cards are on the table. Conditions usually remain in play until the end of a turn or the entire game. Possessions and Artifacts (Free Peoples and Shadow) Sting, Shadowfax, and Narya are examples of possessions and artifacts. They increase the capabilities of the companion or ally cards they are played on or give them special abilities. They remain with the companion or ally they are played on until that card is killed. Minions can also have possessions (The Balrog's whip and sword are two examples). *Sites* Site cards are special because they are not shuffled into your deck. Instead, each player has nine site cards set aside and, depending on who is ahead in the game, the sites are laid out one at a time in an order that roughly follows the movies. This is the Adventure Path that players must move their Frodo card down in order to win the game. Summary As you can see, there are many different kinds of cards and endless possibilities of combinations. In the next section of this article, I will describe the different cultures of cards that exist in Lotr:TCG. Until then, here’s the page where you can see all of the cards in the game: Card Lists. Please feel free to ask any questions or post any comments here on this thread. Our goal it to familiarize more people with the game and maybe get a few more to join us! [ March 09, 2003: Message edited by: The Barrow-Wight ] __________________ The Barrow-Wight

03-09-2003, 05:19 PM	#2
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	Aren't some of those cards the ones that come with the Special Edition DVD Gift Set? Because the layout of the Gollum Free Card they showed reminded me a lot of the layout of the Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn cards that I received with the Gift Set... It's not a really big question, I know, but I was curious... __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

03-10-2003, 04:42 PM	#4
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	Dear Barrow Wight, not directly about cards, but... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] There are plenty of (old and new) Middle Earth related games ie. cards, computer games, boardgames, computer RPGs, traditional RPGs, miniature wargaming etc. Where in the forums would you recommend that people post on these subjects? I've seen posts here and in Newbies and Mayhem. Would you like to see people posting about games, and do you think there's enough interest for a new 'games' forum? Discuss...... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

03-10-2003, 06:06 PM	#5
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	Rumil, in answer to your question, LotR:TCG will be our test topic for a possible games forum. We want to see how this goes before we start a whole new section. Thanks __________________ The Barrow-Wight

03-10-2003, 07:47 PM	#6
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	I would be very interested in a Games Forum, since I own (and enjoy playing) a variety of LotR board-games (both old and new). I posted about some of them here, but the thread got buried pretty quickly. The Trading Card game sounds interesting. I presume that it is similar to other Trading Card games, such as Magic: The Gathering. I have never actually played any of these, but they sound fun. Is there any scope for setting up and playing games on-line, with players communicating their moves through PMs? I would certainly be interested in getting involved in something like that. __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!

03-09-2003, 07:30 PM	#3
Phrim Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 72	Actually, I play quite extensively, and at a competitive level. I'm also involved in the playtesting process for Decipher, the game's producer. Incidentally, if anyone's hitting any of the big gaming conventions this year (Origins, GenCon, Dragon*Con), look me up. Vanima: The cards found in the LOTR 5-DVD Set are indeed from the same game. They're probably worth $10-$15 by themselves...

03-11-2003, 08:29 PM	#7
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	Ah, no wonder I came out as the Barrow Wight when I took the 'who do you most resemble' test [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I'd be keen to see a new Games forum, trading cards aren't my thing really, but I'd like to post on wargaming and perhaps the old Iron Crown Enterprises MERP roleplaying game. The LoTR Risk sounds fun, I vaguely remember playing drinking games with conventional risk, (drink a finger for every country you capture - its a great leveller, perhaps we should inform Lush?) By the way, does anyone remember the old computer games Shadowfax on the BBC micro and The Hobbit on the spectrum? Ah, happy days! __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

03-12-2003, 12:59 PM	#8
InklingElf Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 402	I'm a bit of a gamer myself [in board games, video games etc.] I've been searching alot for LotR trading cards-I've seen some in BORDERS, but they were a bit expensive. I am very much interested in playing it soon [right after major tests!]-and start a new collection too. BTW: as Rumil has said, I also hope a new Games Forum will be created. But for now this thread will suffice...

03-13-2003, 09:49 AM	#9
Phrim Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 72	Hi InklingElf, Usually LotR trading cards can be found more in specialty gaming shops rather than more mass-market stores. Decipher maintains a rather extensive list of stores that sell their products, which can be found here. The suggested retail price for a pack of 11 cards is $3.29, though sometimes you can find them for a bit less than that. Hope that helps!

03-13-2003, 01:02 PM	#10
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	The cards can be bought retail for what Phrim said, but if you are willing to drop some money down to get a good collection started, you can often buy boxes on e-bay for as low as $1.50 to $2.00 per pack. I bought a 36-pack Fellowship of the Ring (the first set of cards in the game - there are now five), that's 396 cards including 108 rares and and average of 6 foils) for only $60 including shipping. This was a great deal and the best I've got so far. A games forum is definitely a possiblity, but I'm just not sure it would generate enough interest to justify its existence. I, too, like the board games and even have the old SSI War of Middle-earth Game sitting in my closet (along with the Knieza LotR game). For now, I still want to get something going for the card game before expanding. Playing over the internet actually works quite well. Sharku and I have played several games using mIRC as our communication media. It involves a lot of trust, though, and I'm still suspicious of the Old Man's 100% success rate against me [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] A game played in real life takes 45-60 mins maximum (normally), and doing it online takes about twice that. (It takes Sharkey and I days to complete a game because we're never in much of a hurry and only do a turn at a time). Decipher is developing an online version of the game, but it is only now about ready for beta testing and will be a while before it is available. I'll post my cultures article soon. __________________ The Barrow-Wight

03-13-2003, 02:03 PM	#11
Phrim Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 72	There's actually another option for playing online. A few people have modified the program "Apprentice" (used for playing Magic: the Gathering) for LotR:TCG; most people I know that play online often use that. You can find information about that here. It is somewhat hard-to-use, but most people agree that it's easier than keeping track of everything manually. Oh, and in addition to eBay, there's a number of online merchants that sell LotR:TCG boxes at large discounts, if you're willing to buy in bulk. I personally use Potomac Distribution, which is very cheap, but the minimum order is $100.

03-20-2003, 03:22 PM	#12
InklingElf Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 402	Hello Phrim, and thanks for the links. Barrow: how does mIRC work? I don't normally play online [as I am used to live hand-to-hand combat [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]]. I'll certainly check out the stocks on e-bay for the cards. If not-I'll check out Phrim's links.

03-22-2003, 07:21 PM	#13
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	I play at home, I've never played competitively because I don't have a place to. Also, I don't think I'm ready for that. I have a ton of cards, some pretty good ones, but my skill level...let's just say it has much room for improvement. Anybody got two of Lurtz? I never got him, but I got his sword and "Lurtz's Battle Cry". Meh. Well, I have two Aragorn, Ranger of the North. Um, does anyone get a lot of foils? I barely have any. Doesn't really matter, just wondering... Also, I was wondering if anyone else has found it confusing that all the heroes have pretty bad stats? And what's with Gimli having the same strength as the elf? Gimli is a sturdy dwarf!? And Boromir, he has less health than Aragorn? What? Anybody else find that strange, or do they know why it's that way. Am I wrong in thinking this????? Smeh. Too many question marks, eh? Well, thankyou Barrow Wight for starting this thread. I've always loved TCG's. Now I'm trying the RPG also by Decipher. Man, that is confusing. Too many rules and charts and codes and such. Anyways, you bought some of the new set yet? Battle of Helm's Deep? You can get 'em for that cheap? And on ebay? Well, I think I'll just keep my local comic store going. I like my comic store. The people save posters and empty boxes and stuff for me. They're so nice! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [ March 22, 2003: Message edited by: Durelin ]

03-23-2003, 04:46 PM	#14
Phrim Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 72	Just from my experience, while new players do tend to lose a lot at tournaments, it's often a very good place to meet people, trade, and learn how to build better decks. And usually the more experienced players already have way too many commons and uncommons, and will give new players cards they don't need from the prize support for free. Always a good way to start building up your collection. Some people will even give you specific commons and uncommons if you ask for them, and they happen to have them on them. Also, League Nights are another great way to get yourself better acquainted with the game, and great fun besides.

03-25-2003, 12:03 PM	#15
Dain Wight Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Iron Hills Posts: 127	I haven't seen the card game, but Decipher's new RPG is good (as I've been saying here and there--yes, a games forum would be excellent, and there are already a few threads in newbies that could be moved there). I remember there being a card game out a while ago that I always wanted to get my hands on but never did. It was not film-related, I think, but it seemed to have a similar playing style, from what I read about it. I'm always interested to see how the rate all the characters--like the dwarves in the Hobbit--and I like that more than actually playing these card games, somehow...but that's just crazy ol' me! __________________ Only I have looked through the shadow of the Gate. Beyond the shadow it waits for you still: Durin's Bane.

03-26-2003, 06:04 PM	#16
InklingElf Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 402	Durelin: You're so blessed! I'm somewhat in the same spot as you are. My cousin's dad has a friend who owns a game warehouse, and every so often we would go down there to check out what's new and rare [he even gives us stuff for free sometimes!]. Come to think of it,I haven't ben there in ages, but I wouldn't think he would give us anything LotR for free [yet]. Bleh [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] Maybe a discount but I got to have the time! :stamps her foot in frustration:. Stupid tests!

04-20-2003, 07:27 PM	#17
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	bump Well, now. This is a popular thread, now isn't it! I know you gamers are out there! You just can't find this thread...right? InklingElf: I know I am! But you are more than I! I'm not blood related! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] But, I got a GREAT deal from the one guy at my comic store a few days ago. I got TWO Eowyn decks for $10! That's buy one get one free! He had them on sale for $7.99, but he gave me both for ten. Even though they're the same cards, come on! I had a tean dollar bill anyone! He didn't cost me tax either! It is soooo awesome! Yay! But, unfortunately, my best friend there left. He used to save me posters and empty boxes and he knew more about the stuff! It was sad, he got a better job! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Anyway, how do you few gamers like the new Battle of Helm's Deep set? Oh, and could someone who is up to date on that online playing inform me on the status of the project? Thankyou! I am very much in need of someone to play with. That'll make it easy!

04-22-2003, 03:05 PM	#18
steve Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edoras... er, Philadelphia Posts: 191	I dont know much about the new card game, i have a aragorn starter deck and some packs, but i have something else that purplexes me, its a these deck from a LotR trading card game, there is no name for the game or anything, all i know is it game in a gold box with the eye of sauron on it, its absed around the nazgul and searching for the ring (they made up nazgul names) and all the artwork is by the artist who did the covers for book of last tales 1 and 2 __________________ MAGIC SHOP! Spells of Mass Destruction 20% off! Today Only!

04-23-2003, 03:39 PM	#19
InklingElf Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 402	:yawns: Oh my! I haven't been here in ages! I'm still clinging on to the thought of a gams forum though... Durelin: =)I guess it was good of me to find a forum for LotR gamers =) Well, I haven't been to the stores lately, but I'll check that game out -- you see I've been studying and playing alot of Xenosaga lately -- and I haven't seen any cards or board games since... Don't worry I won't lose my touch -- I hope EA will come up with a Return of the King vid game -- and to tell you the truth, I found Two Towers kind of short. Now where did you place my cards at?

04-24-2003, 04:24 PM	#21
Ainaserkewen Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A cosmic waiting room Posts: 651	I have friends who bug me because I like LOTR and one as a joke, bought me a deck of these cards. I don't know if I'd play(merr) but collecting would be fun. I've got Arogorn and Gandalf and Theoden among others. __________________ Solus... I'm eating chicken again. I ate chicken yesterday and the day before... will I be eating chicken again tomorrow? Why am I always eating chicken?

04-29-2003, 09:05 AM	#22
Phrim Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 72	The Battle of Helm's Deep expansion was a mixed bag, in my opinion. Dwarves and Elves didn't really get too much from the expansion at all. As far as the Knights of Gondor go, I've yet to see a good deck based around those, but I suspect the Fortifications might be decent combined with a Help in Doubt and Need strategy. The Ent companions are particularly good, if only for the fact that they're more guys you can fetch with A Wizard Is Never Late. I really don't like any of the Rohan cards except Arrow-Slits (great for getting rid of Wargs, Mumaks, Hides, etc etc) and Thundering Host. The play-during-maneuver ability really doesn't impress me. As for Hobbit and Smeagol and stuff, I've seen decks that use it, but playing lots of Hobbits and Smeagol tends to have to move too slowly against large fierce minions like Nazgul. As far as the new Shadow strategies go, I like the Dunland guys that the opponent can discard to get rid of them, but I'm not entirely sold, since there just aren't enough to make a whole strategy of them. Isengard gets Grima, Chief Counselor, who really punishes people for playing too many cultures, but from what I've seen, people aren't playing that many cultures anyway. As for Wargs, I haven't seen them in action yet, but a friend of mine swears by them. The Sauron Orcs are great, having trackers with 3 vitality is great for playing cards like Under the Watching Eye and exerting for Hate, and more ways to draw cards drastically helps your cardflow. As for Mumaks, they are a drastic improvement for the underpowered Raider culture, but they're just far too vulnerable to Arrow-Slits. Anyone else have any opinions? [ April 29, 2003: Message edited by: Phrim ]

04-30-2003, 11:29 PM	#23
manaratowen Pile O'Bones Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Wheaton Posts: 23	ive really only collected the tcg's. but the more i get the more i want to ply. but i have no idea as to how to build a deck, except to use a starter or a deluxe set. but that seems kinda boring and i know you can build a costom playing deck. and a nother reason i dont play, is because i dont have anywhere close to me to play. i would have to drive an hour to play, and then id have to get a babysitter, and its a huge ordeal, so yea, an online game would be awesome. and from what i saw on deciphers online game site, its still in beta version. i cant wait until the "real" version comes out. __________________ "If we deny love that is given to us, if we refuse to give love because we fear the pain of loss, then our lives will be empty, our loss greater."

08-21-2003, 09:23 AM	#24
Phrim Haunting Spirit Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 72	In a perhaps futile attempt to get people talking about LotR TCG again, does anyone have opinions of the new Ents of Fangorn expansion? Here's some of my thoughts... With only three Dwarven cards in the entire expanion, the Dwarves once again manage to get the short end of the stick. This is unfortunate, as Dwarves really haven't been a focus since the Mines of Moria expansion released over a year ago, but I guess inevitable as there just weren't many Dwarves in the most recent movie. Elves, on the other hand, do gain a signficant number of cards, including new versions of Elrond, Galadriel, and Arwen. The new Elrond is a replacement for the now-banned Lord of Rivendell version, though a lot more limited (but the healing aspect is nice). While most decks won't have enough Elf cards to use him too effectively (I still don't think Elves are worthy of an entire deck devoted to them), you can combine him with the new card Forewarned to make him more of a sure thing. The new Galadriel is a great tool for helping Elves (namely Arwen, the Elven culture's primary fighter) actually win skirmishes, something that has been difficult in the past. I'd certainly consider her in a deck that starts or focuses around winning skirmishes with Arwen, a strategy that has merit because of her effectiveness against the ever-popular Nazgul. However, on the whole, using Elrond and Galadriel is not as effective as it once was, because with the Horn of Boromir banned, these allies will likely never see battles themselves. The new Arwen, on the other hand, is mostly a disappointment, with the demise of Elven healing. With all the Nazgul that's currently being played, the Daughter of Elrond version is still the best choice. The "Gandalf" culture gained a lot with this expansion, due to the fact that Ents are curiously included within it. The Ents gain some heavy hitters, with Treebeard, Quickbeam, and both the Host and Horde of Ents. With new Ent strength boosters like Ent Moot and Enraged, these mighty ents may never lose a skirmish, even against the powerful Nazgul. However, because most Ent strategies involve keeping Merry and Pippin alive, you need to keep a lot of companions on the table, making Ulaire Enquea especially effective against you, especially paired with Not Easily Destroyed. In addition, the Ents tend to cost a lot to play, so that shadow strategies that feed off of this will prosper. Also in the Gandalf culture is one of the most underrated cards of the set, the Mithrandir version of Gandalf. While he does have the nasty habit of inflicting wounds on himself all the time (maybe he should get counseling), his enormous base power combined with the wide variety of support cards available easily offset this. And it's really not that hard to heal him, either. The new Smeagol and Gollum cards are, once again, too gimmicky for my taste. While the old version of Gollum may serve burden-decks well, I can't see anyone using the new cards. The new Gondor cards are not incredibly exciting either, with most of them dedicated to helping Faramir's groupies, the Rangers of Ithilien. While Ancient Roads is a much-needed alternate way of making minions roaming, these hardy men still couldn't win a fight versus a Nazgul if their lives depended on it. Also included is a new version of Aragorn, who is designed to work well with several non-Gondor cultures. His Rohan combo text works particularly well, if you can spare a mount for the ranger, no easy task since horses are often better played on your Rohan companions. It does have merit in a Help in Doubt and Need deck, however. Rohan, already one of the strong cultures before the release of this set (a Rohan deck won the World Championships recently, in fact), gains a few key improvements in the expansion. Hrethrel is a great new companion: as long as you can exert his foes with a mount, he essentially has a base power of 9. This is more than the popular standby, the Elite Rider, who is usually a strength of 8 when mounted. However, the Elite Rider does maintain one advantage in that Hrethrel cannot be started with Eomer because of spotting requirements. Another quality companion in this set is Hama, who is especially effective against Rohan's nemesis, the Dunlendings. While he may not win many skirmishes, the doorward can easily disarm a Dunlending bearing a War Club, allowing you to keep your valued spears and mounts on your fighting companions. We Left None Alive is another great Rohan strength booster, giving you up to a +6 bonus against those problematic 1-vitality minions (like many Dunlendings) or against a fierce minion who has already taken a few hits. The set also features a new version of Eomer, but for the most part he is overcosted: rarely will you have large quantities of cards in your hand that you want to discard for a one-time boost. Best off sticking with the Third Marshall version, whose text, while it may not boost other companions, is free to use. The Shire culture boasts a new Merry and Pippin, both of whom are designed for and work very well with Ents. In addition, Long Slow Wrath can work wonders in keeping the underpowered Hobbits alive, a must for many Ent decks. However, most of the other Shire cards are too gimmicky to see much use. Don't even get me started on Held. Well, that about sums up my thoughts on Free Peoples cards. I'll probably write a post about the new Shadow cards in a bit. Anyone have any comments? [ August 21, 2003: Message edited by: Phrim ]

08-23-2003, 11:02 AM	#25
peonydeepdelver Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alas, I hail from Massachusetts Posts: 256	I've been wanting to get trading cards, but more just to have than to play with. But I may play if it's easy to learn. Can anyone tell me how much they cost (about) and where to get 'em? I was thinking of checking the places where my brother gets his Yu-Gi-Oh cards... __________________ "Nazgul, Nazgul! You speak of what is deep beyond the reach of your muddy dreams, Ugluk! Nazgul! Ah! All that they make out! One day you'll wish that you had not said that. Ape! You ought to know that they're the apple of the Great Eye." ~Grishnakh

08-25-2003, 06:15 AM	#26
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	The Yu-gi-oh card place is where you can probably get them. No garuntees, but most comic stores or gaming stores sell them. Prices: Starter Decks - $10.99 Booster Packs - $3.29 Those are the usual prices. At my local comic store, I can get them for $9.99 and $2.99, so it all depends. The prices above are the retail value Decipher gives them, I believe, so don't pay more than that! If you're going to do serious collecting, there is the FOTR Anthology set, which comes with 18 cards in Tengwar. Plus a Draft Pack and three of each set booster packs, and a starter pack. I got two draft packs instead of one, but my One RIng has a white dot on it. So... Anyways, did that help?

08-25-2003, 11:27 AM	#27
peonydeepdelver Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alas, I hail from Massachusetts Posts: 256	Oh, thankee very much Durelin! I'll have to go check it out. My brother's friend slept over and left a pack of them here by accident. Heheh. __________________ "Nazgul, Nazgul! You speak of what is deep beyond the reach of your muddy dreams, Ugluk! Nazgul! Ah! All that they make out! One day you'll wish that you had not said that. Ape! You ought to know that they're the apple of the Great Eye." ~Grishnakh

09-15-2003, 12:02 PM	#28
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	That was totally uncalled for, Iarwain. And you're welcome, peony. How's the pack the kid left? [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

09-19-2003, 04:33 PM	#29
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	My appologies. As you can see, it's gone. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"

09-27-2003, 01:53 PM	#30
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	No prob. You really didn't have to delete it. Anyways, I have been slacking off, and am not up to date on the TCG. Can anyone tell me when I should expect the ROTK expansion to take my money?

09-28-2003, 11:13 AM	#32
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	Thanks Phrim! Good, I'll be able to scrape up some money by then...hopefully. Though there's also the clix coming out... EDIT: Scratch that. The clix look really...well...stupid. (I tried to think of a more intelligent term, but...) [ October 07, 2003: Message edited by: Durelin ]

12-06-2003, 11:17 AM	#33
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	Is anyone playing the online beta of LotR:TCG. If so, it might be interesting if some of us go together and played a game or two. I'm registered and would like to play a ROTK block game. __________________ The Barrow-Wight

12-06-2003, 10:58 PM	#34
steve Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edoras... er, Philadelphia Posts: 191	I would love to play a game of it with you Mr Barrow Wight but im having problems with my deck __________________ MAGIC SHOP! Spells of Mass Destruction 20% off! Today Only!

12-21-2003, 11:39 AM	#35
steve Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edoras... er, Philadelphia Posts: 191	I have Set up an account on the Beta test, my account is Cygnus.X1 with a Haradrim avitat, if anyone wants to have a standard match with me, I will probably be in casual games or tradeing __________________ MAGIC SHOP! Spells of Mass Destruction 20% off! Today Only!

12-26-2003, 06:20 PM	#36
Samwise Faithful Spirit Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: #3 Bagshot Row, Petaluma, Ca Posts: 2,299	Very interesting. I own a few of these cards, purchased from ebay, but I have found nowhere I could purchase a "full deck" -- so to speak (of CARDs, I mean.) [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] __________________ Giving thanks unto the Father...In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.~Colossians1:12a,14 * * * * * * * I am Samwise son of Hamfast, if by hoe or trowel I can get these weeds out of your garden, I will.You have my shears!;)

12-28-2003, 09:57 AM	#37
Phervasaion Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The wilderness of Middle-Earth Posts: 306	I do not have any of these cards. But, I have gor this Dungeons and Dragons board game that was inspired by the LotR books. I had it for christmas. Anyone else got it? __________________ Phervasaion