I wonder why they went with Nin-in-Eilph instead of just 'Swanfleet'? I suppose it's just a change of pace. After all, the first expansion was Khazad-dûm and not just 'Moria'...that and Nin-in-Eilph will (1) sound hilarious when we all try to pronounce it and (2) has a much more ominous cadence than 'Swanfleet', which may already be part of the My Little Pony CCG.

No one seems to mention it, so I will:

I'm extremely thrilled for this Ancient Marsh Dweller.

Lovecraft is my favorite type of creature, nameless ones are my favorite enemies in this game.

The Ancient Marsh Dweller is for real too. I have a hunch Glaurung will be feeding it dwarves by the dozen.

I like that they are making enemy engagement cost higher. I hate when some enemies have 5, 12 of 17 engagement cost. It is impossible to avoid them! Making them "1 threat engagement" would not change anything. But all the Dunland enemies had 30+ engagement (except for one) and most of the spoiled enemies are over this magic 30, too.

Yeah, this is a great point above. I did not get it why there were some 15, 10 or even 5 engagement cost enemies in the core set, for instance. I think it could in general be like this:

1 -- for obvious reasons, auto-engagement

20 -- to be avoided only with secrecy

30 -- to be avoided with a lower threat starters, or with threat reduction

35 -- giving Dúnhere and Rohan or Ranger decks without threat reduction some time

40 -- biggies

50 -- enemies that enjoy staying in the staging area

Leadership Aragorn will continue to be relevant, especially for mono-Leadership decks, thanks to Sword that was Broken and his other Aragorn-specific toys, as well as his overall stat balance. Resources aren't too big a deal in Leadership and it's usually pretty easy to use his ability every turn, especially if you use the old, reliable Theodred combo. On the other hand, i'm super excited for Wingfoot, especially in that it is providing much-needed readying for Lore.

Yeah, this is a great point above. I did not get it why there were some 15, 10 or even 5 engagement cost enemies in the core set, for instance. I think it could in general be like this:

1 -- for obvious reasons, auto-engagement

20 -- to be avoided only with secrecy

30 -- to be avoided with a lower threat starters, or with threat reduction

35 -- giving Dúnhere and Rohan or Ranger decks without threat reduction some time

40 -- biggies

50 -- enemies that enjoy staying in the staging area

This should be a sticky post for all the devs to read.

Of course the should be exceptions, but the point stands.

I couldn't agree more.

I rarely use Leadership Aragorn now, but use his Lore version all the time. All these Ranger additions are going to make him that much more potent in one of my favorite tri-sphere decks: Frodo, Sam, and Aragorn.

I was curious as to how many Ranger heroes are currently in the card pool, so I did a quick search in the Hall of Beorn's database: Both Aragorns, Beravor, Elladan, Elrohir, and Faramir. We'll also get the new one in this particular AP and I'd be willing to bet that they'll be one in another AP as well (The Three Trials, perhaps?)

I'm excited to get more use out of Faramir. As much as I want to like him, he usually falls flat in quests, but this single attachment will really make him excellent.

Leadership Aragorn will continue to be relevant, especially for mono-Leadership decks, thanks to Sword that was Broken and his other Aragorn-specific toys, as well as his overall stat balance. Resources aren't too big a deal in Leadership and it's usually pretty easy to use his ability every turn, especially if you use the old, reliable Theodred combo. On the other hand, i'm super excited for Wingfoot, especially in that it is providing much-needed readying for Lore.

Before writing my bit on the potential obsoleteness of leadership Aragorn I did in fact consider sword that was broken as the preeminent reason he would see continued use, but then I also thought about how the two Glorfindels again and how even though Asfaloth, his best attachment, is lore, that hasn't really caused anyone to use the old one over the new one especially with the readying tool matching the latter. A very similar scenario may now exist with the two Aragorns although I do acknowledge there is a significant difference between the playability of 2 (Asfaloth) cost cards compared to 3 ( StwB) cost cards. Perhaps it'll be best to see until after the AP is released and make a pool to tally how people have been playing of using the two versions with the new cards available. Time will tell

I still enjoy playing Leadership Aragorn for an artifact deck as his attachment to give leadership is expensive and the only one redundant (stone gives spirit, ring gives lore). He also has good traits to go along with being a ranger and can easily help in playing a first turn SoG. Just my two cents.

Galadriel and Haldir, both all but confirmed, Haldir in the third pack and Galadriel surely later as this cycle deals with Celebrimbor's secret.

Maybe i missed some info, but why do you think Haldir will be on the 3rd? He suits me just fine as the ranger hero in the Nin In Eilph AP as the ranger Hero

No, I do not think so. I do not think they will meddle with Ranger trait for Silvan. If anything, Haldir will be a scout, Rúmil is after all. A Silvan hero is mentioned in the third pack announcement, I cannot think of a better choice than Haldir.

The Ranger hero will more likely be of Ithilien or Eriador.

I think that comparing the two Aragorn´s to Wingfoot in a vacuum isn´t really the way to go about it.

There are plenty of decent ranger questers to attach Wingfoot to so that you´d have both leadership Aragorn plus another hero to quest and unexhaust. Also Wingfoot requires you to draw it (duh) before being able to use it whereas Aragorn is ready for action from round 1.

No, I do not think so. I do not think they will meddle with Ranger trait for Silvan. If anything, Haldir will be a scout, Rúmil is after all. A Silvan hero is mentioned in the third pack announcement, I cannot think of a better choice than Haldir.

The Ranger hero will more likely be of Ithilien or Eriador.

I see your point.

hopefully it's Halbarad

I have a feeling that this new ranger could be the woman on the front of the second Adventure pack.

Oh, you think they messed up again? Haha. No, I think the woman is a Dúnedain hero for that pack (Three Trials) and we get a Ranger hero (Gondor or Dúnedain, probably the former then) for Nin-in-Eilph.

I hope they did not forget about Rohan. I hope we will get at least 1 more rohan hero. 3 rohan tactics cards from VoI do not make tactics rohan built :/

But remember, Rohan will probably get another boost with the third saga, it is all in Rohan... though Ents shall come to war then too

I feel like Rohan has already got a lot to make them a fun group to play with...or at least they have more now than gondor did at this point for their cycle. We already know we'll be getting more "mount" support and i'm sure some allies will trickle in as well. I'd be surprised if we dont get a Rohan hero as well in either the 5th or 6th AP (5th is probably a better bet considering the 6th seems primed for an epic elf character given the title of the AP)

Think this cycle's design goal was to mainly fill up some gaps.

Which is a very good thing imo.

Only Silvan seems to get really much attention and development as a deck style.

They stated secrecy support & trait support, which was sorely needed.

You can't have everything, so I see this cycle as a jack of all trades really.

On another note, does the Ancient marsh-dweller have a beak? Btw these new creature enemies are great! But is there a lore reference for such a thing as the marsh-dweller?

I don't know recall reading source material for these creatures -- either it's a minor mention in something I've read, or they come from something I haven't read -- but Tolkien was not often given to detailed physical descriptions. His interests lied elsewhere. Hence the 'controversies' about elves' ears, Balrogs' wings, even the color of Legolas's hair.

I don't know recall reading source material for these creatures -- either it's a minor mention in something I've read, or they come from something I haven't read -- but Tolkien was not often given to detailed physical descriptions. His interests lied elsewhere. Hence the 'controversies' about elves' ears, Balrogs' wings, even the color of Legolas's hair.

The best example is tom bombadil.

On the marsh dweller: i don't recall anything like it, but it has been years since I read anything Tolkien.

It might be some lesser watcher in the water type of thing?

I'm interested now too. Google time!

I really hope they add Galadriel as a scrying hero, Denethor seems lonely in that role. My dream Galadriel is a Spirit version with 10/3/1/2/4 who can scry a card per player but raises everyone's threat by the number of cards scryed.

I really hope they add Galadriel as a scrying hero, Denethor seems lonely in that role. My dream Galadriel is a Spirit version with 10/3/1/2/4 who can scry a card per player but raises everyone's threat by the number of cards scryed.

Sounds very similliar to Palantir.