http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=4852

So they've announced the whole cycle before the first AP is even released. This all feels very weird. In either case, I'm excited to see Treebeard and another Rohan hero.

Treebeard is soo good. Well, in my opinion at least. I mostly say this because it plays in any sphere set up and in any multi-sphere deck getting 4 of the right color can be a bother. Coming in a turn slow is well worth it for stats that are much better than average, not to mention the turn he does act he gets to act twice due to his ability.

Ugh. That blue card looks good.

Poor Radagast...he seems so weak besides Treebeard.

Did you noticed that Treebeard can ready Ent-Characters...will we see an Ent-Hero soon or is this just to leave the door open?

Yes! Finally a review! And lol, they DID announce the conclusion before we even get the first pack.

Anyway, amazing cards. That spirit event I'm guessing attaches an enemy to the quest and when making progress on the quest, you put damage on the enemy instead. That's pretty cool, especially for mono spirit decks. The ent allies are also pretty cool, but what's with Treebeard's art? I mean, I kinda like it, but it's still weird.

The quest looks amazing. Glad we returned to Dunland again, I love that setting, and this looks epic. Also think it's pretty obvious I that the new hero will be Gamling, even though that's just because of the quote at the beggining, they've done that before.

When Treebeard comes into play each quest, I'm always going to yell: "Break the Dam! Release the River!"

So they've announced the whole cycle before the first AP is even released. This all feels very weird. In either case, I'm excited to see Treebeard and another Rohan hero.

why is this weird?!

all 6 APs of Against the Shadow were spoiled before The Steward's Fear released...

The Morgul Vale announcement: 4/2/2013

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=4047

Release of The Steward's Fear: 5/9/2013

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=4132

For further reference:

Core Set: 4/20/2011

Hunt for Gollum: 7/21/2011

Length of Time between Releases: ~3 months

Khazad-Dum: 1/6/2012

The Redhorn Gate: 3/1/2012

Length of Time between Releases: ~2 months

Heirs of Numenor: 11/26/2012

The Stewards Fear: 5/9/2013

Length of Time between Releases: ~5 months

Voice of Isenguard: 2/21/2014

The Dunland Trap: 6/???/2014

Length of Time between Releases: ~4 months

When Treebeard comes into play each quest, I'm always going to yell: "Break the Dam! Release the River!"

Naturally.

Very cool! I like the look of that event card. Looks like Rohan doing something awesome, maybe able to deal damage into the staging area...

Ents look perfect and will be able to splash nicely thanks to Treebeard. That's a perfect way to introduce only a few cards of a theme but still have them be effective.

The thing I like is that it looks like we won't have to wait until the last pack to get all the Silvan cards! It seems that they'll all come out before The Antlered Crown.

Hmmm.. although this is an awesome preview it's pale in comparison to Celebrimbor's Secret or I know it's just so far away I'm refraining from getting too excited. lol

As stated, Treebeard is ridiculously powerful and makes Radagast a joke... which is really sad for Radagast, will we ever get more Creatures to make him better? Anyways.. Treebeard is so crazy! you can easily buy the other ents with him so they can fit into any deck! I'm interested to see if the initial enters play exhausted is even that bad but do you all realize how great the ents will be for archery damage!? Spread that out and then the Booming Ent gets way stronger! too bad he's not ranged..

I'm also hoping that Rohan hero is going to be awesome and something besides another typical attacker since that role is well covered, lets get another great defending hero! And that Spirit event also looks fantastic!

It's interesting that this is the last quest for this cycle so it could very well be an epic battle against Dunlendings! I'm hoping for cool unique mechanics amidst a field of war!!

I am very excited to see Treebeard. He is excellent. I am still anxious to know what hero comes in this pack!

So we are on our way back to Isengard to complete the quest and have to fight our way through Dunland again.... thought this would be the case when antlered crown was not spoiled earlier in the cycle.

Quest looks good (even though I HATE the dunland theme and dunland enemies.... would prefer any other type of enemy and area of Middle Earth seriously) and player cards look nice (that spirit card looks awesome and booming Ent is pretty cool).

Am I really honestly the only one who dislikes that treebeard art though? Easily the worst player art on any card from the ring maker cycle so far..... much worse than the female dunedain from Three Trials.......

One of his eyes is like missing/totally retarded... and his head and arms just look totally wonky.....

This is the mighty Treebeard we are talking about here, that art does not do him justice at all.

Both other Ent cards spoiled so far have much much better art, especially wandering ent.

Don't cry, Radagast.

Exciting preview as always!!!

I'll start off with the spirit event which as noted above, appears as though it will add damage to enemies based off of progress when questing which is not only just a fantastic fit in regards to the nature of our current Rohan cards, but an amazing card for spirit in general. It's this kind of creativity that really helps the game when we can help cover the weakness of the sphere while still maintaining it's identity. Caleb and co. are remaining true to their word.

The ents are super exciting as well, the art on the booming ent is magnificent and I can see him being quite the powerhouse especially as we gain more ent characters. In that same vein Tree-beard is a great card too. I'll admit I would have preferred him to be a hero but I love that he's neutral and it seems the designers learned for the limited scope of Radaghast. For the two spheres our ent characters represent: tactics and lore, don't really mesh that well but thankfully with Tree beard you can probably get away with only running one of the two spheres provided u get him out early (using Elrond if u go with lore wouldn't hurt either)

They confirm these are the only ents we'll see in the cycle which makes me wonder when we'll see the previously spoiled art for leaf lock from artist Mike Nash. I figured it would be in his cycle but if it's like Gwaihir it may not be till years down the road. Speaking of ent art from Mike Nash, I have nothing against Treebeard's illustration, infact I think he looks quite regal in his own way. The really great booming ent kind of overshadows him however

Will be cool to see the Rohan hero and how he influences the current archetype but we know too little to bother speculating on him (or her) further

(sorry for the typos, doing this from my phone and there will undoubtedly be some)

Two other small things I realized: isn't it just so FFG that right at the height of our frustration with waiting just blow us too pieces with news unexpected and otherwise? Ha, they know how to play us like a harp, and I actually mean that in the best way possible. The second more relevant point I wanted to make was the vagueness in the wording of Treebeard's one ability that gives him the ability to pay for ent "cards from your hand". I find this interesting because since it does not mention allies/characters (the obvious use) if we get any support cards like events that are given the ent trait, he can pay for them too. I do realize that there's not many traited event cards but still, there's potential there

Am I really honestly the only one who dislikes that treebeard art though? Easily the worst player art on any card from the ring maker cycle so far..... much worse than the female dunedain from Three Trials.......

One of his eyes is like missing/totally retarded... and his head and arms just look totally wonky.....

This is the mighty Treebeard we are talking about here, that art does not do him justice at all.

Both other Ent cards spoiled so far have much much better art, especially wandering ent.

Just to be clear: you think Treebeard's art is worse than the Elrond Ally?

(Ill just @ whoever I'm directing my comments at because the quoting system is cumbersome on my iPad)

@Pharm, regarding the ent traited events, I think this is a definite possibility. We have eagle traited events and that trait is very small and self sufficient. So I'm going to say yes.

@Estel, I think you're right, if not exactly right. What a neat card.

@Catastrophic, I thought of archery and other 'damage when revealed' effects straight away too. The 3 hp is an awesome amount. When we saw wandering ent I thought it was maybe too much, but now I see why.

Pippin is lore and Merry is tactics the same as the ents revealed. Is this a coincidence or am I blinded by Hobbit love? I thought it was just coincidence but now that we have been told we won't get any more ents in this cycle, idk...

I think the next lot of ents could be in one of the two towers boxes (that's the big battle at isengard, right?).

PS, is there any reason Treebeard couldn't ready himself? I can't see one. 3 4 damages attacks every 2 turns is pretty epic. I think I'm going to use this cars a lot, even by himself.

Nice preview. I too like the Ent cards, especially Treebeard who looks very powerfull. Unfair to Radagast here. Am i the only one who likes the Dunland theme?

Gamling should be the hero, i mean there are not many candidates left. I think he will be Spirit, since he carried the banner of Westfold.

Am I really honestly the only one who dislikes that treebeard art though? Easily the worst player art on any card from the ring maker cycle so far..... much worse than the female dunedain from Three Trials.......

One of his eyes is like missing/totally retarded... and his head and arms just look totally wonky.....

This is the mighty Treebeard we are talking about here, that art does not do him justice at all.

Both other Ent cards spoiled so far have much much better art, especially wandering ent.

Just to be clear: you think Treebeard's art is worse than the Elrond Ally?

Ooooooohhh forgot all about the Elrond ally........ hmmmm isn't that from The Road Darkens though?

But yeah treebeard's art is definitely not worse, I wouldn't really say better either though to be honest.... both are pretty terrible

... the vagueness in the wording of Treebeard's one ability that gives him the ability to pay for ent "cards from your hand". I find this interesting because since it does not mention allies/characters (the obvious use) if we get any support cards like events that are given the ent trait, he can pay for them too. I do realize that there's not many traited event cards but still, there's potential there

Ent-draught comes to mind.

Quest Action: Choose a non-unique enemy

in the staging area. Until the end of the phase,

progress that would be placed on the quest from

questing successfully is instead assigned as

damage on the chosen enemy. (Progress must still

be placed on the active location first.)

It seems very likely and makes for an interesting card. You forfeit making progress but can instead deal with a non-unique enemy in the staging area (together with the active location). This should come especially handy when there is a quest stage you need to linger on a bit longer -- a pretty common occurrence, I would say.

That event also seems great for annoying cards like Goblin Sniper who can't be optionally engaged and just sits there shooting at you (the original archery mechanic).

Hands off from Steven "Elrond" Seagal!!!

If that Spirit event keeps a location as the active location an extra turn, what if you have Path of Need on it!? Dang that would be powerful..

As for Treebeard's art, yeah it seems a bit odd but I do appreciate artists unique takes on different pieces so I try not to hate on it and I think Treebeard still looks cool, just not how I'd envision him, especially with those beastly stats! And then there's ally Elrond..... lol