Ways to discard cards from ones hand combined with a test of will may give a 2nd shot at playing cards that missed their mark first time around. Of course multiple copies can also help.

I think what you meant was Will of the West.

Hell. Yes.

On the plus side, if you want to piss off a group of players you don't like in a 4-player game, just show up with Gandalf and Grima.

A somewhat silly deck would be Gandalf secrecy with no other heroes, featuring Treebeard and Radagast to help play the Eagle/Ent allies that end up in hand.

Just tried out a quick deck. It was as I expected with the kid in the candy store approach; a clogged hand of cards I could not pay for.

If you made a good outlands deck and then added in Gandalf and Hirluin are you telling me that you wouldn't crush things? He can also now pay for those allies on top and just imagine the sheer power of drawing an additional card each turn with his staff.

Well, if you listen to the Grey Company like you said, you'll know that friends don't let friends play Outlands. At least if you're Matt...

Really, the most joy I think anyone can have playing the new Gandalf (other than to set their teammates' teeth grinding) is to find the most ingenious and reliable way to make a deck work beautifully that honestly has no right to be working at all under normal circimstances (normal circumstances = pre-Gandalf).

If you think just these cards are overpowered, wait till you see the other Gandalf attachment we're getting in the box

My wife demands a Shadowfax attachment. She already has the petition to FFG typed up.

If you think just these cards are overpowered, wait till you see the other Gandalf attachment we're getting in the box

My wife demands a Shadowfax attachment. She already has the petition to FFG typed up.

Well, obviously I won't say much about it, but let's just say it will help a lot with the aforementioned problem of having useless cards in your hand.

Not understanding the "useless cards" in hand talk. There's SOOO many existing ways to play around that. And if there's an upcoming Shadowfax attachment that helps it even more then all the better!

Yeah what do you mean by useless cards? Let's say Gandalf has a bunch of resources, uses his ability to pay for a Spirit card and now he has the Spirit resource icon so can't he pay for other Spirit cards in your hand? OR does he only temporarily gain the Spirit icon to pay for that one card on top your deck?

It only works for the card on top of your deck. Once you draw a card, you can't use Gandalf to pay for the card unless he has songs.

And he still only gets one resource per turn (unless he has some other card on him).

Shadowfax won't come until the next saga box I think.

Ok yeah for sure, after reading the card a few more times he clearly only temporarily gains a certain resource to play for that top card.

This will definitely limit him and is the one thing keeping him from being over-powered

Ok yeah for sure, after reading the card a few more times he clearly only temporarily gains a certain ICON to play for that top card.

This will definitely limit him and is the one thing keeping him from being over-powered

Fixed it. I know what you meant, but it was a bit misleading.

yes perhaps I am over-reacting. There is nightmare which is best suited to my play side and not just crushing things. Thanks Glaurung for bringing me back to earth lol.

The inability to use sneak attack with him also helps in terms of minimizing his power. He does open up tons of new deck types though and is a game changer, which perhaps he should be.

for years i complain on this forum about : when you are know how to play and learn how to build up strong deck game is became walk in the park? ut after Nmode come out everything is fine. Now you if you feel game is to easy welcome to Nmode!

Gandalf definitely looks exciting!! He's similar to Galadriel in that they both change how the game can be played a lot. Gandalf even more so because you can do some weird crazy deck building with him And this will be great for the game adding more life and excitement to how we can build decks, so this is great to see. The only sad thing is, will we ever get more heroes in the future that change deck building so much..?

yes! Gandalf The White shall be even better!!

Just note. i think a game is really going well now. With all new balanced in my opinion really balanced new player cards and encounter decks game is come to serious level same as any competitive tournament card game as Android, MTG and GOT.

Now in Nmode even with powerful decks and veteran players you still can lose even when you are think you ok. That big improve and good designer job. Caleb make good job and i would like thank him for that. Now wait news from GenCon!

yes! Gandalf The White shall be even better!!

I was brainstorming about how they could do Gandalf the White. I think it would have to be an attachment along the lines of "Play if Gandalf is in the discard pile. Put Gandalf into play with this card attached. Gandalf gets +1 Will/Attack/Defense."

It would probably have to cost 6+, but you could also potentially use it on an ally version of Gandalf. Maybe instead of the stat bonus, it could be that he gains all spheres. Somehow he would need to be more powerful than Gandalf the Grey.

I am a big fan of heroes that allow you to explore totally new deck archetypes. I think Gandalf is gonna be great as a secrecy hero, or paired with other low threat heroes, I think he'll really shine in aggro builds for the Voice of Isengard and the Ring-maker cycle. Aggro builds work well for these scenarios, and popping another couple of high threat heroes alongside Gandalf and going in guns blazing sounds like an effective and fun way to tackle the scenarios. If we get his ring in the Road Darkens, It would be a blast running an elf ring deck with Elrond, Galardiel and Gandalf. Sure, your starting threat is crazy high, but you've got a ton of defense, hit points and willpower to take the early onslaught, and Galadriel (plus some spirit cards) can help keep you from threating out. Really looking forward to these new player cards, can't wait to get my hands on them!

This may be the most powerful hero the game has ever released. Dump Gandalf + Elrond + Glorfindel into a deck and let the bodies hit the floor.

Just ran a deck with Gandalf, Bifur, and Glorfindel Spirit on NM Into the Pit. Crushed it twice.

Gandalf is crazy good. Card draw is really phenomenal with him. It is possible to play a few cards a round with his ability too. Gildor will be a very good card with him to put cards back into the deck. Word of command really working now.

A few questions came up:

1. During setup after drawing 6 cards will the top card of your deck be visible? This can give a player an extra advantage about whether to mulligan or not.

2. If expert treasure hunter is attached to all 3 questing heroes, will the 2nd two cards be face up when making call? If so it's a guaranteed 3 cards.

3. Gandalf can give himself a resource with his staff, right? The staff is very strong is incredible for resource generation.

4. Can a card be played from the top of the deck even if Gandalf does not contribute any resources? So, another hero can pay for a 2 cost card even if Gandalf has no resources in his pool I assume.

Overall resource generation and card draw are really covered well with him, not to mention incredible stats. With a couple Unexpected courages, he's participating in each phase.

Playing with the top card of my deck face up changes so many things about the game, it's a bit mind boggling.

Haha he finally got spoiled hey. That artwork is crazy good!!! Makes me sad considering I don't really plan on using him. As awesome as he is I rely heavily on the core set Gandalf ally and I don't know how I'd stop using it. I am however racking my brain as to who I would replace of my 6 heroes (two handed) if I had to make room for Gandalf and certain ideas are becoming very tempting!

Wow tracker you are onto something, even if he doesn't have any resources or if he only has 1 or 2 and the card on top of your deck costs more than that I don't see anything stopping you from using your other heroes resources to play that card!

Also, surprised no-one has really said much other than simply mentioning songs but if you have one sphere it would really help if Gandalf had; just run x3 of that song and you're bound to get it eventually in most games and slap it on him thereby nullifying his neutral setback allowing him to play cards of that sphere from your hand, cards from any sphere from the top of your deck and his ridiculous stats and attachments. I kind of feel he shouldn't be able to have songs as it nullifies his only drawback (except for his high starting threat).

Also as amazing as that art is and as much as I love it I'd definitely prefer it without that weird blue scarf he is wearing... makes him look less powerful and awe-inspiring and more like doctor who or some ****.... lol

I would say:

1. Yes.*

2. No.

3. Yes.

4. Yes.**

*this one is subtle because it probably depends on whether a character's abilities apply before the game has started. Obviously, if they don't then no.

**when I first read that I was sure you had missed something on the text of the card, but you didn't. It's crazy.

Could he be run single hero?

@Tracker1:

1. During set up you place your heroes and set your threat before shuffling your deck/drawing cards, so it seems that he does reveal your top card even when you are making mulligan decisions. Page 10 of the rule book outlines this ordering.

2. Not sure on the timing.

3. Yes. It doesn't say "another hero" or "another player."

4. His ability says that you may play the card. It doesn't stipulate that Gandalf has to spend resources, just that he is considered to have all printed icons when doing so.