I agree that despite using fortune or fate myself during the playthrough it still felt like....i dont want to say cheating because its not...but it kind of felt like it was ruining the intent of the experience. That being said, considering the large ramifications of having to add burdens or have dead heroes as the campaign grows from the 6 quests we have to eventually 18, i think it really inspires players to make the best decks and most powerful combos avaliable so as not to unnecessarily hamper themselves further down the campaign trail. With only 6 quests for campaign right now the burden pool can already be pretty large if played recklessley and the potential threat increase of having dead heroes would really become annoying. I think it says a lot that the most common decks listed for people's campaigns are ones that would be considered "top tier": Gandalf, Hobbits, Elrond, the twins...

Replayed breaking of the fellowship today because i wanted to explore seat of seeing and remove a burden from my pool. Failed the first attempt (this quest really gives me a hard time for some reason) and on the second I won and explored the seat of seeing, but had to burn my phial of galadriel since i had 5 enemies in play who all engaged at the start of stage 2A when they are assigned 0 encounter level.

I totally get it-- it's definitely more meaningful if you *can't* resurrect the hero. I expected this, and was surprised when I was allowed to do it. But I'm very happy that I didn't have to sacrifice a hero permanently, and could still minimize my burden proliferation. I could have beaten the quest a lot more easily if I didn't have to pull off the Fortune or Fate play, so it definitely made the card more challenging to complete "successfully."

I agree that despite using fortune or fate myself during the playthrough it still felt like....i dont want to say cheating because its not...but it kind of felt like it was ruining the intent of the experience. That being said, considering the large ramifications of having to add burdens or have dead heroes as the campaign grows from the 6 quests we have to eventually 18, i think it really inspires players to make the best decks and most powerful combos avaliable so as not to unnecessarily hamper themselves further down the campaign trail. With only 6 quests for campaign right now the burden pool can already be pretty large if played recklessley and the potential threat increase of having dead heroes would really become annoying. I think it says a lot that the most common decks listed for people's campaigns are ones that would be considered "top tier": Gandalf, Hobbits, Elrond, the twins...

Replayed breaking of the fellowship today because i wanted to explore seat of seeing and remove a burden from my pool. Failed the first attempt (this quest really gives me a hard time for some reason) and on the second I won and explored the seat of seeing, but had to burn my phial of galadriel since i had 5 enemies in play who all engaged at the start of stage 2A when they are assigned 0 encounter level.

Haha love seeing someone actually saying the twins are top tier, I personally love them and think some people overlook how powerful they can be.

Good job redoing Breaking to succesfully explore the Seat of Seeing. What burden did you remove? Shame you had to use your phial but must have been very fun doing so!! Can't wait to use it to blind several enemies in play at once and counter attack with everything.

Two Player Campaign

Deck 1: Glorfindel (S), Merry, Fatty.

Deck 2: Aragorn (Lo), Pippin, Sam.

Shadow of the past

Boon: Mr. Underhill

Burden: Gandalf's Delay

Knife in the Dark

Boons: Skilled Healer (Sam) and Tireless Ranger (Fatty)

Flight to the Ford

Burden(s): none

Hero change. Deck 1 changed to: Merry, Aragorn, Gimli. Deck 2 didn't change.

The Ring Goes South

Boons: Glamdring always in deck 1, Sting in Deck 1 for TRGS but Deck 2 for JitD. Anduril in Deck 2 for TRGS only, and Mithril Shirt in Deck 1 for TRGS only.

Burden: None.

Journey in the Dark

Burdens: Overcome by Grief and Shadow of Fear

Balrog Defeated: Yes

Hero Sacrificed: Gimli (returned to life with Fortune or Fate)

Breaking of the Fellowship:

Haven't played it yet.

GrandSpleen, would you mind sharing your decklist with me/us? As I am also very focused on getting no boons, I love your style. But I can't seem to find secrecy work with my thematic decks..

I'm trying a new deck solo.

Heroes:

Denethor

Eowyn

Gimli

A Shadow Of The Past

Boon: Gildor Inglorion

Burden: The Ring Draws Them

Nevermind, I pulled it of myself.

Heroes:

Elrond

Gandalf

Glorfindel (sp)

A Shadow of the Past

Boons: Gildor Inglorion

Burden: Gandalf's Delay

There were only five cards left in the deck and thus I removed The Ring Draws Them. Not that it mattered, butmy new Gandalf deck was finally up and running and I even entered secrecy!

Congrats!

@psychorocka I removed grevious wounds. I considered one of the treachery cards instead but they haven't been to much of an issue because they're a good target for original Frodo ringbearer's ability where as there's no way to get rid of the wounds until it's already attached. I have a decent amount of healing and 2 copies of miner of the iron hills but just didn't want the nuisance

Using phial of Galadriel was no doubt a game saving move but I was kinda disappointed I blew it so early. Got to be careful when using it too, most of the enemies had 4 atk so I took them undefended but shadow cards can still boost it so that they so damage and I think I ended up taking a point or two as damage but isn't a huge deal but it's not quite a thicket of spears save all

I do not really understand the rules of boons and burdens? When do I own them? When they remain in play at the end of the game?

Each scenario has a Campaign Mode card. This tells you any special instructions that you need to follow when you play that scenario as part of a campaign. That includes the use of boons and burdens, and the campaign card will tell you when you have earned a boon or burden.

Hahah, since I was playing on OCTGN, I tried to flip the Campaign card, but it wouldn't work. So I thought: it has no back.. And I re the TftC playthrough and followed his steps on the bottom.. Thanks GrandSpleen!

Just thematically it's hitting me all wrong. Plus, you know they're going to have some way of resurrecting a fallen hero to represent that moment in Fangorn!

You know, maybe the plan is to allow the players to earn a Boon, or avoid another Burden -- but only if they resurrect a hero whose name was added to the Fallen Heroes list in Journey in the Dark.

Just thematically it's hitting me all wrong. Plus, you know they're going to have some way of resurrecting a fallen hero to represent that moment in Fangorn!

You know, maybe the plan is to allow the players to earn a Boon, or avoid another Burden -- but only if they resurrect a hero whose name was added to the Fallen Heroes list in Journey in the Dark.

Now that would be a neat twist. They could even make it an objective card that attaches to a hero and makes them an ally instead.

After deciding I much prefer two-handed play over strict solo I started the campaign again.

Deck #1: Bifur, Dain Ironfoot, Gloin.

Deck #2: Gimli, Nori, Thalin.

A Shadow Of The Past

Boon: Mister Underhill.

Burden: The Ring Draws Them.

Why noble hero on Dain? He has to be ready for the bonus, so,he wouldn't usually quest, and he's a great defender.

Mostly because I wanted to use Anduril on him for the bonuses and attacking after defending ability and it needs a Noble hero to use it, as well as the fact that a king of the dwarves doesn't get the Noble trait is a little confusing.

Man Anduril, and Glamdring for quests that have orc enemies, are the absolute bomb. Anduril on Elrohir is ridiculously good.

On one of the saga quests (I think possibly Breaking of the Fellowship? But can't remember...) I had Gondorian Shield and Anduril attached to Elrohir as the two restricted attachments as well as steward and a dunedain warning. He was also receiving Arwens Buff every turn. This turned him into an 8 defense beast that could defend all attacks (or almost all attacks) for both players AND strike back with 3 attack power after one of his defenses every turn. So long as he was ready by the end of his defensive duties he could also attack a second time alongside other characters as well. If I had gotten an unexpected courage on him I would have used him to quest for 3 every round as well. Insanely insanely good.

Glamdring on Haldir (who already has Valiant Warrior in my campaign) turns him into 6 attack for two resources, slap a blade on him and he can take out any enemy with a combined defense and health of 8 before they even engage/attack with his ability. Also insane, plus if you're taking out any orcs you get to draw cards as well!! Sting seems GREAT, especially paired with Frodo from Road Darkens but I haven't really used it yet as I pretty much always quest with Frodo.... Need to keep him back for combat so I can actually try out his ability.

So yeah definitely don't overlook these attachments, although you only get x1 of them and they get shuffled into your deck rather than in your hand at the start they've very very powerful if put on the right hero and can also be fetched with anything that fetches attachments. Galadriel ally into a free Anduril or Glamdring would be EPIC value.

Solo Campaign

Sam - Merry - Pippin

Shadow of the past - Score 122
Boon: Mr. Underhill
Burden: The Ring Draws Them

Knife in the Dark - 85
Boons: Tireless Ranger (Sam)\

Flight to the Ford - 115
Burdens: Overcome by Terror, Weight of the Ring

The Ring Goes South - 213

Kept Same Heroes
Boons: Anduril & Glamdring (didn't currently have Noble or Warrior heroes), Sting & Mithril Shirt
Burden: None (opted for 5 threat increase)

Journey in the Dark - 110
Burdens: Grevious Wounds, Overcome by Grief, Pursued by the Enemy, and Shadow of Fear
Balrog Defeated: No
Fallen Hero: Pippin! (As someone said, he threw himself in to rid us of his stupidity!) (JK, I cried...)

Replaced with Dunhere

Breaking of the Fellowship - 155
Boons: Leaf-Wrapped Lembas
Burden: Followed by night
Seat of Seeing explored: Yes
Burden removed: Grevious Wounds
Prisoner: Dunhere

When I get the Saga expansions I play them the first time through with this campaign. I want this one to feel as raw as possible, I (like Frodo and gang) have no idea what's around the next corner or what twists of fate lay in store for me. I'm seeing if this can survive all the way to Mordor!

Like many of you, i've been playing the campaign with a Gandalf, Elrond and Glorfindel deck.

My campaign so far:

A Shadow of the Past

Threat: 31, Rounds: 4, Damage: 6, Victory: 3

Score: 74

Boons: Mr Underhill

Burdens: The Ring Draws Them

A Knife in the Dark

Threat: 27, Rounds: 5, Damage: 0, Victory: 4

Score: 73

Boon: Noble Hero (Glorfindel)

Flight to the Ford

Threat: 44, Rounds: 7, Damage: 2, Victory: 10

Score: 106

Burdens: Panicked, Eaten Alive

The Ring Goes South

Threat: 36, Rounds: 8, Damage: 6, Victory: 3

Score: 119

Boons: Sting, Anduril, Mithrail Shirt, Glamdring

Journey in the Dark

Threat: 35, Rounds: 7, Damage: 3, Victory: 11

Score: 97

No Hero Sacrificed, Balrog never added to staging

Burdens: Grievous Wound, Shadow of Fear

Breaking of the Fellowship

Only tried this one once so far in my campaign, and lost.

Managed to avoid the balrog altogether in Journey in the dark, by racing through questing with an army of allies and faramir.

Updated Campaign Pool and Scores so far:

Two-Handed Campaign

Old Scoring System (Number of rounds not included)

Deck 1: Legolas - Elrohir - Elladan
Deck 2: Glorfindel (spirit) - Elrond - Haldir

Shadow of the past

Score: 74

Boon: Gildor Inglorian

Burden: The Ring Draws Them

The Old Forest

Score: 83

Boon: Old Bogey-Stories (usually attached to Glorfindel as I find it more useful for that deck)

Fog on the Barrow Downs

Score: 70

Boon: Ho, Tom Bombadil!

Knife in the Dark

Score: 78

Boons: Tireless Ranger on Elrohir and Valiant Warrior on Haldir

Flight to the Ford

Score: 53

Burden(s): Eaten Alive!

The Ring Goes South

Score: 80

Boons: Anduril & Sting (given to tactics/leadership deck, Anduril is best on Elrohir) Glamdring & Mithril Shirt (given to lore/spirit deck, Glamdring is best on Haldir)

Burden: None, removed Lust for the Ring with Power of Orthanc and then cancelled it with A Test of Will the second time it appeared (shuffled back into the encounter deck from an effect)

Journey in the Dark

Score: 32 (50 Victory Points from Balrog)

Burdens: Grevious Wounds and Pursued by the Enemy

Balrog Defeated: Yes

Hero Sacrificed: Elrond (returned to life with fortune or fate)

Breaking of the Fellowship

Score: 84

Boons: Phial of Galadriel (attached to a hero in the tactics/leadership deck) and Three Golden Hairs (attached to a hero in the lore/spirit deck)

Burden: Followed by Night

Seat of Seeing used: Yes (removed Grevious Wound from my campaign pool)

Prisoner(s): Haldir and Legolas

I replayed most of the campaign quests in an attempt to get better scores and outcomes for my campaign pool. A few thoughts on my experience whilst doing so.
So far the hardest quest for me is definitely Journey in the Dark, I have not been able to replicate my single succesful victory where I also ressurected the sacrificed hero. It took several attempts to get that first win and I played the quest more times than it took for the first victory whilst on my quest to get better scores/outcomes and was just unable to beat it again.
Most of the Black Riders quests seem a fair bit easier now will all the new player cards from Road Darkens and the Ring Maker cycle but are still not a walk in the park and require good decks and strategy. I still find the first quest A Shadow of the Past, the hardest and find the other two much easier. Any difficulty decrease these three quests had in my games was balanced by the two new quests The Old Forest and Fog on the Barrow Downs. Both of these are challenging in their own ways and both very fun as well.

The Ring Goes South and Flight to the Ford are in my opinion the two easiest quests so far in the Saga and the second hardest after Journey in the Dark is probably The Old Forest or A Shadow of the Past.

I loved playing through The Road Darkens even more the second time (even with the 6 or more losses against Journey in the Dark) and got much better scores and outcomes for The Ring Goes South and Breaking of the Fellowship. Very excited for Treason of Saruman. Nervous to see how the whole prisoner mechanic works and how difficult the first quest will be without two of my precious heroes...

My favorite campaign (out of three I've run through so far) because it's the most thematically satisfying (at least in terms of big picture hero happenings). The highlights: in Knife in the Dark, I defeated Bill Ferny by raising deck 2's threat like crazy (mostly with Fatty) until he engaged, then I dropped it back down with Aragorn. Journey in the Dark worked out perfectly my first time through, as the Balrog came out at the very end of the game while my combat deck was first player and I laid a beat down on him, then discarded Gandalf with the Bridge the next turn as I quested to win. After big G was gone, I subbed Merry in for Breaking of the Fellowship so that he and Pippin could become the captives. That quest was iffy because the combat deck was the one that found Frodo, but a timely appearance by Gildor and Farmir sending his willpower boost across the table got me through. I seriously considered sacrificing Boromir to keep with theme, but enemies never bothered me that much and I couldn't bring myself to do it. Also, I had a chance for Boromir to Fall Into Evil, but I chose Merry (then Elronded him back to my side) instead so that I wouldn't lose.

Campaign Pool:
Boons: Gildor, Skilled Healer and Phial on Sam, Valiant Warrior on Aragorn, Three Golden Hairs on Boromir Deck1: Anduril, Mithril Shirt, Sting; Deck 2: Glamdring,
Burdens: The Ring Draws Them, Overcome by Grief, Pursued by the Enemy, Followed by Night
Fallen Hero: Gandalf
Captives: Merry, Pippin

A Shadow of the Past
Heroes:
Deck 1: Sam, Merry, Pippin
Deck 2: Aragorn (lore), Glorfindel, Fatty
Boon: Gildor Inglorion
Burden: The Ring Draws Them

A Knife in the Dark:
Heroes:
Deck 1: Sam, Merry, Pippin
Deck 2: Aragorn (lore), Glorfindel, Fatty
Boons: Skilled Healer on Sam
Valiant Warrior on Aragorn

Flight to the Ford
Heroes:
Deck 1: Sam, Merry, Pippin
Deck 2: Aragorn (lore), Glorfindel, Fatty
Burden: The Weight of the Ring

Ring Goes South
Heroes:
Deck 1: Aragorn (lead), Sam, Pippin
Deck 2: Gandalf, Legolas, Boromir
Boons: Anduril, Sting, Mithril Shirt (Deck 1), Glamdring (Deck 2)

Journey in the Dark
Heroes:
Deck 1: Aragorn (lead), Sam, Pippin
Deck 2: Gandlaf, Legolas, Boromir
Gandalf sacrificed to defeat the Balrog
Burdens: Overcome by Grief, Pursued by the Enemy

Breaking of the Fellowship
Heroes:
Deck 1: Aragorn (lead), Sam, Pippin
Deck 2: Boromir, Merry, Legolas
Burden: Followed by Night
Boons: Phial attached to Sam, Three Golden Hairs attached to Boromir
Burden Removed: Weight of the Ring
Captives: Merry, Pippin

Glowwyrm did you use Lore or Spirit Pippen?