I am just starting to collect lotr lcg and don't have the cash to buy all the expansions and APs. Is it necessary for me to use card sleeves? How necessary is it? I also have the option of lamination but it sounds like thats just as expensive.

Yes, player cards should be sleeved. They just get used a lot during this game and I do not know if you have any kind of ticks, as I do, but then it is really necesarry.

Encounter cards are in my opinion not necesarry. Almost all Aps have there own encounter deck + 1 or 2 decks from the beloning DE, but after a new cycle starts you never use the cards again.. So you could buy sleeves only for the current encounter decks you use, like say 500 sleeves or someting and use those for all encounter cards.

But in the end it is just a matter of personal taste and weighing the cons against the pros.

I disagree!!

It completely depends on how often you play the game. If you play it on a daily base you could consider it for sure. But if you only play it 1/2 times every 2 weeks. I wouldn't sleeve them at all.

I only sleeved my player cards/heroes, because the scenario's aren't that often used. My player cards however are used very often when I feel like deckbuilding or playing. so therefore i started sleeving them.

Grtz, Jban

Thanks guys. I think I will take your advise since I tend to play once every 1-2 days

I've split the difference and just sleeve the player card deck(s) that I'm actively using rather than keep them all sleeved all the time. Encounter cards I haven't been sleevng at all since they get less use.

Sleeving the encounter decks becomes important when you get into nightmare quests (very far away if you are just getting into the game). The print-on-demand cardstock is of a very different texture and will give away which type of card you are up against. The colours are also off enough that an opaque sleeve might be wise, too.

FYI, I don't have sleeves on my cards, but I'm starting to notice a difference in the backs after about 150 plays. It's only noticeable on staple cards from the core set like unexpected courage, test of will, and feint.

Now that I can tell a difference I will probably take the sleeving plunge, but definitely not for encounter cards because they get much less wear and the wear is even among any given encounter set.

I've been sleeving my encounter cards with FFG's transparent sleeves a few sets at a time for quite a while now. One thing to consider is that they take up much more space sleeved. I didn't originally plan to sleeve encounter cards - until I bought a nightmare pack. The texture and colouring is slightly different, and the text on the pack actually recommends that you sleeve it so it's harder to tell the difference. After that, I had to sleeve the whole Passage Through Mirkwood - and after that, the rest of the core set because the sets are used in multiple scenarios. And after that, the whole cycle... you get the idea.

I use matte sleeves for player cards - slightly different to shuffle, but better grip and durability I think.

yah, I started sleeving but have run into one little problem. when I shuffle, the cards will sometimes overlap with the sleeves and slit the sleeve open. I just have to be very careful now

I only sleeve my player decks, unused cards are in binder sleeves though and encounter cards are kept in binder sleeves but are used unsleeved.

I sleeved my favourite scenarios as well (MaO, Into Ithillien, NM JatA), still waiting for NM HoN... pfffft