Balin sucks hiney sauce!

Erkenbrand for the win!!!

Has anyone else noticed they're making some of the allies like mini versions of the hero in the pack, or rather that combo with the hero: Celeborn and Naith Guide, Idraen and Greyflood Wanderer, Erkenbrand and Warden of Helm's Deep, Galadriel and Galadriel's Handmaiden, etc I really like this, I hopethey keep this up, it makes building a strategy around a hero a lot easier.

Also: Beregond and Defender of Rammas.

Is Erkenbrand the first hero whose face is not clearly seen (i.e. does not have a close up art) or is it just me?

About the cards, I love all of them. Can't wait to try them out. *.*

Like teh cards too, I believe most of them will be very usefull in many decks.

Erkenbrand is what Rohan was missing IMO. A very good defending character.

Is Erkenbrand the first hero whose face is not clearly seen (i.e. does not have a close up art) or is it just me?

There are several other heroes who are not so close up, like Balin, Oin, Fatty...

Beregond's face is half-hidden behind his helmet too.

lots of very interesting cards. Stoked with defensive members of the Rohirrim

Stokesbook, I can see it now. You're just a fanboy completely swallowod by your own delusions, refusing any reason. You can continue this arguement all by yourself, be my guest.

Grandspleen - of course it wouldn't happen unless you choose to... But there is certainly going to be events that will make this kind of situation, given how FFG loves releasing giant attack behemoths. 3 defense is nothing spectacular, even in modern environment. And it's not silly, it's just pure analytics - they both have a shadow mitigation ability, and Balin simply does it better. Your main arguement is that there is no luck factor with Erkenbrand, and here, my friend, you are wrong, because unless you are scrying shadows, your main gamble with Erkenbrand is to who you're going to defend him with, because only that shadow is going to be canceled.

Looks like a great pack; can't wait! Rohan just became a much more viable trait.

What is worth notable, they cut out the Silvans right away. Not a single Silvan aimed card. (of course some of these cards work with Silvan too, but not in particulad)

What is worth notable, they cut out the Silvans right away. Not a single Silvan aimed card. (of course some of these cards work with Silvan too, but not in particulad)

Was to be expected. And I think it's a good thing, actually. Silvans had a lion's share in this cycle. I only wish some more Isengards would show up. Oh, well.

Worst case scenario Erkenbrand takes 1 damage and then dies from attack because now this attack has enough damage to kill him. Balin would have to spend a resource and the defender could sitll end up living when the replacement shadow card is revealed.

Oh, man... you're the only guys I know who will defend with Ekerbrand counting on the fact that he will have 1hp left if there is no bad shadow effect...

I'm quite surprise that nobody has pointed out the Day's Rising + Elrohir yet...

Personaly, I'll be making a dumb deck with Day's Rising (in someone else deck) + Light the Beacons + Earnil Map / Dwarven Tomb / will of the west (+ at least a burning brand in someone else deck) in a 4 players. Maybe with a Blood of Numenor, just in case.

I wouldn't, unless the shadow effect is so devastating - it's worth losing a hero to counter it. I'm just pointing out an obvious case where his ability would kill him.

I thought of Day's Rising + Elrohir, but what stopped me from pointing it out is lack of printed sentinel on Elrohir.

Well, if you play Elrohir, someone is playing Elladan (I hope) and will include an Elven Mail (or he is a bad ally)

Some other lore player could even include the new sylvan/noldor boost. There's a reason why those sylvan attachment could also be played on Noldor.

Even playing dunedan signal could temporary be played on him. It's leadershit after all... you can do anything.

Yes, but you can't do it right off the bat.

Yea, Elrohir would definitely be a great candidate if you can reliably give him sentinel. I'm glad that it doesn't require a "Printed" sentinel. If you're getting defense values as high as PsychoRocka has been on Elrohir (like 9 or something), then Elrohir can defend every enemy in the game without even having Steward of Gondor attached. Crazy!

I would like more Isengard allies too! Much more!

These cards really open up my 2-handed Rohan decks. I had previously been running Theoden/Eomer/Hama and Eowyn/Theodred/Dunhere, but Dunhere was usually pretty useless so Erkenbrand will be a nice replacement. Now Erkenbrand can defend while Eomer and Hama attack and the other 3 quest.

Late game I envision Theoden becoming an absolute beast. Quest for 3 and ready w/ Steed of the Mark. Engage an enemy and trigger Captain of Gondor. Block an attack to trigger Day's Rising and Heir of Mardil and ready again (may require a shield and/or Dunedain Warnings). Then attack for 4. And maybe attack for 4 again w/ a Rohan Warhorse. All of that without even needing Unexpected Courage.

Does The Days Rising not work with Erkenbrand's ability? Because it seems as if you gain the resource as long as your hero does not get damaged from the enemy attack. Where Erkenbrand's ability I think does not count as being hit by the enemy. So in my reasoning it would work as long as the enemies attack does not exceed your defense.

I wouldn't, unless the shadow effect is so devastating - it's worth losing a hero to counter it. I'm just pointing out an obvious case where his ability would kill him.

Eckenbrand is designed for multiplayer games.

I can defend for my teammate and no need to keep one ressource for "cancel" a bad shadow effect.

Balin can't defend for other player and on my first turn i will certainly use ressources so no cancel effect possible.

On some scenarios, you have to discard ressources from heroes ...

As i said, i will use Eckenbrand in Multiplayer games. So my teamates will heal Eckenbrand.

Lembas on Eckenbrand is very effective. Eckenbrand defend cancel shadow effect if needed maybe take some damage then heal and ready.

Eckenbrand can defend again and cancel shadow effect.

With leadership, i have a large capacity of generation of ressources.

So i can put a citadel armor (easily) on Eckenbrand which become a strong defender.

Eckenbrand can control the exact amount of damage he could take on an attack. It's a great advantage in combat especially with healers in game.

I have already create deck with defender with less in defense but with burning brand and some heal (Lembas).

Big ennemies become joke because HP are just like defense point. At each attack healer heal then i am ready to strongly defend again.

Balin is very good but not a good defender as Eckenbrand.

I love Balin but frequently the new shadow card is worst than the first ...

I think that compare Balin and Eckenbrand was a mistake. One is a defender guy and the other a support guy.

Does The Days Rising not work with Erkenbrand's ability? Because it seems as if you gain the resource as long as your hero does not get damaged from the enemy attack. Where Erkenbrand's ability I think does not count as being hit by the enemy. So in my reasoning it would work as long as the enemies attack does not exceed your defense.

I think it doesn't work.

The Day's Rising says "while defending".

Erkenbrand's ability also is usable "while defending".

I think that The Day's Rising is better on Beregond than Eckenbrand.

And Beregond could have Gondorian fire or Blood of Numenor so resources generator is quite good on him !

I would like more Isengard allies too! Much more!

So i think it won't be too much more...

As usualy no info about encounter and quest cards……