https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/7/23/trapped-in-the-land-of-shadow/

As I said - no leadership trap stuff.

This is interesting. The trap archetype is much strengthened by Damrod and all the other allies. Anborn, while amazing with Faramir, will be kind of a tough choice since the other version is really good with traps, but I like the synergy with Faramir. Overall this doesn't seem that powerful in the current meta since many enemies are either immune to player card effects or attachments, but for the earlier cycles this looks really good! Losing ally Faramir is bad, but if using Visonary leadership or Sword that was Broken you can compensate for it. I like this! The art is really good as well. Looking forward to this expansion!

I think this makes Anborn the first character to have two different non-objective ally versions of himself in the game?

Gandalf.

Holy player card spoiler, Batman! I'm happy to have a hero version of Faramir now that I'm actually excited to use. So many possibilities...

Mablung is going to be a nice ally too. 2 willpower, 2 hit points for 2 resources with a useful effect? Sign me up.

Ambush seems kind of dope. I am glad that traps are getting a bit of a buff, and I also like that there's more of the dunedain type of ranger synergy in that as well. Can't wait!

That's alot of spoilers!

Does this hint at LoS being available at gencon maybe?

Love the Damrod hero.

Faramir is good, in combo with so many allies, but I worry for him, as his ally version is so strong.

Mablung is great too, for exactly the reasons Chris gave.

Anborn is meh imo. Or maybe I'm missing something?

That's alot of spoilers!

Does this hint at LoS being available at genoom maybe?

That's what I was thinking too! Crossing my fingers...

Anborn helps to keep dangerous enemies in the staging area, or bumps up their engagement costs to feed Ranger/Hobbit abilities if you do engage them. The damage could also be useful if you combine it with Ranger Bow. The biggest problem is actually that the Lore version is so good for trap decks too.

Man, I have to say that I like every single one of these cards. I've been waiting for a card like Ambush forever!

Anborn will be very important in this deck. It is the only repeatable means of raising an enemy's enagement cost, which seems to be a main mechanic for this deck (another reason to add x3 Take no Notice). With Faramir he can raise the engagement cost of an enemy, then you engage it and play In the Shadows, and then ready him with Faramir and attack for 3. I like him.

Gandalf.

Ah, of course, forgot the obvious one. Anborn is still second though I think.

Wow, I am so excited to try a trap deck now! Mono-lore is probably still the best with Damrod, Mirlonde, and maybe Haldir. I'll probably stick with the lore Anborn ally though. Mablung ally is very good, even just for the 2 WP and 2 HP with only 2 cost.

I'm not sure who to best pair with the new Faramir. I'm thinking Halbarad or Tactics Aragorn.

The main problem of relaying on Anborn to increase enemy engagement is his very high cost.

I think, new Faramir would be good with da Celeborn, to get most out of dat inflated 1 turn stat silvan allies.

That's alot of spoilers!

Does this hint at LoS being available at genoom maybe?

That's what I was thinking too! Crossing my fingers...

Anborn helps to keep dangerous enemies in the staging area, or bumps up their engagement costs to feed Ranger/Hobbit abilities if you do engage them. The damage could also be useful if you combine it with Ranger Bow. The biggest problem is actually that the Lore version is so good for trap decks too.

Man, I have to say that I like every single one of these cards. I've been waiting for a card like Ambush forever!

@Ian:

Auto spelling control ftw! I meant gencon of course.

And I hope so for everybody's sake Ian. As It also means earlier reviews by you

@Giz:

Ah he is indeed repeatable. I missed that.

Makes him a lot better.

I like the combo you suggested, thx!

I'm not sure who to best pair with the new Faramir. I'm thinking Halbarad or Tactics Aragorn.

The obvious pairing for new Faramir is old Mablung. They both trigger off engaging an enemy, limit once per phase.

I'm not sure who to best pair with the new Faramir. I'm thinking Halbarad or Tactics Aragorn.

The obvious pairing for new Faramir is old Mablung. They both trigger off engaging an enemy, limit once per phase.

I forgot the limit once per phase, so Halbarad makes less sense. Mablung and Aragorn would be a good combo with Faramir.

Yes, I like that Faramir will work in other decks as well. With Imrahil he can ready an ally you used to quest so he can chump-block, which could work really good. Others have noted how he works with Aragorn and Mablung. Literally the only drawback to him is the inability to use his ally version!

It's too bad one of the allies he would synergize the best with is himself.

Really cool stuff here, new Damrod makes me want to try Imrahil-Damrod-Denethor as a Gondor deck.

Seems to be a new trend to let Lore have a bit more willpower-efficient allies, which is a very good thing in my opinion.

Also, that Mablung art... totally my doppelganger

Faramir capacity + Ents ... So Powerfull !

Oooh, shiny. The new Faramir is really good, and I like that he works as a support for other allies (not unlike his leadership ally, but in a different form). And the new traps and allies that work with them are really nicely thought out. I'd better get on with playing the Treason expansion so that I have time for this one, because it looks exciting. And the design is just getting so slick these days. Mighty impressed.

I think I might even be able to order The Two Towers saga expansions together (still haven't ordered Treason). That'd be pretty cool.

Love the new ranger cards, and loving that we get synergy between Dunedain, Gondorian rangers, and Hobbits. It's both fun and thematic. Love that they're breathing new life into old archetypes that need it, and love a hero Faramir that I actually can use.

Readying an ally is such a unique ability. Only three cards I can think of that do it: Ever Vigilant, Call to Arms and Spare Hood and Cloak (aside from allies like Gandalf and Treebeard that already have readying abilities), and you could really get bonkers with some engagement shenanigans and new hero Faramir. Lots of fun possibilities to consider.