This is a card from some Cthulhu-themed modification to the Lord of the Rings LCG, and I'm kinda fascinated with this ability, both mechanicly- and thematicly-wise.
Do you think something like that could work in the original LotR LCG? Would it be viable? Would it be overpowered?
Update: Spirit version of Denethor as a candidate for this role:
Now I know for certain. Welcome back! 
Yes, I think this would work. It's similair to Herugrim but then extended. Seems fine to me.
I'm not sure it would be crazy overpowered, but it would sure help make Tactics even more irrelevant. Considering spirit heroes only, the average WP is 2.07 while the average AT is 1.50. So it's a pretty big boost.
Like putting the spectral keyword on an enemy.
I'm not sure it would be crazy overpowered, but it would sure help make Tactics even more irrelevant. Considering spirit heroes only, the average WP is 2.07 while the average AT is 1.50. So it's a pretty big boost.
That's a good point about Tactics, but there is also another point to consider: the major willpower actions are usually expended druing the quest phase, while attack guys usually remain intact until the combat phase (we're not talking battles and sieges here).
Why does he have a keyword "willpower"?
That's a modification-related keyword that involves sanity damage.
I like it. Now the question is, which hero would the ability fit with? Actually, Merry strikes me as a good candidate, because he helped organize the non-martial forces of the Hobbits into a fighting force at the Battle of Bywater and also provided the assist in Eowyn taking down the Witch-king (helping her use her willpower perhaps?). Unfortunately, we already have 2 Merry's now...
Edited by Raven1015
I'm not sure it would be crazy overpowered, but it would sure help make Tactics even more irrelevant. Considering spirit heroes only, the average WP is 2.07 while the average AT is 1.50. So it's a pretty big boost.
That's a good point about Tactics, but there is also another point to consider: the major willpower actions are usually expended druing the quest phase, while attack guys usually remain intact until the combat phase (we're not talking battles and sieges here).
If it weren't for Unexpected Courage and a host of other readying effects I would agree with you.
I like it. Now the question is, which hero would the ability fit with? Actually, Merry strikes me as a good candidate, because he helped organize the non-martial forces of the Hobbits into a fighting force at the Battle of Bywater and also provided the assist in Eowyn taking down the Witch-king (helping her use her willpower perhaps?). Unfortunately, we already have 2 Merry's now...
Who was a good strategist of that time? Could Denethor fit? Like, Spirit version of Denethor or something. Someone from Rohan, maybe?
I'm not sure it would be crazy overpowered, but it would sure help make Tactics even more irrelevant. Considering spirit heroes only, the average WP is 2.07 while the average AT is 1.50. So it's a pretty big boost.
That's a good point about Tactics, but there is also another point to consider: the major willpower actions are usually expended druing the quest phase, while attack guys usually remain intact until the combat phase (we're not talking battles and sieges here).
If it weren't for Unexpected Courage and a host of other readying effects I would agree with you.
Which are all not present by default, so you'll have to draw, pay, and do other stuff to get them.
Denethor was a master strategist (until he went mad).
There is only one hero in the game with an AT over 3 and that's Beorn at 5. Suddenly everyone will want Eowyn paired with your new hero. Through in Galadriel and she pops for 8. Dangerous.
Overpowered. Considering that there are decks that could quest easily for 15+ willpower, imagine an attack easily for 15+. There goes the balance in the game. Too overpowered especially because it's a static ability, in my opinion.
Well, a find that's quite a lot of setup for one effect.
About being overpowered because there are decks that quest for 15+: there are decks that can easily attack for 15+. Eomer+Beorn+let's say Tactics Aragorn will have you swinging for 3(+2 from text)+5+3(+1 as armor reduction)=14, out of the box. And most enemies don't even need that amount of attack, when I was playing a deck with 3 archers, they would usually demolish anything that engaged anybody in one turn.
And, once again, real attackers don't quest, so they usually don't have any viable option to expend their action until the combat phase. So, yes, there is a couple of powerful willpower guys and gals who might kick ass, but you'll need to outfit them accorddingly... And it does not takes away the need to defend, which is usually lacking within Spirit, for example.
Edited by John ConstantineI fabricated a Spirit version of Demethor that has this ability and attached it to the original post for clarity.
there are decks that can easily attack for 15+. Eomer+Beorn+let's say Tactics Aragorn will have you swinging for 3(+2 from text)+5+3(+1 as armor reduction)=14, out of the box.
Yeah, but what's their combined willpower for questing? 3! (Eomer 1, Beorn's 0, and T Aragorn's 2). Even if you include other Tactics allies, combined WP for questing will not be that much different. Bottomline, either these 3 heroes quest for 3 or attack for 14.
Whereas a hero that uses WP as attack strength, could easily have combined Willpower of 10+ in the 1st round (even without allies) (Eowyn's 4+ WP, Glorfindel's 3 WP, and any other hero with 3+WP) to quest OR use that 10+ WP as attack strength. That flexibility of having 10+ WP for questing OR for attacking makes a hero with static ability of using WP as attack very overpowered.
Besides, we already have a similar Spirit Event card "Ride them down" that kind of does what you propose: in essence using WP as damage.
That was kinda the point? They don't need to quest, hence their attack will be most certainly available for the combat phase, while if you intend to attack with someone's willpower, you'll face a dilemma during the quest phase.
Glorfindel is a bad example here because he has 3 attack as well 
It's not just flexibility, it's a dilemma. And if you're facing more than 1 enemy, you wouldn't be able to deal with the second one the same way, unless you're running readyness.
Well, first of all, it's an event, second of all, it does that in a completely different fashion.
That Denethor Spirit is fine. He has bad stats for being an attacker, your deck probable don´t have tactics, so you lack a lot of the combat attachments and tricks.
Tactics has a lot more useful cards for combat then spirit will ever have, even with powerhouses like Expected Courage.
After thinking about it I have decided that I agree with those who say it is too much, mainly because color or sphere balance really requires spirit to be weak at attack and tactics to be good at it. A hero that allows spirit attack is too disruptive to that balance. However, it might be okay if it were more limited or conditional. Right now it is conditioned on attacking with the hero, but if it were tied to a specific trait (like undead or creatures, probably not orcs) then it might work.
Too late for that. Spirit is already pretty strong in attacking on it's own. One hero that allows a bunch of characters to attack single target using willpower will never overshadow Tactics. Having that hero, having him ready, having decent willpower ready during the combat phase - that's a lot of conditions already.
Can someone please tell me where I can find the LOTR-LCG Cthulhu modification?
Thank you!