I just bought the base game and played it with my wife last night. And we are trying to decide if want to continue and investing in the game. First it was a lot of fun to play, we both enjoyed the game. But I was disappointed with the lack of content in the base game. We played and beat all 3 adventures the day we bought it and I personally was expecting more for my money. I am use, from other fantasy flight games I have purchased, for more content to be packed into the base game.

Looking at all the expansion that are out now for this game, is this normal for the game? Should I expect the expansions to go this cast as well?

What do you guys think of this game considering cost vs content?

You beat Escape from Dol Guldur the day you bought the game with just the starter deck cards?

It is possible of course, but are you sure you did everything as the quest & objective cards say?

As it is a hard quest; especially with just the core set.

Anyway, in my opinion you're going about this the wrong way.

If you like the game, you can replay it when ever you want; making it good value for your money.

If you don't like it or don't feel like replaying the quests, then maybe this game is not for you.

And if it is more challenge that you seek because it is to easy: try the nightmare decks maybe.

..

As far as I know we did everything correctly. It was hard. I'm not saying that it wasn't. I am just trying to figure out if it worth investing the extra money or not. We like to play co-op games. So we can play together instead of against each other. And we both like LOTR.

I guess I was expecting more adventures to create in the box. I just bought descent about a month ago, and that base game has a ton of stuff in the base game. So I was expecting more in this one.

I saw the nightmare decks in the store, we could try them.

We also saw the saga expansions. Would that be a good place to try next? Looks fun to play a long with the story from the movies/books

The Sagas expansions (both LotR and Hobbit) are fun to play because they are designed to be campaign....

The other quests are campaign but don't have that feeling...

Nightmare decks will be hard with limited card pool...

Yeah, the core set doesn't compare to a board game like Descent as far as variety goes. But between the 3 adventures and the different decks, you can get a lot of plays.

Also, there is no way you beat all 3 quests on your first day playing the game unless you either got incredibly lucky (many treacheries that did nothing), read a whole bunch of strategy articles, or played the rules wrong. Escape from Dol Guldur is still one of the hardest quests in the game with 1 or 2 players.

I have never played a game completely correct my first time through. And I do t really have anything to compare it to. So from what your telling me sounds like we got lucky

Do you think saga expansions are a good way to expand from the core set?

Watch this video series if you want to review game play

Buy every card printed.

Normally going straight to the saga quests is pretty hard, but if you're looking for a challenge that might be the way to go. Otherwise it's usually good to buy packs in the order they were released.

Normally going straight to the saga quests is pretty hard, but if you're looking for a challenge that might be the way to go. Otherwise it's usually good to buy packs in the order they were released.

You mean like the cycles?

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-card-game/products/the-hunt-for-gollum/

Or you talking about the expansions?

They are talking going through as release order...

Shadows of Mirkwood Aps,

Khazad-dum expansion,

Dwarrowdelf Aps,

etc

For the packs (APs) you need the respective expansion to be able to play the quest... Core functions as expansion to Shadows of Mirkwood...

At what point do you start with the saga?

I'd probably go Mirkwood Cycle, then Khazad-Dum and Dwarrowdelf cycle, then go to the Lord of the Rings Sagas. The Hobbit sagas are great if you want more Dwarves, but the quests aren't nearly as good as the LotR Sagas.

The Hobbit sagas were realeased after the Dwarrowdelf cycle, if i'm not mistaken...

The Lord of the Rings Sagas are more recent but i believe they were put out between Against the Shadow cycle.

See here for more useful info about every expansion/saga/APs

Hey wtfboar!

The final overall advice section in the buying guide (made by the awesome Tales from the Cards) that CJMatos linked to is really really useful. Here is a link directly to that section:

Tales from the Cards new player buying guide - Overall Buying Advice

I think you can use it as a general rule of thumb for your next purchase or two. Once you have even just one more deluxe or sage expansion you'll have enough cards and quests (you get 3 quests in the deluxes/sagas) to keep both deck building and questing fun and fresh, and then you can treat yourselves to an adventure pack every time you feel like trying a new quest.

This is the game with the most replay value I have ever had the pleasure to play (because there are tons of content). If you love LotR then you're in for a treat. Also, the quests keep getting better and better, and really more thematic. The last few cycles have great overarching stories and twists... Oh, I envy you for getting to go through the Against the Shadow cycle for the first time! Or the Ring-Maker cycle!

Also, welcome (both of you) to a great community. Always good to have somebody join.

OP I don't know how you managed such swift victories. However if you want more bang for your buck, google tne ninjadorg's scenarios that are posted in boardgamegeek. They are custom scenarios tnat use cards from the base set and essentially double the starter box's longevity.

As others, I do apologize to you if it's not the case but I'm just going to assume you're missing something if you breezed through the three quests with one core box and starter decks. It's... yeah.

However, more importantly than that, your enjoyment of the game depends on you understanding what the game is. Unlike Descent, Imperial Assault, or any game like that, the scenarios are fixed. There's 3 in the box, 3 more in each deluxe expansion, and one in each Adventure Pack. If you consider finishing them once to be the same as being done with them, then I honestly wouldn't recommend this game to you. I don't think you'd consider it good value.

Instead, you're supposed to replay each scenario multiple times, facing challenges and overcoming them with different decks, different combos, etc. Also scenarios can vary quite a bit from play to play because of the random nature of the encounter deck. Dol Guldur without a Jailor showing up for example, if a VASTLY different adventure from Dol Guldur with a Jailor and a couple Surges in the first few turns.

So I'd consider your approach to the game quite seriously, and also would go on youtube to watch a few playthroughs to check if you're missing any important rules. Because seriously. Dol Guldur first try with core decks? Jesus.

LOTR LCG is one of the very few co-op card games out there. I love playing together with my wife because were not fighting against each other, we get to work together and use our brains, and I am a tolkien addict. I would say it's worth investing just to have quality time with your spouse. If you both enjoyed it, get some expansions and dive into Tolkien's world together!!!

And i beat Dol Gudur with core decks....However we had 3 player ANNNDDDD it was on easy mode. haha

Yea. I like that my wife and I can play together also. That is what we have been looking for. And we both like LoTR. I guess I was just expecting more in the beginning box coming from games like Descent, RoTR, and so on. We are going to stick to this game though and play a few cycles.

I have yet to beat any of them solo. I have lost every time solo.

My reason for the post wasn't to question the difficulty. I think the game is hard! I was looking at the amount of content in the box. However, we are going to continue to play and see how it goes.

When I first got the game, I tried each adventure with the four different core solo decks, as well as trying with combo dual-sphere decks. so with 3 different scenarios, 4 decks making 12 different goes, then starting on combo decks, that made for quite a number of different ways to play the game without even counting additional playthroughs that would be different just due to the randomness of card draw.

So from a solo standpoint, the core box seemed to have masses of content, but I can imagine that as soon as you introduce 2-players that comes down significantly.

So I was very happy with the core box personally, but thats a solo player.

(I played Passage through Mirkwood twice with each deck to get a feel for the rules and deck-strengths/weaknesses so I was 8-plays in before I even touched the second adventure).

I have to say I find the adventure packs excellent. Most I would say are not as hard as Dol-Guldur and so may be too easy for you, but I find them challengin and really good fun for different mechanics and scenarios. Means money investment but for me it has been great.

Woodland hunts, large battles with Trolls, Dragons or Horrors, cavern dungeon crawls, epic journeys, haunted castles, investigating spies, fortification sieges, exploring clues, frantic escapes, ship sea battles (upcoming), escort quests, healing challenges, whodunnit murder mysteries, mountain/snow expeditions, clue-battles.... etc etc the amount of varied quests and different scenarios that this game presents is very varied and thematic so there is much much content to enjoy

I do hope you enjoy the game!

Alex

I recall beating Escape from Dol Guldur with just the core set, but that was only in a four person game. (We may have gotten a rule wrong with the Nazgul too.)

It was quite awhile before I could beat that scenario either two player or solo. (And even then the solo game required a reset or two until the "right" Hero was captured.)

Yea, when my wife and I beat it, who we considered our worst hero was captured. And I have learned more about the game now then I did then and we definitely made some rules mistakes, no surprise to me.

Solo however, this game is kicking my but bad. I am really struggling with the core set even on easy.

Yea, when my wife and I beat it, who we considered our worst hero was captured. And I have learned more about the game now then I did then and we definitely made some rules mistakes, no surprise to me.

Solo however, this game is kicking my but bad. I am really struggling with the core set even on easy.

All my games have been solo but fantastic fun. The only scenario so far I have passed without beating is Dol Guldur and my current progress is I have just completed Foundations of Stone, so almost at the end of the Dwarrowdelf cycle. All are solo on normal mode.

Generally it goes like this:

1: I play the scenario, find out its feel and get my butt sorely kicked.

2: I replay a few times to continually get my butt kicked and look at why my butt hurts. Which cards sat in my hand not being used, while which cards did I wish I had or had MORE of? Was I lacking in anything? (Healing, questing, combat, card-draw, defense, ranged etc). THEN I try removing cards from my deck and adding new ones.

3: I then replay and get my butt kicked again, but in a different way

4: Do this again, deck tweak, and suddenly beat the quest yay!

5: Maybe tweak again and now realize the new deck is balanced against the scenario yay! It now means I can have a few playthroughs where the deck is good and its purely on how I play the cards and also the luck of the draw (this is a really fun part of the experience when it feels really well balanced)

6: After some wins, I move to a new scenario.

So I lose a LOT but have a great time and usually end up eventually beating the scenario consistently.

As your card pool grows (if you purchase) the deck building gets easier and more varied.

So for me, the journey from butt-kick to winner is repeated every scenario Im sure you will get the same!

Its a wonderful game.

Also, some later quests were designed to be easier solo but harder in groups, so you can get that hard experience for group play too

I understand Nightmare mode is.. well.. a Nightmare

I think a lot of it has to do with how we could strategize as well. When my wife and I were playing I focused specifically on questing while she focused on combat. But when I play solo I had to worry about both and it seams like either the quest part overwhelms me or I get my face beat in by combat.

I am looking forward to when I can get some more expansions and add cards.

Is it important to buy the expansions in order? Or can you start were you like ?