Hi all,

Do the three steps (placing influnce, drawing shadow cards, drawing plot cards) listed on the starting plot cards have sequence? Could I place the influence after drawing and examing my plot cards? Since the influnce are more useful when you know what to do.

Thx

We play "follow the steps in order". Sure it might be a bit more challenging that way, but you don't really need a lot of help to destroy those foolish mortals, do you?

TK

I've also done them from top to bottom. Didn't matter after the first couple of games, by then I knew where I want to place my influence anyway (Mt. Gundabad-DG axis). And unless I get no playable Plots from the Starting Plots draws, my first turn tends to be Influence + Monster/Command Action.

The worst part is not that you have to do it in steps, but that you don't get your secret mission until after you've done your starting plot. You need to move the red marker up? Too bad you just discarded all your red plot cards.

It's a setback for Sauron, but not as big as it might seem, at least not once you get to know the cards. Really, key for Sauron is to grab Plots that you can play on the first two Plot steps with no or minimal requirements (hence my spreading influence in Mt. Gundabad-Dol Guldur area). Expensive Black Plots always go to the bottom, no use for them. If I do get the Black token to stage III Mission, "Ithil-Stone" can help, but you can win by running another colour to the Finale before the Hero token and beating them in the final combat (just happened in the most recent game, Black token Mission, Black token barely left stage I, but went into Finale with +4 on dominance).