I discovered LoTR LCG about a year ago and have been enjoying it quite a bit. With the release of a second edition of Game of Thrones I've begun to wonder if FFG plans to slowly rotate in second editions for all of their LCG's when they deem the card pool has grown too big? I've never played AGoT and I realize it has been out for quite some time and from reading the forums it appears that many players felt a second edition was needed. However, from an investment standpoint a second edition would be a huge concern when you discover your beloved first edition LCG is now dead. Is LoTR 2.0 next?

This topic has come up many times. There will not be a 2nd edition of LotR, or at least not for many years. All of the reasons for rebooting Game of Thrones (bloated rules/mechanics, high barrier of entry) don't apply to LotR. The fact that you don't need to own all of the cards and don't need to play the most powerful decks pretty much eliminates any reason to reboot LotR.

This topic has come up many times.

Thanks for the reply and for confirming my hopes. I thought it must of have come up in the past but didn't see in the search.

I wouldn't entirely object to a re-release of the core set that included the newer scoring system and keywords that have become consistent elements of the game (Archery, Battle, Siege, Time, etc) worked into the rule book, but that's a good sight different than a "2.0".

Note that one of the reasons for rebooting does apply to lotr: long-running living cardgames require distributers to stock up on a hudge collection of products in order to maintain the game. I'm not sure how much that one counts in their decision to reboot.

Note that one of the reasons for rebooting does apply to lotr: long-running living cardgames require distributers to stock up on a hudge collection of products in order to maintain the game. I'm not sure how much that one counts in their decision to reboot.

It is for sure one of the reasons for the reboot. Also dwindling player base, rules bloat amongst others. I could envision an LotR reboot but it is not likely in my opinion.

I would LOVE it if they printed entire cycles in one brick-type package for a somewhat reduced price, after that cycle had been out for a couple of years. For instance, the 6 packs of a cycle retail for $14.99 USD, making it about $90 plus tax for the cycle. They should just reprint the first cycle as a brick-shaped pack with only the cards and charge $60-75 for it. That would solve the retailer space issue.

This game has no need at all for a reboot. Its design is very solid and it is not a competitive game. I feel like the player card pool is just getting started.

I mostly agree. As of January, 2016, I find myself able to look into the card pool and experienced non of the deck building frustration I found so common during the first two cycles. I can build a well balanced deck around theme and have a fair chance at pulling a win. I think it is because the card pool has grown into a manageable plethora.

I discovered LoTR LCG about a year ago and have been enjoying it quite a bit. With the release of a second edition of Game of Thrones I've begun to wonder if FFG plans to slowly rotate in second editions for all of their LCG's when they deem the card pool has grown too big? I've never played AGoT and I realize it has been out for quite some time and from reading the forums it appears that many players felt a second edition was needed. However, from an investment standpoint a second edition would be a huge concern when you discover your beloved first edition LCG is now dead. Is LoTR 2.0 next?

@urloony - FFG has also implemented rotation into their competitive card games, so it is unlikely that the others will get a reboot as well. AGoT had too large of a card pool and wasn't created with rotation in mind. That, among many, is a cause for the reboot. Rotation being in place for the other games means the likelihood of a reboot is significantly less. As for LotR - since it isn't competitive and the card pool actually grows slower than any of the other games (due to each pack always containing encounter cards), it is extremely unlikely that we will see a reboot.

I am a fan of releasing a new "expanded core" that comes with 3x of every card as well as updated rules for various keywords, etc.

As for stores having to stock things - I'd say that most game stores are only going to hang onto the last few cycles in terms of storing cards. The rest they can order for someone if they wanted. Not that hard to manage it. Maybe just keep 1 of each pack in stock since it's almost never the case someone would come in to buy two packs of LotR.

Actually, my ideal "expanded core" would come with 2 threat dials, and then 1x or 2x of whatever cards were not already 3x in the core. And it would include a new rule book and how to play guide, similar to what they have developed for their other games. It would not include any encounter cards.

I don't think they would spend the development time to do it, I know I wouldn't. But it would be fun to see the old quest re-released with todays card pool in mind. A lot of the quest mechanics in the old cycles were to easy to manipulate. Though they did address some of these problems with the nightmare decks.

as a newbie, I would like to see an updated rulebook with all the new keywords. But if they move to 2nd edition and change things up, I will not worry all that much. I have plenty to keep me busy for years buying just current edition stuff.

Peace

Roger

I live in London. Getting hold of any stuff for this game is a blimmin' nightmare. FFG need to sort out their distributors. Not everyone in the UK wants to play "Magic" #cheesedoff

I live in London. Getting hold of any stuff for this game is a blimmin' nightmare. FFG need to sort out their distributors. Not everyone in the UK wants to play "Magic" #cheesedoff

Try online stores. As well as amazon, some good ones are Gameslore and also Chaoscards. At least 4 or 5 other uk online stores stock too but I havent used them.

Bookdepository is also a good option. They usually have many of them in stock

Second edition wouldn't work at all. Because it is cooperative, everyone would just play their old collections.

FFG announced a while ago the official rotation rules for all of their games. When they released this they specifically noted that lotr lcg would have NO rotation as it is not a competitive game, and needs no meta balance / push type rotation.

Also - it has been made pretty clear that the developers are not afraid to errata cards where they feel it is broken in any way (love of tales anyone?) which also shows their reluctance to have any form of reboot in this game.

Further evidence on this is that they are still not finished with the campaign expansions going through the core lotr story. With their current release schedule we have quite a while before they could even call this game concluded and even consider a 2nd edition. To reboot now would be to call the current game a failure, and as muddy as this game's rules can be it is far from a failure.

That all said - I do feel they could do a much better job if they wrote a more strict and explicit rule set taking in everything that has grown with the game with more forward thinking as to how they want to continue designing the game, and begin a cycle of "updated" packs. Not as much a complete redo, but more of a complete rules re-work and errata sweep. Not removing any cards, or adding any, but just revising them all to fit cohesively to a new and more complete ruleset.

The one thing I dislike about this game is the mess of rules. The rule book is difficult to learn from, and the errata is a mess. For my first dozen or so plays of this game I would complete the game and then in reviewing my game realize I played things wrong and feel compelled to replay to try and get it all right. It took many times playing through to finally feel like I actually had a grasp on the game, and that is just for general mechanics. When there is a conflict in the rules I am never sure I have actually found the answer for how something should be played, and even here on the forum many rules questions result in "ask a dev" and then "dev response, just do it like x" and I'm thinking... why isn't this more explicit in the rules?

So I wouldn't mind a rules write up that lays everything out in detail encompassing all of the interactions of the game, with a re-release of each set updating the cards to conform to the rule set. Not really a reboot, but more of a complete game errata and release. (I doubt this would market well though, so I doubt it would even be a consideration)

I agree a revised edition would be a good idea. I'm still not sure if I'm playing it right

If they just released it with errata'd cards and clearer rules + reference for all rules added through expansions I'd buy it. I want some more of many cards anyway.

They do usually incorporate errata. If they just take it one step further and incorporate revisions that would be awesome.

They do usually incorporate errata. If they just take it one step further and incorporate revisions that would be awesome.

Yep, buying packs late tends to give you corrected cards. My "plan" of being always behind is working out for me!

They do usually incorporate errata. If they just take it one step further and incorporate revisions that would be awesome.

Yep, buying packs late tends to give you corrected cards. My "plan" of being always behind is working out for me!