While I love this game two-handed, I've found going back to older quests becomes almost too easy with newer card synergies. (Tried Escape from Dol Guldur the other night with my 2 latest decks and didn't even break a sweat.) So I'm starting to look at Nightmare mode options.

I've bought 2 for a couple of past quests that are far too easy (Emyn Muil and Dead Marshes) but I'm looking to maybe get a few more. I looked through this guide, but it's dated now, with 2 more years of content now out...

https://talesfromthecards.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/nightmare-buying-guide/

So I'm wondering, is there an overall user rankings of the quests somewhere (outside of the "official" joke FFG rankings) to gauge the best Nightmare mode candidates? I seem to remember Amon Din was pretty easy... and maybe Across the Ettenmoors? I don't know. My memory is foggy so I'll take any thoughts.

I never see a guide for nightmare adventure. I made by myself my own guide of cool adventures classed from the easiest to the hardest:

Thanks for the list! Translated below, with some guesses I'm not sure about...

Foundations of Stone
Across the Ettenmoors
The Windy Hills (The Hills of Emyn Muil?)
Journey into Darkness
Flight to the Ford
Over the Misty Mountains
Celebrimbor's Secret
Antlered Crown
The Steward's Fear
The Blood of Gondor
The Wastes of Eriador
Peril in Pelargir
The Three Trials
Shadow and Flame
The Pavement of the Dead (The Dead Marshes?)
The Battle of Carn Dum
Helm's Deep
The Nin-in-Eilph
Trapped in the Land of Shadow
Into Ithilien
The Siege of Cair Andros
Back to the Black Forest (The Druadan Forest?)
Encounter at Amon Din
Battle of Five Armies
Escape from Dol Guldur

No other thoughts from others? I assume then that only a small handful of players actually get Nightmare decks?

Thanks a lot. It is hard for me because I barely know the names of the quests in english. I correct those who are not intuitive. Please tell me if any of those names is still incorrect :).

Foundations of Stone
Across the Ettenmoors
The Weather Hills
Journey into Darkness
Flight to the Ford
Over the Misty Mountains
Celebrimbor's Secret
Antlered Crown
The Steward's Fear
The Blood of Gondor
The Wastes of Eriador
Peril in Pelargir
The Three Trials
Shadow and Flame
The Dead Marshes
The Battle of Carn Dum
Helm's Deep
The Nin-in-Eilph
The Dunland Trap
Into Ithilien
The Siege of Cair Andros
Return to Mirkwood
Encounter at Amon Din
Battle of Five Armies
Escape from Dol Guldur

I think also there is only a few part of players who get nightmare. And even few who can actually hard test them. But there is still few and I would be really interested to know their point of view. It is not obvious to have a clear view from nightmare since some adventures doesn't get really upgraded (like battle of carn dum) and some other become so difficult (Encounter at Amon Din). The more strange is Druadan forest who become a brand new adventure.

I've been playing through the Nightmare quests in order on my blog:

https://darklingdoor.wordpress.com/thematic-nightmare/

So far, I'd break the quests down like this:

Mediocre quests made significantly better in Nightmare: Passage Through Mirkwood, The Hills of Emyn Muil, Flight from Moria, The Redhorn Gate

Great quests that are still great in Nightmare: Conflict at the Carrock, Foundations of Stone, Shadow and Flame

Quests where Nightmare challenges the ideal strategy: Peril in Pelargir, Into Ithilien

So far, I have only encountered two quests that I prefer in non-Nightmare: The Seventh Level (where the Nightmare version adds a new mechanic that falls flat for me) and Watcher in the Water (where they force you to both kill the Watcher and clear the Doors of Durin--so it has fewer interesting decisions).

In general, though, I think it's worthwhile to buy the Nightmare version for just about any quest you already enjoy. The Nightmare versions of the quests tend to be better focused, and I have found the increase in difficulty to be welcome without being extreme. Some of them even fix "bugs" in the quest that can lead to infinite loops or cheap wins.

Good stuff! That's the kind of break down I'm curious about as I've no desire to own all the NMs -- just want to patch up the weak original quests. I'll keep following your blog. Thanks!

So for those you didn't put in a category (such as Journey Along the Anduin, Hunt for Gollum, etc.) are you saying they don't add much to the original?

2 minutes ago, JYoder said:

Good stuff! That's the kind of break down I'm curious about as I've no desire to own all the NMs -- just want to patch up the weak original quests. I'll keep following your blog. Thanks!

So for those you didn't put in a category (such as Journey Along the Anduin, Hunt for Gollum, etc.) are you saying they don't add much to the original?

I wouldn't say that—I just wouldn't put either of those quests on a "favorite quests" list personally. If you enjoy those quests today, you'll probably find that the Nightmare versions are even better.

Journey Along the Anduin almost made my "Great quests" list, actually, but I took it off in an attempt to focus the list. The Nightmare version is good too—although it suffers from some of the same swinginess as the original.

Hunt for Gollum is also better in Nightmare, but it still isn't terribly difficult. With today's card pool it's still pretty easy to trounce it.

Error: double post

As I make a post in another subject I just write something that feel even more appropriate here.

Quote

Into Ithilien and Defense of Cair Andros was my two favorite quest until recently. They bring the game in a new whole level. This is the moment the game came to maturity. From now I felt every quest on cycle 1 and 2 (and especially the 2) is annoying. But since they even create more sophisticated dynamics. Time counter was brilliant. It take me time to realise how it give rythm to the game but it became my favorite cycle more than one year ago. Cycle 5 have a lot of great thing too and may be I will realize how great it is soon too.

And this have been not enough fixed by the nightmare packs realeased. They may have upgrade a lot the corresponding adventures but they still are way under later cycle adventures.

If you want number I put 5 adventures of each of cycle 3, 4 and 5 in my list against 2 of cycle 1 and 2. And even among this selection I rather play the ones from cycle 3, 4 and 5.

You talk about getting old adventure with a whole new design thanks to the nightmare. Don't be that enthusiast ^^. They rarely change global rules and goal of the quest(s). Sometime a new design make everything different (like encounter at Amon Din, shadow in flame, foundation of stone) but this is very rare. In the major part good adventure stay good adventure with their nightmares and that's it.

As Authraw I don't regret any buy from a nightmare since I enjoy playing those quest again in the new way but it is also because I have a huge commitment to this game. If you have a small budget or a small amount of time don't buy medium quest in first cycle who become medium+ quest with their nightmare, buy later cycle, you won't regret ;).

In contrary to Authraw, I think highly about 7th Level Nightmare; Sometime last year I played it at least 50 times and never got bored. I also think higly about all Heirs Of Numenor NM Pack: PiP with its upgraded mechanics gives tons of fun, while other two quests are hard, but not overly frustrating. And there really are some nightmare quests that force me to give it up, sell my collection, burn the boxes and tear up the playmat:

Blood Of Gondor

To Catch An Orc

Nin-In-Eilph.

Those are plain unfair designs.