https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2018/1/31/shouldering-legacies/

The King of Dale card is pretty cool, and the Bow of Yew is neat for aspiring direct damage decks. Can replace Ranger Bows in that deck if you decide you don't necessarily want Rangers. OR SUPPLEMENT THEM =)

I quite liked this preview (finally!), and particularly Brand's new art is a long and well-deserved revindication. The Dale deck seems very promising and fun to play, and I quite like the flavor and look of the Dale cards. Still, I'm honestly more interested in seeing the non-Dale (or Silvan, for that matter) stuff this cycle will bring, as we know Brand and Thranduil along with their kin would be no-brainers. Loved this article overall though.

I've really been hoping for some more ways to 'accelerate' attachment heavy decks. King Brand does exactly that, although I must admit I'm disappointed that it's restricted to Dale characters. Here's hoping we get a card that grants the Dale trait! That could open up possibilities for some powerful decks that rely on attachments rather than allies (with ally-heavy decks currently having a big advantage thanks to all the different ways to get them into play fast).

King Brand also lets you fill your deck up with one-off attachments that you discard like Lembas, Cram, as you can play them on a character without an attachment, discard them per their use, draw another card to replace them, and repeat that cycle...

24 minutes ago, GrandSpleen said:

King Brand also lets you fill your deck up with one-off attachments that you discard like Lembas, Cram, as you can play them on a character without an attachment, discard them per their use, draw another card to replace them, and repeat that cycle...

Very good point! That look like a very good way to use this mechanic. All those cards seem interesting :).

I love it!

It's also a nice thematic touch that the Erebor Hammersmith synergizes so nicely with the disposable attachment deck.

Now I want to pair a dwarven mining deck with a Dale attachment deck.

A bow that does some direct damage and costs 0? Yes please!

Some good looking cards. And some scary encounter cards, really looks like an exciting set. Can't wait to get it.

Mum using this set as a jumping on point, while picking up old sets and trying to catch up.

The Cram deck is real!

I wish I could get excited about this, but it's difficult when you know it'll be about ten years before it actually hits stores, and the article is contradicted by the cards:

"While he has an Item attached, Bard is considered to have leadership, lore, and tactics icons, allowing you to use his resources to pay for cards from any sphere.".

Except that's not what the card shown says.

2 hours ago, CaffeineAddict said:

I wish I could get excited about this, but it's difficult when you know it'll be about ten years before it actually hits stores, and the article is contradicted by the cards:

"While he has an Item attached, Bard is considered to have leadership, lore, and tactics icons, allowing you to use his resources to pay for cards from any sphere.".

Except that's not what the card shown says.

My local store still says they will have it in March, so I will look forward to that.

The article must be mistaken as he would be real poweful for only so little threat. Also, Bard (II) as shown on the card seems much more fun.

Nice to finally see some support for attachment focused decks. It's making me look at the existing Dale cards with a bit more interest. I also like that both of these characters support playing attachments on allies as much as heroes. I've been enjoying recently using attachments on strong allies (Jubayr etc.) and it's really cool. I just hope that they don't design the scenarios a little too carefully to negate the new strategy being offered...

Looks like old man Brand finally found a new face.

Card numbers:

1. Brand Son of Bain (leadership hero)

2. Bard son of Brand (spirit hero)

6. Long Lake Trader (lore ally)

8. King of Dale (spirit attachment)

9. Bow of Yew (tactics attachment)

11. Necklace of Girion (neutral attachment)

12. Traffic from Dale (leadership event)

With 13 non-hero player cards, we're missing three more events or side-quests (13-15), 1 card that could be attachment or ally (#7), one certain attachment (#10), and 3 certain allies (3-5). We know one of the events is a 0-cost spirit "To Arms", and one of the allies is a 3-cost tactics "Warrior of Dale". We also know Necklace of Girion will not be the only guarded item.

I think it's funny that Warrior of Dale starts with "Reduce the cost to play Weapon attachments on Warrior of Dale", and yet the spoiled tactics attachment we get is a 0-cost weapon! The Warrior is even pictured with a great big bow, but lacks Ranged.

I do like the new weapon, though. 0-cost, can go on characters, does direct damage, and isn't limit 1 per character. Dale is restrictive, but Warrior is not.

I'm not a fan of the bow yet. It's got things going for it: cost, ability to attach to Warriors (good to see more weapons without 'race' restrictions). The damage is dealt before the attack, which is good because you'll still be able to trigger Foe-hammer if the attack destroys the enemy. It does not contribute to a 'direct damage' play style, though, as that type of deck seeks to avoid allowing enemies to attack or resolve their attacks, at least. Main thing I don't like is that it's useless against immune enemies, and it's always going to be 1 damage (unlike most other weapons, there is no way to make it into a +2 attack bonus).

However, it does allow you to attack enemies even if you don't have enough attack power to pierce their shields. It's an interesting card. I'm not sold yet.

1 hour ago, GrandSpleen said:

The damage is dealt before the attack, which is good because you'll still be able to trigger Foe-hammer if the attack destroys the enemy.

N.B.: the Bow exhausts for its effect, so by itself it is a nonbo with Foe-hammer (which requires weapon exhaustion).

Strike 3!!

"This is not the bow you are looking for."

In a Dale deck with the new Brand, the bow can also read "+1 willpower, draw a card when played."

Combo with Foe Hammer and Goblin Cleaver is awkward because it requires a hero attachment, and I don't see using this cheap weapon using a restricted slot on an attacking hero. It's an ally boost, not quite as good as Dwarrowdelf Axe, but cheaper and eligible for a lot more targets. In the inevitable Bard/Brand/Bard deck you can use it with Straight Shot. I'm guessing the real synergy may be with attachment-loving Dale allies, though from the little we know of Warrior of Dale it may not be with him. It'd be great on Knight of Dale once Valour is reached, assuming the new Brand is used.

What are the character/ally attachments that can go on Dale allies? So far there's only five released or spoiled, three are scouts and one are warrior, while the partially spoiled Warrior of Dale is a warrior. That allows, ordered by resources:

3 Lore -- Self Preservation

3 Tactics -- Vigilant Guard (warrior)

2 Lore -- Burning Brand (lore only)

2 Tactics -- Spear of the Citadel (tactics only)

2 Tactics -- Raiment of War (warrior)

1 Neutral -- Elf-friend

1 Leadership -- Mariner's Compass (scout/Leadership)

1 Leadership -- In Service of the Steward

1 Lore -- Ent Draught (must have an ent)

1 Spirit -- Nor am I a Stranger

1 Tactics -- Grappling Hook

0 Spirit -- Spare Hood and Cloak

0 Tactics -- Born Aloft

0 Tactics -- Yew Bow

In a Dale/Brand deck, I think I'd certainly want 3 copies of Spare Hood and Cloak and Yew Bow.

Spare Hood and clock seem awesome: cantrip (draw after played so don't spend any Card Advantage for it) and you can exhaust a small ally to ready a big hero (cool) and then increase the efficiency of kind of dale. I agree with Dalestephenson: it mean to be played in this future archetype.

I also like attachment that you can sacrifice. For example play in turn one a cram, draw and use it on the same turn to ready your hero (action advantage) and let this hero avaible to receive another attachment (another cram?) next turn for drawing another time. Pretty brilliant, isn't it?

You can use Miruvor the same way. Dunedain remedy, treasure hunter expert and legacy blade also seem ok: make you instant draw and give small good effect for 0.

Love of Tales and some songs. Make your hero multicolored for free (draw a card for attachement and resource for LoT).

Even keeping count now makes sense.

And Black arrow is a must-have.

Even Signals and Rune-master seems better in Dale decks.

So in the end the expansion will be nearly 100% Dale focused.

Not a bad thing at all, since it's a faction that needs a good push (and we can see they're becoming a new and fun archetype), but I thought we'd see some Beorning love.

Maybe on the linked cycle!

1 hour ago, OlorinCZ said:

Love of Tales and some songs. Make your hero multicolored for free (draw a card for attachement and resource for LoT).

Even keeping count now makes sense.

And Black arrow is a must-have.

Be careful: only the first attachement make you draw. So love of tale get you draw a card but if you play a song on the same hero you will not draw. That is why having attachment that discard for their effect (like cram) or that can be played on allies is better.

Black arrow can't be played on any Dale for now, since Bard is not a Dale but an Esgaroth.

@Jekzer We don't have ALL the cards so there may be will be an ally beornide. But as far I remember they never launch multiple mechanic in the same deluxe so I'm not surprised.

Well you can have Love of Tales on other Hero. But you are right about discardable attachements. They are perfect.

Black arrow: you can make a hero Ranged. And Also: Lanwyn.