Few days ago I asked about Son of Arnor, this was one of the first games with the card in my deck.

Yesterday we had a game of the Escape from Dol Guldur. In the round that Nazgul would engage us, I was able to play Son of Arnor in the planning phase to engage him. Then in the same phase, my partner attached Forest Snare on the Nazgul. Thus we decreased the threat in the staging are by 5 and were able to nullify possibly terrible consequences with Nazgul in the combat stage. I had a feeling this card would be great. I know I may not be using (even when getting it) in every game but then more cards are like that.

We won the game, do I need to add?

I'm embarrassed to say - but thank you for your post - NOW I get why Son of Arnor is useful... also in combo with tactics, where you can declare and resolve an attack via event card... and other uses... the card is cool! almost always! you can help out a fellow lore or spirit player, if he became engaged and is helplessly lost... nice!

lleimmoen said:

How did that happen anyway? Did you use Legolas and decided to free the prisoner after placing his success tokens for killing an enemy? Normally, the Nazgul enters the staging area after the adventure phase, allowing you to engage the Nazgul right away, before his threat becomes an issue.

jhaelen said:

You can only Forest Snare an engaged enemy. And you can only play Forest Snare in the Planning phase. Normally, in the Planning phase the Nazgul was not engaged so I'd have to wait till he engaged me and fight him in the Combat phase. And only then snare him during the next round Planning phase. See it Mr?

To answer the second question. The Nazgul entered the staging area during the Quest phase, yes. My threat level was not as high and I did not want to engage him myself because I'd have to fight him in the Combat phase. Thus I waited till the next round and did the Son of Arnor - Forest Snare combo. Understand?

Hope I played it by the rules.

Sure. You played a nice combo there

Unfortunately it doesn't work when the wrong player is first player ... but you were lucky

lleimmoen said:

Now with the FAQ out: forget about the Nazgul. But it is still a nice combo against a Hilltroll or that Orc Chieftain:)

Doom1502 said:

I was thinking the same. Nazgul trap no longer works. When doing the combo though, it matters not which is the first player as far as I see it.

Besides Dunhere, he is the best way to deal with an annoying well-covered goblin sniper.

Kzer-za said:

Gandalf is the best way but you don't want to waste Gandalf's powers just to kill a goblin .

I think Son of Arnor is one of those cards that is far more useful in a coop game than in solo mode. Solo, his ability becomes much more situational and for a 3 cost, he simply isn't that effective. I've found that when I have him in my hand and could have played him, I held him back just to wait for the right situation, when I could have had another ally in play. Seems a bit self defeating, so I rarely use him.

lleimmoen said:

Of course it matters. P. 30 of the rulebook, if the player with the trap is first player he/she cannot target the troll with it because he sits in the staging area in his/her planing phase. When the second player comes to his/her planing phase to play son of arnor the first player can not play an attachment anymore - just in his/her own planing phase - which is already over for this turn

Doom1502 said:

I have been informed otherwise by one of the playtesters on bgg. According to his interpretation and my understanding of it, it matters not who has the trap and who has a son. I'd like to read an official ruling on this. Or do you count yourself eligible to such?

From the rulebook, p. 12: "The first player
plays any and all ally and attachment cards he wishes to
play first. The opportunity to play cards then proceeds
clockwise around the table."

That, together with p30, leaves no room for interpretation.

it's as the above poster said. once you played all of your attachments/allies in the planning phase, then you're not allowed to play any other... and forest snare can only be played on an engaged troll...

Thanks for the heads up.

I see although I hope it shows up in the FAQ. The rulebook is quite strict on this one but it is very inconsistent with the aparatus of other phases. I will not further argue against it though.

Just (haha) the rulebook is a bit of a mess, especially the page 30. It has 11 boxes given to player actions only to state that you can do player actions in any green boxes - beyond me by miles.

Also, I see little thematic reason for the strict differentiation in the planning phase whilst the quest phase has nothing of the kind. Do others know why? But as I said, this is actually pretty clear...