I just had a horrible thought...I think we discussed this already in the early days when the game was just coming out, but will the encounter decks for chapter always only use encounter cards from the core set? I think that's the way they have to do it, lest ffg will suffer heavy criticism in terms of forcing people to buy chapter packs...but it also is kind of a pity I think, because there would be just so many possibilities to build encounter decks using the various cards from the expansions, too.

Well, my assumption at least is that they probably will always use enccounter sets from the core set (or big expansions we expect to appear at the beginning of each new cycle) and just the one distributed with each given adventure pack. If that is true, I am really looking forward to community developed scenarios in terms of what mix of encounter cards will be used

I think a nice compromise would be if in the 6th chapter pack of each cycle, they were to include 1 or 2 bonus quests that use a mixture of encounters from that set. Most people will probably buy the cards in cycles, and this seems the best way to offer some kind of reward for regular customers who are buying lots of stuff, without excessively penalising those who don't. It would only need an extra 3 cards per quest, and shouldn't have too big an impact on the card distribution for the people not getting to use it.

I've thought about that, but I think one issue is that you would assume then that if you owned one or two of the expansion packs that you owned all of them.

So, let's say for Expansion 6 they include a bonus quest that involves encounter cards from Expansions 2 and 4. Obviously, you would need those expansions as well in order to play that quest. I personally wouldn't mind this at all, especially if it was indeed a bonus quest and not a pre-requisite.

Doing this would also cut down on the amount of time needed to re-organize the encounter decks whenever you change quests; that gets extremely laborious when you have a limited number of card sleeves and you need to switch them out.

I'd like to see more 2 encounter sets(i.e. an expansion set of cards and 1 from the core set). I think that would allow for greater variability in quests. Maybe one expansion encounter set would be very surge-ish and go with the Orc deck...or one that hinders players coupled with the spider set, etc.

That or I should just be creative and make my own sinister quests...

"Quest 1A: Forced: Set your threat to 49. You may not draw cards. If you're still reading this, you lose the game."

Actually they can also add some new cards to the current encounter cards sets. Add some additional cards to dol-goldor orc set??? Or to HFG set????

Make it more interesting and different with new cards and so on.....

Glaurung said:

Well, adding new cards to a current encounter set would completely change some older quests. I'm not sure they would want to do that, but it's a possibility.

They could also potentially create Alternate versions of the current sets that you could play with? I really hope all quests don't end up always using the core set encounters. They can make them varied with the quest specific encounter cards and combining the sets in different ways, but I think it would be a lot more interesting to combine some of the expansion sets.

Perhaps after they release a full cycle they will do a deluxe expansion that adds more encounter sets they could use in future cycles. Technically they could require you to own more than just the core set for an expansion, the question is whether they actually will do that. I would certainly be fine with it, and actually prefer if they ended up doing that.

I don't expect this to happen, but it would be really cool to have the Hunt for Gollum cards part of the Hills of Emyn Muil quest. The idea is that we're looking for Gollum's trail again, so the Signs of Gollum wouldn't seem strange at all.

Kiwina said:

But why not??? IS quite possible they will use HFG cards in Emyn Muil or in Return to Mirkwood. Hunters still looking for Gollum as well and Clue mechanic can be used once again.....

Glaurung said:

Because that would mean you would be required to have earlier expansions in order to play later expansions. It's not very user friendly when you have a web of which expansions are required in order to play another expansion. The idea of LCGs so far seems to just be that you need only the core set and then you can add any expansion you want in any order.

I hope they end up just requiring other expansions. I don't think it's too much to ask and it will enhance the game. They should just clearly note it somewhere so that people don't pick up an expansion expecting to play through it and then after they've already purchased it realize they need to purchase other expansions in order to actually use it.

Another neat solution would be to include cards from the expansions in encounter decks, but also providing substitution cards from the core set that can be used in case the player doesn't own the expansion set. The deck list would include the "recommended" card list, but for each card not included in the core set, there would be another card listed that can be used in its place. This way, players would be rewarded for owning the expansions, yet it does not hinder players who do not.

I think one solution (which seems likely) is there will be 'encounter packs' in the next big box expansion, similar in number to the core set. So there will be around 7 encounter symbol packs in the box. The next line of Adventure packs will use those encounter packs instead of the core ones. Perhaps some print on demand quests will use encounter packs from multiple 'arcs' of the story.

As far as I know, the other big box LCG expansions featured three of each card and also had at least 2 workable decks in them. So for LotR, perhaps we will get two working decks and a bunch of encounter packs (that make three quests like the core pack). Someone can buy BigBox1 and play right there, and be set to play the next 6 Adventure packs.

I'm not great at explaining my ideas, but I think that sums it up. Comments?

Yes, I agree with Saej here. I think the problem is that is fine for an expansion pack to require the core set, but it's difficult to require other expansion for new expansions. The best way to do this is, indeed, to provide a lot of encounter cards, considering that there were a lot of player cards in the core set and provide limited player cards. (On another note I wonder what we will get...a new sphere maybe?).

Still, there will be an angry mob if ffg requires you to own both, core set and the deluxe expansion to enjoy the newest adventure packs. On the other hand, there always will be an angry mob I guess, because it seems very diffiuclt to satisfy the customers who buy everything and still make it easy and affordable for new players to join in on the fun.

The "recommended" list with core set alternatives would be cool. Hills of Emyn Muil could recommend using Hunt for Gollum, but if you don't have it just use River Anduin instead.

A "quest pack" through PoD could also be a sweet way to mix AP's. You would buy a pack of just quest cards for 5-10 quests, and these quests would use encounter sets from the core set, big box releases, and adventure pack cycles. The PoD product could say what expansions you'll need. If you don't have all the used expansions you don't have to demand a print. That way, you only spend $5-10 for a whole bunch of new quests that use the cards you've already bought.

This is an odd thing for me to say because I'm not a LOTR theme guy, but I think that the adventure pack encounters may also be thematically inappropiate. You may have locations that don't really correspond to the general area you are supposed to be in and enemies that don't fit. I find it kind of odd that when you are in the dungeons of Dol Guldur you could run into Forest Spiders. Although that's ok because I could also have a giant eagle ally in there, that sort of stuff happens in every game. But what would you do with The Carrock, a very specific location? Could you use the four trolls, whom you supposedly dealt with, elsewhere? And what about Grimbeorn?

I think that what we are going to see is that the big box expansions will contain more encounter decks(core set had seven), and therefore some will be smaller and more versatile, as opposed to the adventure packs which will contain the more thematic ones.

I think they might include new basic encounter decks in a "premium expansion." The box expansions, like in the other LCGs, that include approximately 180 cards.

IMHO

I think that there allways will be encounter cards from core set. (The idea is that you need only to have core set and expansion that you just happen to have.) So no need to get other expansion to play your encounters)

And those big expansions most propably have their own core encounter cards that suites the theme that will be handled next.

Now we have Anduin wale core set and expåansions around the same area. Question, does anyone know what area is the next cycle handling?

Hannibal_pjv said:

no news as of yet, though people are predicting that a big box expansion is due for christmas time

The biggest problem I see with having adventure pack scenarios that use other packs encounter cards is the FLGS that has to deal with angry customers who just bought a product they can't play. Based on my own experience working at a game store, I can say that many, many people buy products without reading the label. Game store owners pride themselves on customer service so of course they would refund the purchase and be stuck with an opened product they will have difficulty selling. This could potentially sour the FLGS owner from FFG products. Most gaming companies do everything they can to keep FLGS happy and afloat. Therefore I think this style of scenario is very unlikely for retail adventure packs.

However, I think print on demand is the way to go if they are going to use scenarios that mix and match adventure pack encounter cards (without using core set encounter cards). In general, the majority of people buying POD products are already superfans and will understand enough about the game to know which adventure packs are required. The "Death Angel" mission pack was about 20 cards for $5. For the LotR:LCG the POD product could have 3 scenario cards, 3 neutral attachment or ally cards, and 14 new encounter cards. The rest of the encounter cards would be drawn from existing adventure packs. This simple model would avoid confusion at the FLGS, add a lot of variety to the game, make more money for FFG, and in general keep the game alive by keeping the fans happy. Win-win!

PoD cards are of lower quality, and therefore not "compatible" with the cards purchased in adventure packs. That is why Massing at Osgiliath comes with all of its encounter cards, and doesn't require the use of any other encounter decks. I don't think FFG will ever publish player cards through PoD for this reason, but I'm all for them producing more quests this way.

My thought is that after the first cycle completes, a new "core" set with a new theme will be published and the encounter cards from either both or the newest one will be used. Keeps it fresh but also keeps the older cards relevent and still useful.

gamestar10 said:

Well, we know how this is going to work now.

"It’s also important to note that you will need these new encounter sets to play the scenarios of the subsequent Dwarrowdelf cycle of Adventure Packs."

From the new Khazad Dum expansion.

www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_npm_sec.asp