Keen-Eyed Took's ability reads: Response: After Keen-Eyed Took enters play, reveal the top card of each player's deck.

Am I correct in assuming that all this ability does is flip that top card, so that players can see what it is? This would be my guess since it does not say to put in play. However, there is a bit of contradiction with the terms here since revealing a card from the encounter deck essentially means putting it into play. It appears that the terms apply differently to each deck. In other words, this is an ability meant to combo with search cards or maybe even the upcoming Zigil Miner?

I assume, if that's the correct wording, that it reveals the top card so that each player knows what is coming up, but it would go back on top of the deck. The reason I say it goes back on top of the deck is because it doesn't say that it goes into play or into the hand.

Yeah, it seems like it will combo with the Miner. So will Gildor Inglorion. Rohan is combinating very well on its own, other nations will probably have to wait, some (aka Dwarves) not that long perhaps.

The Took also helps you get rid of cards you do not want to draw and thus raising a chance of drawing the others. And he combos well with Imrahil, of course, but he still cannot fit to an already dense deck of mine (filled with those glorious Rohirrim - by the way, I used to think Mustering the Rohirrim was a bad card, little did I know).

If you read the full text on the card, he also has the ability "Action: Return Keen-eyed Took to your hand to discard the top card of each player's deck". I'm guessing they intend you to use the response to reveal a card, then if you don't need it to return him to your hand. I can't see myself doing this unless I REALLY need a Gandalf or something... it seems a bit of a waste of 2 resources. I'll still be playing Wandering Took.

Yeah, I suppose that they meant to use the second ability in conjunction with the first, then play him again, as he is cheap, and so on. I don't see much of a reason to send a card to the discard like that unless you were ready to play it from there inmediately. If it isn't all that useful and you'd rather get rid of it, then maybe it shouldn't be in the deck to start with. This card reminded me a great deal of the ability on Warhammer's Lord of Change, who allows you to play with the top card flipped up and then allows you to play it as though it were in your hand. Maybe they will include a character with that ability sometime, as a follow up. This game does follow a trend of releasing a card that isn't all that useful, then adding other cards that make it more playable in later expansions.

If your playing Journey of Rhosgebel in search of healing cards or if your a spirit deck looking for threat reduction then having an ability to filter thru your deck quicker is helpful... atleast until they come up with a card to "search your deck for the card you want and put it into your hand"

Titan said:

Horn of Gondor as a nice example of such. At first I thought it utterly useless, the other nite we played a 2 player game in which both Horn of Gondor and Steward of Gondor where in the opening hand. In that game Steward made 1 resource more than Horn, being also 1 resource more expensive. And that was only 2 player game, imagine if it were 3 or 4. With Imrahil, there began a series of cards that enjoy leaving play.

Yeah, The Eagles Are Coming was what came to mind for me. It came out when there was only one eagle and wasn't very useful. Now, two expansions later, there are three eagles and it is far more playable.

and I guess that's the plan - bring out cards, that are a bit useful now, but more later... I have the impression that they're bringing out the cards you'd desperately need for the previous AP in the next one or couple of next ones kind of fun... kind of a "god mode" after you've beaten the game... imagine playing the core scenarios NOW with all the cool cards in the decks... muster, eagles, descendant, dunedain mark etc AWESOME!!!!

I actually think it is pretty well rounded card and works with a few cards in the environment, and most likely more as it grows. It is the truly self returning card in the game. Yes Sneak Attack and Born Aloft can send cards back but they are one shot uses. Keen-eyed Took can be purchased easily in a leadership deck ( or leadership heavy deck), especially if Steward of Gondor is in play.

This card interacts with all the following cards greatly. Prince Imrahil, Valiant Sacrifice, and Horn of Gondor. It can also be useful to play the Keen-Eyed Took to reveal the top cards for card draw effects such as Gleowine, Beravor, Gandalf's Search and the like. Making the most optimal draw at the time.

He also fits with an increasing theme of Hobbits, attachments. As the Hobbits are reluctant to throw away any item. With Fast Hitch being revealed and Second Breakfast already out it shows a growing theme of Hobbits getting stuff for your heroes, especially attachments (i.e. items), or things such as reduced Threat with a Wandering Took and limited card advantage with Keen-Eyed Took.

You can make a decent attachment heavy deck especially through Lore having some stand out attachments that are very useful (Protector of Lorien, Forest Snare, Self-Preservation) and the Erebor Hammersmith who like Second Breakfast can pull things from your discard pile, and the Rivendell Minstrel who searches for attachments. Bilbo is also Lore and gets you cards as well as your fellow players. Frodo is Spirit (which in it's own right has some very nice attachments Unexpected Courage and Ancient Mathom*) he also saves you from taking wounds by giving you threat but this works well with Wandering Took to lower your threat to another player who might have lower threat or even use Galadhrim's Greeting to blast your threat down or to even everyone out.

*For those not familiar with lore: A Mathom is any item that had no particular immediate use, but whose owner had no wish to throw away. Mathoms were often given as presents by the Shire-hobbits - an important part of their culture - or stored in the Mathom-house in Michel Delving. The Mathom-house was a place in Michel Delving where the Hobbits collected and displayed items they had no particular use for. It was known to contain a store of weapons, and for a time also held Bilbo's mithril coat.