In a satisfactory fashion it explains some of the aspects of the Saga Expansion.

It also confirms all suspicions that Bilbo will be limited to these scenarios.

I admit that I would prefer another deluxe expansion with a boat load of cards for us! But I do understand that they dont want to rush these things out too quickly!

Saying that I am quite excited about the saga expansion, I also like the fact that it is a stand alone set of missions!

There are also additional cards shown under the About section on the expansion's website (the Stone Giant and other encounter cards), which I believe weren't there before.

Nice of them to give further details, but they should have clarified exactly what the treasure cards are. We still don't know what card back they'll have and/or, assuming they have regular back, what's going to prevent us from using them (text on the cards? a "rule" added to the FAQ).

I'd have preferred more "regular" expansions that this Saga concept, but I'll be buying it for sure as soon as it's available anyway.

The Stone Giant and other cards were there since the first announcement, but it is cool to see other cards.

I agree that it will be nice when we know exactly how treasure cards work. I'm getting the feeling that they are encounter backs that get attached to heroes and remain attached from one scenario to the next.

Budgernaut said:

Yes, I think you are exactly right. They can never get into your deck. So they just stay attached as you do the sort of "nightmare" mode of this campaign.

The thing I like about the news is that most of the player cards (all but five if I understand correctly) will be playable in all other quests as well. And that you shall be able to use all previous cards as well for the Hobbit (despite some strange thematic inconsistencies resulting from it - but they had been there before to some extent).

I don't see why you should not be allowed to use the new Bilbo, along with the Baggins sphere cards, in regular deckbuilding. My impression is that it won't happen simply because the cards won't be worth it. That new hero may have its advantages in Secrecy decks to pay for colorless cards, but that's it... I think the main strength of Bilbo won't be in the Baggins sphere cards, but in the encounter cards that require you to use his resources (like the one previewed).

SiCK_Boy said:

Well the new Bilbo doesn't have a threat value for one thing.

The problem with the Baggins sphere being used in previous quests is that Bilbo (in a MP game) gets past around the table. This would force players to add baggins cards to their decks to make him useful. I guess for Solo play it wouldn't be so bad but there is no way to increase his resource collection beyond the one he gets every round. Too much of a burden going to forward and without songs he is just useless.

SiCK_Boy said:

I agree, and the latest preview says there are only 5 cards unique to the Hobbit scenario: the Bilbo Hero card, one event card and the treasure cards. So sounds like there will just be one Baggins player card and that his resources will be for dealing with encounter cards. I suspect you'll have to decide which enccounter cards to use them against and when to save them. He's a burgler so I suspect they will also be needed to unlock some of the treasure cards.

lleimmoen said:

From reading the article I'd have thought that treasure cards have a player card back, and get shuffled in your player deck in later games if you previously unlocked them. For one thing, the front of the treasure card looks more like a regular player card (just with the color theme of the Baggins sphere, and the "sphere" icon moved to the bottom of the card) than like an encounter card. In addition, the article states:

... treasure cards gave us an answer; in order to include these powerful artifacts in their deck, players must first discover them in a specific scenario. ... These treasure cards ... have strong abilities in that make them well worth the effort to discover and play in later scenarios.

Anyway, I'm eager to see the new saga expansion and find those treasures

Interesting point. But then they would all need to be set up outside the Encounter deck, right?

Sprenger said:

If you zoom in on the card at the about page you can read that this card can be played even if another player is currently controlling Bilbo.

lleimmoen said:

Yes, that's right. Otherwise, players would shuffle the encounter deck just as long until the card with the player background is ontop of it...

I actually got the impression from this article that the treasure cards merely remain in play attached to heroes from scenario to scenario. He mentions wanting to keep consistency between scenarios, and the quote of "so long as players use the same heroes who found them, they can use those treasures in subsequent, related scenarios" seems to imply an attachment that remains in play and isn't shuffled back into the deck, as in the usual nightmare mode.

I have to admit that I am dissapointed that they have built the treasures aroiund just being used within that saga set. This was an opportunity to add something new and cool to the regular game.

The_Big_Show said:

It still is, down the road. If Treasures work out awesome we'll all be clamoring for more of them. And then they can throw like three new Treasures in the next deluxe expansion, or even 1 in an Adventure pack from time to time, and the rules will already have been established.

I definitely hope we see more of them if they are as cool as they seem.