I really like Gimli. Absorb a little damage, attach a dwarven axe and armor that adds hit points and you really have a force to be reckoned with…. Throw in a quick strike event card and you really have a deadly hero that can help you advance through a round pretty quickly….

I agree wholeheartedly with you!

Yes, but I find it difficult to play with the tactic sphere.
With who do you use Gimli, and paired with what kind of card to compensate the low questing ability?

Gimli is *the* tactics quester Which is really unfortunate, because failing some way to ready him, if he quests you can't use him to fight.

I use Gimli on quests where I expect heavy combat (I'm looking at you, Carrock). Because I rarely play solo anymore, I can overcome the low questing on tactics through my partner, who almost always uses Eowyn. If you play solo and pair tactics and spirit, that could be your answer right there (Eowyn). I pair tactics with lore and rely on my partner for questing a lot, but when those Rivendell Minstrels start to come out, the tables turn.

edit: I can add to that, actually -- on those combat heavy quests I usually include Legolas and Gimli both. Gimli can quest while Legolas fights, until both are needed (or I anticipate needing them). That is when I hold Gimli back for defense (to charge up his attack) or offense (to unleash the fury!). I guess what I really like about Gimli is that he is diverse!

Gimli's good, but I find his diversity makes him hard to use. Tactics is so low on Willpower that it's tempting to use him as Quester. Dain gives him a solid three Willpower. However, he also wants to defend a time or two so he can get a couple damage tokens. Then you want to use him as your big-gun attacker.

He's sort of too unfocused in his role and too costly for me to use him regularly. Although, if you have some readying methods at your disposal, then he's incredible.

In a single deck game, with core set only, I played the tactics desk against the First Scenario and lost. I also lost playing it against the Second Scenario, BUT finally managed to kill the Hill Troll before the threat dial killed me.

Gimli can is great at dishing out damage, but definitely needs some support from other spheres.

I haven't been successful at all with Gimli. Not a lot of card combination can be used with his high attack based on damage. I will always use Legolas at any given time - no love for me for Gimli (Epic fail on most games with Gimli). Success with Legolas most of the time. I honestly think they should re-roll Gimli or give Gimli some attachment (like attachments for Aragorn) that makes him unexhaust (if attached character is Gimli - he may unexhaust once per round).

Due to his cost, I don't even bother to bring him in my all dwarf deck that is technically made out of all dwarves. The tactics sphere does not really help alot either because it only works with Leadership sphere.

What I have noticed with Gimli, is that he is the heaviest hitter, but needs additional support from different spheres.

The Hill Troll in Journey Down the Anduin is easiest to kill using Gimli.

My strategy, when using the tactic deck is to engage the Hill Troll on the first round. Defend with Gimli. And take the wounds. This is a bit of a gamble because of the possible Shadow card effect. In this case, using a multi-sphere deck would be helpful (assuming you have the cards to deal with additional damage… or even cancel the shadow effect).

Assuming that Gimli survives, on the next round you will be able to deal 6 points of damage (without any attachments). If you add Legolas, you will be able to inflict 9 points total. The Hill Troll will survive, but the following round he will be eliminated.

Raksorvix said:

If they had an attachment that was meant solely for Gimli, it **** well better be called "And My Axe".

It seems as though many people don't like playing Gimli much because he is too diverse. You just have to pair him with the correct heroes and the right attachments. I usually try to saddle him up with "Citadel Plate" and "Dwarven Axe" (the tank approach), then give Legolas the "Horn of Gondor" (and a weapon attachment if possible). That done, the 3rd hero usually ends up being Theodred, or Eowyn if I feel like using 2 spheres (Tactics and Spirit tend to support each other very nicely.)

I hope this strategy helped.

Gimli + Dain + Gloin.

Gloin is the quester and Gimli can quest or attack as needed. Leadership deck has plenty of allies which have willpower so Gimli can do what he does best.

Dain gives +1 willpower during questing to all character cards thus allowing you to use Gimli as he was intended…with a hammer…err…an axe.

Gimli suffers from the same problem I had with Lorefindel. He has some good bonuses in places that are hard to use them. His obvious main function is as an attacker, and then you have to take him away from his main function to get any use out of the other lesser abilities you're paying an 11 threat for (decent defense/hp, and will power). To truly utilize, you can mix with spirit for unexpected courage, but if you only have 1 copy like me, and don't feel like using dwalin, it can be kinda hard to set up.

My suggested use is with Dain and Bifur. Round one I always quest with Bifur and Gimli, because if I get attacked, I can just block with dain, and thats a 6 will power turn one (plus potentially more with lore allies). Then, as the game goes on, I use cards like rumor from the earth, needful to know, and shadow of the past to know if I need to save Gimli as an attacker, or if he's safe to quest with. I find he works well for that.