With the first preview likely coming up soon, what are your expectations? To catch upon similar threads, what do you think the game has to offer us this time?

Personally, I hope for a nice questing Hero, I think the game is lacking on those a bit with the combatants sharing three quarters (at least) of the pool so far this cycle.

I am also hoping for a nice secrecy card. Just one maybe but a really good one like Timely Aid - in a different sphere perhaps. It would be interesting if Tactics had got one (their first).

And as always, I am crossing fingers for some new Elven synergies.

As for the quest, I am not a big fan of the underground and I think this one may be a bit easier before the final really hard one.

Really want a Spirit or Lore Hero this time please FFG!

With that in mind I dont mind if it isnt a quester…. I still want Gwahir TBH… would it be outrageous for him to not be Tactics Sphere despite the other eagles beng in there?

Again I wouldnt mind another Elf hero!

mmmmm……i would like another hobbit- cant go wrong with some good hobbit lovin'

Drengi said:

Actually, I'd love to see Gwahir as anything BUT a tactics hero. Part of the difficulty of using tactics (specically for solo play) is that they are so limited in scope, and don't "play well" at times with other spheres. What better way to blend in another sphere than by having him be either Spirit or Lore? You could use him to bring in the cards from whichever sphere he belonged to and supplement the combat-ready tactics decks.

I really expect Gwaihir to be another Tactics Eagles ally. Although it does seem strange he has been left out off the succession in the previous cycle. Perhaps we shall see another line of Eagles for the Hobbit expansion, which would fit perfectly.

I think Gwaihir will be one of the heros in The Hobbit saga expansion.

Robert McMutton said:

Could be, especially as they stated the first deluxe box to contain five heroes. If they're gonna be thematic from the story, it is hard to think up five suitable heroes, Gwaihir could very well be one of them.

My expectation from the latest preview is an updated FAQ! It's over six months that FFG has not updated it with a bunch official responses posted elsewhere on the web.

Great idea there benhanses! That is indeed a good way to incorporate another complimentary sphere to Tactics! And as we all know, Tactics needs some help for solo play!

So now we know much more. Beside the Gazer and Mount, both Leadership and Tactics are gaining an ally. I think (and hope) neither is a Dwarf, and am especially interested in that Tactics ally, beside the Dwarves and Eagles, there haven't been many in the expansions (Beekeeper, Watcher), so perhaps we shall see another Elf there to make more use of their new weaponry. And Leadership, after a long wait, are gaining second ally in a row (and third in four packs), I think some people shall be happy. Since they claim all those allies will likely see play, I think they might be right, from the experience they never advertise the "poorer" cards that much, so I do not think we shall expect another Ravenhill Scout, Bombur, Watcher of the Bruinen or Dunedain Wanderer (though I know some players like some of these surely).

Not particularly fond of the idea of an eagle hero. I have enough trouble seeing the eagles working cinematically for most of the current expansion… Really, how useful would I gang of giant eagles be in the mines of moria?

That being said, I'd like another hobbit, another noldor, or a quest focused dwarf.

For me, as always, I would like to see another Elf. And I am really interested in the two allies they mentioned, especially the Tactics one. Hope he can quest a bit or gets some kind of bonus as Legolas does.

I think the hero is likely to be a Spirit version of Glorfindel. My reasoning is:

1. Spirit is "due" a hero (it has fewer than all the other spheres)

2. In TWITW, we got a new Aragorn plus an Aragorn-specific attachment in the same sphere as his original version. For TLD we know we will have a Glorfindel-specific attachment in the same sphere as his original version.

jjeagle said:

I've reasoned the same. I just wish you're right, so I'm a little scared to predict so. Haha.

The truth is there are so many yet-to-make-their-appearance Tolkien characters out there that there is really no reason to put variable versions of the same hero, especially a background one, such as Glorfindel. An ally version of him should be enough. That said, Glorfindel is really thematic in the current cycle. Though I would much prefer Elrond as the new Spirit hero, even though I think he 'd be more suited as a Lore or Leadership one.

agreed-there are many characters to come but i still think glorfindel deserves better than what his initial cards has given his status in middle earth throughout all ages ………..saying that i have him in a 'flight to the ford' deck with lore strider/frodo/glorfindel and it is very effective and this will increase when asfaloth is released

Serazu said:

Personally, I don't think a hero Elrond would work thematically. As far as we can tell, he hasn't left Rivendell for 3000 years. His role is sage counsellor and master of lore and healing, not active questing hero or fighter. In my view, he would be better represented through event cards (as he already is, with Elrond's Counsel) or a temporary ally (like Gandalf). The same would go for Galadriel too.

Regarding a Spirit Glorfindel, my concern would be whether a unique Noldor Spirit hero would power up Elrond's Counsel excessively by allowing you to play it right from the start.

jjeagle said:

But this can already happen in a Spirit / Lore deck. And it's not that gamebreaking I think.

problem with elves is we so seldom see them in 'action' ….i mean take galadriel for example…..i believe i am right in saying she was only only surviving elf in the 3rd age to have made the trip over the helcaraxe wastes……so you could take that to be a huge amount of willpower…..but is it relavent in a third age middle earth? im not so sure, as we never see galadriel as anything other than a wise leader and member of the white council….

however in more than one occasion her power or influence contributes to the war against sauron….ie lorien being assaulted 3 times by dol guldur, which she eventually destroys after the war of the ring, so she could function more in her leadership powers

and of course you have her ring of power nenya….so i guess my point is how do you define such powerful characters? i think it is difficult to place where a major player in the events of middle earth should lie….and it is perhaps worse with elves as their ways are so distanced and secretive in the 3rd age

so perhaps it is better to have these characters as 'gandalf' type cards so that there is no themetic/gameplay issues…..and yet id be dissapointed if they didnt at least give elrond/galadriel/celeborn all a shot

rich

jjeagle said:

But given the fact they will probably keep realeasing this game for at least 30 more heroes (probably many more than that) we are bound to get a Spirit Noldor hero anyways.

I really hope Elrond is not a hero, ally fits him much better in my opinion. The same I feel about him not being Spirit but Lore.

Finally, what do you call a background character? Glorfindel probably has as much "text-time" as Elrond in the book. As for the story, his commitment is vital to the quest. And as for the history, there aren't many with such a curriculum vitae. Hardly a background character from any point of view, unless you call every character but the Fellowship such.

Exactly. Aragorn is a pivotal character, that's why I 'm ok with him having an additional version so soon in the game. Glorfindel is not.

Serazu said:

Fair enough. If it were up to me, I would not like any character appearing twice (I guess now). But I like the Strider version much more than the initial Aragorn and I have a hunch I might like the new (if any) version of Glorfindel much more than the original one. I would not be wishing for a new version had I not thought the original does not justice to the character. As Rich put it fitly, you don't go about slaying a Balrog with "pay a resource to heal a damage." That's still my whole point. The second point has to do with Tolkien actually repeating the character as well - Glorfindel appearing twice, later blending into one. So this could be a nice nod to that.

On a side note, what do others think, guess, who will be the hero in the Foundations of Stone? In a week (or less) we might know…

ill go with jjeagles line of thought - asfaloth points to glorfindel

Serazu said:

Aragorn is more pivitol, but his history is far more fleshed out by tolkien. Cinematically speaking, it makes more sense for Glorfindel who is not as fleshed out to be the ones going on these quests.

The glorfindel we have is not worth playing. Sure, a few builds make be able to make use of him… but making a use of a card does not always mean that it is a balanced card. As is, glorf is too expensive for what he does. He's a good quester, but not a great one. He's a good attacker, but not a great one. For a 12 threat, he should excel at something. His ability can be useful, but again, its for a 12 cost, the ability is expensive. I think he could use a remake.

Captain Poe said:

I'm not sure what you are arguing here. Glorfindel's current card is definitely very playable. And now with Asfaloth even moreso.

Not a great quester? The only Hero with higher willpower is Eowyn and the only other 3's are Dwarves with Dain helping them.

Not a great attacker? He is tied for the highest base attack value.

Is he expensive? Yes, but you are getting a hero with TWO 3's, which is so versatile. And even his ability is useful just not overly so.

I keep reading all this stuff about how he needs to be better to be more representative of him in the books. How much better can he be? Like Rich said above, how do you define these powerful characters? I think they did all they can do in a game format. More than that will unbalance the game.