can put quest token, can look at the top encounter card for free…why do we still need Denethor and Henamarth Riversong?

Because there is a risk to use Longbeard Elder… he may get -1 to willpower.

Besides, Denethor can place the encounter you look at to the bottom of the encounter deck, which Longbeard Elder cannot do so.

Every card is slightly different, so it is difficult to compare them straightly.

Even get -1 he still has 1 willpower and every time he commits to quest he can look at the top card from the encounter deck. Hes better than Henamarth Riversong(with only 1 HP) from the coreset for sure.

You need to exhause Denethor to use his ability and sometimes if you use denethor to defend theres no chance to look at the top card. The Longbeard Elder is the best cause you can use him each round with 1 willpower at least and quest token rewards.

player commits all the characters he wish to commit to quest -> resolve response or forced effects in order you desire -> reveal encounter deck.

How is knowing the top card of encounter deck AFTER you commit characters to quest useful at all?
The whole point of knowing top of the encounter deck is so you know exactly who you want to be questing and who to be holding back.

Hes better than Henamarth Riversong(with only 1 HP) from the coreset for sure.

In my opinion Henamarth is infinitely better because you can use his ability at the end of combat phase and know exactly what card will be coming off of encounter deck BEFORE you commit characters to quest.

i see…i was looking at the top card after i committed him to the quest…then i committed more characters to the quest, so i was wrong.

Ellareth is right.

But you can still combine Longbeard Elder with Needful to Know or Expecting Mischief.

Very creative idea, i will buy more expansions.

You do have to commit all of your own characters before using his response, however, if there are other players going after you in the turn in a multiplayer game then you can warn them about what to commit, so he still is very useful.

That being said, I wouldn't say he is necessarily better than Henamarth for the simple fact that he is the cost of three Henamarths.

Both are different and have great uses at their price point.

I was going to say what Matt0polis said, but then he already said it. Excellent multiplayer card!