It is good to see people coming back to the game, yeah! I think I'll definitely try some of the newer quests without some of these cards, in the hope that I might actually get to stage 2 of some quests.

There's a wonderful document on the Arkham Horror support page where the game's designers share some of their house rules and other thoughts on 'amending' the game in various ways, either to make it more difficult or less so. Somewhere in there, they say something like 'the goal is to have fun, so do whatever you're comfortable with', and that has become something of a mantra for me with all the games I play now. It is all about balance, of course, rather than making a game so easy it provides no challenge and you know you're going to win before you open the box. Maybe it's the GM in me coming out, but I value flexibility in a game to keep it going and to enjoy it. I go to work to be miserable, I don't need any other methods of achieving miserability! With this new variable difficulty mode I think the designers have make an excellent step in that direction - and unlike the Nightmare decks, it doesn't cost a penny to play easier!

spalanzani said:

This is exactly it for me as well. I may use easy mode on some quests that I have, in the past, found to be really tedious. The whole fun thing is a bit like Battlestar Galactica: the cylon player *can* play just to win, but it's so much more enjoyable for everyone if they play to win in a way that draws the game down to an exciting conclusion. Some of my favourite games of LotR have been when the encounter deck did just enough to make the last turn really tense, but didn't just whomp me. I may even play Watcher in the Water again now…

Good move. At least they win not do easy quest bu them self if they make a opportunity to make the quest more difficult. But from other side people dont need to buy 2 or 3 core set since there is easy mode rules………

For me i dont care cose i love nightmare play and i happy game diffiuculty will not go down generaly very good!

I think it is a good addition for those of us who want an easier and more fun game. Just wish it didn't involve removing cards from the decks.

I am a big fan of options, and I think this is a great one.

Having just gotten into this game and having a hard time aquiring some of the Mirkwood Cycle my card pool is limited at the moment. So when I sit down to play "Return to Mirkwood" solo this allows me to remove some of the "game ending draws" and allows me to enjoy the Adventure Pack while I build up my card collection.

Glaurung said:

This might be the best part of this whole easy mode. It lets FFG make quests of any difficulty, really, and then provide clear ways to adapt them. So everyone, to a certain extent, gets their cake and its it.

I will admit that LotR has been in a box in the wardrobe for quite some time now. I stopped after the Dwarrôwdelf cycle and even then I never played the last pack.

i love themed decks, playing the same deck through a whole cycle, but the game really demands tailor made decks for each scenario, all with thematically mismatched "power" cards mixed together to have a sporting chance at victory.

The result is that I spent most of the time with all the cards spread across the floor trying to build decent decks. I know some people enjoy deck building. I find it a chore.

im quite excited at giving Easy mode a go with a themed deck again. Time to rally Legolas and the Wood Eles once more!

I agree that this is a well-deserved option for the players of this game. I am so thankful for this update from the designers. I can't tell you how many times my frustration level was sky high, embarrassingly so, and tossing cards on the table became a real option. I do appreciate the challenge of the game, and I plan on doing each scenario in standard mode, at least. With that said, sometimes I just want to play and have a **** good time with my son or friends, in a more relaxing way. For new players, this is a godsend! The timing couldn't be more perfect, as I am currently starting a LOTR LCG league at my LGS.

About the feeling of cheating, I don't think so. In fact, the rulebook ALWAYS suggested an easier way to play by just not dealing shadow cards for attacking enemies. Although I never tried that method, the option was always there.

I'm really happy about this. I had become disenchanted with the game and was on the verge of quitting buying new expansions and I've been buying them since the game came out. I love the game, prefer thematic decks and just don't have time to rebuild decks all the time. There was a thread a while back here and one on Board Game Geek with people complaining about the difficulty and this news feels like the company is listening to the players.

booored said:

booored said:

Hmmm i think all experinece players who play card games before dont heed that mode. For what? But yes if you play with your kids yes sure why not?

Me and you come from different comunity we use to play before competive card game and this is a hard school. Even one tournament will teach you very quickly how to play and give you motivation or throw you away forever. But here most odf the players is casual. they dont understand the deck building is a also 505 of the game. They dont wont spend time for think. Deck buidling and after strategy how you play your deck. Sure play just for fun and sometimes is doesn work to be succeseful in this game. you must spend your time and make brain work to be able to win most of the quests. Specialy solo.

So easy mode is perfect for them.

Is it just me, or does anyone feel the need for Easy Mode for the two PoD quests?

Reading through this thread one can't deny that the huge majority of players obviously see a difficulty problem with LotR. Serveral people said that they considered leaving, or actually left because of frustration. Taking into account that most how actually did leave will not post their opinion here (because they are long gone) the problem seems be huge. I am on the verge of leaving myself.

So good news that FFG responded? Well, kind of, but the response was a little weak and a little late, don't you think? They also introduced Nightmare Mode? Are these actually selling? The game already is in nightmare mode if you ask me!

Furthermore:

booored said:

I fully agree here. It's a start, but already includes absolutely undeserved vilification. "Easy mode" (with this redicoulously hard game) is an insult, because it gives people that they are inferior, cheating players. I have the impression that the huge majority of players thinks that the game is to hard, but FFG seems to listen only to a small group of geeks that playtest their quests. Listen to the base instead! Playtest with an average player with an average deck and you will be shocked by the results, I am sure of it! On the long run this game will not survive without the average people. I suggest to make the quests easier out of the box and sell "hard mode" to the players that want an additional challenge.

booored said:

Seriously? A great concept pops up an people will be complaining about the label?

Personally I´d hope that people are smarter than being out-witted by something called "Story-mode" instead of "Easy-mode".

The concept is great and I don´t see a downside to it. It is optional after all. Might even give it a try in a solo campaign myself, even though I´ve tackled all the quests with my play-partner on standard.

Though I do wonder wether it will be possible to use the quest-logger to differentiate between easy, standard and nightmare? (probably too much trouble involved with that though)

people arn't smarter.. people are idiots. Names matter, labels matter. This is truth.

Legolas of Darkwood said:

It was the nightmare decks that brought me back to the game.

booored said:

LOL, so you are the one. ;-)

Seriously, I have absolutely no problem with optional nightmare decks and easy mode is a good addition too.

But, what I don't like/understand and consider to be a mistake, is that FFG seems to be focusing and balancing the normal game for the 1% hardcore players. Why not balance the game for the 99% and provide nightmare decks for the geeks?

We wouldn't need an "easy mode" if "normal mode" would be normal.

Played the new scenario in "standard" mode; got served 3 times in a row. Played in easy mode, got really beat up, but I pulled out a victory. I am highly appreciative of this new game rule. Finally, I can play the game and really enjoy every moment of it, knowing that my odds for actually winning are more balanced. I love this new direction.

I scare now to see so many players is think game is difficult……..What wrong with you guys…..? Anyway looks like ffg dont make tis game more easy in general since they develop this easy mode. so i happy for now…….Anyway there is a briliant cool Middle earth ccg if the make this game more casual….

Is there any case for seeing the divide in player experiences partially from the thematic vs power style of play? What I mean is: I've used some very powerful decks (some dwarf builds etc) and found a lot of scenarios to be easy. But, when I switch to, let's say, a Gondor + encounter deck manipulation style, I usually have a hard time or lose badly. So could it be that some deck types render the game much easier (and Outlands looks like it may be like that as well), whereas others intrisically don't work so well (however thematic)?

Put this way: the game is much harder if you don't play Spirit Glorfindel or a dwarf-rush deck. Agh, feel like I'm waffling now. In any case, good to see FFG doing things everyone likes!

Legolas of Darkwood said:

I thought they just "balanced" the game for that 99%… I think FFG is making an good job with this game (except for the erratas), and the simple way they introduced this easy mode is another example.

The "hardcore" players are much, much more than the 1% you say. Just take a look at the Richsabre's Poll- How Many Core Sets Do You Own? more than a half players have more than 1 Core Set. And that's not counting those "hardcores" with just 1 Core Set, like myself.

Lowering the dificulty will make the game boring, and many of those "hardcore" players may not be willing to spend even more money in this game just to enjoy a "normal" or "nightmare" game.

Frodo's or Bilbo's journey wasn't easy, neither the search for Gollum, or the battle of Pelennor Fields. And Middle Earth heroes were defeated many times. Did they asked any time to Melkor or Sauron "Could you take it easy on us?"?

BTW. What is a hardcore player? One that tries to enjoy a game as it is? One that takes the time to learn how to play and defeat it's trials? One that expects to have a goot time before winning?

This is a good addtion to the game! Now all those “Boromir,” “Bilbo,” and “Pippin," player gets what they need and want! This is super good! I have friend with whom we are candidates to Boromit type power players and I have even more friends who are more Bilbo or Pippin type players, so this opens up a lot playing options to us! http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=2296

I have been developing a system called Burglar deck that should make the game more easier, but this is more simple way of doing it. I think that I will continue with Smugler decks, when I have a time to do it, as an alternate way of doing it. http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=201&efcid=4&efidt=773130

The system is so much different, you don't remove cards, but you get helpers. In anyway I like this new system and really hope that we will get new versions of old scenarios in sometime in future with these new "gold" icons. It would make the game even more easier to new players to adapt. I allso hope that we will also see more nightmare decks in the future! The new dawn of LOTR lcg is rising!

booored said:

This occurred to me as well. I concur!

booored said:

Can I assume you´re not excluding yourself from that definition of "people"?

I hope that they will also come out with easy mode versions for the print on demand.