i really like dwalin. im not saying he's a good hero, because, well....he's not really. but the art is great, him just standing there with his axe over his shoulder after a hard day of hacking off orc heads.

his ability is interesting as well, though again not so useful unless you really get him buffed up on attack

He is certainly one of more interesting spirit heroes however I feel like you have to deck build around him to make him useful.(Which could said of most every hero in the game). That said, currently Spirit and Tactics splashes are still hard pressed for resources and as a theme player, there aren't enough dwarfs in these two spheres to build a proper deck.

Also I wish his ability would be more like, At the beginning of the game choose an enemy type like Orc or Goblin, when he destroys this type of enemy reduce your threat by 2. Being restricted to only Orc enemies means he is not even considered for several of the quests, which is sad.

My choice would be Eleanor.

While probably not the worst hero in people's eyes (as no-one has yet to mention her), she is not someone I ever use. Even in mono-sphere decks.

Close second would be Bombur.

This one is by far the most surprising post I have seen. I would argue she has the single most powerful ability in the game. Sure you can get by without her from time to time, however more often than not when a group loses to quest their first response is "If only someone had been using Eleanor, those nasty treachery cards wouldn't have pwned us so badly."

As long as we have to deal with deadly treachery cards, Eleanor will have a place in this game.

On a side note I completey agree with Bombur being a lack luster hero.

WOW... this seems to become a clear victory for lazy Pippin...

I've got Pippin in my current hobbit deck, and it's just true. I haven't used his ability once, he's just there because I need another hobbit. In multiplayer if I use his ability I just toss the enemy onto another player (depending on threat). I would like him five times better if his ability read: "...Until the end of the round, that enemy cannot engage any players (Limit once per round)." Then he would be a fun combo with the new Faramir.

I've never been tempted to use Beorn before, but there are some convincing arguments for him here, so I'll probably give hima go and see.

I've got Pippin in my current hobbit deck, and it's just true. I haven't used his ability once, he's just there because I need another hobbit. In multiplayer if I use his ability I just toss the enemy onto another player (depending on threat). I would like him five times better if his ability read: "...Until the end of the round, that enemy cannot engage any players (Limit once per round)." Then he would be a fun combo with the new Faramir.

perhaps he would be a good for pairing with a hama thicket deck then?

There is no way to reach a single consensus on this, TBH. Whether people play mostly solo vs multi, preferred sphere's and mechanics, what encounters they face, etc are all going to influence any choices.

I do LIKE the fact that it's hard for us all to point at a SINGLE hero and agree "THEY ARE THE WORST!!!" It speaks to the balance and options in the game. I think it's a lot easier to point at certain heros as the best (*cough*glorfindel*cough*dain*cough*etc*cough)...

With that being said, I play mostly solo. So Brand is useless to me for the most part. Have never actually used him. But I can see that he would be stellar for regular use in multiplayer (readying actions cannot be overlooked!).

Bilbo is another one I have a hard time with. He is actually BETTER in solo play (since you always get the benefit of the extra card), but his usefulness severely lessens with every other person that sits down at the table. And his threat cost is HORRIBLE. Even for solo play. And even moreso in multiplayer where you still eat his threat cost, but don't get his benefit as often. Still, card draw is king.

I hate to point out the same new character that everyone else is mentioning, but the current Pippin seems like it started off on the wrong foot. Limited ability to use him with other Hobbits (since there are only 2 others that he needs to have any impact), one is the aforementioned over-priced Bilbo. And while his ability will perhaps become more useful in the future as we see more Hobbit cards come out, he will already have another version of himself. Just bad timing really.

Indeed, Pippin is just a disaster all around. If the spirit hobbit in black riders is even decent (let alone as fantastic as Sam, Merry, and the new Pippin) I have a hard time seeing why he should ever see play...ever.

Its not even like he'll see usage just for thematic play-through's either with the lore version being released so soon.

the art is amazing though

Indeed, Pippin is just a disaster all around. If the spirit hobbit in black riders is even decent (let alone as fantastic as Sam, Merry, and the new Pippin) I have a hard time seeing why he should ever see play...ever.

Its not even like he'll see usage just for thematic play-through's either with the lore version being released so soon.

Such a good summing-up of Pippin. I will literally not be excited to see the hero when I get the pack lol.

the art is amazing though

Lol yeah! Much better than his new version even.

perhaps he would be a good for pairing with a hama thicket deck then?

How do you mean..? Wouldn't cycling Thicket of Spears essentially negate any need for Pippin's ability?

the art is amazing though

Lol yeah! Much better than his new version even.

Aw, i like the art on the new one! although the spirit one is quite good as well. I think i like the lore version for the background mostly. In either case both are better than the art for Sam and Merry IMO

i mean by

perhaps he would be a good for pairing with a hama thicket deck then?

How do you mean..? Wouldn't cycling Thicket of Spears essentially negate any need for Pippin's ability?

i mean by allowing all (or most) enemies to go to hama's deck, so you can then keep the pippin deck free, allowing all enemies in engaged play to be blocked by 1 deck

Since you said, "so far" I vote Pipin as the worst hero, simply because the Hobbit sphere is not anywhere near fully developed. Come Black Riders, and Pipin will most likely start shining.

As to the hate on Bombur, wow, I think you are misguided. Bombur is still very, very useful even after 5 dwarves are in play. He has 2 defense and 5 vitality. That is very powerful for blocking. Plus he is lore, meaning you most likely run healing cards in your deck. Also, throw a burning brand on him (which I do a lot) and he is even more of a tank. Bombur is far away from being the worst hero in the game. Before him comes a lot of others, like:

Mirlonde (not only is she some made up character, she is way worse than most heroes stat wise)

Dunhere (He uses to be better before the game took off)

Hama (Too conditional overall)

These are only a few that I don't ever play.

i mean by allowing all (or most) enemies to go to hama's deck, so you can then keep the pippin deck free, allowing all enemies in engaged play to be blocked by 1 deck

Oh I get it, cool idea. Give it a try mr. thicket!

Now that I realized how bad the Spirit Pippin is, I am really glad they will have released another one in the Black Riders. And I like that version very though I would have hardly guessed Pippin into the Lore sphere. Yet, the card draw he offers, the obvious combo with Sam, great willpower to threat cost ratio, that all just makes the Lore Pippin so brilliant.

No I hope we get a new Bilbo, him being one of the greatest Tolkien characters, he needs a better version, the one from the Mirkwood cycle is just too bad compared to the Black Riders Hobbits. Perhaps we get it also in the Black Riders but Bilbo wouldn't be a terrible choice for a hero in the second saga box.

Anyeone that says Brand is terrible has no idea or are unable to evaluate properly. Regardless of his lamness in solo he is a fantastic card. Saying he sucks only shows that you are unable to think outside of your own experience and really look at what a card can do for the game. It was already revealed just recently that his is linked to a near infinate combo.. and this is not his only one.

As much as I wish to not say it I have to go with dunhere. While he was aces for a while in certian decks, with attachments that gibve the same effectr and ways tyo pull them early, he is prtetty much replaced.

I also think that the fat 2 dwalf guy sucks as well. he helps early game but after only 1 turn or 2 his ability becomes meaningless.

Bilbo is a frickn beast, how can people hate that card?

As to the hate on Bombur, wow, I think you are misguided. Bombur is still very, very useful even after 5 dwarves are in play. He has 2 defense and 5 vitality. That is very powerful for blocking. Plus he is lore, meaning you most likely run healing cards in your deck. Also, throw a burning brand on him (which I do a lot) and he is even more of a tank. Bombur is far away from being the worst hero in the game. Before him comes a lot of others, like:

hmmm.. this is a pretty good argument... I'll give him another shot.

Well the Worst hero may depend on wether you play solo or multi (or both)...I play both and up to now the only heroes we never (and I mean never) used are : Brand, Pippin (but he's pretty new so I might give him a chance even though I don't like his ability at all), Oin and Balin (not because he's useless but cause we didn't have a chance yet)...that said among these I would say Oin (the hero I like the least) and Brand (I really don't like multiplayer only heroes)...My personal feelings would include Bard among these (for the same reasons I included Brand and because they gave a pretty useless ability in solo play to one of the best characters ever)...anyway my top three would be :

1) Oin

2) Brand

3) Pippin

Brand is amazing hero. I really surprise about many players think him bad! Just try him in coop game with a 3 players and you will wonder how good he is.

Eleanor bad? very important hero in Coop game. Really game maker and ass saver!

Bombur useless hero???!!! yes here we have not a players i think here is mostly card collectors.

So most useless hero is sure 100% Pippin for now.

I am wondering how can people hate a cart and never use it cause of its art. LoL

In my opinion not a real argument.

It seems like there's plenty of people that don't have the opportunity or player group to play cooperatively so literally speaking, Brand (within the context of this poll) has no use for those players or is useless while not necessarily being the "worst". And it seems everyone who has mentioned him has thrown in the caveat that if they did play multiplayer than he would be a more reasonable hero selection while another hero may fit the bill of "worst" a bit better (seemingly Pippin). If we change the criteria to just simply the worst hero we may have a more uniform consensus as "worst" and "useless" are not necessarily synonymous in a game where not all people play the same style.

Bard, the ******* terrible Bowman. There is also Pippin, for the time being.

And maybe MAAAAYBE Bombur. He is a wonderful defender and his ability does ease the requirements on other dwarves with all that 5 buddies stuff, but, I find we have already another Lore Hero that can defend more often than him and still have a proactive ability.

Is it too early to change my vote to the new spirit hero that was spoiled at gencon in the 5th AP? After some consideration, pippin seems like an upgrade to her self-destructive "ability". I cant see myself ever using her unless her 3 unrevealed stats (threat level, WP, and atk) are god like

Bard, the ******* terrible Bowman. There is also Pippin, for the time being.

And maybe MAAAAYBE Bombur. He is a wonderful defender and his ability does ease the requirements on other dwarves with all that 5 buddies stuff, but, I find we have already another Lore Hero that can defend more often than him and still have a proactive ability.

i love bard. he is great in an archer deck with brand and legolas and once you give him black arrow and yew bow he is amazing

rich