i think ents fit perfectly in with the new doomed way of paying for cards. because doomed= threat increase = game turns, paying for cards in this way is paying for ents in 'time'

How about something like Ents enter play exhausted and don't ready until they take damage? Simple, but flavourful.

i like that -good idea

There is also the Time X mechanic they discussed in the Voice of Isengard being introduced.

I could see Ents with a Time 3 or 4 where you have to pay to bring them into play, but they stay exhausted until the Time is up.

There is also the Time X mechanic they discussed in the Voice of Isengard being introduced.

I could see Ents with a Time 3 or 4 where you have to pay to bring them into play, but they stay exhausted until the Time is up.

This is almost certainly going to be the case.

Ents enter play exhausted with time X. After x turns they can be used normally.

Alternatively it could be, When an Ent exhausts it gains time X. Ents can only ready when they have no time counters.

Although I like the idea of cards that can only be played when you have threat over a certain amount (or like a reverse secrecy) I'm not sure they would be a good design. Threat is basically the game's way of saying you're running out of time. Cards that get better as you run out of time would probably be too good. You can 100% rely on the end game threat state to to occur.

The only way to balance it would be if it was threat 49 (maybe 48). Which is essentially saying, do you want to hold out for the super version of the card (at the risk of losing the game if your threat spikes just before you use it). That might be good for moments of tension but might be overall bad for game play - and difficult to design for in a balanced way I think. In any case we already have the tense feeling of last second save when you're at threat 48 or 49 - making cards that just do that better is a form of power creep and probably nothing else.

In any case I want them to add card themes that are better able to resist the shadow (As a Noldor trait probably). I'm hoping to see a hero that has something like: "For every Noldor hero you control your maximum threat before losing is increased by 2" or even better for every Noldor in play increase your maximum threat by 1 - which would be great thematically with their allies that you have to pay cards to keep in play.

You won't fall to the shadow but eventually their low numbers will force them to retreat ... to the west. Once they start retreating you may suddenly lose - and certainly will when a critical number depart you.

How about something like Ents enter play exhausted and don't ready until they take damage? Simple, but flavourful.

Now this actually sounds like something the designers would actually consider doing good mind

There is also the Time X mechanic they discussed in the Voice of Isengard being introduced.

I could see Ents with a Time 3 or 4 where you have to pay to bring them into play, but they stay exhausted until the Time is up.

also, the player may pay Radagast's resources to remove the resource token on the ent card.

then the ents may join the battle quickly with Radagast.

Ooo. I do like that Radagast idea... He does need some help. If only they could call them Creatures as well as have that ability you mentioned... Although I doubt they would be considered creatures.

In order to prevent the Ents from wandering all over Middle Earth, they might just be objective allies.

In order to prevent the Ents from wandering all over Middle Earth, they might just be objective allies.

That seems really posible.

SNEAK ATTACK! TREEBEARD!

after 5 turns waiting...

I really am not a super fan of objective allies but maybe that will change if I get to play my palantir deck more often. So far I haven't played it in a scenario with anything useful in the encounter deck. Too busy trying to play thematic decks of the Fellowship going through the new Black Rider's scenarios. With 3 players and 7 heroes pre-chosen for us... it has been difficult to say the least.

In order to prevent the Ents from wandering all over Middle Earth, they might just be objective allies.

That seems really posible.

You can bring eagles into Moria. They're not going to sacrifice the playability of ents in a player deck just to be somewhat realistic witht the theme.

Also, am I the only one who thinks we're NOT going to see ents as a suppoerted theme in this cycle?

In order to prevent the Ents from wandering all over Middle Earth, they might just be objective allies.

That seems really posible.

You can bring eagles into Moria. They're not going to sacrifice the playability of ents in a player deck just to be somewhat realistic witht the theme.

Also, am I the only one who thinks we're NOT going to see ents as a suppoerted theme in this cycle?

I think they'll be there. Perhaps not as a theme per se, but they'll be there. Perhaps in conjunction to the Time X or Doomed X, or be just like the Beornings were in the Mirkwood Cycle. Remember those cats (bears)?

I'm at a coin flip. I think the chances are pretty good we won't see the Ents until LOTR saga #3.

And yes, I know that you can bring eagles into Moria, but the Eagles tended to get around.

well if we are getting huorns as enemies, then i think we shall see ents....i mean they were the treeherders, so it makes sense to have them allied to sort out the huorns

I'm at a coin flip. I think the chances are pretty good we won't see the Ents until LOTR saga #3.

And yes, I know that you can bring eagles into Moria, but the Eagles tended to get around.

With timing that good, they really had to have been watching the whole thing from the stratosphere and just showed up when they felt the tension level was about to break.

For some reason, when I hear "Voice of Saruman" I think of this...

I just keep wondering whose face is being hidden behind the ring in the "Lord of the Rings" text on the banner. Seems like a waste to even put anyone there since you can't see him.

I think it's a save bet we'll see two prime Rohan heroes in the box. My wild guess is Erkenbrand. (prolly leadership)

Reason: Khazad-Dum gave us two dwarf heroes and Heirs of Numenor gave us two gondor heroes.

The deluxe boxes usually give us heroes that fit the theme, while the cycles seem to be able to give us any random jellyfish they like to add.

First, I don't think that the theme of this box "is" Rohan. it's just a part of it. Second, Heirs of Numenor gave us a Tactics hero and a Leadership hero. I don't think we'll see Leadership Erkenbrand in this box since that'd be the same as the last one. I think we'll see either a Spirit hero or a Lore hero (most likely Haldir).

Elves fit on this deluxe theme as good as rohan, so i too think for haldir

I would think Erkenbrand would be Tactics.

Elves fit on this deluxe theme as good as rohan, so i too think for haldir

Agreed, i think Rohan will see its very own deluxe expansion one day like Gondor did in HoN. I think we'll be seeing some Noldor/Silvan attention in this expansion/cycle..

Where you are seeing Eomer, used to show an elf. Tricksy FFG put up a new banner. I'm trying to find a cached image.

oh man, please do. dying to see the image now

Yeah, I was beginning to think I was the only one not seeing what everyone was talking about... lol. Had serious doubts about my internet skills...