My votes go to:

Glorfindel- I've been going with him all along I can't stop now. He slew a balrog and he's still my favorite art along with leadership Boromir.

Elrond- Both great heroes no doubt, but I can't in good faith vote for Sam with high stakes on the line when I have yet to play a game with him. I have so many great experiences with Elrond my both has to go to him

I think Glorfindel and Elrond lead by two each (if not mistaken) ... This is very close

I am very surprised it is this close. I almost voted Legolas but Jeff Goldblum holds the edge. I have Sam but elrond is one of my fav characters period and I like elves more than halflings

Thanks for voting. Also, thanks for the commentary! It's gotten a little... different of late with names like Goldblum and Fondling Reel Lord being thrown around. But, it should be no surprise with the semi-finals heating up like they are!

Special shout-out goes to Noldo. Welcome to the forum!

Here's the updated count:

AQ - Glorfindel (Spirit) - 15 / Legolas - 14

AR - Elrond - 15 / Sam Gamgee - 14

I think Glorfindel and Elrond lead by two each (if not mistaken) ... This is very close

Haha... I recounted to make sure I wasn't off.

These semi-finals are turning out to be some of the closest ever with each match at a score of 15-14. The next few votes are going to be super important.

Match-up update: Elrond has pulled ahead by 1 after falling slightly behind.

Elrond said, "I let the hobbit get a head start knowing that I could catch up with him. It's the short legs..."

Sam responded, "I was ahead until I stopped for second breakfast and I would stop again. Us hobbits have to keep up their endurance."

Match-up Spotlight

THE MIGHTY OF THE FIRST-BORN vs THE PRINCE OF THE WOODLAND REALM

It's a battle of the two elven houses, Noldor versus Silvan. The two elf factions have taken up arms to support their heroes. The shouts and cries from Mirkwood and Rivendell can be heard all over Middle Earth. This is turning out to be a big match-up.

Glorfindel responded to our request for comment, "I am tall and straight; my hair is shining of gold, my face fair and young and fearless and full of joy; my eyes are bright and keen, and I have voice like music; on my brow sits wisdom, and in my hand is strength. Nuff said."

Legolas said, "Very nice quote. A little pompous, but very nice. I am Legolas. Defender of the weak. Friend of man, dwarf and hobbit. Member of the Fellowship. Killer of oliphants."

vs

Vote LegolAm! Glorfindel is too powerful to be in this game! What did Glorfindel do in the Lord of the Rings, besides come out and glow for a bit while fighting Nazgul? NOTHING. Legolas is in the whole story. Most skilled with a bow. KILLER. OF. OLIPHANTS.

We're almost there team LegolAm! Vote Legolas and Sam!

If I have to choose between this 2 elves, of course Legolas .

Got to weigh in on this now.

My vote goes to Legolas, even though spirit Glorfindel is usually part of almost every good solo deck i make, I've got to hand it over to Legolas who has one of the coolest abilities in the game.

Since, i don't have Sam this is going to be tough, but I'm going with him. I think he is going to add to a lot of new deck building possibilities, and not just with hobbits. Sorry Elrond.

Go Team Fellowship! The heroes of past ages have had their moments of glory and valour. Now the simpler, younger representatives of each race in Middle-Earth have the task of advancing, with quiet steps, into the Shadow. There's more to them than meets the eye!

Legolas - this is a tough choice, but as Gandalf said, "Even if you chose for us an elf-lord, such as Glorfindel, he could not storm the Dark Tower, nor open the road to the Fire by the power that is in him." Legolas is a simple attacker, who plays his part in advancing the quest in dispatching enemies who threaten the fellowship.

Sam Gamgee - no contest: the humble gardener is a low-threat, high-willpower quester who rises to the occasion when danger approaches. Elrond is content to provide counsel from Rivendell, rather than drawing considerable attention from Sauron. " ...in the end, it’s only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass." (Sam Gamgee)

Count updated!!!

AQ - Glorfindel (Spirit) - 15 / Legolas - 16

AR - Elrond - 15 / Sam Gamgee - 16

Thanks to all who voted!! This contest is really coming down to the wire. The underdogs, Legolas and Sam have wrestled the lead away from Glorfindel and Elrond. There are 8.5 hours left in the vote!! So it comes down to this!

Show your colors for your favorite heroes!

It sounds like a good time to cast my vote then.

Let's make it a complete draw then 16-16-16-16 !

Glorfindel

He is just better than Legolas ; I can think of tons of good decks invloving tactics without legolas (Beorn, Thalin, Hama, Beregond ...) But Glorfindel is practically the only very strong hero in the Spirit sphere. In fact I think Spirit heroes are significantly beyond other spheres. At least they have one powerhouse.

I also have a preference for Glorfindel's art.

Elrond

I like Sam, but what I love with Elrond is the possibilities he opens. You can have a few allies from a sphere external to your choice of heroes.

He basically allows 3 new directions for decks:

- paying allies from other spheres

- allows very efficient healing, for Gloin decks or Beregond + citadel plate

- entire decks could be built around Vilya

1 hour countdown!!! It's all tied up!!

AQ - Glorfindel (Spirit) - 16 / Legolas - 16

AR - Elrond - 16 / Sam Gamgee - 16

What happens in the event of a tie for both? Same as in the past, or should we do something else since the stakes are high now?

What happens in the event of a tie for both? Same as in the past, or should we do something else since the stakes are high now?

Interesting thought... I was going to do it the same as before with only one tiebreaker per person, but I am open to ideas!!

I don't know...Instead of just the next person to re-vote, we should do something like the next 3 votes gets it. Just to up the ante a bit (excluding yourself of course!)

But only one vote per person. So you have to decide who you want. So it will take 6 people to vote overall.

I don't know...Instead of just the next person to re-vote, we should do something like the next 3 votes gets it. Just to up the ante a bit (excluding yourself of course!)

But only one vote per person. So you have to decide who you want. So it will take 6 people to vote overall.

But of course! It's kind of a given who I would vote for and I would have quickest draw on the vote.

Okay, based on kyrie's idea, here are the new tiebreaker rules if no one has broken the tie in the next 15 min.

1. The next 3 re-votes win the match!!!

2. A person can only re-vote in one match (Therefore you have to choose to vote in the Glorfindel vs Legolas match or the Elrond vs Sam match)!!!

3. The Topic Host will be excluded from voting (I agree, it's only fair)

(Nice, your edit for one vote per person was exactly what I was thinking of)

I will post an explicit message when it is open for tiebreaker votes!

The tiebreaker is now open for votes!!!! Remember one vote per person so choose wisely!

vs

vs

Legolas

Elrond

Glorfindel

Legolas

Tiebreaker update!!!

AQ - Glorfindel (Spirit) - 1 / Legolas - 2

AR - Elrond - 1 / Sam Gamgee - 0

Elrond jumps out to the early lead!!

Glorfindel and Legolas remain tied up!!!

(Update) But Legolas takes a 1 pt lead!!

Legolas is 1 point away from the win!!!!