Good idera to search for isengard cards!

Another Wizard is ready, but this time it is a mere " Bird-tamer, Simple, Fool"

Another one!!! I gave a lot of thought on this card, I even reread some excerts from the books to make something consistent with the lore. Of course such a card would require a deck with some other Traits, e.g., Wilmen. As I did with Radagast, the art comes from DeviantArt and the artist is credited as always.

Could not find the artist, though the image can be found here: http://esdla.wikia.com/wiki/Radagast?file=Radagast_el_Pardo.jpg

At this point and after having created a full neutral set for the wizards and seeing tons of other cool custom cards, I want FFG to just hury up and give them to us!

I wonder where they can stick a neutral hero. Saruman hero is not happening in any Saga, however if he would be fitted into regular cycle - it will screw up the regular 2 heroes of each sphere per cycle.

I could see both Saruman and Radagast in a deluxe, but yeah, at that point there would be 6 heores to distribute among the spheres. Unless the bring the Blue Wizards! then it's 4 wizards + 4 sphered heroes.

I thought about making the Blue Wizards too, however their "description" is so vague and Tolkien was so undecided about their fate that it would feel more like a pure creation than an adaption according to the lore.

Building on Gandalf196's idea:

I'd love to see Caleb or Matt's version

Very cool Gandalf196's cards.

I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now - at the turn of the tide.

The Istari were sent to Middle-Earth to act as guides to the Free People, but in dire situations we see Gandalf, notably, using his magic to counter the forces of evil.

Ok, Gizlivadi, no blue Wizards as heroes, but I think they are worth a tribute (by the way, I based this card on the later version of their history, not on the one in which they failed like Saruman did...)

Cool concept, yeah. if we never see them as heroes or allies, an event that references them would be cool.

And Gandalf196, I highly recommend the usage of Occam's Razor when writing both the abilities of the cards and the quote. Otherwise, I'll only say: tl;dr.

Quick, small concept.

Unity - cards with this keyword may be played using resources belonging to any sphere, as long as at least one of them matches card's sphere.

Couldn't they just be neutral sphere with the same effects?

Have you read the keyword description?

It's similar enough to neutral in effect it feels like pointless clutter. Instead of adding another keyword to remember or look up, each card could just say "Play only if you control hero with a lore/tactics... icon', if that aspect feels that important.

I like the responses, though.

The Dorwinion Outwatch seems a little too good with the option of either progress or damage in the staging area. Also, why is the Distant Relative so weak? I guess you basically get a chump blocker or +1 wp for free, with a bit of resource smoothing thrown in. And Gondor has some nice universal buffs, as well. I suppose it's ok.

The fact that they have a sphere could be used for shenanigans (can't think of any at the moment though). I think these guys are pretty good except for the Distant Relative which a bit meh and doesn't work in mono-Leadership. Also, fun fact: this was the standard payment requirements for the Harry Potter CCG.

It's similar enough to neutral in effect it feels like pointless clutter. Instead of adding another keyword to remember or look up, each card could just say "Play only if you control hero with a lore/tactics... icon', if that aspect feels that important.

I like the responses, though.

Having each card say that feels much more like a pointless clutter to me, to be honest.

The Dorwinion Outwatch seems a little too good with the option of either progress or damage in the staging area. Also, why is the Distant Relative so weak? I guess you basically get a chump blocker or +1 wp for free, with a bit of resource smoothing thrown in. And Gondor has some nice universal buffs, as well. I suppose it's ok.

I did not bother to balance them that much, every card simply does what it's sphere usually does. It's just a concept of a mechanic that relies on having as much spheres as possible. Distant relative is so weak because if you run 3 different sphere heroes, then he is basically free (with the exception that all resources must be added to 1 hero, shifting their color).

The fact that they have a sphere could be used for shenanigans (can't think of any at the moment though). I think these guys are pretty good except for the Distant Relative which a bit meh and doesn't work in mono-Leadership. Also, fun fact: this was the standard payment requirements for the Harry Potter CCG.

Stand and Fight is the only thing that comes to my mind.

A lot of card games with faction-based payment system utilize this kind of approach. Call of Cthulhu LCG requires only one resource from the drained domain to match the faction of a card being played, unless it is loyal.

I prefer clutter on the card to having to look up more keywords. I guess it wouldn't be as annoying when it's in your own deck instead of an encounter deck (where most of the annoying pauses to check the rules occur), but I'm still not a fan, especially for a payment plan that is only a slight tweak on the ones commonly used in the game already.

If the explanation can be fit onto the card, it should be imo.

I don't. You look it up once or twice and then you're good. Also saves card space, which is extremely valuable. Dorwinion Outwatch, for example, wouldn't be able to fit anything more.