Light & Shadow Block Review

[Thranduil]

So some of you may have noticed that I've finished going through my most recent DC block, consisting of Light & Shadow, The Twilight World and Back to the Light.

And after reading Mark Rosewater's article this week on MTG about design skeletons, I realised that I'd gone through many sets of individual cards, but we have not really seen how the block operates as a whole. So that's what I'm doing here. I will post the complete cultures from each set so that you can not only see and comment on particular cards, but also the shape and directions of cultures as a whole, and the whole set.

This is a brief summary of what this DC block has set out to do:

• It is supposed to follow on from Hunters block, making a new standard which consists of The War of the Ring (Shadows, Black Rider and Bloodlines), Hunters (The Hunters, Rise of Saruman and Treachery & Deceit) and Light & Shadow (Light & Shadow, The Twilight World and Back to the Light). This means that all of movie block is rotated out and that the old Shadow cultures are out of standard (except for occasional splashes). (A quick aside: I decided to keep the new cultures rather than return to the old because, for better or for worse, this is the direction that the game has taken and would have continued with.)

• Its main themes are The One Ring and resistance - making resistance and the Ring truly matter.

• Its secondary theme is multiculture (facilitated in part by toil and the new keyword aggressor). This means that most cards are easily splashable (especially Shadow cards). I made this decision because I feel that the amount of cultural enforcement that is in the game at the moment is harming deck-building potential and creativity, and is ultimately unnecessary - FotR for example had very little of it, and it was not a real issue.

• To support multicultural decks, I've been making a point of using what I call "tribal" keywords wherever the flavour makes sense. Tribal keywords are things like "knight, ranger, tracker, besieger, engine, search, stealth, fortification, valiant" etc. and the new one I created for this block, "traitor". I am no longer confining them to a single culture, but allowing flavour to dictate where they belong - so there are knights, besiegers and so on. This allows for a different avenue of deckbuilding so that you can make tribal decks instead of just culture decks. That said, it is not one of the main themes of the block; it is just a seed which I am planting.

• This DC block is also supposed to be draftable. This is made possible by the very high percentage of characters (more or less 50% - which meant there was not enough room for followers) and the splashability of most of the cards. This is because I think drafting is the best thing about Magic: it means that cards (almost) always have a purpose. When you look through your MTG cards to make a deck, there are lots of cards you would never consider playing in constructed, but are decent, or sometimes excellent, in limited. Unless you allow drafting, then you just have a set made up of many bad cards that have no use whatsoever. This is why I will always push to have as many characters and as many non-culture specific cards as I can.

• Light & Shadow:
         • introduced the block mechanics, including aggressor, unyielding and foresee (which are described below)
         • was 210 cards, 100 Shadow 100 FP, 2 Rings and 8 sites
         • changed the focus of cards to spot cultures instead of races (so a sword would say "Bearer must be a companion" instead of "Bearer must be a Man")
         • spent a lot of cardspace emphasising each culture's strengths and weaknesses

• The Twilight World:
         • reintroduced toil into the mix
         • was 120 cards, 64 Shadow 52 FP and 4 sites
         • redefined the term corruption to apply to all companions

• Back to the Light:
         • reintroduced ambush
         • was 120 cards, 52 Shadow 64 FP and 4 sites
         • started shifting the culture stereotypes, including culture-shifted cards and secondary cultural mechanics.


That was very wordy and probably not very interesting to anyone else but me. But never mind.

I will now summarise the block keywords before getting into some real cards:

Aggressor - (For each of your aggressor minions assigned to a skirmish, each Shadow card you play is twilight cost -1).
Ambush - (Each time this minion is assigned to skirmish by the Free Peoples player, you may add ).
Corrupted - (Companions with resistance 0 are corrupted).
Foresee X - (To foresee X, look at the top X cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards beneath your draw deck in any order, and the rest on top of your draw deck in any order).
Toil X - (When you play this card, you may exert any number of your characters that share a culture with it; its twilight cost is -X for each character you exert in this way).
Traitor - (Traitor is unloaded).
Unhasty - (This companion cannot be assigned to a skirmish by the Free Peoples player unless a Free Peoples card allows you to do so).
Unyielding - (This companion's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).

The next post will be cards! Promise!

[Thranduil]

The Ring
•The One Ring, The Doom of All
Str: +1
Vit: +1
Response: If the Ring-bearer is about to take a wound in a skirmish, exert another companion to make him or her wear The One Ring until the regroup phase.
While the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, each time he or she is about to take a wound, add a burden instead.
"'It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing...'"
L R 1

L&S
Ancient Halls
Event • Fellowship
Tale.
Spot a companion to foresee 1, then draw 2 cards. (To foresee 1, look at the top 1 card of your draw deck; place it on top of or beneath your draw deck in any order).
"‘… of old it was not darksome, but full of light…'"
L C 3

•Durin's Valour
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
While you can spot a companion, each companion with resistance 4 or more is damage +1.
"‘A king he was on carven throne / In many-pillared halls of stone…'"
L R 4

Dwarven Poleaxe
Possession • Hand Weapon
Str: +2
Bearer must be a companion.
While bearer has resistance 4 or more, he is damage +1.
L C 5

•Farin, Dwarven Delegate
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Valiant.
At the start of each skirmish involving Farin, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is a card, Farin is strength +2 and damage +1.
"‘Heavy have the hearts of our chieftains been since that night.'"
L U 6

•Frór, Dwarven Delegate
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Valiant.
At the start of each skirmish involving Frór, you may draw a card. If you do, you may then place a card from hand on top of your draw deck.
"‘… we, who sit here, and none others, must now find counsel for the peril of the world.'"
L U 7

•Gimli, Dwarven Delegate
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Damage +1. Valiant.
While Gimli has resistance 6 or more, he is strength +2.
"‘… and Gimli, son of Glóin, for the drwarves.'"
L C 8

•Gimli, Goldentongue
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Damage +1. Unyielding. (Gimli's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
Gimli may use his resistance to resolve skirmishes instead of his strength.
"‘It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands rather than in their tongues… yet that is not true of Gimli.'"
L R 9

•Glóin, Dwarven Delegate
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Valiant.
Each other companion is resistance +1.
Each time Glóin wins a skirmish, you may place a card from your discard pile on top of your draw deck.
"Next to Frodo on his right sat a dwarf of important appearance, richly dressed."
L R 10

Steadfast Companions
Event • Skirmish
Spot a companion to make an unbound companion strength +2 (and damage +1 if that companion has resistance 4 or more).
"‘Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.'"
L U 11

Strength Renowned
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Skirmish: Spot a companion and discard this condition to make that companion strength and resistance +1 and draw a card.
L C 12

TW
Ancient Grudges
Event • Skirmish
Tale.
Make a companion strength +2 (or strength +3 and damage +1 if skirmishing an or minion).
T C 1

Glory Reclaimed
Event • Fellowship
Tale.
To play, spot a companion.
Exert any number of companions with a total resistance of 9 or more to take the same number of Free Peoples cards from your discard pile into your hand.
T R 2

•Grimir, Dwarven Delegate
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 7
At the start of the fellowship phase, if Grimir has resistance 4 or more, you may play a Free Peoples condition from your discard pile.
T U 3

•Thorin III, Son of Dáin
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Damage +1. Valiant.
Each condition you play gains toil 1.
T C 4

BL
•Brand, Ally of Erebor
Companion • Man
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
Skirmish: If Brand has resistance 6 or more, exert him to take a or skirmish event into hand from your discard pile.
B R 1

Craft of Erebor
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert a companion and either an companion or a companion to add a token here.
Regroup: Remove a token here to play a possession from your discard pile.
B C 2

Forgotten Secrets
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
When you play this condition, you may spot a companion to foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
Maneuver: Discard this condition to reveal the top card of your draw deck. If that card is a tale, you may remove up to 4 Shadow cards in a Shadow player's discard pile from the game.
B U 3

•Gimli's Battleaxe, Axe of Moria
Possession • Hand Weapon
Str: +2
Bearer must be a companion.
Regroup: If bearer is Gimli and he is damage +X, exert him twice to make an opponent discard X Shadow cards from play.
B R 4

Hand Axe (reprint)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Bearer must be a Dwarf.
This weapon may be borne in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
Archery: Discard this possession to make the fellowship archery total +1.
B U 5

•Legolas, Dwarf-friend
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may heal a or companion.
B U 6

Nimble Shot
Event • Archery
Toil 2.
Spot an companion with resistance 7 or more to wound a minion.
"'That one counts as mine!'"
B C 7

•Thrarin, Emissary of Erebor
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 7
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Damage +1.
While Thrarin has resistance 4 or more, each and event is twilight cost -1.
B C 8

[Witchkingx5]

I like this idea of summing-up, especially cus' I came very late to this boards, so I missed the first 2 expansions.

[legolas3333]

Gimli, Goldentongue His resistance needs to start higher to make his ability worth it me thinks.

Gimli, dwarven delegate is already taken as a name...

[Thranduil]

Gimli, Goldentongue His resistance needs to start higher to make his ability worth it me thinks.

Well there are resistance bonuses in the set. But I understand what you're saying. Let's see some more of it and I'll come back here.

Gimli, dwarven delegate is already taken as a name...

Yes indeed. I reused that cycle of cards because they weren't printed or they weren't printed much or something, and I thought I might as well reuse the subtitles.

Thranduil

[chompers]

There are alot of companions - 10 out of 24 cards. 2 cards rely on other cultures to be used. This leaves only 12 cards to fill out a pure , Frodo ring-bearer deck. It might be enough.

I do like the way the cards are interacting with each other, through the discard pile and top of deck.

I would be interested to see how powerful Gimli Goldentongue can get using resistance pumping as I haven't kept up-to-date with all your cards.

Are there alternate Ring-bearers? Or is everyone using Frodo in this block?

I would really like a card-making tool to put these cards together and actually give this block a play-test for something different to do. Anyone?

[Thranduil]

There are alot of companions - 10 out of 24 cards. 2 cards rely on other cultures to be used. This leaves only 12 cards to fill out a pure , Frodo ring-bearer deck. It might be enough.

Well like I said you need about 50% between commons and uncommons to be characters in order for you to be able to draft the set (though this is slightly lower for the companion case and higher for the minions). And I don't expect monoculture decks to come from this block hardly at all, though this will be a lot easier in where there a lot more cards.

Are there alternate Ring-bearers? Or is everyone using Frodo in this block?

The block has no alternate Ring-bearers. There are 3 copies of Frodo and 3 copies of Sam, of which 1 can't be the Ring-bearer, so that makes 3 main + 2 backup. But as I said above, the block makes a standard that includes all alternate Ring-bearers printed post-reflections (Sam, Gandalf, Faramir... Think that's it).

I would really like a card-making tool to put these cards together and actually give this block a play-test for something different to do. Anyone?

Now, I've been working on an easy way to present and print these cards just as text. I will see how well it works and report back.

Thranduil

[Witchkingx5]

You know what would be amazing?
Yu-Gi-Oh! and MtG already have this:

http://www.yugiohcardmaker.net/
http://magicseteditor.sourceforge.net/

If someone would be able to write a software program like that, that would be great.

[Thranduil]

L&S (16, 6/5/5)
Agility Renowned
Condition • Support Area
Tale.
Skirmish: Discard this condition to make an companion strength +1 and resistance +2.
L C 13

•Arwen, The Fairest
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While Arwen is assigned to a skirmish, each other companion is resistance +2.
While you can spot 5 companions with resistance 7 or more (except in the Shadow phase), each Shadow card is twilight cost +1.
"… the light of stars was in her bright eyes, grey as a cloudless night…"
L R 14

•Arwen, Maiden of Rivendell
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Ranger. Unyielding. (Arwen's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
When you play Arwen, you may foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
L C 15

•Asfaloth, Steed of Rivendell
Possession • Mount
Str: +1
Res: +1
Bearer must be an companion.
Maneuver: If bearer is Arwen or Glorfindel, exert him or her and discard 2 cards from hand to remove a burden.
"Suddenly into view below came a white horse, gleaming in the shadows, running swiftly."
L C 16

•Círdan, Lord of Mithlond
Companion • Elf
Str: 7
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Unyielding. (Círdan's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
To play, spot an card.
Each time you foresee a Free Peoples card, you may reveal it to make Círdan strength and resistance +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘What power still remains lies with us, here in Imladris, or with Círdan at the havens, or in Lórien.'"
L U 17

•Elrond, Lord of Imladris
Companion • Elf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Each other companion is resistance +1.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert Elrond to foresee 2. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
"‘Now, therefore, things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden from all but a few until this day.'"
L U 18

Elven Sword (reprint)
Possession • Hand Weapon
Str: +1
Bearer must be an Elf.
Skirmish: Exert bearer or discard 2 cards from hand to make a minion skirmishing bearer strength -1.
L C 19

Enchanting Songs
Event • Fellowship
Spell. Tale.
Spot an companion to heal up to 2 companions with resistance 7 or more.
"… he wandered long in a dream of music that turned into running water, and then suddenly into a voice."
L C 20

Expert Marksmanship
Event • Archery
Exert an archer to add +1 to the fellowship archery total (or +2 if that Elf has resistance 7 or more).
"Legolas shot two through the throat."
L U 21

•Galadriel, Lady of the Noldor
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
To play, spot an card.
At the start of the fellowship phase, you may search your draw deck for a Free Peoples card, reveal it, then shuffle your draw deck and place that card on top of it.
"‘… ere the fall of Nargothrond or Gondolin I passed over the mountains, and together through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat.'"
L R 22

•Glorfindel, Lord of the Noldor
Companion • Elf
Str: 9
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Ranger. Unyielding. (Glorfindel's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
While Glorfindel is assigned to a skirmish, each other companion with resistance 7 or more is strength +2.
"‘Ai na vedui Dúnadan! Mae govannen!'"
L R 23

•Haldir, Warrior of Lórien
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Ranger.
At the start of the archery phase, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is an card, you may make Haldir an archer and unyielding until the regroup phase.
"‘… we dwell now in the heart of the forest, and do not willingly have dealings with any other folk.'"
L U 24

•Legolas, Elven Delegate
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Valiant.
While Legolas has resistance 6 or more, the fellowship archery total is +1.
"‘The tidings that I was sent to bring must now be told.'"
L C 25

•Legolas, Hawkeye
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Archer. Unyielding. (Legolas's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
Archery: Exert Legolas to wound a minion whose strength is lower than his resistance.
"‘He stands not alone,' said Legolas, bending his bow and fitting an arrow with hands that moved quicker than sight. ‘You would die before your stroke fell.'"
L R 26

•The Mirror of Galadriel, Guide for the Wise
Artifact • Support Area
To play, spot an card.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert a companion with resistance 7 or more to foresee 3. Then, you may draw a card. (To foresee 3, look at the top 3 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
"‘What shall we look for, and what shall we see?'"
L R 27

Staunch Companions
Event • Skirmish
Spot an companion to make a minion skirmishing an unbound companion strength -2 (or -3 if that companion has resistance 7 or more).
"‘There are few even in Rivendell that can ride openly against the Nine…'"
L U 28

TW (10, 4/3/3)
Ancient Struggle
Event • Skirmish
Make a minion skirmishing an companion strength -2 (or -4 if it is a or minion).
T C 5

•Calaglin, Silent Sentinel
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Ranger.
Each time you play an event, you may exert Calaglin to reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is a Free Peoples card, you may exert a minion.
T C 6

•Celeborn, Lord of the Golden Wood
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot Galadriel, Celeborn's twilight cost is -1.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck to discard a Shadow condition with twilight cost less than the twilight cost of the card revealed.
T R 7

•Dínendal, Silent Sentinel
Companion • Elf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Ranger.
Each time you play an event, you may foresee 1.
T C 8

•Erestor, Wise Councillor
Companion • Elf
Str: 5
Vit: 3
Res: 7
Unyielding. (Erestor's resistance is not reduced by the number of burdens).
At the start of the regroup phase, if Erestor has resistance 7 or more, you may reconcile your hand.
T U 9

Faith in the Valar
Event • Skirmish
Spell. Tale.
Toil 2.
Spot a skirmishing companion to reveal the top card of your draw deck. If that card is a Free Peoples card, prevent all wounds to that companion.
T U 10

Ghosts of Men
Event • Maneuver
Twilight.
To play, spot an companion.
Exert any number of companions with resistance 15 or more to foresee the same number of cards (limit 4). For each Free Peoples card you foresee, you may reveal it to remove a burden or wound a twilight minion.
‘"I do not fear them."'
T R 11

Lórien Cloak
Possession • Cloak
To play, spot an card.
Bearer must be a companion.
The minion archery total is -1.
Response: If a minion uses a special ability, discard this possession to cancel that ability unless that minion's owner removes .
T U 12

Power of Foresight
Event • Maneuver
Spell.
Spot an companion to foresee 3. (To foresee 3, look at the top 3 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
T C 13

Silent Watchers
Condition • Support Area
Stealth.
Response: If a minion is played, discard an character from hand to wound that minion.
Response: If a Shadow condition is played, discard an character from hand and discard this condition to discard that condition.
T R 14

BL (12, 5/4/3)
•Aragorn, Estel
Companion • Man
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 8
Ranger.
While you can spot Arwen and she has resistance 7 or more, Aragorn's twilight cost is -2.
Each time you play an event during a skirmish involving Aragorn, you may make an or companion strength +2 until the regroup phase.
B U 9

•Blade and Bow
Condition • Support Area
While you can spot 3 valiant companions with resistance 7 or more, each minion is strength -2 for each wound on that minion.
Discard this condition if the fellowship did not move during the regroup phase.
B R 10

Deflection
Event • Response
If a Shadow event is played, spot an companion to foresee 2. Then reveal the top card of your draw deck. If the revealed card is a Free Peoples card, cancel that Shadow event and place it on top of its owner's draw deck. (To foresee 2, look at the top 2 cards of your draw deck; place any number of those cards on top of your draw deck in any order, and the rest beneath your draw deck in any order).
B U 11

•Elrond, Ring-bearer
Companion • Elf
Str: 8
Vit: 4
Res: 7
Valiant.
At the start of each skirmish involving Elrond, you may exert him to discard the top card of your draw deck. Make a minion strength -X, where X is the twilight cost of the discarded card.
B C 12

Emissaries of the West
Event • Fellowship
Spell. Toil 2.
Spot a companion with resistance 6 or more to discard each condition.
B U 13

•Galadriel, Ring-bearer
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot an companion, Galadriel's twilight cost is -3.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may place a card from your hand on top of your draw deck.
B C 14

•Gimli, Elf-friend
Companion • Dwarf
Str: 6
Vit: 3
Res: 6
Damage +1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may make a or companion strength +2 until the regroup phase.
B U 15

A Mortal Life
Event • Maneuver
Tale. Toil 2.
Spot a companion with resistance 5 or more to heal up to 2 other companions.
B C 16

•Nenya, Secret Defence
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Galadriel.
Shadow events are twilight cost +1.
B R 17

Resist the Shadow
Condition • Support Area
Fellowship: Exert an companion and either a companion or a companion to add an token here.
Maneuver: Remove an token here to make an unbound companion resistance +2 until the regroup phase.
B C 18

Unrelenting
Event • Skirmish
Make a valiant or companion strength +2 (or +3 if skirmishing a wounded minion).
B C 19

•Vilya, Secret Defence
Artifact • Ring
Vit: +1
Bearer must be Elrond.
Response: If a minion uses a special ability, discard 2 cards from hand to cancel its effects.
B R 20

[Cw0rk]

Nice job. These cards look pretty nice but why Celeborn, Teleporno?

[TelTura]

If you are referring to the name, Wikipedia (always the source for lite nerd reading) says:

Celeborn is also referred to by other names, including "Teleporno" - the High-elven [ed: or, Teleri]version of Celeborn, "Prince of Doriath", "Celeborn the Wise" a name given him by Galadriel as she said he was the wisest of the Elves in Middle-earth and "Lord of Lothlórien" or "Lord of the Wood".

although [snorts] it is a name that could be...misinterpreted, by the less-mature...

Encyclopedia of Arda says the name may have not been fully developed...I haven't picked up a copy of the Silmarillion or Book of Lost Tales in a while, though....why did you pick "Teleporno", Kralik?

[Thranduil]

Celeborn subtitles I always find really difficult - the best ones are all already used (lord of Lorien, the Wise, Lord of the Galadhrim etc). I was mainly grasping at straws to be honest!

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

Possible Subtitles:

Lord of the Golden Wood.
Silver Tree.
Prince of Doriath.
Silver-Hair.
Wisest and Tall.

For what it is worth, Marton Csokas as Celeborn always looked like a cheap male porn star to me. Imagine him with a mustache!
-wtk

[FM]

OMG, PLEASE name him Teleporno! Seriously, do it! Ok, I'm making a mock set of LotR TCG, Unglued-style! Dibs on this name!

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

•Galadriel, Ring-bearer
Companion • Elf
Str: 3
Vit: 3
Res: 7
While you can spot an companion, Galadriel's twilight cost is -3.
At the start of the maneuver phase, you may place a card from your hand on top of your draw deck.
B C 14

Okay, I understand the point of this (that Galadriel bore one of the three elven rings), but I worry that it might be confusing:
"You should use Galadriel, Ringbearer."
"But I really need Frodo's text."