A powerful burden adding card, Thin and Stretched is often used in conjunction with Desperate Defense of the Ring to take advantage of the fact that the ring-bearer rarely wants to skirmish, while all of his companions do. By playing Thin and Stretched on the Ring-bearer and Desperate Defense of the Ring on strong companions such as Aragorn, the Free Peoples player will be acquiring a lot of burdens or assigning stronger minions to weaker characters, both of which work in the shadow player's favour. Another option is to play both this and Desperate Defense of the Ring on the Ring-bearer, guaranteeing one of the effects either way. As Thin and Stretched triggers at the end of the turn, it is less effective against players who often move again during the Regroup phase, and it may even encourage the Free Peoples player to do so, in order to avoid burdens. Be wary of condition discard when using this strategy, especially as cards such as Athelas can discard this condition. This card is also ineffective against Mass ally/Horn of Boromir decks, as it triggers only if Frodo didn't skirmish and another companion did; as allies are not companions, this is another way of getting around this effect.

Thin and Stretched is also effective against the alternate Ring-bearers of Reflections, many of whom have negative penalties for skirmishing anyway. This card is least effective against Gandalf, BoO who rarely has any issues with skirmishing.

• Strength based Fellowships
• Slow Fellowships
• Fellowships with no burden removal

• Burden Removal (Sam, Son of Hamfast; Narya)
• Condition discard (Secret Sentinels, Sleep Caradhras)
• Players who double-move often
• Mass Archery decks (As there will then be no skirmishes)
• Mass ally/Horn of Boromir decks

• Friend of the Shirefolk/Burden Intensive Shadow - http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8343.0.html
• Stealthy Horn and Wraith-World - http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8719.0.html