A fairly versatile site that can help any shadow using weapons, Moria Stairway is particularly useful for beatdown shadows. Because the damage bonus from the site stacks with their innate damage bonus, Uruk-hai would benefit the most from this site, if not for their lack of options regarding weapons (Uruk-hai Sword, Lurtz's Sword). Nazgul decks can gain a lot from this site, particularly because many Nazgul are fierce, and both Nazgul Sword and The Pale Blade can boost damage further. Moria Axe also works well with this site, providing damage + 2 instead of the usual one. Another benefit of using this site with the culture is the fact that they have many ways of retrieving weapons from the discard pile.

Unlike minions, companions bear their possessions from site to site, so they are more likely to gain a damage bonus from Moria Stairway. All companions in Fellowship block, save for Haldir, EotGW and Lorien Elf, have a potential hand weapon that they can use, giving easy access to damage, even for characters that usually do not gain damage bonuses (Frodo, Legolas). This makes it easier for the Fellowship to double move.

In general, this site is more useful for a shadow than a fellowship, as many fellowships are reluctant to double-move to the dangerous Bridge of Khazad-Dum, and killing minions doesn't usually derive much benefit otherwise. In contrast, the extra damage from shadow weapons can easily make all the difference for a shadow, making it possible to kill companions in a single skirmish, or at least wound them enough to make them think twice about double moving. A major disadvantage of using this site is that it could also benefit your opponent(s), in addition to yourself.

• Orcs (they need vitality at regroup)
• Low-strength characters
• Low-vitality characters

• Archery
• Itself, as the site's bonus is universal