With a twilight cost of 0, Dark Fury functions as the basic pump and is most useful for the few decks that don't use site control (where Burn Every Village is often preferable). By and large, the Free Peoples depends on sanctuaries to be relatively safe and allow companions to prepare for more dangerous sites ahead. As such, the card has two primary functions: first, combined with the naturally low site number of Dunlendings, cripple the Free Peoples at site 3 by killing unprepared companions and make the Fellowship unable to survive down the road. Second, mop up companions after a harrowing site 5, all but ensuring victory at site 7 or 8. Sanctuaries offer less twilight than surrounding sites in Towers and King site paths, so players leaning on this card for kills will need to ensure that they have the right minions in hand to do the job with limited resources.

• Powerful Free Peoples strategies which need time to set up

• Choke at the sanctuaries, especially from Dauntless Hunter
• Faramir, Son of Denethor, who will rarely give the Shadow player an opportunity to overwhelm him without many minions on the table