Central card for both mill and corruption decks. With multiple copies out, the Free Peoples player is often forced to add burdens whether they want to or not. Combined with Thin and Stretched and Enduring Evil for corruption decks, or The Irresistible Shadow and Desperate Measures for mill decks. Can be further combined with various The Return of the King cards in later sets, such as Pelennor Flat* or Initiative Orcs.

Desperate Defense of the Ring is very versatile: it can be be played on the Ring-bearer if they are fighting a lot and can be combined with Thin and Stretched to near guarantee burdens. Multiples can also be stacked on the same companion if that companion if significantly stronger than other characters.

• Decks that rely on specific fighters

• Large Fellowships
• Burden Removal

• Friend of the Shirefolk/Burden intensive shadow - http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8343.0.html
• Cruel Discard with Elven Archery and Sauron Corruption - http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,395.0.html
• Sauron Initiative/Burdens - http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,1731.0.html

• This card triggers regardless of who assigned a minion to bearer
• This card does not trigger Old Noakes (Or Courteous Halfling) because it give the Free Peoples player a choice.