A major threat to the Fellowship in the books and film, Watcher in the Water, Keeper of Westgate is hardly the same menace in the Mines of Moria expansion. Limited in play to marsh sites (just Midgewater Marshes and Moria Lake in Fellowship block), Watcher in the Water makes each tentacle in play strength +2 and damage +1.

Unlike the Cave Troll of Moria, Scourge of the Black Pit, or even the Balrog, Watcher in the Water cannot bear possessions (namely, Goblin Spear) due to its gametext.

The best Watcher in the Water strategy is that of a “bomb” shadow–waiting until the Free Peoples player creates enough twilight to play as many minions as possible. With Foul Tentacle playing other tentacle cards from the draw deck, and Huge Tentacle playing Watcher in the Water the same way, it would appear to be an easy strategy with little set-up. Unlike other strategies, the Watcher in the Water has no way to prevent wounds and is extremely susceptible to pre-skirmish wounding. Additionally, any strength or damage bonus to other tentacles disappears with the Watcher in the Water being killed.

Watcher in the Water did get another resource in Battle of Helm's Deep with Evil-Smelling Fens. While the new advantage of making each site a marsh adds versatility to the strategy; however, the bomb strategy is still much weaker than most others. A fun novelty minion in casual play, Watcher in the Water remains an largely unused character until the Ages End card Watcher in the Water, Many-Tentacled Creature.

• The perfect storm of favorable Shadow conditions

• Most reasonable Free Peoples strategies, including twilight choking, direct wounding, defender bonuses, and strong companions