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Lord
of the Rings TCG
Playing
By the Book
The Lord of the
Rings TCG by Decipher is a great game. It uses an interesting
"twilight pool" that acts as a manipulative balancing agent. There are a few
places where the game deviates from the story as Tolkien wrote it -
site path order and abilities in particular.
Here are a few ways to make the game more book-accurate:
Single Game
Method
For the site path,
use the following sites:
|
SITE 6 |
Helps |
Type |
# |
|
6 |
Dimrill Dale |
Moria |
- |
1 U
350 |
|
6 |
Lothlórien
Woods |
Elf Allies |
Forest |
1 U
352 |
|
6 |
Caras
Galadhon |
No swarms |
Forest |
3 U 115 |
|
- |
Caras
Galadhon |
No swarms |
Forest |
11 S 231
|
|
6 |
Galadriel's
Glade |
Elf |
- |
1 C
351 |
|
6 |
Valley of the
Silverlode |
Hobbits |
River |
2 U 120 |
|
- |
Valley of the
Silverlode |
Hobbits |
Dwell, Rivr |
11 S 261 |
|
SITE 7 |
|
|
|
|
7 |
Silverlode
Banks |
Ranger |
River |
1 U
355 |
|
7 |
Anduin
Confluence |
Disc. Ally |
River |
1 U
353 |
|
- |
Anduin
Confluence |
Disc. Ally |
River |
11 U 228
|
|
7 |
Anduin
Wilderland |
No archery |
Forest, Riv |
1 C
354 |
|
7 |
The Great
River |
No search |
River |
3 C 118 |
|
- |
North Undeep |
- |
River |
11 S 250
|
|
|
SITE 8 |
|
|
|
|
8 |
Brown Lands |
Min. archery |
River |
1 U
357 |
|
8 |
Anduin Banks |
Min. archery |
River |
1 C
356 |
|
- |
Anduin Banks |
Min. archery |
River |
1 C
356 |
|
8 |
Pillars of
the Kings |
Gondor |
River |
1 U
358 |
|
8 |
Gates of
Argonath |
No Maneuvr |
River |
3 C 117 |
|
- |
Anduin
River |
-3 FP archry |
River |
15 U
187 |
|
8 |
Shores of Nen
Hithoel |
Orc minions |
River |
1 U
359 |
|
- |
Shores of Nen
Hithoel |
Orc culture |
River |
12 U |
|
- |
Hill of Sight |
|
Battl, Forst |
12 S |
|
- |
Crags of Emyn Muil |
- |
Mountain |
11 S 234 |
|
- |
Emyn Muil |
|
Mountain |
12 S |
|
- |
Mere of Dead Faces |
Smeagol |
Marsh |
11 U 246 |
|
- |
Slag Mounds |
- |
Battlegrnd |
11 S 258 |
|
- |
Gate of Mordor |
- |
Battlegrnd |
15 S 191 |
|
8 K |
Northern Ithilien |
Gollum |
- |
7 U 359 |
|
- |
Window on the West |
Gondor |
Undergrnd |
11 S 265 |
|
8 K |
Cross Roads |
Raider |
- |
7 U 356 |
|
- |
Crossroads of Fallen
Kings |
Mix fellow |
Forest |
13 S |
|
8 K |
Morgul Vale |
Sauron |
- |
7 U 357 |
|
8 K |
Morgulduin |
Nazgul |
- |
7 U 358 |
|
8 K |
Watchers of Cirith
Ungol |
Wraith orcs |
- |
10 U 120 |
|
- |
Watch-tower of
Cirith Ungol |
Orc culture |
Mountain |
11 S 262 |
|
|
SITE 9 |
|
|
|
|
- |
Slopes of Orodruin |
Draw card |
Mountain |
12 U |
|
- |
Mount Doom (see
below) |
No site replc |
Mounain, Undergrnd,
Battlegrnd |
15 R 195 |
Rules:
·
Towers Block
sites are not allowed
·
Each of your 9
sites must have a different title.
·
If a site has
a site number (Fellowship or King block), it must be used as that site
number.
·
Sites that do
not have a site number may be used for any site number. Placement of those
sites in this list is for Book tournaments only.
·
Unbound
unnumbered sites are acceptable, except in Book Tournaments.
Site numbers available for
each type of terrain
|
Forest: |
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 |
|
Dwelling: |
1, 2, 6 |
|
River: |
2, 3, 6, 7, 8 |
|
Marsh: |
2, 4, 8 |
|
Plains: |
2, 4 |
|
Mountain:
|
4, 8, 9 |
|
Underground:
|
4, 5, 8, 9 |
|
Battleground:
|
5, 8, 9 |
4 Game Method
The Lord of the
Rings TCG is a bit short, especially when you consider the length of the story
and the distances traveled by the fellowship. Also, the travelers
stayed a long time in the elf lands of Rivendell (more than 2 months) and Lorien
(about a month). That was more than
enough time to heal completely from all their wounds and exertions.
When I looked at the Fellowship site path, it
was clear to me that there could be 3 or 4 fun games where most people only saw
one.
I have adjusted the
sites to make a series of three games out of the "Fellowship"
block of the
story, and one game out of the "Towers" and "Return of the King"
parts of the story. Like the standard game, all the site paths are 9 sites long,
with sanctuaries and shadow numbers in similar places along the path.
The main difference is that it takes more games to finish the story.
The first Fellowship game is
the journey from Hobbiton to Rivendell. The first player chooses
the first site (any site 1 in the game except East Road, Farmer Maggot's
Field and Prancing Pony). There are sanctuaries at Farmer
Maggot's Fields and the Prancing Pony.
The second
Fellowship game is
the journey from Rivendell to Lorien. The first player chooses the
first site (any site 3 except Ford of Bruinen). There is a sanctuary
at Dwarrowdelf chamber.
The third Fellowship game is
the journey from Lorien to the Slopes of Amon Hen. There is a fixed
starting site, with sanctuaries at Brown Lands and Pillars of the Kings.
The Frodo, Sam, Sméagol adventure
goes from the cliffs of Emyn Muil, through the Dead
Marshes, to the Black Gate, then down to the forests of Ithilien. You
must face the Nazgul, the Raiders, and the forces of Mordor at the Black
Gate. Then, it continues into Ithilien, and involves
protecting the ringbearer while the Ringbound Rangers ambush the Southrons.
Big Mumaks cause big trouble, but Faramir and his men can handle the
Southrons. Finally, Frodo and Sam must continue to Mount Doom.
Any companions killed in one adventure cannot be used in subsequent
adventures.
Between the adventures all
burdens remain on the ring bearer, but all wounds from all companions are removed.
Winner goes first in the next adventure, and chooses starting site if
appropriate.
Some sites are numbered 2.5 to
prevent site 2 allies and site 3 allies from participating in skirmishes.
Some are numbered 3.5 to keep site 3 allies from participating and to keep
Moria minions roaming.
Print the file at 144 dpi to
make the sites the same size as the standard cards.
________________________________________
PART 1
Race
to Rivendell
The Fellowship of the Ring: Book 1: Hobbiton
to Rivendell
Recommended Free-Peoples: Hobbits
and Aragorn
Recommended Minions: Nazgul
culture, Isengard Orcs (Goblin Man)
.jpg)
Click on the image to view and
download the large jpg file
Print the file at 144 dpi to
make the sites the same size as the standard cards.
________________________________________
PART
2
The
Long Dark of Moria
The Fellowship of the Ring:
Book 2, Chapters 1-6: Rivendell
to Lorien
Recommended Free-Peoples:
Hobbits, Gimli, Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas
Recommended Minions: Moria
culture
.jpg)
Click on the image to view and
download the large jpg file
Print the file at 144 dpi to
make the sites the same size as the standard cards.
________________________________________
PART
3
Arrows
Along the Anduin
The Fellowship of the Ring:
Book 2, Chapters 7-10: Lorien
to Amon Hen
Recommended Free-Peoples:
Hobbits,
Boromir, Legolas,
Gimli, Aragorn,
Recommended Minions: Uruk-Hai
trackers, Moria orcs,
Sauron orcs, a Nazgul
.jpg)
Starting site:
.jpg)
Click on the images to view and download the large jpg files
Print the files at 144 dpi to
make the sites the same size as the standard cards.
________________________________________________
Part 4
Frodo, Sam, Sméagol, and
the Ringbound Rangers (Emyn Muil to Mount Doom)
Use this site as site 9:
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