Yep, I did it: Second LCG entered
By Buz H.– January 3, 2013
I don’t know if you are religious or not (I am), but one verse from Jeremiah always stands out to me. In the Official Hannon Paraphrase, it would be something like: “The human heart is deceitful and wicked among all things; who can know it?”
That applies here doubly, I think. First off, it applies to me. I have vehemently and consistently turned down kind offers from many on TC both virtually and locally to get into other games (Game of Thrones is my main game). I’ve demoed Star Wars LCG, X-Wing minis, and looked on at Netrunner. Good games all; each has its own merits. But I didn’t want another LCG for mainly two reasons:
1. I can’t even come in consistently to the store to play Thrones. I didn’t want to divide that time among other LCGs, fun though they might be.
2. I didn’t want another system to keep current with. I know that LCGs are a choice to purchase, but if those games are like Thrones you’re going to want to keep your card pool current both to have a chance to win as well as to maximize your enjoyment of your Core set.
But then, it happened. I got into another LCG.
Why did I do that? Well, there are a few reasons. First off, I wanted a new gaming space to explore. It’s certainly not as though Thrones is becoming stale (far from it) but I have a decent handle on the system, I have most of the cards that I want, and I am basically current, content, and happy in the ThronesVerse. Basically, I wasn’t spending enough money on TC to keep Robert in his customary Chik-Fil-A lifestyle. Second, I wanted something I could more easily play at home with my wife and close friends. Thrones is a heck of a learning curve, and losing often while you learn isn’t fun for anyone. Third, the only area where AGoT has started to turn slightly downward in my opinion is in the lessening of the potency of thematic decks. I love recreating the experience from the stories, but a Dragon, Dothraki, Direwolf, or even Lord and Lady deck is behind the 8 Ball in Thrones just due to the sheer number of cards to choose from. There’s still plenty of mechanical balance, but I was looking for something more thematic.
And this is where Jeremiah’s verse becomes doubly applicable. Exploring the corruption of the human heart is what makes Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings series, and what game is more thematic than the Lord of the Rings LCG? You want a theme deck? Dwarfs, Elves, and soon Hobbits will be available! And since it’s cooperative, I’m not worried about sacrificing theme for efficiency. I can build a Rohan deck for theme’s sake and let my partner do the heavy lifting in combat. Or, I can build a deck to re-create the story of the Hobbit. If we lose, well, we lost together. That’s a new side of gaming that I’m looking forward to–deckbuilding in concert or in tandem with others. Finally, LOTR isn’t competitive so there’s no huge push to pick up all the cards right away. I can truly go at my own pace and explore what I have before moving on. It won’t be to stay current with the ‘meta,’ it will be for something new as I wish it.
So there you go: I’m in the LOTRVerse now. My early returns on the game are exceedingly positive, and I know it will only remain so as I investigate what the world of Middle Earth has to offer. I’d love to hear your own thoughts on the game and if you are considering it, why you like it, and so on. But for now, I’m off to build a Aragorn multisphere deck using 2 Cores. Is Eleanor good or bad? I must investigate…..
I’ve loved this game for a while. I only have a core and the first adventure pack, but I still find the game very engaging and challenging, and love how the adventure packs and larger expansions have been able to tell stories will also adding and changing to the way the game plays. Very deep system, thematic, and I find it very true to the source material.
Eleanor is THE Spirit hero. There’s simply no other hero in the sphere, except maybe Glorfindel, that can hold a candle to her.
Time and again the ability to cancel treachery cards is the make or break role of the game. Give the Conflict at the Carrock quest a run if you don’t agree or know and let me know what you think after.
LOTR is hands down my favorite game of all time. It doesn’t matter how many times I lose to a quest or the number of times I beat it, this game is always enjoyable to me. The fact that there are currently 24ish quests to pick from allows every place experience unique and refreshing.
I rather enjoy the game, though I feel like it would be better if I could convince more of my friends to play it too. Solo play is fun, but just not the same.
Yes, Eleanor is good. However, she’s not valuable in the same way most other heroes are. Cards like Aragorn and Beravor are useful because they provide a consistent benefit from turn to turn. You can always use them as effective questers, defenders, attackers, etc. Eleanor, on the other hand, will spend 90% of the game doing very little; she’s a terrible quester and attacker, and she’s pretty fragile as a defender (although you might be able to get away with it against the weak enemies in the Core Set). But then she will save you from a back-breaking treachery, and you will want to laminate the card and build a shrine around it. The key is realizing which treacheries you really have to cancel (hint: Treacherous Fog is probably not one). That just requires time and practice.
I do think her utility diminishes as you become a more experienced player/deckbuilder. Apart from cancellation effects like A Test of Will, you can play around many treacheries; for instance, you can duck Evil Storm by keeping your threat below 35 and mitigate the effects of The Necromancer’s Reach by using Unexpected Courage or Ever Vigilant to ready characters prior to staging. However, treacheries just get nastier and nastier in the AP cycles, so she can be useful in nearly any scenario. She’s also better in multiplayer games, since the other players can make up for her relative statistical weaknesses. I’d rank her third in the Spirit pantheon behind Glorfindel (FoS) and Nori (OHaUH).
Welcome to the game. It really is terrific. The best thing about LotR is the fact that the designers are really just starting to realize what they can do with the game engine. We’re starting to see some very creative, thematic scenarios, especially in the Dwarrowdelf cycle and Heirs of Numenor.
WitchKing Quest without Eleanor …..(in an italian Mofia voice)Forget about it!
Welcome to the game! LOTR LCG is my favorite by far. I feel like it gets better, the more time you spend with it. Eleanor’s utility really depends on the quest you’re playing. If it happens to have a particularly nasty treachery that you need to be able to cancel, then she is worth it. If not, then I usually leave her out. I am eventually looking to dip into another LCG eventually. Deciding between Netrunner and Star Wars.
Thanks to all for the kind feedback!
I threw out that comment about Eleanor since on most of the discussion boards it seems that people are down on her, but Robert swears that she is integral. I feel like if you are playing solo it’d be tough to stick her in, but in multiplayer so far I’ve never really regretted having her in my crew. From time to time she’s saved our bacon.
It all depends on the quest. Some quests she won’t be needed and you’ll wish she were Eowyn with the extra willpower for questing. Having Eowyn in solo games is almost a must.
Yeah, I have a deck designed to beat any scenario without alterations, and I don’t use Eleanor for that. Just too frail. A Test of Will does the job just fine, although you can’t always count on having one in hand. With more players, you don’t have to worry about using her as a defender. In those instances, she’s a very handy panic button to have around. I firmly disagree with the people who think she’s garbage, but I think her appeal diminishes for solo gamers and more seasoned LotR players.
I’d say do whatever you can to not play the game by yourself. It’s cool that it’s an option, but it really shines with 3-4 people around a table, working together. You’ll see the entire group sweating it out and then high-fiving once a tough quest is completed.
They’ve managed to pull off coop, which is very hard to do, so take advantage of it!
Also buy more everything.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying it, Buz.
And I don’t know, Steven, single player can be fun if you can resist the urge to scoop every time something bad happens. It’s a pretty tough game, but being able to sit around and play an LCG by myself is pretty awesome since the other guys that play are an hour away during the week. Lol, cue up a Pandora station with LotR film music. It makes the experience pretty awesome while you play.
I’m glad it has both. That feeling of camaraderie and shared challenge among a group is pretty rare in gaming. I find playing it solo is a blast as well. Depending on the scenario you choose, you can set up a quickie game or a longer experience. Like Kennon said, resisting the urge to scoop is important. I’ve been so close to just quitting, because success seemed impossible, then I kept going and won by the skin of my teeth, and those are the most rewarding games. Of course, there are the times when you are in the “no chance in hell” zone…