Re: Interesting card ideas

[ket_the_jet]

•Tom Bombadil, Bearer of Trinkets
Companion
Strength: 14
Vitality: 9
Ringed Resistance: 15
Ring-bearer. Defender +1.
The One Ring's game text does not apply.
Each time the fellowship moves, discard The One Ring and lose the game; you may exert 3 other companions (or 2 other companions if you can spot 8 burdens) to prevent this.
"'He would not take it unless we begged him, and then he would just lose it or throw it away. Such things have no hold on Bombadil.'"

It is an interesting idea, but I think that it is still quite easy to win the game under these circumstances. It has no reliable way to add burdens except letting the Shadow do so without access to the One Ring, and giving him a defender bonus makes a deck with him, four Hobbits, and Smeagol a viable deck to move quickly.

•The One Ring, Trifle that Sauron Fancies
The One Ring
Strength: +2
Vitality: +2
Each time the fellowship moves, exert a companion with resistance 6 or higher or add 2 threats.
"'"It is the least of rings, but a show of your earnestness. Give it to me, and the three rings of the Dwarf lords of old shall be yours."'"

This Ring would still need text to put it on. This Ring makes you aforementioned Tom Bombadil nearly unstoppable with a strength and vitality bonus. Also, not to #$&*@! on anything, but I was unimpressed with the subtitle.

Tried to Take the Ring
Condition
Resistance: +3
Response: If a companion with 0 resistance exerts, play this condition from hand on that companion to suspend the current phase and begin a skirmish phase involving bearer and the Ring-bearer. During that skirmish, bearer is a minion (but is still a companion), may not be spotted or exerted as a cost for any Free Peoples action, and special abilities on bearer or Free Peoples cards borne by bearer may not be used. When that skirmish ends, resume the current phase.
"'It should have been mine. Give it to me!'"

Far too much text to fit onto one card. Too many stipulations, and I don't quite understand who gains control of the companion. I.e., does the character become someone the Shadow player then controls?

I would much rather see a series of cards similar to the Realms of the Elf Lords series of Terrible As the Dawn, Such a Little Thing, etc. Maybe something like:

• Boromir, Succumbed to the Ring
Minion • Man
Strength 7, Vitality 3, Site 3
This minion may be played regardless of any unique companion. This minion cannot be assigned unless you can spot a Free Peoples Boromir.
Assignment: Assign this minion to a Free Peoples Boromir.

Something like that represents the characters' internal struggle. By assigning Boromir (you can also make a Galadriel, Bilbo, Faramir, Denethor, even Gimli and Aragorn), you are taking away from important companions and leaving the rest of the companions to fight remaining minions. Then, you can create something like:

•The Ring's Presence
Condition • Support Area
Each unbound companion is resistance -1 for each card stacked here.
Response: If a unique Shadow card with the same name as a unique Free Peoples card is about to be discarded, discard two cards from hand to stack it here.

Curse You and All the Halflings!
Event • Skirmish
Make a character bearing a card strength +2. If that character is a companion skirmishing the Ring-bearer, add a burden.
"'You would betray us all! You would take it to him!'"

Like my earlier point, there are far too many stipulations in the above card to make something like that work.
-wtk