Opening Thoughts
With (technically) a decade and a half of this game under my belt (practically like 8 years of actual play?), what would it be like to play The Hunt for Gollum with a pool of only two original core sets?
This quest has not aged well in the views of the community. It's not one I've gone back to for repeated play over the years. My most recent experience is watching Jon, from Cardboard of the Rings, review The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game: The Magazine #2, which presented a truncated version of the quest to new players.
I also have not built with such a restricted card pool since the game came out. For those who have only experienced the Revised core set: the original core set had artificial common / uncommon / rare seeding, even though this restriction was not present in deckbuilding. Want three copies of Sneak Attack? Buy two cores and have a spare! Want three copies of Dwarven Tomb? Buy three core sets and have a whole pile of extras! I opted for two at this point. There is a well-known deck by Seastan that creates a great single deck using a single core, but I am here to create decks for two players. We technically had three players, but I'm pretty sure that person brought their own. Unsure how we made that work hero wise, but I have faith in past me that it worked out. Also worth noting that we all were able to see the new Hunt For Gollum player cards that night, but were not able to add them to our decks.
The Decks
Unexpected Courage was a also "rare" and only one per Core? I forgot out limiting that original delivery model had been and how much of a feel-bad getting a third Core for those key cards was (which I eventually did; finding a good deal on a used local copy while living in Thailand).
For both decks, I started off putting down the good stuff (Sneak Attack + Gandalf, A Test of Will, Feint) and then had to put filler card after filler card to get to 50. The pile of expensive allies without any real synergy feels really bad! In general, the "Leaders" deck is set up to handle most of the questing while the "Warriors" deck takes care of as many enemies as possible.
Leaders of the Core
Heroes
Aragorn
Éowyn
Théodred
Allies
2x Faramir (Core)
3x Gandalf (Core)
3x Guard of the Citadel
3x Longbeard Orc Slayer
3x Lórien Guide
3x Northern Tracker
3x Silverlode Archer (Core)
3x Snowbourn Scout
Attachments
2x Celebrían's Stone (Core)
3x Steward of Gondor (Core)
2x The Favor of the Lady
2x Unexpected Courage (Core)
Events
3x A Test of Will (Core)
2x Dwarven Tomb (Core)
1x Grim Resolve (Core)
2x Hasty Stroke (Core)
3x Sneak Attack (Core)
2x Stand and Fight
2x Strength of Will
3x Valiant Sacrifice (Core)
Warriors of the Core
Heroes
Beravor
Gimli
Legolas
Allies
1x Beorn (Core)
3x Daughter of the Nimrodel
3x Erebor Hammersmith (Core)
2x Gléowine
3x Gondorian Spearman (Core)
2x Henamarth Riversong (Core)
3x Horseback Archer (Core)
3x Miner of the Iron Hills (Core)
3x Veteran Axehand
Attachments
3x Blade of Gondolin (Core)
1x Citadel Plate
3x Dwarven Axe
2x Horn of Gondor (Core)
Events
3x Feint (Core)
3x Quick Strike (Core)
3x Radagast's Cunning
2x Rain of Arrows
3x Secret Paths (Core)
2x Stand Together
2x Swift Strike
The Quest
Warrior hand: All allies, only one of which I can play right now. Horn of Gondor x2, Blade of Gondolin, Gondorian Spearman, Horseback Archer, Gleowine. Much better!
1A. Each player reveals an encounter card.
Leaders reveal: Hunters From Mordor
Warriors reveal: The Old Ford
Advance to 1B
Round 1
Cards & money!
Leaders draw: Silverlode Archer
Warriors draw: Daughter of Nimrondel
Leaders: Celebrian's Stone goes on Aragorn.
Warriors: Gondorian Spearman comes into play.
Quest: Aragorn, Eowyn, and Theordred quest. A resource is added to Aragorn. Total willpower: 9.
Leaders reveal: Evil Storm. No damage dealt. Nice that this doesn't have surge; it totally would in later cycles.
Warriors reveal: Old Wives Tales. Hands down my favorite art in this scenario and in my top art of all time. Aragorn and Beravor loose resources. Gimli and Legolas exhaust.
Gollum's just a cute little baby-eating fella
Total threat: 3. 6 progress is placed on 1B (6/8).
Leaders look at the top three cards of the encounter deck: Evil Storm, Misty Mountain Goblins, Hunters from Mordor. Evil Storm is added to the staging area (no effect; discarded) and both enemies are discarded.
Travel to The Old Ford
Beravor exhausts and Leaders draw two cards: A Test of Will, Favor of the Lady.
Ready. Raise (Leaders 30, Warriors 31). Pass first player token to Warriors.
Round 2
Money & cards!
Warriors draw: Quck Strike.
Leaders draw: Unexpected Courage
Warriors: Blade of Gondolin goes on Legolas.
Leaders: Unexpected Courage goes on Gimli
Quest: Aragorn, Eowyn, and Theodred quest again. Resource added to Aragorn's pool. Total Willpower: 9.
Warriors reveal: Pursued By Shadow. Leaders play A Test of Will to cancel the when revealed effect (which would raise the Warriors' threat by 4).
Leaders reveal: The East Bank.
Total Threat: 5. Two progress is placed on The Old Ford, exploring it. Two progress is placed on 1B, exploring it. Advance to 2A1
The group travels to The East Bank
Warriors engage Hunters from Mordor. Shadow card is dealt. Hunters attack! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect. No damage is dealt. Unexpected Courage readies Gimli. Beravor, Gimli, Legolas, and Gondorian Spearman defeat the Hunters. Three progress is placed on the East Bank, exploring it.
Ready. Refresh (Leaders 31, Warriors 32). Pass token to Leaders.
Round 3
Cards & money!
Leaders draw: Son of Arnor
Warriors draw: Horseback Archer
Leaders: Dwarven Tomb returns A Test of Will to hand.
Warriors: Gelowine is played. Horseback archer is played.
Warriors look at the top two cards of the encounter deck: The West Bank, Eastern Crows. The West Bank is added to the staging area and Eastern Crows are discarded.
Quest: Aragorn, Ewoyn, and Theodred quest for a total of 9. Resource is added to Aragorn.
Warriors reveal: the East Bank
Leaders reveal: Gladden Fields
Total threat 9. No progress placed. Travel to The West Bank
The location lock begins! Maybe I should have put the crows into play, so Legolas could clear something. (Later note: I forgot Surge would not have triggered. This was definitely a miss in my decision making!)
Beravor has Leaders draw two cards: The Favor of the Lady, Silverlode Archer.
Gleowine has Warriors draw.a card: Miner of the Iron Hills.
Ready. Raise (Leaders 32, Warriors 33). Token passes to Leaders.
Round 5
Cards & money!
Leaders draw: A Test of Will
Warriors draw: Daughter of the Nimrodel.
Leaders play Faramir.
Warriors put Horn of Gondor on Gimli.
Leaders look at the top two encounter cards: Eastern Crows and False Lead. Eastern Crows are added to the staging area (surge does not take effect).
Quest: 7 in staging, 3 to explore the active location, up to 6 coming from the deck. Aragorn, Eowyn, Theodred, Beravor, and Gimli quest for 13 willpower. Resource is added to Aragorn.
Leaders reveal: Signs of Gollum, which is guarded by: Eastern Crows. Surge. Pursued by Shadow. Leaders play A Test of Will to cancel it (costing 2 this turn due to The West Bank).
Warriors reveal: River Niglor.
Total threat: 10. 3 progress is placed on The West Bank, exploring it. Gladden Fields is made the active location.
Unexpected Courage readies Gimli.
Warriors engage the Eastern Crows guarding the clue. Leaders engage the other Eastern Crows. Shadow cards are dealt.
Eastern Crows attack the Leaders! Faramir defends. Shadow: No effect.
Eastern Crows attack the Warriors! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect.
Legolas destroys the Warriors' Eastern Crows, adding three progress to The Gladden Fields, exploring it and adding it to the victory display. Signs of Gollum goes to chill in the staging area.
Horseback Archer destroys the Leaders' Eastern Crows.
Gelowine draws a card for the Warriors: Dwarven Axe.
Ready. Raise (Leaders 33, Warriors 34). Token passes to Warriors.
Round 6
Cards & money!
Warriors draw: Quick Strike
Leaders draw: Guard of the Citadel
Warriors: No plays. Holding out for Beorn.
Leaders; Silverload Archer is played.
Warriors reveal two cards from the encounter deck: Evil Storm, the West Bank. Evil Storm is added to the staging area (doing nothing) and West Bank is discarded.
Quest: 5 in staging and up to 6 to plan for. Aragorn, Eowyn, and Theodred quest for 9. Resource added to Aragorn.
Warriors reveal: Signs of Gollum. Guarded by: Misty Mountain Goblins.
Leaders reveal: Gladden Fields
Total threat: 10. Faramir exhausts to raise total willpower to 12. Two progress is placed on 2B (2/10). The unguarded Signs of Gollum is attached to Aragorn.
Travel to Gladden Fields.Warriors engage Misty Mountain Goblins. Shadow card dealt. Goblins attack! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect. No damage dealt. Legolas destroys the Goblins, adding three progress to Gladden Fields and exploring it (and adding it to the victory display). That Signs of Gollum returns to the staging area to wait.
Beravor has Leaders draw two cards: Longbeard Orc Slayer, Hasty Stroke.
Gleowine has Warriors draw a card: Feint.
Ready. Raise (Leaders 34, Warriors 35). Pass token to Leaders.
Round 7
Resources & cards!
Leaders draw: Longbeard Orc Slayer
Warriors draw: Stand Together
Leaders play: Guardian of the Citadel. Favor of the Lady goes on Eowyn.
Warriors play: Beorn & Daughter of Nimrondel
Quest: 5 in staging, one clue up for grabs, 8 left on stage 2B. Leaders quest with five characters for 12 threat. Resource added to Aragorn's pool. Faramir stays back to pump it up. Warriors add Daughter of Nimrondel to make the total willpower 13.
Leaders reveal: Treacherous Fog. Each location gets +1 threat. Warriors must discard a card: Daughter of Nimrondel.
Warriors reveal: Massing at Night. Reveal 2 more cards. Old Wives Tales. Berevor, Gimli, and Legolas exhaust. Aragorn looses a resource. Second card: Misty Mountain Goblins.
Total threat: 9. Faramir exhausts to raise total willpower to 18. 9 resources are played on stage 1B, exploring it. Signs of Gollum attatched to Eowyn.
Travel to River Ninglor.
Warriors engage the Misty Mountain Goblin. Unexpected Courage readies Gimli. Shadow card is dealt. Goblin attacks! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect, no damage dealt. Beorn and Horseback Archer destroy the Goblin.
Gleowine has Leaders draw a card: Sneak Attack.
Ready. Raise (Leaders 35, Warriors 36). Pass token to Warriors.
Round 8
Coin & card!
Warriors draw: Feint
Leaders draw: Gandalf
Leader: Favor of the Lady goes on Theodred.
Warriors: No plays this turn (a good chunk of events waiting in the wings, though)
Quest: Leaders play sneak attack, sneaking in Gandalf, choosing to reduce their threat to 30. Aragorn, Eowyn, Theodred, Silverload Archer, Guard of the Citadel, and Gandalf quest. Total willpower: 18
Leaders reveal: Banks of the Anduin
Warriors reveal: The Old Ford (which has 9 threat due to the number of Allys...phew)
Total threat: 13. Faramir exhausts to raise the total willpower to 24. Warriors discard Horn of Gondor to pump Eowyn and raise willpower to 25. 4 progress is placed on River Ninglor, exploring it. 8 progress is placed on stage 2B, exploring it.
VICTORY!
Final Score: 127 (30 threat for Leaders, 36 threat for Warriors, 70 for completed rounds, -9 in the Victory Display).
Parting Thoughts
The short-lived LotR LCG magazine referred to this quest as "simple" and I see a bit of what they meant. That word feels laughable when thinking about a brand new player dealing with clues and trying to tread water while gathering them, but there was a feeling when playing this quest that "simpler" describes perfectly. Evil Storm was a great example of this. A conditional encounter effect that could do nothing and doesn't surge in that case? Not something I would expect to see in cycles after this first one.
More of a "Slightly Foreboding" storm
The decks I brought felt terrible. The fact that they handily beat this scenario says something. Now, there are always caveats when a quest goes easy: I only faced on Hunters From Mordor and didn't have clues at the time, I had Legolas + Blade of Gondolin to clear locations almost every turn, etc. But it was refreshing to go back to this severely limited card-pool an re-experience the first small bit of expansion the game received outside of the Core set. Now we'll wait and see what Andy Serkis brings to The Hunt for Gollum.
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