Hunters Cards, Version C!

December 13, 2005

Once again, we thank all the players who have helped out with playtest feedback on The Hunters Draft Pack. We are instituting a new round of changes, version C (12/13). We hope for additional feedback from games played over the next few days, so we can consider any further changes necessary before the scheduled release date next Saturday, December 17.

We remind you to please note that your feedback pertains to version C (not an earlier version).

The version C changes, and brief explanations of those changes, are detailed below:

*Gimli, Sprinter
Culture: Dwarf
Companion *  Dwarf
Cost 2
Strength 6 Resistance 6
Hunter 1. Damage +1.
Each time Gimli wins a skirmish, you may add a threat to wound a minion (or to wound a hunter minion twice).

The version B change to make Gimli a more desirable card was a hit – possibly too big a hit, as many players reported the revision might be too good. The suggestion was made to switch Gimli’s ability to “double wound” non-hunters to double-wounding hunters instead.

*Gandalf, Returned
Culture: Gandalf
Companion * Wizard
Cost 4
Strength 7
Vitality 4
Resistance 7
When you play Gandalf (except in your starting fellowship), you may play a [Gandalf] companion from your draw deck.

The ability to fetch a possession has been substituted for fetching a companion instead. While the change does stray a bit far from the originally suggested design, it should prove to be a much more effective card for draft play.

Because the utility of fetching a companion is so much higher than that of the previous ability, the token reinforcement function has been removed to keep the overall power level of the card from being too high.

*Aragorn, Heir to the Throne of Gondor
Culture: Gondor
Companion *  Man
Cost 4
Strength 8
Vitality 4
Resistance 8
Hunter 2.
While you can spot 3 Free Peoples cultures, Aragorn is defender +1.
While you can spot 2 Shadow cultures, Aragorn is defender +1

Aragorn’s resistance bonus text has been removed, and his bonus has been set at 8, like other versions of the character. Players had expressed that the bonus wasn’t actually very useful on a non-Ring-bearer in most decks. The change also simplifies and cleans up the card.

*Saruman, Instigator of Insurrection
Culture: Isengard
Minion * Wizard
Cost 4
Strength 8
Vitality 4
Site 4
Saruman cannot be assigned to skirmish a character with more strength than he has.
While you can spot 6 companions, all minions gain hunter 2.
Response: If a hunter minion is about to take a wound, exert Saruman to prevent that.

Players had expressed that a minion who cannot skirmish is not an ideal choice for draft. However, past versions of Saruman have had various limitations on their ability to skirmish, intended to respect story considerations. (For example, only when armed with his staff; only as a lurker.) Decipher designers suggested this new limitation to give the players that skirmish-capable character playtesters were asking for, while respecting Saruman’s past history of skirmish restrictions.

*Lurtz, Halfling Hunter
Culture: Uruk-hai
Minion * Uruk-hai
Cost 7
Strength 13
Vitality 3
Site 5
Archer. Damage +1.
Maneuver: Spot 6 companions to make Lurtz fierce until the regroup phase.
Assignment: Exert Lurtz twice to assign it to an unbound companion. The Free Peoples player may exert that companion or add a burden to prevent this.

Though some playtesters had championed the change that introduced threats in Lurtz’s game text in version B, many others felt that threats were not prevalent enough in the Uruk culture for this ability to be truly useful. Version C substitutes 1 burden for the 2 threats.

*The Witch-king, Conqueror of Arthedain
Culture: Wraith
Minion * Nazgul
Cost 8
Strength 14
Vitality 4
Site 3
Fierce.
When you play the Witch-king, you may spot an exhausted companion to add 2 threats.
Each time the Witch-king wins a skirmish, you may remove a threat to exert a companion for each companion over 4.

Players continued to feel the Witch-king was coming out weak compared to earlier version, offering a variety of suggestions for how to pay for opening up his ability to non-fierce skirmishes. Version C tries threats in that role. In addition, a possible means to generate those threats has been added.