Movie Block Site Path

[ket_the_jet]

This idea originated as a neat idea for a new site path for Movie Block that starts in (or around) Hobbiton and ends at Mount Doom. This is kind of the idea:
Shire-Bree: Site 1
Weathertop-Drimill Dale: Site 2
Lothlorien-Amon Hen: Site 3
Westfold-Fangorn-Edoras Hall: Site 4
Helm's Deep: Site 5
Edoras Hall-Osgiliath-Minas Tirith: Sanctuary at 6
Pelennor: Site 7
Between post-Battle of Minas Tirith and Gorgoroth Plains: Site 8
Mount Doom (and related sites): Site 9

A lot of the sites will be quite familiar, but I am going to start creating some here.

List of Site 1:
Bag End
At the start of the Fellowship phase, you may exert a Hobbit companion to play a Hobbit from your draw deck.

Green Dragon Inn
The twilight cost of each Hobbit is -1.

Buckleberry Ferry
River. Fellowship: Exert a companion to make the twilight cost of each card +1 until the regroup phase (limit once per turn).

The Prancing Pony
Fellowship: Add a burden to play a ranger from your draw deck (limit once per turn).

Bree Market
While you can spot 3 cultures, each condition is twilight cost -1.


Site 2:
Weathertop
Each Nazgul is fierce.

Trollshaw Forest
Forest. While the Shadow has the initiative, minions are not roaming.

Durin's Gate
Marsh. Fellowship: Each unique character is strength +1.

Chamber of Marzabul
Underground. Shadow: The roaming penalty of each and minion is -1.

The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
Underground. At the start of the Shadow phase, you may play the Balrog from your draw deck or hand. It's twilight cost is -6 and it is strength -6 until the regroup phase. End your Shadow phase.

Those are just some examples. Drop some science on me!
-wtk

[Thranduil]

Bag End
Fellowship: Exert a Hobbit companion to play a Hobbit from your draw deck (limit once per turn).

Standard. Could be "At the start of the fellowship phase..."

Buckleberry Ferry
River. Fellowship: Exert a companion to make the twilight cost of each card +1 until the regroup phase.

Not sure about this one... I would probably be fine with it if it was once per turn.

Bree Market
While you can spot 3 cultures, each condition is twilight cost -1.

I love this one!

Trollshaw Forest
Forest. While the Shadow has the initiative, minions are not roaming.

Yeah sure - a nice take on the RotK site 2s.

Durin's Gate
Fellowship: Play a possession to draw a card.

Doesn't this feel like a useless site 2? I wouldn't play this because I never want to stop here.

Chamber of Marzabul
Shadow: The roaming penalty of each and minion is -1.

I like this one, but makes less sense in the actual chamber and more sense in the Dwarrodelf or other parts of Moria. Also, why isn't it underground?

The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
Underground. At the start of the Shadow phase, you may play the Balrog from your draw deck or hand. It's twilight cost is -6 and it is strength -6 until the regroup phase. End your Shadow phase.

Hmmm.... I don't know what I think about a guaranteed Balrog at site 2. You might just have to leave this one out for Movie block.

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

Haha...missed some keywords like underground. They were just thoughts. It limits the Balrog to either the Mines of Moria common or Terror of Flame and Shadow. So either two companions beat up or one dead...

...just thoughts.
-wtk

[ket_the_jet]

@Thranduil: I edited some of the earlier ones a little bit.

@Everyone: Here are some more...

Site 2:
Drimill Dale
Shadow: If the Shadow has the initiative, spot your minion to make the move limit -1.

Rivendell
At the start of each fellowship phase, heal up to three wounds on companions.

Council Courtyard
The shadow number of this site is -1 for each race you can spot: Hobbit, Man, Dwarf, Elf, Wizard.

Ford of Bruinen
River. Maneuver. Exert an Elf to discard a minion. The Shadow player may exert a minion twice to prevent this (limit once per turn).

Balin's Tomb
Underground. Each Dwarf bearing a Hand Weapon is damage +1.

Pass of Caradhras
Mountain. The twilight cost of each Free Peoples event is +1 for each Hobbit you can spot.

There are a few more. Have fun with them. I'll start up some site 3s later and revisit Sites 1 and 2 by adding more.
-wtk

[ket_the_jet]

Site 3

Lothlorien Woods
Forest. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to play an ally from your draw deck.

Galadriel's Glade
Forest. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to discard a card from hand and draw 2 cards.

Valley of the Silverlode
River. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, exert a companion or ally and add two threats to make the move limit +1.

Calas Galadhon
Forest. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add two threats to take a free peoples event into hand from your discard pile.

Anduin River
River. Sanctuary.
Archery: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to make the minion archery total -1.

Emyn Muil
Sanctuary.
Maneuver: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to make a companion defender +1 until the regroup phase.

Summit of Amon Hen
Sanctuary.
If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to play a fortification from your discard pile.

[ket_the_jet]

Site 4

Fangorn Forest
Forest.
Shadow: Remove a burden to add .

The Westfold
Plains.
Maneuver: Remove a burden to add .

Ered Nimrais
Mountain.
Skirmish: Remove a burden to add .

Edoras Hall
Regroup: Remove a burden to add .

Wold of Rohan
Plains.
Each time the Free Peoples player assigns a companion or ally to a skirmish, add .

[Thranduil]

Council Courtyard
The shadow number of this site is -1 for each race you can spot: Hobbit, Man, Dwarf, Elf, Wizard.

Love it!

Ford of Bruinen
River. Maneuver. Exert an Elf to discard a minion. The Shadow player may exert a minion twice to prevent this (limit once per turn).

I would like this to have the text of one of the cards relating to this scene (maybe Crashing Cavalry, Release the Angry Flood or Arwen, DoE 's ability).

Pass of Caradhras
Mountain. The twilight cost of each Free Peoples event is +1 for each Hobbit you can spot.

In fact, I think that my idea about putting old cards' text onto sites is so awesome, I'm going to suggest Saruman's Chill for this one!

Lothlorien Woods
Forest. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to play an ally from your draw deck.

Galadriel's Glade
Forest. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to discard a card from hand and draw 2 cards.

Valley of the Silverlode
River. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, exert a companion or ally and add two threats to make the move limit +1.

Calas Galadhon
Forest. Sanctuary.
Fellowship: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add two threats to take a free peoples event into hand from your discard pile.

Anduin River
River. Sanctuary.
Archery: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to make the minion archery total -1.

Emyn Muil
Sanctuary.
Maneuver: If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to make a companion defender +1 until the regroup phase.

Summit of Amon Hen
Sanctuary.
If you cannot spot 2 threats, add a threat to play a fortification from your discard pile.

NOOOOOOOO! I understand what you're doing, but the RotK site format is SOOOOO BORING! Individual ideas and flavour is just sooooooo much cooler. Also, how does Amon Hen end up as a sanctuary? I think it should be site 4 and have some more Lothlórien at site 3 - in fact, I think you should think about blurring the game ever so slightly so that you can have both Edoras and Lothlórien at site 3, then do Amon Hen and the Westfold area for site 4.

I quite like the Wold of Rohan.

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

I understand that the Return of the King sitepath is more boring than the other sets, but I am afraid that is probably better, in the long run. Otherwise, cultures will be out of the loop for two-thirds of the game.

Example:
Cool...well, I'm sure that we can find a site 2 and maybe site 3 that would benefit the Goblins seeing as that is regionally close to the underground dwelling. But once we are in the plains of Rohan? Well...Goblins are afraid of the light in the first place! Doesn't seem like there would be a site that even remotely helps Goblins. "Each mount is twilight cost -1." Haha. A lot of good that does.

Example 2:
I don't see how any site in the first three sites would cater to them...

Furthermore, to your question about Amon Hen ending up a sanctuary? Well, the same way that Mount Doom can be a sanctuary in Standard.
-wtk

[Thranduil]

I understand that the Return of the King sitepath is more boring than the other sets, but I am afraid that is probably better, in the long run. Otherwise, cultures will be out of the loop for two-thirds of the game.

I don't really understand your point. My issue was that each site number on the RotK site path had a theme, so site 2 had something if the Shaodw had initiative, site 3 added threats, site 6 healed everyone, site 7 was 6 companions etc. And I think this is boring and too predictable, and limits your creativity and, more importantly, harms the flavour.

Furthermore, to your question about Amon Hen ending up a sanctuary? Well, the same way that Mount Doom can be a sanctuary in Standard.
-wtk

Yes but I thought the whole point of this project is to fix flavour holes like that!

Thranduil

[ket_the_jet]

My issue isn't that Mount Doom was a sanctuary. My issue was that Mount Doom could be site 1-9, whereas it should have been 9! I wouldn't mind introducing sites for 3 and 6 that weren't sanctuaries...but I am afraid of the implications of that.
-wtk

[ket_the_jet]

Site 4, Revisted:

Fangorn Forest
Forest.
At the start of the Fellowship phase, you may play an Ent from your draw deck. It's twilight cost is -1.

The Westfold
Plains.
Each mounted character is strength +2.

Ered Nimrais
Mountain.
Maneuver events cannot be played.

Edoras Hall
Each time a Man is played, that Man must exert.

I like Edoras Hall in the sense that it is meant to affect and men, but might as well make it affect them all. How are those?
-wtk

[Thranduil]

I like them all, except for Fangorn Forest. Could you have something like "Maneuver: Exert your Ent to wound a minion" or something else that doesn't require you stopping there?

Thranduil

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
Underground. At the start of the Shadow phase, you may play the Balrog from your draw deck or hand. It's twilight cost is -6 and it is strength -6 until the regroup phase. End your Shadow phase.

Hmmm.... I don't know what I think about a guaranteed Balrog at site 2. You might just have to leave this one out for Movie block.
[/quote]

Maybe instead you could make it:
Site 5
Stairs of Zirak-zigil
Underground. Shadow: Play the Balrog from your draw deck or hand. It's twilight cost is -6.

Yeah, it's not Helm's Deep, but at least it sorta fits.

Alternatively, you could make it:
Site 5
Pits of Isengard
Underground. Shadow: Play a minion whose twilight cost is 10 or higher from your draw deck; its twilight cost is -5 and no player may use this site's ability again until the regroup phase.

Note: I used the "no player may use this site's ability" provision rather than "limit once" for multiplayer games, to keep multiple shadow players from piling on powerful minions cheap.

[Sam, Great Elf Warrior]

Fangorn Forest
Forest.
At the start of the Fellowship phase, you may play an Ent from your draw deck. It's twilight cost is -1.

Yeah, I can see Thraunduil's point. Of course, Ents aren't supposed to be hasty, anyway, so having to wait to get one is actually kind of appropriate. Still it is a little weak (mostly just backup for Ent players in case they don't draw a key companion or something). Maybe make it:

Fangorn Forest
Forest.
At the start of the Fellowship phase, you may add to play a companion from your hand or draw deck. If that companion is an Ent, its twilight cost is -5.

That might broaden its usefulness (letting players pull Gandalf at the cost of having to stop and pay 2 extra), and still fits the lore (they met Gandalf in Fangorn, too, you know).

The Westfold
Plains.
Each mounted character is strength +2.

Good.

Ered Nimrais
Mountain.
Maneuver events cannot be played.

Good.

Edoras Hall
Each time a Man is played, that Man must exert.

Being site 4, it will probably have a pretty limited effect. FP players won't be affected unless the Fellowship stops there and plays a Man, and most Dunlendings won't be affected, either (since they can't exert). It's mostly just against Raiders and Men, which I guess is okay.