Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

[maskmanjoe]

FFG Is on a roll! Giving some attention once again to the LoTR theme; soon to return(?) to the table using the LCG format...

(from the FFG website)

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

An ancient evil stirs in the black lands of Mordor, and the people of Middle-earth speak of a terrible doom approaching from the east. The Dark Lord Sauron is gathering his forces, and should he acquire the power he seeks, he will cast the world into eternal shadow. The only hope lies in a heroic few who must work together to stem the tide of evil...

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative card game that puts 1-2 players (or up to four with two Core Sets!) in control of the most powerful characters and artifacts of Middle-earth. Players will select heroes, gather allies, acquire artifacts, and coordinate their efforts to face Middle-earth’s most dangerous fiends. By cooperating to overcome the obstacles drawn from the encounter deck, you will complete the quest before you and claim victory!

In The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, players take on the roles of heroes attempting to complete dangerous quests. These quests take place during a broad span, beginning near the end of The Hobbit, and culminating near the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. Instead of directly retelling the classic stories that have previously been narrated, this game provides players with a variety of elements—characters, settings, enemies, events, items, artifacts, scenarios—that allow them to embark upon new adventures and share new experiences with these beloved characters during this ominous period of Middle-earth history.

Unlike most card games in which the players compete against each other, The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative game in which the players work together, competing against a scenario that is run automatically by the game. In each game the players attempt to overcome the particular encounters, enemies, and challenges of the scenario, against which they either win or lose together.

The Core Set includes 216 cards that can be used to assemble a wide variety of decks right out of the box. Included are four perilous scenarios that, along with countless combinations of settings and enemies, offer near-limitless replayability. Additionally, players can build a party from a set of 16 hero cards, and focus their decks on any combination of four distinct spheres of influence: Leadership, Lore, Spirit, and Tactics. Each sphere offer unique benefits to the party, so choose wisely!

Each of these four spheres of influence has its own distinct flavor and play style, and they present a host of deckbuilding options. Most player cards fall under one of these spheres, represented with a unique icon, as well as with a unique color on its card border, and each hero has an emphasis in one of these four spheres.

While the Core Set contains everything you need to build your deck, gather your friends, and save Middle-earth, you can expand your experience further! As a Living Card Game (LCG), The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game offers a wealth of customization. Monthly 60-card expansions called Adventure Packs bring new heroes, allies, attachments, events, and encounters, ensuring unique challenges every time.

What's more, a Living Card Game (LCG) offers an innovative fixed distribution method that breaks away from the traditional Collectible Card Game model. While LCGs still offer the same dynamic, expanding, and constantly evolving game play that makes CCG’s so much fun, they do away with the deterrent of the blind-buy purchase model that has burned out so many players. The end result is an innovative mix that gives you the best of both worlds! Check out our LCG website to get all the details of this exciting concept in gaming.

Gather your heroes and face the coming darkness!

[maskmanjoe]

I am unsure if this is a retooling of the LoTR CCG but it sure has gotten me excited. For one, its coop and can be played solo. And to cap it all off, it Lord of the Rings! I'd expect this to hit retail late this year or early 2011. Any takers? I'll be taking this for a spin for sure.

[Talismanic (Mark)]

"Lord of the Rings King of the Ring!" as Letterman once said, the persistence of Tolkien as a theme for games is amazing. [/rant]Why can't they make a Chronicles of Narnia game or; a "Flatland" game or; a Thundarr the Barbarian game or; a Turtledoveian alternate history game or; even a Talisman Card Game [/rant off] 

Anyway, looks interesting, I'll play it but I won't buy it.   

[Gaebril]

After some initial hesitation, I realized that a solo LCG is the best way to enjoy deckbuilding without having to worry about finding equally invested opponents. I'm in for this one.

Btw, I had the old old (pre-movie) CCG, Middle earth: the Wizards (METW), and this doesn't look like it's going to be similar.

[faust]

Wow, is this like their FIRST LCG that isn't LCG-ized to save the product?  This is like a really new product, eh?

Looks very interesting, especially with the cooperative method and all...  But do I really want another "fixed set" collectible card game?  Hm...

[Gaebril]

Wow, is this like their FIRST LCG that isn't LCG-ized to save the product?  This is like a really new product, eh?

IIRC Warhammer Invasion was launched as an LCG, and is probably the most popular one for it.

[John]

Cool! I want one

[Sexy Bro]

Single player play? Nice.

I do wish they'd "package" these LCGs in a more practical manner though. Packing them into a board game sized boxed seems kinda ridiculous. I.e. they could've cut down on costs and made the Game of Thrones box smaller by not including the minis for player roles, eliminating the board and counters/tokens.

From what it looks like, this LotR will end up being the same. Big box in order to package card board tokens and lots of empty space.

[maskmanjoe]

This is almost a certainty as all their LCG core box set follow this packaging. Agreed, its sad that they have to waste so much space in the core box. But later on, when the expansions come and you start collecting those too, the big box sans the useless insert can be a useful card box

[faust]

Single player?

Ok, that's it.  I'm antisocial enough already, but what the hell, can't resist THAT...

[maskmanjoe]

Notes from the GenCon floor puts the street date of this to Late Fall. Ugh the wait... 

[maskmanjoe]

well, fall 2010 has long passed and the LCG's status is still "at the printers". While we continue to anticipate, the latest batch of preview buzz include info on the upcoming expansion block (already).

[maskmanjoe]

April 2011 seems the be the current final release date. And to celebrate brimming anticipation of this, here are the rules of play and the first installment of a series of very well made tutorial videos. FFG is really getting better and better at wowing its customers :p

[John]

Ugh. A thirty-two page rule book?!

[maskmanjoe]

Ugh. A thirty-two page rule book?!

I was quite surprised too, it challenges rules-heavy games like Descent and Runewars in length. That's why malaking tulong ung tutorial videos