Hello all! Welcome to the Play-Through Party. I will have my quest from last week, my wife, Megan helping out again. We left off with our heroes having made it out of the Forest and are heading towards the river this week.
For quick reference, here are the decks that we are using in this Play-Through:
Today we are going to be going through the Journey Along the Anduin quest from the core set of the Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game.
Setup
Megan’s opening hand was poor so she took her mulligan. She then got Faramir, Sneak Attack, Grave Cairn, Dunedain Quest,Dunedain Warning, and Bill the Pony. I got two Blade Masteries, Dagger of Westernness, Light of Valinor, Hasty Stroke, and Feint.
Emerging from Mirkwood Forest with an urgent message for Lady Galadriel, you must now make your way south along the Anduin River in order to reach the forest of Lorien. As you leave the forest behind, you notice that you are being pursued, and thus quicken your pace…
Setup: Each player reveals 1 card from the top of the encounter deck, and adds it to the staging area.
As you approach the location of a small raft stashed on the river bank, a fearsome Hill Troll emerges from behind a grouping of rocks, and attacks!
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck for 1 Hill Troll is one is not already in play, and place it in the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Players cannot defeat this stage while any Hill Troll cards are in play.
We each reveal our card from the top of the deck. I reveal the Necromancer’s reach, which does nothing at this point in the game, and Megan gets Evil Storm, which also does nothing. We then search the deck for the Hill Troll and place him in the staging area.
Starting Threats
- Me: 24
- Megan: 28
Turn 1-Quest 1-B
Megan draws Ever Vigilant. I drew Galadhrim’s Greeting. Megan is first and plays Bill the Pony. She then plays a Dunedain Quest and puts it on Sam. I will spend 1 resource to put Light of Valinor on Glorfindel.
Questing
Megan is sending her three heroes for a total of 7. She does her tactic of spending the extra resource from Theodred to un-exhaust Aragorn. I will send Glorfindel for 3, making our total 10. Necromancer’s Reach comes out and deals Sam and Theodred 1 damage each. Treacherous Fog comes out and is worthless because not Locations.
Willpower 10 vs their 1. Puts 9 progress on the quest card. Completing the quest, however, we cannot forward because of the Hill Troll.
Engagement and Combat
I will optionally engage the Hill Troll. Deal him his shadow card. I will spend Beorn’s Resource to play Feint, which makes the Hill Troll unable to attack this phase.
I will have all three heroes attack for a total of 9 attack vs 3 defense dealing 6 damage.
Ready and raise threats by 1.
Turn 2-Quest 1-B Progress 9
- Me: 25
- Megan: 29
I am first now. Resource up and draw cards. I draw Westfold Horse Breaker. Megan draws Cram. I will play The Galadhrim’s Greeting to drop both of our threats by 2. Making mine 23, and hers 27. I will spend Beorn’s Resource to put a Dagger of Westernese on Glorfindel. Giving +1 attack all the time. +2 if the enemy has an engagement cost higher than my threat.
Megan plays a Dunedain Warning on Frodo and puts Cram with on Aragorn.
Questing
I send Glorfindel questing, Light of Valinor keeps him readied, and Megan sends her same three for a total of 10. Evil Storm comes out worthlessly. Pursued by Shadow comes out making Megan’s threat go up by 1, now 28. Mine goes up by 2 now 25 again.
Engagement and Combat
Hill Troll gets a shadow card. Beorn will block the hit from the Hill Troll, shadow card is Gladden Fields. Beorn takes 5 damage from the attack. All three heroes jump the Hill Troll and kill him.
Because of killing the Hill Troll, we move on to the next Quest Card.
After defeating the Troll, you are able to board the raft and embark upon a river voyage. As you depart, your enemies pursue, harassing the small vessel as you attempt to navigate the river…
As your enemies harass the raft, it is difficult to maintain the balance and effectively fight them off.
Reveal 1 additional card from the encounter deck each quest phase. Do not make engagement checks during the encounter phase. (Each player may still optionally engage 1 enemy each encounter phase.)
Refresh and raise threat by 1.
Turn 3 Quest 2-B
- Me: 26
- Megan: 29
Megan is first and drew another Warning card. I drew Dwarven Tomb. She plays her Warning on Aragorn, raising his defense to 3. I play my Dwarven Tomb to get my Galadrhim’s Greeting back.
Questing
We both send our same group, but Megan will send Bill for an extra 1, making our total 11. The Gladden Fields come out, The Marsh Adder comes out, and the last one is the Banks of the Anduin.
Total 11 vs 7, 4 go to the quest card. Megan’s sends us to the Gladden Fields.
Engagement and Combat
I optionally engage the Marsh Adder. He gets a shadow card. He has 4 attack I block with Frodo with 3 defense, Shadow card would increase his attack by 1, so I use Hasty Stroke to cancel it. I use Frodo’s ability to take the damage to my threat. Increasing it by 1 from damage, then another 1 from the Adder’s ability. Raising me up to 28.
Beorn and Glorfindel attack with a total of 10, thanks to the Dagger of Westernese, killing the Marsh Adder.
Refresh, raise threat by 1, plus an extra from the Gladden Fields.
Turn 4 Quest 2-B
- Me: 30
- Megan: 31
I am first, I drew Fortune or Fate. I play nothing. Megan draws, Dunedain Mark. She plays her Mark on Aragorn.
Questing
We both send the same people again for a total of 11. Megan uses Sneak attack to play Farmamir for his ability. Raising our total willpower by 4. Eastern Crows comes out, for its surge ability, The Brown Lands Comes out. Then Treacherous Fog and the Goblin Sniper.
Total willpower 15 vs 11 putting 3 on Gladden Fields, and 1 on the quest.
So we Travel to the Brown Lands, which explores itself upon arrival.
Engagement and Combat
Megan optionally engages the Eastern Crows, so I can optionally engage the Goblin Sniper. Megan plays Ever Vigilant to ready Bill the Pony. Eastern Crows is dealt Massing at Night, which gives it an extra shadow card for each player. The next shadow card is the Wolf Rider, which turns into another attacking creature to defend, which is dealt its own shadow card. Then the last shadow card for the Eastern Crows is dealt. It is Pursued by Shadow, which makes defending player choose and return 1 exhausted ally he controls to its hand. So bye bye Bill.
Aragorn takes 1 damage from the undefended attack. Megan uses Aragorn to block the attack from the Wolf Rider. Shadow card, Misty Mountain Goblins, which removes 1 progress token from the quest. Aragorn takes no damage, and the Wolf Rider goes to the top of the encounter deck.
I block against the Goblin Sniper with Frodo who has 3 defense vs the 2 attack. Shadow card is Despair where defending character does not count its defense. So Frodo is dealt 2 damage, and I move that to my threat, making it 32.
Megan discards Cram to ready Aragorn, and kills the crows. Beorn and Glorfindel maul the Goblin Sniper.
Refresh and raise threats by 1.
Turn 5 Quest 2-B
- Me: 33
- Megan: 32
Megan is first player again, draws Fresh Tracks. I draw another Galadhrim’s Greeting. Megan puts Bill back into play for free and spends 4 resources for Faramir. I spend 3 for Galadhrim’s Greeting for myself, making my threat 27.
Questing
Megan sends her 3 heroes, and uses Faramirs ability to get an extra 3 willpower, making her total 10. I send Glorfindel for 3, making our total 13.
Dol Guldur Beastmaster, Misty Mountain Goblins, and the East Bight come out. 13 vs 6 puts 7 on the quest card. Because we do not have an active location, we must travel to the East Bight.
Engagement and Combat
Megan optionally engages the Misty Mountain goblins, and I the Dol Guldur Beastmaster. Deal out shadow cards, two for the beast master.
The Goblins attack Megan, she uses Bill to block, and he dies. Shadow card is another East Bight, worthless. Megan plays Grave Cairn to give Bill’s 1 attack to Aragorn for later.
Frodo blocks the beast master, whose shadow cards are the Wargs +1 attack, and the Crows +1 attack making his total 5 vs my 3 defense. I will mitigate the 2 damage to my threat, making it 29, again.
Megan attacks with Aragorn and his attack of now 4, killing the Goblins. Glorfindel and Beorn attack the Beastmaster and kill him.
Refresh and raise threats by 1.
Turn 6 Quest 2-B Progress 10
- Me: 30
- Megan: 33
I am first player and draw, Elrond’s Counsel. I will spend my 3 resources to play the Galadhrim’s Greeting to drop us both by 2, making mine 28 and hers 31. Megan plays Hobbit Cloak on Frodo.
Questing
I send Glorfindel and play Elrond’s Counsel for free and raise his willpower by 1 for the phase and lower threat by another 3, down to 25. Megan uses her same move from last turn for a total of 10, making our total 14. Out comes Necromancer’s Pass, Dol Guldur Orcs dealing Glorfindel 2 damage, and Chieftan Ufthak.
Total 14 vs 8 puts the 6 on the East Bight we needed.
We travel to Necromancer’s Pass and I discard Blade Mastery and Fortune or Fate.
Engagement and Combat
I engage Cheiftan Ufthak and block with Frodo who has 5 defense against him. Shadow card, Gladden Fields, no effect. Frodo takes 0 damage. Beorn and Glorfindel attack for a total of 10 vs Ufthak’s 9 total defense and health, killing him.
Raise threats and refresh.
Turn 7 Quest 2-B Progress 10
- Me: 26
- Megan: 32
Megan draws Guard of the Citadel and plays it. I drew a song of battle and play West Fold HorseBreaker.
Questing
We send the same as last time for a total of 13. Out come the Dol Guldor Orcs, Dol Guldor Beastmaster, and Despair removing 4 tokens from the quest card. The orcs deal their two damage to Aragorn. The total threat is 7 vs 13. 2 Go on the Necromancers pass, then 4 go on the quest card putting us back at 10.
We go to the banks of the Anduin.
Engagement and Combat
Megan takes one of the Orcs on and I take the Beastmaster. Megan blocks with her Guard. Shadow card, worthless, enchanted stream. Dol Guldor Beastmaster attacks, Frodo blocks with 5 defense. Shadow cards Hill Troll and Driven by Shadow. I must remove the Dunedain Warning from Frodo. Frodo takes no damage. Megan kills the Orcs with Aragorn. Beorn and Glorfindel kill the beast master.
Raise threats and refresh.
Turn 8 Quest 2-B Progress 10
- Me: 27
- Megan: 33
I drew Quick Strike and Megan drew another Hobbit Cloak. She puts the Hobbit Cloak on Sam.
Questing
We send the same questers for a total of 13. Out comes Eastern Crows, surges a Wolf Rider, which surges an Enchanted Stream. Then a Necromancer’s Reach comes out and deals Sam, Theodred and Faramir. And finally the Misty Mountain Goblins come out.
13 vs 8 = 5 progress. 3 on the Banks of the Anduin and 2 on the quest. Banks of Anduin goes on top of deck.
Engagement and Combat
Megan optionally engages the Orcs and I the Goblins. Before dealing shadow cards, I Quick Strike the Goblins with Glorfindel. I block the Orcs with Beorn, taking 1 damage. Shadow card is banks of the Anduin. No effect. Aragorn “mauls” the orcs.
Table top banter at the moment summarized = “Well this quest is going horribly.”
Raise threats and refresh.
Turn 9 Quest 2-B Progress 12
- Me: 28
- Megan: 34
I draw Escort From Edoras, Megan draws Snowborn Scout. Megan plays the Snowborn Scout, putting a progress token on the Enchanted Stream. I play Escort from Edoras.
Questing
Megan sends her 10 again and I will send Glorfindel for 3 and Escort from Edoras for 4, making our total 17. Out comes Banks of the Anduin, Necromancer’s Pass, and more mother f’n orcs. Dealing 2 damage to Glorfindel. 17 vs 10. Finally completes the quest card..
The ongoing harassment from your enemies has forced your raft to the shore, and you must now confront their ambush head on. If you survive this attack, the path to the Golden Wood should be open before you…
When Revealed: Reveal 2 encounter cards per player, and add them to the staging area.
Skip the staging step of the quest phase for the remainder of the game.
Once there are no enemies in play, the players have won the game.
Goblin Sniper, Brown Lands, Wargs, and Evil Storm all come out.
We travel to the Brown Lands so it completes itself.
Engagement and Combat
We have to kill the Eastern Crows, Wolf Rider, Dol Guldor Orcs, Goblin Sniper, and Wargs. Megan plays fresh tracks on the Wargs as they come out. Dealing them 1 damage, and making them ignored during engagement phase.
Going in order for engagement checks: Megan gets the Crows, I get the Wolf Rider, She gets the Orcs, I will take the Wargs. Megan blocks the Orcs with her Snowborn Scout, killing it off. I block the Crows for her with Beorn and take no damage. Wolf Rider attacks, block with Frodo, no shadow effect, Frodo takes no damage. I block the Wargs with WestFold Horse Breaker, shadow card, Misty Mountain Goblins, no progress to take from, so worthless. Horse Breaker is gone.
Megan kills the Orcs with Aragorn. Beorn Kills the Wargs and Glorfindel the Wolf Rider. Goblin Sniper deals 1 damage to Faramir, and 1 to Frodo, which goes to my threat.
Raise threats and refresh.
Turn 10 Quest 3-B
- Me: 30
- Megan: 35
I drew Hasty Stroke. 10 turns too late. Megan drew a cram and uses it on Aragorn.
Questing
Megan sends her 3 heroes for questing so we break even.
Engagement and Combat
I engage the Sniper. I block Sniper with Frodo. Frodo has 4 defense vs 2 attack + 1 from shadow card, Dol Guldor Orcs. Frodo takes no damage. Megan blocks with Faramir, shadow card on Crows is banks of the Anduin. Faramir takes no damage. I maul the Sniper with everyone, and Aragorn shoves his sword up the crows poop shoot.
Wrap-up
Ending threats 30 + 35 = 65.
Total turns 10 * 10 = 100.
Total Damage 17.
Victory Points 14.
Total Score is 168. As bad as this game went, we have experienced worse with different decks.
The beaten and bloodied group finally escapes the clutches of their evil pursuers. Low on spirit, and gravely wounded they all retreat as quickly as possible, hoping to reach the Lady Galadriel before their wounds overcome them…
The Cliched Tavern 