DELUXE RULES TURN SEQUENCE Remove All Tokens from the Twilight Pool Perform Any “At the Start of Each of Your Turns” Actions 1

DELUXE RULES TURN SEQUENCE Remove all tokens from the twilight pool Perform any “at the start of each of your turns” actions 1. Fellowship Phase Perform fellowship actions Move to the next site 2. Shadow Phase(s) – one for each Shadow player Perform Shadow actions 3. Maneuver Phase Perform maneuver actions 4. Archery Phase Perform archery actions Conduct archery fire 5. Assignment Phase Perform assignment actions Assign defenders 6. Skirmish Phase(s) – one for each skirmish Perform skirmish actions Resolve that skirmish 7. Regroup Phase Perform regroup actions Reconcile Shadow players’ hands Either the Free Peoples player moves to the next site COMPREHENSIVE RULEBOOK (return to Shadow phase) — or the Free Peoples player reconciles and Shadow players discard all minions in play Version 3.0 v4T cvr4 Table Layout Other Important Rules Winning the Game Playing the Game Setting Up the Game Important Concepts Introduction S C TARTER iclaeu . 21 Miscellaneous . 20 Keywords . 19 The Ring-bearer . 19 Responses . 19 Uniqueness . 18 Active Cards . 17 Regroup Phase . 17 Fierce . 15 Skirmish Phase(s) . 14 Assignment Phase . 13 Archery Phase . 13 Action Procedure . 13 Maneuver Phase . 12 Shadow Phase(s) . 10 Fellowship Phase . 10 Start of Turn. . 8 When, Each Time, and While. . 8 Special Abilities . 7 Events . 7 Phase Actions . 7 Twilight Pool . 5 Vitality . 5 Signet . 5 Culture . 2 Kinds of Cards What’s New?. . 1 What’s New?. OMPREHENSIVE R ULES . 1 . 22 . 10 . 1 . 18 . 2 . 9 HE . 18 R L ULEBOOK R FTHE OF ORD Credits Contacting Decipher Collector Information Clarifications Errata Other Important Rules Playing the Game Setting Up the Game Introduction D iclaeu . 35 Miscellaneous . 34 Threats . 34 Initiative . 34 Enduring. . 34 Culture Tokens . 33 Site Control . 33 The One Ring. . 32 Active Cards . 32 Allies . 28 Actions . 28 Regroup Phase . 28 Fierce . 27 Skirmish Phase(s) . 26 Assignment Phase . 26 Shadow Phase(s) . 26 Fellowship Phase h osFrt . 24 Who Goes First? . 23 Building Your Deck ELUXE T R BEOF ABLE . 37 INGS . 43 R ULES Trading Card Game . 38 . 23 . 23 C . 26 ONTENTS . 43 . 43 . 23 . 28

C Reflections than Frodo and Sam, first introduced in which account for Ring-bearers other New for this rulebook are changes rulebook are included here. cards) made prior to this edition of the errata (for game terms and for single All CRD rulings, clarifications, and W The This rulebook is divided into two parts. and the Deluxe Rulebook. combines the previous Starter Rulebook This before... If you have played this game to become familiar with the game. instructive CD that is another good way Our QuickStart Tutorial product has an you can show them how to play! this rulebook to get you started... then friends aren’t players yet, we’ve designed who already knows how to play. If your The best way to learn is from a friend card game... If you have never played a trading C complete index. comprehensive table of contents and All the rules are here, along with a know about advanced rules concepts. Rules After that part, there are the in your starter deck. with the 60-card fixed decks that came T

OMPREHENSIVE

OMPREHENSIVE HE HAT Starter Rules T Comprehensive Rulebook

that tell you what need to

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’ S THE OF ORD (pages 19, 24, and 25). N EW C ? describe how to play ARD R R ULEBOOK ULEBOOK

G Deluxe R

AME INGS

V ™ ERSION greater risks to the fellowship and farther into Middle-earth, resulting in numerous as the fellowship moves The minions of evil become more the companions and minions. depending on the relative strengths of attacks will succeed or fail The events, and conditions of their own. supported by possessions, artifacts, attack it; these minions may be may more opponents played by one or Each time a fellowship moves, minions from all the players. path, even though it is made up of cards All players share the same adventure adventure. the scene of an episode in sequence of site cards, each representing advances along the adventure path — a representing that player’s fellowship On each player’s turn, a marker support and defend the fellowship. artifacts, events, and conditions that Other cards represent allies, possessions, each represented by a different card. fellowship — a group of companions, Each player’s cards include his own Ring. Mount Doom to destroy the on his fateful journey from Hobbiton to Baggins, bearer of the One Ring, faced with the same challenges that Frodo Game provides two or more players The Lord of the Rings deck using cards from your collection. In a TCG, you personalize your playing card game (or TCG) works differently. cards that never changes, but a trading Most card games have just one deck of I S NTRODUCTION TARTER . 1 3.0 R ULES Trading Card Ring-bearer. In great need, the Shadow cards COMPANION POSSESSION Ring-bearer can save himself by putting Shadow cards represent the CARD TITLE SUBTITLE on the Ring — but this puts him in forces of evil and corruption. TWILIGHT TWILIGHT CULTURE CULTURE greater peril of succumbing to the When another player takes COST COST burden of the Ring, and losing the game. his turn, you play and use your Shadow If your fellowship survives its cards to hinder that player. CARD TITLE adventures to reach the final site first, Shadow cards have a dark colored you are the winner! diamond-shaped field in the upper left corner. IMPORTANT CONCEPTS CARD TYPE RACE CARD TYPE CLASS STRENGTH STRENGTH The One Ring GAME TEXT BONUS GAME TEXT VITALITY KINDS OF CARDS This card represents the uniquely LORE

The Lord of the Rings TCG has three powerful item that is the focus of the SIGNET COLLECTOR’S COLLECTOR’S INFO INFO basic kinds of cards: site, Free Peoples, story of The Lord of the Rings. In the middle of the card, The One Ring has and Shadow. There is also The One A possession is a weapon, suit of its subtitle. It has no twilight cost, and A companion is a Free Peoples character Ring, which is different from all other armor, or other kind of object used by its card type is “The One Ring.” in your fellowship. cards. a character. The One Ring is not a Free Peoples Site cards EVENT Each player has an adventure deck that card and it is not a Shadow card. MINION consists of only nine site cards. These CARD TITLE SUBTITLE THE ONE RING TWILIGHT TWILIGHT COST CULTURE cards are used to chart the progress of CULTURE COST the game. The adventure deck is separate from the CARD TITLE cards drawn and played during the CARD TITLE game, which are placed in the draw deck.

Free Peoples cards CARD TYPE CARD TYPE RACE Free Peoples cards represent STRENGTH GAME TEXT the forces of good. Each SUBTITLE GAME TEXT STRENGTH VITALITY LORE player has his own fellowship, BONUS GAME TEXT SITE NUMBER COLLECTOR’S COLLECTOR’S INFO made up of a Ring-bearer and other INFO LORE companions. When you take your turn, COLLECTOR’S you play and use your Free Peoples INFO An event is a card played from your cards. A minion is a Shadow character that hand representing an important The One Ring has several versions in the attacks other players’ fellowships. occurrence, which you discard after Free Peoples cards have a light game represented by different cards, but you play it. colored circular field in the upper left you’ll only use one version at a time. corner. There are three kinds of characters in the Minions game. are controlled by Shadow Most possessions tell you who their bearer Companions allies players. and are can be, which is the kind of character you controlled by the Free Peoples player. can play them on.

2THE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 3 CONDITION ALLY CULTURE VITALITY CARD TITLE SUBTITLE Most cards are part of a specific culture. All characters in the game (companions, TWILIGHT TWILIGHT CULTURE CULTURE COST COST A card’s color, its background texture, minions, and allies) have vitality. This and an icon in its upper right corner number represents a character’s life force,

CARD TITLE indicate its culture. stamina, sturdiness, and will to live. You’ll find that cards from the same Wounds

HOME SITE culture work well together. Sorting your When a character is wounded by an cards by culture can make building your enemy attack, his vitality is depleted. CARD TYPE CARD TYPE RACE own deck easier. However, your deck may STRENGTH Place a wound token on the character GAME TEXT GAME TEXT contain cards from several different to illustrate this. Glass beads (preferably LORE VITALITY cultures if you like. LORE blood red) make good tokens for this COLLECTOR’S COLLECTOR’S purpose. Wounds are always placed on INFO INFO Site cards and The One Ring are not part of any culture. a character one at a time. When you A condition is a card representing a “wound a character,” you place only An ally is a character that helps your Culture names and symbols significant change in the world, which one wound. companions from afar but does not Free Peoples cards Shadow cards stays in play until discarded. Some are move with them. ∂ Dwarven ≤ Dunland If a card tells you to “wound 2 played on other cards, while most play to π Elven ◊ Gollum companions,”you must choose two different your support area (see table layout). ∑ Gandalf Ω Isengard companions to wound one time each (you SITE ARTIFACT ◊ Gollum ∆ Moria cannot wound one companion twice). SITE IDENTIFIERCARD TITLE SHADOW NUMBER µ Gondor ∞ Raider Each wound a character has reduces its TWILIGHT CULTURE ≥ Rohan ≈ Ringwraith vitality by 1. When a character’s vitality COST SITE ∫ Shire √ Sauron is reduced to zero, that character NUMBER You don’t have to memorize these names, is immediately killed. (Reducing a CARD TITLE character’s strength to zero does not SUBTITLE since cultures are always referred to with COLLECTOR icons in game text. kill that character.) If a character cannot take wounds, GAME SIGNET

’ CARD TYPE CLASS SINFO TEXT wounds cannot be assigned to that

ARROW Some of the Free Peoples GAME TEXT character. Some cards use the phrase character cards have a signet, “may not” instead of “cannot.” You bring a set of nine sites in your LORE found in the lower left corner If a card prevents wounds, wounds may adventure deck. Each of those must COLLECTOR’S INFO of the card. Cards with the still be assigned to that character. have a different site number, with one same signet generally give bonuses for each number from 1 to 9. Sanctuary An artifact is a unique weapon, suit of to each other and work well in the Faramir, Wizard’s Pupil has a special sites, numbered 3 or 6, have a different armor, or other kind of special object same deck. ability that exerts Gandalf to prevent all colored template from other sites. used by a character. wounds to Faramir during a skirmish. Each signet is based around an This prevents wounds as they are assigned The following two card types may be Artifacts are played and used much like important character in the story. The found in a booster pack or a different possessions, although they are a different to Faramir, not the assignments available signets are Aragorn, Frodo, themselves. starter deck. Your 60-card fixed starter card type. Artifacts are not affected by Gandalf, and Théoden. deck does not include them. cards that affect possessions.

4THE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 5 Healing A unique card has a dot (•) in its card title. If a card tells you to exhaust a character equal to that card’s twilight cost. A A wounded character is a character who When you discard a companion or ally with a vitality of 3, then you must exert Shadow card cannot be played if its has at least one wound token. to use its game text or as a result of that character 2 times by placing 2 wound twilight cost cannot be met by the tokens. A character with a vitality of 2 is tokens available in the twilight pool. When a wound is removed from a some other effect, place that card in character, this represents resting or your discard pile (not your dead pile). exhausted with a single wound. A character In game text, you will find phrases like with a vitality of 1 is always exhausted. healing. If game text says you should When game text instructs you to place a “Add ⁄” which means, “Add 1 twilight heal a character, the default meaning for character in the dead pile, that character A mount says, “At the start of each skirmish token to the twilight pool.” that phrase is to remove one wound. has been killed. involving bearer, each minion skirmishing Check all requirements to perform an bearer must exert.” If an exhausted minion If a card tells you to “heal 2 companions,” When a card that provides a vitality action (such as playing a card) before you must choose two different companions is skirmishing a character bearing this paying its costs. Some cards require you bonus for its bearer is discarded, that mount, this exertion is ignored. to heal one time each (you cannot heal one bearer is immediately killed if his vitality to see how many tokens are in the companion twice). is then reduced to zero. If the cost of an action requires a twilight pool, for example. character to exert X times, then that Generally, your fellowship only heals If a Free Peoples event requires you to spot Exert character must have X+1 or more (removes wounds) at a site with the twilight tokens, they must be there before Sometimes you may exert a character by vitality or that action cannot be keyword sanctuary. At the start of placing a wound on that card to show you add tokens to pay for that card’s cost. your turn when your fellowship is at a performed. that the character takes an action that PHASE ACTIONS sanctuary, you may heal up to 5 wounds depletes his vitality. TWILIGHT POOL from your companions (not allies). Before you learn more about the phases Exerting a character is different from The twilight pool is an area on the table When the rules say “you may heal up to 5 wounding a character, even though both of a turn, you need to know how certain wounds from your companions,” you may where twilight tokens are placed. The game actions link to those phases. require placement of a wound token. tokens in the twilight pool represent choose to heal 5 different companions once, Cards that prevent wounds cannot During each phase of a turn, one or or one companion twice and another three how dangerous the world is for the prevent a wound token placed by more players are allowed to perform times, or any other combination. You fellowship. Glass beads (preferably exerting. black) make good twilight tokens, but phase actions that use a word matching don’t have to heal any wounds at all since the name of that phase. These words are it says “up to 5,” which means you may Conceptually, wearing armor protects you any convenient tokens will do. Keep a from a sword strike (taking a wound large reserve of twilight tokens handy. printed in boldface and followed by a choose any number from zero to 5. colon. token), but it won’t help you lift a heavy Twilight Cost Killed weight (placing an exertion token). Each phase action lasts for the duration When a character’s vitality is reduced to In the upper left corner of each Free of the phase named in the boldface Once a wound token is placed, whether Peoples and Shadow card is that card’s zero, that character is immediately killed. from exerting or wounding, it can be word (unless otherwise specified). Place killed Free Peoples characters twilight cost. This is the number of healed by any effect that heals a wound. twilight tokens that must be added to or The effects of a phase action with the (companions and allies) in your dead keyword Skirmish: last only for the pile. The dead pile is separate from and No player may exert a character who is removed from the twilight pool to play skirmish phase in which it is used. next to your discard pile (see table exhausted (who has only 1 vitality). An that card. exhausted character cannot exert to pay layout). Place all killed minions in your When you play a Free Peoples card, you Each phase action must be completely the cost of an action. If the effect of an discard pile. must add a number of twilight tokens performed before another phase action action says a character “must exert” and (from the reserve) to the twilight pool can be performed. Phase actions cannot When you have a unique companion or that character is exhausted, then nothing equal to that card’s twilight cost. be combined. ally in your dead pile, you cannot play happens. To exhaust a character means another copy of that card, or any other If one card says, “Fellowship: Play an Elf to exert that character as many times as When your opponent plays a Shadow card with the same title. (You may play from your draw deck” and another card you can. card, he must remove a number of Fellowship: another copy of a non-unique card that twilight tokens from the twilight pool says, “ Play an Elf to draw a is in your dead pile.) 6THE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 7 card,” you cannot play one Elf from your play. (The boldfaced word defines when weapon, he is strength +2. When you player places his player marker onto that draw deck to draw a card. You must you may do so.) play a weapon on Merry, this game text site card. choose one phase action or the other. Each special ability is optional; you don’t is activated; if that weapon is discarded, Place the adventure path off to the side, An action labeled with the word have to use it if you don’t want to. You then this game text “turns off.” opposite from the twilight pool (see “Response:” is not a phase action. may use each special ability as many Each of these effects has a trigger table layout). That leaves room in the Responses are explained later in this times as you like (even repeatedly during describing what makes it happen. middle of the table for minions. rulebook. the same phase), as long as you meet the The trigger is always described first, Starting Fellowship requirements for it and pay its costs. You and followed by a comma. EVENTS cannot combine special abilities. Take one copy of each of the cards indicated below from your Return of the Most event cards have a phase action Fellowship: SETTING UP THE GAME Pippin, Mr. Took ( Play King starter deck (depending on which that defines when you may play that Gandalf or Aragorn; his twilight cost is –2) Players need a supply of wound tokens card from your hand. The game text on starter deck you’re playing). Place them cannot be combined with The Prancing (preferably red) and twilight tokens face up on the table, with Frodo bearing that event may be performed only once Pony (Fellowship: Add a burden to play (preferably black). Each player will also for each copy of that event played. You The One Ring (place it under Frodo Aragorn from your draw deck) to play need a player marker (a differently- with its title showing). cannot play an event during a phase that Aragorn at –2 from your draw deck. Both colored token) that shows where his Éomer: Rohirrim Guard, Éomer, Frodo, does not match its phase action. actions are special abilities, and you must fellowship is on the adventure path. The One Ring Discard an event after you play it, and choose one or the other. Adventure Deck before the next action is taken. Even (if you play the Guard first, after being discarded, an event often has WHEN, EACH TIME, Take all 9 of your site cards and place Éomer’s cost is 2, not 3) an ongoing or delayed effect until the AND WHILE them face down in a pile on the table. Aragorn: Targon, Madril, Frodo, This is your adventure deck. end of the phase, or until a specified A few special words or phrases you’ll The One Ring phase or condition is met. see in game text govern the timing of No other player may look through your Don’t place any tokens into the twilight Some event cards affect only cards that an action, just like the names of phases adventure deck during the game. pool for the cards in your starting are currently in play, even though their that are in phase actions. These include You don’t have to keep your adventure fellowship. effects might seem to apply to cards when, each time, and while; each is deck in any order. Just look through it Draw deck to get a card when you need to. played later in the same turn. described below with an example. The rest of your cards form your draw These events take a “snapshot” of the • When is used if an effect can happen If a site is replaced, take the old site deck. Shuffle your draw deck, give the current game state, and only those cards only once. When you play this from the adventure path and put it back opponent on your right the opportunity are affected. possession, you may draw a card. in its owner’s adventure deck. to cut it, and draw eight cards to form Eregion’s Trails affects only minions that This game text activates only once, Since only one card with each site your starting hand. are roaming when that event is played. when this card is played. number is played to the adventure path, Note: If at any time you have no cards Deft in Their Movements affects only sites • Each time is used if an effect can a site belongs to the adventure deck in your draw deck, you may reshuffle on the adventure path when it is played. happen more than once. Each time that’s missing a site card with that your discard pile to make a new draw you play a possession or artifact on your number. deck. You may only do this once per SPECIAL ABILITIES companion, draw a card. If you play Who goes first? game. When you play using the Besides events, other types of cards may one possession, this game text activates Determine randomly who goes first. Deluxe Rules, you won’t be able to have a phase action as a part of their once; if you play a second possession, The first player places his copy of site 1 reshuffle your draw deck. game text called a special ability, which it activates again, and so on. (from his adventure deck) on the table may be used only while the card is in • While is used if an effect is continuous. to begin the adventure path. Each For example, While Merry bears a

8THE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 9 Game Setup Summary START OF TURN Playing companions to your support area, as indicated in the • Each player places his adventure deck game text of the condition card. When your turn begins, remove all Play companion cards in a row, near on the table. tokens from the twilight pool. (The pool the other members of your fellowship Moving your fellowship • Determine randomly who goes first. begins the game empty, so this is not already in play. During each of your fellowship phases, • First player plays site 1. necessary on the first turn of the game.) You cannot play a card from your hand when you are finished performing to replace another card in play, even if fellowship actions, your fellowship must • Each player puts his player marker on Then you complete any “at the start of those cards have the same card title or site 1. each of your turns” actions. Each of move forward to the next site on the represent the same personality. adventure path. • Each player places his starting these actions may be performed only Playing possessions fellowship on the table. once per turn. All players use the same adventure path Play Free Peoples possessions under a for their player markers. The cards that • Each player shuffles his draw deck and 1. FELLOWSHIP PHASE character, with the left edge of the card make up that path are taken from the draws 8 cards. During your fellowship phase, you may visible for its card title and attribute adventure decks of the players. There PLAYING THE GAME perform fellowship actions including bonuses (modifiers for the character’s is only one site 1 in play (on the playing most Free Peoples cards. Finally, strength and/or vitality, written with a adventure path), one site 2, and so on. plus sign like “+2”). Some possessions Each player, going clockwise around the move your fellowship forward along the play to your support area (a row of A new site is added to the path only table, takes a turn according to the adventure path. cards behind your fellowship, see table when a player’s fellowship is ready to following turn sequence. Perform fellowship actions move to the next site and there is no site 1. Fellowship Phase layout). If you are the Free Peoples player, you Class card available on the adventure path for 2. Shadow Phase that move. may perform fellowship actions during Each character may bear one possession 3. Maneuver Phase this phase, in any order. How to move 4. Archery Phase or artifact of each class at one time. For Two fellowship actions are always example, a character may bear only one Place your player marker on the next 5. Assignment Phase available: hand weapon, only one ranged weapon, site on the adventure path. If there is no 6. Skirmish Phase(s) • Play a Free Peoples companion, ally, only one armor, only one cloak, and site there yet (as is the case for the first 7. Regroup Phase possession, artifact, or condition from only one staff. player in the first turn), then a new site When one player finishes his turn, the your hand to the table. Some possessions do not have a class. must be played from one of the Shadow next player in clockwise rotation (to his • Spot a unique companion or unique There is no limit to the number of players’ adventure decks. left) takes a turn and so on. ally with at least one wound and possessions without a class that a Place new sites in order by their site character may bear. Although the turn order rotates to the discard a card from your hand with the number. When the first player moves left (clockwise), note that many other same card title (it may have a different Some cards use the term mounted in for the first time, place a site with the procedures in the game actually rotate subtitle) to heal that character. game text, which means, “bearing a site number of 2. to the right (counter-clockwise). A unique card has a dot (•) in its card title. possession with the class of mount.” Playing conditions To determine which player places the If you are the Free Peoples player, all You may find other fellowship actions on new site on the adventure path, look at Shadow players are your opponents. If events in your hand, or as special abilities Free Peoples conditions are always the site you are moving from. Each site you are a Shadow player, only the Free on cards you already have in play. played during the fellowship phase, has an arrow at the bottom center of Peoples player is your opponent (not Paying costs even if they provide a special ability that the card. This indicates who is to play is performed during a different phase. the new site, with meaning other Shadow players). To play a Free Peoples card, add a Play Free Peoples conditions either the Shadow player to your right and number of twilight tokens to the twilight under a character (like a possession, if meaning the Shadow player to pool equal to the card’s twilight cost. the card says, “Bearer must be...”) or your left. (In a two-player game, there is

10 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 11 only one Shadow player at a time, so 2. SHADOW PHASE(S) other players’ Shadow cards as 3. MANEUVER PHASE that player always plays the new site.) Each other player in the game, starting appropriate. Perform maneuver actions When you move your player marker to with the player immediately to your A Shadow player’s minion may receive Players may perform maneuver actions the next site, first perform any actions right, has one Shadow phase. a strength bonus from another Shadow (special abilities on cards in play with triggered by leaving the old site. Then During each player’s Shadow phase, that player’s condition. “Maneuver:” and events with that perform actions that say, “When the player may perform Shadow actions, Each minion is normally played to a keyword) using the action procedure. fellowship moves...” Finally, perform including playing most Shadow cards. certain range of sites beginning with actions that occur when moving to the ACTION PROCEDURE Each Shadow player may perform the minion’s site number. Thus, if the new site. This includes adding tokens to As the Free Peoples player, you get Shadow actions in any order desired minion is played to (or is currently at) a the twilight pool equal to the Shadow the first opportunity to perform an during his or her Shadow phase. site that has a lower site number, that number on the site you moved to. minion is roaming. The player must action, and then the player on your Each player has only one Shadow phase right gets an opportunity, and so on In addition, for each companion in in which to perform all of his actions. pay a roaming penalty by removing an your fellowship, you must add one additional two twilight tokens when counter-clockwise around the table. token to the twilight pool each time Perform Shadow actions playing that minion. If a player does not wish to perform your fellowship moves. There is one Shadow action that is A minion with a site number of 4 must an action, he may simply pass. Movement Summary always available: remove 2 more twilight tokens to play at Passing does not prevent a player • Shadow player places the next site card • Play a Shadow minion, possession, site 3 (or site 3 ≠). If that same minion from performing an action later in if needed. artifact, or condition from your hand plays to site 4 (or site 4 ≠), there is no the same phase. •Move your player marker to the next to the table. roaming penalty. If he survives the When all players consecutively pass, site. fellowship’s first move to 3, he would no Each Shadow player may perform any proceed to the archery phase. • Perform “When you move from...” Shadow actions during his Shadow longer be roaming when the fellowship actions. phase. When he has completed all of the moves to site 4. 4. ARCHERY PHASE • Perform “When the fellowship Shadow actions he wishes to perform, When the first Shadow player moves...” actions. During the archery phase, you and the next Shadow player to his right (if completes his Shadow phase, the next your opponents may perform archery • Perform “When you move to...” any) then performs a Shadow phase. Shadow player does so. All Shadow actions. actions (special abilities on cards in play Playing Shadow cards players pay for cards by using the same • Add twilight tokens equal to the new with “Archery:” and events with that twilight pool. The second Shadow site’s Shadow number. A minion is played to the center of the keyword) and then conduct archery fire. player uses twilight tokens left over • Add one twilight token for each table, across from the active fellowship. Perform archery actions from the first Shadow player, and so on. companion. Artifacts, possessions, and conditions Players may perform archery actions The fellowship has not moved to the state in their game text where they play. When all Shadow players have each using the action procedure described in new site (and the game text there cannot The Shadow player must remove completed a Shadow phase, it is time the maneuver phase. When all players be used) until all moving actions are twilight tokens from the twilight pool for the maneuver phase. (If there are no consecutively pass, proceed to archery concluded (which include “move from,” as required when playing Shadow cards. minions in play at the end of the final fire. Shadow phase, then skip directly to the “moves,” “move to,” adding tokens for A Shadow player cannot play a Shadow Archery fire Shadow number, and adding tokens for condition or possession on another regroup phase.) companions). Shadow player’s minion or to another All Shadow players count the number player’s support area. However, Shadow of all their minions with the keyword cards may give bonuses or other game archer to determine the “minion archery total.” No matter how many Shadow effects to other players’ Shadow cards, players there are, there is only one and Shadow players may play events for minion archery total. 12 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 13 As the Free Peoples player, you also 5. ASSIGNMENT PHASE player has the option to add pool for first Shadow player on your right may count the number of your Free Peoples During your assignment phase, you each instance in the minion’s text. assign any of his unassigned minions, archer companions to determine the may assign companions to defend Desert Scout is equipped with Raider and so on, counter-clockwise around “fellowship archery total.” against attacking minions. When the Bow. This minion now has the keyword the table. There is always a “default” archery total assignment phase is complete, each Ambush ⁄ and the keyword Ambush fi. Frodo and Aragorn face four Uruk-hai. of zero for each side. A card may add to companion being attacked will lead to When it is assigned to a skirmish by the The Free Peoples player uses Aragorn’s your archery total even though you have a separate skirmish phase. Free Peoples player, the Shadow player defender +1 and assigns him to defend no archers in play at that time. Assign defenders may add ⁄, fi, neither, or both (as against two minions. He assigns Frodo You must then assign a number of separate actions). to another. This leaves one unassigned You may now assign companions to wounds equal to the minion archery Uruk-hai, so the Shadow player assigns defend against attacking minions. After the Free Peoples player informs total to your companions (and the last minion to Frodo, trying to kill Inform the Shadow players when you the Shadow player that he or she is done participating allies) in any way you wish. the Ring-bearer. are done making assignments. making assignments, all assignments After you have assigned archery wounds, take effect simultaneously. All The creation of leftover minions A player cannot assign more than one you choose one Shadow player who subsequent timing conflicts are resolved happens only when the Free Peoples companion to the same minion. must then assign a number of wounds according to normal procedure. player is done making assignments. If equal to the fellowship archery total to Frodo and Aragorn face a single Uruk-hai. All assignments of characters are on a an assigned minion subsequently his minions in any way he wishes. The Free Peoples player assigns Aragorn to one-to-one basis, with the following becomes unassigned as a result of a the Uruk-hai, protecting Frodo from harm. Since these tokens are assigned as two exceptions: card’s gametext (e.g. a triggered ability), He cannot assign both companions to the it is not a leftover minion. Therefore it wounds and not from exertion, any • If your assigned companion has the Uruk-hai. is not eligible to be assigned by the player may assign enough wounds to kill keyword defender +1, you may assign Shadow player. his own minion or companion. When the Free Peoples player assigns that character at this time to one one of his characters to skirmish a Assignment Phase Summary Wounds are assigned one at a time, so additional unassigned minion. minion with the keyword ambush ˛, a character cannot have more wounds Defender +2 allows that companion • Free Peoples player may assign the Shadow player who owns that assigned than that character’s vitality. to defend against two additional defending companions to minions. minion may add ˛. Ignore any leftover wounds that cannot unassigned minions, and so on. A ambush • Shadow players may assign leftover be assigned. If your Southron with ¤ is character with defender +2 (or greater) unassigned minions to any assigned by the Free Peoples player, you If there are no minions left after the satisfies any requirement for defender companions. may add two tokens to the twilight pool. archery phase, then skip directly to the +1. The Free Peoples player may decide not to regroup phase. Frodo and Aragorn face two Uruk-hai. 6. SKIRMISH PHASE(S) assign any characters to your minion with The Free Peoples player could assign When the assignment phase is complete, Archery Phase Summary ambush. However, you may then assign Aragorn to one and Frodo to the other. each defending companion will fight in a • Determine archery totals for each side. that minion to any character later in the However, Aragorn has defender +1, so he separate skirmish phase. In an order phase (see below). • Free Peoples player assigns archery may be assigned to defend against both decided by the Free Peoples player, wounds to his companions (and When a minion with the keyword minions, leaving Frodo again unharmed. skirmishes are resolved one at a time by participating allies). ambush ˛ is given the keyword •When you have informed the Shadow conducting a skirmish phase for each. ambush ˛ by another card or special • Free Peoples player chooses one players that you are done making During each skirmish phase, players may ability, each of those instances of Shadow player. assignments, they may assign any perform skirmish actions, and then that ambush is resolved separately. When unassigned minions to any skirmish must be resolved. All skirmish • That Shadow player assigns archery that minion is assigned to a skirmish by companions (even if those actions must be complete before wounds to his minions. the Free Peoples player, the Shadow companions are already assigned). The proceeding to resolve the skirmish.

14 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 15 Once a skirmish phase has finished, the If Aragorn, with strength of 8, faces two FIERCE 7. REGROUP PHASE Free Peoples player must select another Orcs, each with strength of 3 (total strength defending companion (one who is still of 6), then Aragorn wins that skirmish and After all the normal skirmishes are During the regroup phase, each Shadow assigned to a minion), and perform each losing Orc takes one wound. resolved, surviving minions with the player reconciles his hand. Then, the keyword fierce must be defended Free Peoples player decides whether to another skirmish phase. When the winning side has one or more against a second time. end his turn now or move again this Perform skirmish actions characters with the keyword damage +1, turn. Players may perform skirmish actions then each losing character takes one Players perform another assignment (special abilities on cards in play with additional wound for each damage +1. phase and then complete a separate Shadow players reconcile “Skirmish:” and events with that (Damage +2 adds two wounds, and so skirmish phase for each fierce skirmish. Each Shadow player must reconcile his keyword) using the action procedure on.) This is called a damage bonus, Assignment Phase (Fierce) hand to eight cards, as follows: which may be added to or removed by described in the maneuver phase. The Free Peoples player assigns • He may first discard one card from various effects. Each skirmish action lasts only for a defenders using the same procedure as his hand. single skirmish. When all players To continue the above example, if Aragorn before, and then Shadow players assign • If he then has less than eight cards in consecutively pass, proceed to resolve has damage +1, then each Orc takes two any fierce minions that remain his hand, he must draw cards until he that skirmish. wounds. unassigned. has eight. But if both Orcs have damage +1 and Resolve that skirmish Skirmish Phase(s) (Fierce) •Otherwise (when he has more than strength of 4 (thus winning the skirmish If the total strength of one side is at least When the assignment phase for fierce eight cards in his hand), he must double the total strength of the other with combined strength of 8), then Aragorn takes three wounds instead. minions is complete, each defending discard from his hand until he has side, all the characters on the losing side companion will fight in a separate only eight. are killed (regardless of how many When an effect says that a character skirmish phase. The procedure for each “loses all damage bonuses,” that Free Peoples player chooses wounds or how much vitality each has). of these skirmish phases is the same as character cannot gain a damage bonus At the end of the regroup phase, if you This is also called being overwhelmed. for a normal skirmish phase. When a character is overwhelmed, due to some other effect. are the Free Peoples player, you must that character does not take any more A skirmish phase ends after all actions Aragorn is assigned to defend against a select one of the following two choices: wounds — he simply dies. triggered by winning or losing that fierce Uruk-hai. In the normal skirmish •Move the fellowship to the next site When the Ring-bearer is overwhelmed, skirmish have resolved. At this point, phase, Aragorn wins and the Uruk-hai (allowing the proper Shadow player to he is killed, regardless of whether he characters who were involved in that takes one wound. During the following place a new site if needed), add tokens wears the Ring. The One Ring’s ability skirmish are no longer assigned. fierce skirmish phase, the Free Peoples to the twilight pool (both for the player may once more assign a companion to convert wounds into burdens does not A surviving minion or companion may Shadow number of the new site and to defend against the Uruk-hai. This protect him from being overwhelmed, skirmish again this turn if the fellowship for the number of companions in the companion may be Aragorn or may be a since no wounds are placed. makes another move (or if the minion fellowship), and return to the Shadow If the total strength of one side is more has the keyword fierce). different companion. phase(s). than the strength of the other side (but Skirmish Phase Summary Only when all skirmishes (both normal •Or, reconcile your hand (just as the less than double), the side with the most and fierce) have been resolved do the Shadow players did above). Then the strength wins that skirmish. (If there is a • Free Peoples player chooses a skirmish. players move on to the regroup phase. Shadow players discard all minions in tie, the Shadow side wins.) Place one • Players perform skirmish actions. wound on each character on the play (and cards borne by them), and • Resolve that skirmish and assign your turn ends. losing side. wounds. Whenever there are two or more • If any skirmishes are unresolved, minions on one side of a skirmish, the repeat this procedure. strengths of those minions are added up for a single total. 16 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 17 Move limit There are also card effects that can Sites are always active. A site’s game text Non-unique cards During each of your turns, your corrupt the Ring-bearer, regardless of cannot be used unless the fellowship is All cards that do not have a dot (•) fellowship must move once, and may how many burdens he might have. there, although some cards may copy before their card title are non-unique. move a number of times up to your If a player loses a game and there are at and use that game text. This means that all players may have move limit. least two other players remaining,remove If the game text of a site has a Shadow many copies of those cards in play at one time. In a two- or three-player game, your his player marker and all of his cards from special ability, you may use that special move limit is two. In a game with four play (and discard any opponent’s cards ability only when the active fellowship is Most conditions are non-unique, and or more players, your move limit is that were on them). at that site and you are a Shadow player. you may have multiple copies of these equal to the number of your opponents conditions in play at one time. The Remove his sites on the adventure path Exception: Site text is not active when effects of these cards are cumulative. when the game begins. During your in numerical order, and replace each one the starting fellowships are played. Subtitles regroup phase, you may decide to make with an opponent’s corresponding site, another move, subject to the limit above. in counter-clockwise order starting with UNIQUENESS Some possession, artifact, and condition the player on his right. cards have subtitles. These function in WINNING THE GAME Unique cards the same manner as subtitles on The other players complete the losing Many character, possession, and artifact A player wins the game when his character cards. player’s turn. cards represent a thing that there is only fellowship is at site 9 and his Ring-bearer The cards Gandalf’s Staff, Walking Stick one of. Such a card has a dot (•) before survives all skirmish phases. The game THER MPORTANT ULES and Gandalf’s Staff (no subtitle) represent O I R the card title, to tell you that only one the same thing. ends, and there is no regroup phase on of that card may be active and in play at the last turn. ACTIVE CARDS a time. RESPONSES A player may also win the game if he During your turn, only these cards in You may have only one card with the A special ability or event labeled with becomes the last player left in the game play are active: card title of •Gandalf in play at one time. the word “Response:” indicates that (see below). • sites on the adventure path, Other players may also have a card with you may perform that action whenever the trigger described in its game text Losing the Game • sites in any player’s support area, the title of •Gandalf in play, but only one happens. A player loses the game if his Ring- • your Free Peoples cards, is allowed per player. • your copy of The One Ring, and A response action is not a phase action bearer is killed, unless he uses game text Two cards represent the same thing if (because there is no “response phase”). allowing another character to carry on as • your opponents’ Shadow cards. they have the same card title (even if Ring-bearer. All other cards in play are inactive. their subtitles or collector’s info are THE RING-BEARER Many versions of Sam may become the Inactive cards are not affected by the different) or they have the same One Free Peoples character always Ring-bearer if Frodo dies. game and do not affect the game. collector’s info (even if their titles and begins the game as your Ring-bearer. subtitles are different). Two cards can He bears The One Ring for you, much A player also loses the game if his Your companions and your opponent’s minions are active. Your opponents’ have the same card title even if they are as when Frodo carried the Ring in his Ring-bearer becomes corrupted. If the in different languages. pocket or on a chain around his neck. Ring-bearer has a number of burdens on companions are not. his card equal to his resistance, he is For Shadow cards, if a copy of a unique The Ring-bearer cannot be discarded or Exception: Any cards that are borne by returned to your hand, and skirmishes corrupted. inactive cards are inactive. card is already in play and active, you cannot play another card that has the involving the Ring-bearer cannot be A burden is a black token (like a An opponent’s Shadow condition on same title (regardless of subtitles). cancelled. twilight token) that is placed on your another opponent’s companion is not You cannot play a card from your hand If Sméagol is the Ring-bearer, you cannot Ring-bearer. There are many cards that active because that companion is not. to replace another card in play, even if play Be Back Soon to discard him, or add or remove burdens. Burdens are You cannot play another copy of a Sneaking to cancel his skirmish. only placed on your Ring-bearer. those cards have the same card title or unique card that is already in play and represent the same personality. If Frodo is the Ring-bearer, you cannot use currently active. Frodo’s Cloak to cancel his skirmish. 18 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 19 When can he put on the Ring? game text or, in the case of a character Unloaded keywords MISCELLANEOUS The Ruling Ring, the version of The with the ringed resistance icon, the Race (such as Man, Elf, Ent, Orc, Uruk- One Ring in your starter deck, has a number on that icon), he becomes hai, or Wizard) is an unloaded keyword. Discard “Response:” special ability. It can be corrupted and you lose the game. The race of “Man” includes women of The default meaning of the word used during any skirmish phase, even one Your Ring-bearer may also become the appropriate culture. A possession “discard” is “discard from play.” that doesn’t involve your Ring-bearer. corrupted by a card effect. This takes that requires a ≥ Man bearer may be Discarding from other locations (such Before you place a wound token on your effect immediately, regardless of how borne by a ≥ female character who has as from your hand or from the top of Ring-bearer, you may tell your opponent many burdens are currently on your the race of “Man.” your draw deck) is always specified. that your Ring-bearer is putting on The Ring-bearer. Note that in The Lord of the Rings When a card leaves play for any reason, Ruling Ring instead. How does he take the Ring off? TCG, Uruk-hai is a different race any cards played on that card (or borne When you use the special ability on The by or stacked on that card) are At the start of the regroup phase, your from Orc. One Ring, your Ring-bearer “wears” the discarded. Exception: When a site is Ring-bearer takes off the Ring and Sites have unloaded keywords like Ring. Using this special ability on The replaced, all cards played on or stacked simply carries it again. battleground, forest, mountain, plains, One Ring is optional. on the old site are moved to the new What happens when he is killed? river, and underground. Other Remember, wounds are always placed on unloaded keywords include beseiger, site. If your Ring-bearer is killed (even if he a character one at a time. Once Corsair, Easterling, engine, fortification, Playing cards from your draw deck is overwhelmed), you lose the game. activated, this special ability continues to knight, machine, ranger, search, Some cards allow you to play a card be in effect as long as your Ring-bearer Exception: Many versions of Sam have a Southron, spell, stealth, tale, tracker, directly from your draw deck or discard wears The Ruling Ring. special ability that is a response action valiant, villager, and warg-rider. pile. You must still pay any costs and Your Ring-bearer cannot put on you may use when Frodo is killed (not Loaded keywords meet requirements necessary for playing the Ring to save himself from being corrupted). If Sam is in play at that that card. moment, this allows you to transfer Card type (such as minion or event) overwhelmed. When he is overwhelmed, and class (such as staff or hand weapon) When you finish looking through your no wounds are taken and he is killed. the Ring to Sam, and then he becomes your Ring-bearer. Sam is considered to are loaded keywords. Other loaded draw deck, reshuffle it and give the What happens while he wears be bearing The One Ring (not wearing keywords include ambush, archer, player to your right the opportunity to the Ring? The One Ring) regardless of whether damage +1, defender +1, enduring, cut it. While your Ring-bearer wears The Frodo was wearing it before being fierce, Ring-bearer, sanctuary, and Spot Ruling Ring, each time he is about to killed. unhasty. The word spot sets up a requirement for take a wound, a burden is added instead. KEYWORDS Ring-bound and unbound. Only playing a card or using a special ability While wearing the Ring, your companions can be unbound or in conjunction with a noun such as, Ring-bearer can perform all normal Each card has one or more keywords Ring-bound (not allies or minions). “To play, spot an Elf.” This is equivalent actions such as moving and skirmishing. that identify it. Most keywords are Any companion without the to, “An Elf must be in play and active He may defend against attacking unloaded keywords, with no special Ring-bound keyword is an unbound for you to play this card.” rules (although they may be referenced minions as usual. companion. Cards in your dead pile are active during by other cards). Keywords with rules are Exception: All versions of Frodo and your turn, but they’re not in play. You There are special Shadow cards with called loaded keywords. Find the Sam are Ring-bound. can’t spot a card in your dead pile. powerful effects that can only be played explanation for each loaded keyword while your Ring-bearer wears the Ring. with the index. Normally, you don’t have to spot all the How does he become corrupted? cards in play that meet the requirement If your Ring-bearer ever has as many if you don’t want to. burdens as his resistance (listed in his

20 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 21 If a card says, “for each Elf you spot” and culture Shadow card to spot a Free DELUXE RULES adventure deck is numbered from 1≠ to there are 2 Elves in play (and active), you Peoples culture. 9≠, just like a Fellowship block adventure may choose to spot 2 Elves, 1 Elf, or none. Events are not in play and can never be INTRODUCTION deck is numbered from 1 to 9. However, if a card says, “you can spot,” spotted. The Deluxe Rules follow the same The sites provided in King block sets that means you don’t have a choice and general format as the Starter Rules. We have site numbers identified with the you have to spot anything and THE END OF THE STARTER RULES assume that you are familiar with the King symbol (±). A King block everything that meets the requirement. Starter Rules. adventure deck is numbered from 1± to If this is your first time playing 9±, just like a Fellowship block “While you can spot The Balrog, skip the The Lord of the Rings Trading Card The body of rules found in this adventure deck is numbered from 1 to 9. archery phase” means you can’t make a Game, play a few games with your Comprehensive Rulebook replaces choice (it either works or it doesn’t). and supersedes all previous rulebooks These are alternatives to the sites from 60-card starter deck before the first three sets, not an extension of To spot a “Free Peoples culture” means continuing onward to the Deluxe (including the Expanded Rulebook). those sites. The game will always have to spot any Free Peoples card of that Rules. This book is all you need to get the only 9 sites in the adventure deck. rules for The Lord of the Rings TCG. culture. You cannot spot a Gollum You cannot mix sites from different SETTING UP THE GAME blocks in the same adventure deck. For playing minions, use only the site TABLE LAYOUT BUILDING YOUR DECK number, not the site identifier. Each player brings to the game at least A Moria Orc is roaming at site 3 71 cards: (Fellowship block) and at site 3≠ (Tower • a Ring-bearer, bearing The One Ring block). (2 cards), For the home sites of allies, use the site • a draw deck of at least 60 cards, and identifier. An ally from the Fellowship • a 9-card adventure deck. block has no home site in the Tower Formats block. Elrond’s home site is 3, not 3≠. Each game now has one of the following formats: When a site’s number is specifically • Fellowship block (only cards from sets mentioned in game text, that number 1, 2, and 3), uses the site identifier. • Tower block (only cards from sets 4, Hobbit Stealth (Skirmish: At sites 1 to 5, 5, and 6), or cancel a skirmish involving a Hobbit. At any other site, make a Hobbit strength • King block (only cards from sets 7, 8, +2.) cannot cancel a skirmish in the and 10), Tower block. However, this card adds its • open (all cards allowed, including set 9 strength bonus at any Tower block site. – Reflections – using only King block When an effect says “site X or higher,” sites). it applies only to sites from the Block symbols Fellowship block. The sites provided in Tower block sets have site numbers identified with the tower symbol (≠). A Tower block

22 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 23 Ring-bearer hand and in play. Do not reshuffle the game starts (before the first player Starting Fellowship You must start the game with one Free your discard pile to make a new draw plays site 1) and you lose the game. In the Starter Rules, players select their Peoples character bearing The One deck. (You reshuffle your draw deck Each player secretly places a number of starting fellowships based upon which deck Ring. You may choose any character only when playing with a starter deck burdens in his hand (you may bid zero). they have. However, for the Deluxe Rules, with the ringed resistance icon (shown and the Starter Rules). When all players are ready, players customize their starting fellowships. here), or any version of Adventure Deck simultaneously reveal the bids. The Your fellowship begins with a character Frodo. You may choose any Your adventure deck has nine different highest bid wins the right to choose bearing The One Ring. This can be any version of The One Ring. site cards, one for each of the nine site where he goes in the turn order. Any character with the ringed resistance These two cards are not part numbers. choice is available. icon, or any version of Frodo. That of your draw deck (they do not count character gains the keywords Ring- against your total of Free Peoples cards). You cannot mix sites from different Next, the second highest bidder chooses blocks in the same adventure deck. The from the remaining positions in the bearer and Ring-bound, if he does not If a character other than Frodo is your sites in your adventure deck must be turn order, and so on. Keep track of already have them. Ring-bearer, you cannot play any either from the Fellowship block (sets 1, each player’s bid, as these tokens will You may then play other companions version of Frodo with the Ring-bearer 2, and 3), from the Tower block (sets 4, become burdens on his Ring-bearer. (not allies, possessions, artifacts, or keyword during the game. 5, and 6), or from the King block (sets If there are any ties, then the tied conditions) from your draw deck, as Draw Deck 7, 8, and 10). players resolve randomly who chooses long as the total twilight cost of these Your draw deck must have at least 60 Since cards from all the adventure decks first among them. companions is 4 or less. The twilight cards and must have an equal number combine to form a shared adventure Tom, Chuck, Tim, and Mike are playing, cost of your Ring-bearer is not included of Shadow cards and Free Peoples cards, path, all players in the same game must and the initial bids are Tom 3, Chuck 4, in this total. shuffled together. You cannot have any have sites from the same block. Tim 3, and Mike 1. Chuck wins the Play these cards one at a time, even copies of The One Ring or sites in your right to choose, and he chooses to go first though you do not add twilight tokens draw deck. WHO GOES FIRST? (placing 4 burdens on his Ring-bearer). for playing your starting fellowship. You may have up to four copies of each In the Starter Rules, players decide Tom and Tim are tied, so they flip a coin, Site text is not active when the starting card title (ignoring subtitles) in your randomly who goes first. However, for the and Tom wins the tiebreak. He chooses fellowships are played. draw deck. Deluxe Rules, players bid burdens to second (placing 3 burdens on his Ring- You may use “When you play” game You may have four copies of Aragorn, determine this. bearer). Tim chooses to go fourth (3 text on a starting companion. You may burdens), leaving third for Mike King in Exile in your draw deck, or you Players place secret bids for the right to spot a companion in your starting (1 burden). may have two copies of that card and two determine who goes first in the game. fellowship as a requirement to play copies of Aragorn, Ranger of the North. The bidding is done with black tokens, The first player sits down, and the another starting companion. You cannot have four copies of each of which will become burdens on your others then sit in clockwise order around If Legolas is in your starting fellowship, those cards, since they have the same title Ring-bearer. the table according to their choices. you may play him first and spot him to (although they have different subtitles). Don’t bid too high, or your Ring-bearer Place your adventure deck (face down) play another Elf companion who has the Exception: Since one copy of your Ring- will start with too many burdens and and Ring-bearer (face up) on the table. game text, “To play, spot an Elf.” Be sure bearer is always part of your starting be close to being corrupted. (If he Place The One Ring under your Ring- to play your starting fellowship cards in fellowship, you may have only three accumulates as many burdens as his bearer (so the title is showing) and place the correct order if you use such text. copies of that character in your draw resistance, you lose the game.) on him the burdens that you bid. Select and reveal starting fellowships in deck. If you bid a number of burdens equal The first player places his copy of site 1 player order. (In tournament play, you When you draw the last card from your to your Ring-bearer’s resistance, your (from his adventure deck) on the table may change your starting fellowship draw deck, you don’t lose the game. Ring-bearer becomes corrupted before to begin the adventure path. Each player from game to game.) Continue with the cards you have in places his player marker onto site 1.

24 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 25 When you play the cards for your Playing allies assignment actions must be complete Sméagol, Slippery Sneak is assigned to starting fellowship, you must play them Allies are characters that do not count as before proceeding to assign defenders. skirmish a minion. However, Frodo is also one at a time to ensure that members of your fellowship. Play them When the assignment phase is assigned to a skirmish, and the Free requirements for twilight cost discounts to a row behind your fellowship called complete, each companion being Peoples player chooses to resolve Frodo’s are properly used. your support area. An ally may be attacked will lead to a separate skirmish skirmish first. The Free Peoples player When your starting fellowship includes played during any of your fellowship phase. cannot use the special ability on the Théoden and Éomer, you must reveal phases (you do not have to wait until Perform assignment actions Sméagol card until he or she chooses to Théoden first so that Éomer receives the –1 your fellowship is at the ally’s home). resolve Sméagol’s skirmish. Players may perform assignment actions discount and your starting companions There is no limit to the number of allies When a skirmish resolves (or is using the action procedure described in will cost 4 instead of 5. you may have in play. canceled) for any reason (including the maneuver phase. Playing artifacts when one side is removed before PLAYING THE GAME Many assignment actions assign a strength has been totaled), no more Play Free Peoples artifacts just as you minion to a companion. All of these FELLOWSHIP PHASE play Free Peoples possessions. skirmish actions may be taken. assignments are “one-on-one” — you Resolve that skirmish Although the rules provide card drawing SHADOW PHASE(S) cannot assign one character to another only in the regroup phase, many card unless both of them are unassigned. If a skirmish is canceled, it ends immediately with no winner or loser. effects allow you to draw cards in the Playing Shadow cards When all players consecutively pass, fellowship phase as well. The following You may use (and exert) another proceed to assign defenders. If all characters of one side are removed rule limits such card drawing. player’s character to pay a cost for your Assign defenders from a skirmish before that skirmish The Rule of 4: Shadow card or special ability. begins, that skirmish does not occur. You cannot draw (or When the fellowship is at an ally’s home take into hand) more than 4 cards Shadow players may converse and plan (or if a card effect has allowed an ally to If all characters of one side are removed during your fellowship phase. among themselves. They may name participate in skirmishes), that ally may during a skirmish before strength has This applies to cards taken into hand cards in their hands, but they cannot be assigned to a skirmish in the same been totaled, the skirmish resolves and by any means. This does not apply to actually show each other those cards. way that companions are assigned to the other side wins. cards drawn “at the start of each of your They may make agreements, but those skirmishes. When resolving a skirmish, a side with turns.” An effect that would require you agreements are not binding. Unhasty a total strength greater than zero will to exceed this limit is performed as much overwhelm a side whose total strength is The Free Peoples player cannot assign a as possible and the rest is ignored. ASSIGNMENT PHASE zero. If the strength of both sides is character with this keyword to a In the Starter Rules, there were no zero, the Shadow side wins the skirmish Playing companions skirmish unless it is at its home site or assignment actions. However, for the (but does not overwhelm). The Rule of 9: You cannot have more when a ∑ card allows it do so. Deluxe Rules, the assignment phase than nine total companions in play Losing characters includes opportunities for both players to Shadow players may assign any leftover and in your dead pile at any time. A losing character is any character on perform assignment actions. unassigned minions to unhasty (Each copy of a non-unique companion companions. the losing side in a skirmish when it in play or in your dead pile counts as a During the assignment phase, you resolves. and your opponents may perform separate companion.) SKIRMISH PHASE(S) Also, any character removed during his assignment actions (special abilities on If you have •Merry (a unique companion) A character is “skirmishing” or in a or her skirmish is a losing character, cards in play with “Assignment:” and and two copies of Dwarf Guard (a non- skirmish “involving” that character only even if that character’s side eventually events with that keyword). unique companion) in your dead pile, you while the skirmish phase that character wins. That character is not wounded (or cannot have more than 6 companions in Then you may assign companions to is assigned to is happening. overwhelmed) when the skirmish your fellowship. defend against attacking minions. All resolves.

26 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 27 Boromir bearing a Blade of Gondor faces Skirmish Phase(s) (Fierce) an event, a special ability, or an action Costs and Effects two Uruk-hai Raiding Parties, each with Once a minion is assigned in the fierce that uses the word “may.” All other A cost or an effect could be adding or two wounds. Boromir exerts once to use assignment phase, that minion’s fierce actions are required actions. removing twilight tokens, exerting a the Blade and kill one of the Raiding skirmish must be resolved, even if that All required actions responding to a character, discarding a card, or any Parties. That Raiding Party is a losing minion somehow becomes no longer particular trigger are performed before number of other possibilities. The costs character. Then the skirmish resolves and fierce. any optional actions. for an action are usually listed before the Boromir loses. Boromir is a losing word “to” (so the action takes the form character, and the other Raiding Party is REGROUP PHASE If two or more required actions are of “pay X to do Y,” with X being the cost a winning character. In the Starter Rules, there were no regroup occurring at the same time (for example, and Y the effect). more than one “at the start of each of Participation actions. However, for the Deluxe Rules, Costs the regroup phase includes opportunities your turns” actions), the Free Peoples A card which cannot participate in If a card or special ability has a cost, you for both players to perform regroup actions. player decides in which order they occur. skirmishes: must pay that cost or you cannot use During the regroup phase, players may After all required actions to a particular • cannot be assigned to a skirmish that card or special ability. perform regroup actions (special abilities trigger have resolved, players may perform optional actions responding If an action is prevented, its effects are • cannot be affected by assignment on cards in play with “Regroup:” and ignored but its costs and requirements to that same trigger using the action actions (except an assignment action events with that keyword). Then each are still paid. that would allow such a card to Shadow player reconciles his hand. procedure. Response actions When you pay the cost for an action skirmish) Perform regroup actions (any cost, such as playing a card, • cannot be assigned leftover minions by Response is a timing word that means discarding a card, adding or removing Players may perform regroup actions that you may play an event (or use a a Shadow player using the action procedure described in twilight pool), you cannot use that special ability) whenever the situation payment for more than one action. FIERCE the maneuver phase. When all players described in its game text happens. consecutively pass, proceed to reconcile If you have two copies of Weapons of Assignment Phase (Fierce) Isengard in play (Shadow: Play an Ω the Shadow players’ hands. You may respond more than once to the For the Deluxe Rules, the fierce same situation. archer to place an Ω token on this card), Move limit playing a single Ω archer allows you to assignment phase also includes Sometimes a response action interrupts If the move limit is modified for a turn, place a token on only one of those copies. opportunities for both players to perform another action to cancel it before it then that modification is in effect for assignment actions. resolves. When this happens, that other If a player is paying costs for a card and the whole turn, even if the conditions a response action occurs which modifies During the fierce assignment phase, action does not have its effect, but its for the modification change. those costs, that player must continue ignore an effect that results in assignment costs and requirements are still paid. to pay as many costs as he can, even if it with a minion that is not fierce. OTHER IMPORTANT RULES Phase actions is no longer possible to pay them all. If A minion must be in play and fierce at ACTIONS Phase actions include performing all the costs cannot be paid, that card the start of the fierce assignment phase special abilities and playing event cards. has no effect. to participate in a fierce skirmish. Nearly everything that occurs during (Exception: response special abilities and A Shadow player attempts to pay the cost the game is some kind of action. Players An ally that was able to be assigned to a response events are not phase actions.) for the special ability on Grishnákh, Orc perform actions to play cards, use normal skirmish (because the fellowship If a phase action can be played in Captain. After exerting Grishnákh once, special abilities, move their fellowships, is at that ally’s home or as a result of a multiple phases (for example, the Free Peoples player plays Unheeded to reconcile, and so on. card effect) is also able to be assigned to a “Maneuver or Skirmish:”), its action wound Grishnákh. In this case, the fierce skirmish. Required or optional type is of the phase during which the Shadow player is no longer able to exert action is taken. Grishnákh the second time. Therefore, the Every action is either optional or required. Shadow player would not be able to draw An optional action is defined as either: 3 cards.

28 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 29 Effects The source of an effect is the card on fellowship phase, you remove only ⁄ and When a card says “for each companion If the effect of a card or special ability which that effect is printed. Even though ignore the rest, because that special ability over X,” that means the same as “do this requires you to perform an action and a card like an event may require a has the game text “(limit ›).” Sting Y times, where Y is the number of you cannot, you must perform as much minion to exert to pay its cost, the cannot remove more than › per phase. companions in the fellowship minus X.” as you can and ignore the rest. source of that effect is the event card With one copy of Trust Me As You Once Anduin Banks says, “For each companion If the effect of an event requires you to and not the minion. Did in play, and assuming you have in the fellowship over 4, add 2 to the discard 2 cards from your hand and you Some cards have multiple effects that sufficient signets and exertions, during a minion archery total.” If there are 4 or less only have 1 card in hand, just discard the respond to the same kind of trigger. single skirmish phase: companions in the fellowship, nothing is 1 card and ignore the rest. They count something in play, and • You may add +3 to one companion in a added. For 5 companions, 2 is added; for If the effect of a card or special ability when there is more of that thing, more single action (at least 3 signets). 6 companions, 4 is added; and so on. effects happen. requires you to choose one of two • You may add +1 to three different Loops different actions, you must choose an The game text of Uglúk looks like this: companions in three different actions Occasionally, a game will reach a state action that you are fully capable of While you can spot 2 Ω trackers, Uglúk is (only 1 signet). in which a set of actions can be repeated performing (if possible). strength +3. • You may add +2 to one companion and forever. If you meet all the requirements and pay While you can spot 3 Ω trackers, Uglúk is damage +1. +1 to another in two different actions If a loop in a game contains one or all the costs for playing a card, you may (only 2 signets). Note that once the limit more optional actions and one player play that card even if the card will have You don’t have to spot 5 trackers to get is reached, no more may be added and controls them all, that player chooses a no effect. both benefits. Three trackers is enough to the last +1 is ignored. number. The loop is treated as satisfy the first requirement (if you have 3, Exception: If you perform an action that The limit is per copy of the condition per repeating that number of times or until has playing a card from hand or discard you can spot 2) and the last requirement another player intervenes with his own (spot 3). phase, so that a single copy of Trust Me pile as part of its effect, you must play cannot provide more than +3 total action, whichever comes first. that card. If a card is discarded when it comes into benefits in a single skirmish phase, no A player is repeatedly using the ability of This exception applies to all kinds of play, ignore any effects triggered when it matter how many companions are Sam, Faithful Companion to search his actions (playing event cards, using comes into play. This includes effects receiving those benefits. draw deck for Bill the Pony. He chooses a special abilities, “when you play” game from a minion’s own game text (such as number of times this action will take “When you play this minion...”) and It might help to conceptualize this process text, and so on) and all the different as three “+1 tokens,” placed on each copy place. The action is assumed to take place ways you can play a card (except playing effects from other cards in play (such as that number of times, or until a Shadow “Each time you play...”). of Trust Me at the start of each skirmish a card directly from your draw deck). phase. player intervenes with his own action, If Watcher in the Water is in play and you whichever comes first. There is no penalty if you don’t find For each (or choose not to play) a card you are play Goblin Runner, ¤ is not added. If a loop contains at least one optional When an effect wounds (or exerts or looking for in your draw deck. Limit action each controlled by different heals) characters using the phrase “for players and actions by both are required If an action plays a card from your hand When a card has a limit, such as “(limit each,” you may wound (or exert or heal) to continue the loop, the Free Peoples (or discard pile) as part of its effect, then +3),” the limit applies to that card only a character more than once. that card must be in your hand (or player chooses a number. The Shadow for one phase. A limit does not apply to Aragorn, Wingfoot says, “Each time the discard pile) before you can begin to player then has two choices: a different copy of the same card, and a fellowship moves, you may wound a perform that action. •He or she can choose a lower number, limit does not span multiple phases. minion for each unbound Hobbit you in which case the loop continues that The Orc you play with They Are Coming If you use the special ability of Sting in spot.” If you spot two unbound Hobbits, number of times, with a final action in cannot be one of the cards you discarded your fellowship phase and your opponent’s you may wound two minions each once or that loop by the Free Peoples player. from your hand to pay the cost of that hand has 3 Orcs, you remove ‹. If you use one minion twice. special ability. that special ability again in the same 30 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 31 •He or she can agree to the number Allies from earlier sets do not have home right of the Free Peoples player are in An opponent controls site 1≠ and all chosen by the active player, in which sites on The Reutrn of the King effect at any time. All other copies are player markers are at site 4 ≠ or higher, so case the loop continues that number of adventure path. Such sites are indicated also active, but their game text is ignored. you must take control of site 2≠. times, with a final action in that loop with a King symbol (like 3± or 4±). HE NE ING When you take control of a site, place by the Shadow player. Allies normally do not participate in T O R that site in your support area, lengthwise. The Free Peoples player has Sméagol, archery fire and skirmishes. Special The One Ring is a special card that Some card effects depend upon the Slinker skirmishing a minion at Anduin abilities on allies (such as archery actions is neither a Free Peoples card nor a number of sites you control. Banks. Sméagol has a skirmish action that or skirmish actions) may be used as Shadow card. It has no twilight cost, The game text of a controlled site may add a burden for a strength bonus, normal. and its card type is “The One Ring.” cannot be used by any player, since a and Anduin Banks has a skirmish action However, when your fellowship is at There are five versions of The One site’s game text cannot be used unless the that may remove a burden for a strength Ring: The Ruling Ring, Isildur’s Bane, fellowship is there. Exception: The bonus. The repetitive addition and your ally’s home, that ally participates in archery fire and skirmishes. Answer to All Riddles, Such a Weight keywords of a controlled site still apply, removal of a burden for strength bonuses to Carry, and The Binding Ring. The so a player may “control a will create a loop. To break this loop, the This doesn’t mean that such an ally Starter Rules explain how The Ruling battleground.” Free Peoples player names a number of must take an archery wound or be Ring works, since that version comes in iterations for these actions. The Shadow assigned by the Free Peoples player to Like a site on the adventure path, a every starter product. Other versions of player has two choices: defend a skirmish, but that character is controlled site is always active and The One Ring describe different times may be spotted. When your opponent • He may name a lower number of eligible to do so if the Free Peoples the Ring-bearer can put on the Ring controls a site from your adventure iterations. The loop would continue for player so chooses. and different effects that happen while deck, it’s still your site. that many iterations, with the Free The Shadow player may assign an he wears it. Peoples player taking the final action unassigned minion to an ally when the Cards like Úlairë Nelya can replace a (adding one final action, if necessary). fellowship is at that ally’s home site. SITE CONTROL controlled site. Move any cards (such as Dunlending Looters) from the site being •He may agree with the Free Peoples Some card effects also allow allies Shadow players may take control of sites replaced to the new site, and return the player’s choice of iterations. The loop to fight in this way, even when the on the adventure path and the Free old site to its owner’s adventure deck. would continue for that number of fellowship is not at that ally’s home. Peoples player may liberate controlled iterations, with the Shadow player being Liberate You may count archer allies for the sites. Various card effects refer to these allowed the final action (adding one A Free Peoples player may have a card fellowship archery total if the fellowship controlled sites as well. final action, if necessary). effect that allows him to liberate a site. is at their home, or a card has allowed Control LLIES Only a site that is controlled by another A them to participate in archery fire. Shadow players may use card effects to player (in another player’s support area) take control of sites. A Shadow player Allies are not companions and don’t While an ally participates in archery fire may be liberated. You cannot liberate a and skirmishes, that ally is considered to may only take control of a site on the site on the adventure path, a site in any travel along the adventure path with adventure path that has been passed by your fellowship. Ally cards have a be at the same site as the fellowship. adventure deck, or a site you control. all players. A site has been passed when home site number indicated just after ACTIVE CARDS all player markers are on sites with When you liberate a site, place it back on the card’s type, on the same line (such higher site numbers. the adventure path. Any cards on that site as ALLY • HOME 3± • MAN). Each ally in Occasionally in a multiplayer game, are discarded. You must liberate the site When all player markers are at site 2≠ or your support area is considered to be two copies of the same unique Shadow with the highest site number controlled at his home site. condition may be in play at the higher, you may take control of site 1≠. by one of your opponents first, regardless Allies cannot be healed when you same time. When a Shadow player takes control of of which opponent controls that site. (If start your turn at a sanctuary; the Only the first copy of a unique Shadow a site, the site on the adventure path with you control the site with the highest site wounds healed at a sanctuary are from condition (or the first 4 copies of a non- the lowest site number must be selected. number, you must liberate the next companions only. unique Shadow condition) closest to the highest site controlled by an opponent.) 32 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 33 When a player loses the game and some Besieging Pike says, “If you have initiative, When a companion or ally is killed and Modifiers of his sites are controlled by other bearer is strength +3.” Since this is a that card is placed in the dead pile, the When a card specifically names itself in players, replace those sites according to Shadow card, it only gets this bonus when Free Peoples player counts the number its game text, that card can be modified the procedure from the Starter Rules. the Free Peoples player has 3 or fewer of threats on the dead pile and then by its own game text when played. If such a player has sites under his cards in hand (the cards in the hands of removes them. Then the Free Peoples Otherwise, the modification takes effect control, replace them first (using the the Shadow players don’t matter). player must assign a number of wounds only after the card is in play. above procedure) and then liberate each Usually, a card will say, “If you have equal to the number of threats removed to his companions in any way he The game text of Orc Ambusher says, site (discarding cards on those sites as initiative...” as a requirement to play “The roaming penalty for each √ that card or use an ability on that card. wishes. This is done much in the same needed). way that archery wounds are assigned. minion you play is –1.” The roaming To play an event that requires initiative, penalty reduction on this card does not CULTURE TOKENS you must meet that requirement before If there are three threats on the dead pile apply to this Orc Ambusher when he is Some conditions tell you to “place an π you play the card. when an ally is killed, the Free Peoples played. token on this card” (or “a ∞ token,” Stand to Arms is a skirmish event that player must remove those tokens and assign three wounds to his companions The game text of Éomer says, “While you and so on). says, “If you have initiative, discard 2 (not allies). This may be three wounds to can spot a ≥ Man, Éomer’s twilight cost cards from hand to wound a roaming You can use any convenient markers one companion, one wound each to three is –1.” Since this game text specifically for these tokens. They don’t have to be minion skirmishing a µ Man twice.” You different companions, or any other possible names Éomer himself, it does apply to any particular color. You can use the must have at least three other cards in combination. Éomer when he is played. same tokens you’re using for burdens hand before you can play this event. ISCELLANEOUS The game text of Grishnákh says, “The or wounds, since these tokens are not HREATS M placed on a character card. T Discard site number of each √ Orc is –3.” A threat is a token placed on the dead While Grishnákh is himself a √ Orc, NDURING Discard piles are always face-up, and he is not specifically named by this game E pile by the Free Peoples player. The cards are discarded one at a time so all For each wound on a character with the same tokens that are used for wounds text. Therefore, the site number reduction players can see which cards are being does not apply to Grishnákh when he is enduring keyword, that character is can be used for threats. There are many discarded. strength +2. cards that add or remove threats, much played (although it does apply to him after in the same way that burdens are added The order of your discard pile is he is in play). irrelevant, and you may place any card INITIATIVE or removed. However, threats cannot be Each time a value is used, all applicable added if the number of threats on the you wish on top after playing a card At any time, either one side or the other from there. modifiers to that value are reapplied. If side has initiative. The Free Peoples dead pile is equal to or greater than the the result at that point is then less than player has initiative while that player has number of companions in play. You may look through your own discard zero, than that result is changed to zero. four or more cards in hand. Otherwise, If the dead pile has four threats and there pile at any time, but you cannot look through an opponent’s discard pile. The order of modifiers doesn’t matter, the Shadow has initiative. If there is are four companions in play, no more When a card leaves play for any reason, since every applicable modifier is more than one Shadow player, then all threats may be added. Sometimes a reapplied each time a value is used. of those Shadow players have initiative companion will be discarded, and there any cards played on that card (or borne by or stacked on that card) are discarded. Numbers can go below zero until the when the Free Peoples player does not. will be more threats than companions in final check is made. play. Any tokens on that card are removed. Madril says, “Skirmish: If you have Look at / Reveal Most actions and events have initiative, discard 2 cards from hand to When you are the Free Peoples player, “continuous” effects throughout the wound a roaming minion Madril is only threats on your dead pile are active. When an effect says a player should look at a card, that card is shown only to phase in which they are played, much skirmishing.” You must have four cards in Threats on any Shadow player’s dead like a “temporary” condition. hand before using this skirmish ability. pile are not active (much like the that player. burdens on that Shadow player’s When an effect says to reveal a card, inactive Ring-bearer). that card is shown to all players. 34 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 35 Double Shot adds 1 to the fellowship A Free Peoples player uses the site text of Both characters involved in the transfer GIFT OF BOATS – Erratum 1 U 46 archery total from the moment it is played Rohirrim Road to make the twilight cost of must be at the same site. (Remember To play, exert an Elf ally. Plays to your support area. until the end of that archery phase. each condition and possession +2 until the that an ally is always at his home site When the fellowship moves from a river during The modifiers are not recalculated. The end of turn. That player then uses during your fellowship phase.) the fellowship phase, the move limit for this turn is +1. same modifiers are just applied again. Catapult during that turn to reveal the An artifact or possession may be top card of the Shadow player’s draw deck, THE MIRROR OF GALADRIEL – Erratum 1 R 55 Frodo bears The Ruling Ring and has 6 transferred only to a character who may Plays to your support area. Each Elf ally whose which is a condition. The twilight cost of bear it (as indicated by a “bearer must burdens. His strength is 4 (3 + 1 for the this revealed card is not modified by the home is site 6 is strength +1. Ring). During a skirmish with a Sauron be” phrase in its text). You cannot Maneuver: If an opponent has at least 7 cards site text of Rohirrim Road. in hand, exert Galadriel to look at 2 of those Orc, Enduring Evil is played. Since Frodo voluntarily discard a possession or cards at random. Discard one and replace the has 6 burdens, his strength is 4 – 6 = –2. If an effect uses the twilight cost of a card artifact borne by your character. other. This is reset to zero. Hobbit Intuition is revealed from hand, use the printed Transferring a card is not playing that If you cannot look at a Shadow player’s hand, played. All applicable modifiers are twilight cost of that card. Other cards in the effect of The Mirror of Galadriel’s special card, even though you must pay its ability is ignored. reapplied to Frodo’s strength. Strength of 3 play do not modify that cost. twilight cost. “When you play” game Moving cards between decks Reprinted correctly as a random rare in Fellowship (Frodo) +1 (Ring) – 6 (Enduring Evil) + text is not performed when transferring beta Starter Decks. 3 (Intuition) = +1. and piles a card. A RANGER’S VERSATILITY – Erratum 1 U 113 Legolas, Greenleaf is in play. The Whenever you move a card from one ERRATA Maneuver: Exert a ranger at a river or forest to fellowship archery total is 1. A Goblin pile to another (such as shuffling a card exhaust a minion. THRÓR’S MAP 1 R 318 Bowman is played. Pinned Down is from your discard pile into your draw The gameplay of the following cards has – Erratum played. The fellowship archery total is 1 – Plays to your support area. deck), you must reveal that card to all changed since they were first printed. Fellowship or Regroup: Exert 2 Hobbits and 1 = 0. Another Pinned Down is played. players so they can verify that the When Decipher reprints these cards in discard Thrór’s Map to play the fellowship’s The fellowship archery total is 1 – 1 – 1 = correct card was moved. a future set, their gameplay will be next site (replacing opponent’s site if necessary). –1, set to zero. Double Shot is played. The Stack corrected. Until that time, these cards Reprinted correctly as a random rare in Fellowship fellowship archery total is 1 – 1 – 1 + 1 = should be played as follows: beta Starter Decks. Stacking a card is not playing a card. 0. Another Double Shot is played. The BOOK OF MAZARBUL 0 P 7 WE MUST GO WARILY – Erratum 3 C 48 Stacked cards are placed face up and may – Erratum fellowship archery total is 1 – 1 – 1 + 1 + Tale. Bearer must be a Dwarf. Response: If the fellowship moves in the 1 = 1. be looked at by any player at any time. At the start of each fellowship phase when the regroup phase, exert a µ companion twice to Stacked cards are not in play. They fellowship is at site 4 or higher, you may draw a make each minion’s twilight cost +1 until the next regroup phase. Legolas, Dauntless Hunter is in play with cannot be spotted. card for each Dwarf companion. two unbound Hobbits to spot. Playing Reprinted correctly as Realms of the Elf-lords card HOWL OF HARAD – Erratum 4 U 236 Bred for Battle (an event with twilight They do not count for uniqueness. A 3 R 1. Plays to your support area. stacked unique card may be in play Each time a companion or ally loses a skirmish cost of 0) now costs 2. Saruman’s GIMLI, DWARF OF EREBOR – Erratum 1 U 12 involving a Southron, you may remove › to Ambition is played. Bred for Battle now elsewhere. Multiple copies of the same Damage +1. make the Free Peoples Player wound a Ring- costs 0 + 2 – 1 = 1. Another Ambition is unique card may be stacked together. Fellowship: If the twilight pool has fewer than bound companion. 2 twilight tokens, add ¤ to place a card from ITHILIEN WILDERNESS 4 R 237 played. Bred for Battle now costs 0 + 2 – 1 Transfer of Artifacts and Possessions hand beneath your draw deck. – Erratum – 1 = 0. A third Ambition is played. Bred Plays to your support area. You may transfer an artifact or Reprinted correctly in the Legolas starter deck for At the end of each phase during which the for Battle now costs 0 + 2 – 1 – 1 – 1 = possession between your Free Peoples Realms of the Elf-lords. fellowship moved to 7≠, 8≠, or 9≠ and the –1, set to zero. characters during your fellowship phase FAR-SEEING EYES – Erratum 1 C 43 twilight pool has fewer than 7 twilight tokens, you may add °. Cards already in play that affect another by paying the twilight cost for that This Elven condition is unique (•FAR-SEEING EYES Skirmish: Discard this condition to make a ∞ card’s twilight cost have their effect only artifact or possession again. (Minions ). Man strength +2. when the modified card comes into play. cannot transfer artifacts or possessions.) Reprinted correctly in the Legolas starter deck for Realms of the Elf-lords.

36 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 37 SARUMAN’S SNOWS 1 C 138 The name “Ostëa” in the title of this card EMYN MUIL 1 U 360 CLARIFICATIONS Spell. Weather. To play, exert a Ω minion. should be “Otsëa.” Future printings will have Maneuver: Exert your minion to make that THE ONE RING, ISILDUR’S BANE 1 R 1 Plays on a site. No player may play skirmish this correction. All versions of this card have the minion fierce until the regroup phase. events or use skirmish special abilities during same card title for uniqueness purposes. THE ONE RING, THE RULING RING 1 C 2 WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?2 R 15 skirmishes at this site. Discard this condition at A HOST AVAILS LITTLE 1 U 251 The One Ring’s first paragraph is a special the end of the turn. If a second copy of this card is played and that If you can spot 7 or more companions, you Shadow player has already chosen to skip his or ability, and therefore optional. The second SAVAGERY TO MATCH THEIR NUMBERS 1 R 139 paragraph of game text is not optional, so once may wound the same companion more than her next Shadow phase, that player may choose The One Ring is “worn,” all wounds taken The strength +4 bonus lasts until the regroup once. to skip the same Shadow phase again (which must be “converted” to burdens. phase. ORC AMBUSHER 1 C 261 has no effect). When you are about to take a wound and put WARINESS 1 U 161 This Fellowship of the Ring card was misprinted URUK SCOUT 2 C 47 on The One Ring, you must take a burden (or This card exerts or discards one of your Uruk- in the Gimli Mines of Moria starter deck. The The special ability of this minion may only burdens) for that wound. hai. word “non-native” should be “roaming.” cancel an event that specifically requires a THE ONE RING, THE RULING RING 1 C 2 WORRY 1 U 162 ORC ASSASSIN 1 U 262 ranger in its game text. You may use the special ability of this card in To play, exert an Uruk-hai. Plays to your This Fellowship of the Ring card was misprinted CAVE TROLL’S CHAIN 2 R 53 response to a wound placed by The Witch-king, support area. in the Gimli Mines of Moria starter deck. The When an exhausted Cave Troll, armed with the Lord of the Nazgûl or Úlairë Enquëa, Each time a companion or ally loses a skirmish word “non-native” should be “roaming.” Cave Troll’s Chain, takes its last wound during Ringwraith in Twilight. involving an Uruk-hai, the opponent must ORC BANNER 1 R 263 the archery phase, the Chain cannot be used to AXE STRIKE 1 C 3 choose to either exert the Ring-bearer or add a wound an archer companion (since the wound burden. Plays to your support area. is a required action and takes effect before the Skirmish: Make a Dwarf strength +2 (or +3 if Each time a companion or ally loses a skirmish Chain can be used). bearing a ∂ hand weapon). GOBLIN MARKSMAN 1 C 176 involving a √ Orc, each √ Orc is strength ÚLAIRË ATTËA, THE EASTERLING 2 U 82 Only copies of this card from The Fellowship of Italic text within parentheses is descriptive only, +1 until the regroup phase. This card cannot be spotted by cards that the Ring set need this clarification. and has no added game play effect. BILBO BAGGINS, RETIRED ADVENTURER 1 R 284 PLUNDERED ARMORIES 1 C 193 require an Easterling. “The Easterling” is his DWARVEN AXE 1 C 9 This card’s title should now be read as: subtitle, meaning “Man of the East.” Keywords This card can trigger only once for each Shadow If a minion bearing a ∆ weapon is discarded •Bilbo, Retired Adventurer are not found in subtitles. due to losing a skirmish, Plundered Armories player with a minion in that skirmish, regardless MERRY, FRIEND TO SAM 1 R 302 ORC SCOUT 2 C 89 of how many minions that player had. takes effect before optional actions triggered by winning/losing that skirmish occur. After Merry’s skirmish has resolved, he is no See Uruk Scout 2 C 47. GALADRIEL, LADY OF LIGHT 1 R 45 longer assigned and you may use his special BILBO BAGGINS, When an effect discards “all” minions (thereby ability. The twilight cost of an Elf played using discarding their weapons), they are discarded at WELL-SPOKEN GENTLEHOBBIT 2 U 96 Galadriel’s text is zero, and cannot be raised or the same time. None of those minions may have The strength bonus another companion This card’s title should now be read as: lowered. weapons played on them with Plundered receives from Merry’s skirmish special ability is QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERING 1 R 81 Armories. equal to Merry’s strength at that time. That •Bilbo, Well-spoken Gentlehobbit Verify that the twilight pool has fewer than 3 DRAWN TO ITS POWER 1 U 211 bonus does not increase if Merry’s strength is ÚLAIRË OTSËA, tokens before paying this card’s twilight cost. boosted at a later time during the same skirmish RINGWRAITH IN TWILIGHT 3 U 86 Plays to your support area. phase. SLEEP, CARADHRAS 1 C 84 The title of this card is spelled correctly. Refer Each time a companion is killed in a skirmish ETTENMOORS 1 C 331 “Discard every condition” means to discard involving a Nazgûl, add a burden. to entry Úlairë Ostëa, Lieutenant of Morgul, Plains. Skirmish: Exert your companion or every active condition. Inactive conditions are ETURN TO TS ASTER 1U235. R I M 1 R 224 minion to make that character strength +2. not discarded. If Frodo dies in a skirmish involving Otsëa with This card creates a skirmish in addition to ROSIE COTTON 1 U 309 ONE WHOM MEN WOULD FOLLOW 1 U 109 regular and fierce skirmishes. Sam also in play, The One Ring is transferred Sam is strength +1. to Sam before Blade Tip may be transferred Maneuver: Exert Aragorn to spot an ally. Until ÚLAIRË NERTËA, MESSENGER OF DOL GULDUR 1 U Fellowship: Exert Rosie Cotton to heal Sam. with Otsëa’s game text. the regroup phase, that ally is strength +2 and 234 participates in archery fire and skirmishes. FORD OF BRUINEN 1 U 338 MELILOT BRANDYBUCK, MERRY DANCER 3 R 110 If two or more minions are played, the Shadow SARUMAN’S CHILL 1 C 134 River. Sanctuary. The twilight cost of the first Response: If a burden is about to be added by a player decides in what order those minions are Nazgûl played to Ford of Bruinen each turn is Shadow card, exert Melilot Brandybuck to The cost of this condition is 1. Some copies of played. –5. prevent that burden. this card are misprinted. ÚLAIRË OSTËA, LIEUTENANT OF MORGUL 1 U 235 BALIN’S TOMB 1 U 343 OLD NOAKES, PURVEYOR OF WISDOMS 3 C 111 Shadow: Exert Úlairë Ostëa to make a ≈ Underground. Maneuver: Discard your tale If a Shadow card gives you the choice of minion fierce until the regroup phase. from play or from hand to heal your discarding a card from hand or taking a companion. different action, that card does not activate Old Noakes’ game text.

38 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 39 THE ONE RING (OVERSIZED VERSION)4 M 1Example: If a Dunlending Rampager is played, STING, BAGGINS HEIRLOOM 5 R 116 NO SAFE PLACES 7 R 66 A special, promotional version of this oversized Courteous Halfling does not prevent the Free The collector’s information printed on the Exert Sméagol to reveal an opponent’s hand. card has been produced in regular card size. Peoples player from discarding. Since the game Tengwar version of this card (a tournament That opponent must discard a card from hand This card cannot be used to play the game. text of the Rampager says “may discard,” a promo card) was printed incorrectly as 4 R 100. for each culture revealed. choice is provided. MY AXE IS NOTCHED 4 R 52 This information should be read as 5 R 116. CITY OF MEN 7 C 83 HORSE-COUNTRY 4 U 326 The strength bonus derived from this condition QUICKBEAM, BREGALAD 6 C 33 You may discard only one √ minion for is based on the lowest number of tokens on This Two Towers card was misprinted in an Ents Like other similar cards, this card’s game text each copy of this card played. of Fangorn starter deck. The correct text follows: either card. should say “Ent or unbound Hobbit.” For each FOOTMAN’S ARMOR 7 U 93 Plains. While you can spot a ≥ mount at Ent or each unbound Hobbit, the twilight cost Example: If there are two π tokens on Final Each time the response for this card is activated, Count and three ∂ tokens on My Axe Is Horse-country, the move limit is +1 for this is –1. turn. the conditions for being overwhelmed must be Notched, the strength bonus is +2. SWORD OF DOL GULDUR 6 R 85 checked again. INAL OUNT DERNDINGLE 4 U 330 F C 4 R 69 Bearer must be a Nazgûl. PIPPIN’S SWORD 7 R 114 See entry My Axe Is Notched 4 R 52. This Two Towers card was misprinted in an Ents While bearer is Úlairë Toldëa, each time he of Fangorn starter deck. The correct text follows: wins a skirmish the Free Peoples player must Bearer must be Pippin. ELVEN BROOCH 4 U 63 Skirmish: Exert Pippin twice to make him Forest. While you can spot an unbound Hobbit discard a Free Peoples possession or a Free To play, spot an Elf. Bearer must be a Peoples condition. strength +1 for each µ companion you spot. companion. at Derndingle, the move limit is +1 for this DESERT RUNNER 7 C 133 Response: If another possession borne by bearer turn. HELD 6 R 109 is about to be discarded by a Shadow card, ERED NIMRAIS 4 U 343 The “site 9” referred to on this card is any site 9 Southron. Ambush ⁄. discard this possession instead. card from any block. When the Free Peoples player assigns this When Sméagol is played to Ered Nimrais and minion to a character and you have initiative, This clarification is a change from a previous The Nine Walkers is in play, his twilight cost DON’T LOOK AT THEM 6 R 39 you may wound that character. ruling. is 1. Plays to your support area. DESERT SCOUT 7 C 134 UNDER THE LIVING EARTH 4 C 105 CAVES OF AGLAROND 4 U 352 Skirmish: Spot Sméagol and discard 3 cards from hand to wound a minion Sméagol is Southron. Ambush ⁄. The twilight token added for the cost of this Underground. Sanctuary. Maneuver: Spot When the Free Peoples player assigns this card adds to the strength bonus provided by its your Uruk-hai and remove ¤ to make one of skirmishing once (or twice if that minion is a ≈ minion). minion to a character and you have initiative, effect. your Uruk-hai fierce until the regroup phase. you may wound that character. THEY STOLE IT 6 R 46 Example: If the twilight pool is empty when this GREAT HALL 4 U 353 DESERT SNEAK 7 C 135 card is played, Gandalf is strength +1. Each ≥ ally participates in archery fire and Plays to your support area. Skirmish: Spot Gollum and discard 3 cards Southron. Ambush ⁄. COME DOWN 4 R 146 skirmishes at this site as if this were his or her When the Free Peoples player assigns this home site. from hand to wound a companion Gollum is This card allows all allies to take wounds from skirmishing once (or twice if that companion is minion to a character and you have initiative, archery fire. BERSERK RAGER 5 U 45 a ∫ companion). you may wound that character. URUK REGULAR 4 C 192 The strength bonus for this minion is increased IT BURNS US 6 U 110 LOATHSOME 7 R 182 This card’s special ability makes the twilight for any wound on any minion, companion, or If a skirmish that involved a Nazgûl is about to ally in its skirmish. This card counts both Free Peoples cultures and cost of an Uruk-hai –1 for each Uruk-hai you Shadow cultures when cards are revealed. end, discard a possession borne by a companion spot other than this card. The tokens removed for the special ability on in that skirmish. LOYALTY UNSHAKEN 7 R 10 Example: If you have four Uruk Regulars in this card must all be removed from the same This card is played as a response to the end of a When you play this condition, you may stack 2 play and you use the special ability on one of machine. skirmish that involved a Nazgûl, even if that cards from hand here and draw a card for each them to play an Uruk Searcher (twilight cost of BERSERK SAVAGE 5 R 46 skirmish ends before resolution. If the skirmish ∂ card you stack. 4), the Searcher’s twilight cost is 1. is ending because it is resolving normally, the See Berserk Rager 5 U 45. Skirmish: Make a Dwarf strength +2. Also, SOUTHRON FIGHTER 4 R 251 discard of the possession does not effect the BERSERK SLAYER 5 R 47 make that Dwarf damage +2 for each ∂ card resolution of that skirmish. stacked on this condition. Discard this The foil version of this card has a different See Berserk Rager 5 U 45. BOVE THE ATTLEMENT image from the non-foil version. condition. A B 7 C 262 URUK-HAI BERSERKER 5 U 63 FRODO, COURTEOUS HALFLING 4 R 301 SLAKED THIRSTS 7 U 14 When you play this card you must choose one The strength bonus for this minion is increased of the following actions: This card only prevents Shadow cards that for any wound on any minion, companion, or Choose one: Spot a Dwarf to draw a card; or, if (1) play a besieger stacked on a site you control; make you discard from hand or draw deck. If a ally in its skirmish. this card is stacked on a ∂ condition, spot a or (2) remove a burden to play a √ Orc Shadow card gives you a choice, you may Dwarf companion and discard this event to EYE OF BARAD-DÛR 5 R 96 from your discard pile. choose to discard. exert a minion twice. This card must be played in order to use its TERRIBLE AND EVIL 7 R 50 response text, which is affected by cards like Legolas, Dauntless Hunter. The text “discard If Gandalf is exhausted, he cannot exert to pay this card to” is superfluous. the cost of this card, even if X is equal to zero.

40 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 41 MORDOR ASSASSIN 7 R 284 SAVED FROM THE FIRE 8 R 20 Response: If a companion is overwhelmed Spot Gandalf and place a companion (except COLLECTOR INFORMATION CONTACTING DECIPHER during a skirmish involving a √ Orc and the Ring-bearer) in the dead pile to take up to 3 The Lord of the Rings™ threat wounds are about to be placed, remove a cards from that companion’s culture into hand trading card Check out our website, send us an email threat to assign this minion to the Ring-bearer from your draw deck. Shuffle your draw deck. game comes in 60-card starter decks, or give us a call: (even if the Ring-bearer is already assigned). ELESSAR’S EDICT 8 R 33 74-card deluxe starter sets, and 11-card •website: decipher.com Removing the threat is a cost that must be paid If a µ Wraith is about to be killed, discard him booster packs. • rules questions email: before threats are triggered. and either exhaust another µ Wraith or spot Each 11-card booster pack contains 1 [email protected] MORDOR DEFENDER 7 C 285 another exhausted µ Wraith to prevent that. rare card and a mixture of 10 uncommon • customer service email: Skirmish: Exert this minion and spot another BLACK DART 8 U 69 and common cards. [email protected] √ minion to add a threat. Archery: Spot your enduring or mounted • telephone: 757-623-3600 MORDOR SAVAGE 7 C 289 Nazgûl to transfer this condition from your Sixty of the cards in your starter deck • address: P.O. Box 56, Norfolk, VA Skirmish: Exert this minion and spot another support area to an unbound companion. or deluxe starter set are fixed, since you √ minion to add a threat. Discard a mount borne by that companion. get the same ones in each of that type 23501-0056 Bearer cannot heal or bear mounts. ORC OFFICER 7 U 302 of starter. Getting More Help Each time a companion is overwhelmed in a Three of the cards in a starter are special Keep up-to-date with our Current skirmish that involves a √ Orc, add 3 alternate-image versions of rare cards. Rulings document (or CRD), updated burdens. The 74 cards in a deluxe starter set also monthly: ORC PURSUER 7 C 303 include an 11-card booster pack. http://www.decipher.com/ This card from The Return of the King set has In the lower right corner of every card, lordoftherings/rules/index.html the same name as card 5 C 108 from the Battle of Helm’s Deep set. You may have up to four you’ll see a code like “4 R 12.” The first You may also find out when promotional copies of 5 C 108 and up to four copies of 7 C number is the set number, with 4 303 in your deck. and league cards become tournament indicating The Two Towers set. legal. ISENGARD RUINED 7 U 331 The letter is the rarity code, with R for Fellowship: Spot Gandalf to add ¤. Each rare, U for uncommon, C for common, CREDITS player may draw a card. and P for premium. Last is the number ANDUIN BANKS 7 U 341 for that card in the set. Design: Brad DeFruiter, Tom Lischke, Evan Lorentz. Development: Joe Alread, This card from The Return of the King set has © MMIV New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. “The Lord of the Rings” the same name as card 1 C 356 from the and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks The first time a card is printed, it gets a Mike Girard, Geoff Snider, Kendrick Fellowship of the Ring set. of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line “⁄” first printing mark at the end of its Productions, Inc. Decipher Inc. Authorized User. TM, ®, & © 2004 Decipher Inc., Summers. Art Direction: Dan Burns. MORGUL VALE 7 U 357 copyright line. This mark is removed on Art Design: Joe Boulden, Rob Burns, Skirmish: Spot your √ minion and remove P.O. Box 56, Norfolk, Virginia U.S.A. 23501. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. any subsequent printings. There is no Kieran Yanner, Jeff Hellerman. Production: 2 threats to make your √ minion strength Ross Campbell, Mike Carosi, David +3. way to tell a second printing from a third, for example. Watson, Sandy Wible. For New Line Cinema: John Mayo, Mark Ordesky, Glen When a reprint card has its wording Sharah. For Tolkien Enterprises: Laurie changed, that card gets an “A” revision Battle. Special Thanks: Tim Ellington, mark at the end of its copyright line. Chuck Kallenbach, Mike Reynolds, our When an “A” card is reprinted with a many playtesters, Weta Workshop, Richard change, that card gets a “B.” Cards have Taylor, Daniel Falconer, and — as always their wording changed for errata, — Warren Holland. clarifications, spelling errors, and game text convention changes.

42 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game C OMPREHENSIVE R ULEBOOK V ERSION 3.0 43 INDEX actions ...... 28 exhausted ...... 6 Ring-bound ...... 21,25 action procedure ...... 13 fellowship phase. . . . 10, 26 roaming ...... 13 active cards...... 18, 32 fierce ...... 17, 28 Rule of 4 ...... 26 adventure deck...... 9, 24 for each ...... 31 Rule of 9 ...... 26 adventure path...... 9, 24 formats ...... 23 sanctuary ...... 4, 6 ally...... 4, 26, 32 Free Peoples cards ...... 2 setting up the game . . 9, 23 ambush ...... 14 game setup summary . . . 10 Shadow cards ...... 2 archer...... 13 healing ...... 6, 10 Shadow number...... 12 archery phase ...... 13 home site ...... 32 Shadow phase . . . . . 12, 26 archery phase summary. . 14 how to move ...... 11 signet ...... 5 artifact ...... 4, 26 initiative...... 34 site ...... 4, 9, 23 assignment phase . . . 14, 26 keywords ...... 20 site control...... 33 assignment phase killed ...... 6 site number ...... 9, 23 summary ...... 15 kinds of cards...... 2 skirmish phase(s) . . . 15, 27 attribute bonuses ...... 11 King symbol (±) ...... 23 skirmish phase bidding ...... 24 liberate...... 33 summary ...... 16 block symbols ...... 23 limit...... 30 special ability ...... 8 building your deck. . . . . 23 look at / reveal ...... 35 spot ...... 21 burdens ...... 18, 20, 24 loops ...... 31 stack...... 36 card limits ...... 23, 24 losing the game ...... 18 start of turn actions . . . . 10 character ...... 3 maneuver phase ...... 13 Starter Rules ...... 1 clarifications...... 38 minion...... 3, 12 starting fellowship . . . 9, 25 class ...... 11 modifiers ...... 35 subtitles ...... 19 collector information . . . 43 mounted ...... 11 support area ...... 4, 11 companion...... 3, 11 move limit ...... 18 table layout ...... 22 contacting Decipher. . . . 43 movement summary . . . 12 The One Ring . . . 2, 19, 33 corrupted ...... 18, 20, 24 moving your fellowship. . 11 threats ...... 34 costs...... 29 non-unique ...... 19 tokens ...... 5, 7, 18, 34 credits ...... 43 phase action ...... 7, 29 Tower symbol (≠)...... 23 culture ...... 5 playing the game . . . 10, 26 transfer...... 36 culture tokens ...... 34 possession ...... 3, 11, 12 turn sequence...... 10 Deluxe Rules ...... 23 race ...... 21 twilight pool ...... 7 damage +1 ...... 16 reconcile ...... 17 types of cards ...... 2, 3, 4 Fan Club membership brings you more than just the full color, dead pile ...... 6 regroup phase...... 17, 28 unhasty ...... 27 The Lord of the Rings defender +1 ...... 15 required or optional unbound ...... 21 bi-monthly official movie magazine. It gets you 10% off all your purchases at our online store. discard ...... 21, 35 actions...... 28 uniqueness ...... 19 Trading Card Game sets, Roleplaying books and accessories, draw deck ...... 9, 24 requirements ...... 7 vitality ...... 5 puzzles, artwork, exclusives, and much, much more! effects...... 29, 30 remove tokens from the when, each time, After all, you want a dragon’s hoard, but why pay full price? enduring ...... 34 twilight pool ...... 10 and while ...... 8 errata ...... 36 resistance ...... 18, 20, 24 who goes first? ...... 24 event ...... 3, 8 response actions . . . . 19, 29 winning the game . . . . . 18 exert...... 6 Ring-bearer . . . . 19, 24, 25 wounds ...... 5

44 T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS Trading Card Game