Middle Earth : The Rewrite

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Bandobras Took
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Nice catch on the sites. Rules document updated. As for the other points:

1) No more doubling of MPs. This serves the twofold purpose of removing swinginess from the game (10 extra MPs because I managed to wound a guy with a crow on the last turn?) and sparing people the trouble of trying to remember whether they double before or after the halving.

2) That's timing for you. Neither of those are actions; if they happen, they happen. One of the problems of creature hazards in the original game is that there were few that were really worth playing compared to the chance of giving your opponent MPs. In the case of Corpse-Candle, though, this rule applies: "if a card will require you to make a roll when it resolves, you can declare cards that will affect that roll as a response." Corpse-candle does require several rolls for forcing a corruption check, you would play cards to modify various corruption checks in response to the play of the creature card.

3) The URD is now maintained by the NetRep; it would be best to contact him to have any flaws/omissions updated.
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Goblin King
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Mr. Took,
Thanks for your efforts! I have one serious concern that is on hazard creatures. Am I correct that you are discussing the possibility of getting rid of the 1/2 creature? All creatures that could be played as permanent events are now counted as one in the 10 minimum? I can see this greatly impacting game balance.
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Bandobras Took
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Yes, things such as Ahunt/At Home dragons no longer count towards the creature minimum, but the creature minimum was made two lower. One problem with requiring a 12-creature minimum and counting Nazgul as half-creatures is that it fairly thoroughly axed the Nazgul creature strategy -- after taking up 9 slots with the Nazgul, you had to take up a further 8 with other creatures, leaving a solid 13 cards for event support for creatures that required an awful lot of event support, especially if your opponent was doing a Gondor deck.

While the creature minimum is necessary to prevent the all-corruption decks that were the staple of the game's initial release, the 12 minimum and existence of half-creatures was a bit unwieldy. This gives a bit more room for hazard events to work their magic. To that end, prisoner-taking cards were expanding to cover more creature types (see the changes to No Escape From My Magic and Wraith-Lord), many long-events were made into per-player (allowing for the possibility of double enhancement), etc.

On the flip side, I also tried to make it more enticing to play creature hazards. One other problem with the original game was that many creatures essentially gave free MPs to your opponent, which discouraged using creatures. Also, it was highly possible to be screwed up if your opponent happened to focus on the one site type your hazards couldn't quite cover effectively. I added body values to many creatures, which enhances survivability without adding too much peril, and tried to make sure that all creatures had sufficient event support. I folded Wolves back into the Animal category, which ultimately strengthens both from an event perspective.

All of my modifications to hazards, apart from clarity, were made with the idea of opening up more hazard deck types to play. While from a design standpoint I believe it's more fun to have a game where both players are succeeding, hazard play is such an integral part of the game that it needs to be fun and engaging for both the hazard player (in the form of themes and fun combos) and the resource player (in the form of having an honest chance to overcome hazards). ICE had a very slippery slope to walk there, which was further complicated by (possibly) a design mandate to include flaws that would sell the next expansion.

Working with a closed set has many advantages in terms of approaching a balanced game.
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Goblin King
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My concern Bandobras is that allowing current 1/2 creatures as full creatures makes hazard decks to frighteningly simple. By playing almost entirely half creatures in my deck, I can empty my hand of hazard cards every single turn. This would allow me to speed up my resource strategy because I'm drawing more cards. I've played against some pretty nasty nine Nazgul hazard decks in my day. They are not played as creatures. Such a hazard deck would be even more destructive under your rules because it is much faster. Basically, I'm afraid that with this hazard ruling, nobody would want to pay any other hazard strategy in a competitive environment.
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Bandobras Took
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This doesn't change anything; if the focus is on getting hazards out to cycle through the deck, then the hazards are not meant to slow down the opponent much, anyway. I did not elect to axe the Dump and Run hazard strategy because it carries its own cost. It was already frighteningly simple anyway. Here and here are some examples. Keep in mind that under this ruleset, Ahunts, At Homes, and most Spawn are unavailable for such a strategy, not to mention that Nazgûl may not be played as events against Ringwraith players.

On a more basic level, if the concern is that people are quickly cycling their decks, the key is not to make it a chore to play hazards. That leads to frustration and stagnation. The key is to understand why people wish to cycle quickly, and see if there are some basic problems there. The main reasons I've seen people play Dump and Run are:

1) Speed Decks . . . 4 turn call and draw with ridiculous hero MPs or some sort of squatting junk.
2) Dunk.

In the rewrite I included a few cards that find strategic use against the first. One that springs to mind is Favor of the Valar. Speed decks are meant to achieve a comfortable minimum of MPs and call before the opponent can do much. Increasing the number of MP required to win the game neatly axes that. Enduring Tales x 3 raises the MP requirement by another 6. Both these cards are meant to provide a defense against speed decks without making a core aspect of the game (hazard play and building) clunky and frustrating.

For the other case, I made dunk require just a little bit more planning for Hero players (who were the only serious dunk threat because of the relatively safe journey to Mount Doom with an untested Gold Ring). FW Dunk play (without the threat of Blind/Ire) in my experience has seemed about the right level of difficulty for dunk.

By the way, I do appreciate the feedback. I don't think there's much cause for concern about the elimination of half creatures, since having half creatures didn't really stop dump and run in the unaltered game, either -- most of the most powerful and versatile hazards were half-creatures, anyway.

Now, the nerfs to Marvels Told and Voices of Malice -- those may be a cause for concern. :)
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Bandobras Took
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Fairly significant update; the graphics can be accessed by svn.

I was unable to commit the updated .xmls, so am attaching them as a .zip file; put them wherever .xmls should be put in your installation.

Main Points Of This Update:

First, several characters have been tweaked in order to bring their stats more closely to parity. There are still differences in power level between characters, but such should now spring mainly from card text. ICE rated all skills equally when designing characters, but did not create an environment where all skills were equally useful in actual play. The rewrite has attempted to ensure that all skills remain equally useful.

Second, and more importantly, card draw for movement is not based on sites any more. Instead, it is based on the number of regions moved during the movement: 1-2=1, 3-4=2, etc. In the case of under-deeps movement, base draw is determined by the number you're rolling against: thus, moving to or from a surface site is always a one-card draw. Individually sites now indicate whether the hazard or resource player receives any bonus draw, thus hero under-deeps sites allow significant additional draw from the hazard player.

This has the advantage of equalizing draw with risk; generally speaking, moving more regions makes you more vulnerable to hazards, and should be rewarded with increased draw. It also strengthens starter movement, which facilitates moving more than four regions (with concordant 3-card draw) as well as cards which allow a company to move extra regions.
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Bandobras Took
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Created a new document to explain changes in detail and the reasoning behind them; it may be found here. This may help ease someone in if they're thinking of trying it out. Link also added to opening post.
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Mordakai
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Quite interesting...

However, some things shocked me a bit:

Vôteli: May tap to cancel hazard environment cards. WOW

Shadowfax: Added Ranger skill; playable also at Gandalf’s current site. WOW, free MP river cancelling ally...

Palantír of Amon Sûl: Returns a company to the site of origin rather than being discarded. Does this mean that if you kill me enough characters in my way back home, I will not be abled to return ever? Cai I, at least, decide to drop the damned thing and just walk home alone (and probably unadvised)?

Palantír of Osigiliath: Returns a company to the site of origin rather than being discarded. See Pâlantír of Amon Sûl.

The Warg King: Home site altered to any site in High Pass or Anduin Vales. Also in Beorn's House? :roll:
C'mon, not the Elves of Lindon AGAIN...
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Bandobras Took
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Mordakai wrote:Quite interesting...

However, some things shocked me a bit:

Vôteli: May tap to cancel hazard environment cards. WOW
I felt it was a worthy addition, as roadblock is one of the most universally despised portions of the game. Since she has to tap to do it, merely tap her out first and you're golden.
Shadowfax: Added Ranger skill; playable also at Gandalf’s current site. WOW, free MP river cancelling ally...
For the only Hero/FW Avatar that innately has to worry about Rivers.
Palantír of Amon Sûl: Returns a company to the site of origin rather than being discarded. Does this mean that if you kill me enough characters in my way back home, I will not be able to return ever? Can I, at least, decide to drop the damned thing and just walk home alone (and probably unadvised)?

Palantír of Osigiliath: Returns a company to the site of origin rather than being discarded. See Pâlantír of Amon Sûl.
When you can get 5 MPs for storing it, yes, there should be a drawback. Returning to site of Origin is less painful than having to discard the thing, especially since returning to the site of origin no longer prevents you from doing anything during the site phase. On the other hand, you could Align the thing and just sit there using it. :)
The Warg King: Home site altered to any site in High Pass or Anduin Vales. Also in Beorn's House? :roll:
Why not? Is it any more innately ridiculous than sending an Orc to influence the minion Beornings faction? I personally find Eagle's Eyrie to be a bit more ridiculous; how did the Warg King get up there in the first place? :)
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Mordakai
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Bandobras Took wrote:
Mordakai wrote:
Palantír of Amon Sûl: Returns a company to the site of origin rather than being discarded. Does this mean that if you kill me enough characters in my way back home, I will not be able to return ever? Can I, at least, decide to drop the damned thing and just walk home alone (and probably unadvised)?

Palantír of Osigiliath: Returns a company to the site of origin rather than being discarded. See Pâlantír of Amon Sûl.
When you can get 5 MPs for storing it, yes, there should be a drawback. Returning to site of Origin is less painful than having to discard the thing, especially since returning to the site of origin no longer prevents you from doing anything during the site phase. On the other hand, you could Align the thing and just sit there using it. :)
But if that happens (Imagine I have Palantír of Osgiliath and you call home my 4th character), then the other 3 must return to the site of origin and stay there the rest of the game (unless you go there to pick them, chance meeting or something, but in the meanwhile they look at each other just wondering why don't they threw the damned ball and just walk home...)
C'mon, not the Elves of Lindon AGAIN...
Vastor Peredhil
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just send another dude there to help them carry it to safety?
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Bandobras Took
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Mordakai wrote:But if that happens (Imagine I have Palantír of Osgiliath and you call home my 4th character), then the other 3 must return to the site of origin and stay there the rest of the game (unless you go there to pick them, chance meeting or something, but in the meanwhile they look at each other just wondering why don't they threw the damned ball and just walk home...)
And if there's one thing a Lord of the Rings game doesn't need, it's items that you have difficulty letting go of. :)

More seriously, there's no mechanism in the game for discarding inconvenient items. The rewards of these two palantiri justify the risks associated with them.

As well complain about Dwarven Rings carrying 5 CPs.
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toonnee
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hanks for the effort you put in to this!
henrikbe
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Hi,

did you upload the new cards (graphics) anywhere? If so, where can I find them? Looked around at http://svn.councilofelrond.org/svn/metw/, but didn't find it anywhere.

Henrik
Henrik
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Bandobras Took
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There should be a version available for download with an SVN installation. As I understand it, the altered card graphics are in the same directory with the normal card graphics, and are in the naming format of cardnameRW.jpg to distinguish them from the normal cards, which are simply cardname.jpg

There should be a metwRW.bat in your installation directory, as well.

If not, I don't know what has gone wrong, as I'm not even computer expert enough to directly upload things to SVN. Vastor has been kind enough to do such work on my behalf. :)
The game is flawed, but this does not mean it cannot be loved.
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