*BETA*   Tournament Rules   *BETA*
The following is a work in progress and should not be considered final. Please inform us of any oversights, additional citations, or other useful feedback by contacting , and thank you to the many community volunteers who have contributed thus far!
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
These Middle-earth Collectible Card Game tournament rules have been compiled from decades of intermittently conflicting and subject-to-interpretation ICE publications, Usenet discussions, NetRep digests, and Council of Elrond forum posts. The CoE Rules Committee and our many co-volunteers have prioritized encapsulating the developers’ original vision and mechanical design as faithfully as possible, incorporating community rules votes and logical clarifications where deemed appropriate, and codifying the tournament rules as they are rather than attempting to improve them.
While this living document should align in principle with the Collected Rules File, which the Council of Elrond intends to continue maintaining for those who prefer that approach, the following text should be taken as a self-contained rules system (excluding card-specific errata); when utilizing this resource for tournament play, any rules herein supercede conflicting game rules printed elsewhere, and any game rules that have been omitted without being logically extrapolated from the rules herein should be treated as invalid.
CITATIONS
The following abbreviations source the history of each rule, including publications in which the rule originated, evolved, received errata, and/or was referenced in some other noteworthy manner:
METW - Middle Earth: The Wizards (Unlimited) rulebook
METD - Middle Earth: The Dragons rules insert
MEDM - Middle Earth: Dark Minions rules insert
MELE - Middle Earth: The Lidless Eye rulebook
MEAS - Middle Earth: Against the Shadow rules insert
MEWH - Middle Earth: The White Hand rules insert
MEBA - Middle Earth: The Balrog rulebook
MEWC - Middle Earth: The Wizards Companion
COL - Council of Lorien Tournament Policy (3)
CRF # - Collected Rulings File (and version number)
ICE # - Ruling Digests published by ICE
COE # - Ruling Digests published by Council of Elrond
CTR - Clarifying rules specific to how this document is organized
CHANGE LOG
Not yet! A record of changes will be started after this “beta” version is finalized.
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1 • GETTING READY TO PLAY
2 • THE PLAYER TURN SHOW / HIDE
I • Untap Phase
II • Organization Phase
III • Long-event Phase
IV • Movement/Hazard Phase
V • Site Phase
VI • End-of-Turn Phase
3 • COMBAT
I • Body Checks
II • Detainment
III • Prisoners and Rescue-attacks
IV • Trophies
V • Company vs. Company Combat
4 • AGENTS
5 • EVENTS (Short, Long, and Permanent)
6 • ITEMS (Using and Rings)
7 • CORRUPTION
8 • INFLUENCE ATTEMPTS
9 • ACTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND TIMING
10 • ENDING THE GAME
Glossary
Speak, friend, and enter!
Middle-earth Collectible Card Game is a legendary game from the late 1990s that is currently overseen by the Council of Elrond, a player-run, world-coordinating body for the game. The following “Beginner Rules” provide a simplified introduction to MeCCG, with inserted guidance and clarifications in the tradition of the original rulebooks from Iron Crown Enterprises. We have also included direct quotations from those rulebooks where appropriate, as an homage in respect and gratitude to the game designers who allowed us to explore Tolkien’s world in a whole new way.
Once you’ve read over the basics, join us on our Discord community or the online Middle-earth play platform to find an opponent!
1 • GETTING READY TO PLAY
1.1 The length of the game is determined either through mutual agreement or by the tournament organizer: Starter, Short (which is the default length), Long, or Campaign.
 METW
1.2 Each player chooses what type of player they will be: Wizard, Ringwraith, Fallen-wizard, or Balrog (which is differentiated from Ringwraith for the sake of clarity in the following game rules; see the Council of Elrond Tournament Policies for how Ringwraith and Balrog overlap when declaring alignments in General Opponent tournaments).
 METW, MELE, MEWH, MEBA, CTR
1.3 Each player prepares a deck that comprises four distinct sets of cards: a location deck, a play deck, a sideboard, and a pool.
 METW
1.3.1 The entirety of a player’s deck cannot include more than one copy of each “unique” non-avatar card, and cannot include more than three copies of each non-unique card (except for haven cards). Cards with the same name across different alignments are treated as the same card for the purpose of determining how many copies may be included.
 METW, CRF 13
1.3.2 The total mind of all agent cards in a player’s deck cannot exceed 36.
 MEDM, CRF 9
1.3.3 A card that may be played as a resource or hazard may be considered either for the purpose of deck construction.
 MELE
1.3.W1
A Wizard player’s avatar characters can only be Wizard avatars.
 METW
1.3.W2
A Wizard player’s non-avatar characters can only be hero characters, but a Wizard player may include agent character cards in their deck. Instead of an agent being a character card for a Wizard player, it is treated as a hazard card in all areas throughout the game and is worth half of a creature for deck-building requirements.
 METW, COL
1.3.W3
A Wizard player’s resources can only be hero resources, except for minion items and/or hazards that may be played as resources.
 MELE
1.3.R1
A Ringwraith player’s avatar characters can only be Ringwraith avatars.
 MELE
1.3.R2
A Ringwraith player’s characters can only be minion characters, with agent characters counting as characters for deck-building requirements.
 MELE
1.3.R3
A Ringwraith player’s resources can only be minion resources, except for hero items and/or hazards that may be played as resources.
 MELE
1.3.F1
A Fallen-wizard player has the following restrictions on the number of cards in their deck (in addition to the general deck restrictions, e.g. no more than one of each unique card, total mind of agent cards, etc.):
• No more than three of each non-unique Stage resource card.
• No more than two of each non-unique character card.
• No more than two of each non-unique hero resource card.
• No more than two of each non-unique minion resource card.
 MEWH, CRF 13
1.3.F2
For each hazard that may be played as a resource, a Fallen-wizard player can only count up to two copies as resources for deck requirements, while the third must be counted as a hazard.
 CRF 12
1.3.F3
A Fallen-wizard player’s avatar characters can only be Fallen-wizard avatars.
 MEWH
1.3.F4
A Fallen-wizard player’s non-avatar characters may include either hero or minion characters, with agent characters counting as characters for deck-building requirements.
 MEWH, CRF 10
1.3.F5
A Fallen-wizard player’s non-Orc, non-Troll characters are treated as hero characters.
 MEWH, CRF 10
1.5.F6
A Fallen-wizard player cannot include the following cards in their deck:
• Bade to Rule
• The Balrog (Ally)
• Cracks of Doom
• Favor of the Valar
• Gollum’s Fate
• Hour of Need
• Kill All But Not the Halflings
• The Lidless Eye
• Glamour of Surpassing Excellence
• Messenger of Mordor
• News Must Get Through
• News of the Shire
• Old Road
• The Sun Unveiled
• Use Your Leg
• The Windlord Found Me
• Wizard Uncloaked
 MEWH, CRF 13
1.3.B1
A Balrog player’s avatar characters can only be Balrog avatars.
 MEBA
1.3.B2
A Balrog player’s non-avatar characters can only be minion characters, but a Balrog player may include agent character cards in their deck. Instead of an agent being a character card for a Balrog player, it is treated as a hazard card in all areas throughout the game and is worth half of a creature for deck-building requirements.
 MEBA
1.3.B3
A Balrog player’s resources can only be minion resources and/or hazards that may be played as resources.
 MEBA
1.3.B4
A Balrog player has the following additional restrictions on the cards in their deck:
• Non-avatar characters can only be Orc or Troll.
• Characters can only have mind less than 9 unless they are Balrog-specific.
• Factions can only be Orc, Troll, Wolf, Animal, or Dragon.
 MEBA
1.3.B5
A Balrog player cannot include the following cards in their deck:
• Above the Abyss
• Bade to Rule
• The Balrog (Ally)
• Balrog of Moria
• The Black Council
• Black Horse
• Black Rider
• By the Ringwraith’s Word
• Creature of an Older World
• Durin’s Bane
• Fell Rider
• The Fiery Blade
• Helm of Fear
• Heralded Lord
• Kill All But NOT the Halflings
• The Lidless Eye
• Morgul-Blade
• News of the Shire
• Open to the Summons
• Orders from Lugburz
• Padding Feet
• The Ring Leaves its Mark
• Ringwraith cards
• Ringwraith Unleashed cards
• Sauron
• They Ride Together
• Use Your Legs
• While The Yellow Face Sleeps
 MEBA
Before the game begins, you choose which side you’re representing in the War of the Ring as you and your opponent race to accumulate 25 “marshalling points” from across Middle-earth. We strongly recommend that new players start as a Wizard player.
“During the Third Age, the Valar sent five Maiar to Middle-earth to unite and counsel the Free Peoples in their struggles against Sauron, the Dark Lord. ... You play one of these five Wizards. Your goal is to marshal the forces of the Free Peoples so that Sauron can be resisted until the One Ring is destroyed.”
Here are the types of cards that you will use as a Wizard player, with the various attributes of each card labeled:
SITE CARD
CHARACTER CARD
RESOURCE CARD
HAZARD CARD
To mitigate the complexities of deck-building, we also recommend that new players start with a preconstructed Challenge Deck. To summarize, your deck is split between four sets of cards:
• “Your location deck consists of your site cards. You may examine and select cards from your location deck as required by play (i.e., do not randomly draw them).
• Your play deck consists of your resource cards, hazards cards, and character cards. You randomly draw cards from this deck during play.
• Your sideboard can contain resource, hazard, and character cards... [At certain times during play,] you may exchange cards between your sideboard and discard pile and/or your play deck.
• Your pool contains up to 10 potential starting characters.”
1.4
A location deck may include any number of haven sites and one of each non-haven site.
 METW
1.4.1 Any player’s location deck may include one copy of each Balrog site for which there is no corresponding hero or minion site, specifically Ancient Deep-hold, The Wind-deeps, The Drowning Deeps, The Rusted-deeps, and Remains of Thangorodrim; however, only a Balrog player can use these sites for anything except playing hazards.
 MEBA
1.4.W1
A Wizard player’s location deck can only include hero site cards (and the designated Balrog site cards).
 METW, MELE, MEBA
1.4.R1
A Ringwraith player’s location deck can only include minion site cards (and the designated Balrog site cards).
 MELE, MEBA
1.4.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s location deck may include one copy of each hero site and one copy of each minion site (including havens), and may include multiple copies of each Fallen-wizard site.
 MEWH
1.4.B1
A Balrog player’s location deck may include one copy of each minion site other than the following, which require a Balrog version of the site:
• Moria, Carn Dûm, Dol Guldur, Minas Morgul
• Any Under-deeps sites
• Any Dark-Holds
 MEBA
1.4.B2
A Balrog player treats their own Geann a-Lisch site as a Ruins & Lairs with no Darkhaven effects in all areas throughout the game.
 MEBA
1.5 A play deck may include between 30-50 resources, a number of hazards equal to the number of resources, up to 10 non-avatar characters, and up to three avatars with any combination allowed except for three different avatars.
 METW, COL
1.5.1 The hazard portion of a play deck must include at least 12 creatures. The following hazards count as half of a creature (rounded down) for the purpose of meeting this 12-creature requirement:
• An “Ahunt” or “At Home” Dragon manifestation
• A creature that is also playable as an event
• A hazard agent
• A Spawn permanent-event
 MEBA, MELE, COL
1.5.2 A card that is “specific” to a certain avatar can only be included in a deck if its player declares that they are playing that avatar at the start of the game.
 MEWH, MEBA
1.6 A sideboard is a set of cards set off to the side during the game, and which may contain any number of resources, hazards, and characters, but which must adhere to any other deck restrictions when considered in conjunction with the play deck (e.g. not exceeding the allowed maximum number of each card across the whole deck, not exceeding the 36 mind limit for agents, and/or any other player-specific restrictions).
 METW
1.6.1 The maximum sideboard size is 30 cards for a Starter Game, 30 cards for a Short Game, 35 cards for a Long Game, or 40 cards for a Campaign Game. A player may also include up to 10 additional cards in their sideboard that are preselected for Fallen-wizard opponents, and which may only be accessed during the game if their opponent is a Fallen-wizard player.
 MEWH
1.6.2 A player may include any number of avatars in their sideboard so long as no more than one avatar has multiple copies across their combined play deck and sideboard.
 COL
1.7 A pool is a set of up to 10 non-avatar, non-agent characters that adhere to any deck restrictions when considered in conjunction with the play deck and the sideboard other than total number of characters (i.e. a player may have up to 10 characters in their pool even if they already have up to 10 non-avatar characters in their play deck). A pool may also contain up to two non-unique, non-hoard minor items that adhere to any deck restrictions when considered in conjunction with the play deck and the sideboard.
 METD, MELE, COL
1.7.F1
A Fallen-wizard player must include up to three Stage resource permanent-events in their pool, according to the following restrictions:
• They must have a combined total of exactly three stage points.
• They must include at least one non-unique resource.
• They must adhere to any other deck restrictions when considered in conjunction with the play deck and the sideboard (e.g. no more than three copies of each non-unique resource in the entirety of the player’s deck).These stage resources may also include resources specific to the player’s declared avatar.
 MEWH, CRF 10
1.8 Declaring Alignments - To begin a new game, each player must declare which type of player they are.
 MELE, MEWH, MEBA
1.8.1 A player cannot play any of the following cards against a Balrog opponent, but a player may remove one of these cards from their hand at any time against a Balrog opponent in order to bring one card of any type from their sideboard into their play deck and then shuffle:
• The Balrog (Ally)
• The Black Council
• Durin’s Bane
• Balrog of Moria
• Reluctant Final Parting
 MEBA, CRF 17
1.8.F1
If a player declares that they are a Fallen-wizard at the start of the game, they must also declare which specific Fallen-wizard avatar they are playing, at least one copy of which must be in that player’s deck. If their opponent is a Wizard player, their opponent may then switch any Wizard versions of that avatar in their play deck or sideboard with a different Wizard avatar. Wizard players cannot play the corresponding Wizard avatar of a Fallen-wizard avatar that has been declared by their opponent.
 MEWH, CRF 11
After declaring alignments, you and your opponent draft characters from your respective pools to determine starting companies. You may draft up to five different characters from your pool whose mind values (the head icon on the left side of a character’s card) must be no more than 20 mind total. Your starting company also begins with two minor items from your pool. You can choose to either shuffle any leftover cards from your pool into your play deck or just remove them from the game.
1.9 Character Draft - Immediately after declaring alignments, players conduct a character draft to determine their starting companies. For each round of the character draft, each player selects a character from their pool face-down and then both players reveal their choice simultaneously. Players set aside duplicated unique characters with the same name or manifestation; if the cards are not duplicates, each player plays their drafted card with their starting company. A player stops drafting characters when one of the following criteria is met:
• The player has five starting characters.
• The total mind of the player’s starting characters is 20 or revealing another character would bring the player’s total mind over 20, regardless of any effects that would modify a character’s mind in either case.
• The player has exhausted their pool of characters.
• The player no longer wishes to reveal characters.
 Once one of the players stops drafting cards, their opponent may finish drafting cards until they have also met the above criteria. Each player may then choose up to two minor items from their pool under the control of up to two of their starting characters. Finally, each player may then choose any unused or duplicated characters from their pool to shuffle into their play deck, provided that doing so does not exceed 10 characters between their combined play deck and sideboard. All other unused or duplicated cards in each player’s pool are removed from the game.
 MELE, ICE 1, CRF 11, CRF 17, ICE 582, COE 32
1.9.1 If a player drafts a card that requires a site in play, the player must also choose a starting site at that time (according to the rules for choosing a starting site).
 CRF 13
1.9.R1
A Ringwraith player may draft up to six starting characters instead of five.
 MELE
1.9.F1
A Fallen-wizard player cannot reveal Orc or Troll characters during the character draft unless they have already revealed a Stage resource that specifically allows them to play Orc or Troll characters (e.g. Bad Company).
 MEWH
1.9.F2
A Fallen-wizard player cannot reveal a character with mind greater than five during the character draft unless they have already revealed a Stage resource that specifically allows them to reveal a character with mind greater than five (e.g. Thrall of the Voice).
 MEWH
1.9.F3
A Fallen-wizard player must also attempt to draft the Stage resource(s) in their pool simultaneously with their characters. Duplicated unique Stage resources with the same name are discarded; if not duplicated, the Stage resource is put into play. All active conditions to play a drafted Stage resource must be met.
 MEWH
1.9.B1
A Balrog player may draft up to six starting characters instead of five.
 MELE, MEBA
1.10 Starting Sites - Immediately after the character draft has ended, each player must declare their starting site(s) by placing the appropriate card(s) from their location deck with their starting company.
 MEWH
1.10.W1
A Wizard player’s starting company can only begin play at Rivendell.
 MEWH
1.10.R1
A Ringwraith player may have up to two starting companies, which can only begin play at Minas Morgul and/or Dol Guldur. If declaring more than one starting site, the player must also declare how their starting company will be split between the sites.
 COL
1.10.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s starting company can only begin play at the White Towers OR at a Ruins & Lairs in Arthedain or Rhuduar. If that player’s starting company begins at a Ruins & Lairs, one of their drafted Stage resources may be Hidden Haven played on that site.
 MEWH
1.10.B1
A Balrog player may have up to two starting companies, which can only begin play at Moria and/or the Under-gates. If declaring more than one starting site, the player must also declare how their starting company will be split between the sites.
 MEBA
1.11 Starting Hands - Immediately after declaring starting sites, each player shuffles their play deck and draws up to their base hand size of eight cards (without an option to “mulligan”).
 METW
1.11.1 Base hand size is always eight cards at the start of the game, regardless of any effects that a player’s starting cards may have on base hand size.
 CRF 13
1.11.2 If a player’s base hand size is modified by their starting cards or otherwise during the game, that player draws up to their new hand size or discards down to it when a subsequent rule or effect resets their hand (i.e. not when the modification itself comes into effect).
 CRF 9
1.11.3 Effects that modify a player’s hand size are cumulative.
 CRF 9
1.12 Starting General Influence - Players begin the game with 20 points of general influence, from which the mind values of their starting characters are then deducted.
 METW
1.12.1 A player cannot have negative available general influence; available general influence always stops at zero.
 CRF 9
1.12.R1
A Ringwraith player has an additional 5 points of general influence that cannot be used to control characters.
 CRF 8
1.12.B1
A Balrog player has an additional 5 points of general influence that cannot be used to control characters.
 MEBA
Whenever you are instructed to make a roll, you always roll two six-sided dice and add the two results together.
1.13 Determining Who Goes First - To determine who goes first, each player makes a roll (2D6). Re-roll ties. The player with the higher roll must take the first turn.
 METW
2 • THE PLAYER TURN
For visual reference, here is an example of what the board state might look like during a game:
During your turn, you are the resource player, meaning that you may play and use resource and character cards. During your opponent’s turn, you are the hazard player, meaning that you may play and use hazard cards specifically during your opponent’s movement/hazard phase.
2.1 For the sake of clarity in the following rules, the “resource player” refers to the player whose turn it is, while the “hazard player” is their opponent.
 CTR
2.1.1
The resource player may play resource short-events and resource permanent-events, and may take resource/character actions on their cards in play, during any phase of their turn unless a rule or effect restricts them from doing so. The resource player cannot play hazards nor take hazard actions during their turn unless a rule or effect specifically allows them to do so.
 METW, COL, ICE 21, ICE 83, ICE 91, ICE 110
2.1.2
The hazard player can only play hazards, and can only take hazard actions on their cards in play, during their opponent’s movement/hazard phase. The hazard player cannot play resources nor take resource/character actions during their opponent’s turn unless a rule or effect specifically allows them to do so.
 METW, COL
You are represented in the game by a Wizard avatar card, a powerful type of character that can greatly boost your chance of winning. Just watch out, because if your Wizard is eliminated, your chance of winning will be greatly diminished!
2.2 If a player’s avatar is eliminated during the game (e.g. by failing a body check or corruption check), it is placed in its player’s removed-from-play pile and provides -5 miscellaneous marshalling points to that player. A player whose avatar has been eliminated cannot reveal another avatar.
 COL
2.2.F1
If a Fallen-wizard player’s avatar leaves play, that player must immediately discard all of their Stage resource permanent-events in play that are specific to the avatar.
 MEWH
2.2.F2
If a Fallen-wizard player’s avatar has been eliminated, that player cannot play Stage resource cards that are specific to the avatar, and the player no longer counts “as” that Fallen-wizard for the purpose of non-specific Stage resource cards.
 CRF 13
2.3 If all characters in a company leave play, all permanent-events played on the company as a whole are immediately discarded. If the company’s player has no other companies at the same site, the site must be immediately returned to its player’s location deck if it is untapped, discarded if it is tapped, or stay in play until the end of all movement/hazard phases for the turn if this occurs during the company’s movement/hazard phase (at which point the normal rules for sites at the end of the movement/hazard phase are followed).
 CRF 4, CRF 7
2.4 A play deck is “exhausted” when the last card is drawn from it. When a player exhausts their play deck, immediately discard any cards in play that would be discarded when a play deck is exhausted. The exhausting player then returns any site cards from their discard pile to their location deck, then may exchange up to five cards between their discard pile and sideboard (regardless of the type of cards), and then shuffles their discard pile which becomes their play deck. A play deck being exhausted and re-shuffled happens immediately when the last card is drawn (e.g. it may happen in the middle of drawing additional cards, which then resumes once the play deck is reset), and cannot be responded to.
 MELE, CRF 5, CRF 6, ICE 99
2.4.1 If a player ever has no cards in both their play deck and discard pile, the next card that the player discards immediately becomes their play deck.
 COE 82
2.5 A player cannot use pencil and paper nor other mechanical means to track which cards their opponent has played or revealed.
 COE 1
On a typical turn, you will organize your characters into companies and then move each company to a new site, where you can attempt to obtain powerful objects or recruit allies or armies to your Wizard’s cause.
“A player should examine the resources in his hand and then select a nearby site to travel to. Initially, do not worry too much about which site to use, just pick one that has the resource type you want to play. ... You will draw multiple cards each turn, and in some cases you will have to discard a number of cards each turn. Don’t let this worry you, it’s part of the flow of play. Just keep cards that are immediately useful during the next turn or that are crucial to your overall strategy.”
Here is a brief summary of the phases of a turn:
• “Untap Phase — Heal (if at a Haven site) or untap your characters and other tapped non-site cards.
• Organization Phase — You may play a character, reorganize your companies, transfer/store items, and decide where each of your companies is going to move.
• Long-event Phase — Remove and play certain “long-event” cards.
• Movement/Hazard Phase – You may move each of your companies to its new site, while your opponent plays hazards on each of your companies.
• Site Phase – You may have each of your companies enter its current site to attempt to play an item, ally, faction, etc.
• End-of-Turn Phase – Your turn ends.”
2.6 When players have finished taking actions during a phase and any end-of-phase actions have been resolved, the next phase begins immediately without an opportunity to take actions between phases or between turns.
 METW, COE 67, COE 75
2.7 Unless otherwise noted, the following rules apply to all phases of the game and not just the phase under which they are categorized.
 CTR
I • Untap Phase
“During play, certain cards must be “tapped” when they are used—this is a record keeping mechanism to keep track of card usage. To tap a card, rotate it 90° so that it is turned sideways—to untap a card, rotate it back 90° to its normal position.”
To start each turn, untap all of your non-site cards except for your wounded characters (which instead become tapped, if at a haven). Site cards never untap; once you’ve tapped a site, you can’t use it again until you’ve exhausted your play deck and the site has been returned to your location deck.
2.I.1 During the untap phase, for each of the resource player’s non-site cards, that player may either untap the card if it is tapped or, if the card is a character at one of the player’s havens, heal the character to the tapped position.
 METW, MEDM
If your avatar is in play, your opponent has the option to access the hazard cards in their sideboard at the start of your turn, but doing so reduces the number of hazards that they can play on you during that turn by half.
2.I.2 At the end of the untap phase, the hazard player may either:• bring up to five hazards from their sideboard to their discard pile.
• if the hazard player’s play deck has at least five cards, bring one hazard from their sideboard directly into their play deck and then shuffle.This action can only be taken if the resource player’s avatar is in play, and only once per turn. If the hazard player takes this action, the base hazard limit for each of the resource player’s companies at the start of this turn’s movement/hazard phase(s) is halved (rounded up).
 METW
II • Organization Phase
Your organization phase is an opportunity to prepare your characters for whatever mission you’ll be sending them on this turn.
“During your organization phase, you may perform the following steps in any order:
• Bring a new character into play ...
• Reorganize your characters and companies, including changing followers and company composition.
• Transfer and store items.
• Play a new site card for each company that you want to move.”
First and foremost, you may play one character per turn, either your Wizard avatar at his home site or Rivendell, or a non-avatar character at its home site or a haven. Technically you also have the option to discard a character from play instead.
2.II.1 The resource player may declare that they are “organizing” during the organization phase if they have not already done so this turn. While organizing, the resource player may Play (or Discard) a Character (2.II.2) and/or Set Company Composition (2.II.3); no other actions can be taken while organizing.
 CRF 8
2.II.2 Organizing by Playing (or Discarding) a Character - The resource player may either play or discard one character while organizing during the organization phase. This action can only be taken once per turn.
 METW
2.II.2.1 An avatar character can only be played at the avatar’s home site or certain haven(s) specific to the player.
 METW
2.II.2.1.1 A player playing their first avatar is commonly referred to as “revealing” their avatar, and a player cannot then play another avatar (unless as a Ringwraith follower).
 MELE
2.II.2.1.W1
A Wizard avatar can only be played at the avatar’s home site or Rivendell.
 METW
2.II.2.1.R1
A Ringwraith avatar can only be played at the avatar’s home site, Minas Morgul, or Dol Guldur.
 MELE, COL
2.II.2.1.R2
When a player plays a Ringwraith as their avatar (i.e. not as a follower), any corresponding Nazgûl hazard manifestation or Ringwraith follower in play is immediately discarded.
 MELE
2.II.2.1.R3
Characters in a Ringwraith’s company can only be other Ringwraiths, unless at a Darkhaven. If a Ringwraith is played as a new company at a non-Darkhaven site that contains another company with non-Ringwraith characters, and if both companies are still there at the end of all movement/hazard phases when they would be forced to combine, immediately discard the non-Ringwraith company.
 MELE, CRF 9
2.II.2.1.R4
A Ringwraith avatar may be played as a “Ringwraith follower” with the following active conditions:
• The player has a card or ability that allows a Ringwraith follower to be played.
• The player already has a Ringwraith in play at a Darkhaven or the Ringwraith follower’s home site.
 MELE
2.II.2.1.R5
A Ringwraith follower can only be controlled by a Ringwraith avatar, requires one point of direct influence to control, and still counts as an avatar card but does not count as its player’s avatar (i.e. it is not “your” Ringwraith or “your” avatar) while in play as a Ringwraith follower.
 MELE
2.II.2.1.R6
A Ringwraith follower cannot be influenced away.
 MELE
2.II.2.1.R7
A Ringwraith follower’s skills and direct influence may be used, but its other effects and Unleashed cards cannot be initiated.
 MELE, CRF 5, ICE 585
2.II.2.1.R8
If a player’s Ringwraith avatar leaves play without being eliminated, that player has until the end of their next organization phase to bring a Ringwraith avatar back into play to re-control that player’s Ringwraith followers; otherwise those Ringwraith followers are immediately discarded.
 CRF 9
2.II.2.1.F1
A Fallen-wizard avatar can only be played at the avatar’s home site.
 MEWH
2.II.2.1.F2
Whenever a Fallen-wizard avatar is played, its player’s general influence immediately becomes the number in the white hand on the left side of the avatar card for as long as the avatar is in play.
 CRF 11, CRF 13
2.II.2.1.F3
When a Fallen-wizard player plays a Fallen-wizard avatar, any of their opponent’s Stage resource permanent-events in play that are specific to that avatar are immediately discarded.
 CRF 10
2.II.2.1.B1
A Balrog avatar can only be played at the Under-gates.
 MEBA
2.II.2.2 A non-avatar character can only be played at the character’s home site or one of its player’s havens. In addition, if a player’s avatar is in play, that player can only play a character at the avatar’s site or under direct influence with an existing company.
 METW
Each player begins the game with 20 general influence, from which the total mind values (the white head symbol on the left side of a character card) of their non-follower characters is deducted. Most characters also have some amount of direct influence (the black hand symbol on the left hand side of a character card) that can be used to control other characters as “followers,” in which case each follower’s mind is deducted from its controlling character’s direct influence instead of your general influence. If you play a character but don’t have enough influence to control it by the end of your organization phase, the character is returned to your hand.
2.II.2.2.1 Whenever a non-avatar character is played, it must be played under general influence or direct influence. To be played under general influence, the character must be played either into a preexisting company or its own new company (regardless of whether doing so would exceed its player’s maximum general influence). To be played under direct influence, the character must be played into a preexisting company as a follower of a character that is currently being controlled with general influence, and the played character’s mind cannot exceed the available direct influence of the other character.
 MELE
2.II.2.2.2 The cumulative mind of a player’s non-avatar, non-follower characters is subtracted from that player’s general influence, while the cumulative mind of a character’s followers is subtracted from the direct influence of the controlling character.
 METW
2.II.2.2.3 If a follower is removed from the control of direct influence outside of an organization phase (e.g. due to its controlling character being eliminated, or the follower’s mind being increased such that it can no longer be controlled by its controlling character’s direct influence), its mind is not immediately subtracted from it’s player’s general influence. During it’s player’s next organization phase, the character must be moved back under the control of either general influence or direct influence, or else it is discarded.
 MELE, CRF 9, ICE 512, COE 9
2.II.2.2.4 Direct influence that is “restricted” to certain cards or races is only applied once (not per character being influenced). When a character’s available direct influence would be modified down, the modification must come from unrestricted direct influence prior to restricted direct influence. If there are multiple instances of restricted direct influence in effect, the resource player may choose which restricted direct influence to subtract from.
 CRF 4, CRF 5
2.II.2.2.5 An agent may be played as a character if it counts as a character for its player’s deck-building requirements (i.e. for Ringwraith and Fallen-wizard players). An agent played as a character can only be played at the character’s home site, and cannot be targeted nor affected by effects that specifically target or affect “agents” while in play as a character.
 MEDM, MELE, MEWH, CRF 5, CRF 10
2.II.2.2.F1
A Fallen-wizard player cannot play a character with mind greater than five (but if they have one in play, it is not discarded).
 MEWH, CRF 11
2.II.2.2.F2
A Fallen-wizard player cannot play Orc or Troll characters unless they have a Stage resource in play that specifically allows them to play Orc or Troll characters.
 MEWH
2.II.2.2.B1
A Balrog player’s characters with a home site of “Any Dark-hold” instead have a home site of “Any non-Dark-hold Under-deeps site”.
 MEBA
2.II.2.2.B2
In addition to playing or discarding one character while organizing, a Balrog player may take one additional action to play or remove from play a non-unique character while organizing.
 MEBA
2.II.2.2.B3
When a Balrog player plays a non-unique character with mind of three or less, that character may come from the player’s hand, discard pile, or sideboard.
 MEBA
2.II.2.3 Whenever a character is played at a site where its player doesn’t currently have a company, the site must be available in the player’s location deck and be placed next to the character upon resolution (or else the character cannot be played).
 MELE
2.II.2.4 The resource player can only discard a character while organizing if that character is not an avatar and is at a haven or its home site.
 METW
“A company is a group of characters that move and act together. This allows characters to move, act, and defend as a unit, allowing stronger characters to protect the weaker characters. This mechanism can be used to allow a variety of tactics during play. For example, if you have 3 characters in play, the 3 characters can move separately and perhaps do more in terms of acquiring marshalling points (items, other characters, etc.); but each individual character is more vulnerable to danger. However, the same 3 characters operating as a company might acquire marshalling points more slowly, but they are safer (i.e., you risk less).”
In addition to playing a character, you can organize how your characters are configured into companies at each of your sites. You can have any number of companies, but each company that isn’t at a haven has a maximum size of seven characters (with allies not counting toward company size, and Hobbits counting as half of a character for this purpose). A good rule of thumb for beginners is to aim for 3-6 characters per company.
2.II.3 Organizing by Setting Company Composition - The resource player may compose their characters into and within companies while organizing during the organization phase.
 METW
2.II.3.1 Companies at a haven have no maximum size, while companies not at a haven have a maximum size of seven.
 METW
2.II.3.1.1 Hobbits and Orc scouts count as half of a character (rounded up) toward company size.
 METW, MELE
2.II.3.1.2 Dúnedain, Dwarves, Elves, and/or Hobbits cannot be in a company with Orcs and/or Trolls, unless at a haven.
 MEWH
2.II.3.1.3 A company can only contain one leader unless at a haven.
 MELE
You can also move characters between general influence and direct influence within the same company.
2.II.3.2 While organizing during the organization phase, the resource player may move a non-avatar character without followers from the control of general influence to the control of a non-follower character in the same company. This action can only be taken if the controlled character’s mind is less than or equal to the controlling character’s available direct influence, before any modifications are applied as a result of the controlled character being a follower of the controlling character.
 METW, CRF 16
2.II.3.3 The resource player may move a character from the control of direct influence to the control of general influence in the same company while organizing during the organization phase, if doing so would not put the total mind of a player’s non-follower characters above the player’s maximum general influence.
 METW
2.II.3.4 The resource player may move a character (and that character’s followers) being controlled with general influence between companies at the same site without creating a third company while organizing during the organization phase.
 CRF 13
And you can split a company into two new companies, or join two companies at the same site into a single company.
2.II.3.5 The resource player may join companies at the same site while organizing during the organization phase.
 METW
2.IV.3.5.1 Whenever companies are joined, effects that are affecting either of the companies start affecting both of them.
 CRF 4
2.II.3.5.2 If a player joins companies at a haven, that player immediately returns all but one of the haven site cards to their location deck after transferring any cards played on the returned site(s) to the remaining site.
 CRF 9
2.II.3.6 The resource player may split a company into multiple companies while organizing during the organization phase, but the resulting companies cannot be rejoined during the same organization phase and all but one of the companies must declare movement to a new site during that organization phase.
 MELE, CRF 11
2.II.3.6.1 Whenever a company splits, the resource player chooses which characters are considered the original company and which characters are considered the new company. Any resource permanent-events or ongoing effects that were targeting the original company (as an entity) stay with the original company, whereas any effects that are targeting a specific “character’s company” stay with that character. The hazard player chooses which hazard permanent-events played on the original company go with which subsequent company. Both companies are considered to have faced any attacks that the original company faced before splitting.
 CRF 8, ICE 3, ICE 113, COE 51, COE 71
2.II.3.6.2 When a company splits at a haven, its player may place an additional untapped copy of the haven with the new company.
 MELE, ICE 44, ICE 61
You can store items at a haven during your organization phase, and/or transfer items between characters at the same site. Doing either requires the character bearing the item to pass a “corruption check,” which will be explained later in the rules.
2.II.4 Storing Cards - During the organization phase either before or after organizing, the resource player may attempt to store an item controlled by one of their characters at a haven.
 METW, CRF 8
2.II.4.1 In order to store an item, the item’s player makes a corruption check for the item’s bearer. If the corruption check is successful, the item is successfully stored.
 METW, CRF 6, CRF 8
2.II.4.2 Stored cards are no longer borne by a character (and thus get no bonuses based on who bears them).
 CRF 13
2.II.4.F1
Stored Stage resources continue to give stage points, and may be discarded while stored if their player must discard a Stage resource.
 CRF 13
2.II.4.B1
A Balrog player cannot store anything at Barad-dûr.
 MEBA
2.II.5 Transferring Items - During the organization phase either before or after organizing, the resource player may attempt to transfer control of an item between two characters at the same site (though not necessarily in the same company) by making a corruption check for the item’s initial bearer. If the corruption check is successful, the item is successfully transferred.
 METW, CRF 8, CRF 18
Remember how your opponent was allowed to access the hazard cards in their sideboard during your untap phase if your avatar was in play? You can tap your avatar to access the resource/character cards in your sideboard during your organization phase, allowing you to craft your deck in response to your opponent’s strategy over the course of the game.
2.II.6 Using Avatar to Access Sideboard - During the organization phase either before or after organizing, the resource player may tap their avatar character to either:• bring up to five resources and/or characters from their sideboard to their discard pile.
• if the resource player’s play deck has at least five cards, bring one resource or character from their sideboard directly into their play deck and then shuffle.The types of the cards must be revealed to confirm that they are resources and/or characters, but the actual card names don’t need to be revealed.
 METW
Once your companies are set for the turn, you need to decide where to send them! We strongly recommend playing with a map of Middle-earth that lists each site’s attacks, playable resources, etc., such as can be downloaded from:
• meccg.com/mapas (e.g. the “Graphs with sites - Hero” map)
• “Lord of the Maps” player guides on the CoE forum
For each of your companies, you can choose to either keep the company at its current site, or declare that you are moving the company by placing a site card from your location deck face-down with the company. Although the legality of each company’s movement isn’t checked until the next phase, their movement does need to be legal based on which method of movement they will be using:
• Starter Movement is typically used for moving to/from havens, and requires that the non-haven site card list the haven site as its nearest haven.
• Region Movement is typically used when moving between two non-haven sites, and requires that the two sites be within 4 consecutive regions of each other (including the containing region for each site).
• Under-deeps Movement is used for exploring the maze of tunnels and caverns where the Balrogs lurk beneath the surface of Middle-earth.
2.II.7 Declaring Movement - During the organization phase either before or after organizing, the resource player may declare movement for one or more of their companies that has not already declared movement during the same organization phase. The resource player declares movement by placing a site card from their location deck face-down with a company or by declaring a specific site card that the player already has in play as a company’s new site. Declaring movement has an active condition that the movement be valid depending on the type of movement used (e.g. Starter Movement, Region Movement, Under-deeps Movement, or Special Movement).
 METW, CRF 4, CRF 18
2.II.7.1 Two companies cannot start at the same site of origin and move to the same new site during the same movement/hazard phase.
 METW, CRF 8, CRF 17
2.II.7.2 If the resource player declares during the organization phase that a company is moving to a site card that the player already has in play, that site card must remain in play until the end of that company’s movement/hazard phase.
 CRF 8
2.II.7.3 A company may move to an untapped copy of a haven card from its player’s location deck even if that player already has a company at the same haven.
 ICE 61
2.II.7.R1
A company that contains a Ringwraith can only move to a non-Darkhaven site if the Ringwraith is in a mode (i.e. Black Rider, Fell Rider, or Heralded Lord). In addition, a company that contains a Ringwraith can only use Starter Movement and cannot have a site path that contains a Coastal Sea region.
 MELE
2.II.7.R2
Ringwraith followers may move with their controlling Ringwraith without being in a mode themselves.
 MELE
2.II.7.R3
If a Ringwraith’s mode is removed while it is moving (e.g. due to an ally being removed from play during a movement/hazard phase), the Ringwraith immediately ceases being in that mode but continues to move to its new site.
 CRF 11
2.II.7.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s companies may use either the hero or minion version of a Ruins & Lairs site; otherwise a Fallen-Wizard player’s non-overt companies can only use hero sites, whereas a Fallen-wizard player’s overt companies can only use minion sites for Border-holds, Free-holds, and/or sites that are normally Havens for Wizard players AND can only use hero sites for Shadow-holds, Dark-holds, and/or sites that are normally Darkhavens for Ringwraith players.
 MEWH
2.II.7.F2
If a Fallen-wizard player has a copy of a non-haven site in play or in their discard pile, that player cannot declare movement to a different version of that site from their location deck.
 MEWH
2.II.7.i STARTER MOVEMENT - To use Starter Movement, one of the following conditions must be true:
•The company’s current site is a haven and is listed as the nearest haven on the company’s new site card;
•the company’s new site is a haven and is listed as the nearest haven on the company’s current site card; OR
•the company’s current site and new site are both havens, with each site card listing a site path to the other site.
 METW
2.II.7.i.W1
A Wizard player cannot use Starter Movement to or from sites in Gorgoroth.
 COL
2.II.7.i.F1
A Fallen-wizard player cannot use Starter Movement.
 MEWH, CRF 11
2.II.7.i.B1
A Balrog player cannot use Starter Movement.
 MEBA
2.II.7.ii REGION MOVEMENT - To use Region Movement, the company’s new site must be located within four consecutive regions (or a maximum of six consecutive regions if using an effect that allows movement through more than four regions) from the company’s current site, without repeating regions and including both the region of the current site and the region of the new site.
 METW, METD, MEAS, CRF 5, CRF 11
2.II.7.ii.W1
A Wizard player’s company that is using Region Movement to or from sites in Gorgoroth cannot move through Imlad Morgul without starting or stopping there.
 COL
2.II.7.ii.R1
A Ringwraith player’s companies may move as if Dagorlad and Ûdun are adjacent.
 MELE
2.II.7.ii.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s company that is using Region Movement to or from sites in Gorgoroth cannot move through Imlad Morgul without starting or stopping there.
 MEWH, COL
2.II.7.ii.B1
A Balrog player’s companies may move as if Dagorlad and Ûdun are adjacent.
 MELE, MEBA
2.II.7.iii UNDER-DEEPS MOVEMENT - To use Under-deeps Movement, either the company’s current site or new site must be an Under-Deeps site, and the new site card must be listed as one of the adjacent sites on the company’s current site card or vice versa.
 MEDM
2.II.7.iv SPECIAL MOVEMENT - Special Movement encompasses effects that allow a player to circumvent the normal rules for movement. Unless otherwise noted, an effect that permits Special Movement enables that movement during the movement/hazard phase.
 COL, COE 13
2.II.8 If the total mind of the resource player’s characters exceeds that player’s maximum general influence at the end of the organization phase, that player must immediately discard enough non-avatar characters to no longer exceed their maximum general influence (which does not count as organizing). Those characters must first include any non-avatar characters that were brought into play this turn, and characters played this turn are returned to the player’s hand instead of being discarded for this purpose. Then any non-avatar character must be discarded if it is not being controlled by general influence or direct influence (i.e. because it was removed from control of direct influence between organization phases). Finally the resource player may choose which other non-avatar characters to discard until their maximum general influence is no longer exceeded.
 MELE, CRF 4, ICE 64
2.II.F1
A Fallen-wizard resource player may discard one Stage resource from play at the end of the Organization Phase, but only if doing so would not reduce the player’s total stage points below three.
 MEWH
III • Long-event Phase
Long-events are a type of event card that stays in play for a single turn cycle, meaning one of your turns and one of your opponent’s turns. The long-event phase is when you discard your resource long-events and play new ones, and discard your opponent’s hazard long-events (and then your opponent can play new hazard long-events during the next phase).
2.III.1 At the beginning of the long-event phase, the resource player immediately discards their own resource long-events from play.
 METW
2.III.2 The resource player may play resource long-events during the long-event phase.
 METW
2.III.3 At the end of the long-event phase, the hazard player immediately discards their own hazard long-events from play.
 METW
IV • Movement/Hazard Phase
each company takes m/h phase; reveal site etc
2.IV In whatever order the resource player chooses, they must initiate a movement/hazard phase for each of their companies. Each individual phase immediately follows in the chosen order, and each proceeds through the following Steps 1-8 (2.IV.i-viii) regardless of whether the company is moving:
 METW
2.IV.i Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 1 (Reveal the New Site) - If the company is moving, the company’s new site is revealed. If the company is moving via Under-deeps Movement between Under-deeps sites for which a required roll is greater than 0, the resource player must make an Under-deeps movement roll and the company must stay at its current site if the roll is less than the number listed next to the new site’s name on the current site card; in this case, the new site is returned to its player’s location deck, but this does not count as the company being “returned” to its current site. No other actions can be taken during this step, which happens immediately (prior to passive conditions that would be initiated at the beginning of the phase).
 METW, MEDM
2.IV.i.1 If a company’s movement is illegal when the new site is revealed during the company’s movement/hazard phase, the movement is negated, the new site is returned to its player’s location deck, and the company must remain at its current site (but still conducts a movement/hazard phase).
 CRF 18
2.IV.ii Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 2 (Determine the Site Path) - If the company is moving, the site from which the company is departing becomes its “site of origin.” The resource player declares which type of movement is being used in order to determine the company’s “site path”:
• Starter Movement - The company’s site path is the sequence of regions designated on the haven card(s) if moving from haven to haven, and otherwise is listed on the left side of the non-haven card. This site path includes the region types listed, as well as the name of the region containing the site of origin and the name of the region containing the new site (but not any other region names for the intervening regions).
• Region Movement - The company’s site path is declared by the resource player when the new site is revealed. This declared sequence of regions may be different than the site’s site path, but must have been legal when movement was initially declared during the organization phase. This site path includes both the region types and names of all regions being moved through.
• Under-Deeps Movement - The company doesn’t have a site path (i.e. the surface site’s region is not moved through).
• Special Movement - The company’s site path depends on the effect being used for movement, but generally does not include regions unless the effect states otherwise.
 If the company is not moving, the company’s site is considered both its new site and its site of origin, but the company does not have a site path. Actions cannot be taken during this step, which happens immediately (prior to passive conditions that would be initiated at the beginning of the phase) and is considered synonymous with revealing the new site.
 METW, MEDM, CRF 5, CRF 13, ICE 118, ICE 553
2.IV.ii.1 If an effect changes a moving company’s new site, the new site’s site path changes accordingly but the company’s site path doesn’t change.
 COE 11
2.IV.ii.2 If a named region has its type modified or otherwise treated differently by an effect, that modification is immediately reflected in all site paths (both for site cards and moving companies) where that region is also specified by name. If an unnamed region has its type directly modified or otherwise treated differently by an effect, that modification is only reflected in the site path where the unnamed region was changed. In other words, if an effect modifies an unnamed region in a site’s path or a corresponding company’s site path to/from the site while using Starter Movement, that modification is immediately reflected in that same site path and any corresponding company site paths using Starter Movement to/from that site, but nowhere else.
 ICE 38, ICE 111
hazard limit
2.IV.iii Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 3 (Set the Base Hazard Limit) - The company’s base hazard limit is set to the size of the company or two, whichever is greater (rounded up), then the base hazard limit is halved (rounded up) if the hazard player accessed the sideboard during this turn’s untap phase. Actions cannot be taken during this step, which happens immediately (prior to passive conditions that would be initiated at the beginning of the phase) and is considered synonymous with revealing the new site.
 METD, MEWC, ICE 114
2.IV.iii.1 During the entirety of a company’s movement/hazard phase, each played hazard card counts as one against the company’s hazard limit when it is declared.
 MELE, CRF 6, CRF 13
2.IV.iii.2 Not exceeding the hazard limit is treated as an active condition of the hazard player taking actions during a movement/hazard phase; there must be fewer declared hazards than the hazard limit at declaration of an action that counts against the hazard limit, and there must be no more declared hazards than the hazard limit at the resolution of an action that counts against the hazard limit.
 CRF 13
ongoing effects
2.IV.iv Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 4 (Establish Order of On-going Effects) - The hazard player determines the order to apply any on-going effects and/or effects played during the organization phase that depended on the new site or site path of a moving company. Actions cannot be taken during this step, which happens immediately (prior to passive conditions that would be initiated at the beginning of the phase) and is considered synonymous with revealing the new site.
 METD, MEWC, CRF 8, ICE 114
draw cards
2.IV.v Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 5 (Draw Cards) - If the company is moving, both players simultaneously draw cards based on the new site if moving to one of the player’s non-haven sites OR based on the site of origin if moving to one of the player’s haven sites:
• The resource player may draw up to the number in the lighter box in the bottom-left of the site card, so long as the moving company contains an avatar or a character with mind three or greater. If the company does, the resource player must draw at least one card (unless an effect would reduce the number drawn to less than one).
• The hazard player may draw up to the number in the darker box in the bottom-left of the site card, and must draw at least one card (unless an effect would reduce the number drawn to less than one).No other actions can be taken during this step, which happens immediately (prior to passive conditions that would be initiated at the beginning of the phase) and is considered synonymous with revealing the site.
 METW, MEWC, CRF 8
2.IV.v.F1
When a Fallen-wizard player moves a company, the number of cards that either player may draw is based on the new site (instead of the site of origin when moving to a haven).
 MEWH
2.IV.v.B1
When a Balrog player moves a company, the number of cards that either player may draw is based on the new site (instead of the site of origin when moving to a haven).
 MEBA
ABP/moving triggers
2.IV.vi Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 6 (Resolve Passive Conditions) - Passive conditions that must be declared at the “beginning” of the movement/hazard phase or due to some other condition having come into effect are now declared in an order chosen by the resource player. Players may respond to any initiated chain of effects during this step with their own actions, including actions that the hazard player could otherwise legally take during the next step of the movement/hazard phase.
 MEWC
2.IV.vii Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 7 (Play Hazards) - The hazard player may take the following actions in any order and as many times as desired (unless otherwise noted) until the hazard limit is reached.
 METW
2.IV.vii.1 Playing an Agent Hazard - As an action during a movement/hazard phase, the hazard player may play an agent as a hazard (i.e. it does not count as a character). Playing an agent as a hazard counts as one against the hazard limit, and may be done regardless of whether the agent counts as a character or a hazard for its player’s deck-building requirements. The agent is played face-down and untapped, never provides marshalling points to its own player even if that player defeats it, and is considered to be at one of its home sites (although no site card is necessary until the agent is revealed, at which point its starting site must be declared).
 MEDM
creatures, keying
2.IV.vii.2 Playing a Creature - As an action during a movement/hazard phase, the hazard player may play a creature targeted on the current company. Playing a creature counts as one against the hazard limit, and can only be declared if doing so would initiate a new chain of effects (i.e. it cannot be played in response). The creature must be “keyed” as an active condition, meaning that one of the following conditions must be specified by the hazard player when the creature is declared:
• The creature is being keyed to a specific region type on the creature’s card OR a specific region name where the creature is playable as indicated in the creature’s text, which in either case must match a type or name of one of the regions that the company is moving through. If multiple of the same region type appears on the creature card, the company must be moving through at least that many corresponding regions of that type (but which need not be consecutive).
• The creature is being keyed to a specific site type on the creature’s card OR a specific site name where the creature is playable as indicated in the creature’s text, which in either case must match the type or name of the company’s new site (i.e. the company’s current site if the company is not moving).
 MELE, CRF 4
2.IV.vii.2.1 When a creature card resolves, its attack immediately initiates combat against the company; combat from multiple attacks follows immediately in succession.
 METW, ICE 117
2.IV.vii.2.2 A creature “played on” a site is the same as being “keyed to” the site. A creature “played at a site in” a region is the same as being “keyed to” the site by name.
 CRF 8
2.IV.vii.2.3 Attacks or strikes keyed to a region’s/site’s name are not affected by effects that only refer to attacks keyed to a region’s/site’s type.
 CRF 14
2.IV.vii.2.4 The declared key of a creature with multiple attacks remains an active condition for resolving each of those attacks into combat; if the key is no longer valid at the start of any of the creature’s attacks, the creature is immediately discarded without effect (but still counting against the hazard limit).
 CRF 4, ICE 57, COE 6
hazard events
2.IV.vii.3 Playing an Event Hazard - As an action during a movement/hazard phase, the hazard player may play a hazard short-event or hazard permanent-event that targets one or more of the following:
• the current company
• an entity associated with the current company
• the company’s site path
• a moving company’s new site
• an attribute of a moving company’s new site
• a non-moving company’s current site
• an attribute of a non-moving company’s current site The hazard player may also play a hazard long-event or a hazard permanent-event that potentially targets one of the above entities or attributes, or that doesn’t have a target. Playing a hazard event counts as one against the hazard limit.
MELE
2.IV.vii.3.1 Hazards may affect more than one company even if they are only played on the current company.
 CRF 8
onguard/bluffing
2.IV.vii.4 Placing an On-Guard Card - As an action during a company’s movement/hazard phase, the hazard player may place any one card from their hand “on-guard” on the company’s new site if a card has not already been placed on-guard during this same movement/hazard phase. The card is declared as a hazard against the company and is placed face-down at the site (and is no longer considered to be in the hazard player’s hand). Placing a card on-guard counts as one against the hazard limit, may be done in response, and this action can only be taken once per movement/hazard phase.
 MELE, CRF 4, CRF 18
2.IV.vii.4.1 If a card is legally declared as being placed on-guard but then exceeds the hazard limit upon resolution, it is returned to its player’s hand instead of being discarded.
 ICE 102, CRF 17
2.IV.vii.4.2 If a site with an on-guard card on it leaves play, the on-guard card returns to the hazard player’s hand.
 ICE 110, CRF 17
2.IV.vii.5 Sideboarding with a Nazgûl - As an action during a movement/hazard phase, the hazard player may tap and discard a Nazgûl permanent-event to either:
• bring up to five hazards from the hazard player’s sideboard to their discard pile.
• if the hazard player’s play deck has at least five cards, bring one hazard from their sideboard directly into their play deck and then shuffle.The normal effect of tapping the Nazgûl does not apply, and the Nazgûl is discarded upon declaration without turning into a short-event. Tapping and discarding a Nazgûl in this way counts as one against the hazard limit.
 METW, CRF 4
2.IV.vii.F1
For the purpose of hazards, a Fallen-wizard player’s covert companies are considered hero companies, and a Fallen-wizard player’s overt companies are considered minion companies.
 MEWH
ending the m/h phase
2.IV.viii Movement/Hazard Phase, Step 8 (End the Company’s Movement/Hazard Phase) - A company’s Movement-Hazard Phase ends when both players declare that they are done taking actions. Any passive conditions initiated by the end of the phase are declared and resolved in an order chosen by the resource player. Then if no other companies have declared unresolved movement to this company’s site of origin, the site of origin is immediately discarded if it was tapped and not a haven site card, or returned to the resource player’s location deck if it was untapped or a haven site card. Both players then immediately reset their hands by drawing or discarding to their base hand size. No other action can be taken during this step unless it is specifically allowed at the end of the movement/hazard phase.
 METW, MEWC, CRF 8
2.IV.1 If the resource player has no companies, that player skips their movement/hazard phase.
 COE 17
2.IV.2 If a company moves multiple times in one turn, each movement/hazard phase begins immediately after the previous phase concludes, and resources played during the organization phase that depend on the site or site path of a moving company are reapplied at the beginning of each movement/hazard phase if their conditions are met.
 CRF 8
returning/at/joining
2.IV.3 If a company is returned to its site of origin during its movement/hazard phase, the company’s movement/hazard phase immediately ends and no more actions can be taken during it, the company is no longer considered to have a site path nor to have moved to a site this turn, and the company’s player cannot initiate any actions during that company’s site phase.
 METW, CRF 8
2.IV.4 A company is considered to be “at” its site card at all times except from the moment when its new site card is revealed until the end of all movement/hazard phases for the company’s player’s turn.
 MEWC, CRF 8
2.IV.5 The resource player must immediately join any companies at the same non-haven site at the end of a turn’s movement/hazard phases. The resource player may choose which, if any, companies at the same haven site to join at the end of a turn’s movement/hazard phases.
 CRF 5
2.IV.5.1 If a resource player attempts to join multiple companies at the end of a turn’s movement/hazard phases but doing so would violate a company composition rule, only one company of the hazard player’s choice remains and the other(s) must immediately return to their site(s) of origin. Any effect that would cause such a violation is automatically canceled.
 CRF 5
V • Site Phase
site phase for each company; first need to enter, do nothing otherwise
2.V In whatever order the resource player chooses, they must initiate a site phase for each of their companies, with each individual phase immediately following in the chosen order. For each company, the resource player may choose during that company’s site phase to either do nothing (in which case that company’s site phase ends immediately), or enter the company’s current site (and then potentially take further actions at the site). When a player declares that a company is entering its site, the player proceeds through the following Steps 1-4 (2.V.i-iv):
 METW
OG attacks
2.V.i Entering a Site, Step 1 (Revealing On-Guard Attacks) - The hazard player may reveal and play on-guard cards placed on the site if either of the following criteria is met (in addition to adhering to any other applicable rules for revealing on-guard cards):
• The card is a creature that may be keyed to the site AND the site has an automatic-attack when the company enters (in which case the creature attacks after all automatic-attacks).
• The card is a hazard event that would affect an existing automatic-attack at the site.No other actions can be taken during this step, which happens immediately.
 METW, MEDM
2.V.i.1 Adding an additional automatic-attack or removing an existing automatic-attack counts as affecting an existing automatic-attack for the purpose of revealing an on-guard event.
 CRF 8, ICE 38, ICE 55, ICE 91
auto-attacks
2.V.ii Entering a Site, Step 2 (Automatic-Attacks) - If the site has any automatic-attacks, the first automatic-attack is initiated and resolved, followed by any additional automatic-attacks, with each proceeding immediately in the order listed on the site card. Once all automatic-attacks have been faced and regardless of whether they were defeated, the company is considered to have successfully entered the site.
 METW, CRF 4
2.V.ii.1 Automatic-attacks added to a site are added to the end of the site’s other automatic-attacks.
CRF 4
2.V.ii.2 If an automatic-attack depends on a hazard creature being played as the automatic-attack, the creature card must be played immediately before that attack would be initiated but doing so does not count as playing a creature nor does it count as a creature attack.
 MEDM, CRF 7, CRF 9, ICE 58
2.V.ii.3 A character at its home site may be tapped to cancel an automatic-attack at its home site if the home site is named (i.e. not “any Dark-Hold”).
 MELE, CRF 8
2.V.ii.4 Removing an automatic-attack from a site is not the same as canceling the actual attack, and thus cannot be done by the resource player during a site phase prior to entering the site.
 ICE 42, ICE 81
2.V.ii.5 Once combat for an automatic-attack is initiated, the site is not an active condition of the attack; on-going combat that was initiated from an automatic-attack will continue even if the site leaves play or the automatic-attack is otherwise removed from the site.
 COE 19, COE 58
2.V.ii.6 The resource player can only take actions during a company’s site phase after that company has successfully entered its site (but may still take actions during combat prior to entering the site, per the normal rules for combat).
 CRF 8
2.V.iii Entering a Site, Step 3 (Revealing Agent Attacks) - Immediately following any automatic-attacks at the site (or after the company declares that they are entering a site with no automatic-attacks), the hazard player may declare that an agent played as a hazard and currently located at the company’s site will attack, with the condition that the agent must be revealed when the attack is declared if not already revealed.
 MEDM, MEWC
2.V.iii.1 An agent can only attack once per site phase.
 CRF 13
2.V.iii.2 Agent attacks are not keyed to anything.
 CRF 11
2.V.iv Entering a Site, Step 4 (Resolving On-Guard and/or Agent Attacks) - If the hazard player previously declared any on-guard creature or agent attacks during this site phase, those attacks are initiated and resolved in an order chosen by the resource player, with each proceeding immediately in the chosen order.
 METW, MEDM, MEWC
Then play a resource and tap site!
2.V.1 Playing Resources at a Site - Allies, factions, and items can only be played during the site phase by an untapped character at an untapped site, and tap the character and site when played.
 METW, CRF 7, ICE 44
2.V.1.1 If a resource can only be played during the site phase and playing it would normally tap the site, it can only be played after facing all automatic-attacks, agent attacks, and on-guard creature attacks. In addition, the resource has an active condition of requiring an untapped site, which is then tapped upon successful resolution of the resource (rather than upon declaration).
 CRF 8, CRF 14, CRF 16
2.V.1.2 “Does not tap the site” is not equal to “playable at a tapped site.”
 ICE 586
2.V.2 Playing an Ally - If a company has successfully entered a site (and has faced any associated attacks) during its site phase, the resource player may play an ally if they have an untapped character in the company, the site is untapped, and the ally is playable at the site. The resource player must tap the character (as an active condition), and upon resolution places the ally under the character’s control and taps the site.
 METW
2.V.2.1 Playing an ally is not considered an influence attempt, and an ally’s mind value is not subtracted from its controller’s direct influence.
 METW, CRF 6
2.V.2.2 Allies are not characters, but are treated as characters for the purposes of combat-specific actions or effects (e.g. facing strikes, tapping in support or to cancel attacks, being affected by cards that specifically refer to characters during combat, etc.), “skill only” cards or effects (e.g. fulfilling active conditions that require a character with a certain skill), and healing.
 METW, CRF 4, CRF 7
2.V.2.3 If an ally’s controlling character leaves play, the ally is immediately discarded.
 CRF 6
2.V.3 Playing a Faction - If a company has successfully entered a site (and has faced any associated attacks) during its site phase, the resource player may play a faction if they have an untapped character in the company, the site is untapped, and the faction is playable at the site. The resource player must reveal the faction and tap the character (as an active condition), but upon resolution must attempt an influence check by making a roll (2D6) and adding the character’s available direct influence and any other modifications (e.g. a bonus that the character may have when influencing that faction, “standard modifications” listed on the faction card based on what other factions the resource player already has in play, etc.). If the result is greater than the number listed on the faction, the resource player successfully plays the faction into their own marshalling point pile and taps the site; otherwise the faction is immediately discarded.
MELE
2.V.4 Playing an Item - If a company has successfully entered a site (and has faced any associated attacks) during its site phase, the resource player may play an item if they have an untapped character in the company, the site is untapped, and the type of item is playable at the site (i.e. minor, major, greater, or ring). The resource player must tap the character (as an active condition), and then upon resolution places the item under the character’s control and taps the site.
 METW
additional minor
2.V.5 Playing an Additional Minor Item - When a resource that taps the site is successfully played during a company’s site phase and the site is tapped as a result, the resource player may attempt to play one additional minor item as that player’s next declared action even if the site doesn’t indicate that minor items are playable. The resource player must tap a character (as an active condition), and then upon resolution places the item under the character’s control.
 METW, CRF 4, ICE 15, ICE 54
2.V.5.1 If the site is an Under-deeps site, any one additional item that is playable at the site may be played instead of an additional minor item.
 MEDM
other OG cards
2.V.6 On-guard Cards - In addition to revealing a creature or hazard that affects an automatic-attack prior to automatic-attacks resolving, the hazard player may reveal an on-guard card during a company’s site phase when the company attempts to play a resource that would tap the site if successfully played. This action can only be taken if the card being revealed is a hazard event that would directly affect the company (or an associated entity) or an influence check (even an effect depending on the result of a currently declared influence check), AND if the card could have been played with existing legal targets during the company’s movement/hazard phase. A hazard cannot be revealed in this way if it meets any of the following criteria:
a) Returns the company to its site of origin
b) Taps the company’s site
c) Potentially removes a character from the company, unless via combat or corruption checks (but a card that potentially removes an ally may be revealed)
d) Forces the company to do nothing during its site phase
e) Directly taps a character in the company.When an on-guard card is revealed in response to a resource being played, it initiates a separate chain of events that is treated as if it had been declared immediately prior to the chain of effects during which it was revealed. Once players finish responding to this on-guard-initiated chain of effects and the on-guard chain resolves (as well as any passive-condition-initiated chains of effects that would normally follow), the original chain of effects then resumes.
 MELE, CRF 4, CRF 6, CRF 8, CRF 11, ICE 3, ICE 539, COE 207
2.V.6.1 Only declared or on-going effects may be considered when determining the validity of revealing an on-guard card. Potential effects (e.g. of passive conditions) cannot be considered.
 CRF 8
2.V.6.2 Cards that are specifically playable on a character facing an attack or strike cannot be revealed on-guard because the target did not exist during the movement/hazard phase.
 COE 57
2.V.6.3 If an on-guard card is revealed that would (indirectly) tap a character that was just tapped to play a resource, the character remains tapped and the play of the resource proceeds normally.
 CRF 13, ICE 123
2.V.6.4 On-guard cards placed on a company’s site can only be revealed against, and can only affect, the same company on which the on-guard card was placed or a new company comprising that same company (unless the hazard states that it affects all versions of the site).
 CRF 13, ICE 64, ICE 90
2.V.6.5 When an on-guard card is revealed, it immediately ceases to be considered an on-guard card.
 CRF 7
2.V.7 If the resource player has no companies, that player skips their site phase.
 ICE 60
then finish site phase
2.V.8 Once the resource player declares that they are done taking actions during a company’s site phase, that company’s site phase ends. Once all site phases for the player’s companies have ended, any remaining on-guard cards are immediately returned to the hazard player’s hand.
 METW
2.V.F1
For a Fallen-wizard player to play a resource that would normally tap the site, the alignment of the resource being played must match the alignment of the site where it is being played. Wizardhavens and Stage resources count as either alignment for this purpose.
 MEWH, ICE 52
VI • End-of-Turn Phase
EOT
2.VI Players proceed through the following Steps 1-3 (2.VI.i-iii) during the end-of-turn phase (and between which actions may be taken that would otherwise be legal):
 METW, CRF 6
2.VI.i Ending the Turn, Step 1) Either player may discard a card from their hand.
 METW
2.VI.ii Ending the Turn, Step 2) Both players reset their hands by drawing or discarding to their base hand size.
 METW
2.VI.iii Ending the Turn, Step 3) The resource player signals the end of the turn. Actions with end-of-turn passive conditions are declared and resolved in an order chosen by the resource player. No other action can be taken during this step unless it is specifically allowed at the end of the turn.
 CRF 5
2.VI.1 Replacing one site with another during the end-of-turn phase counts as movement but does not initiate a movement/hazard phase.
 CRF 8
3 • COMBAT
combat, general steps
3 The resolution of a declared attack initiates “combat,” which proceeds through the following Steps 1-5 (3.i-v):
 MELE, ICE 71
3.i Combat, Step 1 (Pre-Assignment Actions) - Prior to strikes being assigned, either player may take actions that they would normally be allowed to take during the current phase of the game in which the combat is taking place (with the company’s hazard limit still being in effect during the Movement/Hazard phase). Regardless of the phase of the game in which combat is taking place, the resource player may take resource/character actions, and the hazard player may take hazard actions if combat is taking place during the Movement/Hazard phase, that would either cancel the attack or modify attributes of the attack as a whole (e.g. the number of strikes, which player assigns strikes, the prowess or body of the attack, etc.). Players cannot take actions that cancel the attack or modify the attack as a whole after this step, which continues until both players have finished taking actions prior to strike assignment.
 MEWC, CRF 8, CRF 16, CRF 17, ICE 33
3.i.1 A company or entity is considered to have “faced” an attack once the attack resolves and combat is initiated (even if the attack is then canceled; this also applies to automatic-attacks).
 MEWC, CRF 4, CRF 11
3.i.2 Attacks can only be modified by effects that specifically refer to attacks.
 CRF 8
3.i.3 A resource/character action that would cancel or otherwise directly affect an attack can only be taken if the resource or character with the effect is in the company facing the attack or is a resource event not associated with any company. This does not apply to resource/character actions that would affect the region or site type to which a creature attack has been keyed.
 CRF 4
3.i.4 Attacks or strikes keyed by name to a region or site cannot be cancelled by effects that only refer to the type of the region or site.
 CRF 14
3.i.5 Effects that would allow a character to be assigned multiple strikes must be declared before strikes are assigned. If a character is assigned to more than one strike from an attack, a separate strike sequence is initiated for each strike. If a character facing multiple strikes is eliminated by one of the strikes, any remaining unresolved strikes assigned to the character are considered successful.
 CRF 5, COE 9, CRF 17
3.ii Combat, Step 2 (Defending Player Assigns Strikes) - The defending player may choose which untapped characters facing the attack will be assigned a strike. If the attack has an effect that the attacker chooses defending characters, this step is skipped. Actions cannot be taken during this step, which happens immediately.
 METW
3.ii.1 The defending player may choose to defer assigning one or more strikes even if there are untapped characters available to choose.
 MELE
3.ii.2 Effects that would allow a character to be assigned more than one strike do not affect attacks for which “each character faces a strike”, and such an attack cannot have its number of strikes modified unless an effect reduces the number of strikes to a specific number.
 METW, CRF 4
3.ii.3 Effects that change strike assignments and are written as “always” or “in all cases” take precedence over strike-assignment effects that are written as “regardless of [certain factors]”. If two of these effects would still conflict, the resource takes precedence over the hazard.
 CRF 8
3.ii.4 For an agent attack, if the agent was face-down and at its home site when its attack was declared, the attacking player chooses the defending characters.
 MEDM
3.iii Combat, Step 3 (Opponent Assigns Remaining Strikes) - The defending player’s opponent assigns any remaining strikes to characters that have not yet been assigned a strike, up to the number of characters facing the attack. Excess strikes cannot be canceled, but do not have to be defeated in order for the attack to be defeated. Actions cannot be taken during this step, which happens immediately.
 METW, CRF 6
strike sequences, and in between
3.iv Combat, Step 4 (Strike Sequences) - Once strikes are assigned, in an order determined by the defending player, a Strike Sequence is performed for each assigned strike, which is the time from when the defending player declares that a character will resolve a strike until the strike roll(s) and any associated body checks are made. Each Strike Sequence proceeds through the following Steps 1-6 (3.v.1-6) immediately in order, during which the designated actions, and only those actions, may be taken; however, Strike Sequences don’t follow immediately one after the other, meaning that players may also take actions before, between, and/or after Strike Sequences if the action would otherwise be legal during the current phase of the game in which combat is taking place.
 MEWC, CRF 8
breakdown of steps
3.iv.1 Strike Sequence, Step 1 (Attacking Player Actions) - If the attack is taking place during their opponent’s movement/hazard phase, the hazard player may take hazard actions that would affect the resolution of the strike, still counting against the company’s hazard limit.
 METW
3.iv.2 Strike Sequence, Step 2 (Allocating Excess Strikes) - The player who is not being attacked may allocate any not-yet-allocated excess strikes of the attack as -1 modifications to the prowess of the character facing the strike. If the strike being resolved is the last strike to be resolved from the attack, all not-yet-allocated excess strikes must be applied (because all strikes of the attack must ultimately be allocated).
 METW
3.iv.3 Strike Sequence, Step 3 (Applying -3 to Stay Untapped) - A defending resource player may apply a -3 modification to the prowess of the character facing the strike in order to prevent the character from tapping after the strike.
 METW, ICE 117
3.iv.4 Strike Sequence, Step 4 (Tapping for +1 Support) - A defending resource player may tap one or more of their untapped characters in the same company who hasn’t been assigned a strike (even if the character wasn’t allowed to face the attack) to “support” by applying a +1 modification to the prowess of the character facing the strike.
 METW, COL, CRF 9, ICE 117
3.iv.5 Strike Sequence, Step 5 (Defending Player Actions) - A defending resource player may take resource/character actions that would affect the resolution of the strike, including playing up to one resource per character that requires a skill. Actions that would tap the character facing the strike but wouldn’t otherwise affect the strike cannot be taken.
 METW, MEWC
3.iv.5.1 A strike may be canceled up until the strike roll has been made, even if the attack could not be cancelled.
 MEWC, CRF 10, ICE 25, ICE 535
rolls/resolution
3.iv.6 Strike Sequence, Step 6 (Roll 2D6) - The strike is resolved by the defending player rolling 2D6 and adding the character’s prowess after applying any modification effects, starting with modifications from the weapon that the character is currently using (if any) and then applying any other modifications in an order chosen by the character’s player, including the following (which are still applied even if an alternate attribute is used instead of the character’s prowess):
• Unwounded, tapped character: -1 prowess against the strike
• Wounded character: -2 prowess against the strike
 METW, MEDM, CRF 7 , CRF 9, ICE 21
3.iv.6.1 For agent attacks, when the defending player rolls to resolve a strike, the attacking player simultaneously rolls 2D6 and adds the agent’s modified prowess. Agent rolls are further modified by: -2 prowess if agent is wounded; +2 prowess if agent was face-down when attack was declared and not at agent’s home site; +5 prowess and +1 body if agent was face-down when attack was declared and at its home site; and +2 prowess and +1 body if agent was face-up when attack was declared and at its home site.
 METW, MEDM, CRF 7 , CRF 9, ICE 21
3.iv.7 Strike Sequence, Step 7 (Resolve the Strike) - The result of the character’s modified roll is compared to the strike’s modified prowess:
• If the character’s modified roll is greater than the modified strike, the strike fails. The character facing the strike is tapped (unless a -3 modification was applied in Step 4), any passive condition actions of the strike failing are resolved immediately in an order chosen by the defending player, and then the defending player initiates a body check against the strike as the first declared action in a chain of effects that follows. The strike is defeated if that body check fails; if the strike doesn’t have any body, it is automatically defeated without rolling.
• If the character’s modified roll is less than the modified strike, the strike is successful. The defending character is immediately wounded (which is considered synonymous with the strike succeeding), any passive condition actions of the strike succeeding are resolved immediately in an order chosen by the defending player, and then the hazard player initiates a body check against the character as the first declared action in a chain of effects that follows.
• If the character’s modified roll is equal to the modified strike, the strike is ineffectual (i.e. the strike is not defeated). The character facing the strike is tapped (unless a -3 modification was applied in Step 4).
 METW, MEWC
3.iv.7.1 Actions cannot be taken in response to effects initiated by passive conditions based on the result of a strike, except if the passive condition would initiate a dice-rolling action. Actions that would affect such a roll may then be declared in response.
 MEWC
3.iv.7.2 If a character is wounded by a strike and then becomes un-wounded, the character is still considered to have been wounded by the strike.
 MEWC
resolve attack
3.v Combat, Step 5 (Resolve the Attack) - When the final strike and all associated body checks and/or effects have been resolved, the attack resolves as follows:
• Creature Attacks - If at least one strike was assigned and all assigned strikes were defeated, the creature is defeated and placed in the marshalling point pile of the defending player (unless detainment or taken as a trophy). If any of the strikes were not defeated or if no strikes were assigned, the creature is immediately discarded. This rule also applies to non-agent hazards that create an attack and have a marshalling point value designated as kill points.
• Automatic-Attacks and Rescue-attacks - If at least one strike was assigned and all assigned strikes were defeated, the attack is defeated. Creature cards played as automatic-attacks are immediately discarded.
• Agent Attacks - If at least one strike fails, the agent is wounded and must make a body check. If all strikes are defeated and all body checks fail, a defending hero or Fallen-Wizard player may place the agent in their own marshalling point pile to be counted as kill MPs; otherwise the agent is removed from play.
• Company vs. Company Combat - Each character defeated by a strike is wounded and must make a body check. If the character is eliminated, it counts as kill MPs for the opposing player.
 METW, MEDM, MEAS, MEBA, MEWC, CRF 9
3.v.W1
When a Wizard player defeats a creature with a “*” next to its marshalling points, the creature is removed from play instead of being placed in the player’s marshalling point pile.
 MELE
3.v.R1
When a Ringwraith player defeats a creature without a “*” next to its marshalling points, the creature is removed from play instead of being placed in the player’s marshalling point pile.
 CRF 8
3.v.F1
When a Fallen-wizard player defeats a creature with a “*” next to its marshalling points, the creature is removed from play instead of being placed in the player’s marshalling point pile.
 MELE, MEWH, ICE 25
3.v.B1
When a Balrog player defeats a creature without a “*” next to its marshalling points, the creature is removed from play instead of being placed in the player’s marshalling point pile.
 CRF 8
3.1 An attack involves dice-rolling and many other actions when it resolves into combat, so initiating an attack is considered its own action and the declaration of an attack due to a passive condition will thus initiate a new chain of effects.
 MELE, MEWC
3.1.1 An action that would potentially initiate combat during its resolution must initiate a chain of effects, meaning that it cannot be taken in response (except for on-guard cards). Such an action also cannot be taken during combat.
 MELE, MEWC, CRF 16
3.1.2 Once an attack resolves into combat in a chain of effects, it can no longer be canceled by the card that created the attack leaving play.
 ICE 36, COE 28
3.2 Per the normal rules for a chain of effects resolving, if combat takes place during a chain of effects and there are additional effects in the same chain of effects that haven’t yet resolved, only the listed actions can be taken for each step of combat and other actions cannot be taken between strikes sequences or at other times. This includes combat that takes place during the resolution of an event if that same event has effects that will resolve after the attack.
 ICE 71, ICE 73, CRF 17
3.3 A defending player cannot take actions during combat if they are facing an attack during their opponent’s turn except as allowed for company vs. company combat, even if taking a particular action would normally be allowed during a combat step.
 CRF 13, ICE 117
3.4 A company’s composition and overt/covert status is checked at the beginning of each attack and then remains consistent for the duration of that attack.
 CRF 6
3.5 Effects that return a company to its site of origin cannot be declared in the middle of an attack.
 CRF 6
I • Body Checks
body checks
3.I.1 The declaration of a body check initiates a chain of effects during which actions can only be declared if they would directly affect the body check, meaning that, upon resolution, the effect would modify either the roll or the body of the entity making the body check. To resolve the body check, the player who doesn’t control the entity rolls 2D6 and applies any modifications, including a +1 modification to the roll if the entity was already wounded before failing a strike that led to the body check. If the modified roll is higher than the entity’s body, the entity fails the body check.
 METW, CRF 7, MEWC
3.I.1.R1
If a body check roll against a Ringwraith is exactly equal to 7 or 8 (before modifications), the Ringwraith is returned to its player’s hand. Until it has been re-played, that player cannot reveal a different Ringwraith and their opponent cannot reveal the same Ringwraith.
 MELE
3.I.2 If a character fails a body check, the character is eliminated and any effects or passive conditions depending on the character being eliminated are resolved immediately. For each unwounded character in the same company, an item that the eliminated character controlled may be immediately transferred to the unwounded character (up to one item per unwounded character), and all other non-follower cards that the eliminated character controlled are immediately discarded.
 METW, MEWC, CRF 4
3.I.2.1 A body check on an unwounded character will result in the character being eliminated if it fails the body check, but otherwise doesn’t affect the character if it doesn’t fail the body check.
 COE 13
3.I.3 If an Orc or Troll character would be both discarded and eliminated as the result of a body check, discard the character instead of eliminating it.
 CRF 6
3.I.4 Effects that modify a character’s body also modify the number on which an Orc or Troll is discarded. An applied maximum to an Orc’s or Troll’s body also applies to its discard number.
 CRF 5
II • Detainment
detainment
3.II.1 Whether a creature’s attack is detainment depends on the type of player whose company is being attacked (or depends on an effect of the attack itself).
 MELE
3.II.R1
A Ringwraith player treats any attack keyed to a Dark-domain, Dark-hold, Shadow-hold, or Darkhaven against their companies as detainment. This rule also applies to attacks keyed by name to a region or site of the appropriate type.
 MELE, CRF 9
3.II.R2
A Ringwraith player treats any Orc, Troll, Undead, or Man attack keyed to Shadow-land against their companies as detainment. This rule also applies to attacks keyed by name to a region that is a Shadow-land.
 MELE
3.II.R3
A Ringwraith player treats agent attacks against their companies as detainment.
 CRF 13
3.II.B1
A Balrog player treats any attack keyed to a Dark-domain, Dark-hold, Shadow-hold, or Darkhaven against their companies as detainment. This rule also applies to attacks keyed by name to a region or site of the appropriate type.
 MELE, CRF 9
3.II.B2
A Balrog player treats any Orc, Troll, Undead, or Man attack keyed to Shadow-land against their companies as detainment. This rule also applies to attacks keyed by name to a region that is a Shadow-land.
 MELE
3.II.B3
A Balrog player treats agent attacks against their companies as detainment.
 CRF 13
3.II.2 If an attack is detainment, no body checks are initiated at the end of the Strike Sequence, meaning that if the modified roll is greater than the strike’s prowess, the strike fails without a body check, and if the modified roll is less than the strike’s prowess, the character is tapped instead of being wounded.
 MELE, CRF 6
3.II.3 Detainment creature attacks are not worth marshalling points; if at least one strike of a detainment creature attack was assigned and all of its strikes were defeated, the creature is removed from play instead of being placed in the attacked player’s marshalling point pile.
 MELE
3.II.4 An action with a passive condition of a character being wounded does not trigger if the attack is detainment.
 CRF 9
3.II.5 A Nazgûl attack against a minion company is detainment, unless the attack is an automatic-attack (in which case the Nazgûl attacks normally).
 MELE, LEC
III • Prisoners and Rescue-attacks
prisoners
3.III.1 Certain hazards may have an effect on an attack or strike that results in a character being taken prisoner. These hazards are called “hazard hosts,” and will take the character prisoner at a site called the “rescue site.”
 MEDM
3.III.2 A hazard host can only be played if doing so adheres to the following restrictions:
• Any restrictions on the hazard host must be observed.
• The rescue site must come from the hazard player’s location deck.
• If the character is moving with starter movement, the rescue site must be located in the region containing the site of origin or the region containing the new site.
• If the character is moving with region movement, the rescue site must be located in a region in which the character was moving or in a region adjacent to a region in which the character was moving.
• If the character is at or moving to a site adjacent to an Under-deeps site, the rescue site may be that Under-deeps site.
• If the character is not moving, the rescue site must be located in the same region as the character’s site.
 MEDM, COE 207
3.III.3 When a character is taken prisoner, all of its character followers revert to general influence but their mind value(s) are not subtracted from general influence until their player’s next organization phase. In addition, any other non-Ring cards on the character taken prisoner are immediately discarded.
 MEDM
3.III.4 While taken prisoner, a character does not cost influence to control, cannot take any actions including healing or untapping, cannot be affected except by cards that specifically affect prisoners, and is worth negative marshalling points to its player (and continues to be worth negative marshalling points if eliminated while prisoner).
 MEDM
3.III.5 A company may attempt to rescue a prisoner after successfully entering the rescue site during its site phase by facing any rescue-attacks (which do not count as automatic-attacks) as specified on the hazard host. A character in the company may then be tapped to rescue all of the hazard host’s prisoners, which immediately join the company under general influence but their mind value(s) are not subtracted from general influence until their player’s next organization phase. When a character is successfully rescued, the rescue site taps if it was untapped and one minor item (even for Under-deeps sites) may be played as the resource player’s next declared action by tapping an untapped member in the company (as an active condition), and then upon resolution placing the item under that character’s control.
 MEDM, CRF 9
3.III.6 A resource player who does not have a copy of a rescue site currently available in their location deck may use the rescue site card that has been played with the hazard host in order to move to the site, but cannot use that site card for any purpose other than rescuing the prisoner(s) and playing an accompanying minor item.
 MEDM
3.III.7 If there are no cards placed with a hazard host, the hazard host is immediately discarded and the rescue site card returns to its player’s location deck.
 MEDM
3.III.8 If a hazard host is discarded, its prisoner is rescued and forms a new company at the rescue site (instead of being discarded per the normal rules for non-“hazard host” cards leaving play).
 MEDM
3.III.9 Allies cannot be taken prisoner and cannot be targeted to be taken prisoner. They may face strikes from untargeted attacks that would normally take a character prisoner, but in that case the ally is neither tapped nor wounded by the attack.
 CRF 9, CRF 18
IV • Trophies
Only Orc and/or Troll characters can take trophies during combat, so you can skip this section as a Wizard player.
3.IV.1 If a defending player’s company defeats an opponent’s creature, the defending player may take the creature as a “trophy” by placing it under the control of an Orc or Troll character that faced one of the creature’s strikes. A trophy is treated as a minor item worth 0 corruption points (for the purpose of all effects while it is being used as a trophy), but which cannot be transferred nor stored.
 MELE
3.IV.1.1 Half-orcs cannot take trophies.
 MEWH
3.IV.1.2 Character cards cannot be used as trophies.
 CRF 13
3.IV.1.3 Defeated Dragon manifestations may be used as trophies, including Dragon factions.
 CRF 9
3.IV.2 Creatures being used as trophies provide the same number of marshalling points that they would to the defeating player if the creature was not being used as a trophy (i.e. the creature’s normal value for non-detainment attacks, and 0 marshalling points for detainment attacks).
 MELE, CRF 13
3.IV.3 A character’s attributes are modified based on the total number of marshalling points printed on its trophy cards (regardless of how many points the cards are worth to the player):
• 1 total MP: +1 direct influence
• 2 total MPs: +1 direct influence, +1 prowess
• 3 total MPs: +2 direct influence, +1 prowess
• 4 or more total MPs: +2 direct influence, +2 prowess
 Prowess bonuses from trophies are applied to a maximum of 9.
 MELE
3.IV.4 If a player would discard a trophy that is currently worth marshalling points to that player, the creature card is placed in the player’s marshalling point pile. If a player would discard a trophy that is currently not worth marshalling points to that player, the creature card is removed from play.
 MELE, CRF 8
V • Company vs. Company Combat
CvCC
3.V Company vs. Company Combat (CvCC) is considered a single attack with one strike for each member of the attacking company. The attacking player can only play resources that affect a strike during a Strike Sequence. The defending (hazard) player may play resources and take resource/character actions even though it is not that player’s turn, but only if the action has an effect that would cancel the attack OR that would affect a strike during a Strike Sequence. Strikes are assigned by the defending player assigning strikes to their own untapped characters, then the attacking player assigning strikes from their own remaining untapped characters, then the defending player assigning strikes to any of their own remaining characters. Once strikes are assigned, in an order determined by the defending player, a Strike Sequence is performed for each assigned strike, but the Strike Sequence for CvCC differs from normal combat by proceeding through the following steps (3.V.i-viii) immediately in order, and during which only the designated actions can be taken:
MELE, CRF 5, CRF 14
3.V.i CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 1 - The attacking player may take resource/character actions that would affect the resolution of the strike, including playing up to one resource that requires a skill.
 MELE
3.V.ii CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 2 - The attacking player may allocate any not-yet-allocated excess strikes of the attack as -1 modifications to the prowess of the character facing the strike. If the strike being resolved is the last strike to be resolved from the attack, all not-yet-allocated excess strikes must be applied (because all strikes of the attack must ultimately be allocated).
 MELE
3.V.iii CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 3 - The attacking player may apply a -3 modification to the prowess of the character committing the strike in order to prevent the character from tapping after the strike.
 MELE
3.V.iv CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 4 - The defending player may apply a -3 modification to the prowess of the character facing the strike in order to prevent the character from tapping after the strike.
 MELE
3.V.v CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 5 - The defending player may tap one or more of their untapped characters who is not facing a strike to apply a +1 modification to the prowess of the character facing the strike for each character in this way.
 MELE
3.V.vi CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 6 - The defending player may take resource/character actions that would affect the resolution of the strike, including playing up to one resource card that requires a skill.
 MELE
3.V.vii CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 7 - The strike is resolved by the attacking player rolling 2D6, adding the attacking character’s modified prowess (starting with modifications from the weapon that the character is currently using, if any), and then applying any other modifications in an order chosen by the character’s player; then the defending player rolling 2D6, adding the defending character’s modified prowess (starting with modifications from the weapon that the character is currently using, if any), and then applying any other modifications in an order chosen by the character’s player. The following modifications are applied as part of this chosen order:
• Unwounded, tapped character: -1 prowess
• Wounded character: -2 prowess
• Each allocated excess strike: -1 prowess
 MELE, ICE 44, ICE 71
3.V.viii CvCC Strike Sequence, Step 8 - The result of the defending character’s modified roll is compared to the attacking character’s modified roll:
• If the result of the defending player’s modified roll is greater than the attacking player’s modified roll, the strike fails. The character facing the strike is tapped (unless a -3 modification was applied in Step 4), the character committing the strike is wounded, and the defending player makes a body check against the wounded character.
• If the result of the defending player’s modified roll is less than the attacking player’s modified roll, the strike is succesful. The character committing the strike is tapped (unless a -3 modification was applied in Step 3), the character facing the strike is wounded, and the attacking player makes a body check against the wounded character.
• If the result of the defending player’s modified roll is equal to the attacking player’s modified roll, the strike is ineffectual (i.e. the strike is not defeated).
 MELE
3.V.1 A resource player’s company may attack a hazard player’s company at the end of its site phase (following all other declared actions by the company during that site phase) if both companies are at the same site, the resource player’s company has entered the site, and the resource player hasn’t made an influence attempt against any of the hazard player’s cards this turn.
 MELE, METW, MEBA
3.V.1.W1
A Wizard player’s company can only attack a Ringwraith player’s company, a Fallen-wizard player’s overt company, or a Balrog player’s company.
 MELE, METW, MEBA
3.V.1.R1
A Ringwraith player’s company can only attack a Wizard player’s company or a Fallen-Wizard player’s company.
 MELE, METW, MEBA
3.V.1.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s covert company can only attack a Ringwraith player’s company or a Balrog player’s company.
 MELE, METW, MEBA
3.V.1.F2
A Fallen-wizard player’s overt company may attack any company, and may be attacked by any company.
 MELE, METW, MEBA
3.V.1.B1
A Balrog player’s company can only attack a Wizard player’s company or a Fallen-Wizard player’s company.
 MELE, METW, MEBA
3.V.2 Players cannot play hazards during Company vs. Company Combat.
 MELE
3.V.3 Hazards that affect “attacks” or “strikes” have no effect on Company vs. Company Combat unless they specifically affect “company vs. company combat”.
 MELE, CRF 7, CRF 17
3.V.4 In order to cancel a Company vs. Company Combat attack with an effect that requires one or more race types for the attack, all of the characters in the attacking company must have one of the required race types (but not necessarily the same type).
 MELE
3.V.5 Only the defending player is considered to be facing an attack, while both the attacking characters and the defending characters are considered to be facing strikes.
 CRF 15
4 • AGENTS
agents
4.1 The hazard player may use one against the hazard limit to have an agent played as a hazard take an “agent action” during an opponent’s movement/hazard phase. An agent played as a hazard must have been in play at the start of the turn in order to take an agent action, and each agent can only take one agent action per turn. An agent action may be initiated from the following options:
• The hazard player may move a tapped or untapped agent to a non-Under-deeps site in the same region or an adjacent region from its current site (or one of its home sites, if it is face-down and hasn’t moved yet). The agent taps if not already tapped. If the agent is face-up, the site must be placed face-up and any other sites with the agent are returned to the hazard player’s location deck. If the agent is face-down, the new site must be placed face-down on top of any other sites that the agent has moved through while face-down, all of which must be kept in the same order that they were moved through. A face-down agent may also be moved back to its previous site by removing the most recent site card placed with it and returning that site to its player’s location deck.
• The hazard player may return all site cards that have been placed with a tapped or untapped agent to that player’s location deck in order to return the agent to one of its home sites (even if the agent is already at one of its home sites). If the agent is face-up, the home site card must be placed with it face-up. This does not tap the agent.
• The hazard player may heal a wounded agent (to tapped).
• The hazard player may untap a tapped agent.
• The hazard player may turn face-down an untapped revealed agent, leaving the agent’s current site and any cards played on the agent revealed. This does not tap the agent.
• The hazard player may tap an untapped agent to make certain types of creatures keyable to its current site for the rest of the turn, but the player must reveal the agent (if not already revealed) when any creatures are subsequently played in this way. If the agent is at a Ruins & Lairs, Shadow-hold, or Dark-hold, the hazard player may key any non-unique creatures to the site that match the type of one of the site’s automatic-attacks. If the agent is at one of its home sites, the hazard player may key creatures to the site that match the following site types:
Free-hold: Men, Dwarves, Elves, Dúnedain, Hobbits
Border-hold: Orcs, Nazgûl, Men, Dwarves, Elves, Dúnedain, Hobbits
Ruins & Lairs: Orcs, Nazgûl, Trolls
Shadow-hold: Orcs, Nazgûl, Undead, Trolls
Dark-hold: Orcs, Nazgûl, TrollsEffects that are initiated by an agent but are not included in the above options do not count as an agent action.
 MEDM, CRF 6, CRF 9, CRF 13, COE 59
4.2 The hazard player may reveal an agent that they have played as a hazard during a resource player’s movement/hazard phase (which doesn’t count against the hazard limit). An agent is revealed by turning it face-up, along with its current site which must remain face-up while the agent is face-up and is then returned to its player’s location deck when the agent leaves play or moves while face-up.
 MEDM
4.2.1 When an agent is revealed, its previous sites are revealed to check for legal movement and then are returned to the agent player’s location deck without having been in play (and thus are not affected by cards in play). If the agent’s movement was or has become illegal when the agent is revealed, whether the movement was from one of the agent’s home sites or from a site that was left face-up when the agent was previously turned face-down, the agent is immediately discarded and its current site is similarly returned to the agent player’s location deck.
 MEDM, CRF 11, CRF 13
4.2.2 Revealing an agent played as a hazard at its home site is not considered movement. A site card from the agent player’s location deck that is listed as one of the agent’s home sites must be placed with the agent when it is revealed; if the agent player does not have an available site in their location deck, the agent is immediately discarded at the end of the current turn.
 MEDM
4.2.3 If an agent played as a hazard is revealed to be an identical manifestation of a unique agent character or agent hazard already in play, the more recently revealed agent is immediately discarded.
 MEDM
4.2.4 The current site for an agent played as a hazard is considered in play while the site is face-up.
 CRF 11
4.3 If a player declares that a face-down agent is being tapped to initiate an effect, the player must reveal the agent as an active condition of the effect, but the agent is still treated as if it was face-down at the time of declaration.
 MEDM, ICE 85
4.4 An agent played as a hazard cannot move to any version of a site that corresponds to a Haven for Wizard players (including Edhellond, Grey Havens, Lórien, and Rivendell), and cannot move to a site that corresponds to a Wizardhaven in play unless it is an Elf agent. If a non-Elf agent is revealed and any of the sites through which it moved are currently a Haven or Wizardhaven in play, the agent is discarded even if the movement was legal when the agent originally moved face-down.
 CRF 9, CRF 11, ICE 110
4.R1
A Ringwraith player’s agents may move as if Dagorlad and Ûdun are adjacent.
 CRF 13
4.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s agents played as hazards can only use hero site cards for movement, and cannot use or reveal the hero version of a site that corresponds to its player’s minion site that is in play or in that player’s discard pile.
 MEWH
4.B1
A Balrog player’s agents played as hazards can only use minion site cards for movement.
 ICE 56
4.B2
A Balrog player’s agents may move as if Dagorlad and Ûdun are adjacent.
 CRF 13
5 • EVENTS (Short, Long, and Permanent)
short/long/perm
5.1 Short-events can only be played if they would have an immediate effect on the game other than the play of the card itself, and then are immediately discarded after they resolve.
 MELE, CRF 4
5.1.1 Effects of short-events last for as long as specified on the card or for as long as the effect would be legal and “in effect,” but never longer than the end of the turn.
 METW, CRF 9, COE 31
5.1.2 A player cannot play a card just to discard it. Specifically, a short-event cannot be played unless it would have an effect on the current board state, and if it finishes resolving without the board state having been affected in any other way than the card itself moving to the discard pile from its player’s hand, it is returned to its player’s hand rather than being discarded. If the board state is affected due to some other action taken in response to a short-event, the board state is still considered to have been affected for this purpose.
 MELE
5.1.3 If a short-event’s effects provide an allowance for an action to be taken without requiring that it be taken, that action must be taken (or not) at the next possible opportunity after the short-event resolves, unless otherwise noted on the card. If that action is not the next action that the player takes as allowed after resolution (and the short-event had no other immediate effect), the short-event is returned to its player’s hand.
 CRF 4
5.1.4 Short-events that “cannot be duplicated” cannot be played if a card of the same name is currently having an effect on the entity specified by the short-event. If no entity is specified (i.e. the short-event is affecting the game generally), they cannot be played if a card of the same name is having an effect on the game.
 MELE, CRF 4
5.2 Long-events may be played regardless of whether they have an immediate effect on the game, either during a resource player’s long-event phase for resource long-events or during an opponent’s movement-hazard phase for hazard long-events.
 MELE
5.3 Permanent-events can only be played if they would have an immediate or potential effect on the game other than the play of the card itself, and then remain in play until discarded by a rule or effect.
 MELE
5.3.1 A permanent-event played on a card only affects the card it is played on (and not other cards in play with the same name, such as sites) unless specified otherwise. A permanent-event that isn’t played “on” a card affects all versions of its affected cards.
 CRF 11
5.F1
Stage resource permanent-events can only be played during the organization phase.
 MEWH
5.F2
A hero resource permanent-event cannot be played on a company containing an Orc and/or a Troll.
 MEWH
5.F3
A hero resource that requires a character with a specific skill cannot use an Orc or Troll character to fulfill that active condition, and Orc and Troll characters cannot be tapped to fulfill an active condition of a hero resource or its effects.
 MEWH
6 • ITEMS (Using and Rings)
using items
6.1 An item’s effects are only implemented while the item is in use, including modifications that the item applies to its bearer’s prowess, body, direct influence, skills, and/or other attributes (but not the item’s marshalling points or corruption points because those are attributes of the item card and not its effects).
 METW, MELE
6.1.1 When an item is played on a character that is able to use it, the item is considered to be in use upon resolution and any modifications to the bearer’s attributes are applied immediately.
 MEWC
6.1.2 The resource player may declare that one of their characters will begin using an item that the character is bearing but not currently using, which causes the item’s effects to be implemented upon resolution for as long as the item is still in use on the character.
 METW
6.1.3 A character may bear multiple items with the same keyword, but only one weapon, armor, shield, and helmet item may be used on a character at a time (i.e. one of each type may be used). If a character begins using a new item while already using an item of the same type of which only one item can be used, the previous item’s effects cease immediately.
 METW, METD
6.1.4 Prowess modifiers and maximums from weapons are applied before any other effects. Body modifications and maximums from shields, armor, and/or helmets are then applied before other effects.
 MELE
6.1.5 Movement restrictions on an item (e.g. discarding the item if the company moves) are always implemented regardless of whether the item is being used and regardless of the alignment of the controlling character, the item, or the player.
 MELE
6.1.6 Allies cannot bear nor use items.
 METW
6.1.W1
A minion item borne by a Wizard player’s character cannot be used.
 MELE
6.1.R1
A hero item borne by a Ringwraith player’s character cannot be used.
 MELE
6.1.R2
Ringwraiths may bear items but those items cannot be used.
 MELE
6.1.F1
A Fallen-wizard player’s non-Orc, non-Troll characters may bear and use both hero and minion items. Similarly, a Fallen-wizard player’s Orc and Troll characters may bear both hero and minion items, but only minion items can be used by those characters.
 MELE, MEWH
6.1.B1
A hero item borne by a Balrog player’s character cannot be used.
 MELE, MEBA
6.1.B2
Balrogs may bear items but those items cannot be used.
 MELE, MEBA
rings
6.2 When a rule or effect causes a Gold Ring item to be “tested,” the item’s player makes a roll to determine a type of Ring Special item, applies any modifications, and may then immediately play a Ring Special item that matches the final result. The Ring Special item replaces the Gold Ring item, which is immediately discarded regardless of whether a Ring Special item was played to replace it.
 MELE, CRF 6, CRF 9
6.2.1 Replacing a Gold Ring item with a Ring Special item counts as “playing an item,” but doesn’t tap a site and doesn’t require an untapped site nor an untapped character.
 CRF 6, CRF 9, COE 61
6.2.2 When a Gold Ring item is tested, it can only be replaced with a Ring Special item of the same alignment.
6.2.3 Any Gold Ring item stored at a Darkhaven is automatically tested upon being stored, with a -2 modification to the ring test roll. Any Ring Special item played as a result of this test comes into play stored.
 MELE, CRF 9
6.2.R1
Any Gold Ring item being borne by a character in a Ringwraith’s company is automatically tested at the beginning of the end-of-turn phase, and Gold Ring items tested in a Ringwraith’s company have a -2 modification to the ring test roll.
 MELE
6.2.R2
A Ringwraith player’s Gold Ring items at Barad-Dûr are automatically tested at the beginning of the end-of-turn phase, and a Ringwraith player’s Gold Ring items tested at Barad-Dûr have a -3 modification to the ring test roll.
 MELE
6.2.F1
A hero Gold Ring item tested by a Fallen-wizard player has an additional -1 modification to the ring test roll.
 MEWH
6.2.F2
A Fallen-wizard player may play Ring Special items regardless of the alignment of the Gold Ring item tested.
 MEWH, CRF 9
6.2.B1
Any Gold Ring item being borne by a character in a Balrog’s company is automatically tested at the beginning of the end-of-turn phase, and Gold Ring items tested in a Balrog’s company have a -2 modification to the ring test roll.
 MELE, MEBA
7 • CORRUPTION
corruption/checks
7.1 To resolve a corruption check on a character, the character’s player rolls 2D6 and applies any modifications. The result of the modified roll is compared to the character’s “corruption point total,” meaning the sum of corruption points on the cards that the character controls:
• If the modified roll is greater than the character’s corruption point total, the corruption check succeeds and there is no other effect.
• If the modified roll is equal to or one less than the character’s corruption point total, the effect depends on the character’s alignment. A hero character fails the check and is immediately discarded along with all of its non-follower cards; a Wizard avatar fails the check and is immediately eliminated along with all of its non-follower cards; and a minion character or Fallen-wizard avatar taps and the corruption check is considered successful.
• If the modified roll is less than two or lower than the character’s corruption point total, the character fails the corruption check, it is immediately eliminated, and all of its non-follower cards are immediately discarded.
 METW, MELE, METW, MEBA, MEWC
7.1.1 A resource player may tap one or more other characters in the same company as a character upon which a corruption check has been declared but not yet resolved in order to apply a +1 modification to the corruption check roll for each character tapped in this way, which is resolved when the corruption check itself resolves.
 METW, CRF 4, ICE 110
7.1.2 If an effect prevents a character from being discarded due to a corruption check roll, the corruption check is considered successful.
 CRF 4
7.1.R1
A character in the same company as a Ringwraith receives an additional +2 modifier to corruption checks.
 MELE
7.1.F1
A Fallen-wizard player treats their Orc and/or Troll characters as minion characters when determining the results of a corruption check.
 MEWH
7.1.B1
A character in the same company as the Balrog receives an additional +2 modifier to corruption checks.
 MELE, ICE 553
corruption cards 1 per turn
7.2 A “corruption card” is a card with the “corruption” keyword (i.e. not just any card that forces or modifies a corruption check).
 METW
7.2.1 Only one corruption card may be played on each character per turn.
 METW
7.2.2 A corruption card can only be played when doing so would initiate a new chain of effects.
 CRF 13
7.2.3 Corruption cards that cannot be played on Dwarves also cannot be played on Orcs.
 MELE
-3 modifier
7.3 When attempting to remove a corruption card that states that the character must tap to make a roll to remove it, the character’s player may apply a -3 modification to the roll in order to not tap the character at declaration. This action may be taken even if the character is already tapped, cannot be taken if an attempt to remove the same corruption card has already been made this turn, and no more attempts to remove the same corruption card as stated on that card can be made for the rest of the turn.
 MELE, CRF 9
7.3.1 If a player is able to untap a character, they may tap the character to attempt to remove the same corruption card multiple times in a turn provided that an untapped attempt has not already been made during the turn.
 ICE 73
allies corruption
7.4 Allies, Ringwraiths, and Balrogs are not affected by corruption and never make corruption checks, but may still fulfill active conditions of effects that require a corruption check upon resolution (at which point any other effects are implemented but the corruption check is skipped).
 METW, MELE, MEBA, ICE 46, ICE 75
8 • INFLUENCE ATTEMPTS
influencing
8.1 Declaring an Influence Attempt - A resource player may declare during their site phase that one of their characters is making an influence attempt against an opponent’s card by tapping the character (as an active condition) if all of the following conditions are true:
• It is not the resource player’s first turn;
• The company of the character making the influence attempt has entered its site this turn;
• The resource player has not made an influence attempt against any of the hazard player’s cards this turn nor attacked any of the hazard player’s companies this turn;
• The influence attempt is not against an avatar nor a card controlled by an avatar; and
• If an avatar is being tapped to make the influence attempt, the avatar cannot have been played this turn. In addition, the following conditions must also be true depending on the type of card being influenced:
• Ally - The resource player’s character is at the same site as the ally being influenced.
• Character - The resource player’s character is at the same site as the character being influenced.
• Faction - The resource player’s character is at a site where the faction is playable.
• Item - The resource player’s character is at the same site as the item being influenced, the item being influenced does not have a permanent-event played on it, AND the resource player must reveal an identical item card in their hand (of any alignment).
 METW, DM, MELE, CRF 4, CRF 8
8.2 When declaring an influence attempt against an ally, character, or faction, the resource player may reveal an identical resource card in their hand (of any alignment), even if that player wouldn’t be able to play the card following the influence attempt.
 MELE, CRF 6, CRF 9
8.3 Resolving an Influence Attempt - To resolve an influence attempt against an opponent’s card, the resource player follows these steps:
1) Roll 2D6.
2) Add the influencing character’s unused direct influence.
3) Subtract the hazard player’s unused general influence.
4) Subtract the result of a 2D6 rolled by the hazard player.
5) If the card being influenced is controlled by a character (i.e. either as a character follower, ally, or item), subtract the unused direct influence of the character controlling the card.
6) Apply any other modifications.
 This modified result is then compared to a second value depending on the type of card being influenced, except that this second value is treated as zero if an identical non-item card was revealed prior to the roll: • Allies - The mind of the ally card
• Characters - The mind of the character card
• Factions - The value required to bring the faction card into play (based on the card in play)
• Items - The controlling character’s mind
 If the resource player’s final modified roll is greater than this second value, the influence check is successful and the card being influenced is immediately discarded along with any non-follower cards that it controlled; otherwise the influence check fails.
 MELE, CRF 4, CRF 11
8.4 If an influence attempt is successful after an identical card was revealed from the resource player’s hand, that player may immediately play the identical card with the influencing character (without tapping the site and without another influence check required) if there are no other restrictions that would prohibit the play of the card. If the identical card is a character, it must be played under general or direct influence with enough available influence to control the character, but playability restrictions on the character card itself are not applied (i.e. a Hobbit may be played in this way). If an influence attempt fails after an identical card was revealed, the identical card is discarded.
 MELE, CRF 6, CRF 9
8.5 Influencing with an Agent - A hazard player may have an agent hazard make an influence attempt against an opponent’s card (which does not count as an agent action) during an opponent’s movement/hazard phase if the hazard player has played a card that allows an agent to make an influence attempt. The agent must be at the company’s new site for a target in a moving company OR at the company’s current site for a target in a company that isn’t moving OR at a site where the faction is playable if influencing a faction. When the influence attempt is declared, the agent is revealed and is treated as the character making the influence attempt in the normal procedure for influence attempts, except that the hazard player cannot reveal an identical card from their hand (and thus cannot influence an item), and the attempt is modified as follows:
• If the agent is at one of its home sites, its direct influence is modified by +2.
• If the influence attempt is against an ally or character that shares a home site with the agent, the target’s mind is treated as zero and the hazard player’s roll is modified by an additional +2.
• If the influence attempt is against a faction that is playable at one of the agent’s home sites, the value required to bring the faction into play is treated as zero and the hazard player’s roll is modified by an additional +2.
 MEDM
8.W1
If a Wizard player’s character (not an agent played as a hazard) makes an influence attempt against a Ringwraith player’s card or a Balrog player’s card, the Wizard player’s roll is modified by -5.
 MELE, MEBA, CRF 13
8.R1
If a Ringwraith player’s character (not an agent played as a hazard) makes an influence attempt against a Wizard player’s card or a Fallen-wizard player’s card, the Ringwraith player’s roll is modified by -5.
 MELE, CRF 11, CRF 13
8.F1
If a Fallen-wizard player’s character (not an agent played as a hazard) makes an influence attempt against a Ringwraith player’s card or a Balrog player’s card, the Fallen-wizard player’s roll is modified by -5.
 MELE, MEBA, CRF 11, CRF 13
8.F2
For a Fallen-wizard player to reveal a matching card as part of an influence attempt, the card must also match the alignment of the site where the influence attempt is declared.
 CRF 11
8.F3
A matching manifestation may be revealed as part of an influence attempt at a protected site where the influencing player cannot play cards that give marshalling points, but the revealed card cannot be played as the result of a successful influence attempt.
 CRF 11
8.B1
If a Balrog player’s character (not an agent played as a hazard) makes an influence attempt against a Wizard player’s card or Fallen-wizard player’s card, the Balrog player’s roll is modified by -5.
 MELE, MEBA, CRF 11, CRF 13
9 • ACTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND TIMING
section, actions
9.1 An action is a one-time activity that changes the board state when it is performed (e.g. drawing a card or otherwise physically altering a deck’s configuration; making a check or otherwise rolling dice; moving a company; applying a modification to an entity’s attribute; a card having its position or orientation changed, or otherwise being played, discarded, tapped, healed, wounded, attached, organized, placed, removed from play, replaced, returned, revealed, shuffled, stored, used, etc.). A player declaring that they are initiating an allowance that involves one or more actions is commonly referred to as “taking an action.”
 METW, MELE, MEWC, ICE 35, ICE 42, ICE 77, ICE 78, ICE 79, ICE 115, ICE 502, ICE 519, ICE 549, COE 207
9.1.1 Actions cannot be performed without an allowance or requirement to do so.
 ICE 502, CTR
9.1.2 An allowance on a card can only be initiated by the player of that card (unless the card states otherwise, or is written as allowing any entity of a specified type to initiate the allowance).
 METW
9.1.3 A “resource/character action” is an action that involves either playing a resource or character card, taking an action as allowed by such a card, or tapping/discarding such a card for an effect per the game rules; resource/character actions can only be taken when a resource short-event could be played. A “hazard action” includes either playing a hazard card, taking an action as allowed by such a card, or tapping/discarding such a card for an effect per the game rules; hazard actions on cards in play can only be taken when a hazard short-event could be played (and in both cases, unless the card states otherwise).
 COL, CRF 6, ICE 83, ICE 21, ICE 91, ICE 110, ICE 117, CTR
9.1.4 If an action has optional effects (e.g. playing a card that says “alternatively”), the player who declared the action must choose which effect(s) to implement upon declaration, and cannot change those choices later during resolution.
 MEWC
9.1.5 Changing the game rules is not considered an action as it does not actively change the board state (e.g. an effect that creates a new restriction as to what can or cannot be done with specified entities; modifies how much general influence a player has; modifies the number of cards players draw when moving; contains words like “consider,” “treat,” “instead of,” or similar words/phrases that modify the rules rather than the board state, etc.).
 MEWC, CRF 9, COE 207
active conditions
9.2 An allowance may have one or more active conditions, which are conditions that are required in order for the action to be declared and then resolved. Generally an active condition is either a requirement that some action be performed as a “cost” (e.g. tapping a player’s own card for an effect, discarding a player’s own card for an effect, etc.) or that some other aspect of the game be in a specified state (e.g. a condition that some other card be in play). An active condition is not treated as a separate action from the allowed action that is being taken, but instead is treated as synonymous with the allowed action’s declaration.
 MELE, MEWC
9.2.1 Actions that are required as active conditions of an allowance must be performed by the declaring player immediately when they declare that they are taking an action. If any active conditions are no longer valid and legal at resolution (e.g. a card that was tapped as part of an active condition is no longer in play and tapped upon resolution), any unresolved effects of the taken action are negated but the active conditions remain performed.
 MELE, MEWC
9.2.2 If an action being taken requires an entity to tap for the effect, the entity must be untapped when the action is declared and then the declaring player must tap the entity when fulfilling the active conditions for the action. If an action being taken requires an entity to be discarded for the effect, the entity must be in play when the action is declared and then the declaring player must discard the entity when fulfilling the active conditions for the action.
 MELE, MEWC
9.2.3 Hero items cannot fulfill active conditions for minion resource effects, and minion items cannot fulfill active conditions for hero resource effects. The same applies to items that would be conditionally affected by a resource during resolution (e.g. an effect that allows an item to be played from a player’s hand).
 CRF 9, ICE 52
targeting
9.3 If an action involves any targets, all of those targets must be chosen along with other active conditions being performed upon declaration, and if the targets are no longer available upon resolution, any unresolved effects of the taken action are negated but the active conditions remain performed.
 MELE, MEWC
9.3.1 Targeting remains in effect as an active condition for as long as the targeted effect itself is active (e.g. a card that is played on another card continues to target the other card while both are in play).
 CRF 9
9.3.2 A card and/or its attributes can only be targeted if the card is in play (unless the targeting effect specifies otherwise). A played card cannot be targeted until it has resolved, except that if one of its effects would involve dice-rolling, that dice-rolling may be targeted by other actions that are declared subsequently in the same chain of effects.
 MEWC
9.3.2.1 Resource cards in marshalling point piles may be targeted (unless they were stored), but hazard cards in marshalling point piles cannot be targeted.
 METW, CRF 6, CRF 13
9.3.2.2 Neither face-down cards nor their attributes may be targeted (unless the targeting effect specifies otherwise).
 MEWC
9.3.2.3 An automatic-attack may be targeted or affected by hazards at any time while its site is in play, and may be targeted or affected by resources/characters that specifically affect an “automatic-attack” at any time while its site is in play, but can only be affected by resources/characters that target or affect an “attack” during combat.
 COE 117
9.3.3 A player cannot target their opponent’s resources or characters with their own resources (unless the targeting effect specifies otherwise), but an opponent’s resource or character may count as being “in play” for an active condition of a player’s own resource.
 CRF 9, ICE 86, COE 32
9.3.4 A region must be “in play” (i.e. in a site path of a company or site in play) to be targeted.
 ICE 86, COE 29
9.3.5 A hero resource event cannot target nor affect a minion resource or site, and a minion resource event cannot target nor affect a hero resource or site.
 MEWH, CRF 13, CRF 17
9.3.F1
A Fallen-wizard player cannot target their Orc or Troll characters with hero resources.
 MEWH
9.3.F2
A Fallen-wizard player may target automatic-attacks on their hero sites with minion resources, and may target automatic-attacks on their minion sites with hero resources.
 CRF 11
9.3.F3
Restrictions on which alignments a resource can target do not apply to a Fallen-wizard player’s Spell and Magic resources.
 MEWH
golden rule of effects
9.4 An effect is what is implemented by a played card or other declared action immediately upon resolution.
 METW
9.4.1 The effects of a card in play last until the card leaves play or the effect becomes invalid, at which point the card’s effects end immediately. If a card is discarded for an effect, the effect lasts for as long as specified on the card but no longer than the end of the turn if no duration is specified.
 METW, CRF 9, ICE 510
9.4.2 If all of a card’s effects are cancelled, the card is immediately discarded.
 ICE 556
9.4.3 If a card effect directly conflicts with a rule or another card effect without clarifying how to resolve the conflict, the most recently implemented effect takes precedence (but specifically in the context of the conflict, i.e. if a card’s effect overrides part of a rule, the rest of that rule is still in effect).
 ICE 21, ICE 576, COE 15, COE 16
9.4.4 If an effect is templated such that a character or some other card “may” take an action, the card’s player may use the card to take the action. Similarly, if a card is templated such that it “may” be tapped, discarded, or otherwise affected as an active condition of an allowance, the card’s player may take the action by performing the active condition.
 CTR
LIFO
9.5 A chain of effects is initiated when a new action is declared (whether as an active condition or an unresolved potential effect) without having been declared by a player in response to another action. Before the initiating action in a chain of effects resolves, the player who didn’t initiate the chain of effects may respond by declaring their own action (and performing any active conditions for that declaration), or if that player chooses not to respond then their opponent may respond to their own action by declaring another action, and then the other player may respond, and so forth. Once neither player wishes to respond, the current sequence of unresolved effects resolves in the reverse order of declaration (i.e. last in, first out). Players cannot take further actions in the middle of a resolving chain of effects until it has completely resolved.
 METW, ICE 33, ICE 117, COE 15
9.5.1 The resource player always has priority to initiate a new chain of effects. If the hazard player attempts to initiate a chain of effects without checking whether the resource player wants to initiate one first, the resource player may ask the hazard player to “take back” the action, and un-perform any active conditions, so that priority is returned to the resource player.
 ICE 512, ICE 517
9.5.2 Performing an action as an active condition does not initiate a separate chain of effects (because it is not treated as its own separate action).
 MELE
9.5.3 If a rule or effect happens “immediately,” it resolves without initiating a chain of effects and without either player being allowed to respond.
 MELE, MEWC, COETR
9.5.4 If a card specifies that multiple separate actions are performed when the card resolves, the actions are considered to have been declared in the reverse order of how they are printed, and thus resolve in the same order as printed.
 MEWC
9.5.5 If a card is negated between the declaration of being played and resolving, it is immediately discarded.
 MEWC
passive conditions
9.6 An effect may require that one or more actions be performed as the result of specified passive conditions, meaning that the action(s) must be automatically declared as soon as either the passive condition effect or the game condition itself comes into effect while the other was already in effect. An action declared due to a passive condition must initiate a chain of effects; when a passive condition comes into effect during the resolution of a chain of effects, its action(s) must be declared in a subsequent chain of effects that is immediately initiated after the current chain of effects finishes resolving (and if multiple passive conditions come into effect during the resolution of a chain of effects, all of those declared actions are added to the beginning of the same subsequent chain of effects in an order determined by the resource player, without any other actions declared in between).
 MELE, MEWC
9.6.1 Declarations from passive conditions require legal conditions upon resolution, including that the passive condition effect and the game condition itself are both still in effect.
 MEWC, CRF 4
9.6.2 If a passive condition would result in a card being discarded, the passive condition resolves immediately instead of in a subsequent chain of effects.
 MEWC
9.6.3 The initiation of an attack is considered an action (as it involves actions) and will initiate a chain of effects when it comes into effect due to a passive condition.
 MEWC
9.6.4 Any passive condition effects that would be initiated at the beginning of a phase/turn must be immediately declared in a single chain of effects (in an order chosen by the resource player) before any other actions may be taken during that phase/turn. Players may then respond to this chain of effects with their own “at the beginning of [this phase/turn]” actions; once both players confirm that they have no other “at the beginning of [this phase/turn]” actions to declare, they may then respond with normal actions as allowed.
 CRF 18, COE 118, COE 124, COE 207
9.6.5 Any passive condition effects that would be initiated at the end of a phase/turn must be immediately declared in a single chain of effects (in an order chosen by the resource player) once both players declare that they have finished taking actions during the phase. Players may then respond to this chain of effects with their own “at the end of [this phase/turn]” actions, actions that target dice-rolls, and actions that target declared cards or cards with declared passive conditions; no other actions can be declared in response. If a phase ends “immediately,” no further actions may be declared by players during that phase, but passive condition effects are still initiated without an option to respond.
 CRF 18, ICE 86, COE 118, COE 124
9.6.6 If multiple occurrences of the same passive condition come into effect at the same time (e.g. from duplicate copies of the card with the passive condition being in play, or from more than one criteria of the passive condition coming into effect at the same time), the passive conditions’ effects are only declared once for all occurrences but all of the passive conditions are considered to have been initiated (e.g. for the purposes of discarding the card with the effect).
 ICE 79, ICE 80, ICE 81
9.6.7 Card effects that modify the attributes of entities in play without targeting the entity (e.g. “All Man attacks receive +1 prowess,” or similar modifications to one or more attributes of a specified type of entity) affect the board state and thus are implemented as passive conditions, meaning that they initiate a chain of effects when an appropriate entity becomes available to be modified.
 CRF 13
9.6.8 If a game condition is no longer in effect, any ongoing effects of passive conditions that were dependent on that game condition also become inactive.
 CRF 19, ICE 33, ICE 515, ICE 516, COE 201, COE 204
9.6.9 If a passive condition would be inititated due to a card being discarded but another copy of the discarded card is in play, the passive condition is not initiated.
 ICE 97
9.7 Cards do not have “memory” once they leave play; cards in the discard pile don’t “remember” how they were played.
 CRF 13
10 • ENDING THE GAME
one ring
10.1 Winning with The One Ring - The conditions that allow a player to win the game with The One Ring are specific to the type of player.
 METW, MELE, MEWH, MEBA
10.1.W1
If a Wizard player plays Cracks of Doom or Gollum’s Fate and the conditions outlined on the card are met, that player wins.
 METW
10.1.R1
If a Ringwraith player’s company is bearing The One Ring at Barad-dûr, that player wins.
 MELE, COE 22, COE 48
10.1.F1
If a Fallen-wizard player has A New Ringlord in play and the conditions outlined on the card are met, that player wins.
 MEWH
10.1.B1
If a Balrog player has Challenge the Power in play and the conditions outlined on the card are met, that player wins.
 MEBA
exhaust, calling
10.2 Calling the Game - The conditions that allow the normal end of the game to be initiated depend on the predetermined length of the game.
 METW
10.2.1 Starter (“1-deck”) Game - If a player currently has at least 20 marshalling points not including cards at Under-deeps sites OR has exhausted their own play deck at least once, that player may “call” to end the game at the end of their own turn, in which case their opponent gets one last turn. Otherwise, when each play deck has been exhausted at least once, the game ends after the current turn.
 METW, MEBA
10.2.2 Short (“2-deck”) Game - If a player currently has at least 25 marshalling points not including cards at Under-deeps sites and has exhausted their own play deck at least once OR has exhausted their own play deck at least twice, that player may “call” to end the game at the end of their own turn, in which case their opponent gets one last turn. Otherwise, when each play deck has been exhausted at least twice, the game ends after the current turn.
 METW, MEBA, CRF 10
10.2.3 Long (“3-deck”) Game - If a player currently has at least 30 marshalling points not including cards at Under-deeps sites and has exhausted their own play deck at least twice OR has exhausted their own play deck at least three times, that player may “call” to end the game at the end of their own turn, in which case their opponent gets one last turn. Otherwise, when each play deck has been exhausted at least three times, the game ends after the current turn.
 METW, MEBA, CRF 10
10.2.4 Campaign (“4-deck”) Game - If a player currently has at least 40 marshalling points not including cards at Under-deeps sites and has exhausted their own play deck at least three times OR has exhausted their own play deck at least four times, that player may “call” to end the game at the end of their own turn, in which case their opponent gets one last turn. Otherwise, when each play deck has been exhausted at least four times, the game ends after the current turn.
 METW, MEBA, CRF 10
10.2.R1
A Ringwraith player cannot feely call to end the game; instead, once the normal game-length conditions have been met for calling the end of the game, a Ringwraith player may play Sudden Call either as a resource on their own turn (after which their opponent gets one last turn), or as a hazard during their opponent’s turn (after which the calling player gets one last turn).
 MELE
10.2.B1
A Balrog player cannot freely call to end the game; instead, once the normal game-length conditions have been met for calling the end of the game, a Balrog player may play Sudden Call either as a resource on their own turn (after which their opponent gets one last turn), or as a hazard during their opponent’s turn (after which the calling player gets one last turn).
 MEBA
10.2.B2
Balrog players may include cards at Under-deeps sites when tallying their own marshalling points (both for the purpose of calling the end of the game and thereafter).
 MEBA
council
10.3 The Free Council / Audience with Sauron / Day of Reckoning / Day of Decision - When the game ends after being called and any subsequent turns have been completed, the winner is determined by proceeding through the following steps (10.3.i-vi) in order, prior to which characters do not automatically untap, during which no actions may be taken unless otherwise noted, and during which long- and permanent-events in play are still active:
 METW, CRF 4, CRF 13
10.3.i Determining the Winner, Step 1 (Corruption Checks) - Starting with the player who took the last turn, each player makes a corruption check for each of their non-Ringwraith, non-Balrog characters in the order of that player’s choosing. Resource/character actions may be taken if they directly affect corruption checks (including tapping one or more characters in the same company to provide +1 support, or effects that reduce a character’s corruption point total or prevent a character from being discarded).
 MELE, MEBA, MEWC, CRF 8
10.3.ii Determining the Winner, Step 2 (Totaling MPs) - Each player then totals their marshalling points for each of six sources, including sources at Under-deeps sites, and applying any modifications from effects in play.
• Character points (in an octagon shape): Total MPs of the player’s character cards in play, subtracting any negative MPs due to the effects of certain characters being eliminated
• Ally points (in a triangle pointing up): Total MPs of the player’s ally cards in play
• Item points (in a square): Total MPs of the player’s item cards in play
• Faction points (in a triangle pointing down): Total MPs of the player’s faction cards in play
• Kill points (in a circle): Total MPs of the non-detainment creatures, agents, or certain hazards played by an opponent that the player’s companies defeated
• Miscellaneous points (in a diamond): Total MPs from any of the player’s other cards in play (but not yet subtracting the penalty of -5 MPs if the player’s avatar was eliminated)
 MELE, CRF 8, CRF 10, COL
10.3.iii Determining the Winner, Step 3 (Doubling 0 MP Sources) - If a player has zero or less marshalling points in a source other than kill or miscellaneous, their opponent’s marshalling points are doubled for that source.
 MELE
10.3.iv Determining the Winner, Step 4 (Reducing to Half of Totals) - If more than half of a player’s marshalling point total comes from a single source (ignoring negative sources), that player reduces their marshalling points from that source until it is no more than half of their own marshalling point total.
 MELE, CRF 5, CRF 10
10.3.v Determining the Winner, Step 5 (Revealing Duplicates) - Each player may reveal any cards in their hand that would normally give the revealing player marshalling points when played if the card(s) match unique cards or manifestations of cards (regardless of alignment) that are giving their opponent at least one marshalling point. For each matching card revealed in this way, the opponent’s marshalling point total is reduced by one point.
 MELE, CRF 8
10.3.vi Determining the Winner, Step 6 (Penalties for Eliminated Avatars) - If a player’s avatar was eliminated, the -5 MPs are applied to that player’s miscellaneous points after all other modifications (despite having already been in effect for the purposes of determining whether the game could be called).
 COL
10.3.vii Determining the Winner, Step 7 (Comparing Totals) - The player with the highest final marshalling point total wins the game. If both players have the same mashalling point total, the game ends in a tie.
 MELE
10.4 Players do not receive marshalling points from hazards that they themselves play, and do not receive kill points from cards that they themselves played.
 CRF 9, CRF 11
wrapup!
10.W1
For a Wizard player, minion items are worth half of the item’s normal marshalling points (rounded up).
 MELE
10.R1
For a Ringwraith player, hero items are worth half of the item’s normal marshalling points (rounded up).
 MELE
10.F1
For a Fallen-wizard player, non-Stage cards worth at least one marshalling point are only worth one marshalling point, unless that value is modified by a stage resource, Fallen-wizard avatar ability, or hazard.
 MEWH, CRF 13
10.F2
A Fallen-wizard player does not receive marshalling points for resources stored at non-Wizardhaven sites.
 MEWH
10.F3
A Fallen-wizard player may receive the extra faction marshalling points for a group of faction cards that may be played on a leader, but they receive only one extra faction point for the group of factions instead of two.
 CRF 11
10.B1
A Balrog player does not receive marshalling points for hero items played at that player’s Darkhavens, and receives half of the normal marshalling points for other hero items (rounded up).
 MELE, ICE 565
Glossary
action - A one-time activity that changes the board state when it is performed.
 METW, COE 207
agent - A card that may be played as a hazard (or as a character by certain types of players if the card has a character frame).
 MEDM
Ahunt - A type of Dragon manifestation.
 METD
ally - A type of resource that represents a non-character personality.
 METW
associated - Entities associated with a company include the characters, allies, and items in the company, and any events played on the company or on an entity in the company; a company’s sites (new site, site of origin, etc.) are not associated with the company.
 CRF 9
At Home - A type of Dragon manifestation.
 METD
attack - An effect that represents combat between entities.
 MELE
attribute - A characteristic of an entity (e.g. prowess, body, race, skills, direct influence, mind, corruption points, marshalling points, or special abilities).
 METW, MEDM, MELE, COE 207
automatic-attack - A type of attack that must be faced in order to enter a site.
 METW
avatar - A type of character that represents its player as a member of a company.
 ICE 553
Balrog - A type of player, embodied by Balrog avatars, that represents the fallen Maiar corrupted by Melkor.
 MEBA, CTR
g.bal.1 If a manifestation of The Balrog is in play or has been eliminated, ignore all Balrog automatic-attacks.
 MEBA
bear, bearer - A card that controls another card is the “bearer” of the card being “borne” (typically referring to items or some permanent-events).
 METW
body - An attribute that represents how difficult it is to eliminate an entity, located in the lower-left corner of a card after the “/” symbol.
 MELE
body check - A check made against an entity’s body.
 METW
Border-hold - A type of site denoted by a symbol.
 METW
Border-land(s) - A type of region denoted by a symbol.
 METW
call - A declaration that a player is initiating the end of the game after having completed the necessary requirements to do so.
 METW
cancel - An action that negates an action, effect, or entire card, and regardless of whether the target is in a chain of effects, a card in play, etc.
 METW
cannot be duplicated - A restriction on a card that only one copy of the card (meaning that any additional copies are discarded without effect) may be simultaneously:
• in play,
• targeting the same entity,
• having an untargeted effect upon the game rules,
• currently declared in a chain of effects,
• AND/OR in the removed-from-play pile.
 MEWC, ICE 57, ICE 571
g.cbd.1 Checking for duplicate copies of a card that “cannot be duplicated” is done at the end of the chain of effects resolving, meaning that if a card that “cannot be duplicated” has been targeted to be removed upon resolution of a chain of effects, a player may play a duplicate copy of that card in the same chain of effects.
 MEWC
chain of effects - A sequence of unresolved effects from actions being declared, initially and then in response to previously declared actions in the same sequence, and which is then resolved in the reverse order of declaration.
 MELE
character - A type of card that represents a company member, and which must always be either untapped, tapped, or wounded while in play (including while taken prisoner).
 METW, MEDM, CRF 4
check - A roll that is made and then compared to a provided number in order to determine whether an action or effect was successful.
 METW
Coastal Sea(s) - A type of region denoted by a symbol.
 METW
company - An entity that contains one or more characters moving or located together.
 METW
condition, active - A prerequisite for an action to be taken by a player.
 MELE
condition, passive - A prescribed set of circumstances that, upon coming into effect, results in a chain of effects being initiated due to a declaration of prescribed action(s).
 MELE, MEWC
control, controller - For a player, the entities that the player owns and hasn’t lost due to an effect are under the “control” of that player; for a character, the cards that have been played on or placed with that character are under the “control” of that character.
 METW
corruption card - A hazard card with the “corruption” keyword.
 MELE
corruption check - A check made against a character’s corruption point total.
 METW
corruption points - An attribute that represents how likely a card is to compel its controller into abandoning its player, typically located in the lower-right corner of a card. Corruption points are written as plain numerals which are then added together into their controller’s corruption point total; a card with a “+” or “-” symbol in front of the corruption points indicates that it modifies corruption check rolls rather than that it actually gives or removes that many corruption points.
 METW
corruption point total - The sum of corruption points on the cards that a character controls (but not including the corruption points on any cards that the character’s followers control).
 METW
covert - A type of company that does not contain a Balrog, Orc, Troll, or Ringwraith in Fell Rider mode (or a card that says it makes the company overt).
 MEWH, ICE 98
creature - A hazard card that initiates an attack against the company upon resolution.
 METW
current site - The site where a non-moving company is located.
 METW
Dark-domain(s) - A type of region denoted by a symbol.
 METW
Darkhaven - A minion haven site, denoted by a symbol.
 MELE
g.dh.1 Card text that refers to a player’s Darkhaven refers to a haven of the alignment corresponding to the player.
 MELE, CRF 9
Dark-hold - A type of site denoted by a symbol.
 METW
detainment - An attack that taps rather than wounds a character that fails one of its strikes.
 MELE
direct influence - An attribute of a character used to control other characters, make influence attempts, etc., located in a black hand on the left side of a character’s card.
 METW
discard - An action that moves a card, and any other non-follower cards that are controlled by or otherwise placed with the card being discarded, to its player’s discard pile face-down; cards are normally discarded from play (unless an effect specifies that a card is being discarded from a player’s hand, and in which case cards are discarded one at a time.
 METW, CRF 5, CRF 6
discard pile - A designated place for cards to be discarded face-down, and which may be freely perused by its player but not rearranged unless an effect allows or requires it.
 METW, ICE 502
draw - An action that moves a card from a player’s play deck to that player’s hand; cards are drawn one at a time (in case a play deck is exhausted while drawing more than one card total).
 METW
eliminate - An action that removes a card from play (either to a marshalling point pile or to the removed-from-play pile), and which causes the immediate discard of any non-follower cards controlled by or attached to the card being eliminated.
 METW, CRF 5
enter - A decision to face any automatic-attacks at a site so that other actions may be taken there.
 METW
entity - A card, company, or attack.
 METW
environment - A keyword indicating that a card’s effects are only applied to an affected entity once per turn and then not again for that turn.
 CRF 6
event - A type of card that may either be a short-event, long-event, or permanent-event.
 METW
faction - A type of resource that represents a large group (or a unique Dragon) that may be recruited to a player’s cause.
 METW
Fallen-wizard - A type of player, embodied by Fallen-wizard avatars, that represents the hero wizards who have strayed from the mission of the Free Peoples.
 MEWH
follower - A character that is being controlled by another character.
 METW
Free-domain(s) - A type of region denoted by a symbol.
 METW
Free-hold - A type of site denoted by a symbol.
 METW
general influence - A value used by players to control non-follower characters.
 METW
hazard - A type of card that represents the forces threatening a player and/or their cards.
 METW, MELE
hazard limit - A value for a company during the movement/hazard phase that denotes how many hazards may be played on that company.
 METW
haven - a type of site that represents a safe place for characters that share its alignment; OR “Haven,” a hero haven site, denoted by a symbol and white frame.
 METW, MELE, MEWH, MEBA
g.hav.1 A haven counts as its own nearest haven.
 CRF 9
g.hav.2 Non-haven site cards that have been changed to havens for a specific purpose still follow the rules for non-haven sites for all other purposes (and vice versa for haven sites changed into non-havens for specific purposes).
 ICE 60, COE 61
g.have.3 Card text that refers to a player’s generic Haven refers to a haven of the alignment corresponding to the player.
 MELE, CRF 9
g.hav.F1
A Fallen-wizard player cannot take actions specific to havens at Havens or Darkhavens (e.g. Fallen-wizard players cannot heal characters, play a character at a haven while organizing, etc., at sites that are not Wizardhavens), but Havens and Darkhavens still have the “haven” site type and effects within the card’s text still apply.
 MEWH, COE 13
heal - An action that rotates an inverted (“wounded”) card 90° to a sideways (“tapped”) position (and which is different than “untapping” the character).
 METW, ICE 88
hero - A card alignment that represents forces of the Valar (characters with a light-blue background, resources with a coppery background, and sites with a light-colored background; also Wizard and Fallen-wizard avatars); OR a company comprising characters of that alignment.
 METW, MELE, MEWH, CTR
hoard - A designation on a site that certain items are playable there or by a site having a Dragon automatic-attack; OR a type of item that is only playable at a site that is designated as containing a hoard.
 METD
g.hoa.1 Any site that had a Dragon automatic-attack at the beginning of the turn contains a hoard.
 CRF 17
home site - One or more sites representing where a character may normally be brought into play, located in the bottom-right corner of a character card’s text box.
 METW
influence attempt - An action that involves a player trying to influence a faction or an opponents’ card.
 METW
influence check - A check made against a value determined by the target of an influence attempt.
 METW
Information - A designation listed as a playable resource on certain sites; resources generally don’t have an Information keyword, but will have an active condition of requiring a site where Information is playable.
 METW
item - A type of resource that represents an object.
 METW
keyed - An active condition of creatures that establishes where the creature is attacking; only attacks from hazard creatures are considered keyed (unless a card’s effect states otherwise).
 METW, MELC, CRF 8
keyword - A word on a card that is used to determine whether the card is affected by certain effects, but which doesn’t necessarily have any associated effects or rules itself.
 MELE
lair - A site with a Dragon automatic-attack, denoting a specific Dragon’s “home.” Each unique Dragon has an associated lair:
• Agburanar: Caves of Ûlund
• Bairanax: Ovir Hollow
• Daelomin: Dancing Spire
• Ëarcaraxë: Isle of the Ulond
• Itangast: Gold Hill
• Leucaruth: Irerock
• Scatha: Gondmaeglom
• Scorba: Zarak Dûm
• Smaug: The Lonely Mountain
 METD
leader - A type of character that cannot be in a company with another leader unless they are at a Darkhaven.
 MELE
long-event - A type of event that is in play for a single rotation of turns and then is discarded.
 METW
g.long.1 Resource long-events can only be played during the resource player’s long-event phase.
 METW
make a roll - An action that uses two six-sided dice to generate a random value.
 METW
manifestation - A mechanically different version of the same entity, but which is not the same as the named card (e.g. for conditions that depend on a certain card by name); if a card indicates that it is the manifestation of another card, the latter is also considered a manifestation of the former.
 MEDM, ICE 584
g.man.1 Only one manifestation of a unique entity can be in play, regardless of the cards’ alignment. A manifestation of an entity cannot be played if a manifestation of the same entity is currently in play, unless a rule or effect would remove the current manifestation from play (e.g. it would be discarded, returned to its player’s hand, etc.) when the new manifestation is played. This rule does not apply to Dragon manifestations.
 MEDM, MELE
g.man.2 An avatar may be played (as an avatar) even if other manifestations of the avatar are in play, so long as none of the other manifestations have been played as an avatar.
 MEAS, MEWH, MEBA
g.man.3 When a Dragon manifestation (e.g. Ahunt, At Home, Roused, or the creature manifestation of the Dragon; Dragon automatic-attacks are not considered manifestations) is defeated or otherwise removed from play, all other manifestations of the same Dragon in play are removed from play, further manifestations of the Dragon cannot be played for the rest of the game, and the corresponding Dragon’s lair loses its automatic-attack for the rest of the game. If a player defeats an opponent’s Dragon manifestation that provides marshalling points, the player places the Dragon manifestation in their mashalling point pile as kill points.
 METD, CRF 9, CRF 11, CRF 17, ICE 43
marshalling points (MPs) - A card attribute that represents how valuable a card is to its player’s mission, located in the upper-left of a card.
 METW
marshalling point pile - An area for each player to place cards that are worth mashalling points to that player.
 METW
mind - An attribute that represents how much influence is required to control a character or how difficult an ally or character is to influence, located in a white head on the left side of a character card.
 METW
minion - A card alignment that represents forces of the Dark Lord (characters with a purple background, resources with a steel gray background, and sites with a dark-colored background; also Ringwraith and Balrog avatars), OR a company comprising characters of that alignment.
 MELE, MEWH, MEBA, CTR
mode - A designation that affects a Ringwraith’s attributes and how it may move; a Ringwraith is not normally in a mode until an effect puts it in a mode.
 MELE
g.mode.1 A Ringwraith can only be in one mode at a time; if a mode effect is applied to a Ringwraith, all other cards applying a mode effect to that Ringwraith are immediately discarded.
 CRF 9
move - If a card, an action that changes a card’s location in the game; if a company, an action that ultimately replaces a company’s current site card with a new site card.
 METW
new site - A site to which a company is moving, or a non-moving company’s current site.
 METW
normal - A card, attribute, or rule as written, prior to other effects being implemented (unless a card has alternate values written depending on other conditions, in which case the normal value would apply just the current conditions); or if an attack, a non-detainment attack.
 MELE, CRF 7, ICE 15, COE 95
off to the side - An area where a card may be placed depending on a “host” card’s effects. A card placed off to the side still counts for the purposes of uniqueness and duplication, and still gives marshalling points unless it’s a prisoner or an effect states otherwise. Cards placed off to the side cannot be targeted or affected (except by their host card), but host cards remain in play and may still be targeted and affected.
 MEDM, CRF 9
g.otts.1 When a host card leaves play, any cards placed off to the side with it are immediately discarded (except for prisoners).
 MEDM
overt - A type of company that contains an Orc, Troll, Ringwraith avatar, and/or Balrog avatar (or certain allies or other cards that make a company overt), OR that contains a Half-orc and other characters that are neither men nor Half-orcs.
 MEWH
permanent-event - A type of event, the effects of which remain in effect for as long as the card remains in play.
 METW
play (a card) - An action that moves a card from a player’s hand (when declared) into play (upon resolution); character, resource, and site cards are placed untapped on their player’s side of the playing surface, while untargeted hazard cards are placed untapped in a “neutral zone” in the middle of the playing surface and targeted hazards are placed untapped on the appropriate entity.
 METW, CRF 9
play deck - A face-down set of cards from which cards are drawn, which cannot be freely perused or shuffled, and which still exists within the game even if it has 0 cards in it.
 METW, COE 82
place - An action that moves a card from one area to a different area (and which is not the same as “playing” the card).
 METW
protected - A type of Wizardhaven with the “protected” keyword, which has no effect by itself.
 CRF 11
prowess - An attribute that represents a card’s offensive capabilities in combat, located in the lower-left hand of a card before the “/” symbol.
 METW
race - An attribute of a character (and some allies and factions) that represents the character’s subset of Middle-earth peoples, with a singular race being treated as equivalent to the same plural race. The races within the game are Dúnadan/Dúnadain, Dwarf/Dwarves, Elf/Elves, Hobbit/Hobbits, Man/Men, Orc/Orcs, or Troll/Trolls; or for avatars, Balrog, Fallen-wizard/Fallen-wizards, Ringwraith/Ringwraiths, or Wizard/Wizards.
 METW, MELE, MEWH, MEBA
replace - If replacing cards, an action that puts a card in the place of another card; the replaced card is immediately discarded.
 ICE 517
g.rep.1 When a site is replaced with a site of the opposite alignment, the new site comes into play in the same orientation as the site being replaced.
 CRF 11
region - A section of the map, and a corresponding type of non-unique card, that represents a wider area of Middle-earth than just a site card, with the type of region denoted by a symbol with a circle around it.
 METW
remove from play (and removed-from-play pile) - An effect that moves a card to the removed-from-play pile; cards in the removed-from-play pile no longer have any affect or interaction with the game except still being considered for purposes of uniqueness.
 METW, CRF 17
remove from the game - An effect that removes a card from the game completely; cards removed from the game no longer have any affect or interaction with the game (and are no longer considered for purposes of uniqueness).
 METW, CRF 17
resource - A type of card that represents advantageous occurrences, personalities, groups, and objects.
 METW
return - An action that moves a card to a specified area or that moves a company back to its site of origin.
 METW
reveal - An action that shows a card to all players.
 CRF 7
riddling attempt - An action that involves players rolling to see who can guess the other’s cards.
 METD
riddling roll - A roll made against an opponent’s roll to determine which player can guess their opponent’s cards.
 METD
ring - A type of item; a Gold Ring card may be tested to determine the type of Ring Special item that may be played in its place.
 METW
Ringwraith - A type of player that represents the forces of the Dark Lord, OR a type of avatar used by that player.
 MELE
g.rw.B1
Card text that refers to a Balrog player’s “Ringwraith” refers to that player’s Balrog avatar (but the two terms are distinguished within this rules document).
 MEWH
Ringwraith company - Any company that contains a Ringwraith.
 MELE
Ringwraith follower - A Ringwraith that is a follower of a player’s Ringwraith avatar.
 MELE
Roused - A type of Dragon manifestation.
 METD
Ruins & Lairs - A type of site denoted by a symbol.
 METW
search - An action that causes a player to look through their own deck for the specified card(s) and then shuffle the deck after.
 METW, CRF 13
Shadow-hold - A type of site denoted by a symbol.
 METW
Shadow-land(s) - A type of region denoted by a symbol.
 METW
short-event - A type of event that is immediately discarded after it resolves.
 METW
shuffle (and reshuffle) - An action that randomly rearranges a specified deck (typically a play deck from which cards were just seen or revealed).
 METW
sideboard - A face-down set of cards set off to the side during the game, and which may be freely perused or rearranged by its player.
 METW
site - A type of card that represents a specific location in Middle-earth, with the type of site denoted by a symbol without a circle around it.
 METW
g.site.1 Site cards are not unique (you and your opponent may both have copies of the same site card in play), but if a player has any version of a non-haven site in play or in their own discard pile, that player cannot play nor otherwise use another version of that site.
 METW, CRF 11
site of origin - A site from which a company is moving.
 METW
site path - If of a site, the sequence of region types between the site and its nearest aligned haven as listed on the site card, including the names of the first region and last region but not the names of any intervening regions; if of a company, the sequence of regions between its site of origin and its new site (with types/names as specified for the form of movement). Haven site cards and Darkhaven site cards do not have a site path, except for Geann a-Lisch.
 METW, CRF 4, CRF 9
size - The number of characters in a company, with each Hobbit or Orc scout character only counting as half of a character (rounded up).
 METW, MELE
skill - An attribute that represents the special knowledge of a character or ally (either Diplomat, Ranger, Sage, Scout, and/or Warrior).
 METW
skill only - A type of card or effect with an active condition of the player have an ally or character with that skill.
 MELE, CRF 5, CRF 9
Spawn - A type of ally or hazard with the “spawn” keyword.
 MEBA
specific - If character specific, an active condition that the character be in play; if avatar specific, an active condition that the player has declared themself as that avatar, but which doesn’t require that the character be in play.
 CRF 11
Stage - A type of resource that may be played by Fallen-wizard players, identified by a greenish background.
 MEWH
stage points - An attribute that reflects how far a Fallen-wizard has deviated from his original mission, typically located in a gear shape on the left side of a card. Stage points are written as plain numerals which are then added together into their player’s stage point total.
 MEWH
standard modification - A modification that is applied to an influence check roll if the indicated race matches the race of the character that tapped to play the faction, or if the indicated faction is in play (regardless of the controlling player).
 MELE
store - An action that moves a card in play to its player’s marshalling point pile, but which additionally removes it from play for any condition other than its marshalling points and uniqueness (i.e. it cannot be targeted, etc.).
 CRF 13, ICE 104
strike - A part of an attack against an individual character.
 METW
strike sequence - A set period of time from when a player declares that they are initiating the resolution of a strike assigned to a character until any rolls are made for the strike and any associated body checks are made.
 METW
surface site - A site above an Under-deeps site, denoted as having an Under-deep roll of 0 on the Under-deeps site.
 MEDM
tap - An action that rotates an upright card 90° to a sideways “tapped” position, and which requires that the card be initially upright (i.e. not wounded or already tapped).
 METW
target - An entity of specified type and number that is chosen by a player for an action or effect to be implemented upon.
 MELE, ICE 531
transfer - An action that moves a card from the control of a character to a different character at the same site or in the same moving company.
 METW, CRF 8, CRF 18
trophy - A defeated creature or Dragon manifestation that is placed with an Orc or Troll character that defeated one of its strikes.
 MELE, CRF 5
Under-deeps - A type of site that requires Under-deeps movement for a company to move to the site.
 MEDM
unique - A restriction on a card that only one copy of the card may be in play and/or in the removed-from-play pile at once (not including cards that are face-down), and that only one copy of the card may be included in a player’s combined decks; if a unique card is discarded (but not eliminated) or removed from the game entirely, it may be played again by either player.
 MELE, CRF 9, CRF 17
untap - An action that rotates a sideways card 90° to an upright “untapped” position, and which requires that the card be initially tapped (i.e. not wounded or already untapped).
 METW
g.unt.1 If an effect indicates that a card may not untap, nothing may untap the card.
 CRF 5
use - To implement the effects of a card, or to have a card fulfill some other purpose within the game; may also signify an active condition of a keyworded card requiring a character be able to “use” its effect (e.g. being able to use a Palantír, use shadow-magic, etc.), which is not the same as being allowed to use the card generally.
 METW, ICE 100
Wizard - A type of player that represents the forces of the Maiar sent by the Valar, OR a type of avatar used by that player.
 METW
g.wiz.F1
Card text that refers to a Fallen-wizard player’s “Wizard” is treated as referring to that player’s Fallen-wizard avatar.
 MEWH
Wizardhaven - A Fallen-wizard haven site, denoted by a symbol (and a light gray frame).
 MEWH
Wilderness - A type of region denoted by a symbol.
 METW
wound - An action that rotates an upright card 180° to an inverted (“wounded”) position, or which rotates a tapped card 90° to a wounded position, or which would affect a card that is already wounded without actually rotating it but which would still re-cause the character to “be” wounded (but not “becoming” wounded, which would only be triggered if the card is actually rotated). Wounded and tapped are considered separate orientations (i.e. a wounded character is not also considered tapped).
 METW, CRF 8

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