The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – The Two Towers: Saga Expansion
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – The Two Towers: Saga Expansion Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Component Overview
- Expansion Symbol
- Saga Expansion Rules
- Setting Up the Game
- Saga Staging Rules
- Saruman, Gríma, and Sméagol
- Saga Expansion Player Cards
- The Fellowship Sphere
- Fellowship Sphere Heroes
- Aragorn
- Frodo Baggins
- The One Ring
- Campaign Mode
- Rules & New Terms
- Scenario 7: The Uruk-hai
- Scenario 8: Helm's Deep
- Scenario 9: The Road to Isengard
- Scenario 10: The Passage of the Marshes
- Scenario 11: Journey to the Cross-roads
- Scenario 12: Shelob's Lair
- Starter Decklists
Component Overview
The Two Towers Saga Expansion includes the following components:
- This rules booklet
- 330 cards, consisting of:
- 6 Hero Cards
- 63 Player Cards
- 17 Quest Cards
- 218 Encounter Cards
- 6 Campaign Cards
- 20 Boon and Burden Cards
Expansion Symbol
The cards in this expansion can be identified by the expansion symbol printed before each card's collector number.
Saga Expansion Rules
This expansion features the pivotal events and conflicts that appear in The Two Towers novel. As those events revolve around the heroic acts of Frodo and Aragorn, and the isolating nature of the One Ring, the scenarios in this expansion have additional rules that are used when playing the scenarios in a saga expansion.
Setting Up the Game
When setting up a scenario in The Two Towers Saga Expansion, the first player must take control of the appropriate Fellowship sphere hero as follows:
- When setting up The Uruk-hai, Helm's Deep, or The Road to Isengard, the first player takes control of Fellowship sphere Aragorn (1).
- When setting up The Passage of the Marshes, Journey to the Cross-roads, or Shelob's Lair, the first player takes control of a hero from the Fellowship sphere with the Ring-bearer trait at the beginning of the game and attaches The One Ring to that hero.
Saga Staging Rules
When playing the scenarios in saga expansions, players reveal encounter cards individually in player order during the staging step of the quest phase. Beginning with the first player, each player reveals 1 encounter card and resolves its staging before the next player reveals a card. If an encounter card has an effect that uses the word "you" then the encounter card is referring to the player who revealed the card. If the revealed encounter has the surge keyword, the player who revealed that card reveals an additional encounter card before play proceeds to the next player. Encounter cards with the doomed X keyword still affect each player.
Saruman, Gríma, and Sméagol
When playing the scenarios in The Two Towers Saga Expansion, the players cannot use any ally or hero card with the title "Saruman," "Gríma," or "Sméagol."
Saga Expansion Player Cards
The Two Towers Saga Expansion features cards that players may use to customize their decks when playing the scenarios in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game saga expansions. While most of the included player cards are fully compatible with all published The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game scenarios, a select few are only intended for use when playing the scenarios presented in saga expansions.
The Fellowship Sphere
The Fellowship sphere, denoted by the Fellowship sphere icon, is a sphere of influence in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game with its own set of rules. The Fellowship sphere emphasizes the sacrifice and determination of the valiant heroes who took up the quest to destroy the One Ring and bring an end to the menace of Sauron.
Heroes belonging to the Fellowship sphere can only be used when playing the scenarios in saga expansions. Also, only one hero from the Fellowship sphere can be played at a time. Therefore, it is not possible for there to be more than one hero belonging to the Fellowship sphere in play at any time.
Fellowship Sphere Heroes
The Two Towers Saga Expansion features new versions of two heroes: Aragorn and Frodo Baggins, who each belong to the Fellowship sphere. When using a Fellowship sphere version of one of these heroes, players cannot start with any other version(s) of that hero as a starting hero or include any other version(s) of them in their decks.
Each Fellowship sphere hero collects 1 resource during the resource phase. In addition to paying for cards that match the Fellowship sphere, resources from a Fellowship sphere hero's pool may be spent to pay for neutral cards.
Because these versions of Aragorn and Frodo Baggins belong to the Fellowship sphere, they cannot be used as heroes when playing any scenario from a product other than saga expansions.
If a Fellowship sphere hero is the last hero under a player's control and that hero leaves that player's control, then that player is immediately eliminated from the game.
Aragorn
Fellowship sphere Aragorn does not count against the hero limit. Therefore, it is possible for the first player to begin the game with up to 4 heroes under their control if one of those heroes is Fellowship sphere Aragorn.
Aragorn has the text: "The first player gains control of Aragorn." When the first player token passes during the refresh phase, the first player gains control of Aragorn, all resources in Aragorn's resource pool, and all cards attached to Aragorn.
Aragorn also has the text: "If Aragorn leaves play, the players lose the game." This text cannot be modified by card effects.
Frodo Baggins
This new version of Frodo Baggins is the only hero with the Ring-bearer trait included in this expansion.
The One Ring
The Two Towers Saga Expansion features The One Ring, an objective card that the players must use when playing The Passage of the Marshes, Journey to the Cross-roads, or Shelob's Lair. When setting up one of these scenarios, the first player must attach The One Ring to a Ring-bearer they control.
While attached to a hero, The One Ring has the text: "Attached hero does not count against the hero limit." Therefore, it is possible for the first player to begin the game with up to 4 heroes under their control if one of those heroes is a Ring-bearer with The One Ring attached.
The One Ring also has the text: "If The One Ring leaves play, the players lose the game." Just like in the novel, the players will need to carefully guard the Ring-bearer because if the attached hero leaves play, then The One Ring is also discarded and the players lose the game.
Multiplayer Rules – The One Ring
The One Ring also has the text: "The first player gains control of attached hero." When the first player token passes during the refresh phase, the first player gains control of the attached Ring-bearer, all resources in that hero's resource pool, and all cards attached to that hero. If the hero with The One Ring attached is the last hero under a player's control and that hero leaves that player's control, then that player is immediately eliminated from the game.
Campaign Mode
Included in The Two Towers Saga Expansion are new campaign cards, boons, and burdens that allow players to play the six scenarios included in this box in campaign mode as part of The Lord of the Rings campaign they began in The Fellowship of the Ring Saga Expansion.
Saga expansions are designed to encourage campaign play, but players can still play the scenarios as standalone adventures if they choose. For full campaign mode rules, see pages 28–30 of the Learn to Play book included in the core set.
Campaign Mode Rules – Aragorn
When setting up a scenario in campaign mode that features Fellowship sphere Aragorn, if a player had previously recorded Aragorn as one of their heroes in the campaign log, that player loses control of that version of Aragorn. That player may choose a different hero to replace Aragorn without incurring the +1 threat penalty. Record the new hero in the campaign log. Any cards with the permanent keyword that were attached to the previous version of Aragorn are transferred to the Fellowship sphere Aragorn.
If Aragorn had previously been added to the list of fallen heroes, remove his name from the list and each player incurs a permanent +1 threat penalty.
Rules & New Terms
Archery X
While a card with the archery keyword is in play, players must deal damage to character cards in play equal to the specified archery value at the beginning of each combat phase. This damage can be dealt to characters under any player's control, and it can be divided among the players as they see fit. If there is a disagreement as to where to assign archery damage, the first player makes the final decision. If multiple cards with the archery keyword are in play, the effects are cumulative. Defense does not block archery damage.
Gollum / Sméagol
Gollum / Sméagol is a unique, double-sided encounter card. Each side of this card represents a different aspect of the iconic character: Gollum is an enemy, and Sméagol is an objective-ally. Just as in the books, Gollum will stop at nothing to reclaim his "Precious" while Sméagol wishes to aid his "nice Master."
The Gollum / Sméagol card does not have an encounter card back, and it cannot be shuffled into the encounter deck.
Gollum's effect that makes him attack after he engages the first player during the refresh phase will not trigger if there is only one player in the game since he's already engaged with that player.
When Gollum is defeated, discard all damage from him, flip him over to his Sméagol side, and exhaust him. The Gollum enemy leaves play, and the Sméagol objective-ally enters play.
Sméagol has the text: "If Sméagol is destroyed, the players lose the game." This text cannot be modified by card effects.
When an effect causes Sméagol to be flipped to Gollum, discard all damage from Sméagol and ready him. The Sméagol objective-ally leaves play, and the Gollum enemy enters play.
Immune to Player Card Effects
Cards with the text "Immune to player card effects" ignore the effects of all player cards. Additionally, cards that are immune to player card effects cannot be chosen as targets of player card effects.
Indestructible
An enemy with the indestructible keyword cannot be destroyed by damage, even when it has damage on it equal to its hit points.
Peril
When a player reveals an encounter card with the Peril keyword, they must resolve the staging of that card on their own without conferring with the other players. The other players cannot take any actions or trigger any responses during the resolution of that card's staging.
Permanent
Permanent is a keyword found on some boons and burdens. Once a boon or burden with the permanent keyword is earned, it is attached to a hero and that choice is recorded in the Campaign Log. A card with the permanent keyword can only be attached to one hero for the duration of a campaign. Attachments with the permanent keyword cannot be discarded from the attached hero while that hero is in play. If a hero leaves play, attachments with the permanent keyword attached to that hero are removed from the game.
Setup Instructions
If a player card with Setup instructions is in a player's deck at the beginning of a game, that player searches their deck for that card and follows its instructions before drawing their first hand. Similarly, if an encounter card with Setup is in the encounter deck at the beginning of a game, search the encounter deck for that card and follow its instructions before resolving the Setup instructions on the quest.
Poisoned Counsels and The Searching Eye
The treacheries Poisoned Counsels and The Searching Eye have the text "functions like a player card." These cards are encounter cards with player card backs that are shuffled into a player's deck. These cards can be drawn or added to a player's hand, and discarded from a player's hand or deck. These cards cannot be played.
Toughness X
An enemy with the toughness keyword reduces the amount of damage it takes by X each time it is assigned any amount of damage.
Scenario 7: The Uruk-hai
Difficulty level = 6
Following a fateful confrontation upon Amon Hen, the Fellowship of the Ring was broken. Large Orcs bearing the White Hand of Saruman attacked the company, and in the confusion members of the company were captured, others killed.
In the aftermath of the attack, Aragorn and the remainder of the company discovered that Frodo had escaped to the east side of the Anduin in one of the elven boats. Their choice, it seemed, was either to follow the Ring-bearer to Mordor, or attempt to rescue their captive friends.
Unwilling to abandon the captured members of their fellowship to torment and death, Aragorn decided to pursue the Orcs. The trail made by the Orc company was easy for the skilled Ranger to follow, and it quickly became clear that the Orcs were taking their captives to Isengard, the fortress of Saruman.
The fate of the captives would be decided by a footrace across the plains of Rohan...
Setup
"The Uruk-hai" is played with an encounter deck built with all the cards from the following encounter sets: The Uruk-hai, Orcs of the White Hand, and Snaga Orcs.
Pursuit Value & Pursuit Tracker
The pursuit value represents the Uruk-hai's progress as they race towards Isengard with their prisoners. When setting up The Uruk-hai, players are instructed to set the pursuit value to 10. This is done by taking an extra threat tracker and setting it next to the quest deck. That threat tracker is now the pursuit tracker, and it tracks the pursuit value. As the pursuit value increases, so does the amount of progress that the players must place on the current quest in order to defeat that stage. At the end of the round, if the pursuit value is 30, then the Uruk-hai have reached Isengard and delivered their prisoners to Saruman. If this happens, the players have failed to rescue their companions and they lose the game.
Scenario 8: Helm's Deep
Difficulty level = 8
In an unanticipated turn of events, it was the Riders of Rohan who intervened to prevent the Orcs of Saruman from delivering their captives to Isengard. However, when the Riders overtook Aragorn and his fellow hunters on the plains, they could tell him no news of his captured friends.
For a tense moment it seemed that the Riders might mistake the mysterious Ranger for a spy from Isengard, but the heir of Elendil chose that moment to reveal himself and his lineage to them. In response, the Third Marshal of the Riddermark, Éomer, decided to aid Aragorn and his companions in their quest by loaning them horses. Grateful for their aid, Aragorn promised to return the horses to Edoras, the capital city of Rohan, upon learning the fate of his friends.
After Éomer and the men of his Éored departed, Aragorn searched for his friends at the site of the battle near the borders of Fangorn Forest. He found tracks leading into Fangorn, but before he could follow them deeper into the forest, he and his companions were stopped by Gandalf.
The Wizard told them of Saruman's plot to destroy Rohan and urged them to ride with him at once to Edoras. Content with Gandalf's assurance that his friends were safe in Fangorn, Aragorn rode with all speed to the Golden Hall of Meduseld in Edoras to help King Théoden prepare for war...
Setup
"Helm's Deep" is played with an encounter deck built with all the cards from the following encounter sets: Helm's Deep and Orcs of the White Hand.
Defense
Defense is a new keyword in this scenario which represents the army of Saruman laying seige to Helm's Deep and their efforts to capture the fortress. While the current quest has the defense keyword, players cannot place progress on the quest (or active location) by questing successfully. Instead, the encounter deck tries to place progress on the current quest. If the encounter deck defeats stage 4B, the army of Saruman captures Helm's Deep, and the players lose the game.
During quest resolution, if the total threat in the staging area is greater than the total willpower of characters committed to the quest, players do not raise their threat by the difference. Instead, the first player places progress on the current quest equal to the difference.
The active location still acts as a buffer to the quest, so progress made by the encounter deck or encounter card effect must be placed on the active location first before it is placed on the quest (unless a card effect bypasses the active location). When a quest has progress equal to its quest points, that stage is defeated and the players advance to the next stage as usual.
Scenario 9: The Road to Isengard
Difficulty level = 7
The brave men of Rohan paid a high price at the battle of Helm's Deep, but with the aid of Gandalf and Aragorn, the warriors of Théoden won a great victory over the forces of Isengard. The army of Saruman was utterly defeated and it was time to deal with the treacherous Wizard himself. So it was that Gandalf led Aragorn, Théoden, and the riders of his house to Isengard to parley with Saruman.
Believing Isengard to be beyond the strength of his enemies to assault, Saruman had committed nearly all of his forces to the attack on Rohan. Yet, there was an ancient power that the Wizard had failed to account for in his schemes. The trees of Fangorn Forest had suffered much from the axes of Isengard Orcs, and the slow burning anger of the Ents was ready to explode. The coming of Aragorn's lost companions to Fangorn Forest with news of Saruman's treachery was just the spark the Ents needed to rouse them from their inaction. After hearing about Saruman's part in the great events unfolding in the world around them, the leader of the Ents, Treebeard, called an Entmoot to urge his compatriots to war.
In their anger, the Ents had the strength to tear down the walls of Isengard and destroy Saruman's war machines. Still, Saruman was a cunning Wizard. Even when caught off guard, he had many dangerous powers at his command, especially his voice, which could daunt all but the most strong-willed individuals. All of these dangers would have to be faced if the treason of Isengard was to be thwarted...
Setup
"The Road to Isengard" is played with an encounter deck built with all the cards from the following encounter sets: The Road to Isengard and Snaga Orcs.
Wizardry
Wizardry is a new timing trigger that represents the various spells and machinations that Saruman used to defend Isengard from attack. When a location with Wizardry leaves play as an explored location, trigger its Wizardry effect (even if it is not the active location).
Scenario 10: The Passage of the Marshes
Difficulty level = 6
After Boromir attempted to seize the One Ring for himself in the woods of Amon Hen, Frodo resolved to leave the Fellowship and continue the quest to Mount Doom on his own. But his faithful servant, Sam, guessed his master's plan and caught up with Frodo just as he was preparing to cross the Anduin in one of the Elven boats. Sam refused to let Frodo leave him behind, so the two Hobbits crossed the river together.
Upon reaching the Eastern shore, they became lost in the Emyn Muil, a maze of rocky hills and steep cliffs. After wandering for days, they were finally able to make their way down near to the edge of the Dead Marshes only to discover that they were being followed: The creature, Gollum, had tracked them across the Anduin and through the Emyn Muil, and was drawing nearer.
The Hobbits knew they would have to confront Gollum before moving on, or they would risk being strangled in their sleep. So they set a trap for the old villain...
Setup
"The Passage of the Marshes" encounter deck is built with all the cards from the following encounter sets: The Passage of the Marshes, Gollum, and Morgul Nazgûl.
Mire X
Mire is a new keyword that represents the shifting, sinking nature of the Dead Marshes. At the end of the refresh phase, place 1 resource on each location in the staging area with the mire keyword, as a "mire token." When a location with the mire keyword has mire tokens equal to its mire X value, it is immediately discarded.
Each location with the mire keyword also has a Forced effect that triggers when it is discarded from play by the mire keyword. These Forced effects do not trigger when a location is discarded by another effect, or when a location is discarded after being explored.
Scenario 11: Journey to the Cross-roads
Difficulty level = 8
Having made it across the Dead Marshes, the Hobbits, led by Sméagol, finally reached The Black Gate of Mordor. But, there was no hope of entering the land of Sauron that way. Evil things and sleepless eyes guarded the entrance to the Black Land, and the Hobbits would surely have been discovered if they approached the gate. Still, Frodo was determined to finish the task given to him by the Council, and he made ready to set out when Sméagol pleaded with him to go a different way, a secret way known only to him.
While Sam was suspicious of Gollum's true motives, Frodo believed that Sméagol would keep his promise to help them. In either case, there was no chance of entering Mordor through The Black Gate, so the Hobbits consented to follow Sméagol south to the Morgul Vale and the entrance to the secret pass.
Their road led them into the land of Ithilien, a wooded country of tree-covered hills and fast-running streams. The wholesome air of the land about them put the Hobbits at ease, and they were caught off guard when they were suddenly joined by a company of Gondorian Rangers who patrolled those woods.
The Rangers were on a mission to ambush the men of Harad who were marching up the road to Mordor to swell the hosts of Sauron. Before they knew it, the Hobbits were caught in the middle of a battle of men, and Gollum was nowhere to be seen...
Setup
The "Journey to the Cross-roads" encounter deck is built with all the cards from the following encounter sets: Journey to the Cross-roads and Men of Harad.
Scenario 12: Shelob's Lair
Difficulty level = 7
In the aftermath of the battle with the Southrons, the Hobbits were briefly sequestered by the Rangers of Ithilien. The company was led by Faramir, the younger brother of Boromir. Frodo feared what the Captain of Gondor might do when he discovered what it was that the Hobbit bore, yet Faramir proved to be a different sort of man than his brother: instead of attempting to take the Ring, he aided the Hobbits with fresh supplies and good counsel before releasing them to continue their quest.
Faramir warned Frodo that he sensed evil in Gollum, who his men had captured, and he revealed the name of the pass the creature was leading them to: Cirith Ungol, a name of ill omen in Gondor. However, since the young captain could offer no alternate route into Mordor, Frodo saw no choice but to climb the stairs of Cirith Ungol and brave the haunted pass.
So Faramir released Gollum back into Frodo's custody, and the Hobbits continued to follow Sméagol as he led them towards the Morgul Vale...
Setup
"Shelob's Lair" is played with an encounter deck built with all the cards from the following encounter sets: Shelob's Lair, The Great Spider, Gollum, and Morgul Nazgûl.
Starter Decklists
To help you on your adventures, we have provided two starter decklists. These decks are ideal for players who wish to play as soon as possible. These decks can be built with this expansion, the core set, and The Fellowship of the Ring Saga Expansion. These decks can be played together or on their own.
Ents and Friends Decklist
Merry and Pippin formed a bond with Treebeard and the ancient Ents of Fangorn, and this deck exemplifies that camaraderie.
Treebeard is the cornerstone of this deck. By using his ability to damage himself, he can be a force to be reckoned with during combat or questing. Giving him more hit points with Ent Draught or repeatedly healing him with Daughter of the Nimrodel and Self Preservation only magnifies his power. Treebeard also works well with Merry: when the two team up to attack and destroy an enemy, Merry can ready Treebeard for a second powerful attack! Merry is very adept at attacking and equipping him with two Daggers of Westernesse lets him destroy many enemies with a single attack.
If Treebeard is too damaged to defend, Feint can be used against big enemies, and Quickstrike allows you to attack (and ideally destroy) an enemy before it attacks you.
This deck features several powerful allies with high resource costs, such as Gandalf, Beorn, Legolas, and Boromir. Elf-stone can get these allies into play at a big discount, and Erebor Hammersmith can then bring your Elf-stone back from your discard pile to do it again!
Heroes (3): Treebeard (6), Merry (4), Pippin (6)
Allies (27): 3x Legolas (11), 2x Skinbark (12), 3x Mablung (19), 3x Quickbeam (20), 2x Boromir (11), 1x Beorn (31), 3x Daughter of the Nimrodel (58), 3x Erebor Hammersmith (59), 3x Henamarth Riversong (60), 2x Gléowine (62), 2x Gandalf (73)
Attachments (12): 2x Ent Draught (22), 3x Dagger of Westernesse (13), 3x Elf-stone (20), 2x Protector of Lórien (70), 2x Self Preservation (72)
Events (11): 2x Halfling Determination (14), 3x Frodo's Intuition (26), 3x Feint (34), 3x Quick Strike (35)
The King of Rohan Rides Decklist
Théoden, the King of Rohan, was reinvigorated to aid the Gondorians in their time of need and to ride again to glory.
This deck focuses on Théoden and several attachments to equip him with. Théoden's ability lets you play Rohan allies, such as Snowbourn Scout and Hama, at a discount, and these allies can help protect the King from attacking enemies. Galadriel helps you find attachments like Herugrim, Unexpected Courage, Celebrían's Stone, and Snowmane, all of which can go on Théoden, making him even more powerful and versatile.
In addition to those attachments, Galadriel can find the ever so strong Steward of Gondor. Leadership cards are more prevalent in this deck, therefore Faramir or Sam are good targets for the Steward. This deck can generate numerous resources with Steward of Gondor, and cards like Grim Resolve can be a good way to spend them.
Faramir has a great ability which allows you to ready allies you control. Allies that are good at questing as well as attacking and/or defending, such as Gandalf or Gimli, are prime targets for Faramir; send one of those allies questing, then Faramir can ready them for combat.
Heroes (3): Faramir (3), Théoden (4), Sam Gamgee (3)
Allies (22): 3x Anborn (7), 3x Gimli (8), 1x Gamling (14), 3x Hama (15), 2x Bill the Pony (8), 2x Galadriel (9), 2x Bilbo Baggins (15), 3x Snowbourn Scout (16), 3x Gandalf (73)
Attachments (12): 2x Herugrim (16), 2x Snowmane (17), 3x Steward of Gondor (26), 2x Celebrían's Stone (27), 3x Unexpected Courage (57)
Events (16): 1x Ever Vigilant (20), 3x Sneak Attack (23), 2x Valiant Sacrifice (24), 2x Grim Resolve (25), 3x Hasty Stroke (48), 3x A Test of Will (50), 2x Dwarven Tomb (63)