At last reluctantly Gandalf himself took a hand. Picking up a faggot he held it aloft for a moment, and then with a word of command, naur an edraith ammen! he thrust the end of his staff into the midst of it. At once a great spout of green and blue flame sprang out, and the wood flared and sputtered.
–The Fellowship of the Ring

Many perilous roads cross Middle-earth–winding through tangled forests, to steep and wintry mountain passes, or through darkened mines. To keep your footing true, you may wish to shine a light before you. Illuminate your journey with the updated FAQ for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game (pdf, 1.1 MB), now available on our support page.

Lighting Your Trails

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game Design Team offered their insight into how they updated the FAQ to provide a smoother game experience by bridging the rules and language of the game and by addressing some of the more compelling questions players have asked.

The updated FAQ for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is much more comprehensive than v1.0, and you will find many answers and rulings that clarify how to play the game and resolve complex card interactions. While the first FAQ was meant to answer some of the more pressing rules questions, this version builds a framework for players to better understand the language, rules, and timing structure of the game.

• Updates have been made to all three sections of the FAQ (Card Errata, Rules Clarifications, Frequently Answered Questions), and a new section (Nightmare Variant) has been added. You can find the new content immediately by looking for the red text.
• The one new card errata, Dol Guldur Beastmaster, was changed in order to draw a distinction between effects that happen before and after an attack resolves. This allows the card to work more intuitively, and in line with the original design intent.
• In the Rules Clarification section, we cover a variety of topics. You will find entries that explain The Golden Rule in more detail, clarify the timing differences between Forced Responses and Responses, define game terminology such as “play” versus “put into play,” and more.
• The new Nightmare Variant section provides players with step-by-step instruction how to play through this challenging game mode.
• Many new Frequently Asked Questions have been answered, ranging from “Does the effect on Legolas place progress tokens on an active location, if there is one?” to “What happens to Banks of the Anduin if it is drawn as a Shadow card?”

We hope that you find the new FAQ useful, and remember you can always contact us with rules questions using the Rules Questions link on the bottom of our website. Happy gaming,

Nate French
Lukas Litzsinger
-The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game Design Team

Thanks, Nate and Lukas! The FAQ is a living document the Design Team updates as necessary to help players experience the clearest, most enjoyable game possible. It is available for download on the support page.

In the meantime, keep one eye open for future updates, and seek out good counsel on our community forum.

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative card game that puts 1-2 players (or up to four with an additional Core Set) in control of the most powerful characters and artifacts of Middle-earth. Players will select heroes, gather allies, acquire artifacts, and coordinate their efforts to face Middle-earth’s most dangerous fiends. The Living Card Game format allows players to customize their gaming experience with monthly Adventure Pack expansions to the core game.