A GAME BY

IAN BRODY
2 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

INTRODUCTION

I
n War of the Ring – The Card Game, quest, or try to slowly corrupt Frodo, burdening
2 to 4 players compete on two teams, the him with wounds, toil, and sorrow for the loss of
Shadow against the Free Peoples. Each his Companions.
player has a unique card deck representing
During a round of play, you’ll take turns playing
the strengths and weaknesses of the
cards representing the characters, armies, items, and
different factions involved in the war.
events of the War of the Ring. At the end of each
The Free Peoples desperately try to round, combats between opposing cards on the same
complete their quest to destroy the battleground and path locations will be resolved.
One Ring, while at the same time You’ll gain victory points by winning combats.
defending their homelands from the
The standard game, the Trilogy scenario, can
encroaching hordes of Sauron and his
be played by 2 to 4 players on two teams, and
evil allies.
encompasses the entire narrative of the Lord of the
The Shadow must strike quickly Rings trilogy, from the Shire to Mount Doom.
and decisively, before the
Additional scenarios are included: The Fellowship of
Ring-bearers can
the Ring, a shorter scenario focusing on the action
complete their
in the first book; Two-Player Duel, a full game
designed to be played with one deck per player; and
Three-Player Duel, which you can play with one Free
Peoples player against two Shadow players.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 3

COMPONENTS
120 FACTION CARDS

DÚNEDAIN • CHARACTER ELF • CHARACTER DWARF • CHARACTER HOBBIT • CHARACTER ROHAN • CHARACTER WIZARD • CHARACTER

STRIDER LEGOLAS GIMLI FRODO BAGGINS THÉODEN GANDALF THE GREY

If on a path, you may use your action to When played, you may take When played, you may take Dwarven If eliminated for any reason (including + + if Gandalf is in play. If on a path, you may use your action to
activate a path of the next higher number. Bow of the Galadhrim from your Axe from your cycle pile into hand. being forsaken), cycle this card instead. When played, draw 5 cards: activate a path of the next higher number.
If Aragorn is played, eliminate this card. draw deck into hand. This does not apply to any wielded items. from these play up to 1 Rohan card, If Gandalf the White is played,
“I will tread the path with you, Gandalf!” and cycle the rest. eliminate this card.
said Gimli.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 12 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 23 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 31 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 35 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Andrea Piparo 48 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 51

60 Free Peoples Dúnedain Elf Dwarf Hobbit Rohan Wizard

ISENGARD • CHARACTER MONSTROUS • CHARACTER SOUTHRON • CHARACTER MORDOR • CHARACTER

SARUMAN BALROG OF MORIA THE BLACK SERPENT THE WITCH-KING

While in reserve, draw 1 additional card + on Khazad-dûm. If in reserve, you may use your action Nazgûl. While in reserve, draw
each Draw step. When played or moved to a path or and eliminate this card to reactivate a 1 additional card each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your battleground, each Free Peoples player Southron battleground. If forsaken from the top of your
draw deck, cycle this card instead of must forsake 1 card. draw deck, cycle this card instead of
eliminating it. eliminating it.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 67 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 75 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 90 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 112

60 Shadow Isengard Monstrous Southron Mordor

41 LOCATION CARDS
2 1 1

BAG END
LÓRIEN DOL GULDUR
The Hobbit player
The Shadow The Free Peoples
draws 2 cards.
battleground Dol Guldur battleground Lórien
must also be activated must also be activated
or reactivated. or reactivated.

PATH 1

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 4 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 8 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 1

7 Free Peoples Battlegrounds 7 Shadow Battlegrounds 27 Paths

41 TOKENS

1 Starting player token 4 Ring tokens 20 Combat tokens 16 Corruption

(2 per side) (5 per icon) tokens

TRILOGY SCENARIO ACTIONS DUEL SCENARIOS — 2 OR 3 PLAYERS ACTIONS

4. VICTORY CHECK (PAGE 18) — Play 1 card from your hand (cycling 5. DRAW STEP (PAGE 21) — Play 1 card from your hand (cycling
THE GAME ROUND another card). THE GAME ROUND another card).
Turn order: Frodo, Check to see if either side has 2P: Gandalf, The Witch-king. 2P: Gandalf 4 cards,
attained victory. — Move 1 character or army in reserve The Witch-king 6 cards. — Move 1 character or army in reserve
The Witch-king, Aragorn, 3P: Gandalf, The Witch-king,
to an active path or battleground. 3P: Gandalf 6 cards, each to an active path or battleground.
Saruman. 5. DRAW STEP (PAGE 20) Gandalf, Saruman.
Each Free Peoples player draws — Cycle 1 card from your hand. Shadow player 4 cards. — Cycle 1 card from your hand.
1. LOCATION STEP (PAGE 8) 1. LOCATION STEP (PAGE 8)
3 cards, each Shadow player — Winnow by eliminating 2 cards from The starting player token is — Winnow by eliminating 2 cards from
The starting player activates one The starting player activates one
draws 4 cards. your hand to draw 1 card. passed to the next player. your hand to draw 1 card.
battleground, then one path. battleground, then one path.
The starting player token is — Use an Action to resolve the “use an — Use an Action to resolve the “use an
2. ACTION STEP (PAGE 10) action to...” text of a card in play. 2. ACTION STEP (PAGE 10) RING TOKEN action to...” text of a card in play.
Players take turns taking actions passed to the next player. Players take turns taking actions
— Use a Ring token to draw cards. 2P: Once per round, as an — Use a Ring token to draw cards.
or passing, beginning with the or passing, beginning with the action, you can use your Ring
starting player, until all have RING TOKEN Instead of taking an action, you may pass if: starting player, until all have Instead of taking an action, you may pass if:
Once per game, as an action, token to draw 3 cards; then,
passed consecutively. passed consecutively. eliminate 1 card and cycle 1
discard your Ring token to — The number of cards in your hand is — The number of cards in your hand is
3. COMBAT STEP (PAGE 14) draw 2 cards. If unused, it is less than or equal to your carryover 3. COMBAT STEP (PAGE 14) card from hand. Flip the token less than or equal to your carryover
Resolve combat on the active worth 1 victory point. limit; OR Resolve combat on the active as a reminder. limit; OR
battlegrounds and path. battlegrounds and path. 3P: Gandalf same as 2P.
— The number of cards in your hand is — The number of cards in your hand is
less than each enemy player. 4. VICTORY CHECK (PAGE 18) Shadow players same as Trilogy. less than each enemy player.

BATTLEGROUND BATTLEGROUND LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP PATH PATH

DÚNEDAIN DWARF ELF HOBBIT ROHAN WIZARD ISENGARD MONSTROUS MORDOR SOUTHRON ATTACK DEFENSE ATTACK DEFENSE ATTACK DEFENSE

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Trilogy Scenario Three-Player Duel

1 Turn order marker 1 Turn order tracker 4 Player aids (2 per side)
4 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

SETUP
Note: Sometimes players may be referred to by
one of the factions in their deck: for example, “The
Hobbit player draws 2 cards.” Note that the actual
card drawn might not be a Hobbit card, as the deck
will contain other factions. The text is identifying
the player that draws — not the card drawn.
1. SELECT A SCENARIO
— Each player prepares their deck by taking all the
These rules are written with the assumption that you
cards of the appropriate factions, then shuffling
are playing the Trilogy scenario with 4 players. If you
it carefully.
want to play a different scenario, or want to play with
fewer than 4 players, see Scenarios, pages 20–22. — Each player takes a Ring token and a player aid.
— The Frodo player takes the starting player token.
2. PREPARE THE PLAYERS’ DECKS
In War of the Ring – The Card Game, each player will 3. ARRANGE THE BATTLEGROUND
use a specific deck. AND PATH DECKS
Each deck consists of cards from one or more — Separate the Shadow and Free Peoples
factions. Each faction has a unique color scheme and battleground cards. Shuffle each of the two
a symbol in the upper left corner to distinguish it. battleground decks separately.
— Next, assemble the path deck. Do not shuffle
FREE PEOPLES SHADOW together all the path cards: stack them so that the
three path 1 cards are on top, followed by the
three path 2 cards, and so forth through to path 9.

DÚNEDAIN DWARF ISENGARD MONSTROUS 4. DRAW CARDS (AND CYCLE)

— Each player draws 7 cards, then must cycle 2 of
the cards drawn, leaving a hand of 5 cards.
— To cycle a card, place it face down in your cycle
ELF HOBBIT MORDOR SOUTHRON pile, to the right of your draw deck (see Cycle,
page 13).

ROHAN WIZARD
THE TURN ORDER TRACKER
The turn order tracker helps to keep track
In the Trilogy scenario, players are named for a of the standard turn order when you can’t sit
prominent character in their deck. The two Free around the table, or when you play with fewer
Peoples players — Frodo and Aragorn — play as a than 4 players. At the start of the game, place
team against the two Shadow players — The Witch- the starting player token and the turn order
king and Saruman. marker on the “Frodo” space of the tracker.
Advance the turn order marker whenever a
Players’ decks are composed of the following factions: player takes a turn, and advance the starting
1. FRODO — FREE PEOPLES player token at the end of each round.
Dwarf, Hobbit, Rohan, and Wizard
2. THE WITCH-KING — SHADOW
Mordor
3. ARAGORN — FREE PEOPLES
Dúnedain and Elf
4. SARUMAN — SHADOW
Isengard, Monstrous, and Southron
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Trilogy Scenario
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 5

THE PLAY AREA

The diagram below shows the table setup for a 4-player Trilogy scenario game,
with the players arranged around the table so the order of play proceeds clockwise.
Of course, you may prefer having the two teams facing each other, or some other arrangement.

8 6

ARAGORN
THE WITCH-KING

1 2

9
BAG END HELM’S DEEP
The Rohan player draws
The Hobbit player
5 cards, and from these
draws 2 cards.
may play 1 army or
character on Helm’s
Deep, and then cycles
the rest.

PATH 1

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 1 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 3
SARUMAN

5 FRODO 4

1
3 2 8

Each player will have a: Common areas include:

— Hand of cards (not shown). — The path deck 5 and the two battleground decks
— Draw deck (face down). 1 6 placed where they are accessible to all players.

— Cycle pile (face down): Cards that are cycled are — Combat and corruption tokens, set to one side,
placed here. 2 for use later in the game. 7
— Eliminated pile (face down): Cards that are — Each team designates a place on the table to be its
eliminated are placed here. 3 These cards will Scoring Area 8 (see page 18), where the team
not be reused in the game — be sure to keep them will place battlegrounds, paths, and corruption
well separated from your cycle pile! tokens (Shadow only) after winning a combat.
— Reserve area: An area on the table where cards are — Leave some space in the center of the table where
played “in reserve” (see page 11). 4 combats can be fought around active paths and
battlegrounds. 9
6 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

LOCATION CARDS
There are two types of location cards, battlegrounds and paths, used to represent the two concurrent narratives
presented in The Lord of the Rings: the battlegrounds of Minas Tirith, Helm’s Deep, and elsewhere, where the
great armies of Middle-earth clashed, and the perilous paths taken to complete the quest of the Fellowship.
Battlegrounds and paths are activated when they enter the game (unlike faction cards, which are played).

3 6 1 1 5 1

2 BUCKLEBURY
FERRY
3 MINAS TIRITH The Mordor player and
The Dúnedain player the Hobbit player draw
4
may forsake 1 card to 1 card each. 3
draw 3 cards.

7 8 5 6 7 4 PATH 1

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 5 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 2

BATTLEGROUND PATH

1. Defense icons (see Battleground Combat, 1. Defense icons (see Path Combat, page 14).
page 16). 2. Title.
2. Defending faction icon(s): These factions may 3. Activation text: Resolve the effect of this text
defend this battleground with icons. when the path is activated.
3. Title. 4. Path number: This measures the quest’s progress,
4. Activation text: Resolve the effect of this text through paths numbered 1–9. It is also used to
when the battleground is activated or reactivated. determine which characters can participate in a
5. Attacking faction icon(s): These factions may combat on this path.
attack this battleground with icons. 5. Victory point value: If the Free Peoples win
6. Victory point value: The team winning combat the combat on this path, they score this number
on this battleground will score this number of of victory points. The Shadow scores a variable
victory points (see Scoring and Victory, page 18). number of victory points for winning path combat
(see Outcomes of Path Combat, page 14).
7. Card artist: No game effect.
6. Card artist: No game effect.
8. Card ID: No game effect.
7. Card ID: No game effect.
Unless specifically allowed by a card text, you may
only play or move a character or army card to a Other faction cards refer to paths using their name, or
battleground if its faction is indicated as either an by their path number.
attacker or defender. Note: There are no paths higher than path 9.
Other cards may refer to a battleground by name, Ignore any game text that activates a path higher
but sometimes a battleground will be referred to than path 9.
by one of its factions. For example, “any Dúnedain
battleground” refers to any battleground that shows
the Dúnedain icon as either the attacker or defender.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 7

FACTION CARDS
Faction cards represent the armies, personalities, special items, and main events of the War of the Ring.
Each player, in the Trilogy scenario, will play with a unique deck of 30 cards, belonging to one or more
different factions.
In this section, the structure of these cards is presented in detail.

1 2

3
5

4
6

9 12
DÚNEDAIN • ARMY 7 ELF • CHARACTER ISENGARD • ITEM: Saruman MORDOR • EVENT

GUARDS OF THE CITADEL GALADRIEL 10 WOVEN OF ALL COLOURS THE BLACK CAPTAIN
+ on Minas Tirith. When played, draw 1 card. If the wielder is eliminated in If The Witch-king is in reserve, activate
8While in reserve, draw 1 additional combat, cycle it instead, along with any or reactivate any Mordor battleground;
The Guards were robed in black, but the helms
15 card each Draw step, then cycle 1 card
11 wielded items. then, you may move The Witch-king to
gleamed with a flame of silver, for they were indeed
wrought of mithril, heirlooms from the glory of from hand. 13Witch-king
that battleground (even if The 14
old days. was played this round).
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Ben Wootten 3 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 22 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Federica Costantini 71 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Andrea Piparo 118

ARMY CHARACTER ITEM EVENT

1. Faction: This determines which deck the card 10. Title.

belongs to and which battlegrounds it can be 11. Game text: Additional effects, rules exceptions,
played or moved to. It is often referenced in or ways in which the card may be used. Boldface
game text. in the game text is used to indicate that the text
2. Card type icon: Army, Character, Event, or Item. applies with a specific timing. Game text may
3. Battleground attack icons.{1} also contain a bold initial word that indicates a
characteristic of that card (for example, “Nazgûl”
4. Battleground defense icons.{1}
or “Weapon”). This characteristic is only
5. Leadership attack icons.{2} considered when referred to by another card’s text
6. Leadership defense icons.{2} or a rule; otherwise, it can be ignored.
7. Allowed paths (characters only): These are the 12. Allowed wielders (items only): These are the
paths to which this card may be played or moved. characters that may wield this item.
Numbers separated by a dash also include all paths 13. Card artist: No game effect.
between those numbers.
14. Card ID: No game effect.
8. Path combat icons.{1}
15. Flavor text: No game effect. Not every card has
9. Faction and Type: Text version of the icons at the flavor text.
top of the card.
{1}
A symbol indicates that the number of icons depends on the card’s game text.
{2}
A smaller circled icon is a leadership icon ( / ) — see Characters in Battleground Combat, page 16.

SHORTHAND CARD REFERENCES

— Some cards will refer to a character by just the — Cards may be referred to by their card
first name. For example, “Sam Gamgee” is type. For example, “character” instead of
shortened to “Sam”. “character card”.
— “Gandalf” can mean either “Gandalf the — Some text refers to keywords on cards. For
Grey” or “Gandalf the White”. example, “Nazgûl” or “Weapon”.
8 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

THE GAME L O C AT I O N
ROUND STEP

T
he game is played over a varying number of Each round, during the Location step, the starting
game rounds (up to a maximum of 9), using player will first activate one battleground and resolve
the following sequence: its text, then that player will activate one path and
resolve its text.
1. LOCATION STEP Whenever you activate (or reactivate) a battleground
The starting player first activates one battleground or path, place it face up in the middle of the table and
and then one path. (See Location Step, on the then resolve its activation text.
facing column.)
Most of the time, paths and battlegrounds are
activated during the Location step; however, they may
2. ACTION STEP also be activated by certain faction cards during the
Players take turns taking actions or passing, beginning Action step. These rules apply in both cases.
with the holder of the starting player token, and
proceeding in player order. (In the Trilogy scenario, the
order is Frodo, The Witch-king, Aragorn, Saruman,
then back to Frodo, and so forth.) Players continue
ACTIVATING
taking turns until all have passed consecutively. When
all players have passed consecutively, the Action step
BATTLEGROUNDS
In the Trilogy scenario, the battleground activated
ends. (See Action Step, page 10.) during the Location step is selected at random
from those in the battleground deck of the starting
3. COMBAT STEP player’s team.
Combat is resolved on each active battleground and In the rare case your own side’s battleground deck has
on the active path. (See Combat Step, page 14.) been depleted, draw a battleground from the other
side’s battleground deck. In the even rarer case where
4. VICTORY CHECK both battleground decks are depleted, do not activate
Check to see if either side has attained victory. (See a battleground during the Location step.
Scoring and Victory, page 18.) When a battleground is activated due to a card’s game
text or activation text, do not select it at random; if
5. DRAW STEP more than one battleground matches a card’s text,
the activating player may choose one. After you take a
In the Trilogy scenario, each Free Peoples player draws
specific battleground from a deck, shuffle it.
3 cards, and each Shadow player draws 4 cards.
There is no limit to the number of battlegrounds
Finally, the starting player token is passed to the next
that can be simultaneously active.
player in order — thus, in the Trilogy scenario, The
Witch-king will be the starting player on round 2,
Aragorn on round 3, and so on. REACTIVATING BATTLEGROUNDS
Sometimes a card’s text may direct you to reactivate a
battleground. This means that, instead of taking it from
its battleground deck, it is taken from a scoring area.
When you reactivate a battleground, its activation
text is resolved again. Note that the attackers and
defenders do not change. See also Combat in
Reactivated Battlegrounds, page 16, for additional
rules regarding reactivated battlegrounds.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 9

Example: If Dol Guldur is reactivated, Lórien is

also activated or reactivated.

2 1

LÓRIEN DOL GULDUR

The Shadow The Free People
battleground Dol s
battleground Lórien
Guldu
must also be activat r must also be activat
ed ed
or reactivated. or reactivated.

© 2022 MEE © 2022 MEE

• SG • AG • SG • AG

Fataneh & John Fataneh & John

Howe Howe
4 8

ACTIVATING PATHS
In the Trilogy scenario, in the Location step of the
first round, the starting player selects a random
path 1 card from among the three available.
On subsequent rounds, the path activated during
the Location step is selected at random from
among the path cards with a number one higher
than the last path activated in the prior round.
For example, if the last active path on the prior round
was path 5, any remaining path 5 cards are set aside,
and a random path 6 is activated.
Only one path can be active at a time. If a card’s
game text activates a path, the currently active path is
replaced. However, before the new path’s activation
text is resolved, combat is immediately resolved on
the path being replaced — in the middle of the Action
step! This combat is in addition to the path combat
that will be resolved during the Combat step.
When a card allows you to activate a different path,
you may choose among the eligible paths — it is not
chosen at random.
Unlike battlegrounds, a specific path cannot be
activated more than once per game. You cannot use a WHO CAN SEE WHAT
faction card’s text if it would require you to activate a You must always allow other players to
path that has already been activated in this game. examine a card when some aspect of the face
of the card is being referenced, such as when a
specific card is taken from your draw deck.
RESOLVING COMBAT You may inspect your own cycle pile and
Battleground combat is always resolved during the eliminated pile, which is helpful in determining
Combat step. if a particular card is in your draw deck. You
may always inspect face up cards in play.
Path combat is resolved during the Action step
whenever a new path is activated. It is also always You may not show any other players your
resolved during the Combat step. hand. Conversations between teammates must
take place at the table, in public. You may talk
See pages 14–17 for the full rules about to your teammate about what cards you have,
combat resolution. but that means the other team will also know.
10 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

ACTION ENDING THE ACTION STEP

The Action step ends when all players have

STEP consecutively passed their turns.

PLAYING A CARD

D
uring the Action step, players take turns taking When you play a card, take the card from your hand,
actions, beginning with the starting player, and and use it in some manner, depending on the card’s
then proceeding in the order specified in the type, as indicated below.
scenario (Frodo, The Witch-king, Aragorn, Saruman — Every time you play a card, you must cycle a
in the Trilogy scenario). different card from your hand immediately,
When it’s your turn, you may take one action, or before resolving the game text on the card
possibly pass. Play continues around until all players played. When you cycle a card, place it face down
have passed consecutively. You will usually have more on your cycle pile (see Cycle, page 13).
than one turn per Action step, but you cannot take — If you want to play the last card in your hand, you
more than one action per turn. must forsake a card (see Forsake, page 13), since
you have no other cards in your hand to cycle.
Possible actions in a player’s turn are:
— Play 1 card from your hand.
PLAYING AN ARMY
— Move 1 character or army in reserve to an active When you play an army card, place it
path or battleground. face up on an active battleground or in
— Cycle 1 card from your hand. your reserve area.
— Winnow by eliminating 2 cards from your hand to To play or move an army to a ARMY
draw 1 card. battleground, its faction must be one of ICONS
— Use an Action to resolve the text of a card in play those indicated as an attacker or
indicating you may “use an action to...”. defender there. Armies may not be played or moved
— Use a Ring token to draw cards. to paths.

Playing a card is explained on the facing column. All

other actions are explained on page 12. PLAYING A CHARACTER
When you play a character card, place
Instead of taking an action, you may pass, but it face up on an active path, an active
only when: battleground, or in your reserve area.
— The number of cards in your hand is less than or To play or move a character to a
equal to your carryover limit (see below); OR battleground, its faction must be one
CHARACTER
ICONS
— The number of cards in your hand is less than each of those indicated as an attacker or
enemy player. defender there.
You may pass on one turn and still take an action on To play or move a character to a path, that path’s
your next turn, provided the Action step does not end number must be listed on the character’s card.
before your next turn.

CARRYOVER LIMIT IN PLAY, FROM PLAY

The carryover limit is the maximum number A faction card is in play when it is either in
of cards a player can have in hand at the end reserve, on a battleground, or on a path. Cards
of the Action step. Every player begins the in your draw deck, cycle pile, or eliminated
game with a carryover limit of 2 cards. pile are not in play.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 11

— An item is
always cycled
GANDALF AND ARAGORN to its original
Each of these two heroes of the trilogy is player’s cycle
represented by two cards. pile, even if
Whenever you play Gandalf the White, the wielder is
Gandalf the Grey is removed from the game: controlled by a HOBBIT • CHAR ELF • ITEM: Hobbi

different player.
ACTER

the card is eliminated, no matter where it is

t, Elf
MERRY BRA NDYBUCIfK ELVEN CLO
May be played AK
or moved to a the wielder is eliminate
d during
(draw deck, cycle pile, hand, or in play).
battleground and pathRohan
supported by combat, cycle it instead, along
— An item on a If eliminated
Rohan army.
in path comb
card instead, along
a

at, cycle this

any wielded item
s.
with

wielder in
with any wield
Likewise, whenever you play Aragorn, you © 2022 MEE
• SG
• AG
edMEE
© 2022 items
John Howe
• SG .• AG

36
Mauro Alocci
25

must remove Strider, wherever the card is. reserve can

only be forsaken on behalf
of the player controlling the wielder, who is not
necessarily the player that played the card.
PLAYING AN ITEM
An item is always played onto a
character card, which becomes its PLAYING AN EVENT
wielder. In addition to their game When you play an event card,
text, many items add combat icons to immediately resolve the game text on
the wielder. ITEM the card, then eliminate the card. Event
ICONS cards are never “in play” and cannot be
— An item can only be played on placed in reserve. EVENT
ICONS
one of the wielders indicated on the card, and
the wielder must already be in play.
— If a wielder is moved from reserve to a path or
PLAYING TO THE RESERVE AREA
battleground, the wielder’s items move with it. — Cards played to your reserve area cannot be
moved in the same round.
— Icons on an item card
are added to the icons of — Game text that applies when a card is in the
its wielder. In combat, reserve area is immediately effective. Unlike
items with defense icons moving a card, there is no requirement to wait
cannot cancel attack the next round before you use a card’s reserve
icons separately from the game text.
character wielding it, To remember which cards have
unless the item affects
ELF • ITEM: Frodo,

been played to your reserve in

Sam
PHIAL OF GA
If on a path, LADRIEL
the location and not the add to
(not to the wield the path
er). the current round, you may
wielder (for example, “May it be a light

© 2022 MEE
• SG • AG
to you in dark
other lights go
places, when all
out.” wish to rotate them, turning
Phial of Galadriel). them back at the beginning of
Domenico Cava
29

— If a wielder is eliminated, any the next round.

items with the wielder are also eliminated.
Example: If you play ELF • CHARACTE
R

— If the wielder is cycled, any items with the wielder Elrond to reserve, When played,
While in reser
ELROND
draw 1 card.

are also cycled.

ve, increase your
your carryover limit is carryover limit
by 1.

— Items cannot be transferred between wielders. increased immediately. © 2022 MEE

• SG • AG
Andrea Piparo
21

If you later move

The wielder might not be of the same faction or eliminate Elrond,
as the item. In this case, the following special your carryover limit is
rules apply: immediately decreased.
— When an item has a different faction than its Likewise, The Reaver can
wielder, it can move with its wielder to any be cycled the same round
MORDOR • CHAR
ACTER

THE REA
VER
battleground the wielder can be moved — items it is played to force each
Nazgûl. If in
reser ve, you may
action and cycle use your
this card so each
Peoples player Free
are not subject to the faction restrictions of Free Peoples player to
must forsake 1
card.

battlegrounds for armies and characters.

© 2022 MEE
• SG • AG

forsake 1 card.
John Howe
110
12 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

MOVE
RECYCLING THE CYCLE PILE Move an army or character card from your reserve to
When you deplete your draw deck, you an active path or battleground.
must immediately recycle your cycle pile. — You cannot move a card where you could not play
To do so, shuffle your cycle pile, and place it that card.
face down on the table as your new draw deck.
— You cannot take a move action for a card that was
If you were in the middle of drawing cards
played to your reserve this round.
when you triggered the recycle, after recycling
finish drawing until you’ve taken the required Some character cards have game
number of cards. text that is resolved specifically
Sometimes a recycle is caused by game text. when the card is played. This
If so, shuffle the cards in your cycle pile into text is not resolved when the
your draw deck. card is moved.
Example: If Prince Imrahil
is moved from reserve to DÚNEDAIN •

PRINCE
CHARACTER

IMRAHIL

SPECIAL CASES an active battleground, When played,

you may cycle
hand to take Knig
from your draw
1 card from
hts of Dol Amr
oth
the “When played...” text deck into hand
.

— When a card directs you to perform multiple

is ignored.
© 2022 MEE
• SG • AG
Andrea Piparo
11

actions, do them in the order presented.

— When a card directs you to cycle, forsake, or
eliminate a card, this requirement is in addition to “USE AN ACTION” OF
the card that must be cycled as the usual cost of A CARD IN PLAY
playing the card. Resolve the text of a card in play that specifies you
— Many cards direct you to may “use an action” to do something.
“draw” a number of cards,
When a card text requires
then “play” one or more
you to use an action to do
of those drawn, and then
something, that text does
“cycle the rest” (that is, all
not apply if you did not take
unplayed cards). In this
an action.
case, the cards that you’re
directed to cycle satisfy Example: If Lembas
ROHAN • CHAR
ACTER

ÉOMER
When played,
the requirement to cycle a from these play draw 5 cards:
up to 1 Roha
and cycle the rest. n army,
is eliminated during a ELF • ITEM: Hobbi
t

LEMBAS
card for each one played. © 2022 MEE
Shadow player’s turn, If on a path,
the Hobbit playe
use an action and
eliminate this
r may
• SG • AG
remove 1 corru card to
For example, if you play the Free Peoples do not
ption for each
Andrea Piparo
46
character on the Hobbit
path.

Éomer and draw an receive its benefit.

© 2022 MEE
• SG • AG
Federica Costanti
ni 26

army card, one of the four other cards you cycled

satisfies the requirement to play the army.
USE A RING TOKEN
— Although the opportunity may arise, you can
In the Trilogy scenario, as an action, once per game,
never play the exact same character or item card
you may use your Ring token to draw 2 cards. Discard
twice in the same round. This may happen, for
the token as a reminder.
example, when a card gets cycled from play in the
middle of a round and is recovered from the cycle If the Ring token is not used during the Trilogy
pile later that round. scenario, it is worth 1 victory point during final
scoring after path 9.
The use of Ring tokens can be different depending on
OTHER ACTIONS the scenario you play (see Scenarios, pages 20–22).

CYCLE (FROM YOUR HAND) WINNOW

Cycle a card from your hand, placing it face down
Eliminate 2 cards from your hand, and then draw
on your cycle pile. (Taking a Cycle action is rare, but
1 card.
some situations require it!)
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 13

GAME PROCEDURES
This section describes the meaning of important FORSAKE
game terms.
When you are directed to forsake a card, you must
eliminate a card, choosing one of the following:
CYCLE — A card of your choice from your hand; OR
When you cycle a card, place it face down on
your cycle pile. You may always examine your own — A card of your choice from your reserve (you may
cycle pile. forsake an item separately from its wielder); OR
— The top card of your draw deck.
When a card’s game text directs you to cycle a card,
this is in addition to the card that must be cycled to You cannot examine the top card of your draw deck
play the card (for example, Prince Imrahil). before making the decision to forsake the card!
However, you must examine it after making your
If you have no cards left in your hand, and you are
choice, as with all eliminated cards, since some cards
required to cycle a card from your hand, you must
have directions to follow when eliminated or forsaken.
forsake a card instead. (See Forsake, on this page.)
This includes when you want to play the last card in
your hand. MOVE
When you are directed to move a card, use the same
rules and restrictions as a move action (see page 12).
DRAW
Take the top card of your draw deck. While drawn
cards will usually end up in your hand, there are REACTIVATE/ACTIVATE
several exceptions (for example, Théoden). (BATTLEGROUND OR PATH)
There is no limit to the number of cards you can have When you are directed to activate or reactivate a
in your hand, except at the end of the Action step battleground, or to activate a path, follow the rules on
when you cannot have more than your carryover limit. page 8.

ELIMINATE REMOVE
When you eliminate a card, place it face down in your When you are directed to remove a card, you must
eliminated pile. You may always examine your own immediately eliminate that card no matter where it
eliminated pile. is: draw deck, cycle pile, hand, or in play. If a card is
removed from your draw deck, reshuffle the deck.
Once a card is eliminated, it will not re-enter play.
Whenever you eliminate a card, examine it for text RUNNING OUT OF CARDS
that applies when it is eliminated (for example,
When your draw deck and cycle pile both run out
Frodo). If the card has such text, reveal the card to the
of cards because you draw all of these into your
other players and resolve the appropriate game text.
hand, continue playing with the few cards you have
Otherwise, do not reveal cards eliminated from your
remaining. If you completely run out of cards (from
hand or your draw deck to the other players.
your draw deck, cycle pile, and hand), there is no
When you are directed to eliminate a card, but you are penalty if you cannot eliminate a card when required.
unable to do so, there is no further penalty. However,
in a case where you may voluntarily eliminate cards to TAKE FROM DRAW DECK
gain some benefit, you cannot gain the benefit if you When you are directed to take a specific card from
cannot eliminate. For example, you cannot winnow your draw deck, secretly examine your draw deck and
(see page 12) if you do not have 2 cards in your hand take the card, and then reveal it to the other players so
to eliminate. they can verify you took the correct card. Afterwards,
reshuffle your draw deck.
14 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

C O M B AT COMBAT TOKENS
STEP Certain cards will add
combat icons according to
their game text (for example,
Nenya, Ring of Adamant).

D
uring the Combat step, combats are resolved Combat tokens have been
on each active battleground and on the provided to keep track of NENYA, RING
OF
ELF • ITEM: Galadrie

MANADA
l

you may use your T

If in reserve,

active path. In addition, path combat might icons added by a card. action and cycle
to the active path,
this card to add
or to add
active battleground
.
to an

be resolved during the Action step, if a new path These tokens can either
© 2022 MEE
• SG • AG
John Howe
28

is activated. improve the defense value

of a path or battleground,
During the Combat step, the starting player decides
or improve the attack or
the order the combats are resolved.
defense value of one of the cards on the path
Combat is resolved even if only one team has cards on or battleground.
the path or battleground, or if neither team does. Remember that a defense icon added to a
path or battleground always cancels out
attack icons before the defending characters
PATH COMBAT and armies are affected.
On a path, the Free Peoples side is An icon added to a character or army is
always the defender and the Shadow considered to be part of that character or
is always the attacker. Follow the steps ATTACK army, and cannot be used to cancel out attack
below to resolve a combat. icons separately.

1. Count the number of icons

DEFENSE
on Shadow cards and tokens on
the path. OUTCOMES OF PATH COMBAT
2. Cancel a number of icons equal to the number In the Trilogy scenario, if the Free Peoples can cancel
of icons on the path itself, including any out all the icons, the Free Peoples place the path
defense tokens added to the path ( icons or in their scoring area, where it is worth the number of
defense tokens on characters are considered in the victory points printed on the path.
next step). If the Free Peoples cannot cancel out all the icons,
3. If there are any remaining icons, the Free the Shadow team adds as many corruption tokens
Peoples player(s) must cancel as many of them as there are uncanceled icons remaining to the
as possible, eliminating their cards from the path Shadow scoring area, along with the path. Keep the
until either the number of icons eliminated path card face down as a reminder that its victory
equals or exceeds the number of remaining point value does not apply.
icons, or they run out of cards.
4. Any leftover Free Peoples cards on the path
are cycled.
A Free Peoples character must be eliminated if it
cancels even a single icon, regardless of how many
icons it has (remember that items with defense
icons cannot cancel attack icons separately from the
character wielding them).
At the end of path combat, all Shadow characters
in that combat are eliminated.
Note: If the Free Peoples players cannot decide
which characters to eliminate, the Shadow players
can decide for them.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 15

PATH COMBAT EXAMPLE

ATTACKERS

The Commander ( ) and

The Destroyer ( ) with : Nazgûl
MORDOR • ITEM
Black Rider’s Mount ( ). MORDOR • CHARACTER
S MOUNT
MORDOR • CHARACTER
BLACK RIDER’
ed on a wielder
in
THE COMMANDER play THE DESTROYER
Mount. When e it to
Nazgûl. If in reserve, you may use your immediately mov Nazgûl. If in reserve, you may use your
reserve, you may round).
action and cycle this card so each Shadow it was played this action and cycle this card to add to an
a path (even if
player draws 1 card. active battleground.
114
John Howe
• SG • AG
© 2022 MEE
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 105 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Jon Hodgson 106

EGLADIL
Each Free Peoples player
draws 2 cards and then
cycles 1 card from hand.

PATH 5

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 14

DEFENDERS

Gimli ( ) and
Legolas ( ) wielding
ELF • ITEM: Elf

GALADHRIM
ELF • CHARACTER DWARF • CHARACTER Bow of the Galadhrim ( ).
BOW OF THEder of this card cannot LEGOLAS GIMLI
wiel
Weapon. The weapon. When played, you may take When played, you may take Dwarven
wield another
Bow of the Galadhrim from your Axe from your cycle pile into hand.
draw deck into hand.
“I will tread the path with you, Gandalf!”
24
Matteo Macchi said Gimli.
• SG • AG
© 2022 MEE
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 23 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 31

There are three attack ( ) icons. One of the icons is canceled by the path’s defense.
Two more must be canceled. Eliminating Gimli would still leave one icon to cancel, so Legolas would be
eliminated, too. Bow of the Galadhrim cannot be eliminated without eliminating Legolas (an item cannot cancel
attack icons separately from its wielder). The Free Peoples player decides to eliminate Legolas and
Bow of the Galadhrim to cancel both icons. Gimli is cycled. All attackers are eliminated.
The Free Peoples win the combat and add Egladil to their scoring area.
If Legolas and Gimli were not on the path, two corruption tokens and Egladil (face down)
would have been added to the Shadow scoring area.
16 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

BATTLEGROUND COMBAT
On a battleground, one side is the COMBAT IN REACTIVATED
defender and the other side the attacker. BATTLEGROUNDS
On a Shadow battleground, the Shadow ATTACK
If a battleground from one side’s battleground
side is always the defender, and the Free
deck is reactivated from the other side’s
Peoples side is the attacker; on a Free
scoring area, the battleground’s icons
Peoples battleground, the Free Peoples DEFENSE
are ignored — they do not cancel out the
side is the defender 1
attackers’ icons.
and the Shadow side is
the attacker. For example, if Dol Guldur is reactivated from
the Free Peoples’ scoring area, the Shadow
The attacking and DOL GULDUR
The Free People
s
players do not get the benefit of its icons
defending factions of a
battleground Lórien

during combat resolution; however, the

must also be activat
ed
or reactivated.

battleground are fixed Shadow players are still be considered the

by the battleground © 2022 MEE
• SG • AG

Fataneh & John

Howe
8
defenders, and Dol Guldur’s activation text is
card, regardless of still resolved.
how it is activated. For example, on
Dol Guldur, Mordor is always the defending faction;
Elf and Wizard are always the attacking factions.
OUTCOMES OF
Follow the steps below to resolve a combat.
BATTLEGROUND COMBAT
1. Count the number of icons on attacking cards. If the defender can cancel out all icons, the
2. Cancel a number of icons equal to the number defender wins. Otherwise, the attacker wins.
of icons on the battleground itself, including
any defense tokens added to the battleground The winning side takes control of the battleground
( icons or defense tokens on characters or armies and places it in its scoring area (see Scoring & Victory,
are considered in the next step). page 18).
3. If there are any remaining icons, the defending
player(s) must cancel as many of them as possible, CHARACTERS IN
eliminating their cards from the battleground until BATTLEGROUND COMBAT
either the number of icons eliminated equals or Some characters are mighty warriors,
exceeds the number of remaining icons, or they equal to an army of enemies. But most
run out of cards. characters only gain combat icons (or LEADERSHIP
4. Any leftover defending cards on the battleground gain additional icons) when leading (ATTACK)
are cycled. an army. These leadership icons are
represented as a smaller icon within
A defending card must be eliminated if it cancels even LEADERSHIP
a circle.
one icon, regardless of how many icons it has. (DEFENSE)

For a leadership icon to be counted

At the end of battleground combat, all attacking
in combat, the character must have an
cards are eliminated.
army of the same faction on the same battleground.
Note: If the defenders cannot decide which The army is said to support the character. An army
characters or armies to eliminate, the attackers can can only support one character.
decide for them.
On defense, when taking losses to cancel out attack
icons, an army and the character it is supporting can
be lost separately; the leadership icons will still be
counted, in the current combat, if one is eliminated
and not the other.
If a character in combat is wielding items, remember
that items cannot cancel attack icons separately from
the character.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 17

BATTLEGROUND COMBAT EXAMPLE

ATTACKERS

Galadriel ( + )
wielding Nenya, Ring of
riel
Adamant ( ),
ELF • ITEM: Galad

OF ADAMAN
T ELF • CHARACTER ELF • ARMY supported by an army of
NENYA, RINGyou may use your
If in reserve,
e this card to add
GALADRIEL
When played, draw 1 card.
HIGH ELVES
High Elves ( ).
action and cycl to an
, or to add While in reserve, draw 1 additional
to the active path ound. card each Draw step, then cycle 1 card
active battlegr
from hand. They will cast all away rather than submit to
28
John Howe Sauron: for they know him now.
• SG • AG
© 2022 MEE
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 22 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Ben Wootten 18

DOL GULDUR
The Free Peoples
battleground Lórien
must also be activated
or reactivated.

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 8

DEFENDERS

An army of
Mordor Orcs ( ),
Gorbag & Shagrat (+ ),
supported by an army of MORDOR • ARMY MORDOR • ARMY MORDOR • CHARACTER

Olog-hai ( ). MORDOR ORCS OLOG-HAI GORBAG & SHAGRAT

When played or moved to a path,
you may cycle 1 card from hand to
add to this card, or to add if
The lines of fire became flowing torrents, file upon They far surpassed in size and power even the Cirith Ungol is the active path.
file of Orcs bearing flames. largest of Orc-kind.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Ben Wootten 94 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Ben Wootten 98 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Andrea Piparo 100

There are 5 attack ( ) icons, including Galadriel’s leadership icon. 2 icons ( ) are canceled by the battleground
defense icons ( ). The remaining 3 icons ( ) must be canceled by eliminating defending cards.
The Mordor player eliminates both the Mordor Orcs and the Olog-hai.
All attack icons have been canceled, therefore the Shadow wins.
All attackers are eliminated, Gorbag & Shagrat is cycled, and the Shadow adds Dol Guldur to its scoring area.
Saving the Olog-hai was not possible; if the Shadow had eliminated Gorbag & Shagrat instead,
one icon would not have been canceled, and the Olog-hai would have ended up eliminated, too.
18 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

SCORING PATHS
— Each path in the Free Peoples team scoring area is

AND worth the number of victory points printed at the

top left of the card.

V I C TO RY
— The Shadow team earns victory points for paths
based on how many corruption tokens resulted
from the outcome of the path combat; the path
itself is not worth any victory points for the
Shadow. Place the path card face down in your

I
n the Trilogy scenario, to calculate your team’s scoring area.
score, you must look at battlegrounds, paths, and
tokens in your scoring area.
CORRUPTION TOKENS
Corruption tokens track the amount
of corruption added during the game.
SCORING Whenever you add 1 corruption, place 1
corruption token in the Shadow scoring area.
BATTLEGROUNDS
Corruption tokens are usually added due to path
Each battleground in your team’s scoring area is
combat, but may also be added or removed as directed
worth the number of victory points printed at the top
by card text.
left of the card.
If a card directs you to remove a corruption, but there
are none to remove, the directions are ignored.
Each corruption token is worth 1 victory point for the
Shadow team.

RING TOKENS
In the Trilogy scenario, each player’s unused Ring
token is worth 1 victory point for the team. Ring
tokens are only considered during the final scoring,
after combat on the last path is resolved.

VICTORY CHECK
During the Victory Check step, each team calculates
its score.
— If the difference between the two teams’ scores is
10 or more, then the team with the higher score
wins and the game ends.
— After combat is resolved on the last path of a
scenario, the team with the higher score wins. In
the case of a tie, the Shadow wins.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 19

SCORING EXAMPLE
FREE PEOPLES SHADOW

Battlegrounds: Helm’s Deep, Minas Tirith, Battlegrounds: Minas Morgul,

Lórien, Orthanc — 9 Victory Points Dol Guldur — 3 Victory Points
2 2
2 2
3 1
3 1
2
2
2 HELM’S DEEP
2 MINAS MORGUL
The Rohan player draws
The Mordor player draws
5 cards, and from these
5 cards, and from these
may play 1 army or
mayDOL GULDUR
play up to 1 Nazgûl
MINASon
character TIRITH
Helm’s
Deep, and then cycles
The Dúnedain player
HELM’S DEEP to reserve, and then
The Free Peoples
cycles the rest.
the rest. battleground Lórien
LÓRIEN
may forsake 1 card to
draw 3 cards. The Rohan player draws must also be activated
The Shadow
ORTHANC
or reactivated. T
battleground Dol Guldur 5 cards, and from these
The Isengard
must
take or
also be player
Saruman
may
activated
from the
reactivated. MINAS
may play 1TIRITH
army or
m
draw deck or cycle pile
into hand. The LÓRIEN
character on Helm’s
Dúnedain player
ORTHANC
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 3 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 10

The Isengard player

recycles the cycle pile. Deep,
may TheandShadow
forsakethen cycles
1 card to
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 5
The Isengard
draw player
the3rest.
cards.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG

battleground Dol may

Guldur
Fataneh & John Howe 8

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 4

take Saruman from
must also be activatedthe
drawordeck or cycle pile
reactivated.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 13 into hand.
The Isengard player
recycles the cycle pile.
Paths: Bag End, The Council of Elrond, Lothlórien,
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 3
Paths: Weathertop, Khazad-dûm, Amon Hen, Cirith
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 10

Henneth Annun — 4 Victory Points Ungol, Crack of Doom — 7 Corruption Tokens

© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 5 © 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 8

1
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 4
1
1
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG John Howe 13
1
1
1
1
1 BAG END
The Hobbit player
THE COUNCIL
draws 2 cards.
OF ELROND
Each Free Peoples player
LOTHLÓRIEN
draws 1 card. BAG END
The Elf player draws
1 card and then cycles
HENNETH
THE COUNCIL
The Hobbit player
1 card from hand.
ANNÛN OF ELROND
draws 2 cards.
PATH 1
The Dúnedain player LOTHLÓRIEN
draws 1 card. Each Free Peoples player
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 1
PATH 3 TheHENNETH
Elf player
draws draws
1 card.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 9
1 cardANNÛN
and then cycles
PATH 5 1 card from hand.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 15
The Dúnedain player
PATH 7 draws 1 card.
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 19

PATH 1
PATH 3
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 1

PATH 5
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 9

PATH 7
TOTAL: 13 VICTORY POINTS
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 15 TOTAL: 10 VICTORY POINTS
© 2022 MEE • SG • AG Fataneh & John Howe 19

In this example, the Free Peoples win with a final score of 13 to 10 after path 9 is resolved.
20 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

SCENARIOS 1. FRODO — FREE PEOPLES

Dwarf, Hobbit, Rohan, and Wizard
2. THE WITCH-KING — SHADOW
Mordor

S
everal scenarios have been provided to allow you 3. ARAGORN — FREE PEOPLES
to experience War of the Ring – The Card Game Dúnedain and Elf
in different ways: 4. SARUMAN — SHADOW
Isengard, Monstrous, and Southron
— The Trilogy scenario is designed to be played
by two teams of 2 players each (or fewer than 4
players playing in the same way) and provides the SETUP
most complete game experience. Each player draws 7 cards, then must cycle 2 of the
— The Two-Player Duel offers quicker setup and cards drawn, leaving a hand of 5 cards.
game play than the Trilogy scenario when there
are just 2 players. The Three-Player Duel is a DRAW STEP
variant of this scenario, playable with 3 players. During the Draw step, each Free Peoples player draws
— The Fellowship of the Ring scenario is a short 3 cards, and each Shadow player draws 4 cards.
two-player game, great for teaching new players,
or when time is limited.
RING TOKENS
The Trilogy, Two-Player Duel, and Three-Player Duel Each player starts with one Ring token, which can be
scenarios use every path and battleground included. used once per game.
The Fellowship of the Ring scenario only uses the
location cards listed.
PLAYING THE TRILOGY SCENARIO
We recommend using the turn order tracker when you
play the Three-Player Duel or the Trilogy scenario WITH 2 OR 3 PEOPLE
with less than 4 players. Use the side of the tracker If you’re playing with 3 people, one person will
matching the scenario you are playing. control both Shadow decks, and the other 2 will
each play one of the Free Peoples decks. If there are
Note that the decks are named after important just 2 of you, each of you will control both decks of
characters from the story, but there is no other your team.
significance to the names.
When you are playing more than one deck, play the
Check our website www.aresgames.eu for two completely separately, as if you were two separate
additional scenarios. people. Make sure to keep separate hands, draw decks,
cycle piles, eliminated piles, reserve areas, etc.
Any rules that refer to “you” or a “player” are directed
TRILOGY SCENARIO to the “deck” and not to you as a person. The rules
are written with the assumption that each player is
This 2–4 player scenario follows the entire narrative of controlling one deck.
the trilogy, from Bag End to Mount Doom.

STARTING PLAYER AND TRILOGY RING TOKEN

TURN ORDER Once per game, as an action, you
The Frodo player begins the game with the starting can use and discard your Ring
player token. Frodo is followed by The Witch-king, token to draw 2 cards.
Aragorn, and Saruman. At the end of the game, for each
token which has not been used,
players add 1 victory point to the
final score of their team.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 21

TWO-PLAYER DUEL — “Each Player”: When game or activation text

directs “each Free Peoples player” or “each Shadow
player” to do something (such as draw, cycle, or
This scenario is designed specifically for 2 players. It
forsake), follow the directions twice. If a card
sets up and plays a bit quicker compared to the Trilogy
directs each player to do 1 or more of these
scenario with just 2 players. Pay careful attention to
actions, complete all the directions once, and
the special rules of this scenario, as they diverge from
then do it again. Note that this doubling is not
those of the Trilogy scenario.
performed every time you’re directed to draw,
cycle, or forsake — only when each player on a
STARTING PLAYER AND team is directed to do so.
TURN ORDER Example: If Egladil is activated, the Gandalf
The Gandalf player begins the game with the starting player draws 2 cards, cycles 1, then draws another
player token. 2, and cycles another 1.
1. GANDALF — FREE PEOPLES
All Free Peoples cards
2. THE WITCH-KING — SHADOW
All Shadow cards
THREE-PLAYER DUEL
In this variant of the Two-Player Duel, one Free
Peoples player, Gandalf, plays against two Shadow
SETUP players, The Witch-king and Saruman. The Gandalf
— The Gandalf player draws 4 cards. player uses similar rules to the Two-Player Duel, while
— The Witch-king player draws 6 cards. the Shadow players use similar rules to the Trilogy
— Neither player cycles any cards. scenario, playing two separate decks.

DRAW STEP STARTING PLAYER AND

During the Draw step, the Gandalf player draws 4 TURN ORDER
cards, and The Witch-king player draws 6 cards. The Gandalf player begins the game with the starting
player token. Gandalf is followed by The Witch-king,
RING TOKENS then Gandalf plays again, then Saruman.
Each player starts with one Ring token, which can be 1. GANDALF — FREE PEOPLES
used once per round. All Free Peoples cards
2. THE WITCH-KING — SHADOW
SPECIAL RULES Mordor
— Path Scoring: After path combat, the Gandalf 3. GANDALF — FREE PEOPLES
player only places the path in the scoring area if 4. SARUMAN — SHADOW
the total of icons exceeds the total of icons. Isengard, Monstrous, and Southron
If there are the same number of and icons,
neither side receives victory points for the path.
SETUP
— Each Shadow player draws 7 cards, then must
cycle 2 of the cards drawn, leaving them with a
DUEL RING TOKEN hand of 5 cards each.
Once per round, as an action, you
— The Gandalf player draws 6 cards, and cycles none.
can use your Ring token to draw
the top 3 cards of your draw deck.
Then, you must eliminate 1 card DRAW STEP
from hand and cycle 1 card from During the Draw step, the Gandalf player draws 6
hand. Flip your Ring token as a cards, and each Shadow player draws 4 cards.
reminder that you have used it in this round.
22 • War of the Ring — The Card Game

RING TOKENS SETUP

Each player starts with one Ring token, which can be Each player draws 7 cards, but then must cycle 2 of
used once per game by the Shadow players, following the cards drawn, leaving a hand of 5 cards.
the Trilogy scenario rules; and once per round by the
Only the following location cards are used:
Gandalf player, who can use it following the same
rules as in the Two-Player Duel. BATTLEGROUNDS
Round 1: Minas Morgul
SPECIAL RULES Round 2: Rivendell
Round 3: Moria
The Two-Player Duel special rules for Path Scoring
Round 4: Lórien and Dol Guldur
and “Each Player” are applied.
Round 5 (if necessary): Orthanc
Round 6: (if necessary): Morannon
PATHS
THE FELLOWSHIP Path 1: Bucklebury Ferry, Gildor’s Encampment
Path 2: Inn of the Prancing Pony, The Old Forest
OF THE RING Path 3: Fords of Bruinen, Imladris
Path 4: Caradhras, Khazad-dûm, The Doors of Durin
This two-player short scenario follows the journey Path 5: Egladil, Dimrill Dale, Lothlórien
described in the first book of the trilogy — from the Path 6: Amon Hen
Shire to the shores of the Anduin.
DRAW STEP
STARTING PLAYER AND During the Draw step, the Gandalf player draws 3
cards, and the Balrog of Moria player draws 4 cards.
TURN ORDER
The Balrog of Moria player begins the game with the
starting player token. RING TOKENS
Ring tokens are not used in this scenario.
1. THE BALROG OF MORIA — SHADOW
Monstrous (8): Balrog of Moria, Barrow-wights,
Caradhras the Cruel, Cave-troll, Flocks of SPECIAL RULES
Crebain, Hill-troll, Goblins of the Misty — This scenario begins on path 1 and ends on path
Mountains (2). 6; it may last between 4 and 6 rounds. Only the
Mordor (18): Black Breath, Black Rider’s Mount, paths listed are used.
Grishnákh, Mordor Orcs (3), Morgul Blade, — The battlegrounds are not chosen at random, but
Nazgûl’s Mantle, The Ringwraiths Are Abroad, are activated in the order specified.
all Nazgûl cards (9).
Isengard (4): Palantír of Orthanc, Saruman,
Saruman’s Staff, Uglúk.
2. GANDALF — FREE PEOPLES
Dúnedain (3): Blade of Westernesse, Boromir,
Strider.
Dwarf (2): Dwarven Axe, Gimli.
Elf (13): All cards in this set: Arwen, Bow of the
Galadhrim, Elrond, Elven Cloak, Galadriel, High
Elves (2), Legolas, Lembas, Mirror of Galadriel,
Nenya, Ring of Adamant, Phial of Galadriel, Vilya,
Ring of Air.
Hobbit (8): Bilbo Baggins, Fatty Bolger, Frodo
Baggins, Merry Brandybuck, Mithril Coat, Pippin
Took, Sam Gamgee, Sting.
Wizard (4): Gandalf the Grey, Narya, Ring of
Fire, Gandalf’s Staff, Glamdring.
 War of the Ring — The Card Game • 23

G L O S S A RY
ACTIVATE: Take a hitherto unused battleground MOVE: Move a faction card from your reserve to a
or path location from the appropriate deck and path or battleground.
place it face up on the table. If you activate a
path and there is already an active path in play, PASS: Skip a turn, either because you have fewer
combat must be resolved on the active path before cards than each opponent, or you are at or below
resolving the new path’s activation text. your carryover limit.

ACTIVE PATH/BATTLEGROUND: A path or PLAY: Take a card from hand and put it in play, or
battleground that was activated earlier this round in the case of an event card, resolve its game text
for which combat has not yet been resolved. and put it in the eliminated pile. Usually, you must
cycle 1 card from hand when you play a card.
ATTACK ICONS: (battleground), (path).
REACTIVATE: Like activating a battleground,
CARRYOVER LIMIT: The maximum number of except it is taken from a scoring area. See Combat
cards you can have in your hand at the end of the in Reactivated Battlegrounds, page 16.
Action step. It is also the maximum number you
may have to be allowed to pass your action, even RECYCLE: Shuffle the cards in your cycle pile
when you have the same or greater number of (sometimes together with any remaining cards in
cards than an opponent. your draw deck) to form a new draw deck.

CYCLE: Place a card in the cycle pile. When your REMOVE: Eliminate a card from wherever it is,
draw deck runs out of cards, shuffle the cards in taking it from your draw deck or cycle pile, if it is
your cycle pile and use them to replenish your not in play.
draw deck.
RESERVE: Cards played to your reserve are placed
DEFENSE ICONS: (battleground), (path). face up on the table, but not on a battleground
or path. Cards played to your reserve cannot be
DRAW: Take a card from the top of the draw deck. moved later in the same round.

ELIMINATE: Place a card in the eliminated pile. SCORING AREA: The set of battleground and path
Eliminated cards are permanently out of the game. cards collected by a team after winning combats,
and any corruption tokens the Shadow may
FACTION: Dúnedain, Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit, Rohan, have accumulated.
Wizard, Isengard, Monstrous, Mordor, Southron.
Each is represented by a specific icon and SUPPORT: For a character’s leadership icons
card template. to count, the character must be on the same
battleground as a supporting army of the
FORSAKE: Choose a card to eliminate, from your same faction. An army can only support
hand, your reserve, or the top of your draw deck. one character.

IN PLAY: A faction card is in play when it is face up TAKE, FROM A DECK OR PILE: Locate and
on the table, either in reserve, on a battleground, take a specific card from a draw deck (reshuffling
or on a path. afterwards) or pile.

LEADERSHIP ICONS: (attack), (defense). TYPE: Army, Character, Event, Item.

Leadership icons are counted only if the character
is supported. WIELDER: A character in play with an item on it.

LOCATION: A battleground or path. WINNOW: Eliminate 2 cards from hand to draw 1.

 A game by IAN BRODY

Game Design IAN BRODY

Development KARIN WESTON-BRODY and ROBERTO DI MEGLIO

Art Direction FABIO MAIORANA

Graphic Design FABIO MAIORANA and FRANCESCO MATTIOLI

Layout HONDA EIJI

Artwork JOHN HOWE, JON HODGSON, FATANEH HOWE, MATTEO MACCHI,

FRANCESCO MATTIOLI, ANDREA PIPARO, DMITRY PROSVIRNIN,
BEN WOOTTEN, KUO YANG, QUADRA STUDIO DI ANTONIO DE LUCA
(MAURO ALOCCI, DOMENICO CAVA, FEDERICA COSTANTINI)

Proofreading JOHN VELONIS, KEVIN CHAPMAN

Production ROBERTO DI MEGLIO and FABRIZIO ROLLA

Playtesting: Andrew Poulter, Andy Daglish, Antti Yli-Tainio, Artem Stepanov, AshraamCPC, Benjamin J. Croft, Bill Murdock, Branwell,
Christian Nord, Dave SWA, David Wiley, Elliot Kravitz, Fabio Maiorana, Fabrizio Rolla, Gabriel Alonso, Heikki Laakkonen,
Hervé “Graftodt” Sicre, Ilkka Sirjonen, James Hamilton, Kalle Paju, Kevin Chapman, Leonardo Rina, Marcello Taglioli,
Markku Utriainen, Melanie Chapman, Michael Hall, Nicola Lippi, Nyi Nyi Htun, Peter Bakija, Q, Rafael Brinner, Ralf Schemmann,
Ramon Snir, Roy Wiseman, Sam LaSala, Sami Kivelä, Sean Grap, Simon Macdonald, Simone Malfatti, Skylor Edwards, Steve Fratt,
Tuomas Hanhivaara, Veli Hemming, Viljami Halla, Yuriy Tapilin, zurn, & anonymous. We’d also like to thank the many
uncredited playtesters at: Schenectady Wargamers Association, Westchester Gamers Group, Spielbany, Meisia (Paris),
3rd Universe (Croton-on-Hudson), & many others.

Thanks to the designers of the original War of the Ring board game, Roberto Di Meglio, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello,
for the inspiration and the suggestions during the development of this game.

A Game Created, Published and Distributed Worldwide by

ARES GAMES SRL

Via dei Metalmeccanici 16,

55041, Capezzano Pianore (LU), Italy
www.aresgames.eu

Retain this information for your records.

Version 1.0 — 2022.07.28

The War of the Ring, Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, and the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks
or registered trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises ("SZC") and are used under license by
Sophisticated Games Ltd and their respective licensees. War of the Ring — The Card Game © 2022 Ares Games Srl.
© 2022 Sophisticated Games Ltd. Warning. Not suitable for children under three years. Small parts. Choking hazard. Made in China.