129.html|@/@@TEXTR*ch.LXa:7 Barad-Dur

Barad-Dur

Site: Dark-Hold
Region: Gorgoroth
Site path: Wi, Bl, Fd, Wi, Sl, Dd
Nearest Haven: Lorien
Cards Drawn: Opponent 6; You 3
Playable: Items (minor, major, greater)
Automatic-Attacks:(2)
Orcs -4 strikes with 7 prowess
Trolls -3strikes with 9 prowess
Special: Any company moving to Barad-Dur has its hazard limit modified by +2.


From what I've heard they're considering an optional "fight Sauron" or something like that rule which gives this site a purpose (don't quote me on this, it's just a rumor), but until then it's really just an incredibly dangerous way to get an item. In fact, it's almost even more dangerous than Mount Doom, except that Mount Doom has the automatic hazard-creatures-always-playable effect, which this doesn't. But this has an auto-attack AND it's a Dark-Hold (vs. Shadow-Hold for Mount Doom) so they're pretty much equaled out. This site is sort of a fancy version of just saying "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." It's a Dark-Hold in a Dark-Domain, and it's in Gorgoroth, so all 9 Nazgul plus Shelob are playable here, and with a +2 hazard limit that's a lot of Nazgul. You could surprise your opponent by moving here when they're not expecting it, or use a Palantir to wait until they have a pretty benign hand, but even then you're risking yourself for two turns (one going there, the other getting out, remember they can play hazards keyed to anywhere along the site path including Gorgoroth in this case) so they have a good chance of getting something the following turn (especially since they draw SIX cards when you go there, almost an entire extra hand in which to find something nasty). And you can't even play a Gold Ring there, just Minor, Major, and Greater Items. Sure, if you could play any Special Item there or something like that (play One Ring, then just hop on over to old Mount Doom to dunk it, all within the space of two turns) it'd be worth it, but as is there are lots and lots of sites better to go to than this. Also the auto-attacks can be a nuisance, at least against weakling characters like Hobbits, since though they aren't that strong 2 attacks with total 7 strikes can get you in sheer numbers. If there's ever a way to make a region automatically a Coastal Sea, and therefore use Wind of Wrath to blow someone here, that's a use for it, but until then it's pretty much useless. So overall, Barad-dur is a virtually never visited site whose only real attribute at the moment is its coolness value.
Ratings for: BARAD-DUR

Rater Rating Rater Rating
Gandalf 3.0 Gollum 7.0
Morgoth 2.0 Shadowfax 7.5
Radagast 9.0 Sauron 10.0
Eru 3.0 Isildur 7.0
Average 5.69

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