LotR TCG Card Strategies - #12

Black Breath
Ulaire Lemenya

2-for-1 day again. this time a combo from the Hobbit starter deck.

Lemenya by himself is your typical Ringwraith, 9 Strength for 4 Twilight. Seems weaker than an Uruk, but remember there's plenty of Site 2 choices that will increase his usefulness and he's not roaming at Site 3.

Black Breath is a little more interesting. It only costs 1, so it's easy to drop on the table, even if it's early in the game and you don't need it quite yet. (Remember, the more you play, the more you can draw.) It prevents healing. In a game with very limited resources, this is extremely powerful. Black Breath can put a limit on Legolas, Gimli or Boromir's exertion abilities. It can prevent Sanctuaries or Aragorn from keeping a companion alive, so you can wear them down quicker and get on to attacking the Ringbearer. It's a little difficult to get this condition onto the Ringbearer since he's usually not in combat, but if you can, it will aid your corruption strategies.

The real fun is when you use these two cards together. Lemenya will reduce the strength of anyone who has a Black Breath on them. He doesn't even have to be in that skirmish to benefit from his text. In fact, the companion bearing the Black Breath doesn't even have to be fighting a Nazgul. That can help your Morgul Skulkers and other Sauron Orcs who support the Nazgul in your deck.

Placing Black Breath is a Skirmish action. You can throw the condition onto the opponent in a skirmish and have Lemenya immediately reduce their strength. It's just as effective as All Veils Removed, Frozen by Fear and Threshold of Shadow, for the same 1 Twilight. Being a skirmish action also makes this card a great threat, even without Lemenya. The opponent will have to be careful who they assign to skrimish your Nazgul, as you can place Black Breath on them whether or not you win the skirmish. The only way to completely avoid it is if the opponent cancels the skirmish with Hobbit Intuition/Stealth.

Sure, the condition can be removed by Athelas, Sleep Caradhras or Seen and Unseen. Since those cards require exerting, (or in the case of Athelas, being unable to use it's ability to heal) at the very least Black Breath deals one extra wound to someone.