Edit CreateSet: Rise of Saruman

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__NOTOC__ {{NavBar|Rise of Saruman|[[Main Page]]|[[The Wraith Collection]]|[[Treachery & Deceit]]}} {{SetTabs}} '''Rise of Saruman''' is the first expansion set in the [[Hunters Block]] and the seventeenth set overall. It was released on March 1, 2007, one year later than originally planned.<ref>Based on the [[Oversized]] promotional card {{Card|4M1}}.</ref> The set is notable for containing a large number of errors and typos, due in large part to financial issues at Decipher. The set contained 148 cards (38 commons, 42 uncommons, 60 rares, and 8 starter deck-only cards). Like in [[The Hunters]] none of the cards had [[Tengwar]] versions produced. Eighteen rares had a foil [[Legends]] version with rarity symbol RF and nine rares had an alternate-frame foil [[Legends Masterworks]] version printed with a ring used as the rarity symbol (usually represented by an O in text). ==Themes and Mechanics== Rise of Saruman continued many of the themes of the previous set, including the focus on the hunter keyword, Ents, and site control. Rohan gained a curious theme of getting stronger while the Ringbearer was assigned to skirmish; some of the cards specifically call out Frodo, which is especially strange since none of the Rohirrim characters met Frodo until after the ring was destroyed. [[Pipeweed]] returned for the first time since [[Fellowship Block]], although it functioned differently in Rise of Saruman: the pipeweed cards were conditions (rather than possessions) and didn't need pipes to function. The set contained {{Card|Faramir, Bearer of Quality}}, the final alternate ring-bearer printed in the game. It also included {{Card|Saruman, Servant of Sauron}}, the only [[Shadow]] [[follower]] ever produced. ===Cultures=== Rise of Saruman continued with the same set of cultures as [[The Hunters]], with the exception of {{C|Gollum}}. It featured cameos from the Movie-era shadow cultures: two cards from {{C|Isengard}} and one from {{C|Sauron}}. The set included the only companion to ever be printed outside of its primary culture: {{Card|Aragorn, Defender of Rohan}} in {{C|Rohan}}. In keeping with its name, Rise of Saruman contained five versions of Saruman: one in {{C|Men}}, two in {{C|Isengard}} (one minion and one follower), and two in {{C|Uruk-hai}}. The set also printed {{Card|Grishnakh, Treacherous Captain}}, a unique minion whose character had previously appeared in {{C|Sauron}}. ==Starter Decks== Continuing the pattern from Shadows, many of the cards in starter packs did not appear in boosters and could only be obtained by buying a starter pack; these cards were all given the rarity symbol S. As in [[The Hunters]] starter decks, both decks contained sites from [[War of the Ring Block]]; with the release of Rise of Saruman, there were now 12 sites in [[Hunters Block]]. Uniquely among the game's starter decks, the decks named after the shadow culture in the deck rather than a specific character. Also uniquely, the Uruk Rampage deck only contained eight sites (it mistakenly included a fifth copy of {{Card|White Hand Guard}} instead); this mistake is fixed in all digital versions of the deck. * [[Starter_Decks/Hunters_Block#RoS_Uruk_Rampage_Starter_Deck|Uruk Rampage Starter Deck]]: {{C|Elven}} / {{C|Uruk-hai}} * [[Starter_Decks/Hunters_Block#RoS_Evil_Man_Starter_Deck|Evil Man Starter Deck]]: {{C|Gondor}} / {{C|Men}} ==Cycles== {| class="wikitable" |- !colspan="5" | Mixed Cycles |- !Cycle Name ! {{C|Gondor}} ! {{C|Isengard}} ! {{C|Rohan}} ! {{C|Sauron}} |- |rowspan="2" | Throne artifacts | {{Card|Throne of Minas Tirith}} | {{Card|Throne of Isengard}} | {{Card|Throne of the Golden Hall}} | {{Card|Throne of the Dark Lord}} |- |colspan="4" | The only cycle in the game to contain both free peoples and shadow cards (citation needed), the cards did not have many similarities beyond their names and types. |} ==Reprinted Cards== Rise of Saruman did not contain any reprinted cards. ==Notable Cards== * {{Card|Faramir, Bearer of Quality}} * {{Card|Aragorn, Defender of Rohan}} * {{Card|Saruman, Servant of Sauron}} * {{Card|Merry, In the Bloom of Health}} * {{Card|Pippin, In the Bloom of Health}} ---- {{Set Table}} ----