LOTR02028

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	Set:		Mines of Moria
	Kind:		Free People
	Culture:		Gandalf
	Twilight:		1
	Card Type:		Event
	Game Text:		Spell. Maneuver: Spot Gandalf to make a companion defender +1 until the regroup phase. Any Shadow player may remove (3) to prevent this.
	Lore:		"The Balrog made no answer. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew."
	Rarity:		U
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General Strategy

Though Wielder of the Flame was released in Fellowship block, it remains the only card in the game capable of granting defender +1 to any companion - including many with no other way to gain the bonus. The only close alternatives are Down From the Hills for unbound companions with the Gandalf signet and Isildur's Heir for unbound companions with resistance 7 or more. Considering this, only requiring the Free Peoples to spot Gandalf and add[1] is an incredibly small price to pay. Many players give rightful attention to the balancing caveat and figure that, adding 1 for the event cost, if just 2 twilight are left in the maneuver phase the effect could fizzle out. But because Shadow players are rarely able to view an opponent's hand and will try to make the most out of the twilight available, the built-in prevention tends to merely keep the Free Peoples player from making too much out of an opponent's bad hand or pressing the advantage a large Fellowship already has: numerous expendable companions. Since Wielder of the Flame is a spell, it synergizes perfectly with fellow Mines of Moria card Gandalf's Staff, which negates its cost completely.

As the Free Peoples player is always allowed to take the first action in a phase, Wielder of the Flame can be used before twilight-adding effects such as Trample to ensure the Shadow player cannot afford to prevent it. Similarly, the Free Peoples player can elect to pass if he or she suspects that an opponent will use some twilight in the Maneuver phase and play Wielder of the Flame afterwards. Note that the Free Peoples is never forced to use a defender bonus, and it may be useful to bluff a Shadow player into removing (3) for an effect the Free Peoples doesn't need and make moving in the Regroup phase a little safer or keep the Shadow player from using events or abilities.

!Wielder of the Flame is particularly useful for the[shire] and[elven] cultures, which are almost devoid of defender bonuses. Arwen in particular has many versions which greatly benefit from skirmishing multiple minions (Lady Undomiel, Echo of Luthien, Queen of Elves and Men, Staunch Defender).

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Versus...

• Gandalf's Staff, which brings the base cost of the event down to 0.
• Simple swarm strategies, which often play weak minions until running out of twilight
• Event-heavy Shadow sides, which may have to choose between preventing Wielder of the Flame and playing events
• Companions capable of cancelling or avoiding their skirmishes, such as Hobbits
• Companions who have outlived their usefulness, allowing them to go down fighting an additional minion

Weak Versus...

• Large fellowships, which almost always add more twilight than a Shadow player can normally use
• Some[Moria] decks, which can produce more twilight than they use

Example Decks

• Decklists or links to decks that use this card.

Rules and Clarifications

• Due to the wording of this and several other cards, the most accepted interpretation is that the Shadow player must decide whether to remove (3) before the Free Peoples actually selects a companion. However, this is the subject of some debate; see here:

 * http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,9218.0.html
 * http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,9228.0.html

Extra Information

• Add other information regarding printing, rarity, trivia, etc.