Witch-King

The Witch-King is the chief of the Nazgul, and one of the main antagonists of The Lord of the Rings. In this game, he's the most expensive and most fearsome minion in the Ringwraith culture. That high cost has always limited his use, pushing players towards strategies to get the most out of the few times he can be played, or to find a way to reduce his cost.

Versions of the Witch-King

Portrait	Name	Game Text
	The Witch-king, Lord of Angmar (1R237)	Fierce. For each other Nazgûl you can spot, The Witch-king is strength +2.
	The Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgul (2R85)	Twilight. Return to Its Master may not be played. Each time The Witch-king wins a skirmish, you may exert him to wound the Ring-bearer twice.
	The Witch-king, Deathless Lord (6P122)	Fierce. Each time a companion is killed in a skirmish involving a Nazgûl, wound an ally twice or exert a companion.
	The Witch-king, Morgul King (7R221)	Fierce. When you play The Witch-king, you may remove a threat to take a card into hand from your discard pile. The Ring-bearer cannot take threat wounds.
	The Witch-king, Black Captain (8R84)	Enduring. Each Man skirmishing The Witch-king loses all strength bonuses from weapons.
	The Witch-king, Captain of the Nine Riders (11R226)	Fierce. Toil 2. (For each character you exert when playing this, its twilight cost is –2.) Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	The Witch-king, Black Lord (12R183)	Fierce. The Witch-king is twilight cost –1 for each wound on the Ring-bearer. Each time a companion is played, you may reveal this card from hand to exert the Ring-bearer.
	The Witch-king, Conqueror of Arthedain (17R144)	Fierce. Each time the Witch-king wins a fierce skirmish, you may exert a companion for each companion you can spot over 4.
	The Witch-king, Dark Lord (19P40)	Fierce. Skirmish: Discard a Nazgûl from hand to make The Witch-king strength +1 (or strength +2 if you can spot that discarded Nazgûl).
	The Witch-king, Empowered by His Master (V3_80)	Fierce. Enduring. Damage +1. When you play this minion, hinder all Free Peoples cards of one type (except companion). The Free Peoples player may restore any number of their cards, and must exert one of their characters for each card restored. ​

Cards which mention the Witch-King by name

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	The Pale Blade (1R221)	Ringwraith	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be The Witch-king. He is damage +1. Response: If The Witch-king wins a skirmish, exert him to discard a Free Peoples condition.
	Stricken Dumb (2R80)	Ringwraith	Event	Maneuver: Exert The Witch-king to discard a tale or weapon.
	Black Flail (8R70)	Ringwraith	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Nazgûl. Skirmish: If bearer is The Witch-king, exert him and spot a possession borne by a character he is skirmishing to discard that possession.
	Ring of Ire (9R+43)	Ringwraith	Artifact • Ring	Bearer must be The Witch-king. Skirmish: Exert bearer twice to make a minion damage +1. Response: If a player reconciles, return bearer to his owner’s hand.
	The Pale Blade, Sword of Flame (11R214)	Ringwraith	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Nazgûl. If bearer is The Witch-king, each time he wins a skirmish, you may exert him to add a burden.
	The Witch-king’s Beast, Fell Creature (12U184)	Ringwraith	Possession • Mount	Bearer must be a Nazgûl. If bearer is The Witch-king, after all skirmishes and fierce skirmishes have been resolved, you may exert him twice to make him participate in one additional assignment and skirmish phase.
	White Faces Burned (V1_43)	Ringwraith	Event • Skirmish	Make a skirmishing twilight Nazgul strength +1 for each wound on the Ring- bearer (and damage +1 if that Nazgul is The Witch-king).
	Ill Wind (V3_67)	Ringwraith	Condition • Support Area,Support Area	The second time you play a Nazgul each Shadow phase, you may hinder a wounded companion (except a companion with the highest strength). If you can spot The Witch-king, exert that companion first.
	No Man May Hinder Me (V3_69)	Ringwraith	Event • ,	Maneuver or Skirmish: Restore all Nazgul. Then you may exert The Witch-king twice to hinder all Free Peoples possessions. ​