Saruman

The corrupt White Wizard Saruman is the leader of the White Council and a secret ally to Sauron, and plots to betray one then the other. In this game, he is the only Shadow wizard, and appears as both a minion and a follower. Saruman leads the Isengard culture, which includes most cards associated with Saruman, including his army of Uruk-hai and orcs, as well as corrupt men like Grima.

However, befitting his self-applied title "of Many Colours," Saruman also appears on cards in other cultures, representing his capacity as leader and instigator. He's the first character in the game to appear in a second culture, with Saruman, Rabble-rouser (4R33) . Along with the Balrog and Sauron himself, is one of the few characters who continues to appear in his original culture after the Shadow cultures are reorganized in the Shadows set. Unlike the Balrog and Sauron, he is the only character who appears in both his original culture as well as the new cultures, as well as the only character who appears in more than one post-Shadows Shadow-alignment culture.

All in all, of all unique characters, Saruman appears in the most different cultures: Isengard, Dunland, Men, and Uruk-hai cultures. (The next closest is Gothmog, who appears in three, followed by Aragorn and many Shadow characters appearing in two.)

Portrait	Name	Game Text
	Saruman, Keeper of Isengard (3R68)	Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish. Uruk-hai are fierce. Response: If an Uruk-hai is about to take a wound, exert Saruman to prevent that wound.
	Saruman, Servant of the Eye (3C69)	Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish. Assignment: Exert Saruman to assign an minion to a companion (except the Ring-bearer). That companion may exert to prevent this.
	Saruman, Rabble-rouser (4R33)	Saruman may not be assigned to a skirmish. Each time the fellowship moves, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion for each Man you can spot. Skirmish: Exert Saruman to make a Man strength +2.
	Saruman, Black Traitor (4R173)	Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish. When you play Saruman, you may discard a condition. Shadow: Exert Saruman to play Saruman’s Staff from your discard pile.
	Saruman, Master of Foul Folk (5R56)	Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish. Each time the fellowship moves, you may heal each Orc twice. Shadow: Exert Saruman to play an possession from your discard pile.
	Saruman, Of Many Colours (12R54)	Damage +1. Fierce. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) When you play Saruman, name a culture. Each companion of the named culture is strength –1.
	Saruman, Agent of the Dark Lord (12S144)	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Saruman to make an  minion strength +2. Each time a companion is killed, you may heal Saruman.
	Saruman, Instigator of Insurrection (17R37)	Saruman cannot be assigned to a skirmish. While you can spot 6 companions, each minion gains hunter 2. Response: If a hunter minion is about to take a wound, exert Saruman to prevent that.
	Saruman, Servant of Sauron (17R38)	Aid - . (At the start of the maneuver phase, you may remove to transfer this to a minion.) Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may exert a companion.
	Saruman, Coldly Still (17S48)	Each minion bearing a possession is strength +2. Skirmish: Exert Saruman to play a possession from your discard pile.
	Saruman, Curunir (17S115)	Each time an hunter wins a skirmish, heal a different minion. Skirmish: Exert Saruman twice to make a companion lose the hunter keyword until the start of the regroup phase.
	Saruman, Master of the White Hand (17R116)	Each companion is resistance -1. Skirmish: Exert Saruman to discard a condition borne by a companion skirmishing an minion.
	Saruman, Mind of Metal and Wheels (V2_29)	Saruman may not be assigned to a skirmish. Companions skirmishing <symbol>Isengard</symbol> Orcs lose all damage bonuses. Response: If an Orc is about to take a wound, exert Saruman to prevent that wound.
	Saruman, Fell Voice (V1_30)	While you cannot spot a weather, Saruman may not take wounds in the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish. While at a site bearing a weather, each minion is strength +2. Response: If the fellowship moves from a site bearing a weather, discard this minion to exert each companion. ​