Banner of the White Tree (3R39)

Aragorn, Heir to the White City (3R38)

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Citadel of Minas Tirith (3R40)

	Set:		Realms of the Elf-Lords
	Kind:		Free Peoples
	Culture:		Gondor
	Twilight:		0
	Card Type:		Event
	Game Text:		Tale. Maneuver: Exert a [GONDOR] companion to make that companion strength +3 and defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Lore:		“‘Many Elves and many mighty Men, and many of their friends, had perished in the war.'”
	Rarity:		R
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General Strategy

A versatile and powerful event, Banner of the White Tree provides a strength +3 bonus along with a defender bonus to any [Gondor] companion, for the cost of an exertion. Both effects last until the regroup phase, making the companion more likely to survive 1 or 2 skirmishes against multiple minions, or to win 1 or 2 skirmishes against a single big beast (like the Balrog or the Witch King bearing the Pale Blade). Skirmish events like Swordarm of the White Tower or Sentinels of Numenor increase even more the chances of defeating any enemy.

However, the exertion cost supposes more risks of being killed from wounds in skirmish, in regards of other defender bonus events like Elendil's Valor and Valiant Man of the West. Damage bonuses and wounding/exerting effects (pre or mid skirmish) are the main threat.

With the coming of the Expansion Sets of Siege of Gondor and Reflections, this event found new powerful uses and synergies. Set 8 and 10 [Gondor] Wraiths get the usual benefits of strength and defender bonuses, but due to their Enduring keyword the exertion passes from being a cost to being a true advantage: strength +5. Also, the Set 9 [Gondor] artifact Sapling of the White Tree covers the risk that [Gondor] Men have to carry when exerting to play this event.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Versus...

• Swarm strategies
• “Sacrificial lamb” strategy against multiple minions

Weak Versus...

• Pre-skirmish wounding and exerting (Hate, Orthanc Berserker, Desert Lord)
• Mid-skirmish wounding (Orc Soldier, Mordor's Strength, Red Wrath)
• Hand-clog