Battle of Helm's Deep
 The Two Towers
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Ents of Fangorn 
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| Battle of Helm's Deep | |
|---|---|
| ID | 5 |
| Name | Battle of Helm's Deep |
| Creator | Decipher |
| Release Date | 2003-03-12 |
| Is Official | yes |
| Platforms | Paper • LotR-O • GEMP • mLOTRO • Tabletop Simulator • Lackey • gccg |
| Notes | |
Set Details
Battle of Helm's Deep is the first expansion of the Two Towers block, and the fifth set overall. It was released on March 12, 2003 and included many of the block's core concepts that Decipher wasn't able to release before The Two Towers movie came to theaters. The table below describes the distribution of cards in booster packs; it does not include the two starter-only companions, nor the alternate-image rares included in starter decks.
| ^ Common ^ Uncommon ^ Rare ^ Total ^ ^ Dunland [Dunland] | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 ^ Dwarven [Dwarven] | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 ^ Elven [Elven] | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 ^ Gandalf [Gandalf] | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 ^ Gollum [Gollum] | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 ^ Gondor [Gondor] | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 ^ Isengard [Isengard] | 8 | 9 | 9 | 26 ^ Raider [Raider] | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 ^ Rohan [Rohan] | 7 | 4 | 5 | 16 ^ Sauron [Sauron] | 6 | 5 | 5 | 16 ^ Shire [Shire] | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 ^ Sites | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 ^ Total | 40 | 40 | 40 | 120
Themes and mechanics
Cultures
This set contained the release of the 
Gollum culture, as Decipher was not licensed to spoil images of Smeagol/Gollum before The Two Towers released in theaters. It also marked the re-introduction of the 
Sauron culture, which had been absent in the base set.
New loaded keywords
Battle of Helm's deep did not introduce any new loaded keywords.
New unloaded keywords
- Knight
- Fortification
- Warg-rider
Other mechanics
- Uruk-hai Berserkers
- Widely expanded the number of cards with or referencing the Machine and Valiant keywords
- Mumakil and Warg mounts
- Sauron Trackers that lower site numbers rather than roaming costs
Card Comparisons
Reprinted cards
Functional reprints
Strictly better
Strictly worse
Starter decks
Eowyn Starter Deck
Rohan [Rohan] / Isengard [Isengard]
(This deck contained no random rares)
!Ring-bearer
- Frodo, Tired Traveller (2 cards)
- The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
- [1T] Horse-country
- [2T] Plains of Rohan Camp
- [3T] Stables
- [4T] Westemnet Hills
- [5T] Helm's Gate
- [6T] Hornburg Armory
- [7T] King's Room
- [8T] Nan Curunir
- [9T] Palantir Chamber
Free Peoples (25 cards)
- Eowyn, Daughter of Eomund x2 (starting)
- Household Guard x3
- Elite Rider x3 (starting)
- Hobbit Sword x2
- Rohirrim Bow x3
- Rider's Mount x3
- Rider's Spear x3
- Rohirrim Helm
- Thundering Host
- Work for the Sword x3
- Severed His Bonds
Shadow (24 cards)
- Foul Horde
- Isengard Flanker x4
- Isengard Rider x3
- Warg-rider x4
- Warg-master x3
- Warg x3
- War-warg x3
- Wolf-voices x3
Legolas Starter Deck
Elf [Elf] / Raider [Raider]
(This deck contained no random rares)
!Ring-bearer (2 cards)
- Frodo, Tired Traveller
- The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
- [1T] Plains of Rohan
- [2T] Wold of Rohan
- [3T] Barrows of Edoras
- [4T] White Rocks
- [5T] Hornburg Parapet
- [6T] Hornburg Armory
- [7T] Hornburg Causeway
- [8T] Wizard's Vale
- [9T] Palantir Chamber
Free Peoples (25 cards)
- Balglin, Elven Warrior
- Gimli, Unbidden Guest (starting)
- Legolas, Archer of Mirkwood x2 (starting)
- Lorien Swordsman x3
- Elven Bow x3
- Elven Sword x3
- Hobbit Sword x2
- Break the Charge
- Baruk Khazad
- Khazad Ai-menu x2
- Quick as May Be x2
- Severed His Bonds
- Valor x3
Shadow (24 cards)
- Army of Haradrim
- Desert Soldier x2
- Desert Spearman x3
- Desert Warrior x2
- Southron Marcher x3
- Southron Traveler x3
- Southron Runner x3
- Mumak x3
- Whirling Strike
- On the March x3
