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| [[File:LOTR-EN02S052.0_card.jpg|frame|right|It's difficult to hold off a minion this size once. Two times is more than twice as hard.|link=The Balrog, Flame of Udun (2R52)]]
| | =Loaded Keywords= |
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| '''Loaded Keywords''' are bold one-word labels included in the [[Game Text|game text]] of many cards. Unlike [[Unloaded Keywords]], Loaded Keywords always have some mechanic or other game rule associated with their use. | | [[File:LOTR-EN02S052.0_card.jpg|frame|right|Is it hot in here? I think it's hot in here.|link=The Balrog, Flame of Udun (2R52)]] |
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| The Balrog shown to the right has two loaded keywords: '''[[Fierce]]''' and '''[[Damage]] +1'''. '''Fierce''' indicates that the Free Peoples player must assign it to a skirmish twice per site, and '''damage +1''' adds to the number of wounds it dishes out in a winning [[Skirmish Phase|skirmish]]. These two keywords further establish that there are two different kinds of loaded keywords: ''numeric'' and ''non-numeric''. | | '''Loaded Keywords''' are bold one-word labels included in the [[game text]] of many cards. Each loaded keyword has a rule associated with it, and so they change the way the game is played by the very nature of being on the table (unlike their benign cousins [[Unloaded Keywords]], which do not in and of themselves have any effect). For instance, if you look at the example of [[LOTR02052|The Balrog]] shown to the right, it has two loaded keywords: '''[[Fierce]]''' and '''[[Damage]] +1'''. '''Fierce''' indicates that the minion skirmishes twice per turn, and '''damage +1''' adds to the number of wounds it dishes out in a winning [[Skirmish Phase|skirmish]]. Neither is insignificant, and can have serious ramifications for the unwary player. |
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| == Numeric Loaded Keywords ==
| | These two keywords further establish that there are two different kinds of Loaded Keywords: ''numeric'' and ''non-numeric''. |
| Numeric keywords are always paired with a positive number and if the keyword is applied multiple times, the numbers are all added up: for example, {{Card|The Balrog's Sword}} further increases the number of wounds The Balrog delivers by making him a further '''damage +1''', resulting in The Balrog being '''damage +2''' total. Cards that spot the lowest numeric version of a numeric keyword can also spot all higher numbers, meaning {{Card|Swordarm of the White Tower}} gives 4 strength to a companion that is ''at least'' '''defender +1'''.
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| '''[[Ambush]]''' bonuses however remain separate even though it appears that they could be added together. When a minion with the keyword '''ambush {{Twilight|X}}''' is given the keyword '''ambush {{Twilight|X}}''' by another card or special ability, each of those instances of ambush is resolved separately rather at once. (Cards like {{Card|Three Monstrous Trolls}} or {{Card|Coif}} would only apply to one of those instances at a time.) | | Numeric keywords are always paired with a nonzero number and, if ever reduced to zero, cease to have an effect. For instance, '''damage +1''' indicates that one additional wound is to be placed during a winning skirmish. If the bonus is somehow reduced to '''damage +0''', this ceases to have any effect: when the skirmish is won, zero additional wounds are placed. Cards that spot the lowest numeric version of a loaded keyword can also spot all higher numbers. For example, a card that said "Spot a minion with '''Damage +1'''" could also spot a '''damage +2''' minion like {{Card|Sauron, The Lord of the Rings}}. |
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| Although '''[[Toil|toil]]''' is a numeric keyword, there is no way to give a card '''toil''' or modify the existing toil number of a card. ({{Card|Ulaire Enquea, Black Threat}} is as close as it gets.) There is no defined interaction for what would happen if a card had two instances of toil.
| | Non-numeric Loaded Keywords, in contrast, ''never'' have a bare number associated with them and are simply on or off. In the case of Fierce, that character skirmishes twice per turn, but that's it. If you play a card like {{Card|Fell Beast}} that on a minion like {{Card|The Witch-king, Lord of Angmar}}, he doesn't benefit from being granted '''Fierce''' a second time. There is no such thing as '''Fierce 2''' ([[LOTR01224|thank]] [[LOTR12184|goodness]]), and if it loses Fierce, that's that. |
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| == Non-numeric Loaded Keywords ==
| | [[Artifact]]s and [[possession]]s often -- but do not always -- have a special loaded keyword called [[Item Class]]. Item Classes have no inherent effect, but a character may only bear one artifact or possession of a given item class at a time, unless they have a special effect that grants an exception, as with {{Card|Hand Axe}}. See [[Item Class]] for more information and a full list of classes. |
| Non-numeric loaded keywords work the same regardless of how many "times" a character gains it. In the case of '''fierce''', that minion skirmishes twice per site and that's it; {{Card|Whip of Many Thongs, Weapon of Flame and Shadow}} will not provide any sort of cumulative '''fierce''' benefit to The Balrog above. When such an effect was desirable, Decipher skirted around the keywords to achieve the same result. A few examples: {{Card|The Witch-king's Beast, Fell Creature}} allows The Witch-king to enter a third skirmish, {{Card|Orc Slaughterer}} has a strength bonus from its game text that stacks with '''enduring''', and {{Card|The Splendor of Their Banners}} allows a single [[archer]] to add more than just one to the archery total.
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| == Item Class ==
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| [[Artifact]]s and [[possession]]s often -- but do not always -- have a special loaded keyword called [[Item Class]]. A character may only [[bear]] one card of a given item class at a time, but some hand weapons ({{Card|Hand Axe}}, {{Card|Flaming Brand}}, {{Card|Knife of the Galadhrim}}, and {{Card|Arwen's Dagger}}) can be wielded alongside another hand weapon. [[Box]], [[Bracers]], [[Brooch]], [[Gauntlets]], and [[Phial]] each only appear on one card. In these cases, the item class effectively acts as "limit one per bearer" text (although the lone Gauntlets and Phial are already unique). [[Palantir]] appears on three cards, but they all have the same [[unique]] persona anyway. {{Card|Elven Armaments}} is notable for having two item classes, although in practice this only prevents the use of {{Card|Aiglos}}. (No other [[shield]]s can be played on any {{C|Elven}} characters, and the card prevents all other [[possession]]s anyway.) | |
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| See the pages at the keywords below for in-depth discussion on each individual keyword's effects, or see [[Unloaded Keywords]] for an explanation for all other bolded keywords. | |
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| | See the pages at the keywords below for in-depth discussion as to an individual keyword's effects, or see [[Unloaded Keywords]] for an explanation for all other bolded keywords. |
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| {{Loaded Keyword Table}} | | {{Loaded Keyword Table}} |