Morgul Orcs

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Morgul Orcs (often just shortened to Morcs) are a subculture of Ringwraith-culture orc minions. They include both the orc garrison of Minas Morgul as well as the army that marched out from Minas Morgul to storm Osgiliath. In this game, they were first introduced in King Block, and as such they often interact with the new rules from that block, placing or spotting or consuming threats or initiative. They also interact with burdens, wounds on the ring-bearer, and Free Peoples possessions. This subculture only appears in King Block; after that block, Shadow cultures were rearranged, and cards representing the orcs of Minas Morgul are no longer a subculture of their own, and instead part of Orc culture. That said, since the King Block Morc cards still work with later Wraith cards, the deck continues on into later formats, albeit with a lessened presence.

Unlike most other subcultures, they work well with the rest of Ringwraith culture, often spotting or buffing Nazgûl. Nazgûl have always wounded the ring-bearer or placed burdens, so while a card like Morgul Whelp (7U202) doesn't mention Nazgûl by name, it meshes well with the same gameplan as older cards like Úlairë Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight (2R84) . Likewise, a number of Nazgûl-focused cards from this block benefit from going into a deck with more of a swarm gameplan, such as Úlairë Lemenya, Assailing Minion (7R213) , Flung Into the Fray (8U71) , and Black Marshal (10U53) .

There are two chief Morgul Orc decks: the more-popular Morc deck, a semi-swarm deck that plays many efficient minions that force the Free Peoples player to choose between wounding the ring-bearer or suffering some other consequence, and the less-popular Morc Archery deck, which plays minions that add to the archery total under certain circumstances. Except for Morgul Squealer (8R77) (which occasionally sees play in all sorts of Nazgûl-focused decks), most of the other Ringwraith orc minions, particularly the ones that buff Nazgûl by name or interact with Free Peoples possessions, are too expensive or too weak to see much play.

Morc swarm

Morc swarm, usually just called "Morcs" by default, focuses on wounding the ring-bearer with cards like Morgul Brute (7R188) , Morgul Destroyer (7U190) , Flung Into the Fray (8U71) , and Gollum, Dark as Darkness (9R+28) (always with Captured by the Ring (7C53) ). Since all of these minions are cheap, the plan is also to swarm, forcing weaker support companions into skirmishes and possibly scoring an overwhelm here or there. Since the Brute and Destroyer need to spot a Nazgûl, the deck also runs cheap efficient Nazgûl minions.

This deck starts in Movie Block. In that format, the most popular Nazgûl are cheap efficient choices like Úlairë Cantëa, Faster Than Winds (7R211) , Úlairë Lemenya, Assailing Minion (7R213) , Úlairë Otsëa, Thrall of the One (8R81) , and sometimes Úlairë Nelya, Thrall of the One (10U70) . It focuses more on a swarming strategy, often using cards that benefit from spotting wounds on the ring-bearer, like Morgul Whelp (7U202) , Morgul Hound (7C192) , Úlairë Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight (2R84) , and occasionally Ten Times Outnumbered (10C66) . The rest of the deck is rounded out with utility cards like Morgul Stalker , Morgul Squealer (8R77) , and Black Marshal (10U53) , as well as occasionally more-expensive utility Nazgûl like Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul (1U231) or The Witch-king, Morgul King (7R221) .

Example deck: My old Dwarves / Morcs deck, a Movie Block deck by Freya on The Last Homely House forums.

In later formats like Expanded, there are more options for strong, efficient, cheap Nazgûl like Úlairë Lemenya, Eternally Threatening (15R185) , The Witch-king, Captain of the Nine Riders (11R226) , Úlairë Cantëa, Black Assassin (12R174) , and Úlairë Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders (11S222) . Captain of the Nine Riders makes higher-vitality orcs like Morgul Hound (7C192) and Morgul Spearman (7C201) a bit more attractive than the Whelp. Because the deck runs Morgul Destroyer (7U190) , Captured by the Ring (7C53) , and threat-adding Nazgûl like Eternally Threatening and Faster than Winds, it can also use some of the Threatguls tools like They Feel The Precious (15U183) or Ring of Terror (17R143) .

Example deck: Morgul Orcs: Wounds on the Ring-bearer, part of a guide to building Wraith decks in Standard format shortly after the release of Rise of Saruman, posted by Celebrimbor on the Cobracards forums. While the deck is for a now-obsolete Standard format, the advice applies equally well to Expanded.

Morc Archery

This deck uses cards like Morgul Ambusher (8C74) , Morgul Creeper (8C75) , Morgul Lurker (8C76) , and/or Gothmog, Morgul Commander (8R72) to set up bomb turns with outsized archery totals to sweep companions right off the board. Threats and burdens can come from a variety of Ringwraith or Gollum cards; standouts include Captured by the Ring (7C53) , Fat One Wants It (7R57) , and Heavy Burden (7U60) . You can also get them from the site path, with sites like City Gates (7U344) , Pelennor Flat (7U345) , Northern Ithilien (7U359) , Dagorlad (7U360) , Courtyard Parapet (13U188) , and City Gates (15S189) . Initiative usually comes from Streaming to the Field (8U78) . Because this deck runs more orcs and relatively fewer Nazgûl, it has more room for expensive orc-focused support cards like Gorbag, Covetous Captain (10R59) .

Due to the relatively high cost of Gothmog and the difficulty of getting sufficient threats and burdens and initiative as well as the right cards all at the right time, the deck is less consistent, less powerful, and consequently less popular.

Due to their lack of cultural enforcementThese minions are often more popular as a splash in archery decks focused on other cultures: for example, Morgul Ambusher (8C74) fits right into Southron Archery, a threat-heavy archery deck.

Example decks:

  • MORC archery, a Movie Block deck by hrcho on The Last Homely House forums.
  • Getting Morc Archery to Work, a Movie Block deck by jcb213 on The Last Homely House forums.
  • Gothmog Archery, part of a guide to building Wraith decks in Standard format shortly after the release of Rise of Saruman, posted by Celebrimbor on the Cobracards forums. While the deck is for a now-obsolete Standard format, the advice applies equally well to Movie Block (except for Sixth of the Nine Riders and the site path) and Expanded.

List of Morgul Orcs

Portrait Card Name Culture Card Type Game Text
Gorbag, Lieutenant of Cirith Ungol (7R180) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a Nazgûl, Gorbag is strength +2 and damage +1.
Morgul Brawler (7U187) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While the Ring-bearer is exhausted, this minion is strength +3, fierce and damage +1.
Morgul Brute (7R188) Ringwraith Minion • Orc When you play this minion, you may spot a Nazgûl to add a burden. The Free Peoples player may wound the Ring–bearer to prevent this.

Skirmish: Remove a burden to make this minion strength +3.

Morgul Cur (7C189) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a Nazgûl, this minion is strength +2.
Morgul Destroyer (7U190) Ringwraith Minion • Orc When you play this minion, you may spot a Nazgûl to add 2 threats. The Free Peoples player may wound the Ring–bearer to prevent this.

Skirmish: Remove a threat to make this minion strength +3.

Morgul Detachment (7R191) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a Nazgûl, this minion is fierce and damage +1.
Morgul Hound (7C192) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot 2 wounds on the Ring–bearer, this minion is strength +4 and fierce.
Morgul Lackey (7C193) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a Nazgûl or Orc strength +1.
Morgul Mongrel (7C194) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot 3 wounds on the Ring–bearer, this minion is fierce and damage +1.
Morgul Predator (7C196) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a Nazgûl or Orc strength +1.
Morgul Regiment (7R197) Ringwraith Minion • Orc For each Nazgûl you can spot, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion to assign this minion to a skirmish.

Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a Nazgûl or Orc strength +1.

Morgul Ruffian (7C198) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a Nazgûl, this minion may only take wounds during skirmish phases.
Morgul Soldier (7C199) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Nazgûl are strength +1.
Morgul Spawn (7C200) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a Nazgûl, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion to assign this minion to a skirmish.
Morgul Spearman (7C201) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a Nazgûl, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion to assign this minion to a skirmish.
Morgul Whelp (7U202) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot a wound on the Ring–bearer, this minion is strength +6.
Gothmog, Morgul Commander (8R72) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you have initiative, each minion is an archer.
Morgul Ambusher (8C74) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot 3 threats, the minion archery total is +2.
Morgul Creeper (8C75) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you can spot 3 burdens, the minion archery total is +2.
Morgul Lurker (8C76) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While you have initiative, the minion archery total is +2.
Morgul Squealer (8R77) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Shadow: Discard this minion to play a minion from your discard pile.

Shadow: Spot 6 companions and discard this minion to play up to 2 minions from your draw deck; their twilight costs are each –1.

Cirith Ungol Scavenger (10U54) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Each time this minion wins a skirmish, you may exert it to discard a possession borne by a character this minion is skirmishing.
Cirith Ungol Soldier (10C55) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Shadow: Spot a possession to make this minion fierce until the regroup phase.
Cirith Ungol Warrior (10C56) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Shadow: Spot a possession to make this minion fierce until the regroup phase.
Cirith Ungol Watchman (10U57) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Each companion skirmishing this minion loses all damage and strength bonuses from possessions.
Gorbag, Covetous Captain (10R59) Ringwraith Minion • Orc For each wound on the Ring-bearer, each Orc is strength +1.
Morgul Banner-bearer (10C62) Ringwraith Minion • Orc While the total number of other minions and twilight tokens is 3 or fewer, this minion is strength +3 and an archer.
Morgul Vanguard (10R63) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Assignment: Assign this minion to an unbound companion bearing a hand weapon.

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List of Cards that interact with Morgul Orcs

This only includes cards that specifically mention orcs by name. Many, many other cards interact with Ringwraith minions in general.


Portrait Card Name Culture Card Type Game Text
Morgul Axe (7C186) Ringwraith Possession • Hand Weapon Bearer must be a Orc.

While you can spot 2 wounds on the Ring-bearer, bearer is damage +1.

Morgul Lackey (7C193) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a Nazgûl or Orc strength +1.
Morgul Predator (7C196) Ringwraith Minion • Orc Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a Nazgûl or Orc strength +1.
Morgul Regiment (7R197) Ringwraith Minion • Orc For each Nazgûl you can spot, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion to assign this minion to a skirmish.

Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a Nazgûl or Orc strength +1.

War Long Planned (7C220) Ringwraith Event • Skirmish Make a Orc strength +2 (or +4 if you spot 2 wounds on the Ring-bearer).
Streaming to the Field (8U78) Ringwraith Condition • Support Area For each Orc you can spot, the Free Peoples player must have an additional card in hand to have initiative.

Skirmish: Discard this condition to make a Orc strength +2.

Gorbag, Covetous Captain (10R59) Ringwraith Minion • Orc For each wound on the Ring-bearer, each Orc is strength +1.
Gorbag's Sword (10R60) Ringwraith Possession • Hand Weapon Bearer must be a Orc.

When you play this possession, you may discard a possession. Its owner may place it on top of his or her draw deck instead.

If bearer is Gorbag, he is fierce.

Swarming Like Beetles (10C65) Ringwraith Condition • Support Area Maneuver: Spot a Orc and remove a threat to wound an unwounded companion.
Ten Times Outnumbered (10C66) Ringwraith Event • Skirmish Make a Orc strength +2 for each wound on the Ring-bearer.

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