Rulebooks: Difference between revisions

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''If you have any files not listed below, please help us complete our collection! Post on [[http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums|the Last Homely House forums]] and we'll take it from there.''
[[File:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-01.pdf|right|thumb|500px|The cover to the first Starter Rulebook for [[The Fellowship of the Ring]]]]


In the Lord of the Rings TCG, '''Rulebooks''' were collections of, well, ''rules'' that outlined both general and specific guidelines of how the game was to be played. Though there were several flavors of each type of rulebook, each iteration composed Decipher's last word at any given era.  There were three general types of rulebooks:  '''''Starter Rulebooks''''' included with [[Starter Packs]] that included an overview of the game rules and some simplified concessions; '''''Deluxe Rulebooks''''' included with Deluxe starter packs that had a more complete explanation of the game rules; and the '''''!Comprehensive Rules''''' that combined the Starter and Deluxe rulebooks and collected all the various specific rulings and clarifications that were made for individual cards.
In the Lord of the Rings TCG, [[Rulebooks]] were collections of, well, ''rules'' that outlined both general and specific guidelines of how the game was to be played. There were several different types of rule documents:   


Each physical rulebook had an electronic counterpart in the form of a *.pdf that Decipher distributed on their website. They did not keep an archive, but rather replaced old rulebooks as the new ones became the authority (which of course makes sense from a marketing standpoint as you'd want to convince your players that the most recent iteration of the game is the only one worth playing). However, dedicated fans managed to keep copies of the *.pdf's, and it was only through their diligence that the libraries below are filled.
* '''''Starter Rulebooks''''', included with [[Starter Decks]] that included an overview of the game rules and some simplified starter rules.
* '''''Deluxe''''' or '''''Expanded Rulebooks''''', included with [[Deluxe Starter Sets]] with a corresponding more complete explanation of the game rules.
* '''''Frequently Asked Questions''''', distributed online as PDFs that contained common questions and answers by Decipher.
* '''''Current Rulings Documents''''', which evolved from the FAQ documents and contained the latest rulings and decisions by Decipher.
* '''''Comprehensive Rules''''', that combined all of the above into a single comprehensive document, also distributed online as a PDF.
* '''''Official Tournament Guidelines''''', which included instructions on how to run an official tournament and included several common ruling concerns.


==Starter Rulebooks==
All physical rulebooks were also distributed online as PDFs, but old versions tended to be removed shortly after they were superseded by a subsequent edition.  As a result, there are holes in the digital record, and not all rulebooks which were physically produced exist here.
There was one '''Starter Rulebook''' for each set that included the bare minimum of explanation of game rules for the cards released with the two Starter Packs for that set.  It is a good starting point for new players, but be advised that some of the rules were simplified for use of those packs (for instance, if a player was ever [[decked]], that player could shuffle their discard pile into a new deck once per game, a concept that has absolutely no equivalent in regular play).


Unlike the other types of rulebooks, the Starter Rulebook's form and function did not change over the course of the game's lifetime.
'''''<big>If you have any files not listed below, please help us complete our collection! [[Special:Upload|Upload them here]], or contact the PC at [https://lotrtcgpc.net/discord the PC Discord server here].</big>'''''


<div hide>DO NOT update the links below to the wiki versions; some of the wiki versions are not working, I have changed the broken links to my personal dropbox --TelTura
== Wiki Rulebooks==
<div hide>Since Dropbox has altered the way they permit access to public files, I have moved all dropbox links to Google Drive. --teltura
Some of the documents Decipher distributed have been converted to wiki articles for convenience when linking and sharing (and arguing over rules). These are below:
* [[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0LYycfi-K18bkhiSVF4THlxYVk|Fellowship of the Ring Starter]]
  * [[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0LYycfi-K18M0dvY25hOUdiU2c|Mines of Moria Starter]]
  * [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18MG9hVEtaZGRSWjg|Realms of the Elf-Lords Starter]]
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18T0FRR3BSZE9VNTQ|The Two Towers Starter]]
  * [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18WUxWVDFESnlDdG8|Battle of Helm's Deep Starter]]
  * [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18TzFxTWVad0tKOE0|Ents of Fangorn Starter]]
* Return of the King Starter (missing)  
  * {{starter-sog.pdf|Siege of Gondor Starter}}
  * {{starter-md.pdf|Mount Doom Starter}}
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18eEIyQUhYQVNSa1k|Shadows Starter]]
  * {{starter-br.pdf|Black Rider Starter}}
  * Bloodlines Starter (missing)
* {{starter-hunters.pdf|The Hunters Starter}}
  * Rise of Saruman Starter (missing)


==Deluxe Rulebooks==
* [[Comprehensive Rules 4.1]] - a complete, all-encompassing fan-made document that consolidates every ruling from every document that we could get our hands on into one article.
'''Deluxe Rulebooks''' were released with each [[Deluxe Starter Set]], which itself included a Starter Pack and Booster Packs, so conceivably the new purchaser could have any card from that particular set. The Deluxe Rulebooks therefore went over every normal rule and for all intents and purposes represented the baseline for "how to play the game".
* [[Comprehensive Rules 4.0]] - the last Comprehensive Rules produced in 2004, which has many entries missing that were included in prior versions, and which did not include later supplementary entries.
* [[Current Rulings Document]] - the last CRD produced in 2007, which was the last rules document ever issued by Decipher.
* [[Tournament Guidelines]] - a document outlining how to run an official tournament event.


* Fellowship of the Ring Deluxe Rulebook (missing)
All of these documents (except for 4.1) are available for download in their original PDF version in the appropriate section below.
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18ek8xSU1XbDVEUDA|The Two Towers Deluxe Rulebook]]


==Comprehensive Rulebooks==
== Starter Rulebooks ==
As time went on over the lifetime of the game, Decipher had to make more and more specific rulings over specific card wordings, combinations, or mechanics.  Sometimes a card would need to be reworded, clarified, or in some circumstances even modified from its original form (called thereafter an ''errata'').  Sometime around the release of ''The Two Towers'' Decipher released a rulebook that was a combination of the Starter Rulebook, Deluxe Rulebook, and all the metagame erratas and card rulings.  In its first incarnation, this amalgamation was dubbed the ''QuickStart Tutorial Rulebook'', which admittedly did not at all reflect what it actually was.


With the release of ''!Return of the King'', ''QuickStart'' was renamed the '''Comprehensive Rulebook''', which was a much better description of what it contained, and version 2.0 of that guide was released online.  It is unclear whether physical copies were ever officially packed with product, but it is at least obvious that this rulebook was intended to be the be-all end-all that could be referenced during high-end tournament disputes.
There was one '''Starter Rulebook''' for each set that included a pared-down explanation of game rules, which focused on covering the mechanics pertinent for the cards included in the [[Starter Decks]] for that set.  Starter rulebooks remain a good starting point for new players, but be advised that some of the rules were simplified for use of those decks.  For instance, these rules permit that if a player ever runs out of cards in their deck, that player can reshuffle their discard pile into a new deck once per game, a concept that has no equivalent in regular constructed play.


Version 3.0 was released sometime around ''!Reflections'', and version 4.0 with ''!Shadows''. Version 4.0 was the last version officially released by Decipher, and from that point on it was the job of the Current Rulings Documents to contain any further rulings after that point. A Wiki version of version 4.0 can be found at [[Comprehensive Rules 4-0]].
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - English]]  - <big>'''Brand new players, start here!'''</big>
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-02.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 02 Mines of Moria - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-04.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-05.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 05 Battle of Helm's Deep - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-06.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 06 Ents of Fangorn - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-07.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 07 The Return of the King - English (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-08.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 08 Siege of Gondor - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-10.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 10 Mount Doom - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-11.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 11 Shadows - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-12.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 12 Black Rider - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-13.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 13 Bloodlines - English (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-15.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 15 The Hunters - English]] - <big>'''De Facto Most Recent Version'''</big>
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-EN_Set-17.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 17 Rise of Saruman - English (Missing!)]]  - <big>'''Most Recent Version'''</big>


* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18cHJNRUc0ZUtQQWc|QuickStart Tutorial Rulebook]] (June 2003, Battle of Helm's Deep era)
* {{comprehensive-2.0.pdf|Comprehensive Rules 2.0}} (November 2003, Return of the King era)
* {{comprehensive-3.0.pdf|Comprehensive Rules 3.0}} (May 2004, Reflections era)
* {{comprehensive.pdf|Comprehensive Rules 4.0}} (October 2004, Shadows era)


==Current Rulings Documents==
Starter Rulebooks were of course produced for each language in which the game was printed, same as English.  However, far more of these translated rulebooks are missing, and it's unknown if their PDFs were as regularly released online as their English counterparts.
It became immediately obvious following the official release of the game that the Starter and Deluxe Rulebooks were inadequate at explaining every facet of the game, and indeed this is a problem with TCGs in general; since there are so many cards, and so many combinations, not every pitfall could be discovered through playtesting alone.  Decipher therefore began releasing an FAQ document on their website that covered problems as they cropped up; these documents became the source for the absolute latest changes, since it could be updated daily if needed.


At first, the FAQ documents only held clarifications (such as "the discard pile must be face up") that were not explicitly stated in the first few versions of the starter rulebooks. With the release of ''The Two Towers'' and the new Standard and Open play formats, it became expedient to maintain an [[X-list]] and [[R-list]] of banned or restricted cards, and so the latest changes to these lists also became the domain of the FAQ document.
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ZH_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - Chinese]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-PT_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - Portuguese]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-PL_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - Polish]]


When the ''QuickStart'' rulebook became rebranded as the Comprehensive Rules, the FAQ document was also renamed, becoming the '''Current Rulings Document'''. It still held to the same update rules as before, and in between Comprehensive Rules releases, the CRD held the latest and greatest updates to the rules of the game. Whenever a new Comprehensive Rules was released, the content of all previous CRDs was reprinted inside, making the old documents obsolete.
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-04.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - French]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-04.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - Italian]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-04.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - German]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ES_Set-04.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - Spanish]]


Some of the CRD rulings were released after the Comprehensive Rules version 4.0, and so never made it into an official release of the Comprehensive Rules, but would have been if a version 5.0 had ever been made, and so they are viewed just as "canon".  As the CRD was never versioned, the CRD's are all differentiated by the date of their release.  This means that the most recent version of the CRD was released 13 August 2007, and represented the very final word that Decipher ever released concerning game rules.  All of the known FAQ and CRD documents are linked below, and a wiki version of the most recent (Aug 2007) can be found at [[Current Rulings Document]].


* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18YUpKQ3FodE4wd00|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 11 November 2001]]
Interestingly, a couple languages appear to have had rulebooks translated that never actually printed cards (beyond promos):
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18NmsyQUtnNEhXRzA|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 11 January 2002]]
* {{CRD_2002_0709.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 9 July 2002}}
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18YlV5dlhzMnEtOVE|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 3 September 2002]]
* {{CRD_2003_0603.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 3 June 2003}}
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18UWx2U3plSnNGMEE|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 8 July 2003]]
* {{CRD_2003_1202.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 2 December 2003}}
* Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 12 January 2004 (missing)
* {{CRD_2004_0203.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 3 February 2004}}
* {{CRD_2004_0302.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 2 March 2004}}
* {{CRD_2004_0405.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 5 April 2004}}
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====1CDoPCNyTLgeGxFO0JuVBrF0CFUbZGjqI|Current Rulings Document, 4 May 2004]]
* {{CRD_2004_0706.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 6 July 2004}}
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====1oLt8b_9uiQXnNBVsFoYwX1nAN4Id2woD|Current Rulings Document, 3 August 2004]]
* {{CRD_2004_0907.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 7 September 2004}}
* Current Rulings Document, 5 October 2004 (missing)
* Current Rulings Document, 2 November 2004 (missing)
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====0B0LYycfi-K18bDU5YlJ1Y21leGs|Current Rulings Document, 7 December 2004]]
* {{CRD_2005_0118.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 18 January 2005}}
* [[https://drive.google.com/open?id=====1fqCJ87RTkLSrQEj1cAErExJCVIPJeUhu|Current Rulings Document, 5 April 2005]]
* {{CRD_2005_0809.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 9 August 2005}}
* {{CRD_2006_0522.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 22 May 2006}}
* {{CRD_2006_0522b.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 22 May 2006, second release}}
* {{CRD_2006_0807.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 7 August 2006}}
* {{CRD_2007_0129.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 29 January 2007}}
* {{CRD_2007_0813.pdf|Current Rulings Document, 13 August 2007}}


==Official Tournament Guidelines==
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-HU_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - Hungarian]]
Some details of structured play that were more about ensuring fair play than specific mechanics were compiled into the Official Tournament Guidelines.  This includes things such as draft procedures, pairing instructions, playtime length, and other details that for non-tournament play were usually up to gentleman's agreements between the players.  This document's rulings were never incorporated into the Comprehensive Rules due to their ancillary nature.
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-CS_Set-04.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - Czech]]


One notable ruling is for [[Mulligan]] ("redrawing your hand"), which has since been widely adopted for casual play by the community.


* {{tournament.pdf|Official Tournament Guidelines, 22 July 2004}}
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:50%; overflow:auto; margin:auto;">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Missing Translated Starter Rulebooks</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - German (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ES_Set-01.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - Spanish (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-02.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 02 Mines of Moria - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-02.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 02 Mines of Moria - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-02.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 02 Mines of Moria - German (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ES_Set-02.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 02 Mines of Moria - Spanish (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-PL_Set-02.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 02 Mines of Moria - Polish (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - German (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ES_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - Spanish (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-PL_Set-03.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 03 Realms of the Elf-lords - Polish (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-05.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 05 Battle of Helm's Deep - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-05.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 05 Battle of Helm's Deep - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-05.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 05 Battle of Helm's Deep - German (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ES_Set-05.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 05 Battle of Helm's Deep - Spanish (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-06.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 06 Ents of Fangorn - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-06.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 06 Ents of Fangorn - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-06.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 06 Ents of Fangorn - German (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-ES_Set-06.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 06 Ents of Fangorn - Spanish (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-07.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 07 The Return of the King - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-07.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 07 The Return of the King - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-07.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 07 The Return of the King - German (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-08.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 08 Siege of Gondor - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-08.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 08 Siege of Gondor - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-08.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 08 Siege of Gondor - German (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-10.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 10 Mount Doom - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-10.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 10 Mount Doom - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-10.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 10 Mount Doom - German (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-11.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 11 Shadows - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-11.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 11 Shadows - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-11.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 11 Shadows - German (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-12.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 12 Black Rider - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-12.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 12 Black Rider - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-12.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 12 Black Rider - German (Missing!)]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-FR_Set-13.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 13 Bloodlines - French (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-IT_Set-13.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 13 Bloodlines - Italian (Missing!)]]
* [[Media:Rules-Starter-DE_Set-13.pdf|Starter Rulebook - 13 Bloodlines - German (Missing!)]]
</div></div>
 
 
 
== Deluxe Rulebooks ==
'''Deluxe Rulebooks''' were released with [[Deluxe Starter Sets]], which themselves included a Starter Deck and Booster Packs, so conceivably the new purchaser could have any card from that particular set.  The Deluxe Rulebooks therefore covered more ground than their Starter Rulebook counterparts.
 
The Deluxe Rulebook for The Fellowship of the Ring called itself an Expanded Rulebook.
 
* [[Media:Rules-Expanded-EN_Set-01.pdf|Expanded Rulebook - 01 The Fellowship of the Ring - English]]
* [[Media:Rules-Deluxe-EN_Set-04.pdf|Deluxe Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - English]]
 
 
As before, this rulebook was also translated into other languages as needed (including, curiously, a Finnish version).
 
* [[Media:Rules-Deluxe-FR_Set-04.pdf|Deluxe Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - French]]
* [[Media:Rules-Deluxe-DE_Set-04.pdf|Deluxe Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - German]]
* [[Media:Rules-Deluxe-IT_Set-04.pdf|Deluxe Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - Italian]]
* [[Media:Rules-Deluxe-ES_Set-04.pdf|Deluxe Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - Spanish]]
 
* [[Media:Rules-Deluxe-FI_Set-04.pdf|Deluxe Rulebook - 04 The Two Towers - Finnish]]
 
 
== Current Rulings Documents ==
 
It became quickly apparent following the official release of the game that the Starter and Deluxe Rulebooks glossed over quite a few facets of the game, which is indeed a problem with TCGs in general: since there are so many cards, and so many combinations, not every potential issue can be discovered through playtesting alone.  Decipher therefore began releasing a '''Frequently Asked Questions''' document on their website that covered problems as they cropped up. 
 
At first, the FAQ documents only held clarifications (such as "the discard pile must be face up") that were not explicitly stated in the first few versions of the starter rulebooks.  With the release of [[The Two Towers]] and the new Standard and Open play formats, it became necessary to maintain an [[X-list]] and [[R-list]] of banned or restricted cards, and so the latest changes to these lists also became the domain of the FAQ document.
 
Eventually the FAQ document was renamed to clarify its own usage, becoming the '''Current Rulings Document'''.  It still held to the same regular updates as before, and in between Comprehensive Rulebook releases (see below), the CRD held the latest and greatest updates to the rules of the game.  Whenever a new Comprehensive Rules was released, the content of all previous CRDs was reprinted inside, making the old documents obsolete.
 
Some of the CRD rulings were released after the Comprehensive Rules version 4.0, and so never made it into an official release of the Comprehensive Rules.  This means that the most recent version of the CRD was released 13 August 2007, and represented the very final word that Decipher ever released concerning game rules.  All of the known FAQ and CRD documents are linked below, and a wiki version of the most recent (Aug 2007) can be found at [[Current Rulings Document]].
 
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2001-11-20.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2001-11-20 - English]]
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2002-01-11.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2002-01-11 - English]]
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2002-07-09.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2002-07-09 - English]]
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2002-09-03.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2002-09-03 - English]]
* [[Media:FAQ-IT_2003-02-04.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-02-04 - Italian]]
* [[Media:FAQ-DE_2003-02-05.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-02-05 - German]]
* [[Media:FAQ-PT_2003-03-26.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-03-26 - Portuguese]]
* [[Media:FAQ-ES_2003-04-02.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-04-02 - Spanish]]
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2003-06-03.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-06-03 - English]]
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2003-07-08.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-07-08 - English]]
* [[Media:FAQ-EN_2003-12-02.pdf|Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: 2003-12-02 - English]]
 
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-02-03.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-02-03 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-FR_2004-02-10.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-02-10 - French]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-03-02.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-03-02 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-04-05.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-04-05 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-05-04.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-05-04 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-07-06.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-07-06 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-07-15.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-07-15 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-08-03.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-08-03 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-09-07.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-09-07 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2004-12-07.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2004-12-07 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2005-01-18.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2005-01-18 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2005-04-05.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2005-04-05 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2005-06-08.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2005-06-08 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2005-06-17.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2005-06-17 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2005-08-09.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2005-08-09 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2006-05-22.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2006-05-22 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2006-05-22b.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2006-05-22 - English (revision B)]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2006-08-07.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2006-08-07 - English]]
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2007-01-29.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2007-01-29 - English]] (Note that a ruling here regarding Sam and taking off the One Ring at the end of the regroup phase did not make it into the following CRD due to an oversight)
* [[Media:CRD-EN_2007-08-13.pdf|Current Rulings Document: 2007-08-13 - English]] - <big>'''Most Recent Version'''</big>
 
 
 
== Comprehensive Rulebooks ==
 
As the game matured, Decipher of course found themselves making more and more varied rulings over specific card wordings, combos, or mechanics.  Sometimes a card would need to be reworded, clarified, or in some circumstances even modified from its original form (called thereafter an ''errata'').  Other times the rules themselves would have to be altered to fix issues only discovered (or fully respected) after a set's release.
 
With the release of the [[Two-Player Trading Card Game]] product around the release of [[The Two Towers]], Decipher released a more exhaustive rulebook that was a combination of the Starter Rulebook, Deluxe Rulebook, and all the card erratas and rulings.  Paired with the [[QuickStart Tutorial CD-ROM]], this rulebook was dubbed the ''QuickStart Tutorial Rulebook'' on the front cover, although the pages of the manual called itself the '''Comprehensive Rulebook'''.  Unlike starter rulebooks which were the size of a standard card (3.5" x 2.5"), the QuickStart manual was 7" x 5".
 
With the release of [[The Return of the King]], the Comprehensive Rulebook was updated to include all information released in the FAQ documents, and Version 2.0 of the rulebook was born (it was at this time that the FAQ document was rebranded the CRD as well).  Thus combined with the CRDs, this rulebook became the be-all end-all for card rulings that could be referenced during high-end tournament disputes.
 
Version 3.0 was released sometime around [[Reflections]], and version 4.0 shortly before [[Shadows]].  Version 4.0 was the last version officially released by Decipher, and from that point on it was the job of the Current Rulings Documents to contain any further rulings after that point.  A Wiki version of version 4.0 can be found at [[Comprehensive Rules 4.0]].
 
* [[Media:Rules-Comprehensive-EN-1.0.pdf|QuickStart Tutorial Rulebook (Comprehensive Rules 1.0)]] (June 2003, [[Battle of Helm's Deep]] era)
* [[Media:Rules-Comprehensive-EN-2.0.pdf|Comprehensive Rules 2.0]] (November 2003, [[Return of the King]] era)
* [[Media:Rules-Comprehensive-EN-3.0.pdf|Comprehensive Rules 3.0]] (May 2004, [[Reflections]] era)
* [[Media:Rules-Comprehensive-EN-4.0.pdf|Comprehensive Rules 4.0]] (October 2004, [[Shadows]] era)  - <big>'''Most Recent Version'''</big>
 
 
 
== Official Tournament Guidelines ==
 
Some details of structured play that were more about ensuring fair play than specific mechanics were compiled into the '''Official Tournament Guidelines'''.  This includes things such as draft procedures, pairing instructions, playtime length, and other details that for non-tournament play were usually up to gentleman's agreements between the players.  This document's rulings were never incorporated into the Comprehensive Rules due to their ancillary nature.  A wiki version of this document can be found at [[Tournament Guidelines]]
 
One notable ruling concerns the practice of performing a [[Mulligan]] on your opening hand, which has since been widely adopted for casual play by the community.
 
* [[Media:Tournament-EN-1.0.pdf|Official Tournament Guidelines 1.0]] (22 July 2004)  - <big>'''Most Recent Version'''</big>

Latest revision as of 23:12, 26 November 2021

The cover to the first Starter Rulebook for The Fellowship of the Ring

In the Lord of the Rings TCG, Rulebooks were collections of, well, rules that outlined both general and specific guidelines of how the game was to be played. There were several different types of rule documents:

  • Starter Rulebooks, included with Starter Decks that included an overview of the game rules and some simplified starter rules.
  • Deluxe or Expanded Rulebooks, included with Deluxe Starter Sets with a corresponding more complete explanation of the game rules.
  • Frequently Asked Questions, distributed online as PDFs that contained common questions and answers by Decipher.
  • Current Rulings Documents, which evolved from the FAQ documents and contained the latest rulings and decisions by Decipher.
  • Comprehensive Rules, that combined all of the above into a single comprehensive document, also distributed online as a PDF.
  • Official Tournament Guidelines, which included instructions on how to run an official tournament and included several common ruling concerns.

All physical rulebooks were also distributed online as PDFs, but old versions tended to be removed shortly after they were superseded by a subsequent edition. As a result, there are holes in the digital record, and not all rulebooks which were physically produced exist here.

If you have any files not listed below, please help us complete our collection! Upload them here, or contact the PC at the PC Discord server here.

Wiki Rulebooks[edit]

Some of the documents Decipher distributed have been converted to wiki articles for convenience when linking and sharing (and arguing over rules). These are below:

  • Comprehensive Rules 4.1 - a complete, all-encompassing fan-made document that consolidates every ruling from every document that we could get our hands on into one article.
  • Comprehensive Rules 4.0 - the last Comprehensive Rules produced in 2004, which has many entries missing that were included in prior versions, and which did not include later supplementary entries.
  • Current Rulings Document - the last CRD produced in 2007, which was the last rules document ever issued by Decipher.
  • Tournament Guidelines - a document outlining how to run an official tournament event.

All of these documents (except for 4.1) are available for download in their original PDF version in the appropriate section below.

Starter Rulebooks[edit]

There was one Starter Rulebook for each set that included a pared-down explanation of game rules, which focused on covering the mechanics pertinent for the cards included in the Starter Decks for that set. Starter rulebooks remain a good starting point for new players, but be advised that some of the rules were simplified for use of those decks. For instance, these rules permit that if a player ever runs out of cards in their deck, that player can reshuffle their discard pile into a new deck once per game, a concept that has no equivalent in regular constructed play.


Starter Rulebooks were of course produced for each language in which the game was printed, same as English. However, far more of these translated rulebooks are missing, and it's unknown if their PDFs were as regularly released online as their English counterparts.


Interestingly, a couple languages appear to have had rulebooks translated that never actually printed cards (beyond promos):


Missing Translated Starter Rulebooks


Deluxe Rulebooks[edit]

Deluxe Rulebooks were released with Deluxe Starter Sets, which themselves included a Starter Deck and Booster Packs, so conceivably the new purchaser could have any card from that particular set. The Deluxe Rulebooks therefore covered more ground than their Starter Rulebook counterparts.

The Deluxe Rulebook for The Fellowship of the Ring called itself an Expanded Rulebook.


As before, this rulebook was also translated into other languages as needed (including, curiously, a Finnish version).


Current Rulings Documents[edit]

It became quickly apparent following the official release of the game that the Starter and Deluxe Rulebooks glossed over quite a few facets of the game, which is indeed a problem with TCGs in general: since there are so many cards, and so many combinations, not every potential issue can be discovered through playtesting alone. Decipher therefore began releasing a Frequently Asked Questions document on their website that covered problems as they cropped up.

At first, the FAQ documents only held clarifications (such as "the discard pile must be face up") that were not explicitly stated in the first few versions of the starter rulebooks. With the release of The Two Towers and the new Standard and Open play formats, it became necessary to maintain an X-list and R-list of banned or restricted cards, and so the latest changes to these lists also became the domain of the FAQ document.

Eventually the FAQ document was renamed to clarify its own usage, becoming the Current Rulings Document. It still held to the same regular updates as before, and in between Comprehensive Rulebook releases (see below), the CRD held the latest and greatest updates to the rules of the game. Whenever a new Comprehensive Rules was released, the content of all previous CRDs was reprinted inside, making the old documents obsolete.

Some of the CRD rulings were released after the Comprehensive Rules version 4.0, and so never made it into an official release of the Comprehensive Rules. This means that the most recent version of the CRD was released 13 August 2007, and represented the very final word that Decipher ever released concerning game rules. All of the known FAQ and CRD documents are linked below, and a wiki version of the most recent (Aug 2007) can be found at Current Rulings Document.


Comprehensive Rulebooks[edit]

As the game matured, Decipher of course found themselves making more and more varied rulings over specific card wordings, combos, or mechanics. Sometimes a card would need to be reworded, clarified, or in some circumstances even modified from its original form (called thereafter an errata). Other times the rules themselves would have to be altered to fix issues only discovered (or fully respected) after a set's release.

With the release of the Two-Player Trading Card Game product around the release of The Two Towers, Decipher released a more exhaustive rulebook that was a combination of the Starter Rulebook, Deluxe Rulebook, and all the card erratas and rulings. Paired with the QuickStart Tutorial CD-ROM, this rulebook was dubbed the QuickStart Tutorial Rulebook on the front cover, although the pages of the manual called itself the Comprehensive Rulebook. Unlike starter rulebooks which were the size of a standard card (3.5" x 2.5"), the QuickStart manual was 7" x 5".

With the release of The Return of the King, the Comprehensive Rulebook was updated to include all information released in the FAQ documents, and Version 2.0 of the rulebook was born (it was at this time that the FAQ document was rebranded the CRD as well). Thus combined with the CRDs, this rulebook became the be-all end-all for card rulings that could be referenced during high-end tournament disputes.

Version 3.0 was released sometime around Reflections, and version 4.0 shortly before Shadows. Version 4.0 was the last version officially released by Decipher, and from that point on it was the job of the Current Rulings Documents to contain any further rulings after that point. A Wiki version of version 4.0 can be found at Comprehensive Rules 4.0.


Official Tournament Guidelines[edit]

Some details of structured play that were more about ensuring fair play than specific mechanics were compiled into the Official Tournament Guidelines. This includes things such as draft procedures, pairing instructions, playtime length, and other details that for non-tournament play were usually up to gentleman's agreements between the players. This document's rulings were never incorporated into the Comprehensive Rules due to their ancillary nature. A wiki version of this document can be found at Tournament Guidelines

One notable ruling concerns the practice of performing a Mulligan on your opening hand, which has since been widely adopted for casual play by the community.

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