The Balrog, Demon of Might (19P18)
 Urgency (19P17)
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Reaching Tentacle (19P19) 
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| Set: | Age's End | ||
| Kind: | Shadow | ||
| Culture: | Moria | ||
| Twilight: | 14 | ||
| Card Type: | Minion • Balrog | ||
| Strength: | 17 | ||
| Vitality: | 5 | ||
| Site Number: | 4 | ||
| Game Text: | Damage +2. Fierce. While at an underground site, skip the archery phase, the maneuver phase, and The Balrog cannot be assigned to skirmish companions of strength 6 or less. | ||
| Lore: | “The flames roared up to greet it, and wreathed about it...” | ||
| Rarity: | P | ||
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General Strategy
Released in the final set of TCG cards, Demon of Might is undisputably the most powerful version of the Balrog ever printed. With an innate Damage + 2 and Fierce, is causes pain to even well-prepared Fellowships, but its real strength lies in its text. The fact that is skips the maneuver phase while underground is extremely potent; it prevents followers from being used, stops several versions of The One Ring from being equipped, prevents maneuver wounding and serves as a counter to Madril, Defender of Osgiliath. This card can also be played with other minions if your opponent floods the twilight pool, and will protect them all from maneuver and archery wounding (Both of which are common in the Expanded format.). This Balrog is not the first to prevent assignments to low strength characters, but this ability is also handy, as it forces the opponent to sacrifice important companions to it. Combine with Cavern Entrance to deny your opponent even more effects.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strong Versus...
- Madril, Defender of Osgiliath (And consequently, Ithilien Blade)
- Decks that flood the twilight pool
- Extreme follower decks
- Wounding decks
- Archery decks
- Maneuver dependant cards, such as Gil-Galad, High King of the Noldor
- The One Ring, The Great Ring (And also The Binding Ring and Such a Weight to Carry)
Weak Versus...
- Choke Decks.
- Decks with at least one very high strength companion (E.g. Durin III)
- Extreme Site Manipulation decks, which may prevent you from playing an underground site
- Decks with Armor, Gimli's Helm or other Damage protection effects
- Smeagol, Always Helps with Don't Look At Them (If the Balrog isn't Underground.)
- A New Light
