Editing The Balrog, Flame of Udun (2R52)

Unlike Durin's Bane, Flame of Udun can be played in conjunction with other minions, but it has to spot a [Moria] minion, so in most cases, you’ll see this Balrog in [moria] Orc decks. Note that while the regular Balrog can almost always be played at site 5, even against super choke decks, this Balrog is more expensive, so it’s a little bit trickier to play him. Being able to play him with other minions is a huge advantage however, as it means you’ll usually put pressure on your opponent, even if they can counter the Balrog himself. He can also play [moria] orcs from discard; this is not usually that useful, as there’s rarely enough twilight to make the most of this, but if you want a specific minion, or if your opponent floods the pool, this ability can also be handy.

= Strengths and Weaknesses =

* In a fair fight, the Balrog is strong against pretty much everything. However, there are many specific counters to the Balrog, listed below.

* Armor/Gimli's Helm (Unless bearing a Whip of Many Thongs)

* Super Frodo (Using [[lotr02112|A Promise]], Sting, Mithril Coat, O Elbereth Gilthoniel, Bounder) - with enough strength bonuses + Mithril Coat, the Balrog will barely scratch Frodo.