Under the Living Earth (4C105)

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Treebeard, Oldest Living Thing (4C104)
Back to The Two Towers Index
Well Met Indeed (4R106)


Set: The Two Towers
Kind: Free Peoples
Culture: Gandalf
Twilight: 1
Card Type: Event
Game Text: Skirmish: Make Gandalf strength +1 for each twilight token you spot (limit +5).
Lore: “‘Thither I came at last, to the uttermost foundations of stone. He was with me still.'”
Rarity: C
Notes: The twilight token added for the cost of this card adds to the strength bonus provided by its effect. For example: if the twilight pool is empty when this card is played, Gandalf is strength +1.



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General Strategy

A very potent event for Gandalf, Under the Living Earth gives Gandalf the biggest skirmish boost he can get until Return of the King's Undaunted. Because paying 1 twilight is the cost for this event and costs are paid before effects take place, it will always increase Gandalf's strength by at least one. Since it isn't a spell, Gandalf's Staff won't reduce this cost by 1 and weaken the effect.

!Under the Living Earth may be very useful in big fellowships such as Ents, which often generate more twilight than the shadow player is capable of using, though the Free Peoples should decide whether they intend for Gandalf to be skirmishing or simply supporting the horde of trees. By using events after the fellowship phase such as Roll of Thunder and Deep in Thought, the Free Peoples player can maintain a smaller fellowship and still get the most out of Under the Living Earth. Other skirmish events such as Mysterious Wizard can be used to increase the twilight pool right before Under the Living Earth is played, enabling Gandalf to overwhelm many minions and defeat even the strongest skirmishers.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Versus...

  • Big fellowships, which often have leftover twilight from the shadow phase
  • Minions with ambush such as Southrons, since the Free Peoples player may use this event before the Shadow Player has a chance to drain the twilight pool
  • Decks using Gandalf, The White Wizard, who already benefits from excess twilight

Weak Versus...

  • Shadow sides capable of using twilight before a skirmish, such as Southron decks using Desert Spearman

Example Decks

  • Decklists or links to decks that use this card.

Rules and Clarifications

  • Under the Living Earth and Undaunted often have their text confused with cards like Deep in Thought, which cannot use the twilight used to play the card as part of its spot requirement. The distinction is that Deep in Thought requires a player to spot 4 twilight tokens before playing the event (cost), and then pay the twilight cost when playing it; while Under the Living Earth and Undaunted spot the twilight after paying their costs (effect), and as such the twilight added to play them will be available to increase Gandalf's strength.

Extra Information

  • Add other information regarding printing, rarity, trivia, etc.