Arwen, Elven Rider (3M1)
 Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith (3P122)
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Hand of Sauron (3M2) 
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Arwen, Elven Rider (3M1) is an Oversized 
Elven promotional card from the Realms of the Elf-Lords set. It was released via the Convention Store in Summer 2002.
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Strategy[edit]
Gameplay Strategy[edit]
Elven Rider's ability is difficult to use: it's expensive and only protects the most wound-tolerant companion in the Fellowship. It is most useful when the Ring-bearer is exhausted but wearing The Ring would bring the Fellowship to a dangerous number of burdens. Twilight Nazgul can force such a scenario, but Arwen, Daughter of Elrond (1R30)
tends to be a better choice for that matchup anyway. Her ability can be used with the later alternative Ring-bearers, which are slightly less able to soak up wounds than Frodo. Boromir, Bearer of Council (9R+31)
in particular benefits from wound prevention since being forced to assign him can cost the Free Peoples player the game and the conventional wound protection of Armor (1C92)
isn't an option. Note that if the Ring-bearer is wearing The One Ring, Arwen will not be able to prevent a wound before The Ring converts it to a burden.
As with all discarding from the Free Peoples player's hand, paying for her ability will disproportionately affect Shadow cards since Free Peoples cards will have had an opportunity to be played. This can put players leaning on her ability in a bind: wearing The Ring instead may add an unsustainable amount of burdens, but tossing Shadow cards may allow your opponent to double with minimal resistance.
As a Ranger she can fulfill the cost for a number of 
Gondor cards such as Pathfinder (1C110)
, Ancient Roads (6R49)
, and Second Level (7C118)
.
Deckbuilding Strategy[edit]
For most games, the most important feature of Elven Rider is the ranger keyword. Unfortunately for her, Arwen, Daughter of Elrond (1R30)
is also a ranger and Nazgul tend to come up more often than needing to prevent wounds to the Ring-bearer. For decks with a singular weakness around the Ring-bearer being wounded - particularly when the otherwise ideal choice of The One Ring must be worn in the Maneuver phase - she can be a smart fit, but on the whole another version of Arwen and some healing for your Ring-bearer will be a more reliable setup.
Strengths and Weaknesses[edit]
Synergizes With...[edit]
- Mithril-coat (2R105)
, which can be used alongside wound prevention while most other armors cannot. - Copies of The One Ring which can only be put on in the maneuver phase: The One Ring, Such a Weight to Carry (7R2)
, The One Ring, The Binding Ring (9R+1)
, and The One Ring, The Great Ring (19P1)
- The One Ring, Isildur's Bane (1R1)
, which would add two burdens per wound if worn
Strong Versus...[edit]
- Ring-bearer wounding such as The Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgul (2R85)
- Archery decks, which only seek to put wounds on the Fellowship
Weak Versus...[edit]
- The extremely situational ability typically makes her inferior to other versions of Arwen
Rulings[edit]
Some responses are performed when a described situation is “about to” happen. Typically, only one such response can be performed in a given situation, because its effect will “prevent” that situation or replace it with another effect “instead.”
Isildur is wearing The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles. (“While wearing The One Ring,... each time he is about to take a wound in a skirmish, add a burden instead.”) The Free Peoples player has Sapling of the White Tree in play. (“Response: If a [Gondor] Man is about to take a wound, discard this artifact to prevent that.”) Isildur loses a skirmish and is about to take a wound. Because the required action of The One Ring causes a burden to be added “instead” of a wound, the optional action of Sapling of the White Tree cannot be used, as the situation it responds to no longer exists.
- Response section
Alternate Personas[edit]
| Portrait | Name | Game Text |
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Arwen, Daughter of Elrond (1R30)
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Ranger.
While skirmishing a Nazgûl, Arwen is strength +3. |
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Arwen, Lady Undomiel (3R8)
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While you can spot 3 allies whose home is site 3, each minion skirmishing Arwen is strength -3.
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Arwen, Evenstar of Her People (6U13)
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Skirmish: Exert an Elf to make a minion skirmishing Arwen strength –1. |
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Arwen, Fair Elf Maiden (7R16)
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While skirmishing a fierce minion, Arwen is strength +3. |
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Arwen, Echo of Luthien (10U5)
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Skirmish: Discard a card from hand to discard the bottom card of your draw deck. If the bottom card was an card, each minion skirmishing Arwen is strength –3.
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Arwen, Queen of Elves and Men (10R6)
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Each minion skirmishing Arwen is strength –2 for each wounded minion you can spot. |
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Arwen, Staunch Defender (11U15)
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Each minion skirmishing Arwen is strength –1 for each forest site on the adventure path. |
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Arwen, Reflection of Luthien (13S9)
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While the fellowship is at a forest site, each of your other companions is resistance +1.
Skirmish: Exert Arwen to make a minion she is skirmishing strength –1 for each other companion assigned to a skirmish. |
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Arwen, She-Elf (15R11)
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While you can spot Aragorn, Arwen is strength +1 and resistance +2.
Skirmish: Remove an |
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Arwen, Royal Maiden (19P6)
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Ranger.
While you can spot 2 Maneuver: Add 3 threats to reconcile your hand. |
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Arwen, Maiden of Rivendell (0P63)
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Ranger. Skirmish: Exert Arwen to make a minion skirmishing an Elf strength -2.
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