Ceorl, Weary Horseman (4U264)
 Brego (4U263)
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Elite Rider (4C265) 
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Ceorl, Weary Horseman (4U264) is a 
Rohan Companion from the The Two Towers set. He is one of only two cards in the game capable of stopping a site from being controlled -- the other is Strong and Old (7R122)
.
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Strategy[edit]
Gameplay Strategy[edit]
Ceorl is unimpressive except his highly situational ability, which allows the Free Peoples to completely stonewall site control decks. All but a few (Sword-wall (4R84)
, Fell Deeds Awake (10U73)
, and Warrior of Rohan (17U104)
) Free Peoples abilities capable of liberating sites are either in response to winning a skirmish or in the regroup phase, creating a window of opportunity for the Shadow player if they can control a site before then. Ceorl decidedly closes this window, preventing a card like Over the Isen (4U31)
from allowing fierce minions to immediately kill weaker companions after a site is gained in the first skirmish.
Yet tossing Ceorl into a deck won't due the trick alone; it takes a village (or at least some villagers). Guma, Plains Farmer (4C277)
, Hlafwine, Village Farmhand (4C281)
, and Léod, Westfold Herdsman (4U285)
are the most popular Towers allies, while Déor (7C222)
, Léowyn (7R239)
, and Rohirrim Herdsman (7C247)
from Return of the King can both use their abilities and have vitality for Ceorl. Leowyn is able to heal both herself and Ceorl, making a perfect partner for him.
If the Shadow player does take a site before Ceorl can stop it, it may be too late for preventing control of other sites to matter. Simbelmynë (4R289)
will be crucial for putting Ceorl and a villager in play when up against a site control deck, especially if the Free Peoples player has no site liberation as a backup.
Deckbuilding Strategy[edit]
In practice, Ceorl is an iron curtain when a picket fence will do. Most site control requires some very specific actions by the Shadow players, already vulnerable to Free Peoples meddling. And while it's true that some Shadow strategies can gain a foothold by controlling a site for just one turn, site liberation still does a lot to keep the Free Peoples in control of the game's pace and is almost always a secondary action on cards with more general use. He can be a fine toss-in when you already plan on using some villagers, but unless you expect to face a considerable amount of site control decks you won't be much better off with him than any other Rohan companion and a site liberation card or two such as Banner of the Mark (6U90)
.
Strengths and Weaknesses[edit]
Synergizes With...[edit]
- Simbelmynë (4R289)
- Léowyn (7R239)
- Well Stored (4U296)
, Éomer, Sister-son of Theoden (4C266)
, or Théoden, King of the Golden Hall (5C93)
Strong Versus...[edit]
- Site control, especially cards like Over the Isen (4U31)
or Burning of Westfold (4R144)
which can wreak havok before the Free Peoples has a chance to liberate sites
Weak Versus...[edit]
- Has no benefit against a Shadow side unconcerned with controlling sites, but can still die a useful death
