Defender

Aragorn is an infamous sacrificial companion, who can exert 3 times to take down 4 minions in a blaze of glory

Defender +X is a Loaded Keyword applicable only to Free Peoples Companions and Allies. Characters with a defender bonus can have 1 additional Minion assigned to them by the Free Peoples player. This effect is cumulative, meaning that a character who is defender +2 can have 2 additional minions assigned, etc.

In earlier blocks, this was often used as a sort of suicidal charge, letting one companion absorb the loss of multiple problematic minions at one time (for instance, Sam, Proper Poet (2C114) heroically challenging both Cave Troll of Moria, Scourge of the Black Pit (1R165) and The Balrog, Durin's Bane (2C51) at once, turning 2 overwhelms or 4 wounds into a single death). In later blocks, with Threats and other considerations making companions less disposable, this usage became less prevalent; instead, defender bonuses are there more likely to be put on powerhouse companions (such as Éomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark (4R267) ) who can scale high enough to score a win even when outnumbered.

Rules Entries

From the Comprehensive Rules:

During the assignment phase, if your assigned companion has the keyword defender +1, you may assign that character to one additional unassigned minion. Defender +2 allows that companion to defend against two additional unassigned minions, and so on. A character with defender +2 (or greater) satisfies any requirement for defender +1.

Frodo and Aragorn face two Uruk-hai. The Free Peoples player could assign Aragorn to one and Frodo to the other. However, this version of Aragorn has defender +1, so he may be assigned to defend against both minions, leaving Frodo unharmed.

When a character with defender +X is given an additional defender +X by a card or special ability, the bonuses are added together.

- defender_+X section

List of Characters with innate Defender bonuses

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Ent Horde (6R28)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	To play, spot 2 Ent companions. Ent Horde’s twilight cost is –2 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot. While you can spot more minions than companions, Ent Horde is defender +1.
	Ghan-bûri-Ghan, Chieftain of the Woses (0P56)	Gandalf	Companion • Man	While you can spot 2 other Men, Ghan-bûri-Ghan cannot be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled. While at a forest site, Ghan-bûri-Ghan is defender +1.
	Aragorn, Ranger of the North (1R89)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Ranger. Maneuver: Exert Aragorn to make him defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Aragorn, Heir of Elendil (4C109)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Defender +1.
	Garrison of Gondor (8R36)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Archer. Knight. To play, spot 3 companions. While you can spot a fortification, Garrison of Gondor is defender +1.
	Shadow Host (8R43)	Gondor	Companion • Wraith	Enduring. To play, spot 2 exhausted Wraiths and add 2 threats. While Shadow Host is exhausted, it is defender +1.
	Cursed of Erech (10U26)	Gondor	Companion • Wraith	Enduring. To play, add a threat. When you play Cursed of Erech, exert him twice. At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert another Wraith to make Cursed of Erech defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Aragorn, Isildur's Heir (13R59)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Aragorn is strength +1 for each card that has a culture token on it. At the start of each assignment phase, you may exert Aragorn to make an unbound companion that has resistance 7 or more defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Faramir, Prince of Ithilien (13C66)	Gondor	Companion • Man	While you can spot Boromir, Faramir is twilight cost –1. While you can spot Denethor, Faramir is twilight cost –1. While Faramir bears a possession, he is defender +1.
	Ranger of the White Tree (17S33)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Ranger. Hunter 1. When this is in your starting fellowship and you can spot an unbound companion with cost 3 or more, his twilight cost is -2. Maneuver: Exert this companion and spot a roaming minion to make him defender +1 until the start of the regroup phase.
	Aragorn, Heir to the Throne of Gondor (18R38)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Hunter 2. While you can spot 3 Free Peoples cultures, Aragorn is defender +1. While you can spot 2 Shadow cultures, Aragorn is defender +1.
	Aragorn, Well-traveled Guide (19P12)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Fellowship. Ranger. While the Ring-bearer is the only other companion you can spot, Aragorn is an archer, defender +1, and can take no more than 1 wound each skirmish.
	Boromir, Redeemed (V1_20)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Boromir is strength +2 for each minion he is skirmishing. At the start of each assignment phase, you may exert another companion with the Aragorn signet to make Boromir defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Théoden, The Renowned (13R137)	Rohan	Companion • Man	While you can spot Éowyn, Théoden is defender +1. While you can spot Éomer, Théoden is damage +1. While you can spot Théodred, the move limit is +1.
	Rohirrim Warrior (15U139)	Rohan	Companion • Man	Valiant. At the start of the maneuver phase, you may spot a hunter minion (or exert 2 valiant Men) to make this companion defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Éomer, Northman (17R95)	Rohan	Companion • Man	Damage +1. While the Ring-bearer is assigned to a skirmish, Éomer is strength +3. Maneuver: If Éomer is mounted, exert him to make him defender +1 until the end of turn.
	Sam, Proper Poet (2C114)	Shire	Companion • Hobbit	Maneuver: Exert Sam twice to make him defender +1 until the regroup phase. Response: If Frodo dies, make Sam the Ring-bearer (resistance 5). ​

List of Cards that Interact with the Defender Keyword

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Disquiet of Our People (2C2)	Dwarven	Event	Maneuver: Exert a Dwarf to make that Dwarf defender +1 (or defender +2 if you spot an Orc) until the regroup phase.
	So Bold and So Courteous (V1_6)	Dwarven	Condition • Support Area	Each time the fellowship moves, you may exert an Elf to make a Dwarf defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Wielder of the Flame (2U28)	Gandalf	Event	Spell. Maneuver: Spot Gandalf to make a companion defender +1 until the regroup phase. Any Shadow player may remove to prevent this.
	Down From the Hills (5R16)	Gandalf	Event	Spell. Maneuver: Exert Gandalf 3 times to make an unbound companion with the Gandalf signet strength +5, defender +1, damage +2, and unable to take wounds until the regroup phase.
	Númenor's Pride (7U45)	Gandalf	Condition • Support Area	To play, spot Gandalf and add 3 threats. Gandalf is defender +1 and cannot take wounds. Discard this condition at the start of the regroup phase.
	Ents Marching (18C20)	Gandalf	Event • Maneuver	If the fellowship is in region 1 or region 2, exert 2 Ents to make an Ent defender +1. If the fellowship is in region 3, spot a companion to draw a card.
	Elendil's Valor (1C103)	Gondor	Event	Maneuver: Make a companion defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Swordarm of the White Tower (1C116)	Gondor	Event	Skirmish: Make a companion strength +2 (or +4 if he is defender +1).
	Valiant Man of the West (1R118)	Gondor	Event	Maneuver: Make Aragorn defender +1 and he takes no more than 1 wound during each skirmish phase until the regroup phase.
	Banner of the White Tree (3R39)	Gondor	Event	Tale. Maneuver: Exert a companion to make that companion strength +3 and defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Ruins of Osgiliath (4R133)	Gondor	Condition	Plays to your support area. While the fellowship is at site 7, each Ring-bound Man is defender +1. Skirmish: Spot a Ring-bound Man and discard this condition to wound an opponent’s Man.
	Andúril, King's Blade (7R80)	Gondor	Artifact • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be Aragorn. If you cannot spot a threat, Aragorn is defender +1.
	I Will Go (7C105)	Gondor	Condition	Bearer must be a Man. If you have initiative, bearer is defender +1.
	Armor of the Citadel (11U55)	Gondor	Possession • Armor	Bearer must be a Man. Each minion skirmishing bearer loses all damage bonuses. While bearer is at a battleground site and unwounded, he or she is defender +1.
	Elendil’s Valor (12C46)	Gondor	Event • Maneuver	Make a companion defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Horn of Boromir, The Great Horn (18R53)	Gondor	Possession	Bearer must be a Man. Maneuver: Exert bearer and discard a follower from play to make bearer strength +4 until the regroup phase (if bearer is Boromir, he is also defender +1 and cannot be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled).
	Ranger of the North (18R55)	Gondor	Condition	Bearer must be a Man. Maneuver: If the fellowship is in region 1 or region 2, you may exert bearer to make him or her defender +1. Regroup: Discard this to heal a companion.
	The Sons of Gondor Have Returned (V1_21)	Gondor	Condition • Support Area	While Boromir is assigned to skirmish more than one minion, Aragorn is strength +3. While Aragorn is assigned to skirmish more than one minion, Boromir is strength +3.
	Firefoot (4R274)	Rohan	Possession • Mount	Bearer must be a Man. If bearer is Éomer, he is defender +1. At the start of each skirmish involving bearer, each minion skirmishing bearer must exert.
	Forth Eorlingas! (4U275)	Rohan	Event	Maneuver: Exert Théoden to make a companion who has the Théoden signet defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	No Rest for the Weary (5R86)	Rohan	Event	Maneuver: Spot 3 valiant Men to make one of those Men defender +1 until the regroup phase.
	Protecting the Hall (11U149)	Rohan	Condition	Toil 2. (For each character you exert when playing this, its twilight cost is –2.) Bearer must be a Man. Assignment: Discard this condition from play to make bearer defender +1.
	Rohirrim Mount (11U156)	Rohan	Possession • Mount	Bearer must be a Man. At the start of each skirmish involving bearer, each minion skirmishing bearer must exert. While bearer is at a plains site, he or she is defender +1.
	Firefoot, Mearas of the Mark (13R126)	Rohan	Possession • Mount	Bearer must be a Man. When you play Firefoot, you may reinforce a token. At the start of the maneuver phase, if bearer is Éomer, you may remove 2 tokens to make him defender +1 and strength +1 until the regroup phase.
	Burial Mounds (15R122)	Rohan	Event • Assignment	Make a companion defender +1 and minions skirmishing that companion cannot take wounds during a skirmish involving that companion until the regroup phase.
	Spear of the Mark (15U140)	Rohan	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Man. If bearer is mounted, bearer is defender +1.
	Destroyers and Usurpers (18U78)	Orc	Condition • Support Area	Each companion loses all defender bonuses and cannot gain defender bonuses. Maneuver: Spot 2 minions to make the fellowship's current site gain battleground until the regroup phase.
	Steps of Edoras (7U334)	Site	Site	Each companion is defender +1 until the end of the turn.
	Flats of Rohan (11S240)	Site	Site	Plains. Each unbound companion skirmishing more than 1 minion is strength +3.
	Window on the West (11S265)	Site	Site	Underground. Each unwounded Man is defender +1. ​

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