Disquiet of Our People (2C2)
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Dwarven Bracers (2U3) |
Disquiet of Our People (2C2) is a Dwarven Event from the Mines of Moria set.
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Strategy[edit]
Gameplay Strategy[edit]
At first glance, Disquiet of Our People doesn't seem to be much: 2 minions are usually at least 10 strength combined, 3 might overwhelm even a strong companion. Throw an exertion in the mix and this card may as well simply make the Free Peoples player kill a companion. Often that is exactly what it does: but importantly, the Free Peoples player is the one choosing a companion to kill and not the Shadow player. At site 4 or 5 when many minions stop roaming, the Shadow player has had a few turns to build a good hand, and the Free Peoples player hasn't gotten through much of their deck, Disquiet of Our People can mean the difference between a minor setback and the end of the game. At sites 7-9 when Shadow players have built up their support areas and are able to dish out real damage, it lets the Free Peoples player set the pace of their demise and keep the one companion that matters - the Ring-bearer - alive to the end.
While obviously it is more potent when facing Orcs, any Shadow deck can have their progress set back by a timely defender bonus on unessential companions. Uruk-hai are expensive and tend to rely on damage bonuses to tear a fellowship apart; piling two of them onto a companion who would die from one gives the Free Peoples player time to build up other companions and fare better down the road. Nazgul have enough strength to overwhelm weaker companions; when the fellowship's fighters are exhausted after the first round of skirmishes this card can keep losses down to the least important companion.
Although a defensive card by nature, some Fellowships can allow this card to be used offensively as well. Preparations (7R12) is able to split wounds among any number of minions skirmishing a single Dwarf, allowing some minions to be killed outright and any others defeated in the skirmish regularly. Durin III, Dwarven Lord (9R+3) has one of the highest strength ceilings among companions, often reaching 16 strength or more with pumps always available thanks to Sindri, Dwarven Lord (9R10) . Since he rarely loses skirmishes he also tends to have vitality to spare. His capacity to steamroll minions is limited only by how many are unfortunate enough to face him, making Disquiet of Our People a great way to maximize his effectiveness against decks of any sort. Doing so can also keep Gimli, Bearer of Grudges (9R+4) from having to skirmish, preventing needless threats and burdens.
This card can be used to make a Dwarf ally gain a defender bonus, although getting any use from doing so requires another card to heal Thrarin, Dwarven Smith (1U27) in the maneuver phase, increase Thrarin's vitality, or to allow him or Grimir, Dwarven Elder (1U17) to skirmish.
Deckbuilding Strategy[edit]
The card can be game-winning at some times, or a dead card burying the most important ones a little further down at others. In the end, every companion except the Ring-bearer is expendable and could make use of this card in different circumstances, but if those circumstances are rare then removing this card will make the rest of the deck run better. Most of the time 1 or 2 copies is all a deck will need.
Since the biggest cost of this event is holding it until it is needed, recursion such as Great Works Begun There (2C9) or Ring of Guile (9R8) goes a long way in improving its value. Aragorn, Ranger of the North (1R89) may be a better choice if he would not bring the Free Peoples up to 4 cultures or 6 companions: though expensive, he can soak up to 4 minions on his own and doesn't take up space in hand waiting for his moment. His high vitality and strength make him flexible against other strategies as well.
Against Orcs specifically Here Lies Balin, Son of Fundin (1C19) may sometimes be a better choice as it allows a Dwarf to kill a minion (or two) outright, then potentially kill another in a skirmish rather than be overwhelmed or merely survive a skirmish and keep those minions on the table. It is most threatening against Moria which tends to play several minions with one vitality, but Goblin Armory (1R173) offers protection and can nullify Here Lies Balin at a crucial moment. Disquiet of Our People can be just as useful against a Shadow side with no Orcs, while Here Lies Balin cannot.
Strengths and Weaknesses[edit]
Synergizes With...[edit]
- Dwarf Guard (1C7) , whose duty is to die so it may as well be spectacular
- Great Works Begun There (2C9) or Ring of Guile (9R8) , to allow this card to be taken into hand at the right moment
- Shoulder to Shoulder (1C59) to heal back the exertion
- Dwarven Armor (1C8) , especially combined with Gimli's Helm (1R15)
- Preparations (7R12) , which can split wounds among any number of minions skirmishing a single Dwarf
- Durin III, Dwarven Lord (9R+3) , who actually stands a good chance at winning skirmishes against multiple minions and may not get much use from his vitality
Strong Versus...[edit]
- Swarm strategies and especially swarm bombs, which almost always include Goblin Runner (1U178) for the additional twilight and may not be able to try to swarm again for several sites
- Moria, especially when Cave Troll of Moria, Scourge of the Black Pit (1R165) or The Balrog, Flame of Udun (2R52) are played and would guarantee a kill anyway
Weak Versus...[edit]
- Wounding and corruption Shadow sides, which rarely care about skirmish assignments
Rulings[edit]
While a discard-based strategy may be tempted to use this with Dwarven Axe (1C9) to maximize the damage done to an opponent's deck, Decipher gave this ruling for Dwarven Axe:
This card can trigger only once for each Shadow player with a minion in that skirmish, regardless of how many minions that player had.
- Dwarven Axe section
However, no such ruling was ever issued for Thorin III, Stonehelm (17R6) , meaning he is capable of causing a single player to lose multiple cards if he beats several minions in a skirmish.