Ent

Ents are the race of animated tree-like creatures who tend Fangorn Forest in The Lord of the Rings. All Ents are Gandalf-culture cards. Debuting in The Two Towers with a paired set of Ally cards for Treebeard, Ents would gradually grow into a dominant subculture with additional cards being added in Battle of Helm's Deep and - you guessed it - Ents of Fangorn.

Not to be confused with Tree, a separate race that only appears on one card (Huorn (9R25) ).

The Ent Horde start

There is an (in)famous eight-character Ent starting Fellowship in Expanded, played in this order:

• Any Ring-bearer, for free as usual.
• Merry, In the Bloom of Health (17U107) for 1 Twilight
• Pippin, In the Bloom of Health (17U109) for 1 Twilight
• Any 1-cost unbound Hobbit. Farmer Maggot, Hobbit of the Marish (11U163) or Fredegar Bolger, Fatty (18R107) are popular choices.
• Quickbeam, Bregalad (6C33) for zero Twilight, because you can spot two Ents and three unbound Hobbits.
• Skinbark, Fladrif (6R35) for one Twilight, because you can spot three Ents and three unbound Hobbits.
• Host of Fangorn (6U32) for zero Twilight, because you can four Ents and three unbound Hobbits.
• Ent Horde (6R28) , for zero Twilight, because you can spot five Ents and three unbound Hobbits.

You can also run just Merry, Pippin, Quickbeam, and a two-cost companion of your choice, if you prefer to not be vulnerable to Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul (1U231) at site 2!

Any Merry, and Pippin, and Quickbeam are the closest you can come to this start in any format that doesn't include Rise of Saruman.

List of Cards with the Ent Race

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Treebeard, Earthborn (4R103)	Gandalf	Ally • Home 2 • Ent	Unhasty. Response: If an unbound Hobbit is about to be discarded, stack him here instead. Fellowship: Exert Treebeard and add to play an unbound Hobbit stacked here.
	Treebeard, Oldest Living Thing (4C104)	Gandalf	Ally • Home 2 • Ent	Unhasty. Fellowship: Exert Treebeard and discard an unbound companion from hand to heal an unbound companion.
	Birchseed, Tall Statesman (5U15)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Unhasty. Assignment: Exert an unbound Hobbit or discard 2 cards from hand to allow Birchseed to skirmish. Fellowship: Exert Birchseed to heal an unbound Hobbit.
	Forest Guardian (5C17)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Unhasty. Assignment: Exert an unbound Hobbit or discard 2 cards from hand to allow this companion to skirmish.
	Lindenroot, Elder Shepherd (5R19)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Unhasty. Assignment: Exert an unbound Hobbit or discard 2 cards from hand to allow Lindenroot to skirmish. Skirmish: Exert Lindenroot to wound an minion he is skirmishing.
	Ent Avenger (6C27)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	While you can spot 3 Ents, this companion is strength +2.
	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.
	Host of Fangorn (6U32)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	To play, spot 2 Ent companions. Host of Fangorn’s twilight cost is –2 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot.
	Quickbeam, Bregalad (6C33)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Quickbeam’s twilight cost is –1 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot.
	Skinbark, Fladrif (6R35)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skinbark’s twilight cost is –1 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot. Response: If an unbound Hobbit is about to take a wound, exert Skinbark to prevent that wound.
	Treebeard, Guardian of the Forest (6C37)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Unhasty. Assignment: Exert an unbound Hobbit to allow Treebeard to skirmish. Skirmish: Exert Treebeard to make an Ent damage +1.
	Skinbark, Fladrif (AI) (6R124)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skinbark’s twilight cost is –1 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot. Response: If an unbound Hobbit is about to take a wound, exert Skinbark to prevent that wound.
	Treebeard, Keeper of the Watchwood (10R18)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	To play, spot 3 companions. Regroup: Exert Treebeard twice to play a condition from your discard pile and make an opponent discard one of his or her conditions.
	Ent Avenger (15C28)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	While you can spot 3 Ents, this companion is strength +2.
	Leaflock, Finglas (15R30)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Leaflock’s twilight cost is -1 for each Ent you can spot. While you can spot 3 other Ents, Leaflock is strength +4.
	Quickbeam, Hastiest of All Ents (15R34)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Quickbeam is twilight cost -1 for each Ent you can spot. Maneuver: Discard this companion to place another companion from your discard pile on the bottom of your draw deck and reinforce a token.
	Shadow of the Wood (15U35)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	This companion is twilight cost -1 for each companion you can spot. Fellowship: Place this companion in the dead pile to remove .
	Shepherd of the Trees (15R36)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	While you can spot 4 Ents, this companion is strength +3. Maneuver: Exert this companion to reveal the bottom card of your draw deck. If it is a character, you may play it.
	Skinbark, Elder Ent (15U37)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skinbark is twilight cost -1 for each condition you can spot. Each time Skinbark wins a skirmish, you may place a card from your discard pile beneath your draw deck.
	Treebeard, Enraged Shepherd (15R38)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	To play, spot 3 companions. Each time Treebeard wins a skirmish, the first Shadow player must exert X minions, where X is the difference between Treebeard’s strength and the losing character’s strength.
	Woodland Onod (17U26)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skirmish: Discard a companion from hand to make an Ent strength +2.
	Treebeard, Enemy of the Hand (0W4)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Unhasty. Triumph - At the start of a skirmish involving Treebeard you may discard a minion he is skirmishing. Assignment: Exert an unbound Hobbit to allow Treebeard to skirmish.​

List of Cards that Interact with the Ent Race

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Stump and Bramble (4U101)	Gandalf	Event	Maneuver: Spot an minion and an Ent ally. Until the regroup phase, that ally is damage +2 and participates in archery fire and skirmishes.
	Windows in a Stone Wall (4R107)	Gandalf	Condition	To play, exert an Ent. Plays on that Ent. Response: If an minion is killed, discard this condition to reveal the top 10 cards of an opponent’s draw deck. Discard 1 Shadow card and 1 Free Peoples card revealed. Your opponent reshuffles that deck.
	Boomed and Trumpeted (6U24)	Gandalf	Event	Skirmish: Make an Ent strength +X and damage +X, where X is the number of unbound Hobbits you can spot.
	Crack Into Rubble (6U25)	Gandalf	Event	Regroup: Exert 2 Ents to liberate a site and discard a Shadow condition.
	Enraged (6R26)	Gandalf	Condition	Bearer must be an Ent. Limit 1 per bearer. Discard this condition at the end of the turn.
	Ent Avenger (6C27)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	While you can spot 3 Ents, this companion is strength +2.
	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.
	Ent Moot (6C29)	Gandalf	Condition	To play, exert an unbound Hobbit. Bearer must be an Ent. Limit 1 per bearer.
	Host of Fangorn (6U32)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	To play, spot 2 Ent companions. Host of Fangorn’s twilight cost is –2 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot.
	Quickbeam, Bregalad (6C33)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Quickbeam’s twilight cost is –1 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot.
	Roused (6C34)	Gandalf	Event	Skirmish: Exert an Ent to make him strength +1 for each Ent you spot (limit +4).
	Skinbark, Fladrif (6R35)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skinbark’s twilight cost is –1 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot. Response: If an unbound Hobbit is about to take a wound, exert Skinbark to prevent that wound.
	Treebeard, Guardian of the Forest (6C37)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Unhasty. Assignment: Exert an unbound Hobbit to allow Treebeard to skirmish. Skirmish: Exert Treebeard to make an Ent damage +1.
	Enraged (6R123)	Gandalf	Condition	Bearer must be an Ent. Limit 1 per bearer. Discard this condition at the end of the turn.
	Skinbark, Fladrif (AI) (6R124)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skinbark’s twilight cost is –1 for each Ent or unbound Hobbit you can spot. Response: If an unbound Hobbit is about to take a wound, exert Skinbark to prevent that wound.
	Ent Draught (9R24)	Gandalf	Condition	To play, spot an Ent. Bearer must be a companion. Limit 1 per bearer. Skirmish: Exert bearer to make him or her damage +1.
	Huorn (9R25)	Gandalf	Companion • Tree	Damage +1. This companion is strength +1 for each Ent you spot. Response: If this companion is about to take a wound, exert an Ent to prevent that.
	Ent Avenger (15C28)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	While you can spot 3 Ents, this companion is strength +2.
	Leaflock, Finglas (15R30)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Leaflock’s twilight cost is -1 for each Ent you can spot. While you can spot 3 other Ents, Leaflock is strength +4.
	Momentous Gathering (15U32)	Gandalf	Event • Fellowship	Choose one: spot an Ent to take a companion into hand from your draw deck; or spot 2 Ents to take a companion and a condition into hand from your draw deck. Shuffle your draw deck.
	Quickbeam, Hastiest of All Ents (15R34)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Quickbeam is twilight cost -1 for each Ent you can spot. Maneuver: Discard this companion to place another companion from your discard pile on the bottom of your draw deck and reinforce a token.
	Shepherd of the Trees (15R36)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	While you can spot 4 Ents, this companion is strength +3. Maneuver: Exert this companion to reveal the bottom card of your draw deck. If it is a character, you may play it.
	The Sap is in the Bough (17U25)	Gandalf	Event • Skirmish	Discard a companion from hand to make a companion strength +3 (or +4 if you can spot 3 Ents).
	Woodland Onod (17U26)	Gandalf	Companion • Ent	Skirmish: Discard a companion from hand to make an Ent strength +2.
	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.
	Merry, In the Bloom of Health (17U107)	Shire	Companion • Hobbit	Add 1 to the number of Ents you can spot. Regroup:</br> Exert Merry to place a pipeweed from your discard pile beneath your draw deck.
	Pippin, In the Bloom of Health (17U109)	Shire	Companion • Hobbit	Add 1 to the number of Ents you can spot. Maneuver: Discard 2 pipeweed cards from play to remove a burden.
	Urgency (19P17)	Isengard	Condition	Weather. Each time the fellowship moves, add for each Ent you can spot. Skirmish: Discard this condition from play to make a non- minion strength +1.​

---