Hrethel, Rider of Rohan (6C95)

Hama, Doorward of Theoden (6R94)

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Hrethel, Rider of Rohan (6C95) is a Rohan Companion from the Ents of Fangorn set. He is the only Free Peoples card in the game which can heal an arbitrary minion.

EN Nonfoil First Edition EN Foil First Edition DE Nonfoil First Edition DE Foil First Edition FR Nonfoil First Edition FR Foil First Edition IT Nonfoil First Edition IT Foil First Edition ES Nonfoil First Edition ES Foil First Edition

Collection Info Title Hrethel Subtitle Rider of Rohan Unique Yes Collectible Yes Set 6 - Ents of Fangorn Rarity C - Common Card Number 95 Language EN - English Revision 0

Gameplay Info Playable Yes Culture Rohan Side Free Peoples Card Type Companion Race Man Twilight Cost 2 Strength 6 Vitality 3 Game Text To play, spot a Man. Skirmish: Heal a minion skirmishing Hrethel to make Hrethel strength +3 (limit +3). Lore “...gaining on the Orcs, gaining on them like a tide over the flats on folk straying in a quicksand.”

Translations DE - German Game Text Entdecke einen Menschen, um Hrethel zu spielen. Kampf Heile einen Diener, der gegen Hrethel kämpft, um Hrethel Stärke +3 zu geben (maximal +3). Lore ... sie kamen auf die Orks zu, sie kamen auf sie zu wie eine Flut auf Leute im Wattenmeer, die auf dem Treibsand umherirren. ES - Spanish FR - French IT - Italian

Technical Info Wiki Base Card ID LOTR-EN06S095.0 TLHH ID LOTR06095 GEMP ID 6_95 LOTRO Hex ID 6F DD B8 05 LOTRO Image ID 06_095

Strategy

Gameplay Strategy

Hrethel, put simply, is a replacement for Éomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark (4R267) . Both get up to 9 strength when facing a minion with one wound, a slight edge over the 8 strength that the non-unique Elite Rider (4C265) offers. Higher strength means winning more skirmishes and taking fewer wounds, but because Hrethel heals minions to achieve it he will also apply fewer wounds himself. This sometimes keeps a minion alive that Eomer or Elite Rider would have killed, an important consideration for the Free Peoples when deciding whether to double move.

Usually whether to use Hrethel's text is a simple consideration of a minion's strength against its vitality and overall importance. Many minions exert themselves, however, with their vitality the natural limit to the effect. Healing them with Hrethel might be worse in the end than simply losing the skirmish. A wounded Wulf, Dunlending Chieftain (4R40) , for example, can be beaten by Hrethel bearing a hand weapon after being healed, but if the Shadow player can block the wounds with Hides (4R19) then Wulf's ability may cause more harm long-term.

Most of the time, healing the minion is an appropriate and meaningful cost to Hrethel's strength gain. In a few cases, however, it winds up in the Free Peoples player's favor and may even be worth using several times. This is clearest for Enduring minions and those in the Uruk-hai Berserker (5U63) line, as they gain strength for wounds on themselves and can be difficult for even Third Marshal to beat. One of Rohan's biggest weaknesses, corruption, can be covered by Hrethel -- Úlairë Enquëa, Thrall of the One (10R68) normally has a field day adding burdens thanks to Rohan's mounts. Healing cuts its burden-adding abilities in half, rounded down since the Free Peoples player gets to take the first action every phase. Between Hrethel and Éowyn, Lady of Ithilien (10R72) , Enquea can either be killed immediately by Eowyn at 2 wounds or add no burdens thanks to Hrethel at 1 wound.

Sometimes, though, it is in the Free Peoples player's interest to keep a minion on the table. Gollum, Stinker (5R25) usually can't be allowed to win a skirmish, and at the same time if he is killed the Shadow player may be able to play him again and cause more harm with his fresh vitality by replaying a minion with Evil-smelling Fens (5U22) . In a similar vein, Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul (1U231) is often left alive when a large fellowship needs to move again, but that usually means taking two more wounds. By healing Enquea before beating it, the Free Peoples player can ensure that Enquea stays exhausted without taking any additional wounds.

For fierce minions, Hrethel's heal can be a blessing or a curse. Fortress Never Fallen (4U276) rewards winning as many skirmishes as possible, so if Hrethel can win a skirmish against a relatively weak fierce minion without killing it the Free Peoples player is able to get extra tokens. Of course, a stronger minion that required pumps to beat the first time often won't be any easier the second time around. In fact, sometimes it's better to lose a skirmish against a higher vitality minion without using Hrethel's ability if possible so the exertion from the mount sticks around for the next skirmish.

Rohan has many effects which key off of wounded or exhausted minions, which are more complicated to use with Hrethel than other companions. This comes up most often with We Left None Alive (6C97) : the Free Peoples player will often use a token or two and then Hrethel's text last for the strength gain needed to win the skirmish. If the Shadow player has a pump of their own, Hrethel will be uniquely unable to use the condition again.

Deckbuilding Strategy

Unlike Elite Rider, Hrethel is culturally enforced and unseen outside of a dedicated Rohan deck. In Towers Block he is chosen for his extra strength over wounded minions compared to Elite Rider. In Movie Block and beyond, his unique ability to heal Enduring minions is more often his greatest feature: whether he earns a spot in a decklist depends on whether being able to heal a minion is valued rather than his skirmish potential.

Éomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark (4R267) is almost always superior and must spot a man to be played for 2, leaving no place for Hrethel in a starting fellowship. While this would normally mean he must be drawn to be played, thanks to Simbelmynë (4R289) there's not much benefit to a second copy.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Synergizes With...

• Rider's Mount (4C287) and Rider's Spear (4C288)
• Merry's Sword (7R242)
• Thundering Host (5R94) and similar Rohan effects which go naturally with a fully armed Rider
• Free Peoples archery, especially a lone arrow from Legolas or Hornburg Parapet (4U351) which could otherwise have no impact

Strong Versus...

• Enduring minions, especially Nazgul such as Úlairë Enquëa, Thrall of the One (10R68) who would use their wounds to pay for their own effects
• Similarly, certain minions in the Uruk-hai Berserker (5U63) line
• Generally good skirmisher against wounded minions of almost any sort

Weak Versus...

• Minions which exert to some effect in the Skirmish phase, such as Easterling Army (6R78) , Berserk Slayer (5R47) , or Mordor Defender (7C285)
• Disposing of minions, especially when lacking any damage bonuses

See Also

Decks

"Fear This" - Michael Dalton's Worlds 2003 Champion deck (Click here for the full decklist)

• Format: Towers Standard
• Ring-bearer: Frodo, Tired Traveller (4C302)
• Ring: The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles (4R1)

• 1x Elite Rider (4C265) (Starting)
• 1x Éomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark (4R267) (Starting)
• 1x Éowyn, Lady of Rohan (4C270) (Alternate starting, when bidding 9)
• 1x Sam, Proper Poet (2C114) (Alternate starting, when bidding 9)
• 1x Legolas, Greenleaf (1R50)
• 1x Aragorn, Ranger of the North (1R89)
• 1x Hrethel, Rider of Rohan (6C95)
• 1x Hlafwine, Village Farmhand (4C281)
• 1x Léod, Westfold Herdsman (4U285)
• 1x Brego (4U263)
• 1x Éomer's Spear (4U268)
• 1x Firefoot (4R274)
• 1x Rider's Mount (4C287)
• 2x Rider's Spear (4C288)
• 1x Rohirrim Bow (5C88)
• 1x Frying Pan (3C108)
• 2x An Honorable Charge (4U282)
• 4x Simbelmynë (4R289)
• 3x Arrow-slits (5U80)
• 2x Fortress Never Fallen (4U276)
• 3x Thundering Host (5R94)
• 1x We Left None Alive (6C97)