Legolas, Son of Thranduil (0P15)
 Aragorn, Ranger of the North (0P14)
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Faramir, Son of Denethor (0P16) 
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Legolas, Son of Thranduil (0P15) is a 
Elven Companion from the Promotional set. It was distributed as a Realms of the Elf-lords pre-release tournament reward in June 2002.
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Strategy[edit]
A lesser-used version of Legolas, Son of Thranduil is dependent on the adventure path, and his ability to add to the archery total draws comparisons with Legolas, Greenleaf (1R50)
, who can also deal out multiple wounds during the archery phase—but with the added bonus of targeting specific minions.
Nevertheless, this version of Legolas does have the advantage of not needing to sacrifice his own vitality in order to generate additional archery, which in turn allows a player to engage in skirmishes with this character more confidently—and perhaps to invest in cards like Bow of the Galadhrim (1R33)
and Long-knives of Legolas (3R21)
. Alternately, you can use his vitality for cards like The Splendor of Their Banners (1R62)
or The White Arrows of Lórien (1C68)
. However, in formats after Fellowship Block, he starts to compete with other versions of himself: Legolas, Fearless Marksman (7R25)
, Legolas, Woodland Emissary (11R22)
, and Legolas, of the Grey Company (13R18)
are all alternatives that can contribute an extra wound under different conditions, without exerting themselves.
Because this version of Legolas is all about the archery total, one of his best uses is in an archery-storm deck, supported by characters with Elven Bow (1C41)
, and a copy of Aragorn with Aragorn’s Bow (1R90)
. Additional single-use cards like Double Shot (1R38)
, Gondor Bowmen (3R41)
and Hand Axe (2C10)
can help in boosting numbers.
Because Legolas' ability requires rivers and forests on the adventure path, he is best played in a deck which makes a deliberate effort to put out sites with the River or Forest keyword. One method for accomplishing this is through site manipulation with cards like Pathfinder (1C110)
. Another option is to bid low and simply trust your opponent to choose to go first. Either way, you will want to stock your adventure deck with as many rivers and forests as you can!
Strengths and Weaknesses[edit]
Synergizes With...[edit]
- More archery and direct wounding, from cards like Elven Bow (1C41)
, Aragorn’s Bow (1R90)
, Gondor Bowmen (3R41)
, The Splendor of Their Banners (1R62)
, and many others. Archery benefits from reaching a critical mass where it goes from wounding many minions to actually landing kills.
- An adventure deck full of river and forest sites. In Fellowship Block, this can be every site except 4 and 5. In Towers Block, this is only possible at site 2, and in King Block, only at 4 and 7 (although this is ameliorated partially by the popularity of Anduin Banks (7U341)
and the site 7 rivers). In post-Shadows formats, there are many forests and rivers and they can be played at any site number, but this is offset in large part by the existence of stronger versions of Legolas by that point.
Strong Versus...[edit]
- Minions that need to exert to use some ability, or cards that exert minions for some cost. Sauron Grind in particular is full of cards like this.
- Swarm strategies. Most Shadow players will apply archery wounds to their weakest minions, but swarm decks rely on reaching a critical mass of minions and that's much harder in the face of a storm of arrows.
Weak Versus...[edit]
- In Fellowship Block and post-Shadows formats, site manipulation strategies that prevent you from placing your rivers or forests, or replace them with other sites.
- He is largely useless in Towers Block due to the lack of appropriate sites.
- Archery hate of all kinds. This includes cards that prevent the archery phase entirely, like Spies of Saruman (1R140)
and Hillman Horde (4R22)
, cards that reduce the Free Peoples archery total like Uruk-hai Armory (1C157)
and Wreathed in Shadow (1U238)
, and cards that prevent all wounds in the archery phase, like Broad-bladed Sword (4C142)
, Easterling Polearm (6U79)
, and High Vantage (10U44)
. - Enduring minions, particularly Shelob, Her Ladyship (10R23)
and Úlairë Enquëa, Thrall of the One (10R68)
, unless your Free Peoples deck has enough archery to simply shoot all of the minions off the table.
Alternate Personas[edit]
| Portrait | Name | Game Text |
|---|---|---|
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Legolas, Greenleaf (1R50)
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Archer.
Archery: Exert Legolas to wound a minion; Legolas does not add to the fellowship archery total. |
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Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood (1U51)
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Archer.
While skirmishing a Nazgûl, Legolas is strength +3. |
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Legolas, Dauntless Hunter (4R73)
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Archer.
The twilight cost of each Shadow event and Shadow condition is +1 for each unbound Hobbit you can spot. |
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Legolas, Elven Comrade (4C74)
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Archer.
Skirmish: Exert Legolas to make a minion skirmishing an unbound companion strength -1 (or -2 if that companion is Gimli). |
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Legolas, Archer of Mirkwood (5P121)
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Archer.
Each time Legolas wins a skirmish, you may heal a Dwarf companion or another Elf companion. |
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Legolas, Fearless Marksman (7R25)
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Archer.
Archery: If you have initiative, discard 4 cards from hand to wound a minion. |
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Legolas, Nimble Warrior (7C26)
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Archer.
Archery: If you cannot spot a threat, add a threat to make the fellowship archery total +1. |
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Legolas, Elven Stalwart (8C10)
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Archer.
While you can spot 3 wounded minions, each minion skirmishing Legolas is strength –3. |
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Legolas, Companion of the Ring (11S21)
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While Legolas is at a battleground or forest site, he is strength +2 and resistance +2. |
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Legolas, Woodland Emissary (11R22)
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At the start of the archery phase, you may spot another Elf to exert a minion. |
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Legolas, of the Grey Company (13R18)
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Archer.
At the start of each archery phase, you may reveal the top card of your draw deck. If it is an |
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Legolas, Fleet-footed Hunter (15S18)
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Hunter 1. (While skirmishing a non-hunter character, this character is strength +1.)
Regroup: Exert 2 hunter companions to draw a card. |
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Legolas, of the Woodland Realm (15R19)
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Archer. Hunter 1(While skirmishing a non-hunter character, this character is strength +1.).
Archery: Exert Legolas to make the fellowship archery total +1 for each hunter minion you can spot.(Limit +3) |
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Legolas, Skeptical Guide (19P7)
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Archer. Fellowship.
Archery: Add two threats to wound a minion; Legolas does not add to the fellowship archery total. |
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Legolas, Nimble Elf (0W3)
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Archer. Triumph - At the start of the archery phase, you may make the fellowship archery total +1. |
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Legolas, Keen-eyed (V1_9)
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Archer.
Archery: Make the fellowship archery total -X (to a minimum of 0) to make Legolas strength +X until the regroup phase. You cannot use archery special abilities. |
