Lurker

Saruman is the classic mastermind lurking in the shadows, never revealing himself until too late․

Lurker is a Loaded Keyword first released in the Shadows set that modifies the order in which skirmishes must be resolved. All non-lurker minions must have their skirmishes resolved before skirmishes involving lurkers may occur.

Lurkers will usually, but not always, have some sort of special ability that can be used to pump other minions up; this keyword thus ensures that they cannot be easily sniped in the first skirmish to prevent using such abilities.

Rules Entries

From the Comprehensive Rules:

During the skirmish phase(s), the Free Peoples player must resolve all skirmishes involving minions who do not have the lurker keyword before he may choose to resolve any skirmishes involving one or more minions who do have it.

- lurker section

List of Cards with Lurker

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Gollum, Skulker (11R42)	Gollum	Minion	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Gollum twice to make another minion strength +2.
	Saruman, Of Many Colours (12R54)	Isengard	Minion • Wizard	Damage +1. Fierce. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) When you play Saruman, name a culture. Each companion of the named culture is strength –1.
	Column of Easterlings (11C72)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Discard this minion to make a minion strength +4.
	Easterling Host (11R75)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Easterling Host and make it strength –2 until the regroup phase to make each other minion strength +1 until the regroup phase.
	Easterling Shield Wall (11C76)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If a minion is about to take a wound in a skirmish, exert this minion and remove to prevent that.
	Rampaging Easterling (11C98)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time another minion wins a skirmish, make this minion strength +3 until the regroup phase.
	Gríma, Betrayer of Rohan (12R68)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time a companion loses a skirmish involving a minion, you may exert Gríma to exert a companion.
	Harrying Hillman (12R69)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time a companion loses a skirmish involving a minion, add .
	Dunlending Trapper (13U89)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved before any others.) To play, spot a minion. Assignment: Discard a card from your hand to assign this minion to an unbound companion.
	Gríma, Footman of Saruman (13U92)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time a Free Peoples character is killed, you may spot another minion to exert each companion.
	Emboldened Orc (11R119)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) This minion is strength +1 for each companion who is not assigned to a skirmish.
	Prowling Orc (11C136)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Remove to make an minion strength +1.
	Orc Skulker (12C95)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each skirmish event you play is twilight cost –1.
	Orc Strategist (12U97)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Maneuver: Make an lurker minion lose lurker until the regroup phase.
	Rallying Orc (12R100)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time you play another lurker at a battleground or underground site, you may make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
	Troll’s Keyward, Keeper of the Beast (12R105)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Shadow: Exert Troll’s Keyward and reveal your hand to add for each  Troll revealed.
	Howling Orc (13S109)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved before any others.) Each time an minion is killed in a skirmish, you may make this minion strength +2 until the regroup phase.
	Picket Denizen (13S118)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If another minion is about to take a wound, exert this minion to prevent that.
	Horror of Harad (14R13)	Orc	Minion • Half-troll	Ambush . Damage +1. Fierce. Lurker. Muster. Toil 2.
	Úlairë Nertëa, Ninth of the Nine Riders (11S223)	Ringwraith	Minion • Nazgul	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) While Úlairë Nertëa is at a forest site, he is strength +2. While you can spot 6 companions, each Nazgûl is strength +2.
	Sentinel Uruk (11C201)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If a minion is about to take a wound in a skirmish, exert or discard this minion to prevent that.
	Vigilant Uruk (11R205)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) This minion is strength +2 for each minion not assigned to a skirmish.
	Crushing Uruk (12U140)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If a companion loses a skirmish involving an minion, exert this minion to discard a possession borne by that companion.
	Saruman, Agent of the Dark Lord (12S144)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Wizard	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Saruman to make an  minion strength +2. Each time a companion is killed, you may heal Saruman.
	Entranced Uruk (13C163)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Possessions borne by this minion cannot be discarded by Free Peoples cards.
	Uruk Reserve (13C173)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time your minion is about to be killed in a skirmish, you may place that minion on the bottom of your draw deck instead. ​

List of Cards that Interact with the Lurker Keyword

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Gimli, Lord of the Glittering Caves (13R5)	Dwarven	Companion • Dwarf	Damage +1. Gimli is strength +1 for each minion assigned to a skirmish. Assignment: Exert Gimli and spot a lurker minion to make that minion lose lurker until the regroup phase.
	Boromir, Doomed Heir (13S62)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Boromir is resistance –1 for each lurker minion you can spot. Skirmish: Exert Boromir to make him strength +1 for each possession he bears.
	Gollum, Skulker (11R42)	Gollum	Minion	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Gollum twice to make another minion strength +2.
	Saruman, Of Many Colours (12R54)	Isengard	Minion • Wizard	Damage +1. Fierce. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) When you play Saruman, name a culture. Each companion of the named culture is strength –1.
	Armored Easterlings (11R68)	Men	Minion • Man	Skirmish: Remove to make a lurker strength +1. Skirmish: Remove to make a lurker fierce until the regroup phase. Skirmish: Remove to make a lurker Damage +1.
	Column of Easterlings (11C72)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Discard this minion to make a minion strength +4.
	Easterling Host (11R75)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Easterling Host and make it strength –2 until the regroup phase to make each other minion strength +1 until the regroup phase.
	Easterling Shield Wall (11C76)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If a minion is about to take a wound in a skirmish, exert this minion and remove to prevent that.
	Rampaging Easterling (11C98)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time another minion wins a skirmish, make this minion strength +3 until the regroup phase.
	Gríma, Betrayer of Rohan (12R68)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time a companion loses a skirmish involving a minion, you may exert Gríma to exert a companion.
	Harrying Hillman (12R69)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time a companion loses a skirmish involving a minion, add .
	Dunlending Trapper (13U89)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved before any others.) To play, spot a minion. Assignment: Discard a card from your hand to assign this minion to an unbound companion.
	Gríma, Footman of Saruman (13U92)	Men	Minion • Man	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time a Free Peoples character is killed, you may spot another minion to exert each companion.
	Bladed Gauntlets (11U109)	Orc	Possession • Armor	Bearer must be an minion. Bearer is a Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert bearer to make an minion strength +2.
	Emboldened Orc (11R119)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) This minion is strength +1 for each companion who is not assigned to a skirmish.
	Prowling Orc (11C136)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Remove to make an minion strength +1.
	Strength in Shadows (11C140)	Orc	Event • Skirmish	Make an minion strength +2 (or +4 if it is a lurker).
	Bloodstained Field (12C84)	Orc	Event • Archery	Spot an lurker to wound an Elf.
	Cave Troll of Moria, Savage Menace (12R85)	Orc	Minion • Troll	Damage +1. Fierce. Toil 2. (For each character you exert when playing this, its twilight cost is –2.) Each time an lurker wins a skirmish, you may make the Free Peoples player discard the top 2 cards of his or her draw deck.
	Cave Troll’s Hammer, Unwieldy Cudgel (12R86)	Orc	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be an Troll. When you play this possession, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion for each lurker you spot.
	Orc Skulker (12C95)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each skirmish event you play is twilight cost –1.
	Orc Strategist (12U97)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Maneuver: Make an lurker minion lose lurker until the regroup phase.
	Rallying Orc (12R100)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time you play another lurker at a battleground or underground site, you may make the Free Peoples player exert a companion.
	Troll’s Keyward, Keeper of the Beast (12R105)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Shadow: Exert Troll’s Keyward and reveal your hand to add for each  Troll revealed.
	Always Threatening (13U103)	Orc	Condition • Support Area	When you play this, you may add an token here for each condition you can spot. Skirmish: Discard this from play or remove 2 tokens from here to make a lurker minion strength +2.
	Defiled (13U105)	Orc	Event • Skirmish	You may remove from the game 4 cards in your discard pile instead of paying the twilight cost for this card. Make your lurker minion strength +2.
	Enemy Upon Enemy (13U106)	Orc	Condition • Support Area	Regroup: Spot an lurker minion to stack that minion here. Shadow: Remove a burden to play a lurker minion stacked here as if from hand. That minion is twilight cost –3.
	Howling Orc (13S109)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved before any others.) Each time an minion is killed in a skirmish, you may make this minion strength +2 until the regroup phase.
	Picket Denizen (13S118)	Orc	Minion • Orc	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If another minion is about to take a wound, exert this minion to prevent that.
	Úlairë Nertëa, Ninth of the Nine Riders (11S223)	Ringwraith	Minion • Nazgul	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) While Úlairë Nertëa is at a forest site, he is strength +2. While you can spot 6 companions, each Nazgûl is strength +2.
	Sentinel Uruk (11C201)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If a minion is about to take a wound in a skirmish, exert or discard this minion to prevent that.
	Vigilant Uruk (11R205)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) This minion is strength +2 for each minion not assigned to a skirmish.
	Crushing Uruk (12U140)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Response: If a companion loses a skirmish involving an minion, exert this minion to discard a possession borne by that companion.
	Dark Alliance (12R141)	Uruk-hai	Condition • Support Area	Response: If an ally or companion uses a special ability, discard this condition and exert an lurker to prevent that.
	Saruman, Agent of the Dark Lord (12S144)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Wizard	Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Skirmish: Exert Saruman to make an  minion strength +2. Each time a companion is killed, you may heal Saruman.
	Entranced Uruk (13C163)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Possessions borne by this minion cannot be discarded by Free Peoples cards.
	Signs of War (13U167)	Uruk-hai	Condition • Support Area	While you can spot 3 lurker minions, at the start of each skirmish involving an lurker minion, each companion skirmishing that minion must exert.
	Uruk Reserve (13C173)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.) Each time your minion is about to be killed in a skirmish, you may place that minion on the bottom of your draw deck instead.
	Uruk Tactician (13C175)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Skirmish: Exert this minion to make a companion skirmishing an lurker minion strength –2.
	War Machine (13C176)	Uruk-hai	Event • Skirmish	Exert your lurker minion to play an hand weapon from your discard pile on your minion.
	Hobbiton Market (12S189)	Site	Site	Dwelling. When the fellowship moves from this site, wound each minion that is not a lurker.
	Northern Pelennor (12S190)	Site	Site	Battleground. Plains. Shadow: Make your lurker minion lose lurker until the regroup phase. ​

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