Muster

More than other keywords, muster is frequently sprinkled in as a consolation benefit, as it will not directly impact combat or other objectives.

Muster is a Loaded Keyword that first appeared with the release of Shadows as a wave of new keywords including Toil and Lurker. It applies to characters, but may be granted by a items, conditions, or other card effects. At the start of the regroup phase, each player may discard cards from hand up to the number of muster characters they own, and then draw the same number of cards.

Cards that have or give Muster often are powerful cycling tools, and often are used in decks that either need to construct a hand to kill with the shadow or large decks that need the cycling.

Rules Entries

From the Comprehensive Rules:

At the start of the regroup phase, for each of your characters who has the muster keyword, you may discard a card from hand, then draw a card. You must discard all at once. If you have two muster characters, you cannot choose to discard a card, draw a card, then discard another card and draw a card. You must instead choose to discard 0, 1, or 2 cards, then draw that same number of cards.

- muster section

List of Cards with Muster

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Horror of Harad (14R13)	Orc	Minion • Half-troll	Ambush . Damage +1. Fierce. Lurker. Muster. Toil 2.
	The Witch-king, Captain of the Nine Riders (11R226)	Ringwraith	Minion • Nazgul	Fierce. Toil 2. (For each character you exert when playing this, its twilight cost is –2.) Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Lurtz, Minion of the White Wizard (11R194)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Archer. Damage +1. Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) Lurtz is strength +3 for each exhausted companion you can spot.
	Murderous Uruk (11C195)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Overpowering Uruk (11U197)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) While this minion is skirmishing a character who has resistance 3 or less, this minion is strength +3.
	Advancing Uruk (12C134)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) When you cannot spot another  minion, discard this minion.
	Breeding Pit Conscript (12C137)	Uruk-hai	Minion • Uruk-hai	Damage +1. Muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) When you play this minion, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card. ​

List of Cards that Interact with the Muster Keyword

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Farin, Emissary of Erebor (11C7)	Dwarven	Companion • Dwarf	While Farin is at a battleground or underground site, he gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Gimli's Battle Axe, Vicious Weapon (11R9)	Dwarven	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) Skirmish: If bearer is Gimli and he is at a battleground site, exert him to wound a minion he is skirmishing.
	Stalwart Support (12U14)	Dwarven	Condition • Support Area	Each Dwarf gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) Each time the fellowship moves from a plains site, discard a card from your hand.
	Elven Scout (11S18)	Elven	Companion • Elf	While you can spot another Elf, this companion has muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Celeborn, The Wise (13R11)	Elven	Companion • Elf	While the fellowship is at a forest site, each Elf who has resistance 7 or more gains muster. Each time the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, you may take an event into hand from your discard pile.
	Gandalf's Staff, Ash-staff (11R34)	Gandalf	Artifact • Staff	Bearer must be a Wizard. If bearer is Gandalf, he gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) Each time bearer wins a skirmish, choose a Shadow player who must wound a minion.
	With Doom We Come (12U36)	Gandalf	Condition • Support Area	While Gandalf is at an underground site, he gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) While the fellowship is at a battleground site, each character gains muster.
	Fear and Great Wonder (13C30)	Gandalf	Condition • Support Area	When you play this, add a token here. Maneuver: Discard this from play or remove a token from here to spot a companion. That companion gains muster until end of turn.
	Strange Meeting (13C41)	Gandalf	Condition • Support Area	Each companion bearing a follower gains muster (and is strength +1 if that companion is a companion).
	Softly Up Behind (13U56)	Gollum	Event • Maneuver	Spot Sméagol and discard 2 cards from hand to return a minion with strength 6 or less to its owner’s hand. While this is in your discard pile, Sméagol gains muster.
	Stewards’ Legacy (13U75)	Gondor	Condition • Support Area	Each time Denethor exerts, he gains muster until the end of the regroup phase. Each time Boromir exerts, you may exert a minion. Each time Faramir exerts, you may spot a minion to prevent it from using special abilites until the regroup phase.
	Théoden, King of the Eorlingas (11U159)	Rohan	Companion • Man	While you can spot a companion, Théoden gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) While Théoden is at a battleground or plains site each Man is strength +1.
	Wind-swept Homestead (13R139)	Rohan	Condition • Support Area	To play, spot 2 companions. When you play this, add a token here for each plains site and each battleground site on the adventure path. At the start of each regroup phase, add a token here for each of your companions that has muster.
	Frodo, Protected by Many (11S164)	Shire	Companion • Hobbit	Ring-bearer. Ring-bound. At the start of the regroup phase, you may exert Frodo to make him gain muster until the end of the regroup phase. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Stand Together (12U131)	Shire	Condition • Support Area	Each time a Hobbit wins a skirmish, he or she gains muster until the end of the turn. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Phial of Galadriel, The Light of Earendil (13R155)	Shire	Artifact • Phial	Bearer must be a Ring-bound Hobbit. While bearer is in region 1, bearer gains muster. While bearer is in region 2, each of your companions gains muster. While bearer is in region 3, each character gains muster.
	Unforgiving Depths (13C120)	Orc	Condition • Support Area	While you can spot 3 underground sites, each Orc gains muster. Shadow: Discard this condition from play and spot an minion to replace the fellowship’s current site with an underground site from your adventure deck.
	Steed of Mordor (12C172)	Ringwraith	Possession • Mount	Bearer must be a Nazgûl. Bearer gains muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may draw 2 cards.
	Úlairë Nertëa, Black Horseman (12C178)	Ringwraith	Minion • Nazgul	The twilight cost of each mount is –1. While Úlairë Nertëa is mounted, each Nazgûl is strength +1 and has muster. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.)
	Worthy of Mordor (12C160)	Uruk-hai	Condition • Support Area	At the start of the regroup phase, you may remove to make an minion gain muster until the end of the regroup phase. (At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a card from hand to draw a card.) ​

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