Saruman, Servant of the Eye (0P11)
 The Balrog, Durin's Bane (0P10)
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Gimli, Son of Gloin (0P12) 
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Saruman, Servant of the Eye (0P11) is a 
Isengard Minion from the Promotional set. It was distributed in May/June 2002 as a promotional magazine insert. Inserts were included in Scrye Magazine, InQuest Magazine, Codex (in Sweden), Starlog (in the UK), Gamer's Sideboard (in Malaysia), Oracolo (in Italy), Kartefakt (in Germany), and Lotus Noir (in France).[1]
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Strategy[edit]
Saruman SoTE is a deadly version of Saruman, although he isn’t too fearsome in the format he’s released in. In Fellowship Block, SoTE is overshadowed by KoI, and there is usually too much archery and too little twilight for him to be effective. Even then, a well-timed SoTE can easily assign a tough minion to a support companion such as Legolas, which could result in easy kill. He can also put pressure on Merry, Friend to Sam or Sam, Son of Hamfast, each of whom must exert 3 times to prevent SoTE’s assignment attempts. Or assure the vitality of Isengard Smith at regroup phase in order to discard Free Peoples weapons (by assigning the Smith to a companion with low strength or no damage bonus, while Isengard Warrior can prevent directed and massive archery).
In Towers Standard, Saruman, SoTE becomes extremely dangerous due to the introduction of Saruman's Staff. This allows him to assign himself to a companion. A strength 10 Damage + 1 Fierce minion will usually clean out your opponent’s support companions with ease, and cards like Saruman's Snows make the process even easier. Use Men Will Fall (or Bill Ferny, SSF) if you’re struggling with Saruman’s base strength being too low, but remember he will usually not beat the opponent’s tank (E.g. Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark; Gandalf, Mithrandir). Don’t forget he can assign other minions too; there is more twilight in Two Towers than Fellowship, so it may be possible to play Saruman in conjunction with Lurtz, another strong Uruk or a mounted Warg-rider.
His skill is especially strong against companions with 3 or less vitality, so exerting cards like One of You Must Do This, Orthanc Berserker, No Dawn for Men, Unferth or splashed Southron archers can pave the road for much easier kills. Such skill can also stack with the assignment abilities of other [Isengard] cards, like Orthanc Champion or Many Riddles, so the skirmishes are arranged exactly as you want.
Strengths and Weaknesses[edit]
Strong Versus...[edit]
- Support Companions
- Low Vitality Companions
- Self-exerting Companions
Weak Versus...[edit]
- Maneuver Wounding (in FOTR block, only Betrayal of Isengard and Hobbit Sword-play)
- Archery Wounding (If using Saruman's Staff)
- Foul Creation and A New Light (can discard Saruman from your hand)
- Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark (If using Saruman's Staff)
- Arwen, Queen of Elves and Men
Alternate Personas[edit]
| Portrait | Name | Game Text |
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Saruman, Keeper of Isengard (3R68)
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Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish.
Uruk-hai are fierce. Response: If an Uruk-hai is about to take a wound, exert Saruman to prevent that wound. |
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Saruman, Rabble-rouser (4R33)
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Saruman may not be assigned to a skirmish.
Each time the fellowship moves, the Free Peoples player must exert a companion for each |
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Saruman, Black Traitor (4R173)
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Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish.
When you play Saruman, you may discard a condition. Shadow: Exert Saruman to play Saruman’s Staff from your discard pile. |
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Saruman, Master of Foul Folk (5R56)
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Saruman may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish.
Each time the fellowship moves, you may heal each Shadow: Exert Saruman to play an |
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Saruman, Of Many Colours (12R54)
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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. |
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Saruman, Agent of the Dark Lord (12S144)
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Lurker. (Skirmishes involving lurker minions must be resolved after any others.)
Skirmish: Exert Saruman to make an Each time a companion is killed, you may heal Saruman. |
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Saruman, Instigator of Insurrection (17R37)
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Saruman cannot be assigned to a skirmish.
While you can spot 6 companions, each minion gains hunter 2. Response: If a hunter minion is about to take a wound, exert Saruman to prevent that. |
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Saruman, Servant of Sauron (17R38)
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Aid -  . (At the start of the maneuver phase, you may remove to transfer this to a minion.)
Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may exert a companion. |
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Saruman, Coldly Still (17S48)
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Each  minion bearing a possession is strength +2.
Skirmish: Exert Saruman to play a |
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Saruman, Curunir (17S115)
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Each time an  hunter wins a skirmish, heal a different minion.
Skirmish: Exert Saruman twice to make a companion lose the hunter keyword until the start of the regroup phase. |
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Saruman, Master of the White Hand (17R116)
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Each companion is resistance -1.
Skirmish: Exert Saruman to discard a condition borne by a companion skirmishing an |
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Saruman, Fell Voice (V1_30)
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While you cannot spot a weather, Saruman may not take wounds in the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish.
While at a site bearing a weather, each Response: If the fellowship moves from a site bearing a weather, discard this minion to exert each companion. |
