Watcher in the Water, Keeper of Westgate (2R73)

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Watcher in the Water, Keeper of Westgate (2R73) is a Moria Minion from the Mines of Moria set.

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 PL Nonfoil First Edition PL Foil First Edition

Collection Info Title Watcher in the Water Subtitle Keeper of Westgate Unique Yes Collectible Yes Set 2 - Mines of Moria Rarity R - Rare Card Number 73 Language EN - English Revision 0

Gameplay Info Playable Yes Culture '''Moria''' Side Shadow Card Type Minion Race Creature Twilight Cost 4 Strength 11 Vitality 4 Site Number 4 Game Text '''Damage +1.''' While you can spot Watcher in the Water, discard all other minions (except tentacles). Each tentacle is strength +2 and '''damage +1.''' This minion may not bear possessions and is discarded if not at a marsh. Lore ''“The dark water boiled... there was a hideous stench.”''

Translations DE - German Card Name Der Wächter im Wasser, Hüter des Westtors Game Text '''Schaden +1.'''Solange du den Wächter im Wasser entdecken kannst, musst du alle anderen Diener (ausser Tentakel) ablegen. Jedes Tentakel erhält Stärke +2 und '''Schaden +1.'''Dieser Diener darf keine Ausrüstung erhalten und wird abgelegt, wenn er sich nicht an einem Sumpf bafindet. Lore ''Das dunkle Wasser brodelte, und es stank abscheulich.'' ES - Spanish Card Name Vigilante en el agua, guardián de la puerta del Oeste Game Text '''Daño +1.''' Mientras puedas avistar el Vigilante en el Agua, descarta todos los otros siervos (excepto tentáculos). Cada tentáculo es fuerza +2 y '''daño +1.''' Este siervo no puede llevar posesiones y es descartado si no está en un '''Pantano.''' Lore ''“El agua oscura hirvió... había un hedor espantoso.”'' FR - French Card Name Le Guetteur de l'Eau, Gardien de la Porte de l'Ouest Game Text '''Dégâts +1.'''Tant que vous pouvez désigner Le Guetteur de l’Eau, défaussez tous les autres séides (sauf les tentacules). Chaque tentacule a +2 en force et inflige des '''dégâts +1.'''Ce séide ne peut pas détenir de possession, et est défaussé s’il n’est pas à un marais. Lore ''« L'eau noire bouillonna, et une horrible puanteur s'éleva. »'' IT - Italian Card Name Osservatore nell'Acqua, Guardiano del Cancello Occidentale Game Text Danno+1. Mentre puoi avvistare Osservatore nell’Acqua, scarta tutti gli altri servitori (tranne i tentacoli). Aggiungi +2 alla forza di ogni tentacolo e '''Danno +1.'''Questo servitore non può portare beni ed è scartato se non si trova in una '''Palude.''' Lore ''“Le scure acque bollirono ed emanarono un fetido tanfo.”'' PL - Polish

Technical Info Wiki Base Card ID LOTR-EN02S073.0 TLHH ID LOTR02073 GEMP ID 2_73 LOTRO Hex ID 69 4C E8 01 LOTRO Image ID 02_073

Strategy

A major threat to the Fellowship in the books and film, Watcher in the Water, Keeper of Westgate is hardly the same menace in the Mines of Moria expansion. Limited in play to marsh sites (just Midgewater Marshes and Moria Lake in Fellowship block), Watcher in the Water makes each tentacle in play strength +2 and damage +1.

Unlike the Cave Troll of Moria, Scourge of the Black Pit, or even the Balrog, Watcher in the Water cannot bear possessions (namely, Goblin Spear) due to its gametext.

The best Watcher in the Water strategy is that of a "bomb" shadow--waiting until the Free Peoples player creates enough twilight to play as many minions as possible. With Foul Tentacle playing other tentacle cards from the draw deck, and Huge Tentacle playing Watcher in the Water the same way, it would appear to be an easy strategy with little set-up. Unlike other [Moria] strategies, the Watcher in the Water has no way to prevent wounds and is extremely susceptible to pre-skirmish wounding. Additionally, any strength or damage bonus to other tentacles disappears with the Watcher in the Water being killed.

Watcher in the Water did get another resource in Battle of Helm's Deep with Evil-Smelling Fens. While the new advantage of making each site a marsh adds versatility to the strategy; however, the bomb strategy is still much weaker than most others. A fun novelty minion in casual play, Watcher in the Water remains an largely unused character until the Ages End card Watcher in the Water, Many-Tentacled Creature.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Versus...

• The perfect storm of favorable Shadow conditions

Weak Versus...

• Most reasonable Free Peoples strategies, including twilight choking, direct wounding, defender bonuses, and strong companions

Alternate Personas

Portrait	Name	Game Text
	Watcher in the Water, Many-tentacled Creature (19P21)	Discard all other minions (except tentacles). Watcher in the Water cannot bear possessions. The fellowship’s current site gains '''marsh'''. '''Shadow''': Play a tentacle from your discard pile. ​