Weta Book Cards

O Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadil-o! / If you want him in the film, then the answer is No! / But just because recording his songs is so hard / is no excuse to not put his face on a card!

The majority of cards within the LOTR-TCG use imagery directly crafted for Peter Jackson's film trilogy, even if that imagery never made it into the films themselves. However, Decipher also took the opportunity to partner with Weta Workshop to imagine how certain characters from Tolkien's work who were cut from the film script would have looked like had they been included. These semi-original creations were dubbed the Book Cards.

"Book Cards" as a label was originally used for 4 cards included with The Countdown Collection and 5 cards used in The Weta Collection. The term fell out of use when the marketing for those collections ran its course, but more characters were made than what was originally announced, and their release was sprinkled throughout later sets.

Creation

Many of the characters depicted in the Book Cards had gone through various stages of conceptual design at Weta for the films during pre-production; in some cases such as for Radagast the Brown the character had gone so far as to have an actor cast before ultimately getting cut. Daniel Falconer, senior designer at Weta, gathered up these concepts and spearheaded the creation of more ideas for characters which were cut far earlier in the process, such as the infamous Tom Bombadil.

Weta designers then worked on reusing or reconfiguring existing props and costumes from the films to match the new concepts. For example: Elladan/Elrohir's hair reused Arwen's wig, Tom Bombadil's hat was a reworked Hobbit hat (and his coat was an old rejected Gandalf costume), and Erkenbrand's armor was Theodred's. Weta designers were then cast for each character (including John Harding, the original casting for Radagast), and went through the same makeup and prosthetic processes used in the films.

Decipher documented the process of the 3-week shoot in a series of articles on their website. The Internet Archive in this case was inconsistent in its archival, so most of those articles have been recreated here on the wiki:

• The Lord of the Rings TCG to Feature Original Images from Weta Workshop (News Release) (2004-03-08)

• The Making of the Weta "Book Cards: An Interview With Weta Workshops's Daniel Falconer (2004-04-04)

• The Making of the Weta "Book Cards": Casting and Costuming (2004-07-22)

• The Making of the Weta "Book Cards": Concepts and the Photo Shoot (2004-07-23)

• The Making of the Weta "Book Cards": Swords, Rings, and Palantiri (2004-07-29)

Weta also contributed digital art and CGI images for some cards at a later date, including the Barrow-wights of The Wraith Collection and the half-troll on Horror of Harad (14R13) .

Identifying

Sharp-eyed fans will be able to recognize characters that don't show up at all in the films, but for the rest of us there is a more plain indicator used: Book Cards designed by Weta are marked in the lower right-hand corner of the game text box with a Weta cricket, the logo for Weta Workshop:

There were additional card images photographed while Decipher was in New Zealand capturing the Book Cards, but for the most part Decipher declined to mark those cards with the Weta symbol. These include the images used for Ithil Stone (9R+47) and Seeing Stone of Minas Anor (9R37) , as the props used were all utilized in the films themselves; the only new thing being done was the modeling and posing.

List of Book Cards

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Glorfindel, Revealed in Wrath (0P50)	Elven	Companion • Elf	When Glorfindel is in your starting fellowship, his twilight cost is –2. Skirmish: Reveal the top card of your draw deck. You may exert Glorfindel to make a Nazgûl he is skirmishing strength –X, where X is the twilight cost of the card revealed.
	Radagast, The Brown (0P51)	Gandalf	Companion • Wizard	The move limit is +1. Each time the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, each opponent may discard 2 cards from hand to draw 2 cards.
	Goldberry, River-daughter (0P52)	Shire	Ally • Home 2	Each time the fellowship moves to a river, heal Goldberry and Tom Bombadil. Skirmish: If the fellowship is at a river, exert Goldberry to make a companion strength +1.
	Tom Bombadil, The Master (0P53)	Shire	Ally • Home 2	To play, remove 2 burdens or 2 threats. Skirmish: Spot 2 companions and exert Tom Bombadil X times, where X is the fellowship’s site number, to cancel a skirmish involving a companion.
	Ghan-bûri-Ghan, Chieftain of the Woses (0P56)	Gandalf	Companion • Man	While you can spot 2 other Men, Ghan-bûri-Ghan cannot be overwhelmed unless his strength is tripled. While at a forest site, Ghan-bûri-Ghan is defender +1.
	Radagast's Staff (0P57)	Gandalf	Artifact • Staff	Bearer must be Radagast. Each time the fellowship moves during the regroup phase, you may draw 2 cards.
	Anárion, Lord of Anorien (0P58)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Skirmish: Play a skirmish event to make each minion skirmishing Anárion strength -X, where X is Anárion's vitality.
	Erkenbrand, Master of Westfold (0P59)	Rohan	Companion • Man	If you can spot a Man, you may play Erkenbrand any time you could play a skirmish event. When you play Erkenbrand, you may discard a Shadow possession.
	Tom Bombadil's Hat (0P60)	Shire	Possession • Support Area	To play, spot 2 companions. Each time a Shadow card adds a burden or a threat, add a token here. Fellowship: Remove 2 tokens from here to remove a burden.
	Dain Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain (14R1)	Dwarven	Companion • Dwarf	Each of your other Dwarves and Men is twilight cost –1. At the start of the regroup phase, you may discard a or condition from play to discard a minion from play.
	Elladan, Son of Elrond (14R2)	Elven	Companion • Elf	Elrohir is twilight cost –2. Each time you play an event during a skirmish involving Elladan or Elrohir, that event is twilight cost –2.
	Elrohir, Son of Elrond (14R3)	Elven	Companion • Elf	Elladan is twilight cost –2. Each time you play an event during a skirmish involving Elrohir or Elladan, each minion in that skirmish is strength –2.
	Gildor Inglorion, of the House of Finrod (14R4)	Elven	Companion • Elf	At the start of each archery phase, if you can spot more minions than companions, each of your companions is an archer.
	Brand, King of Dale (14R5)	Gandalf	Companion • Man	Each of your Dwarves and other Men is strength +1. While you can spot more minions than companions, the fellowship archery total is +X, where X is the number of minions minus the number of companions.
	Grimbeorn, Beorning Chieftain (14R6)	Gandalf	Companion • Man	At the start of each turn, heal Grimbeorn. At the start of the maneuver phase, you may exert Grimbeorn twice and discard a minion from hand to make Grimbeorn strength +X until the regroup phase, where X is that minion’s strength.
	Halbarad, Ranger of the North (14R9)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Ranger. While the Ring-bearer has resistance 9 or more, Halbarad’s twilight cost is –1. At the start of the maneuver phase, you may discard a card from hand to heal a companion.
	Half-troll of Far Harad (14R12)	Orc	Minion • Half-troll	At the start of each assignment phase, if you can spot more companions than minions, you may remove to play an Orc from your discard pile.
	Horror of Harad (14R13)	Orc	Minion • Half-troll	Ambush . Damage +1. Fierce. Lurker. Muster. Toil 2.
	Barrow-wight Stalker (16R1)	Ringwraith	Minion • Wraith	Enduring. Each Wraith cannot take wounds (except during skirmishes). Shadow: Remove a burden to play a Wraith. That minion’s twilight cost is –2.
	Spirit of Dread (16R5)	Ringwraith	Minion • Wraith	Enduring. While you can spot another Wraith, wounds cannot be healed and burdens can not be removed (except by Wraiths). Skrimish: Exert Spirit of Dread to make another Wraith strength +1.
	Undead of Angmar (16R6)	Ringwraith	Minion • Wraith	Enduring. While you can spot another Wraith, each wounded companion is resistance –2. Shadow: Exert Undead of Angmar twice to play a Wraith from your draw deck, then reshuffle.
	Beorning Axe (18R18)	Gandalf	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Man. While Grimbeorn is bearing this possession, each time he wins a skirmish, you may take a card from your discard pile into hand.
	Last Stand (18U21)	Gandalf	Condition • Support Area	Fellowship: Exert a Man to add 2 tokens here. Skirmish: Remove 3 tokens from here to make a companion strength +3.
	Radagast's Herb Bag (18R26)	Gandalf	Possession	Bearer must be a Wizard. Each time you play a spell, you may exert bearer to wound a minion.
	Watcher at Sarn Ford, Ranger of the North (18R59)	Gondor	Companion • Man	Ranger. Skirmish: Exert a Man with a resistance 6 or more to make that Man strength +3.
	Erkenbrand's Horn (18R96)	Rohan	Possession	Bearer must be a Man. Fellowship: Exert bearer to play a follower from your draw deck. Reshuffle your draw deck. Skirmish: Discard a follower from play to make bearer strength +4 (if bearer is Erkenbrand, he is strength +5 instead).
	Erkenbrand's Shield (18R97)	Rohan	Possession • Shield	Bearer must be a Man. The minion archery total is -1. Skirmish: Add to cancel a fierce skirmish involving bearer. Response: If a Man is about to take a wound, spot Gandalf and exert bearer to prevent that wound.
	Fredegar Bolger, Fatty (18R107)	Shire	Companion • Hobbit	While the fellowship in is region 1 and you can spot 2 other companions, Fredegar Bolger is strength +3.
	Make a Run For It (18C109)	Shire	Event • Skirmish	Remove 2 tokens to cancel a skirmish involving an unbound Hobbit.
	Pit Troll (19P22)	Orc	Minion • Troll	Hunter 2. (While skirmishing a non-hunter character, this character is strength +2.) To play, spot an Orc. When you play this minion, add 2 threats. The Free Peoples player may exert the Ring-bearer to prevent this.
	Troll of the Deep, Cave Troll (19P23)	Orc	Minion • Troll	To play, spot an Orc. Skirmish: Remove a threat to make an minion strength +2.
	Sauron’s Might (19P27)	Sauron	Event • Shadow	Remove a Free Peoples culture token to add a threat. When you play this event, you may remove to place this on the bottom of your draw deck instead of in your discard pile. ​

List of Unmarked Prop Cards

Portrait	Card Name	Culture	Card Type	Game Text
	Ring of Guile (9R8)	Dwarven	Artifact • Ring	Bearer must be a Dwarf. Bearer is damage +1. Maneuver: Take a event into hand from your discard pile. Discard this artifact.
	Ring of Retribution (9R9)	Dwarven	Artifact • Ring	Bearer must be a Dwarf. Response: If bearer wins a skirmish, discard this artifact to exert each Orc.
	Sapling of the White Tree (9R35)	Gondor	Artifact • Support Area	To play, spot an unbound Man. Response: If a Man is about to take a wound, discard this artifact to prevent that.
	Seeing Stone of Minas Anor (9R37)	Gondor	Artifact • Support Area	To play, spot a Man with 3 or more vitality (or spot a Man and add 2 threats). Regroup: Exert a Man or discard this artifact to discard your hand and draw 3 cards.
	Horn of the Mark (9R45)	Rohan	Possession	Bearer must be Merry or Pippin. <br>Bearer gains the Théoden signet. <br>Response: If bearer wins a skirmish, exert him to discard each minion involved in that skirmish.
	The Red Arrow (9R46)	Rohan	Artifact • Support Area	Assignment: Exert a Man to play a Man. You may exert that Man to play a possession on him or her. Discard this artifact.
	Ithil Stone (9R+47)	Sauron	Artifact • Support Area	To play, exert a or minion. At the start of each of your Shadow phases, you may draw a card. Shadow: Discard this artifact to play a minion. Its twilight cost is –3.
	Sceptre of the Dark Lord (13R141)	Sauron	Artifact • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be Sauron. He is damage +1. Each time Sauron wins a skirmish and the companion he is skirmishing is not killed, you may assign X wounds to other companions, where X is the current region number.
	Heavy Axe (15U7)	Dwarven	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Dwarf. This is twilight cost -1 for each card that has a culture token on it. Skirmish: Remove a token to make bearer strength +1.
	Gríma's Dagger (17R44)	Men	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Man. If bearer is Gríma, he is strength +1 for each Free Peoples culture you can spot over 2. Response: If a skirmish event is played, discard this possession to cancel that event.
	Arwen's Bow (18R4)	Elven	Possession • Ranged Weapon	Bearer must be an companion. Archery: If bearer is Arwen, discard 2 cards from hand to wound a minion.
	Arwen's Dagger (18R5)	Elven	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be an companion. Bearer may bear this hand weapon in addition to 1 other hand weapon. Maneuver: If bearer is Arwen, exert her to draw 2 cards.
	Denethor's Sword (18R43)	Gondor	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a Man. While bearer is Denethor, his game text does not apply.
	Corsair Boarding Axe (18U60)	Men	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a minion. Skirmish: Remove to reinforce a token and make bearer fierce until the regroup phase.
	Corsair Bow (18U61)	Men	Possession • Ranged Weapon	Bearer must be a minion. Bearer is an archer. Each time a companion is killed during the archery phase, you may control a site.
	Corsair Grappling Hook (18U62)	Men	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a minion. When you play this possession you may reinforce a token twice. Each time a companion is killed during a skirmish phase, you may control a site.
	Corsair Halberd (18U63)	Men	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a minion. Bearer is damage +1. Shadow: Remove a companion in the dead pile from the game to control a site.
	Corsair Scimitar (18U64)	Men	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a minion. Bearer is strength +1 for each token you can spot (limit +5).
	Henchman's Dagger (18R69)	Men	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be a minion. Bearer may bear this hand weapon in addition to 1 other hand weapon.
	Orkish Ax (18C84)	Orc	Possession • Hand Weapon	Bearer must be an Orc. Each time bearer wins a skirmish, you may add a threat.
	Golden Perch Ale (18U108)	Shire	Possession • Support Area	Each time a companion wins a skirmish, you may add a token here. Fellowship: Remove a token here to remove a burden. ​

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