X-List

From LOTR-TCG Wiki

An Exclusion List, or X-List, is any list for a format which defines cards that are banned and cannot be included for decks to be legal in that format. This extends to alternate prints of a given card; many cards had Promotional card previews or reprints, and these carbon-copies are always disallowed automatically as well.

The first X-List was created by Decipher on 25 March 2003 following the release of Battle of Helm's Deep due to the excessive use of the same repeated cards from Fellowship Block even after the release of The Two Towers. The cards on this list were prohibited from being played in decks because they were deemed by Decipher to be over-powered, under-costed, or lacking cultural enforcement. The X-list underwent a regular review by the DGMA every three months (March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31). Cards were added and removed to the list as warranted.

After the introduction of set rotation on 25 March 2005 when Black Rider cards became tournament legal and Expanded Format was created as an official format by Decipher, the Expanded format X- and R-Lists were also created. The cards that were on the Standard Format Exclusion list were voted upon by players, master players and Decipher playtesters for inclusion on either the initial Expanded Format X- or R-List. The results were announced on March 22, 2005.

Cards on the Standard Format Exclusion List[edit]

Cards that were on the Standard Format Exclusion list included:

Card Name Date Added Date Removed Notes
Elrond, Lord of Rivendell (1R40) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Galadriel, Lady of Light (1R45) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Ottar, Man of Laketown (1R80) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
No Stranger to the Shadows (1U108) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Savagery to Match Their Numbers (1R139) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Úlairë Nertëa, Messenger of Dol Guldur (1U234) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Forces of Mordor (1C248) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Sting (1R313) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Flaming Brand (2R32) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal (2C101) March 25, 2003 May 4, 2004 Removed when it was ruled that Ringbearer skirmishes could not be cancelled
O Elbereth! Gilthoniel! (2R108) March 25, 2003 May 4, 2004 Removed when it was ruled that Ringbearer skirmishes could not be cancelled
Aragorn, Heir to the White City (3R38) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Horn of Boromir (3R42) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Saruman, Keeper of Isengard (3R68) March 25, 2003 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Uruk Regular (4C192) March 25, 2003 January 12, 2004 Removed after Deep of Helm was no longer on the site path.
Relics of Moria (1R195) January 12, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added to take some power away from Moria once RotK was released. Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
The Palantír of Orthanc (3R67) January 12, 2004 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Frying Pan (3C108) January 12, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added as a counter to removing Relics of MoriaRemoved when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Bill the Pony (3U106) January 12, 2004 March 25, 2005 Removed when Fellowship Block Rotated out of Standard Format
Steadfast Champion (7U49) July 6, 2004 Added due to interactions with Treebeard, Keeper of the Watchwood
Gondorian Captain (7C96) July 6, 2004 November 10, 2004 Added due to interactions with Base of Mindolluin, removed when Shadows Sites became legal
Aggression (8C1) July 6, 2004 Added due to being under-costed
Mordor Fiend (10C91) July 15, 2004 Added the day after the set released, before he would have been legal to use in a deck.
Memories of Darkness (10U2) August 3, 2004
Saruman's Snows (1C138) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced
Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow (2R75) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced
Sam, Son of Hamfast (1C311) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced
A Talent for Not Being Seen (1U316) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced
Gimli, Dwarf of the Mountain-race (2P121) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced. Deemed to be abusive with the focus on site path introduced in Shadows
Galadriel, Lady of the Golden Wood (3R17) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced. Granted easy site path manipulation without cultural enforcement
The Shire Countryside (3R113) Prior to November 3, 2004 March 25, 2005 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced
Legolas, Dauntless Hunter (4R73) Prior to November 3, 2004 June 9, 2006 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced. Abusive with the new unbound hobbits released in Shadows
Fortress Never Fallen (4U276) Prior to November 3, 2004 June 9, 2006 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced
Get On and Get Away (4R304) Prior to November 3, 2004 June 9, 2006 Added prior to Shadows Release date before rotation was introduced. Provided too much site path manipulation.
Galadriel, Lady Redeemed (10R11) January 18, 2005
Final Account (11C31) January 18, 2005
Demoralized (11U114) Prior to May 22, 2006
Courtyard Parapet (13U188) January 29, 2007
Madril, Defender of Osgiliath (15R64) January 29, 2007
Strange-looking Men (11R100) August 13, 2007
Orkish Smith (11C132) August 13, 2007


Cards on the Expanded Format Exclusion List[edit]

Card Name Date Added Notes
Galadriel, Lady of Light (1R45) March 25, 2005
Saruman's Snows (1C138) March 25, 2005
Úlairë Nertëa, Messenger of Dol Guldur (1U234) March 25, 2005
A Talent for Not Being Seen (1U316) March 25, 2005
Sam, Son of Hamfast (1C311) March 25, 2005
Sting (1R313) March 25, 2005
Galadriel, Lady of the Golden Wood (3R17) March 25, 2005
Gimli, Dwarf of the Mountain-race (2P121) March 25, 2005
Aragorn, Heir to the White City (3R38) March 25, 2005
Horn of Boromir (3R42) March 25, 2005
Saruman, Keeper of Isengard (3R68) March 25, 2005
The Palantír of Orthanc (3R67) March 25, 2005
Frying Pan (3C108) March 25, 2005
The Shire Countryside (3R113) March 25, 2005
Legolas, Dauntless Hunter (4R73) March 25, 2005
Steadfast Champion (7U49) March 25, 2005
Aggression (8C1) March 25, 2005
Memories of Darkness (10U2) March 25, 2005
Galadriel, Lady Redeemed (10R11) March 25, 2005
Mordor Fiend (10C91) March 25, 2005
Final Account (11C31) March 25, 2005
Strange-looking Men (11R100) August 13, 2007
Orkish Smith (11C132) August 13, 2007

Links and Resources[edit]


Game Concepts
Play Area
Piles Draw Deck Adventure Deck Discard Pile Dead Pile
Other Fellowship Support Area Twilight Pool Adventure Path
The Turn Sequence
Fellowship Phase Shadow Phase Maneuver Phase Archery Phase Assignment Phase Skirmish Phase
Gameplay
Game Setup Starting FellowshipBiddingMulligan
Deck Building Considerations UniquenessX-ListR-ListErrataFormatMultipath
General Strategies BeatdownBombCorruptionHand ExtensionRun/StopSkirmish CancellationSwarmWin ConditionWound PreventionWounding
Deck Archetypes Auto-Corruption BombBeasterlingsBerserkersBouncing HobbitsElventsForestgulsHobbit HospitalFruit LoopsGondor KnightsGondor RangersGondor WraithsMoria ArcheryMoria BeatdownMoria NavyMoria SwarmMoria TentaclesNazgul BeatdownNinja GollumOrc CorruptionRainbow WoundingSauron GrindSauron InitiativeSauron RoamingSauron ThreatsSolo SmeagolSouthron ArcherySouthron InitiativeStupid SwarmSuper FriendsTelepathyThreatgulsToken TanksTroll SwarmUruk ArcheryUruk MachinesUruk TrackersWarg Super Swarm
Rules Rule of 4Rule of 9
Mechanics BearDiscardDraw DeckExertExhaustedFellowshipInitiativeIn Play/Leave PlayMove LimitReconcileRoamingSite ControlSpotStackSupport AreaThreats
Gameplay Terms BoatBodyBroken/NPE/OPBuff/NerfChokeComboCultural EnforcementCyclingDead DrawFetchFilterFloodGrindHand ClogHateInteractionItemLoopMatchupMetaMillNewbie TrapPilePower CreepPumpRainbowRecursionRemovalResourceRogueRule of 6SideSite ManipulationSpeed BumpSplashSubcultureTankOther Terms