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In all the strategy guides I've read so far, the Black Rider's always regarded as the least important piece for the Dark Side. Must be just me, but I really don't understand why that is?
He's got reasonable strength (only Gandalf and Aragorn top him on the light side), plus in my experience he's every bit as mobile as the Nazgul, who is regarded quite highly by everyone. So far I've used both those pieces in pretty much the same role: keep them in Mordor until it's clear where Frodo is and then attempt to take him out. Sure, the Nazgul doesn't need a clear path to reach him like Black Rider does, but in the games I've had so far by the time it's known where Frodo is the board has cleared up so far that there's almost always a clear path to be found from Mordor to him somehow. Plus, the Black Rider doesn't have to wait until Frodo is on is own like the Nazgul does. Even if Frodo is accompanied by another piece, as long as that isn't Sam you've got a 50% chance to take him out right away. And even if you pick the wrong piece (i.e. have to fight an other piece first), with a strength of 3 you still have a decent chance of getting a shot at him. Often worth the try I think?
So what am I missing here? Am I valuing the Black Rider too highly or the other Dark pieces too low?
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Rauli Kettunen
Finland
Oulu
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Been a while since I've played (and I have the Deluxe), but all the other Basic Shadow characters either have more Str and/or a better special ability. BR is first line cannon fodder, there to scout. If he gets a kill, nice, but losing him is better than losing a Str 5 or Wargs/Saruman.
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Eric Walkingshaw
United States
Corvallis
Oregon
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The key difference between the Black Rider and the Flying Nazgul is that the Black Rider can only move forward, while the Nazgul can also move backward (by attacking a single character behind it). This is potentially huge in the late game, and I suspect amounts to all of the difference in their perceived value.
A common strategy for Frodo is to wait for the Shadow to overextend and then slip by quickly so that most of the Shadow forces can't attack him (this is especially true if playing with the Shadowfax card). With the Black Rider, once you're past him, he's done. But the Nazgul in the same situation is still a threatening piece.
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W M Shubert
United States
Portland
Oregon
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Yes, I really am that awesome.
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Yeah, the black rider is almost as fast as the nazgul and a little bit stronger, but he's a one-shot. You zip him forwards, attack...then he can't do it again. The nazgul can do it over and over, so if (for example) you want to force frodo to retreat sideways, you can use the nazgul, make him go sideways, and still use the nazgul again later. So to me it's a more useful card.
Combatwise, neither nazgul nor black rider are very good; you have to use your high-value cards to be sure of a kill, and you don't have many of those.
Edit: Dang! Eric got his answer in just at the same time I did.
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Sean Franco
United States
Hammond
Louisiana
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Also, Black Rider is really good at being one of your three guys to get to the Shire... but since this is a much more difficult strategy that going for Frodo, it makes one of the Black Rider's biggest strengths not so important in most games.
Now, you do a custom game with a classic Black Rider, classic Winged Nazgul, and variant Uruk-Hai... You've got a game now.
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Nothing, but other pieces seem to be stronger, and losing them may be much more harmful.
Black Rider has so many uses, although all are situational:
- sniping Boromir (that's a good trade if Wolf Rider can't get him)
- blocking the way to the mountains and for retreats (if he leaves Gandalf and Aragorn behind, especially that second figure)
- taking down weaker (3 or less) figures (usually "Retreat" card is too important for white to play it in such battle)
- skipping moves (since Black Rider is predestined to charge on enemy figures at any time, using normal moves for him may buy some time for you, just like with Shelob)
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Posted Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:55 pm
