Reworked Setup – In-Depth Version

Step 1 – Scenario Preparations

1-2 Set up the token bank and assign 1 threat dial to each player.

1-3 Choose the first player and give the first player token to them.

1-4 Build the quest deck arranging the quest cards in sequential order, based on the numbers on the back of each card. Stage 1A should be on top, with the numbers increasing in sequence moving down the stack. If the scenario includes multiple quest stages with the same number but different letters, arrange those quest cards in alphabetical order. If the scenario includes quest stages with the exact same number and letter, shuffle them randomly together. Place the quest deck(s) on the table.

1-5 Build the encounter deck with all the encounter sets shown by the icons on Stage 1A. Some scenarios might instruct you to create (and possibly set aside) more than one encounter deck, in which case follow those specific instructions. If you choose to play in the Core Set Easy Mode, remove the gold-ring cards from the encounter deck. Place the encounter deck(s) on the table.
1-5-1 If you are playing in Epic Multiplayer Mode, follow the Epic Multiplayer Mode Card Setup instructions.
1-5-2 If you are playing in Campaign Mode, add to the encounter deck all earned Burdens with an encounter card back that are listed in the Campaign Pool (unless the Campaign Card says otherwise).
1-5-3 If you are playing in Nightmare Mode, apply the appropriate card changes to the encounter deck card list, as instructed by the Nightmare Setup Card (but don’t trigger its Setup effects yet).

Step 2 – Player Decks Preparations

Based on the choices made during Setup Step 1, any Campaign Pool, scenario-specific and/or Mode-specific deckbuilding requirements are now active (each following sub-step is resolved by each player in player order, before moving to the next sub-step).

2-1 Choose a contract (optional). If you choose a contract, its deckbuilding requirements are also now active.

2-2 Choose non-conflicting starting heroes.
2-2-1 If you are playing in Campaign Mode, you can change starting heroes at this time, applying the +1 threat increase per hero during substep 3-3-1 (unless the Campaign Card says otherwise).

2-3 Assemble your deck with the cards available to you and place it on the table.
2-3-1 If you are playing in Campaign Mode the players can choose any Boons among those available to them (according to the indications of the Campaign Log and of the Campaign Card) and shuffle the chosen Boons into their decks (or into the encounter deck if the Boons have an encounter card back).

Step 3 – Player Setup

(each following sub-step is resolved by each player in player order, before moving to the next sub-step).

3-1 Search your deck for any cards with Setup effects and/or the Permanent keyword (including The One Ring player card from A Shadow in the East if you are using it) and set them aside.

3-2 Put your heroes into play. Any constant ability they might have is now active.
3-2-1 If you are playing The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings Sagas, the first player determines the Baggins/Fellowship hero they will be playing with and place it on the table.
3-2-2 If you are playing The Lord of the Rings Saga and the Ring-Bearer is on the table, the first player attaches The One Ring to the Ring-Bearer.
3-2-3 If you are playing with the Core Set Easy Mode, add 1 resource of each of your heroes’ resource pools.

3-3 Set your starting threat based on your heroes’ threat cost.
3-3-1 If you are playing in Campaign Mode and you changed heroes (or if the Campaign Log instructs you to modify your threat in any way), adjust your threat accordingly (note that only effects that explicitly mention “starting threat”, like the contract Messenger of the King will change your actual starting threat).

3-4 Trigger your heroes’ Setup effects (if any).

3-5 Put your contract into play (if any), then trigger your contract’s Setup effects.

3-6 Trigger Setup effects and/or the Permanent keyword on your cards set aside in sub-step 3.1 (note that if multiple players have included The One Ring from A Shadow in the East in their decks only one of them will be able to put The One Ring in play, all the others will remove it from the game).
3-6-1 If you are playing The Hunt for the Dreadnaught scenario, the first player resolves the Setup effects of the chosen Difficulty Mode. All cards brought into play by this sub-step immediately trigger their own Setup effects and their constant abilities are active from now on.

3-7 Draw your starting hand of 6 cards unless an effect specifically changes this. You can choose to mulligan once your starting hand (and only that, not any other cards added to your hand during Setup) unless an effect specifically changes this.

Step 4 – Encounter Setup

4-1 Search the encounter deck for any cards with Setup effects and set them aside.
4-1-1 If you are playing in Campaign Mode, shuffle into the player decks all Burdens with a player card back listed in the Campaign Pool, according also to the indications of the Campaign Log. 
4-1-2 If you are using the XP introduced in the Dream-chaser Campaign you can now spend those to upgrade or level up Boons and Burdens.

4-2 Trigger Stage 1A Setup effects (if you are playing in Nightmare Mode, there might be certain Forced effects on the Nightmare Setup Card that interact with this sub-step).
4-2-1 If you are playing in Nightmare Mode, trigger any Setup effects on the Nightmare Setup Card.
4-2-2 Trigger Setup effects on Campaign Cards (besides the option to change heroes) and on cards set aside in sub-step 4.1.

4-3 If during any of the previous steps or sub-steps of Setup you have interacted with the encounter deck in any way, shuffle the encounter deck.

4-4 Flip Quest Stage 1 from Side A to Side B (and possibly advance to Stage 2A/2B, resolving the new quest card When Revealed effects too).

Step 5 – End of Setup

5-1  The players as a group may put into play one (and only one) player objective from their collection(s). Add it to the staging area with Side A faceup and trigger its Setup effect. The Setup effect on Side A allows players to “Opt In” to the objective before it flips to Side B.

5-2 Setup is now officially and completely over.

Card Changes to Implement

To make the above steps and substeps coherent with the physical cards, there are a few changes that need to be implemented to the text of some of them. We will list them below.

Quest Cards Setup Text

Take the Ship! – Side A (DC 39/DCCE 53) could read: “Setup: Build the encounter deck using only The Stormcaller and Corsair Raiders encounter sets, setting The Thing in the Depths and The Stormcaller Elite encounter sets aside, out of play (enemy side faceup). Set The Thing in the Depths and The Stormcaller Elite encounter sets aside, out of play (enemy side faceup). ”

Campaign Cards Setup Text

The Tower of Cirith Ungol Campaign Card – Side A (MoF 69) could read: “Attach A Heavy Burden to the hero with Last of the Company attached.”

The Tower of Cirith Ungol Campaign Card – Side B (MoF 69) could read: “Forced: After resolving the Setup of Stage 1A, attach A Heavy Burden to the hero with Last of the Company attached.”

Nightmare Setup Cards Text

1) Passage Through Mirkwood Nightmare Setup Card (PtMNM 1) could read: “Forced: During setup While resolving Stage 1A Setup each player reveals 1 card from the encounter deck and adds it to the staging area.”
2) The Steward’s Fear Nightmare Setup Card (TSFNM 1) could read: “Setup: When randomly determining which Plot is the “hidden” plot card Forced: While resolving Stage 1A Setup, include the 2 new Plot cards from the Nightmare Deck as well as the 3 Plot cards from the original scenario.”
3) Escape from Mount Gram Nightmare Setup Card (EfMGNM 1) could read: “Forced: While resolving Stage 1A Setup, after choosing a starting hero and randomly setting another hero aside facedown, instead of the standard captured deck setup, shuffle any remaining heroes into your captured deck, then place the facedown set aside hero on the bottom of your captured deck.”
4) Raid on the Grey Havens Nightmare Setup Card (RotGHNM 1) could read: “Setup: Instead of adding Dream-chaser to the staging area during setup Forced: While resolving Stage 1A Setup, each player must search the encounter deck for a different unique location and add it to the staging area, one of which must be the Dream-chaser.”
5) Temple of the Deceived Nightmare Setup Card (TotDNM 1) could read: “Forced: When preparing the Island Map While resolving Stage 1A Setup, instead of the normal map placement, create the first three leftmost columns using the nine “Lost Island” cards, then create two middle columns using the siz new “Edge of the Temple” cards, and finally one rightmost column using the three “Temple of the Deceived” cards.”
6) Storm on Cobas Haven Nightmare Setup Card (SoCHNM 1) could read: “Setup: Forced: When randomly choosing a Dol Amroth objective to put into play during setup while resolving Stage 1A Setup, players must choose randomly among all 6 Dol Amroth objectives include the 2 new Dol Amroth objectives from the Nightmare Deck as well as the 4 Dol Amroth objectives from the original scenario.”