Knowledge is power. In the ancient lands of Middle-earth, whoever wields the power of lore can unlock the forgotten secrets of the world, unleashing a terrible force against the minions of the Shadow.

Welcome to another preview of The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game ! Over the past few weeks we have explored the many different aspects of the game , including Quests , the sphere of Spirit , and the sphere of Leadership . Today we’ll take a look at the next sphere of influence from which players can build their decks: Lore.

The sphere of Lore encompasses wisdom and knowledge. In game terms, Lore provides players with healing, recursion, card draw, and evasion. Lore lets players keep characters alive, peek at upcoming Encounter cards, and even lock down dangerous enemies.

Healing is a vital part of the sphere of Lore. Legions of enemies await to thwart you on your quest, and the clash of arms is inevitable. However, even indirect sources will threaten to incapacitate your characters by dealing direct damage. Treachery cards (a type of Encounter card) such as The Necromancer’s Reach can appear unexpectedly and seriously weaken your party. Fortunately, the sphere of Lore contains attachments like Self Preservation and allies such as Daughter of the Nimrodel to help keep characters alive and able to contribute to the quest.

But no matter how well your party’s wounds are tended, the Encounter deck holds all sorts of surprises that can ruin your plans. In addition to healing, the sphere of Lore also provides abilities that can “scout” the Encounter deck. Denethor - one of the three Lore heroes included in the Core Set - has a noticeably useful ability that can warn players of dangers ahead.

Lore can heal the wounds of battle and help avoid violence. But the sphere also has a practical worldly side, representing everything from survival skills to learned craftsmanship. The Forest Snare is an excellent tool that can prevent even the most powerful of enemies from attacking.

Finally, Lore can help unlock the potential of any deck. Normally, players draw one card at the start of their turn, making it difficult to draw the right card at the right time. But Event cards like Lórien’s Wealth can give you more options and more control of your deck. Or, if you’re feeling generous, you can instead use the card cooperatively, allowing one of your companions to draw some much needed cards. The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game has numerous cards like this, and using them on the right player at the right time can make all the difference between victory and defeat.

Don’t miss our next preview when we take a look at the final sphere of influence in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game !

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative card game that puts 1-2 players (or up to four with an additional Core Set) in control of the most powerful characters and artifacts of Middle-earth. Players will select heroes, gather allies, acquire artifacts, and coordinate their efforts to face Middle-earth’s most dangerous fiends. The Living Card Game format allows players to customize their gaming experience with monthly Adventure Pack expansions to the core game.