“True-hearted Men, they will not be corrupted. We of Minas Tirith have been staunch through long years of trial. We do not desire the power of wizard-lords, only strength to defend ourselves, strength in a just cause. And behold! in our need chance brings to light the Ring of Power… What could not a warrior do in this hour, a great leader? What could not Aragorn do? Or if he refuses, why not Boromir?… How I would drive the hosts of Mordor, and all men would flock to my banner!”
    –Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring

There is irony in Boromir’s words. Within the space of a paragraph, we follow his corruption by the Ring even as he claims the warriors of Minas Tirith would put it to good use against the Enemy. It is Boromir’s confidence–his pride–that hastens his downfall. Boromir grows angry when Frodo refuses to accompany him to Minas Tirith, and he tries to take the Ring by force.

Still, in the pages of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings , Boromir is not a villain. He’s a hero, but one who falls. He wishes to do good, but his dreams of glory in battle consume him until his actions splinter the Fellowship and threaten Frodo’s quest.

With the upcoming release of The Dead Marshes , players of The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game will finally have the opportunity to include Boromir ( The Dead Marshes , 95) in their fellowships. Will this great Gondorian warrior lead your quest and slay your enemies along a path to victory? Or will his pride threaten your quest and lead you to ruin?

Neither thief nor tracker

Boromir was neither thief nor tracker. He was a warrior of Minas Tirith, and though he sought to do good, his primary concern was never for the fate of the Ring but for the fate of Minas Tirith. His loyalties remain divided in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game . Though he may help your fellowship quest, his heart remains with Minas Tirith, the Men of Gondor, and the glories of their battles against the forces of Mordor.

Like Aragorn ( Core Set , 1) and Prince Imrahil ( A Journey to Rhosgobel , 50), Boromir joins your company with the built-in ability to ready himself. Unlike Aragorn and Prince Imrahil, however, Boromir can ready himself multiple times per round and doesn’t need any support to do so. Aragorn needs to pay a resource. Prince Imrahil only readies after another character makes a heroic sacrifice. Boromir dashes headlong into the fray, throwing aside caution, dreaming of glory.

While Boromir’s three Attack strength and eagerness to chase down your enemies make him powerful, his heedless attacks may draw unwanted attention to your company, trapping them deep in threat against a mass of enemies too tough to slay… Or he may prove his cause. If Boromir presses the attack against all your foes, he can leave the way clear for your fellowship to redouble their efforts on the quest. Prepared with one or more copies of Dúnedain Warning ( Conflict at the Carrock , 26), Boromir can ready himself to defend against multiple attacks. Then, supported with a Dúnedain Mark ( The Hunt for Gollum , 2) or three, Boromir can make short work of most enemies.

A hero redeemed

A mile, maybe, from Parth Galen in a little glade not far from the lake he found Boromir. He was sitting with his back to a great tree, as if he was resting. But Aragorn saw that he was pierced with many black-feathered arrows; his sword was still in his hand, but it was broken near the hilt; his horn cloven in two was at his side. Many Orcs lay slain, piled all about him and at his feet.
    – J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

If standing ready until Sauron takes personal notice wasn’t quite enough, Boromir has yet another ability. He can make the ultimate sacrifice, discarding himself from play to damage all enemies engaged with a single player.

In the novels, Boromir sacrificed himself in an attempt to safeguard the Hobbits, Merry and Pippin. Though he failed to protect them, he survived long enough to tell Aragorn of their abduction, and Aragorn’s later pursuit of the Hobbits led to many of the greatest and most dramatic moments in The Lord of the Rings .

In the card game, Boromir’s ability is most effective when all, or nearly all, the enemies in the game have engaged with a single player. Cards like Son of Arnor ( Core Set , 15) and A Light in the Dark ( Core Set , 52) can let you shuffle enemies from one player to another and might be excellent tools for anyone hoping to have Boromir exit in a blaze of glory.

Boromir’s ability is also more effective if the enemies each have only two health remaining. He may be able to set up his own dramatic exit by whittling at foes, attacking them and reducing them to one or two health. You may also be able to set up his annihilation effect with a card that has seen little play to this point but that may soon find its way into more decks. Rain of Arrows ( Core Set , 33) may be a new late-game clincher when paired with Boromir, especially given the introduction of more Ranged allies like Haldir ( A Journey to Rhosgobel , 57) and the new attachment, Dúnedain Cache ( The Dead Marshes , 97), which can give any hero the Ranged trait. While it may require drawing and playing several pieces of a puzzle, it’s possible for Boromir to clear out every enemy on the table in one furious charge!

Which Boromir will join your fellowship when The Dead Marshes arrives? Will it be the brash and arrogant warrior who threatens to destroy your company? Or will it be the valiant noble who redeems himself through selfless sacrifice? Prepare yourselves. The Dead Marshes are nearly within sight.

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.