Elfhelm versus Encounter Cards

[Bomb 66]

• Elfhelm
Type: Ally
Sphere: Spirit Cost: 4
Willpower: 1 Attack: 2 Defense: 2 Hit Points: 3
Rohan. Warrior.
While Elfhelm is ready, he gains: "Response: After your threat is raised as the result of questing unsuccessfully, or by an encounter or quest card effect, reduce your threat by 1."

Does Elfhelm's ability apply to the Hill Trolls ability that raises threat?  My gut tells me no, but the Hill Troll is still an encounter card and I can't think of any reason why this should not work against that mutant with a club.

Are there any scenarios that Elfhelm will not work when it comes to Threat increasing effects besides ones your own cards generate it and the Refresh phase?

Thanks!

[richsabre 358]

Bomb said:

• Elfhelm
Type: Ally
Sphere: Spirit Cost: 4
Willpower: 1 Attack: 2 Defense: 2 Hit Points: 3
Rohan. Warrior.
While Elfhelm is ready, he gains: "Response: After your threat is raised as the result of questing unsuccessfully, or by an encounter or quest card effect, reduce your threat by 1."

Does Elfhelm's ability apply to the Hill Trolls ability that raises threat?  My gut tells me no, but the Hill Troll is still an encounter card and I can't think of any reason why this should not work against that mutant with a club.

Are there any scenarios that Elfhelm will not work when it comes to Threat increasing effects besides ones your own cards generate it and the Refresh phase?

Thanks!

mmmmm, well if we think of all the ways that you can gain threat then

 

refresh-youve dealt with that

questing unsucessfully-works for this

encounter cards (treachery, location, enemy) work for this

i would say that it works, as the troll=enemy=encounter card......im trying to think of a reason but cant

 

could be wrong though

 

 

[starhawk77 2]

If Elfhelm is ready, his ability will reduce threat gained from the Hill Troll's attack. As the OP mentioned, the troll is an enemy, and enemies are a type of encounter card. Although passive, the troll's ability is unquestionably an "encounter card effect" that directly increases a player's threat, so Elfhelm can mitigate the threat increase.

Chiefly, Elfhelm is useful because he effectively negates the doomed keyword on encounter cards and gives you a little more leeway during the quest phase. Elfhelm also works to reduce threat gained from the Gollum objective card in Return to Mirkwood. This was clarified by Nate himself (check the cardgamedb forum for a very helpful thread containing numerous rules clarifications from him). There aren't any scenarios in which Elhelm isn't useful, but he's certainly better in those (Return to Mirkwood, The Massing at Osgiliath) that contain lots of ways to increase player threat levels.

Keep in mind, though, that his response triggers after the actual threat gain; if you hit 50 threat due to an encounter card effect, you will be eliminated before his ability can save you.

[Bomb 66]

starhawk77 said:

If Elfhelm is ready, his ability will reduce threat gained from the Hill Troll's attack. As the OP mentioned, the troll is an enemy, and enemies are a type of encounter card. Although passive, the troll's ability is unquestionably an "encounter card effect" that directly increases a player's threat, so Elfhelm can mitigate the threat increase.

Chiefly, Elfhelm is useful because he effectively negates the doomed keyword on encounter cards and gives you a little more leeway during the quest phase. Elfhelm also works to reduce threat gained from the Gollum objective card in Return to Mirkwood. This was clarified by Nate himself (check the cardgamedb forum for a very helpful thread containing numerous rules clarifications from him). There aren't any scenarios in which Elhelm isn't useful, but he's certainly better in those (Return to Mirkwood, The Massing at Osgiliath) that contain lots of ways to increase player threat levels.

Keep in mind, though, that his response triggers after the actual threat gain; if you hit 50 threat due to an encounter card effect, you will be eliminated before his ability can save you.

Thank you very much!

Yeah I followed that about the gain first and then reduction after.  Just trying to cover all the areas so I know that he'll be able to help overcome some of those inevitable threat gain scenarios.  Would be pretty overpowered if he reduced that threat for ALL scenarios!

[aeazel 0]

 Also seems like he'd be useful for claiming objective cards from various scenarios that require increase in threat (mostly thinking of Dol Guldur).