Welcome to the Card Talk Blog!

The written review companion to the premiere video and audio podcast

Card Talk the podcast that loves talking about cards now also loves writing about cards. Matt Kell joins the Card Talk crew with analysis of each card’s theme, synergies, interactions, power, and deckbuilding considerations. Of course it wouldn’t be a Card Talk review without the highly scientific yet arbitrary ring rating for each card.

You can also find Card Talk’s regular podcast episodes, creator and community interviews, playthrough videos, and social media accounts. If you’re a new player, be sure to check out Card Talk host and creator David Walsh’s New Player Buying Guide.

Latest Card Review Posts

  • Smoke and Think
    Card Talk Season 5 Episode 2 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Vengeance of Mordor  Set The Land of Sorrow   Player Card Categories  Cost Reduction Background Pipe-weed originally grew in Numenor. The Numenorians brought it to Middle Earth. It was the Hobbits though that domesticated and started smoking it in pipes. The practice spread via Bree… Continue reading Smoke and Think
  • Spare Pipe
    Card Talk Season 5 Episode 1 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Vengeance of Mordor  Set The Land of Sorrow  Player Card Categories  Ally Attachment Burglar Treasure Card Search Hit Point Bonus Played from Hand Fantastic card in the pipe deck, but otherwise just a filler. Background Pipe-weed originally grew in Numenor. The Numenorians brought it… Continue reading Spare Pipe
  • Andrath Guardsman
    by Vardaen Card Talk Season 1 Episode 33 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Haradrim Set The Mumakil Player Card Categories  Attack Cancellation Background Let’s talk lore. Who is this guardsman, and what is the Andrath? The Andrath is a geographical feature in Arnor. Its a long defile between the Barrow-downs and the South Downs through… Continue reading Andrath Guardsman
  • Bombur (Hero)
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 53 Video episode Audio episode Cycle The Hobbit Saga Set The Hobbit: On the Doorstep Saga Expansion Deck Archetype  Dwarf Swarm Thematic Dwarf hero designed primarily to get you to 5 Dwarf characters as quickly as possible. Background Poor Bombur. The dude just likes a good meal and strong drink, yet… Continue reading Bombur (Hero)
  • Folco Boffin
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 52 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Haradrim  Set The Dungeons of Cirith Gurat Player Card Categories  Threat Control Mirlonde for Hobbits not that they needed one. Background Folco Boffin is a friend to Frodo. He that helps Frodo load up his belongings in a cart for the move from Bag… Continue reading Folco Boffin
  • Leadership Elfhelm
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 51 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Dream-Chaser  Set Temple of the Deceived  Player Card Categories  Willpower Bonus Attack Bonus Defense Bonus Background If you’re solely a LOTR fan of the Peter Jackson films you may be wondering who this “Elfhelm” guy is and why you haven’t heard of him before.… Continue reading Leadership Elfhelm
  • Mirkwood Explorer
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 50 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Dream-Chaser  Set The Thing in the Depths  Player Card Categories  Location Control Artist Kim Sokol Need to explore 1 location in a single fell swoop, call the Mirkwood Explorer. Background In The Hobbit, a great grey wolf tells the wargs sitting below Thorin’s Company… Continue reading Mirkwood Explorer
  • Zigil Miner
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 49 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Darrowdelf Set Khazad-dûm Player Card Categories  Resource Acceleration Mining Artist Magali Villeneuve Pre-errata Action: Exhaust Zigil Miner and name a number to discard the top 2 cards of your deck. If at least one of those cards has a cost equal to the named… Continue reading Zigil Miner
  • Sword-thain
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 48 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Angmar Awakened Set The Dread Realm  Effect Category Promotion Before there was Messenger of the King, there was Sword-thain. Background The term sword-thain is used only a few times in the books. We first see it used when Theoden offers to have Merry ride… Continue reading Sword-thain
  • Ranger of Cardolan
    TL;DR A versatile neutral ally well positioned for unexpected combat requirements. Card Talk Season 4 Episode 47 “Ranger of Cardolan” Video Episode Audio Episode Cycle Angmar Awakened Set The Wastes of Eriador Background [In] the wild lands beyond Bree there were mysterious wanderers. The Bree-folk called them Rangers, and knew nothing of their origin. They were taller… Continue reading Ranger of Cardolan
  • Lore Anborn
    Card Talk Season 3 Episode 58 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Against the Shadow Set The Blood of Gondor Player Card Categories  Recursion Discard Pile Messenger of the King An ally with an ability built for the Traps archetype that is a little too expensive in resource and opportunity cost. Background ‘Now I have him… Continue reading Lore Anborn
  • Forlong
    Card Talk Season 4 Episode 45 Video episode Audio episode Cycle Against the Shadow Set Druadan Forest  Player Card Categories  Messenger of the King This review won’t be Forlong and drawn out. Background Forlong is introduced in The Return of the King as the Lord of Lossarnach with two rather unflattering nicknames. ‘Forlong! Forlong!’ Pippin heard men calling.… Continue reading Forlong

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