War of the Ring: The Card Game – Against the Shadow — Rules Manual

This solo/cooperative expansion allows players to experience the excitement of the War of the Ring — The Card Game solo, or together with a friend!
You’ll take the part of the Free Peoples and play normally. The Shadow cards are replaced by the cards in this expansion. These cards have been tailored for solo/cooperative play.
Many Shadow cards have changed. If you are very familiar with the base game, you’ll want to take it slowly the first time around so you don’t miss things.
This expansion can be used with any scenario. You can play the Trilogy scenario solo, managing both Free Peoples decks, or with a teammate, cooperatively. The Fellowship of the Ring and Duel scenarios can only be played solo.
Shadow actions are directed by the enclosed flowchart. It may seem a little daunting at first, but after one play, you’ll likely not need to refer to it.
The Shadow players are referred to as “bots” (shortened from “robots”), to distinguish them from human players.
Sometimes actions taken by the Shadow may seem suboptimal, but part of the fun is to “trick” the bots into bad play.
COMPONENTS
60 SHADOW BOT FACTION CARDS
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S67 John Howe
ISENGARD • CHARACTER
SARUMAN
While in reserve, draw 1 additional card each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your draw deck, cycle this card instead of eliminating it.
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S75 John Howe
MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BALROG OF MORIA
+ on Khazad-dûm.
When played or moved to a path or battleground, each Free Peoples player must forsake 1 card.
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S90 John Howe
SOUTHRON • CHARACTER
THE BLACK SERPENT
When played or moved to a battleground, each Free Peoples player must forsake 1 card.
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S112 John Howe
MORDOR • CHARACTER
THE WITCH-KING
Nazgûl. While in reserve, draw 1 additional card each Draw step.
Isengard Monstrous Southron Mordor
6 REPLACEMENT LOCATION CARDS
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S10 John Howe
2
MINAS MORGUL
The Mordor player draws up to 5 cards one at a time. Play the first character drawn to reserve and then stop. Cycle the unplayed cards.
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S12 Fataneh & John Howe
2
PATH 4
THE DOORS OF DURIN
The Monstrous player forsakes 1 card to add to this path.
2 Shadow Battlegrounds 4 Paths
FLOWCHART SUMMARY
PASS?
Can the bot pass?
“Use an action”, in this priority:
1. Path
2. Battleground
3. Reserve
USE AN ACTION?
Can the bot usefully resolve the “use an action” text on a card already in play?
MOVE?
Move the right-most card that is both eligible and useful from reserve, in this priority:
1. To a path
2. To a battleground
PLAY?
Play the card, in this priority:
1. An item to its wielder
2. To a path
3. To a battleground
4. To reserve
CARRYOVER?
Is anybody else above the carryover limit?
PATH?
Is the path number below the scenario’s max?
WINNING?
Is the Shadow winning every combat?
Yes
No
2 Flowchart Summary cards This Rulebook
Instead of using the Shadow faction cards provided in the base game, use the Shadow cards provided in this expansion.
Substitute the provided paths and battlegrounds for those in the base game.
The cards in this expansion are marked with at the bottom of the card.

---

GENERAL CHANGES
SETUP
FREE PEOPLES
The Free Peoples (human) players set up as usual for the chosen scenario.
SHADOW
The Shadow (bot) players are set up as usual for the chosen scenario, except that:
— The Shadow bots do not receive Ring tokens.
— When drawing cards for bot hands, do not examine the cards. Place these cards face down on the table.
— If playing the Trilogy scenario, each bot draws 7 cards, but then immediately places the last 2 of these cards (unexamined) into the cycle pile.
VICTORY
When playing this solo/cooperative expansion, there is no Victory Check at the end of each round. Play through until the last path of the scenario, and evaluate victory at that time.
RANDOM SHADOW HAND
Whenever you play, cycle, or eliminate a card from a Shadow hand, choose a random card.
FIRST IN, LAST OUT
Arrange Shadow cards in reserve, on a battleground, or on a path from left to right, so those placed later are to the right of the cards already there.
Whenever a Shadow bot needs to decide between multiple cards that meet some requirement, the rightmost card will be chosen.
1. Whenever there are multiple eligible cards in reserve that can move, move the right-most card.
2. When the Shadow forsakes a card from reserve, choose the right-most card.
3. When the Shadow is defending, cards eliminated to satisfy the Free People’s attacking icons are taken from the right, until enough are eliminated - even if it is inefficient.
ACTIVATING NEW BATTLEGROUNDS
Place battlegrounds activated or reactivated later in the round to the right of those activated or reactivated earlier. When choosing between two battlegrounds and all things are otherwise equal, choose the right-most battleground.

---

FIRST IN, LAST OUT EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1
The Free Peoples are winning
in Orthanc (5 attack icons
against 4 defense icons), so the
Shadow bot moves a card from
reserve to the battleground.
The rightmost card (The Black
Serpent) is not eligible because it
is not of the appropriate faction.
The rightmost eligible card is
Saruman, so it is moved to the
battleground, and placed to the
right of the other cards.
EXAMPLE 2
The Shadow must forsake a card,
and to do so, the first option
of the bot is to cycle a card in
reserve. The rightmost card is
The Black Serpent: it is removed
from the reserve and added to
the cycle pile.
EXAMPLE 3
The combat in Orthanc is being
resolved. Two attack icons are
canceled by the battleground
defense, so three icons must be
canceled by eliminating cards.
The right-most Shadow cards on
the battleground are Wolf Riders
and Saruman, which have a total
of three defense icons. These two
cards are eliminated, while the
left-most card (White Hand Orcs)
is not, and it is cycled instead.

ORTHANC
The Isengard player may
take Saruman from the
draw deck or cycle pile
into hand.
The Isengard player
recycles the cycle pile.
“We are the servants of Saruman the Wise, the
White Hand: the Hand that gives us man’s-flesh
to eat.”
ISENGARD • ARMY
WHITE HAND ORCS
If this card is eliminated for any
reason, cycle it instead.
“He emptied Isengard. I saw the enemy go: endless
lines of marching Orcs; and troops of them mounted
on great wolves.”
ISENGARD • ARMY
WOLF-RIDERS
ISENGARD • CHARACTER
SARUMAN
While in reserve, draw 1 additional card
each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your
draw deck, cycle this card instead of
eliminating it.

ORTHANC
The Isengard player may
take Saruman from the
draw deck or cycle pile
into hand.
The Isengard player
recycles the cycle pile.
“We are the servants of Saruman the Wise, the
White Hand: the Hand that gives us man’s-flesh
to eat.”
ISENGARD • ARMY
WHITE HAND ORCS
If this card is eliminated for any
reason, cycle it instead.
“He emptied Isengard. I saw the enemy go: endless
lines of marching Orcs; and troops of them mounted
on great wolves.”
ISENGARD • ARMY
WOLF-RIDERS
ISENGARD • CHARACTER
SARUMAN
While in reserve, draw 1 additional card
each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your
draw deck, cycle this card instead of
eliminating it.

ORTHANC
The Isengard player may
take Saruman from the
draw deck or cycle pile
into hand.
The Isengard player
recycles the cycle pile.
“We are the servants of Saruman the Wise, the
White Hand: the Hand that gives us man’s-flesh
to eat.”
ISENGARD • ARMY
WHITE HAND ORCS
If this card is eliminated for any
reason, cycle it instead.
“He emptied Isengard. I saw the enemy go: endless
lines of marching Orcs; and troops of them mounted
on great wolves.”
ISENGARD • ARMY
WOLF-RIDERS
ISENGARD • CHARACTER
SARUMAN
While in reserve, draw 1 additional card
each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your
draw deck, cycle this card instead of
eliminating it.

In their hands were tall spears of ash, painted
shields were slung at their backs, long swords were at
their belts, their burnished skirts of mail hung down
upon their knees.
ROHAN • ARMY
RIDERS OF ROHAN

WIZARD • CHARACTER
GANDALF THE WHITE
When played, remove Gandalf the Grey
from the game. While in reserve, draw 1
additional card each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your draw deck,
cycle this card instead of eliminating it.

MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BALROG OF MORIA
+ on Khazad-dûm.
When played or moved to a path or
battleground, each Free Peoples player
must forsake 1 card.

MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BARROW-WIGHTS
If in reserve and the active path is 4-9,
use an action, eliminate this card,
and each Free Peoples player must
forsake 1 card.

MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BALROG OF MORIA
+ on Khazad-dûm.
When played or moved to a path or
battleground, each Free Peoples player
must forsake 1 card.

MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BARROW-WIGHTS
If in reserve and the active path is 4-9,
use an action, eliminate this card,
and each Free Peoples player must
forsake 1 card.

SOUTHRON • CHARACTER
THE BLACK SERPENT
When played or moved to a
battleground, each Free Peoples player
must forsake 1 card.

MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BALROG OF MORIA
+ on Khazad-dûm.
When played or moved to a path or
battleground, each Free Peoples player
must forsake 1 card.

MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
BARROW-WIGHTS
If in reserve and the active path is 4-9,
use an action, eliminate this card,
and each Free Peoples player must
forsake 1 card.

ISENGARD • CHARACTER
SARUMAN
While in reserve, draw 1 additional card
each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your
draw deck, cycle this card instead of
eliminating it.

SOUTHRON • CHARACTER
THE BLACK SERPENT
When played or moved to a
battleground, each Free Peoples player
must forsake 1 card.

BLACK SERPENT When played or moved to a battleground each Free Peoples player must forsake 1 card MONSTROUS CHARACTER BALROG OF MORIA on Khazad dûm When played or moved to a path or battleground each Free Peoples player must forsake 1 card MONSTROUS CHARACTER BARROW WIGHTS If in reserve and the active path is 4 9 use an action eliminate this card and each Free Peoples player must forsake 1 card ISENGARD CHARACTER SARUMAN While in reserve draw 1 additional card each Draw step If forsaken from the top of your draw deck cycle this card instead of eliminating it SOUTHRON CHARACTER THE BLACK SERPENT When played or moved to a battleground each Free Peoples player must forsake 1 card

In their hands were tall spears of ash, painted
shields were slung at their backs, long swords were at
their belts, their burnished skirts of mail hung down
upon their knees.
ROHAN • ARMY
RIDERS OF ROHAN

Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning
on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand
Glamdring gleamed, cold and white.
WIZARD • ITEM: Gandalf
GLAMDRING
Weapon.

WIZARD • CHARACTER
GANDALF THE WHITE
When played, remove Gandalf the Grey
from the game. While in reserve, draw 1
additional card each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your draw deck,
cycle this card instead of eliminating it.

In their hands were tall spears of ash, painted
shields were slung at their backs, long swords were at
their belts, their burnished skirts of mail hung down
upon their knees.
ROHAN • ARMY
RIDERS OF ROHAN

Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning
on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand
Glamdring gleamed, cold and white.
WIZARD • ITEM: Gandalf
GLAMDRING
Weapon.

WIZARD • CHARACTER
GANDALF THE WHITE
When played, remove Gandalf the Grey
from the game. While in reserve, draw 1
additional card each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your draw deck,
cycle this card instead of eliminating it.

In their hands were tall spears of ash, painted
shields were slung at their backs, long swords were at
their belts, their burnished skirts of mail hung down
upon their knees.
ROHAN • ARMY
RIDERS OF ROHAN

Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning
on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand
Glamdring gleamed, cold and white.
WIZARD • ITEM: Gandalf
GLAMDRING
Weapon.

WIZARD • CHARACTER
GANDALF THE WHITE
When played, remove Gandalf the Grey
from the game. While in reserve, draw 1
additional card each Draw step.
If forsaken from the top of your draw deck,
cycle this card instead of eliminating it.

---

4
SHADOW BOT RULES
The Shadow bots play according to the normal rules, except as indicated in this section.
TAKING AN ACTION
Use the enclosed flowchart (see page 8, or the separate Flowchart Summary cards) to determine a Shadow bot’s action.
CONCEIVABLY WIN
The flowchart of Shadow actions includes the phrase “conceivably win”.
When determining where a bot should play a card, or if it is supposed to move a card, this phrase means: “If every Shadow card in reserve that could move to that location did, would the Shadow win the fight?”
When determining where you should play a card, include the card being played as well.
The Shadow does not consider what Free People’s cards could be moved to the location! Nor does it consider the state of combats on other paths or battlegrounds.
CHOOSE
Certain cards will ask you to “choose” on behalf of the bot. You are not expected to make the best choice for the bot, but for yourself! However, you cannot make an impossible choice – you must choose an option that is possible to complete. In addition, your choice must be a useful choice for the Shadow (see page 5).
CANNOT BE PLAYED TWICE
As in the regular game, the Shadow bots cannot play the same card twice in one round. If this is about to occur, cycle the Shadow card instead of playing it.
GAME PROCEDURE CHANGES
PLAY
Play a random card from the Shadow hand. A Shadow bot does not cycle a card when playing a card!
CYCLE
When you must cycle a Shadow card and there is no reason to look at it, don’t – it’ll make things all the more mysterious!
ELIMINATE
You may inspect the contents of a Shadow eliminated pile.

---

5
FORSAKE
Cards forsaken by a Shadow bot are usually cycled.
When the Shadow must forsake, it will do the first one
of these options that is possible:
— Cycle the right-most card from reserve.
— Cycle a random card from hand.
— Eliminate the top card of its draw deck.
MOVE
A Shadow bot may move cards played to reserve
during the same round.
WINNOW
The Shadow does not winnow.
USEFULLY
The flowchart includes the word “usefully”.
The Shadow will never play, move, or voluntarily
use text on a card that is not useful; however, if it
is even partially useful, or of dubious use, the Shadow
will use the card’s game text.
In some rare cases, it might be certain that some
action would not be useful based on knowledge of
what has been played or eliminated. For example, if
you know all of the Nazgûl are in play or have been
eliminated, there would be no point in using The
Messenger’s ability. Play as if the bot knows what you
know; for example, you might not be sure about the
content of the cycle pile.
IT IS USEFUL:
— To add icons to a combat the Shadow would
not win if combat were resolved now, but could
conceivably win.
— To force the Free Peoples to forsake, eliminate, or
cycle cards.
— To add corruption (regardless of the cost).
— To draw cards.
— To play a card to reserve. Remember, the Shadow
bot can move a card played to reserve on the
same round.
— To play an item on a wielder.
IT IS NOT USEFUL:
— To add more combat icons to a combat the
Shadow is already winning, except on a path
9 (or the maximum path number allowed by
the scenario).
— To play or move a card with only leadership icons
to a battleground, unless there is already an army
there to support it.
— To activate a battleground
that the Shadow could
not conceivably win.
For example, before the
Shadow would use the text
on Coastal Raiders, there
would need to be at least 2
more Shadow symbols
in reserve that could also
move to Dol Amroth.
— To activate a path if
the Shadow would not win the
resulting combat on the current path. However,
it is not necessary for the Shadow to be able to
conceivably win the combat on the new path.
© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S84
Ben Wootten
SOUTHRON • ARMY
COASTAL RAIDERS
If in reserve, use an action to activate
Dol Amroth if it is in the Free Peoples
battleground deck, and then move this
card to Dol Amroth.

---

Example 1: The flowchart directs Shadow bots to execute “use an action” text before considering other possibilities. Hence, The Messenger’s game text would be used, even if it might be better for the Shadow to move the card to a combat. That’s because it is useful for the Shadow to draw cards.
Example 2: Gríma Wormtongue cannot be used to take Saruman into hand if Saruman is in the eliminated pile, and likewise can only be used to eliminate a Rohan character if one is in play. However, you are free to draw 2 cards, even if Saruman is in the draw deck, if you think that would be better for the Free Peoples.
Example 3: Flocks of Crebain is on Dimrill Dale (alone). The Shadow bot will use its action to activate a new random path 5, even though this may benefit the Free Peoples player(s).

DIFFICULTY MODES
There are two difficulty levels you can play: standard and challenging.
When you play in standard mode, each Shadow bot player draws 1 fewer card during the Draw step than indicated by the scenario you are playing.
This means that, when you’re playing the Two-Player Duel scenario, the Shadow bot will draw 2 fewer cards during the Draw step.
In challenging mode, the Shadow bots draw the usual number of cards indicated for the scenario during the Draw step.

© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S66
Kuo Yang
ISENGARD • CHARACTER
GRÍMA WORMTONGUE
If in reserve, use an action, eliminate this card, and choose: Take Saruman from the draw deck into hand; eliminate a Rohan character in play; or draw 2 cards.

© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S80
Dmitry Prosvirnin
MONSTROUS • CHARACTER
FLOCKS OF CREBAIN
If in reserve, move this card to a path 2-6, even if the Shadow is winning.
If on a path 2-6, use an action to activate a different random path of the same number.

© 2023 MEE • SG • AG S109
John Howe
MORDOR • CHARACTER
THE MESSENGER
Nazgûl. When played: Draw up to 5 cards. At a time: take the first card drawn and then place the unplayed card on top of the deck.

---

A game by IAN BRODY
Game Design IAN BRODY
Development KARIN WESTON-BRODY and ROBERTO DI MEGLIO
Art Direction FABIO MAIORANA
Graphic Design FABIO MAIORANA and FRANCESCO MATTIOLI
Layout HONDA EIJI
Artwork JOHN HOWE, JON HODGSON, FATANEH HOWE, MATTEO MACCHI,
FRANCESCO MATTIOLI, ANDREA PIPARO, DMITRY PROSVIRNIN,
BEN WOOTTEN, KUO YANG, QUADRA STUDIO DI ANTONIO DE LUCA
(MAURO ALOCCI, DOMENICO CAVA, FEDERICA COSTANTINI)
Proofreading KEVIN CHAPMAN
Production ROBERTO DI MEGLIO and FABRIZIO ROLLA
A Game Created, Published and Distributed Worldwide by
ARES GAMES SRL
Via dei Metalmeccanici 16, 55041, Capezzano Pianore (LU), Italy
www.aresgames.eu

Retain this information for your records.
Version 1.0 — 2023.05.03
The War of the Ring, Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, and the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises LLC and are used under license by Sophisticated Games Ltd and their respective
licensees. War of the Ring — The Card Game, Against the Shadow © 2023 Ares Games Srl. © 2023 Sophisticated Games Ltd.
Warning. Not suitable for children under three years. Small parts. Choking hazard. Made in China.

---

Can the bot pass?
Is any other player or bot above the carryover limit?
Is the path number below the scenario’s max?
Is the Shadow winning every combat?
Pass
PASS? CARRYOVER? PATH? WINNING?
Can the bot move a card to a path or battleground the Shadow could conceivably win but is currently losing?
Move the right-most card that is both eligible and useful from reserve, in this priority:
1. To a path if the Shadow could conceivably win but is currently losing, or to the current path if it is the highest allowed in the scenario.
2. To a battleground if the Shadow could conceivably win but is currently losing (if there is more than one, choose the right-most one).
MOVE?
Play a random card from the bot’s hand.
Play the card, in this priority:
1. If an item, to the right-most wielder who is located where the item can be played; otherwise use the “if unplayable” text on the card.
2. To a path if the Shadow could conceivably win but is currently losing, or to the current path if it is the highest allowed in the scenario.
3. To a battleground if the Shadow could conceivably win but is currently losing (if there is more than one battleground, choose the right-most one).
4. To reserve.
PLAY?
Can the bot usefully resolve the “use an action” text on a card already in play?
“Use an action”, in this priority:
1. On a path
2. On a battleground
3. In reserve
USE AN ACTION?
BOT FLOWCHART
Yes No

---