The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game

The Fellowship of the Ring helpfully explains itself in the title: using the time-proven mechanic of trick-taking (as used in traditional card games such as Whist) the game tells a story – sort of – giving you fresh challenges in each round, or chapter, of the game. These chapters are played out in the deck of cards, comprising five suits. As you are a fellowship, the idea is to win together, which is done by everyone completing their objectives.

Each chapter begins with a hand of cards dealt to everyone. Then players each choose a character they’ll represent in this chapter. Frodo, for example, must win a number of the Rings cards, whereas Gandalf has a comparatively easy ride, needing just to win at least one trick. Certain characters can strategically assist each other by exchanging cards (face-down) in order to strengthen their companions.

Standard trick-taking rules usually apply: if someone leads a particular suit, then all players must follow suit if they have it, and the highest number claims the trick. Note that whilst the standard suits – Hills, Mountains, Forests and Shadows – are all numbered from 1-8, the Rings suit are smaller, numbering 1-5, and cannot lead a trick until a ring card has been played off-suit. Additionally the One Ring – and only the one ring – has a kind of superpower: you can announce whether you will win the trick or not, so it functions as a single trump card. When all tricks are played you either play again (if anyone failed an objective) or move on to the next chapter – there are 18 in all, and while we won’t put spoilers in here it’s fair to say the game develops significantly… and so does the challenge.

Sam says

I’ve mixed feelings about the Fellowship game. Trick-taking and story-creation don’t really feel like natural bedfellows, but in the early chapters there’s definitely a sense of a tangible narrative, helped by the introductions and the changing cast echoing Frodo’s journey through the book. However as the chapters get tougher – and a little convoluted in places – this immersion somewhat evaporated for us: not completely, and I do think there’s more of a sense of story than the otherwise-similar Crew games (Space and Sea versions are available). But I still enjoy trick-taking games, and as I write we’ve completed 15 chapters, with three to go, and despite reservations I am looking forward to getting to them – and hopefully the ring to Mount Doom. But it has even a mixed bag of an experience, with the ‘Long’ chapters (with multiple rounds and possible resets) feeling a little attritional. Perhaps this is intended to represent the sheer size of the task before you, as a Fellowship, but it does get a bit grindy in places.

Take That!

None - players work co-operatively
Fidget Factor!

Low - you need to be playing attention to what's being played.
Brain Burn!

Early chapters are pretty straightforward, but they get progressively harder!
Again Again!

Whilst the game is confined to 18 chapters, all of them are repayable. And as this is book one from Lord of the Rings, presumably sequel games will follow...