1
Follow the three-step turn structure
Complete these steps in order: Do Actions, Draw 2 Player Cards, Draw Shadow Cards
2
Perform up to 4+1 actions
Do up to 4 actions with one character and up to 1 action with your other character, completing all actions with one character before switching
3
Move to a connected location
Move your character along a normal path, special path, or battle line to an adjacent location
4
Bring companions
Other characters or friendly troops in your starting location may come along with permission
5
Pay for special paths
The character doing the Travel action must spend the symbols shown on special paths
6
Pay for Frodo's movement
When Frodo travels, spend 1 Stealth symbol or roll a search in his destination
7
Roll a search when required
Roll 1 search die for each Nazgûl in Frodo's region and each shadow troop in Frodo's location (maximum 7 dice)
8
Spend Resistance to reroll
Any character present may reroll 1 search die per Resistance symbol spent
9
Share cards with another player
If your character is in the same location as another player's character, give or take a card matching your region with their agreement
10
Enforce hand limit
If the receiving player exceeds 7 cards, they must immediately discard or play an event card
11
Convert cards to tokens at havens
Discard a region card to take a symbol token matching the symbol shown on the card (Friendship, Valor, Stealth, or Resistance)
12
Add friendly troops
At a Dwarven, Elven, Rohirrim, or Gondor location, spend 1 Friendship to add 1 troop matching your location's color from the supply
13
Initiate combat
You may Attack if there are both friendly troops and shadow troops in your character's location
14
Shift the Eye of Sauron
First move the Eye to the region where the attack is taking place
15
Roll a battle
Roll up to 1 battle die per friendly troop present (minimum 1, maximum 3)
16
Spend Resistance to reroll
Any character present may reroll 1 battle die per Resistance spent
17
Show Valor
Any character present may spend Valor to remove 1 shadow troop per Valor spent
18
Check for lost haven
If shadow troops occupy a haven with no friendly troops, cover it with a shadow stronghold token and lose 3 hope
19
Capture a shadow stronghold
If your character is at a shadow stronghold with at least 1 friendly troop and no shadow troops, spend 3 Valor to capture it
20
Place a haven token
Put a haven token on the captured stronghold; it now functions as a haven
21
Gain hope and shift Eye
Move the Eye of Sauron to the region and gain 2 hope
22
Prevent future reinforcements
Capturing Moria, Isengard, Dol Guldur, or Umbar prevents shadow troops from appearing there
23
Attempt destruction at Mount Doom
Frodo may spend 5 Resistance to attempt to destroy the One Ring after all other objectives are completed
24
Roll the final search
Roll 1 search die per Nazgûl and shadow troop present, plus 1 die per hope missing from the hope track (maximum 7 dice)
25
Win if hope remains
After the roll, if at least 1 hope remains, the players win
26
Draw 2 cards from the player deck
Take the top 2 cards together after completing actions
27
Lose hope if deck is empty
Lose 1 hope for each card you cannot draw
28
Play event cards freely
Any player may play event cards during any turn; this is not an action
29
Resolve Skies Darken cards immediately
When drawn, resolve all four steps:
30
Remove Skies Darken cards
After resolving, remove them from the game without drawing replacements
31
Enforce hand limit of 7
If you have more than 7 cards after resolving Skies Darken cards, discard or play events until you have 7
32
Flip the top shadow card
Place it face-up next to the shadow deck to reveal which half to resolve
33
Resolve based on flag shown
If a red flag shows on the deck top, resolve the top section (Advance); if a black banner shows, resolve the bottom section (Reinforce)
34
Draw cards equal to threat rate
Resolve shadow cards a number of times equal to the current threat rate
35
Move shadow troops forward
Move every shadow troop on the shown battle line 1 space forward toward the haven
36
Move frontmost troops first
Begin with troops closest to the haven, then proceed backward along the line
37
Roll battles after advancing
Roll a battle in each location on the battle line containing both shadow and friendly troops, starting from the frontmost location
38
Check for lost havens
If shadow troops occupy a haven with no friendly troops, cover it with a shadow stronghold token and lose 3 hope
39
Add a shadow troop
Place 1 shadow troop at the indicated location (no limit to troops per location)
40
Roll a battle if needed
If friendly troops are present at that location, roll a battle
41
Resolve special orders
Follow the bottom section instruction:
42
Follow unique instructions
The Drums of War and The Wheels of Saruman have special effects instead of normal advance/reinforce
