The best Lord of the Rings characters missing from Tales of Middle Earth
Missing from MTG’s Tales of Middle Earth are many of the best characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy book, including the likes of Haldir and the Watchers of Cirith Ungol. While the likes of Legolas, Gimli, and Tauriel have made it into the trading card game, there are plenty of other Lord of the Rings characters who would enhance the gameplay experience for fans of both the books and the films.
Characters we'd love to see in Tales of Middle Earth:
Elrond’s twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, were surprising omissions from Tales of Middle Earth and the film adaptations. However, they would add a lot of deckbuilding options to the set, as they are skilled warriors and archers, and possessed of the ability to foretell future events.
Haldir, the Elf who met the Fellowship and guided them through Lothlórien, also didn’t make the cut, despite his role in the books and Peter Jackson’s first movie. He’d be a great 2-drop defender, and could even have the ability to pump an ally, much like Guardian of Rivendell.
Gamling the Old, Theoden’s trusted lieutenant, played a key role in the battle of Helm’s Deep, and could be a powerful ally. Theoden himself, meanwhile, despite being heavily featured in the film, has so far only appeared as a Hero in the digital Magic game, Magic: The Gathering Arena.
Déagol, who discovered the One Ring, only appears as a corpse in the set, so perhaps there’s room for an undead Déagol card in the future. Farmer Maggot, known for standing up to a Ringwraith, deserves a spot in Tales of Middle Earth, while the Watchers of Cirith Ungol, the statues guarding the entrance to Shelob’s lair, would make interesting artifact creatures.
Halbarad, leader of the Grey Company, aided Aragorn in his quest, fought with him at the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and also appears as a Hero in Arena. Ghân-buri-Ghân, the chieftain of the Drúedain, helped ensure victory for Gondor and Rohan at the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and would make a powerful ally card – perhaps with the ability to grant sentry to an ally when he’s destroyed.
We’d love to see these characters make it into the game, as they offer unique design opportunities and would certainly enhance the gameplay experience of Tales of Middle Earth. For more on MTG’s latest expansion, check out the best new cards in Tales of Middle Earth, or our guide to the current meta and tier list.
