MECCG card sets

Middle-Earth Card Sets:

• The Wizards (METW) (1995): The first basic set, dealing with the good side, including most main characters from the books, like Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn. Pretty straightforward gameplay with relatively simple marshalling point cards and hazard creatures.
• The Dragons (METD) (1996): The first expansion set for METW. As the name implies, deals mostly with dragons, their treasure and the northern regions.
• Dark Minions (MEDM) (1996): Adds many powerful hazard cards including more undead and introduces the agents - a subtle group of Sauron's servants, concentrating on intrigue and influence. Also adds an underground network of site cards, The Under-Deeps, which later becomes The Balrog's realm.
• The Lidless Eye (MELE) (1997): The second basic set. Adds the possibility to play as a Ringwraith of Sauron and arguably makes the game more complicated with all sorts of support and effect cards.
• Against the Shadow (MEAS) (1997): The first and only expansion to MELE, although it also contains hero cards. Mostly balances the game by adding hazards against the minion player and some support resources for the hero. Notable are the hazard creature versions of the five wizards.
• The White Hand (MEWH) (1997): Further complicates the game by adding a third faction, the corrupted Fallen-Wizard, whose player can use both hero and minion resources and characters, although with restrictions.
• The Balrog (MEBA) (1998): Adds a new sub-faction to the minions, Balrog, who mainly depends on the brute strength of his orcs and trolls. It is argued by the player base that since the production of MECCG ended after MEBA, the set remains a bit overpowered because it didn't get a "balancing set" published afterwards.
• Challenge Decks (MECD) (1998): Selected reprints paired up in 10 balanced tournament decks.