Magic the Gathering’s collaboration with Lord of the Rings is likely one of the most successful releases from this amazing TCG. There were a bunch of products released, and not just the regular ones. Some of them were brand-new things, never before seen in MTG. One such example are the MTG LotR Scene boxes, which is what we’ll talk about in this article.
We’ll answer every question you might have about them, including:
- What’s included in an MTG Scene box?
- How many Scene boxes are released with Tales of Middle-earth?
- Are Scene boxes worth buying?
- And more!
Let’s get right to it, and see what you can expect to get in this product.
Tales of Middle-earth Scene Boxes: Contents
Each Scene box comes with:
- 6 scene cards
- 6 art cards
- 3 Set boosters
- 1 display easel
If you don’t know what all of these items are, don’t worry. We’re going to take a look at each one in more detail.
Scene Cards
These are actual Magic cards, which can be used as game pieces. However, compared to the ordinary MTG cards, these have borderless art, which can also be seen behind the text box of the card.
Furthermore, the six scene cards in a Scene box can be aligned next to one another in a 2×3 grid in order to show an iconic scene. These cards are brand-new, and can’t be found in the main Tales of Middle-earth set.
Art Cards
Contrary, these aren’t actual Magic cards. They have the same art as the scene cards, but lose all text, frames, mana values, etc. The only thing that remains is the art. This way, the artwork really stands out, and you can see how the artist imagined the whole of it.
Set Boosters
There are various booster types available, and you can learn more about them in our MTG Booster Guide. Set boosters are the ones that are meant to be opened just for fun. They can contain multiple rares, and typically have one card that has alternate art.
Three Set boosters are included in every Scene box. While you probably aren’t buying this product just to get Set boosters, it’s still a nice addition, as it can be fun to open some boosters, not knowing what you’re going to get.
Display Easel
Finally, there’s the display easel, which you can use to show off your newly-acquired cards. How much value this adds to the box is hard to say, as we don’t know anything about its quality. It might be flimsy, and not something you’d want to use. On the other hand, it could be amazing, which would be a useful bonus.
That’s it for the general contents. Now we’re moving to the specific Scene boxes. While we don’t know the exact contents, we can make some predictions on which reprints we’re getting based on the artwork, which will be divided into six parts. So keep in mind that the cards that we’re talking about below are only predictions. Once we get the official information, we’ll update the article with it.
For each artwork, we also included in which chapter they happen. So, if you want to do a little reread, feel free to do so.
The Might of Galardiel
- Depicted Characters: Galadriel, Elves, Orcs, Ents
- Happens in: Book 2, Chapter 7, The Mirror of Galadriel
Frodo offers the One Ring to Galadriel, which refuses it. Nevertheless, she can imagine what would happen if she were to take it:
“I shall not be, dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!”
Galadriel (J. R. R. Tolkien: The Fellowship of the Ring)
The image on the Scene box depicts this potential future, and it truly looks stunning.
Aragorn at Helm’s Deep
- Depicted characters: Andúril, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Orcs
- Happens in: Book 3, Chapter 7, Helm’s Deep
Forces of Saruman attack the Hornburg fortress in Helm’s Deep, which is defended by the Rohirrim. The Rohan army is assisted by the future king of Gondor, Aragorn, and the unlikely friends elf Legolas and dwarf Gimli. The two have a contest of some sorts, each trying to slay more Orcs than the other.
This iconic battle is depicted in this LotR Scene box.
Aragorn at Helm’s Deep: Contents
Each of the iconic trio – Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, has multiple cards that could appear here. For Aragorn, the best option would likely be Aragorn, the Uniter or perhaps Aragorn, the Uniter. In the top left corner of the picture we see Andúril, Flame of the West, which will also likely be included in the box.
As for the other two, Legolas, Counter of Kills and Gimli, Counter of Kills make the most sense, as Helm’s Deep was where they counted who disposed of more Orcs.
That would leave us with two cards. One shows the Orcs, and might be one of the many amass cards, for example Foray of Orcs. The bottom right card is not clearly visible, but it looks like forces of Rohan, so perhaps there will be something like East-Mark Cavalier.
Flight of the Witch King
- Depicted Characters: Nazgûls, Witch-king of Angmar, Mount Doom,
- Happens in: Book 5, Chapter 4, The Siege of Gondor
The dark forces rise, with Nazgûl flying high above the battlefield and making the forces of light despair. The future looks grim for Gondor and subsequently the whole Middle-earth.
If your favorite moments in the story is when, everything looks the darkest, then you might enjoy these Scene box.
Gandalf in the Pellennor Fields
- Depicted Characters: Gandalf, Witch-king of Angmar, Faramir
- Happens in: Book 5, Chapter 4, The Siege of Gondor
Faramir and the remainder of his forces are retreating to Gondor. However, close behind are the dreaded Ringwraiths. When it looks like Faramir is not going to make it, Gandalf the White charges to his aid, turning the tides.
That exact moment is highlighted on this Scene box.
MTG LotR Scene Boxes – FAQ
In this section, we’ll answer some commonly asked questions that players and collectors have about this product. If your question isn’t answered, leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you.
We’re starting with the big one, then moving one to some more general ones.
Are MTG LotR Scene Boxes Worth Buying?
It depends on what you want to get out of it. If you don’t care about the art cards, and just want to get cards to play with, you’re probably better off buying the regular versions of the cards that you want.
Furthermore, if you’re mostly interested in Set boosters, then you’ll probably like the LotR Bundle, or a Set booster box better.
So, when is it worth it to buy one of the LotR Scene boxes? Well, it’s worth it, for players and collector who really like a specific scene, and want to display it – either in a binder, on an easel or perhaps framed.
If that’s the case, you can just pick your favorite Scene box, and get all the cards from that scene (both the art and scene versions). You avoid the hassle of buying the cards from the secondary market, and get everything neatly packed in a nice looking box. On top of that, you also get the three Set boosters, in which you might get some other cool LotR cards.
Additional Questions & Answers
There are 6 scene cards, 6 art cards, 3 Tales of Middle-earth Set boosters, and 1 display easel.
The scene and art cards aren’t randomized. While they haven’t been revealed yet, you’ll get exactly the same ones if you were two buy, two The Might of Galadriel boxes. However, the three included Set boosters, are randomized, just as every other Set booster.
There are four different Tales of Middle-earth Scene boxes: The Might of Galadriel, Aragorn at Helm’s Deep, Flight of the Witch-king, Gandalf in the Pelennor fields.
Although the product was available for preorder for quite a while now, its release is early in November, which is why that’s the earliest to expect these products to be shipped.
It’s November 3, 2023.
Conclusion
That’s all about the Tales of Middle-earth Scene boxes. If you want to learn more about other cool Lord of the Rings cards to collect, here are some articles to help you with that:
Until next time, have fun, and may you get something amazing in your included Set boosters!