I have a thing for high-statted allies, so I want to like this guy. But my problem with it is that its ability makes it look like it's meant to be a questing ally, but the amount of work you have to do to make it worth 4 resources and a deck slot is too much. Let's compare it to Ranger of Cardolan from the same cycle.
- They have the same traits, cost and stats apart from .
- Ranger of Cardolan's stats don't require any setup. In order to get Warden of Annúminas to have the same , you need to be engaged with 2 enemies. And in order for it to be higher, you have to be engaged with 3 enemies, which isn't easy even in a Dúnedain deck. And even then, you're spending resources/defenders on dealing with 3 enemies, while you could be using those defenders to quest instead and make up for the difference in anyway.
- Ranger of Cardolan, being neutral, can be paid for with any resources while this has to be paid for with .
- Ranger of Cardolan's ability is an upside that allows it to be brought into play more cheaply. Warden of Annúminas' ability is... usually a downside.
So in conclusion, if you're playing and you want a Dúnedain with good questing stats, you're better off picking Ranger of Cardolan. And if you're playing and you want a Dúnedain with good battle stats, you're better off picking... yep, Ranger of Cardolan.
PS: Warden of Annúminas even loses when you compare it to Guardian of Arnor and Fornost Bowman, which are the other Dúnedain from this cycle with a similar ability. The Guardian and Bowman each have base 1 in all of their stats, so comparing the Warden to them, you're paying 1 extra resource for 1 extra point in and , but you also get base 0 instead of 1 for the stat that its ability increases; and if you're playing an ally for its questing ability, then and aren't what you want to be paying for. If Warden of Annúminas had 3 cost, 1 and 1 , even if it still had 0 base , I would feel much better about putting it in a deck.
Update: I just realized that one thing that makes the Guardian and the Bowman outclass the Warden by far is that with the Guardian and Bowman, you can engage enemies and then immediately use the Guardian and Bowman's increased stats to help you handle the enemies you just engaged. With the Warden, you have to leave an enemy engaged with you for each round that you want its increased stat, which means you have to take an attack from the enemy each round, and if you're using the Warden for questing, then that means you're NOT using its 2 and 2 to help you handle the enemy! So now I'm not sure if I would play the Warden even if it costed 3 and had 0 /1 /1 like I described above. Though maybe I would play it if it costed 3 and had 1s in each stat, and I definitely would play it if it costed 2 and had the 0/1/1 stat line.