Which Expansion

War of the Ring (Second Edition) expansions

Base game: 2–4 players150–240 minAres Games4 expansions checked
  1. #1 overall

    War of the Ring: Lords of Middle-earth

    Worth it

    Reddit says neither Lords nor Warriors is required; wait 4-6 base plays. Commenters call Lords excellent, balancing the slight Shadow lean with few extra rules. BGG rates it about 8.7.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: Figures and rules for Elrond, Galadriel, Smeagol, Gothmog and the Balrog, alternate Gandalf, Witch-king and Mouth of Sauron, plus new Companions and action dice.

    Fixes: Reddit commenters say it nudges the game's slight Shadow tilt back toward even (a claim another commenter disputes) and adds characters previously only on event cards.

    Expansion2–4 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeek
  2. #2 overall

    War of the Ring: Warriors of Middle-earth

    Depends on your group

    Reddit commenters were lukewarm: some call it bloat that adds many rules and swinginess. BGG still rates it about 8.3 from about 1.7K ratings, so many owners like it.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: Ents, Dead Men of Dunharrow, Great Eagles, Corsairs of Umbar, Wild Hilmen of Dunland and Giant Spiders as unique figures with specific abilities, plus Faction Dice and Faction Events.

    Expansion2–4 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeekBuy:Amazon
  3. #3 overall

    War of the Ring: Kings of Middle-earth

    Depends on your group

    A player calls it fun and dynamic but small; its new Shadow minions don't influence the game much. BGG rates it about 8.6. Suits heavy base-game players; no in-depth review read.

    Needs: Needs War of the Ring Second Edition (BGG lists it as expanding the second edition). No requirement for Lords or Warriors stated on the pages read.

    Adds: Free Peoples sovereigns (Theoden, Denethor, Dain, Brand, Thranduil) in three versions, a Corruption board, two action dice, 32 cards and Dark Chieftains for the Shadow.

    Expansion2–4 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeek
  4. #4 overall

    War of the Ring: The Fate of Erebor

    Most groups can skip

    A promo, not a standalone expansion: map overlays and cards for an alternate setup after a Shadow win in The Battle of Five Armies. Only worth it if you play that game.

    Needs: Just the base game

    Adds: Alternate map tiles, character cards and event cards for the War of the Ring base game, as an alternate setup.

    Mini expansion2–4 playersAbout the same rules loadBest for experienced groups
    DetailsReference:View on BoardGameGeekBuy:Amazon

Stuck between two?

War of the Ring (Second Edition) expansions: quick answers

Which War of the Ring (Second Edition) expansion should I buy first?

War of the Ring: Lords of Middle-earth. In a Reddit thread asking whether Lords and Warriors are required, the top answer is that neither is required and recommended only after many plays of the base game, with another saying to wait 4-6 plays. On Lords specifically, one commenter calls it excellent, highly recommended and adding to balance with few extra rules; others say they use it even with new players and that it corrects the slight Shadow lean of the base game at the cost of some complexity. One commenter says tournaments do not all use it. BGG rates it about 8.7 with about 2.5K ratings and about 13K owners.

Is War of the Ring: Lords of Middle-earth worth it?

Our verdict: worth it. It adds: Figures and rules for Elrond, Galadriel, Smeagol, Gothmog and the Balrog of Moria, alternate Gandalf, Witch-king and Mouth of Sauron, new Elven Ring Keepers and Lesser Minion action dice, and new Companions for the optional Council of Rivendell rules. Also figures for Aragorn and Gandalf the White.

War of the Ring: Lords of Middle-earth or War of the Ring: Warriors of Middle-earth: which first?

We’d buy War of the Ring: Lords of Middle-earth first. See the side-by-side comparison for what each adds and needs.

Other games’ expansion guides

Rankings are our editorial picks, built from the reviews linked on each expansion page. Last checked 2026-10-09.