Tom Bombadil playing cards

Numerous images of characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have appeared over the years, based on the original descriptions provided by the author of those works, both in words and, in some instances, through his art. Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadrial, Gimli, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins - they are all familiar characters now as a result of the Peter Jackson films and numerous other depictions in books, comics, calendars and computer games. Another area in which the characters have been presented and variously interpreted since 1996 is within role-playing card games. This is a well known and popular area amongst the so-called geeks and gamers fraternity, but not outside of that. As a long time fan of Tolkien's work, and especially of his character Tom Bombadil, it was only in recent years that the present author became aware of the visual representations presented with such cards. They can comprise fantastical drawings or mere photographs of men dressed as Tom Bombadil. A number of series have been identified, both official and unofficial:

2023 - Wizards of the Coast
2023 - ManaFlame
2023 - Phantom Proxies / Custom Proxy
2019 - Middle Earth Enterprises
2019? - Wizards of the Coast
2004 - Decipher
1996 - Tolkien Enterprises

The last two are attached to the Magic - The Gathering (MTG) game. It is interesting to note that during 2023 three Wizards of the Coast and a ManaFlame card appeared and, for the first time, allocated a level of importance to the character not hitherto seen, namely God Bard. Perhaps this arose out of the present author's research into Tom Bombadil and publication on the theory that within Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings he represents the Holy Spirit - an element of the Catholic Blessed Trinity, which in turn is the embodiment of the concept of three persons in one God. The precise meaning of the title God Bard is discussed further below. The examples presented are all those cards known to the author as of November 2023.

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Tom Bombadil cards

* 2023 - Wizards of the Coast

Title: Tom Bombadil, Wizards of the Coast, M 0745 LTR / EN, available in foil, non-foil, and a limited edition poster of 100 copies.

Release date: 3 November 2023.

Artist: Micha Huigen.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Superset name: Universes Beyond. Type: Legendary Creatures. Subtype: God Bard.

Card text: As long as there are four or more lore counters among Sagas you control, Tom Bombadil has hexproof and indestructible. Whenever the final chapter ability of a Saga you control resolves, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a Saga card. Put that card onto the battlefield and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. This ability triggers only once each turn.

Title: Tom Bombadil, Wizards of the Coast, M 0331 LTR / EN, Foil.

Release date: 3 November 2023.

Artist: Marko Maney.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Superset name: Universes Beyond. Type: Legendary Creatures. Subtype: God Bard.

Title: Tom Bombadil, Wizards of the Coast, M 0234 LTR / EN, Foil.

Release date: 2023 (English and Japanese).

Artist: Marko Maney.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Superset name: Universes Beyond. Type: Legendary Creatures. Subtype: God Bard.

Title: Bombadil's Song, Wizards of the Coast, M0154 LTR / EN, non-foil. #1

Release date: 2023.

Artist: Marie Magny.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Type: Instant.

Card text: Target creature you control gets +1 /+1 and gains hexproof until end of turn. The Ring tempts you. (A creature with hexproof can't be the target of spells or abilities you opponents control.) "Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong! hop along! fa lal the willow! Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!

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2023 - ManaFlame

Title: Tom Bombadil, ManaFlame, 001/100M. Part of a Tom Bombadil Sagas set.

Release date: 2023?

Artist: Unknown.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Type: Legendary Creature. Subtype: God Bard.

Card text: Identical text to the Wizards of the Coast card M 0745.

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2023 - Phantom Proxies / Unofficial Proxy / Custom Proxy

Title: Tom Bombadil, Unofficial Proxy, 4/4, foil, borderless metal proxy for commander.

Release date: 2023?

Artist: Unknown.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Type: Legendary Creature. Subtype: God Bard.

Card text: Identical text to the Wizards of the Coast card M 0745.

Title: Tom Bombadil, Liquid Lockup / Custom Proxy, 4/4. Part of Complete Commander Proxy Deck (108 cards).

Release date: 2023?

Artist: Unknown.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Type: Legendary Creature. Subtype: God Bard.

Card text: Identical text to the Wizards of the Coast card M 0745.

Title: Tom Bombadil, Phantom Proxies, 4/4.

Release date: 2023?

Artist: Borja Pindado.

Game name: Magic - The Gathering. Type: Legendary Creature. Subtype: God Bard.

Card text: Identical text to the Wizards of the Coast card M 0745.

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* 2019 - Middle Earth Enterprises

Title: Tom Bombadil, Middle Earth Enterprises, #4.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Borta Pindado and Brothers Hildebrand.

Game name: Unknown. Type: Ally.

Card text:Eldest. Immune to player card effects. While Tom Bombadil is in play, players do not make engagement checks. Response: After a player engages an enemy with a higher engagement cost than their threat, that enemy gets -3 & until the end of a round. Forced: At the end of the round, discard Tom Bombadil from play.

Title: Tom Bombadil, Middle Earth Enterprises, #6.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Borta Pindado and Brothers Hildebrand.

Game name: Unknown. Type: Legend - Encounter - Ally. Wrath and Ruin #10.

Card text: When Revealed: Choose a player. That player gains control of Tom Bombadil, ready and committed to the quest. At the end of the round, remove Tom Bombadil and a copy of Tom Bombadillo! in the victory display from the game. This effect cannot be cancelled.

Title: Tom Bombadillo! Middle Earth Enterprises, #2.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: David Keen.

Game name: RingsDB. Type: Event.

Card text: Song - Play only if you control a Hobbit hero. You cannot play this card if there is a copy of Tom Bombadil in the victory display. Planning Action: Add Tom Bombadillo! to the victory display to shuffle a set-aside copy of Tom Bombadil into the encounter deck.

Title: Ho! Bombadil! Middle Earth Enterprises, #0.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Romana Kendelic.

Game name: RingsDB. Type: Event. Boon. Victory 1.

Card text: Song. Setup: The first player adds this card to his hand. Response: Add this card to the victory display and remove it from the campaign pool to cancel the "when revealed" effects of an encounter card just revealed from the encounter deck.

Title: Tom Bombadil. Middle Earth Enterprises, #6.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Romana Kendelic.

Game name: Hall of Beorn. Sunset: Fog on the Barrow Downs. Type: Objective - Ally.

Card text: Legend. When Revealed: Choose a player. That player gains control of Tom Bombadil, ready and committed to the quest. At the end of the round, discard Tom Bombadil. Then shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. This effect cannot be canceled. "Tom Bom, Jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!" –Tom Bombadil, The Fellowship of the Ring.

Title: Tom Bombadil. Middle Earth Enterprises, #4.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Romana Kendelic.

Game name: RingDB. Type: Legend.

Card text:Fleeting Arrival: Defect 1 Minion.

Title: The House of Tom Bombadil. Middle Earth Enterprises, #1B.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Emrah Elmasri.

Game name: Hall of Beorn. Sunset: Fog on the Barrow Downs.

Card text: "Let us shut out the night!" she said. "For you are still afraid, perhaps, of mist and tree–shadows and deep water, and untame things. Fear nothing! For tonight you are under the roof of Tom Bombadil." The Fellowship of the Ring. Skip the quiet phase. Forced: At the end of the round place 1 progress t this stage.

Title: The House of Tom Bombadil. Middle Earth Enterprises, #1B.

Release date: 2019.

Artist: Emrah Elmasri.

Game name: Hall of Beorn. Sunset: Fog on the Barrow Downs.

Card text: After rescuing the hobbits from Old Man Willow, Tom Bombadil has invited Frodo and his friends to stay the night in his house. There they are greeted warmly by his wife, Goldberry, the River–daughter. Setup: Set each copy of Great Barrow, Standing Stones and Great Circle aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck.

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2019? - Wizards of the Coast

Title: Tom Bombadil, ?Wizards of the Coast. #15/15.

Release date: 2004?

Artist: ?Borta Pindado and Brothers Hildebrand.

Game name: Unknown. Type: Legendary Creature - Forest Spirit - Someone Awesome.

Card text: Defender, forest home. Tom Bombadil is indestructible. Tom Bombadil may not be equipped. <> Prevent all damage target spirit would do to halflings this turn.

Title: Tom Bombadil, A Merry fellow. Wizards of the Coast. #3. Custom card. Not for sale.

Release date: 2019?

Artist: Borta Pindado and Brothers Hildebrand.

Game name: RingsDB. Type: Legendary Planesworker.

Card text: +1 You draw a card. Each opponent exiles a card from their hand or a permanent they control. -2 Prevail all combat damage that would be dealt this turn. Activate only before the combat damage step.

Title: The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Wizards of the Coast. #2. Custom card. Not for sale.

Release date: 2019?

Artist: Borta Pindado and Brothers Hildebrand.

Game name: RingsDB. Type: Enchantment - Tale.

Card text: This card can only be cast from your tome if your devotion is to <>. Roll 1D6, every turn you gain the ability / effect corresponding to the result. I II Return up to three target land cards from your graveyard to your hand. III IV Player may cast creature spells with mana value 3 or less without paying their mana costs and as though they had flash. V Exile this Saga, then return it to the battlefield transformed under your control.

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* 2004 - Decipher

Title: Tom Bombadil, The Master, Decipher, 2004, Foil, Promo.

Release Date: 2004.

Artist: Unknown.

Game Name: Unknown. Type: Ally / Home 2 / 14 / 9, #5.

Card text: To play, remove 2 burdens or 2 threats.Skirmish: Spot 2 ~ companions and exert Tom Bombadil X times, where X is the fellowship's site number, to cancel a skirmish involving ~ companion. "Hey! Come derry dol! Can you hear me singing?"

Title: Tom Bombadil, The Master, Decipher, 2004, Foil, Promo.

Release Date: 2004.

Artist: Unknown.

Game Name: Unknown. Type: Possession / Support Area, #1.

Card text: To play, spot 2 ~ companions . Each time a Shadow card adds a burden or a threat, add ~ token here. Fellowship: Remove 2 ~ tokens from here to remove a burden. "... there appeared above the reeds an old battered hat a tall crown and a long blue feather...."

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* 1996 - Tolkien Enterprises

Title: Tom Bombadil, Middle Earth, Les Sorciers, 12/11, France.

Date: 1996.

Art: Angus McBeen.

Game name: Unknown. Type: Sage Ally / Allie Sage.

Card text: Unique. Playable at Old Forest. Tap to cancel the effects of one hazard that targets any company moving to a site in: Arthurdain, Cardolan, Rhudaur, or The Shire. Discard Tom Bombadil if his company moves to a site that is not in: Arthurdain, Cardolan, Rhudaur, or The Shire.

Tom Bombadil Loves Sagas, MTGGoldfish, YouTube, duration: 25.51 minutes.

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God Bard

A summary of the God Bard card for Tom Bombadil can be found in a 2023 article by gamer Danny Foster, relevant sections from that include the following:

Wizards of the Coast has tapped deep into the Lord of the Rings lore with Tom Bombadil, making him a God Bard in all five colors with Saga synergy. Telling tales is a part of the Middle-Earth life, and Tom Bombadil has a story for everything, having witnessed most of the significant events that took place throughout the three Ages. Revealed today by Wizards of the Coast’s “first look” at The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth (LTR) set, Tom Bombadil is a legendary creature that was included in the set despite his elusive background in the books. The passive and regular abilities for Tom Bombadil are flavorful but not practical outside of a build that focuses on Sagas. He is a potential commander of a Saga deck, having all five colors in his casting cost, along with the ability to essentially fetch another Saga when one on the battlefield runs out of chapters and stories to tell. (Foster 2023)

To those unfamiliar with role-playing game terminology, the above may not make much sense. However, the following account by game player Kyle Organ is useful:

When you have a Saga card in play it enters with 1 lore counter on the card showing how progressed the story is. Over the next few turns you place 1 extra lore counter on each saga you have in play activating the new abilities that come with that chapter of the saga. When a saga reaches a fixed amount of chapters it ends and is discarded to the graveyard. This is generally 3 chapters with most sagas, but you have ones like long list of the Ents with 6 chapters just to show how long it is. So that is the basic of sagas and as long as you have either just started 4 new sagas, or have a couple already progressed, Tom Bombadil is damn near unkillable. Indestructible just means "cannot be destroyed" which is how you remove creatures in the game. Hexproof means "cannot be targeted by enemy spells" which means non destruction removal spells cannot even be cast in his direction, as he is just that powerful. Tom's second ability is talking about when a saga finishes and is discarded, then he can just start another one, immediately pulling another random story out to tell, that is, he pulls out another saga. 'God Bard' is the type of creature he is basically, like how this Witch King card is a 'Wraith Noble', and a saga is just a special type of card. A 'Saga' is just a special type of card.

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References

Foster, Danny, Storyteller Tom Bombadil is a WUBRG God Bard in MTG Lord of the Rings - The mysterious Tom Bombadil tells tales through Sagas, Dot Esports, 14 March 2023.

Tom Bombadil Loves Sagas, MTGGoldfish, YouTube, duration: 25.51 minutes.

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Last updated: 11 November 2023

Michael Organ, Australia (Home)

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