With The Return of the King Decipher reverted to the original random rare distribution for starter packs. Also, for most sets, Decipher packed 3 random rares with each starter deck, giving collectors additional reason to purchase them (it was sometimes cheaper to buy boxes of starters instead of boxes of boosters, as each box of starters included 36 rares.) In Battle of Helm's Deep and Ents of Fangorn, Decipher did away with the random rares and instead included 3 predetermined rares, with the idea being to make sure that included rares went according to the theme of the starter deck (predetermined rares also saved printing costs, as it allowed the entire deck to come from one print sheet instead of two.) Fixed rares annoyed players, as it removed the incentive for veterans to purchase the decks, and it reduced the value of the 6 rares affected in each set. To offset the fact that veteran players would not need the starter packs, Decipher included 2 P- rarity cards in each starter pack that were not obtainable in booster packs. Combined with the fact that the starter rulebooks didn't explain all of the rules of the game (but only rules needed to play the decks provided, plus a starter-only rule that allowed you to reshuffle the discard pile) meant that while valuable from a learning perspective, the decks themselves were not very usable in a normal play environment. Unlike actual legal decks, starter decks had only about 50 cards, and the Shadows and Free Peoples sides did not always have the same number of cards. Each set typically had two starter decks, each one focusing on different cultures and strategies, so one could conceivably purchase both with a friend and get a good taste of what the game as a whole had to offer. Starter Packs were boxed ready-made simple decks that were intended to be easy enough for brand-new players to pick up and play.
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