Shadowfax

"He is chief of the Mearas, lord of the horses..."

Being the only mount in Two Towers to give a strength bonus, Shadowfax presents an interesting problem. Since Gandalf can't bear him and a hand weapon, do you use Shadowfax or Glamdring in your deck? Shadowfax has the distinct advantage of being a mount and not a hand weapon which means he is untouched by Ulaire Cantea and the Troop of Uruk Hai. Being able to take on either of these minions without fear is a definite bonus.

Shadowfax also loses the Damage +1 on Glamdring, but gains the ability to exert the minion skirmishing Gandalf at the beginning of that skirmish. This is more potent because regardless of whether Gandalf wins or loses, you are putting wounds on your opponent's minions. This can be invaluable in fierce skirmishes or on a crucial double move. Also, exerting often prevents the game text of a minion, such as Wulf.

Unlike the horses in Fellowship of the Ring block, Shadowfax is not discarded underground, so moving to Caves of Aglarond or Caverns of Isengard is no problem for Gandalf. This makes Shadowfax much more versatile than other horses like Asfaloth.

Shadowfax is most at home in a deck that uses Gandalf as a main fighter. Because it's more difficult to eliminate a mount than a hand weapon, he is more reliable and more consistent. Mix in Servant of the Secret Fire and Trust Me as You Once Did and you have a Gandalf that's close to unbeatable!