This card can be fantastic in a multi-sphere deck if you want to e.g. change the target for the Steward of Gondor mid game. If you played a lot of the cards from one sphere, but you lack resources to play cards from another sphere, pull Steward back to your hand with Bartering and play it on another hero.

You can also make use of it in a multiplayer game as a way of resource smoothing: if another resource-rich player plays an attachment on one of your characters, you can play Bartering, give him back the attachment and then play one of your own attachments at a discount.

If you own older sets, it also works BRILLIANTLY with Beregond - you can play a 2-cost attachment on him for free, use Bartering, play some other attachment on another hero at a discount and then play the initial 2-cost attachment on Beregond for free again. There, you just created 2 resources out of thin air.

It's a very useful card if you think about it. It may not be flashy at first sight, but I had great success with it. @ThimYorke has also featured one of its key uses in his review.

Not cheap, but he's got a hero stats and a hero ability. Throw Valiant Determination and A Burning Brand on him for a great quester/defender - even in Battle and Siege quests. It's a bit much, but if you wanted to go for a voltron Gildor thing and you can manage to get it set up then Sneak Attack Gildor in during the planning phase and slap Sword-thain on to him to officially make him a hero. Then he won't leave play at the end of the phase (since he's no longer an ally) and you've got yourself another hero to gain resources and throw hero-only attachments on.

Another dale ally and this one is pretty straightforward, his printed attack is on the low side for a 3-cost tactic ally but he makes up for it with 3hp which is always useful. Then his ability further makes up for his cost by bringing his base attack on par, works well with the warrior sword if you’re playing a dunedain deck so he could be used even outside dale decks.

A good hero that could fit into a lot of different decks, and fit any role you want him to. The first use for his passive is that you can bring some key attachments without fully committing to another sphere and it combos nicely with some other spirit heroes like dunhere or beregond that often wants some weapons or armors that are rare in spirit.

But you could also turn Bard himself into whatever you want as he is eligible for a lot of attachments that no other spirit could equip on their own, like a burning brand if you want him on defense. And with his balanced stats he could just as well become a quester or an attacker.

Then his response is a bit more niche and fit mostly into the dale archetype where a lot of attachments are played an allies, but as this one is not limited to items it could be used to make use of some niche attachments like defender of the west to create cheap chump blocker that can take undefended attacks for the first player.

A hero that turns every artifact in the game into a 0 cost high impact event, that gives you access to all spheres. I believe we still are yet to tap into his full power, but with cards like Andúril at his disposal, you should consider him strongly if you're building a deck with a lot of draw power. I believe he's fantastic, and one of ALEP's best designs.