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Well, I do see a lot of questions from people who are aware they are allies and supposed to fill holes in their lists, but are unsure as to how this works in practice so:
"Things I actually like in the Forgotten Kingdoms, not an exhaustive list" (no rating, these are always allies)
Monsters:
1. Basic Ents are good value for their statline and can be very useful run in multiples. Since they only have the 'Hard to Kill' table, they are random and could easily die from just two stray arrows. They could also truck on for multiple turns just soaking up the damage. So I consider them a 'high variance' unit, and would never take less than two. Their biggest plus for me is that they make good ambushers, since they are effective formations that will fit in any wood, no matter how small. Their biggest downside is that all monsters are just victims to proper shooting and spells. Since these are not hero monsters, they are harder to screen properly and harder to work flanks with. Ambush helps, but IME often requires a 'cooperative' opponent.
2. Hero Ents. are more expensive but can move at the double. While perhaps not the most 'efficient' thing pointswise, I find hero monsters fun to use and work well paired up with infantry formations. You want the Hero monsters to be always hitting flanks/rear and you want to keep them screened. Just as with normal Ents, 'Ambush' can be as much a trap as a boon to you, since it is often easy for a non-cooperative opponent to 180deg and nail you with shooting/spells, then go back to fighting the rest of the battle.
3. Hero Eagles. I see these working similarly to hero Ents, without the ambush and much more mobility. For all three of these monster types, ideally you only want to be taking three dice + supports of enemy hits - but even two hits could be enough to kill you...
4. The three Hunters. Not a bad way to get these iconic heroes into a list. I would use these the same as other hero monsters but in particulkar: you have plenty of might so call those heroic actions. I've seen this unit give very good service with good use of Heroic Move, Charge and Fight.
Istari
1. There are better spellcasters in the Elven lists, Thranduil and Galadriel being the standout examples. However, most people find the wandering Istari slightly more plausible. I think that which of the three would be the most useful depends a lot on what you are taking in your list. So discussion of them properly belongs with the respective list discussions.
2. Still: Gandalf's key strength is hero combos, especially Elven ones) where he can keep key abilities on low might heroes charged. He also makes a lot of sense paired up with Gimli. His spells are useful, especially the Dismay list, but not outstanding. In this game, spells quite frequently fail and Dismay is a list that is especcially prone to this given the factors involved. Wraiths make effective use of these spells due to the fact they can cheaply have multiple casters. This is harder to achieve with good casters, though possible. I wouldn't recommend making the Dismay list central to your plans for a 1000pt game but you could use it quite effectively with say Galadriel or Saruman at 2000pts.
3. Saruman (Good Version): Even at 1000pts, the 240 pt Evil version with 'touched by Destiny' to power Epic Ruination is a good deal. I take this to be the baseline comparison for Good Saruman, who is courage 7 (almost never fail those tests!), 3 might, Epic Ruination and channeling, and 3 spell lists. What he lacks is overlord, inspiring leader and touched by destiny. It think is worth considering something like 'Blessing of Galadriel' to give him more might, this will make him 250pts. I don't tend to do this at 1000pts would likely do it at 2000pts. Saruman adds something good lists seriously lack, mobile firepower and something to buff them in combat. 'Shatter Shields' can be highly consequential just on its own, and Saruman can also call Epic Ruination, which means that he actually dishes out quite a lot of damage with his direct damage spells. I see him as the most generally useful of the three.
3.1 For a Gondor Army, Saruman would be the Istari I took first. I generally have enough might already, when using that list, and it is range attacks that I miss. Don't neglect 'shatter shields' though - that one spell can make a big difference. It is quite handy that good Saruman retains the Dismay spell list as well, so the options are there if you need them (say perhaps as another source of 'Sunder Spirit' for Elves, or to disrupt/pin units). For similar reasons, he would go with with Dwarves, and can still potentially supply three more might to Gimli. I think that 'Shatter Shields' alone is enough to commend him to any good list.
4. I think you need to have a very specific plan for Radagast and he fits some lists better than others. I have found him a bit redundant for 1000pt Gondor, but would change my tune if we were going up to 2000 pts (1500?) and Gimli joined him in the allied choices, since he can still gift three might. I see him as having strengths that are more specific in their application than the other two.
4.1 To get is out of the way: Radagast has 'Epic Tranquility' and 'Epic Defense', this means that he is frequently used to create bunker units, particularly with Elves. The theory is that you take a unit with good ranged damage output, via eg Epic Shot and Spells, then make it very hard to charge (only a heroic charge can even get you in, and that is only 50/50) and very hard to damage you even when you do. A particularly extreme version of this at one GW event caused some consternation, but counters exist and we are talking 1500-2000pt level here.
4.2 His other abilities are pretty useful, Birdsight allows him to hit units out of arc with spells, which is very useful in this game. His ability to make a unit Pathfinders and inf charge further is my particular favourite. You can turn flanks with a unit led by this guy (though watch out for ES duels) and set up a lot of near sure-thing charges. Wilderness spells are funny but very good for specific applications vs some of the better units out there: 1. Entangle can hurt Mumaks, 2. Call Winds can force crossbow units to use might to shoot. 3 Nature's Wrath can nail artillery units that were using defensible terrain to achieve 360deg LOS.
Radagast seems best for Rohan (pathfinding Cav that can be rendered all but unchangeable) and Elves (Bunker units). A slight disadvantage he faces is that 'Epic Tranquility' seems to get some people inordinately riled up. I don't see why, since there are a number of non-melee ways to get at him (and there is always heroic charge), but there you are.
YMMV
(edit, forgot the Three Hunters!)
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