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| elf lvr |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:03 pm |
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Joined: 13 Jun 2006
Posts: 3065
Location: Rivendell
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This article takes you on a ride through the most widely-used LotR tournament format... standard!
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Credit for the formatting mostly goes to Felipe Musco’s Block Format and Standard MTG article, with some slight changes.
Okay, buckle up and get ready for the ride! This article is very, and I mean very, long, so don’t start it unless you have some time on your hands! Here, I will cover standard format, the “standard” way to play LotR, whether it’s casual play or in tournaments.
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Table of Contents:
Here’s a list of everything I put in this article. Use ctrl+F to find what you need.
1. Intoduction
2. Rotating Out
3. Banned Cards
4. Popularity
5. Ups and Downs
6. The Prime Decks of Standard
6.1. Fellowships
6.1.1. Dwarven Tokens
6.1.1.1. Decklist
6.1.1.2. How to Beat It
6.1.2. Elvents
6.1.2.1. Decklist
6.1.2.2. How to Beat It
6.1.3. Ents
6.1.3.1. Decklist
6.1.3.2. How to Beat It
6.1.4. Ithilien Blade
6.1.4.1. Decklist
6.1.4.2. How to Beat It
6.1.5. Rohan Royalty
6.1.5.1. Decklist
6.1.5.2. How to Beat It
6.1.6. Hobbit Ring-Bearers and Smeagol
6.1.6.1. Decklist
6.1.6.2. How to Beat It
6.1.7. Solo Smeagol
6.1.7.1. Decklist
6.1.7.2. How to Beat It
6.1.8 Three Hunters
6.1.8.1 Decklist
6.1.8.2 How to Beat It
6.2. Shadows
6.2.1. Ninja Gollum
6.2.1.1. Decklist
6.2.1.2. How to Beat It
6.2.2.  Archery
6.2.2.1. Decklist
6.2.2.2. How to Beat It
6.2.3. Bill Ferny/Stragglers
6.2.3.1. Decklist
6.2.3.2. How to Beat It
6.2.4. Retribution/Event Corruption
6.2.4.1. Decklist
6.2.4.2. How to Beat It
6.2.5. Corsairs
6.2.5.1. Decklist
6.2.5.2. How to Beat It
6.2.6. Sauron’s Roaming Uruk-Hai
6.2.6.1. Decklist
6.2.6.2. How to Beat It
6.2.7. Uruk Hunters
6.2.7.1. Decklist
6.2.7.2. How to Beat It
6.2.8. Nazgul Turbo-Corruption
6.2.8.1. Decklist
6.2.8.2. How to Beat It
6.3. The Champion of Champions!
7. Getting Started
7.1. Getting Started
7.1.1. Just Remember This
7.2. Focus, Focus, Focus!
7.2.1. Splashing
7.3. Playtesting
____________________________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction:
Standard format is the format used by most tournaments and LotR players worldwide. Decipher promotes this format more than any other. For any LotR player competing in a tournament, an intense knowledge of standard format is necessary.
But what is standard format? It is the most up-to-date LotR format out there, consisting of the 3 most recent blocks, The Return of the King, Shadows, and the latest release, Hunters. Because it is much more restricted than expanded format, it has a much smaller x- and r- list. But more on that later.
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2. Rotating Out:
So far, Decipher has rotated out two blocks, The Fellowship of the Ring, and the Two Towers. That means that any cards in those blocks, even ones that got reprinted in Reflections, are illegal for Standard play. However, there are a few cards (Nobody Tosses a Dwarf, Betrayal of Isengard, etc.) that were remade in later series, that are still legal, for they share the same set number (for example, 12 U 25) as legal sets.
The next block, and the last, to rotate out will be King. It should rotate out around the time that The Great Eye or Shelob’s Lair sets are made. With its rotation will come the rotation of Reflections, making ARB’s and beloved cards such as Gil-Galad, High Elven King, and Durin III, Dwarven Lord, illegal for Standard play. Players can only hope that new ARB’s will be made, and new and improved versions of Gil-Galad and Durin will be made. Perhaps then, with three blocks legal, and three blocks not, Decipher will create a "Movie Block" format, for the first three sets, but this remains to be seen.
This process of rotating cards out forces old players to continue to buy cards, while not putting new players at a disadvantage against vets with classic cards from older sets.
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3. Banned Cards
Even with the more limited card pool, there are still some killer combos that Decipher had to outlaw. Here are the cards currently on the standard x-list:
Steadfast Champion: Removed from standard play because of the Fruit Loops infinite loop (described here) and its awesome combination with Treebeard, Keeper of the Watchwood. This combo allows for an automatic win.
Aggression: Simply too awesome of a card. With four of these in play, each of your dwarves could be damage+4, and it gives you an easy opportunity to draw 4 cards.
Memories of Darkness: Again, x’d because of the Fruit Loops combo, plus, it’s almost too good in some dwarf decks. It can replay discarded conditions, like the already x’d aggression, and other things like Loyalty Unshaken.
Galadriel, Lady Redeemed: X’d because it’s just a super-awesome card, and too destructive in Elvent decks. Since they run many events, this Galadriel can totally remove all opponents’ conditions.
Mordor Fiend: It can be used to make any card that removes twilight during the shadow phase infinite. If you play just this minion, you could remove twilight until there was less than three, add it back, and keep removing and adding.
Final Account: Again, too good, the ability to re-use any two cards you like.
Demoralized: X’d because of the Lurker Swarms shadow side (paired with Rallying Orc) and it’s an infinite loop with Rapid Reload.
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4. Popularity:
Standard is, as I have said, the most popular format for LotR, and for good reason. Decipher promotes the most Standard tourneys, because this format makes them more money, since players must buy new cards constantly. Again, another reason for its popularity is the fact that it does not put new players at a disadvantage against vets who have cards from older series.
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5. Ups and Downs:
5.1 There are many ups and downs to playing standard. Here are the advantages:
Again, I must say that standard doesn’t put new players at a disadvantage against vets, because they will all have the same card pool
Standard is the most prestigious, promoted, popular, and profitable format around! Decipher has seen to that.
It doesn’t have tons of broken combos, like Open, it doesn’t have the massive cardpool of Expanded, or the very limited one of Block fomats. Standard is the Basic format for players.
5.2 And now the disadvantages:
Veteran players will be crying over the loss of Ulaire Enquea, Lieutennant of Morgul, and Grima Wormtounge, as well as popular free peoples cards such as Eomer, Third Marshall of the Riddermark and Servant of the Secret Fire.
As sets keep rotating out, and the latest and greatest cards rise in demand, standard can easily be the most expensive format to play, despite its potential payoff.
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6. The Prime Decks of Standard:
Standard may have a more limited card pool than Expanded or Open, but there are still many, many deck styles and strategies to choose from. If you put your mind to it, there is hardly any kind of deck that you cannot make. However, there are difinately some strategies more useful and popular than others. I will show you a powerful standard fellowship side from each standard culture, how to play them, and how to beat them.
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6.1 Fellowships:
To win a game, you need a strong fellowship side that can beat down powerful shadows and run to site nine. There are currently 7 standard-legal fellowship cultures. Here’s a powerful decklist from each culture:
6.1.2 Dwarven Tokens:
This deck has gained immense popularity within a short time since the release of The Hunters, it has replaced pure-strength dwarves, becoming a very strong deck itself. A deck of this style usually goes for a shadow-kill, cycling cards with Gloin, Son of Groin and No Pauses, No Spills, setting up both fellowship and shadow quickly. It gains strength quickly with possessions, and uses Durin and Gloin as skirmish engines. Depending on your shadow side, Grimbeorn is a respectable splash.
6.1.2.1 Decklist: (35)
Gimli, Bearer of Grudges
The One Ring, The Ring of Doom
Gloin, Son of Groin (starting)
Durin III, Dwarven Lord (starting)
Linnar, Dwarven Lord x2
Proud and Able x2
Chamber of Records x3
Subterranean Homestead x3
Heavy Axe x4
Dwarven Bracers x3
Well-Crafted Armor x3
Ring of Fury
Ring of Guile
Ring of Accretion
Ring of Retribution
No Pauses, No Spills x3
Awkward Moment x4
Honed x2
6.1.2.2 How to Beat It:
This deck doesn’t go for a fellowship win (usually), so in turn the shadow will be beastly. Use a fellowship that can take it! The dwarves will get up to massive strength, however, this style of deck gives out much more twilight than previous dwarf decks, so choking should not be so much of an issue. A corruption deck should be able to run it aground, even though it can get more resistance than the average Frodo. Corsairs can probably beat it down as well, taking care of its possessions and swarming the ring-bearer.
6.1.2 Elvents
This is a deck that uses  skirmish events along with cards like Elrohir, Son of Elrond and Cirdan, the Shipwright to decimate minions and move multiple times for a quick and easy win. This kind of deck has become the new face of elves, and has become a force to be reckoned with in standard format, because it leaves shadows with very little time to set up.
6.1.2.1 Decklist: (35)
Galadriel, Bearer of Wisdom
The One Ring, Ring of Rings
Elrohir, Son of Elrond (starting)
Elladan, Son of Elrond (starting)
Cirdan, the Shipwright x3
Elrond, Witness to History x3
Celeborn, the Wise x3
Glimpse of Fate x2
Hope Comes x2
Asfaloth, Elven Steed
Still Needed x4
Final Shot x4
Attunement x3
Careful Study x2
Seclusion x3
Defiance x3
With all the events, this deck cycles really fast. It also uses Elrohir, Cirdan, and Glimpse of Fate to lower minion’s strength more when you play events. Elrond can put needed cards back on top of your deck to draw at the end of the turn, or simply to reveal for more strength with Attunement.
To move twice, this deck refills its hand with Hope Comes, Celeborn, and Careful Study. If you place cards on top of your deck with Elrond, or simply with their own effect, with Still Needed, it’s easy to pick up a new hand full of events each time you move. Plus, Elladan can reduce the twilight cost of your events to give opponents less twilight.
6.1.2.2 How To Beat It:
Elves lack burden removal, so a corruption deck (except for  corruption) might do it in. Even though the Ring-bearer has 11 resistance, a good corruption deck, if set up fast enough, can manage that. Corsairs won’t do much good for discarding possessions, as this deck runs so few. Swarming does seem to be a viable option, however, since they will need plenty of events to keep Galadriel alive through a storm of minions. Most beat down shadows will easily fall, except Uruk Hunters (the early death of Elrohir can cripple this deck) or Forestguls might have a chance.
6.1.3 Ents:
This deck runs a huge fellowship of powerful companions to beat down each and every minion it comes across. Paired with the  culture’s massive burden and condition removal this is one of the greatest fellowship sides in standard.
6.1.3.1 Decklist: (38 )
Gandalf, Bearer of Obligation
The One Ring, Ring of Rings
Huorn x2 (starting)
Skinbark, Elder Ent x2
Treebeard, Keeper of the Watchwood x2
Quickbeam, Hastiest of All Ents x2
Shepherd of the Trees x2
Radagast, The Brown x2
Brooding on Tomorrow x2
Ent Draught x3
Traveler’s Homestead x2
G for Grand x4
Watch and Wait x2
Look To My Coming x2
Momentous Gathering x3
Alatar, Final Envoy x2
Pallando, Far-Travelling One x2
Shadowfax, Unequaled Steed x2
Glamdring, Foe-Hammer x2
Using the ability of the Gandalf Ring-Bearer, this deck cycles like crazy. You can discard conditions with him, to be replayed with Treebeard, or discard companions to replay with Quickbeam, Skinbark, and Shepherd of the Trees. With all those ents, Huorns become very powerful. Give them Ent Draughts to increase their damage bounus, and you can take down plenty of minions. Use Watch and Wait and Glamdring, Foe-Hammer to keep your burdens under control, and once you’re set up (with the cycling and Momentous Gathering, not too hard) triple with Radagast until you win. But remember, burdens will pile on if you move more than once (a good reason to use Mellon! to get new cards, even though I didn’t include those in the decklist), so put Watch and Wait on companions that are sure to win.
This deck is well-paired with Moving this Way/Shapes Slowly advancing Nazgul strategies (MTW helps with cycling through the deck, and Shapes with Mellon! is just cruel!) and all the freeps cycling lets corsairs set up fast for an early swarm.
This deck can easily bag a fellowship or shadow win, and with condition and burden removal, is one of the most versatile fellowships in standard.
6.1.3.2 How to Beat It:
Ents have many companions (stops swarms), condition removal (good-bye Goblin Hordes, Moving This Way, Lost in the Woods, or Sense of Obligation to name a few) and burden removal (screws corruption decks), and so is a very hard fellowship side to take down. They have two real weaknesses: They tend to "pee in the twilight pool", meaning that they add horribly large amounts of twilight, and they usually run many companions.
The best way to deal with this deck is probably either Nazgul beatdown (with Unending Life for rule of 5 hate and lots of minions to take advantage of the large twilight) beatdown (Porter Troll with Mordor Scimitar and a few Great Cost can easily tear down their companions), or corruption (ents run very few events). Swarms will get smashed, despite the large pool, and most beat-downs will be left in the dust by the huge strength and vitality of the ents.
6.1.4 Ithilien Blade:
This deck runs a massive fellowship of Hunter rangers and uses Madril, Defender of Osgiliath in addition to Ithilien Blade to get rid of powerful minions, then beats the rest down with sheer strength.
6.1.4.1 Decklist: (34)
Boromir, Bearer of Council
The One Ring, The Ring of Doom
Mablung, Ranger of Ithilien (starting)
Gondorian Prowler x2 (starting)
Madril, Defender of Osgiliath (starting)
Aragorn, Thorongil x3
Unyielding Ranger x2
Damrod, Dunadan of Gondor x2
Invigorated x4
Houses of Healing x2
Decorated Barricade x2
Ithilien Blade x4
Ranger’s Cloak x4
Aragorn’s Bow, Ranger’s Longbow x3
No Travelers in This Land x4
This is one of, if not the, most powerful fellowship in standard. Every time a new deck idea is considered by a player, they will think “how will this deck fare against IB?” However, because of the power of the deck, the demand for the cards has driven the price of building it sky-high.
It is powerful because the Ithilien Blades can remove up to four of the strongest minions in play from the game. And with the high companion count, it can easily replay those Ithilien blades to fresh companions when their original bearers become exhausted. Aragorn and his bow can get rid of extra minions also, while providing the threats for Madril. In a pinch, Ranger’s Cloak can also add threats.
Houses of Healing, Damrod, and Invigorated provide healing, and Boromir begins with 5 vitality, making him a prime candidate for IB. This deck may dish out a lot of twilight, but with the IB’s working away at minions, the shadow player might not even get anything assigned to skirmish.
6.1.4.2 How to Beat It:
Even though the Ring-Bearer has low resistance, minions being discarded in the maneuver phase will halt all corruption strategies. Also, IB scoffs at beat-down decks, with four minions gone each turn. The way to get through at IB is to get rid of their threats, to keep your minions roaming. How to do that? Use Ships of Great Draught. This card gets rid of their threats in the shadow phase, and they can’t add them again until the archery or skirmish phase. SoGD is a corsair card, and corsairs beat down IB fellowship’s also, with Corsair Marauder discarding the Ithilien Blades and Aragorn’s Bow. Splash Ships into any other deck if you’re not playing Corsairs, because there doesn’t seem to be much else that can take down Ithilien Blade.
6.1.5 Rohan Royalty:
This deck uses the most powerful of Rohan companions to build a tank of a fellowship, kill every minion, then move up to three times a turn. Every card in this deck focuses on the strength of its companions, or killing off minions.
6.1.5.1 Decklist: (35)
Frodo, Weary From the Journey
The One Ring, The Ring of Doom
Theodred, Second Marshal of the Mark (starting)
Gamling, Defender of the Hornburg (starting)
Eomer, Horsemaster x2
Theoden, the Renowned x2
Eowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan x2
Horse of Great Stature x3
Rider’s Mount x2
Herugrim, Sword of the Mark
Eomer’s Spear, Trusty Weapon
Eowyn’s Sword, Dernhelm’s Blade
Sting, Bane of the Eight Legs x2
Rider’s Spear x2
Riddermark Javelin x2
Last Days of Our House x4
Rohirrim Doorwarden
Hamstrung x4
Fey He Seemed x2
Hurried Barrows x2
Not that hard of a deck to play, set up fast with Gamling and Last Days of My House, then move up to three times a turn to win quickly. Each hand weapon can give a damage bonus (with the exception of Eowyn’s Sword, which can wound anyway), and the others work to exert or wound minions.
6.1.5.2 How to Beat It:
Corsairs wreak havoc on this deck, discarding their possessions and swarming the relatively unprotected Ring-Bearer (although it takes 7 minions to get one assigned). Also, a good corruption deck can take it, because it has no burden removal.
6.1.6 Hobbit Ring-Bearers and Smeagol
This deck uses the three hobbit ring-bearers (Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam) paired with Smeagol to get their companions to very high strengths, and cancel whatever skirmishes they can’t win.
6.1.6.1 Decklist: (35)
Frodo, Weary From the Journey
The One Ring, The Ring of Rings
Sam, Great Elf Warrior (starting)
Bilbo, Aged Ring-Bearer (starting)
Smeagol, Simple Stoor (starting)
A Promise x4
Herbs and Stewed Rabbit x3
Hobbit Sword x2
Sting, Weapon of Heritage x2
Hope Is Kindled x4
Naked Waste x3
No Visitors x4
Community Living x3
Deagol, Fateful Finder x4
Daddy Twofoot, Next-Door Neighbor
Frodo Gamgee, Son of Samwise
The Gaffer, Sam’s Father
Get Deagol in your discard pile as soon as possible, and dish out the other followers with community living. Slap Sting on Sam, and use Bilbo and Hope Is Kindled for burden removal. No Visitors can be just plain mean, especially with Daddy Twofoot and Bilbo. Naked Waste will not be often replayed, but if they discard your There’s Another Way it can be a good backup card, plus, it’s a bonus for any of your companions.
6.1.6.2 How to Beat It:
Beatdowns will get messed up by no visitors and corruption by the burden removal. A swarm shadow will probably fall, too, unless you can pull off something massive. An archery shadow is probably the way to go here, although they can soak up archery with the One Ring, it might be your best shot at knocking off some companions and getting through to the Ring-Bearer. Also, if Uruk Hunters can kill off a companion early, then they could have a good chance of winning.
6.1.7 Solo Smeagol
This kind of deck only uses the Smeagol Ring-Bearer, choking the twilight pool and controlling the site path to make the fellowship side almost untouchable. This fellowship is normally paired with Ninja Gollum, for a shadow side win, but it is also very capable of running.
6.1.7.1 Decklist: (35)
Smeagol, Bearer of Great Secrets
The One Ring, The Ring of Rings or The One Ring, The Ring of Doom
Safe Passage x2
There’s Another Way x4
Nice Fish x3
Gladden Homestead x2
Fishing Boat x2
Nasty x3
Still Far Ahead x4
Naked Waste x4
Something Slimy x2
Clever Hobbits x2
One Good Turn Deserves Another x2
Out of All Knowledge x3
Where Shall We Go x2
This is a different format of Solo Smeagol, but I had to alter it to make it standard-legal. Load up Nice Fish and Gladden Homestead with tokens, and let Smeagol skate through with Fishing Boat. Smeagol’s base strength may be lower than in Expanded, but it leaves more room for events. Use safe passage with Still Far Ahead and One Good Turn Deserves Another to remove the twilight from all your conditions, or even events for a double move. Nice fish is good to fully heal up Smeagol before a double.
Naked Waste gets played and replayed (esp. after clever hobbits), Something Slimy helps out your conditions, Nasty can get insane power, and Out of All knowledge works with our small token base.
6.1.7.2 How To Beat It:
The choking is hard to get past, and with site manipulation for Caras Galadhon, swarms are hardly an option. Corruption could be a viable option, as Smeagol in standard format has no way to remove burdens. Beat-downs will find it hard to get out many big minions, and even harder to overwhelm this little guy. Archery is your best bet here, with the fellowship only running one companion. If you can get out and reinforce a few Howdahs, this deck could fall.
6.1.8 Three Hunters
This deck uses directed wounding, hunter strength bonuses, and some wicked synergy to take full advatage of the Three Hunters!
6.1.8.1 Decklist (35):
Frodo, Weary From the Journey
The One Ring, The Ring of Doom
Legolas, of the Woodland Realm
Gimli, Eager Hunter
Aragorn, Thorongil x3
Focus x4
Whatever End x2
No Quicker Path x4
Forth the Three Hunters! x3
Ithilien Blade
Aragorn’s Bow, Ranger’s Longbow x2
Bow of the Gladhrim, Gift of Galadriel
Long Knives of Legolas x2
Gimli’s Battle Axe, Vicious Weapon x2
Dwarven Bracers
Ring of Fury
Nine-Fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom x3
Seclusion x2
No Travelers in This Land x2
Use your conditions to pump up your companions, either by discarding them, or with the popular Forth the Three Hunters / Focus combo that rapidly gets rid of a minion’s strength. With hunter bonuses, companions have pretty high strength to begin with. Many cards in this deck wound minions, bringing down the most powerful ones before they get to skirmish. Add threats with Aragorn’s Bow, and use them for Gimli’s axe, then remove them in regroup to do it all again! And hunter minions can be taken down with NTiTL and Legolas’s archery ability. Focus heals Aragorn after all those wounds have landed.
6.1.8.2 How to Beat It:
Get rid of Focus! This will leave Aragorn’s vitality limited. Or use corsairs to make good use of the threats and remove other pesky possessions. A good archery shadow can probably do some damage, too.
6.2 Shadows:
And here come some of the shadow sides for standard, again, one for each shadow culture still used in standard (there are two for , I simply couldn’t decide!):
6.2.1 Ninja Gollum
This deck uses primarily two minions, Gollum and Shelob, paired with various conditions and events, to wound the opponent’s fellowship side to death with apparent ease. It needs to cycle through cards fast to get set up, but once it does, it burns through its own deck easily.
6.2.1.1 Decklist: (35)
Gollum, Mad Thing
Gollum, Dark as Darkness
Gollum, Hopeless
Shelob, Her Ladyship x3
Promise Keeping x2
Not This Time! x2
Hidden Even From Her x2
Fat One Wants It x2
Incited x2
Plotting
Final Strike x2
Web x2
Captured by the Ring x3
Horribly Strong x2
Led Astray x2
Little Snuffler x3
Sudden Strike x2
Unseen Foe x2
The purpose of this deck is to use its various conditions and events to kill off companions by directed wounding. To play this deck, you need perfect timing, and a well-cycling fellowship side. If played right, this deck can tear through almost anything you throw at it.
It tears through IB and archery decks with Final Strike, and takes down most  ,  , and decks with Unseen Foe. Against decks like dwarves, Shelob stops the mighty Durin from skirmishing, and elves, good-bye, Cirdan!
6.2.1.2 How to Beat It
Clever Hobbits destroys this shadow, removing all its conditions. The  culture can do well, also, with No Visitors and its many healing cards. Ents that use condition discarding can fare well, also.
6.2.2 Archery
This is the driving force of archery decks in standard format. It couples exertions from Mumak Commander, Giant Among the Swertings and Rapid Reload and good old archer minions, with some archery pumping events and conditions as well, to kill of every companion with ease, and potentially even swarm the Ring-Bearer once everyone else is dead.
6.2.2.1 Decklist: (35)
Mumak Commander, Giant Among the Swertings x3
Mumak Rider x4
Mouth of Sauron, Messenger of Mordor x3
Fletcher of Harad x4
Archer of Harad x4
Grima, Footman of Saruman x2
Howdah x3
Countless Companies x2
Rapid Reload
Caravan from the South x2
Precision Targeting x2
Elevated Fire x3
Pavise x2
It’s key to get out a plains site, even if only for one turn, to get Caravan to reinforce Howdah. Hopefully, you can get set up early with MoS, playing countless companies, rapid reload, and howdah.
6.2.2.2 How to Beat It
A large fellowship can spell trouble for this deck, especially ents, whose large vitality can soak up archery easily. IB may also be a difficult opponent, since they can discard your needed minions before the archery phase, and then heal up the wounds. Hobbits can also pose a threat, with choking and healing.
6.2.3 Bill Ferny/Stragglers
This deck uses Bill Ferny, Agent of Saruman to overpower the Ring-Bearer, by pumping himself up with Stragglers.
6.2.3.1 Decklist: (35)
Bill Ferny, Agent of Saruman x4
The Mouth of Sauron, Messenger of Mordor x3
Courageous Easterling x3
Bold Easterling x2
Easterling Scout x2
Column of Easterlings x2
Footman of Dunland x2
Furious Hillman x2
Last Days x2
Stragglers x4
Caravan from the South x3
Countless Companies x2
Pavise x3
War Trident x2
Play Mouth of Sauron to get set up, playing Pavise, Countless Companies, Last Days, Stragglers, Caravan… everything! Here’s how this deck kills: Slap down Ferny with a Pavise, then load up with minions such as Furious Hillman, Column of Easterlings, Bold Easterling, Easterling Scout, and Courageous Easterling. Then, use their various abilities to discard them, and play more minions with last days, and with some of the Easterlings’ game texts, more minions still! When you have tons of minions not assigned, you can start removing stragglers tokens (reinforced by the Footman, making it a plains for Caravan) until Ferny gets massive! As an added bonus, Furious Hillman can stop fellowship events in their tracks, and maybe even playing more minions in the process.
You will need a well-cycling fellowship side for this shadow, as you will need a hand full of minions for the play to work to its fullest potential.
6.2.3.2 How to Beat It
Hobbits can be the bane of Ferny decks, simply by using shadowplay to get him wounded. A deck with heavy condition discarding (blood runs chill or palando) can also make hash of this shadow.
6.2.4 Retribution/Event Corruption
This corruption shadow side uses cards like Porter Troll, Bound to Its Fate, and Mocking Goblin to add some burdens, then slaps on possessions and goes for more with Retribution.
6.2.4.1 Decklist:
Isengard Underling x4
Orkish Smith x3
Mocking Goblin x3
Porter Troll x3
Orc Miscreant x2
Retribution x3
Unforgiving Depths x2
Goblin Hordes x4
Bound to its Fate x4
Mordor Scimitar x3
Orc Spear x4
There may appear to be a low count of minions, but this deck relies heavily on conditions, events, and possessions. Plus, With the Unforgiving Depths/Orkish Smith/Goblin Hordes combo, you can pull back up to 4 minions, including the Smith, every turn. The strategy to this deck is simple: Run them out of events with Bound to its Fate, then drop Porter Troll and Mocking Goblin with weapons. Their game texts, along with Retribution, should add enough burdens to corrupt, and without events, it will be hard for the free peoples player to beat your minions.
6.2.4.2 How to Beat It
Elvents have an easy ride here, because they will hardly ever run out of events to discard. Also, ents with massive condition discarding, or decks with HUGE tank companions (Durin) can pose a threat to this deck.
6.2.5 Corsairs
This is one of the mightiest shadows in standard, and can defeat almost any fellowship. It can discard possessions and companions, beef up minions to upwards of 30 strength, and swarm the ring-bearer, all in one deck!
6.2.5.1 Decklist: (35)
Castamir of Umbar x4
Corsair Marauder x4
Corsair Ruffian x2
Corsair Plunderer x3
Corsair Boatswain x3
Corsair Lookout x4
Ships of Great Draught x2
Black Sails of Umbar x4
Corsair War Galley x3
Fierce In Despair x2
Wind That Sped Ships x2
Raider Halberd x2
Use your corsairs to load up tokens on Black Sails (to replay minions for next to nothing, and add more tokens) and the War Galleys (get initiative for WTSS and twilight for Fierce in Despair). Once you can pull off a good swarm, add your tokens on Ships of Great Draught, to pull back minions, possessions, and events for another swarm. Put Raider Halberd on Castamir and load up on twilight for FiD.
This deck gets rid of the bows for archery and the precious Ithilien Blades of Hunter Rangers. Any deck that relies on possessions to do the job will fall to Corsairs.
6.2.5.2 How to Beat It
Corsairs go down to possession discarding; however, is one of the only cultures that still pack that. Ents can be a problem, with their heavy companion count and little reliance on possessions. Elvents do well for the same reason.
6.2.6 Sauron’s Roaming Uruks
This is a king-block shadow that can still pack a punch! Soon, cultures like  will be rotated out of standard for good, but for now, they are still a force to be reckoned with!
6.2.6.1 Decklist: (33) (Credit for this deck goes to AC, from the link here, with his permission.)
Advance Captain x4
Advance Regular x3
Advance Marauder x3
Advance Scout x4
Cirith Ungol Sentinel x4
Cirith Ungol Sentry x3
Troll of Cirith Gorgor x3
Shagrat, Captain of Cirith Ungol x2
Rank and File x3
Flames Within x2
Grond, Hammer of the Underworld x2
Basically, this deck pumps up Rank and File to make minions strong, then uses the Advance Orcs to give the minions an extra boost, whether it be adding damage bonuses, making them fierce, or simply adding to strength. Flames Within is a good, cheap boost, and Grond takes care of anything exceptionally nasty.
6.2.6.1 How to Beat It:
IB is a good deck to use here, as it LOVES roaming minions. Just beware of Grond discarding Ithilien Blade. Anything with condition discarding, ents for example, would wipe away the base of this deck, and steamroll the minions.
6.2.7 Uruk Hunters
This shadow side makes hash out of almost any fellowship and leaves the free peoples player wondering what the heck just happened. With cheap, powerful minions, lots of exertions, and an event for damage bonuses, this deck goes for a quick and easy kill.
6.2.7.1 Decklist: (35)
Ugluk, Ugly Fellow x4
Mauhur, Relentless Hunter x2
Searching Uruk x3
Sentry Uruk x3
Chasing Uruk x3
Following Uruk x3
Pursuing Uruk x2
Seeking Uruk x3
Uruk Village Stormer x2
With All Possible Speed x2
Defensive Rush x2
Violent Hurl x4
Ugluk’s Sword, Weapon of Control x2
This deck can control sites to pull a few tricks out, but that isn’t its main focus. It uses the hunter boost, combined with cheap, fierce, minions to swarm and overpower the fellowship. Mauhur can handle big companions, and Ugluk, Following Uruk, and With All Possible Speed beat on companions, and you can dump an early violent hurl or two to kill off a key companion.
6.2.7.2 How to Beat It:
Ents, with high vitality and many companions, or Ithilien Blade, with their power to kill off minions, could take care of this deck. Also, dwarves with choking and damage bonuses can take care of them. Just make sure no one dies early!
6.2.8 Nazgul Turbo-Corruption
This shadow uses conditions, events, and game texts to add upwards of 5 burdens in one site. Throw in event recursion and site manipulation and the game could easily be over by site 6!
6.2.8.1 Decklist (35):
Ulaire Enquea, Thrall of the One x4
Ulaire Toldea, Black Shadow x3
Ulaire Attea, Second of the Nine Riders x2
Ulaire Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders x4
Ulaire Otsea, Thrall of the One x4
The Mouth of Sauron, Lieutenant of Barad-dur x2
Ithil Stone x2
Sense of Obligation x4
Keening Wail x4
Dark Swooping Shadows x2
Between Nazgul and Prey x4
Useful Sites:
Woody-End
Courtyard Parapet
This shadow takes perfect timing and smart discarding, but if used correctly, it can be very powerful! It adds burdens primarily with Sense of Obligation. Assign off your enduring minions with Between Nazgul and Prey and The Mouth, or use Keening Wail, then Dark Swooping Shadows. Once you’ve added some burdens, Attea will add some more, and Nelya and Courtyard Parapet throw on more. You may, at first, look over Woody-End in this deck, but if you play an Enquea with that, you can add a lot more burdens than you remove.
6.2.8.2 How To Beat It:
Again, IB and Ents do well, with minion discarding in one, and condition/burden removal with the other.
And those are the biggest and baddest decks of standard! But there’s one more that needs mentioning… a combination of many cultures for the fellowship… and a wicked Nazgul/Morc wounding deck with a Gollum splash… here’s the deck that just won worlds back in September!
6.3 The Champion of Champions!
This is the deck that won Worlds recently, using an interesting combination of Eowyn Wounding and Refuge. Decklist provided by decipher.com.
Frodo, Weary From the Journey
The One Ring, The Ring of Doom
Aragorn, Thorongil x3
Aragorn’s Bow, Ranger’s Longbow
Gondorian Blade
Derufin
Well-Travelled
Erkenbrand, Master of Westfold
Eomer, Horsemaster x2
Rohirrim Mount
For the Mark x2
Eomer’s Spear, Trusty Weapon
Riddermark Javelin
Spear of the Mark
Coif
Radagast, The Brown
Refuge x3
Seclusion x3
Celeborn, The Wise
Dinendal, Mirkwood Archer
Sam, Great Elf Warrior
The Tale of the Great Ring
Merry, Swordthain x2
Tolman Cotton, Farmer of Bywater
Sting, Weapon of Heritage
Legolas, Fearless Marksman
Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien
Ulaire Cantea, Faster Than Winds
Out of Sight and Shot
Ulaire Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders x4
Ulaire Enquea, Sixth of the Nine Riders x2
Flung Into the Fray
The Witch-king, Captain of Nine Riders x3
Ulaire Otsea, Seventh of the Nine Riders
Ulaire Cantea, Black Assassin
Ulaire Lemenya, Eternally Threatening x2
Morgul Destroyer x4
Morgul Brute x4
Morgul Spearman x4
Ulaire Nertea, Thrall of the One
Morgul Squeeler
Captured by the Ring x3
Gollum, Dark as Darkness
Anduin Banks
Woody-End
Buckland Homestead
City Gates
Cavern Entrance
Neekerbreeker’s Bog
Stables
Caras Galadhon
Mount Doom
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. Building a Standard Deck:
To build a top-quality Standard deck, you’ll likely need a bit of money, and a lot of patience! If you’re building one kind of deck, chances are there are hundreds of players trying to build the same thing. But you can also work to make every deck truly unique, and by the time you’re done, you’ll have something you can be truly proud of!
7.1 Getting Started:
First thing’s first. You need to decide on an idea for a deck. Above, you have seen many of the most popular deck designs for standard; however, by no means to you have to use the most popular ideas. Come up with a deck you play well, and that you enjoy using. That is much better than simply having the best cards.
If you don’t have a striking inspiration, or if you simply want to play using the best decks out there, you can netdeck. This means going online to find decklists and ordering/trading for the cards to build an exact or near-exact copy. This method is very expensive if you want top-of-the-line decks. Also, even though you have the cards, you’ll need to play the deck for a while to get a full feel for how it works, and if the style is right for you.
7.1.1 Just Remember This:
No matter what deck you choose to build, keep in mind the current x- and r- lists, and know what kind of decks you will be facing. Even if you aren’t using the most popular decks in standard, it doesn’t mean you won’t be playing against them. Try to anticipate every kind of opponent you will face when building a deck, from swarms to corruption to just plain beat-down.
7.1.2 Get the Cards:
This is harder than it sounds. With players over most of the world vying for the best decks, good cards can be rather pricey. Even so, keep going for it, with trading, and online ordering (from places like here at Cobra!) until you have your deck just the way you want it.
7.2 Focus, Focus, Focus!
Every deck has a purpose, a way to win, and a strict strategy to follow. Even if it is only to survive, or beat down companions, the deck needs to stick to that goal. Extra cards or additional strategies will often detract from the purpose of the deck, and most of the time, a smaller deck is a better deck. For example, if you are trying to build a  corruption deck, it would make little sense to put in Ulaire Attea, Desirous of Power, because he doesn’t help the strategy. Try to keep your decks with one theme, be it archery or strength, tokens or swarms, a focused deck is a better deck!
However…
7.2.1 Splashing
Most deck strategies can be benefited by splashing, or including extra cards from another culture into a deck. Many great splash cards have been rotated out now, but there are still respectable splashes around. The “Gandalf Package” splash is very popular, including almost any version of Gandalf (whether it be Leader of the Company for hobbits or Manager of Wizards for elves) along with Glamdring, Foe-Hammer (burden removal), Pallando, Far-Traveling One (condition removal), G for Grand (strength), and sometimes Radagast, The Brown (move limit extension) in a deck. A big splash, it can help cultures like or against decks, as they have little removal of their own. The biggest shadow splash is Ships of Great Draught, simply for its ability to take down IB.
7.3 Playtesting
Before taking a deck to a tournament, playtest it, whether on SdA or against friends of yours. You do need to be prepared for every circumstance, and playtesting helps you prepare your strategy, and make last-minute changes to your deck. |
Last edited by elf lvr on Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:42 pm; edited 3 times in totalHappy Hunting! Elf Lvr
Winner of Best Personality in the FPCA. Thanks!
Archduke Elf Lvr - Archidoux of the Chosen Ones
AMV Maker In-Training! Check out my newest production, Katsu!- A Diedara Tribute!
And behold, EL declared it good. And there was morning, and there was evening, the first (new) day. ~ DainIronfoot |
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| sickofpalantirs |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:30 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 7750
Location: somwhere, over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
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I think we have a winner 
I will have to read it before voting but looks sweet!  |
 Sop's haves/ top wants
(mm)"SoP: you will always be the Official CC Spammer in my heart"
"DáinIronfoot"
Spammers really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month. And yet, after a hundred years, they can still surprise you.  |
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| Beyo |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:34 pm |
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Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 60
Location: Poland
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And for me it will be only 4...standard is sick format and forcing players to use new cards is unfair a bit...thanks god we have movie and expanded format.
I like the decks you provide but this article looks like list of decks without deeper background so for me only 4 |
| Time in the universe may be eternal..our patience is not |
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| Pipeweed |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:40 pm |
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Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 1010
Location: Earth (I think)
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| sickofpalantirs |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 4:53 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 7750
Location: somwhere, over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
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| hew read the whole thing yeah depending on what you like this aritcle will either get 4’s or 5’s I forcast well I liked it and it wasn’t as long as felipes Gp and a 5. |
Sop's haves/ top wants
(mm)"SoP: you will always be the Official CC Spammer in my heart"
"DáinIronfoot"
Spammers really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month. And yet, after a hundred years, they can still surprise you. |
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| Felipe Musco |
![]() Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:02 pm |
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Joined: 18 May 2006
Posts: 2434
Location: Florianópolis, SC, Brasil
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Well, how could I give it less than 5, since I wrote just about the smae way, right? Way to go!  |
| I don't like YOU. |
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 2:43 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 1218
Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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| Felipe Musco |
![]() Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 2:53 pm |
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Joined: 18 May 2006
Posts: 2434
Location: Florianópolis, SC, Brasil
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| Hey, elf lvr, aren’t you adding the deck costs? It’s cool, specially since you’re writing about standard. |
| I don't like YOU. |
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| elf lvr |
![]() Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 2:59 pm |
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Joined: 13 Jun 2006
Posts: 3065
Location: Rivendell
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| Yah, I might edit those in soon, but I’m also gonna get to work on my article for NEXT month... thinking ahead here... |
Happy Hunting! Elf Lvr
Winner of Best Personality in the FPCA. Thanks!
Archduke Elf Lvr - Archidoux of the Chosen Ones
AMV Maker In-Training! Check out my newest production, Katsu!- A Diedara Tribute!
And behold, EL declared it good. And there was morning, and there was evening, the first (new) day. ~ DainIronfoot |
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| sickofpalantirs |
![]() Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 3:22 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 7750
Location: somwhere, over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
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one Q since I don’t play standard or in tournaments I am not to familiar with the decks but aren’t there other good Freeps/shadow sides?
IE
three hunters
gondor knights kinda got killed with the loss of alcarin Cots and such in TTT but what about Elven Archery? I guess they lost double shot.
and also oh whats it called
hobbit tokens and such hobbit power decks I guess. |
Sop's haves/ top wants
(mm)"SoP: you will always be the Official CC Spammer in my heart"
"DáinIronfoot"
Spammers really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month. And yet, after a hundred years, they can still surprise you. |
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