Gandalf signets/pipeweed

[macheteman]

32

Starting Fellowship:
The One Ring, The Binding Ring
Frodo, Wicked Masster!
Legolas, Elven Comrade
Gimli, Unbidden Guest

Artifacts:
Gandalf's Staff
Narya
Ring of Fury

Companions:
2x Aragorn, Ranger of the North
3x Gandalf, The White Wizard

Event:
Sleep, Caradhras

Conditions:
2x Gandalf's Wisdom
2x Trust Me as you Once Did

Possessions:
Aragorn's Pipe
Gandalf's Pipe
Gimli's Pipe
The Gaffer's Pipe
Gimli's Battle Axe, Trusted Weapon
Dwarven Bracers
Hand Axe
Glamdring, Lightning Brand
Shadowfax, Greatheart
Ranger's Sword
Aragorn's Bow
Sting, Bane of the Eight Legs
Longbottom Leaf
4x Old Toby


you have a few things going on here. most notably, the deck is very possession heavy. gandalf's wisdom lets you play everything for really cheap. the lone event, sleep caradras is just in case of emergency. all your companions have the gandalf signent, so there is a lot of synergy here. trust me as you once did can be a great pump for any companion. you can also get your unbound companions stronger with legolas and gimli's texts. they make a good team for your starting fellowship. the pipeweeds make for great burden removal/healing, and help you cycle.

i made this deck specifically to pair with enola's turbo corrupt deck, and it works beautifully. you can cycle very well, and usually deck out close to the end of the game. you could probably even add a card or 2.

and it is a very fun deck to play. it really has a lot of synergy within it, and with the turbo corrupt. most cards serve multiple purposes, so it makes for a real fun game.

-mm

[macheteman]

oh, and comments are always appreciated.

[Olorin]

Hi there,

I guess Frodo Wicked Master is a better choice than tired traveller
...direct damage could be also useful... perhaps add 1 paths? or maybe even better: Aragorn's Bow... maybe also Bow of the Galadrim or Gimli's Axe... yeah... I think a little bit direct damage wouldn't hurt... just in case...

[macheteman]

wicked master could help a bit. i'll switch that

yeah, i had thought of direct wounding, and originally had gorn's bow in the mix. i took it out for space reasons, but it would probably be wise to bring it back in.

thanks for the review! gp.

[Olorin]

... keep your forked tongue could be a nice option...

1.) prevent all wounds to a companion with the Gandalf signet is really great!
2.) you make a lot of pool and therefor you ensure to get Gandalf's strength boost!

... let us not tarry...

[macheteman]

the problem with keep your forked tongue is that you have to have 3 twilight for it to trigger. and most shadows won't give you that. especially since this deck uses gandalf's wisdom to choke the twilight form the possessions.

let us not tarry was in the original plans, but again it was cut for space reasons. this deck really has no trouble getting companions strong. i had gandalf beat a siege troop pretty easily. a few exertions on hime gimli and legolas, and siege troop had 3 wounds and couldn't use its text. then smoke some weed to heal the fellowship and you're good to go. its a lot of fun.

there are some things this deck does well:
-get strong companions
-heal
-remove burdens
-cycle

things it does sorta well:
-choke
-condition removal
-wounding
-swarm prevent

[legolas3333]

do you have any way to get you pipeweed cards back 'cause it seems that if you used all of them your healing and burden removing would collapse

[macheteman]

no i don't, but i haven't found it to be a problem. i'll definitely think about that though.

[FM]

For Gandalf Signet, you could consider running Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir. Also, if you pack Aragorn's Bow, then you'll need his vitality, making Heir of Elendil a better choice. YOu could run Bilbo Baggins, Retired Adventurer for pipeweed recursion, as well as combo-ing out nicely with Frodo.

[Cw0rk]

Roll of Thunder?

Then maybe Final Count and My Axe is Notched... but it would probably add too much cards

[macheteman]

yeah, i can't add final count and my axe is notched, that would make the deck a little too big. roll of thunder could be useful for getting rid of grond. thats probably the biggest menace to the deck.

and FM, i'll have to tinker around with the bilbo idea, it might be just what this deck needs, and yeah, i should have switched gorns when i added the bow. but i forgot. i'll do some tweaking and make some changes later.

thanks for the help.

[FM]

I don't see Legolas being nastily useful, so I think I'd run Greenleaf over him. It's not like you play anything on him anyway. And you *might* need a Flaming Brand. I guess you could lose the pumps, and run Power According to His Stature over them. Gives you an out against swarms, and with choking combined with Greenleaf and Aragorn's Bow, I don't see anything else outside of "cheap swarm" giving you any serious trouble.

[Smeagollum]

For Gandalf Signet, you could consider running Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir. Also, if you pack Aragorn's Bow, then you'll need his vitality, making Heir of Elendil a better choice. YOu could run Bilbo Baggins, Retired Adventurer for pipeweed recursion, as well as combo-ing out nicely with Frodo.

I second this. And why don't you add Merry, Friend to Sam and a bounder in it? I would concider to take out:
Dwarven Bracers
Hand Axe
Glamdring, Lightning Brand (Gandalf would get to manu cards on him)
Shadowfax, Greatheart (dito)
Ring of Fury (dito)
2x Gandalf's Wisdom

put in another 2 Gandalfs pipes! You better add another Gandalf and A wizard is never late!   I think you have enough Golden signets allready with Gimli, Merry, Frodo and Gandalf. I would even concider hobbitpump Boromir from set 1. Don't fixate to much on the signets. Greenleaf, Aragorn's bow, 4x path and a Flaming Brand would also be nice in this deck!

Make sure you'll have enough healing and burdenremoval!

[macheteman]

i know i'm crazy, but i've never been a fan of PATHS, and in this deck where gandalf can pump frodo during skirmish, i don't want to be worried with the number of paths in hand.

greenleaf is my favorite legolas, i can see where he would be useful, and i'll try to do some playtesting. but legolas, elven comrade lets me pump gimli or any unbound comp, that has come in really handy when trying to spread the wounds.

i will try some of your suggestions, and see how they work!

thanks,

-mm

[Vroengard]

why is there an glamdring, lightning brand, when you only play one non-skirmish spell? every other glamdring is not better, but if you choose between two, I would take that with an ability to use....like that from Rotk ?!

[macheteman]

oh, that happened because i forgot the others made gandy damage +1. haha, i'll change that also. when i get the chance to do some playtesting to see which glamdring is best.

[Smeagollum]

or not to put in at all