Tales

[chompers]

Hi all - I have been working on a FoTR block deck based on tales, but having some issues (maybe because it is a bad idea  ). Either way, I have little experience with FoTR movie block, so interested in some help.

I have considered using Aragorn and Legolas archery
 OR
Boromir with horn to call forward allies
each with mass heal from burden removal and shire countryside for the bulk of this deck.

So - at this stage I have:

Bid to go first (at least 4 - they will be removed later to heal)
Play Hobbiton Party Field to get Bilbo Baggins WSG (to discard Tales and destroy shadow conditions)
Ringbearer - Frodo Old Bilbo's Heir to heal Bilbo

Start - Legolas Greenleaf with Hobbit/s (Aragorn and his bow, gondor bowmen, and mass heal)
or
Merry FOTB and Boromir and horn with allies

4 x The Council of Elrond to get tales
1 x Red Book of Westmarch for mass draws
4 x Songs of the Blessed Realm to remove burdens (by playing elven tales) or 4 x Elf-Song to remove burdens
4 x The Shire Countryside to mass heal

Has this been done before - any suggestions? My concern is that it simply costs too much shadow. Hope my post makes sense. What shadow should i combine it with?

[ket_the_jet]

There are not many good tales in FoTR block (at least, none you would want to discard on a whim) but Answering the Cries is such a bad-#$&*@! card.

Also, keep in mind with Red Book of Westmarch the Rule of four.

Hobbiton Party Field is one of my favorite sites ever!
-wtk

[ket_the_jet]

The Choice of Luthien
The Saga of Elendil
Banner of the White Tree
Gondor Bowmen
Might of Numenor
Some Who Resisted

Scroll of Isildur

According to Zorbec's, those are the only Movie Block eligible tales...in case anyone wondered.
-wtk

[ket_the_jet]

chompers: Sorry to triple post, but if you want to get on GCCG, I can show you a few tricks if you want to play a game!
-wtk

[chompers]

Answering the cries is perfect for the deck - costs nothing - and has little value expect for discard. Doesn't trigger Songs of the Blessed Realm, but all Elven Tales in FoTR block cost at least one.

I would like to see a card that reduces cost of tales or all the support cards - they are so expensive.

[ket_the_jet]

tales are pretty cheap...starting with Till Durin Wakes Again. Song of Durin, Stairs of Khazad-Dum, and Greatest Kingdom of My People are all as well!

Plus, then you have Gloin, Friend to Thorin.
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

I made a Noble Leaders/Bilbo movie block deck with Answering the cries and it worked well.

For Fellowship block, the lack of Gondor characters may be an issue. I would suggest playing a choke deck with Frodo-Sam-Aragorn-Boromir as the main character. Put Gimli, DotMR in starting fellowship for some site 4-5 choke then kill him. You can use 4x A Promise. 2x Answering the cries, 4x Might of Numenor and 4x Banner of the white tree would be nice.

I also made a FOTR block dwarven deck with tales and Bilbo. Its a 60/60 (maybe its even move) deck including 4 Mines of Khazad Dum and 4 Realm of Dwarrowdelf. It works fine when paired with Moria swarm.

I tried to use Song of the Blessed realm in the past but it never worked well.

[Gil-Estel]

If you go with allies, make sure you pack Thror's Map or Pathfinder to avoid the site which forces you to discard you allies!

[sharkey]

Oh, there is also Voice of Nimrodel, but that isn't always useful. It can get you out of a tight spot. And There and Back Again is another good one.

[Kralik]

Are you sure bidding 4 is worth it without Sam in your starting Fellowship? That's one burden away from Shotgun Enquea and all your opponent needs for Toldea MoM...

[chompers]

My thoughts on four is that i need burdens to remove to cause the heal - both versions of the deck do alot of exerting - so i will need to heal. Without a way to add burdens, i will rely on removing these to heal. The frodo card that adds burdens is an option, but it adds more bulk to the deck without adding tales.

Perhaps 3 is enough, but i have played a few people that have bid 3, but never 4. Those that bid 3 rely heavily on downloading aragorn at site one so perhaps i have hit them with a major deck hurdle right at the beginning.

Another option is to play an elf + sam in starting fellowship and the promise to beef up frodo and sam. Not sure on the overall theme using this combination though.

At this stage I am starting to think that Gloin with an elf in the starting fellowship is the way to go. Dwarven tales a cheap, sometimes useless (other than to increase gloins strength) and to discard with bilbo. The elf allow me to download tales, and red book allows me to draw extra cards. Problem is - there is not really a good elf uless i plan to do archery. Dwarves also have so many possessions which are always a temptation to put in the deck and throw out the balance of tales.

Thanks for all the help - i will put something together and try it out on GCCG soon.

[ket_the_jet]

The One Ring can add burdens during archery or skirmish. Just a thought.
-wtk

[Cw0rk]

My thoughts on four is that i need burdens to remove to cause the heal - both versions of the deck do alot of exerting - so i will need to heal. Without a way to add burdens, i will rely on removing these to heal. The frodo card that adds burdens is an option, but it adds more bulk to the deck without adding tales.

Perhaps 3 is enough, but i have played a few people that have bid 3, but never 4. Those that bid 3 rely heavily on downloading aragorn at site one so perhaps i have hit them with a major deck hurdle right at the beginning.

Another option is to play an elf + sam in starting fellowship and the promise to beef up frodo and sam. Not sure on the overall theme using this combination though.

At this stage I am starting to think that Gloin with an elf in the starting fellowship is the way to go. Dwarven tales a cheap, sometimes useless (other than to increase gloins strength) and to discard with bilbo. The elf allow me to download tales, and red book allows me to draw extra cards. Problem is - there is not really a good elf uless i plan to do archery. Dwarves also have so many possessions which are always a temptation to put in the deck and throw out the balance of tales.

Thanks for all the help - i will put something together and try it out on GCCG soon.

If you want to play Elven tales to remove burdens and then heal your companions, why don't you just play dwarven tales with Mines of Khazad Dum to heal your companions right away. It looks like you want to have dwarven tales, elven tales, Bilbo... How big is your deck gonna be? 60/60? or you don't put any possessions (which would be suicidal) and you have a 35/35 deck.

[Kralik]

My thoughts on four is that i need burdens to remove to cause the heal - both versions of the deck do alot of exerting - so i will need to heal. Without a way to add burdens, i will rely on removing these to heal. The frodo card that adds burdens is an option, but it adds more bulk to the deck without adding tales.

Perhaps 3 is enough, but i have played a few people that have bid 3, but never 4. Those that bid 3 rely heavily on downloading aragorn at site one so perhaps i have hit them with a major deck hurdle right at the beginning.

I do sometimes bid 3, but if I do... Sam is starting. I wouldn't bid that much for Gorn, since you have to add a burden to get him as well.

Why not use Isildur's Bane as your ring? Surely you could rack up burdens that way.

[Gil-Estel]

I am, in the midst of busy weathers, especially in my head, thinking of a monstrosoty of a deck, with size at least 60-60..... :-) And I will use it on GCCG and will win!!!! Muhahaha ...... at least 1 out of 100 games, which would kill my win rate which lies round 60%, but then again, I should not run that many solo RB decks :-)