Fighting allies & Uruk-hai

[Kralik]

Here's a deck that I'd like to work... but I have this nagging feeling that it won't. Here goes...

Ring and Bearer
1x   Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir
1x   The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Sites:
1x   Green Hill Country
1x   Breeland Forest
1x   House of Elrond
1x   Hollin
1x   The Bridge of Khazad-dum*
1x   Lothlorien Woods
1x   Silverlode Banks
1x   Anduin Banks**
1x   Emyn Muil*

Free Peoples (35 cards)
1x   Aragorn, Heir to the White City (starting)
4x   Boromir, Lord of Gondor

2x   Bounder
3x   Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad
1x   Calaglin, Elf of Lorien
2x   Celeborn, Lord Of Lorien
3x   Galadriel, Lady of Light
1x   Orophin, Lorien Bowman
1x   Rumil, Elven Protector
1x   Uruviel, Maid Of Lorien

2x   Horn of Boromir
1x   The Mirror of Galadriel
1x   Blade of Gondor
1x   Ranger's Sword
1x   Sting

2x   No Stranger to the Shadows
2x   The Last Alliance of Elves and Men

2x   Might of Numenor
2x   Swan-ship of the Galadhrim
2x   One Whom Men Would Follow

Shadow (35 cards):
1x   The Balrog, Durin's Bane
3x   Uruk Captain
4x   Uruk Ravager
4x   Uruk Scout
2x   Uruk Soldier
3x   Uruk-hai Raiding Party
4x   Saruman, Keeper of Isengard

3x   Saruman's Ambition
2x   Tower of Orthanc

3x   Lurtz's Battle Cry
2x   Saruman's Power
4x   Savagery to Match Their Numbers

Description:
The main purpose of this deck is to restrict twilight and have allies do the backup fighting. Bid 0 and go second so that your sites are played (you especially don't want to see Anduin Confluence*). Hope for a hand clog and a Shadow kill. Galadriel LoL gets your elves out for free, HttWC absorbs the twilight if you have to play one or two early. Aragorn and Boromir both can call the allies to fight, or they can come themselves with SSotG. Elrond and Celeborn are your key fighters. Bounder and/or Rumil/Orophin (whichever one you don't use) can become Balrog fodder if necessary. Doubling to six should be safe, and by then, if you have Uruviel out, all of your allies become quite strong. Shadow is standard Uruk-hai.

Well, it sounds interesting in theory, but I haven't had a chance to test it yet. Rip me apart! 

EDIT: Added Shadow.

[DáinIronfoot]

Might not be a bad idea to toss in Galdor and a copy of Support of the Last Homely House if you can find a place for them. He'd be a decent fighter and could get healed by Elrond when necessary, and SotLHH would give you another way to get him or, more importantly, Elrond in on the action.

Regardless of that, I would STRONGLY recommend finding a way to get Forests of Lothlorien in there. And Pathfinder would help you control the sitepath if you're finding that to be a problem.

[Kralik]

Galdor is a good thought... he could help clog my opponent's hand. I would probably try to let him be called by Boromir, since SotLHH would exert him and he would die if he lost a skirmish. However, Elrond HtGG doesn't heal him... I like that Elrond since his own double healing makes him a great fighter.

What cards could be taken out to get FoL in there?

[Gil-Estel]

have you read my fellowship deck Kralik it kinda deals with the same things

[Kralik]

I did in fact! But only after I made my own. I have a slightly different focus: I was hoping to get by with the fewest number of companions as possible. Almost tried doing it without Aragorn... Anyway, I'll add my Shadow side to the OP.

[Gil-Estel]

I like the horn a lot, and it is a strong deck. Choke all the way ánd having warriors that heal is too good.

[Kralik]

I think I'm going to go with Dain's suggestion and switch Elronds, as well as replacing Calaglin and the Mirror of Galadriel with Galdor x2.

Slightly off topic... why do your and's always come out as ánd?

[Gil-Estel]

sometimes I just want to express my self very thoroughly......

[Thranduil]

I think you could do with more Swan-Ships and One Whom Men Must Follow without diversifying too much into site 3 allies. Though, one or two Support of the Last Homely House works nicely for Elrond on his own - who needs companions when you have a strength 11 Elrond?

Thranduil

[Kralik]

I did get a chance to play this deck and it seems like I got enough ally-calling cards when I needed them... of course, getting Horn of Boromir early was a huge plus. Suggestions for cards to remove to add those in?

[Tempest123]

I'll just comment on shadow part (maybe later on fps)

Why Balrog in Uruk-Hai deck >< (stop doing that)

Shadow (33 cards):
2x   Uruk Captain
4x   Uruk Ravager
3x   Uruk-hai Raiding Party
3x   Saruman, Keeper of Isengard
4x   Saruman's Ambition
2x   Lurtz's Battle Cry
1x   Saruman's Power
4x   Savagery to Match Their Numbers
4x Troop of Uruk-Hai
3x Uruk Lieutenant
2x Uruk Slayer
1x Ulaire Enquea LOM

[Gil-Estel]

I'll just comment on shadow part (maybe later on fps)

Why Balrog in Uruk-Hai deck >< (stop doing that)

It is good to have a 17 fierce damage +1 minion in a deck that will be an guaranteed hit.

[Tempest123]

I think its much better to play 2 uruks . Even more because ppl often run from 5 to 6 knowing that the balrog will be discarded .

[daisukeman]

The only feeling I get, it's that shadow combinations relying on conditions might hit the freeps hard. (Ex: Goblin Armories + Goblin Swarms; Under the watching eye + Orc Bowmen, ..)
Everything else looks fine but since there are not at least athelas, I recommend fitting in 2 copies of Secret Sentinels.
 

[Kralik]

Why Balrog in Uruk-Hai deck >< (stop doing that)

It's one card, almost always worth having in case of a very bad draw or unprepared Freeps.

I recommend fitting in 2 copies of Secret Sentinels. 

What to take out?

[daisukeman]

I recommend fitting in 2 copies of Secret Sentinels. 

What to take out?

Maybe 1 Celeborn (I think 1 is enough), and 1 Might of Numenor (not very much fan of that card and you already got Elrond and healing stuff).
Might as well change that boromir for the one that adds 2 to heal himself (since all the monstrous fighting -the balrog?-- will be done by allies).

[Kralik]

I would almost prefer even another copy of Might of Numenor because it is Manuever healing. So you can toot the horn and heal to toot some more.

Already replace Boromir prior, but it is a good tip.

Celeborn is one of the better fighters (nice base strength) plus helps a lot to heal Galadriel if needed to play allies for free. He can also help heal your choice of Orc-Wounding or Uruk-Wounding allies, and Galdor (which I now have in this deck). So IMO the card quantity is important.

[daisukeman]

I would almost prefer even another copy of Might of Numenor because it is Manuever healing. So you can toot the horn and heal to toot some more.

Ok, convinced. Hadn't seen it that way.
Then maybe the Mirror? (It's a neat card, but you do know it has an errata, right?)

Celeborn is one of the better fighters (nice base strength) plus helps a lot to heal Galadriel if needed to play allies for free. He can also help heal your choice of Orc-Wounding or Uruk-Wounding allies, and Galdor (which I now have in this deck). So IMO the card quantity is important.

True, but if you can't always count on Celeborn healing Rumil or Orophin because there's actually 1 copy of each. Anyway 2 copies is fine, off course, but since we are discussing what to take out that's always a difficult choice

[daisukeman]

Or....
you can also think of Vilya if you still want to have more versatility with elrond

[Kralik]

You know, I think perhaps I should go back and update my decklist. Originally had Mirror in there for its strength boost, but since then I've taken it out.

Errata makes the other ability basically worthless.

[Bombadil]

I like Vilya and Galdor, because sending shadow cards to oponents hand in a choke is great for clogging. And Vilya helps against lots of conditions, or to heal once more with elrond. Needed to remove something to put those in, so changed boromir to the healing one to take one Might of Numenor out.
Also, change site 1 to Westfarthing, and site 3 to Council Courtyard. Both are better to choke... (but courtyard may hurt your shadow too much, so Im not sure about this one)

So how about:

Free Peoples (35 cards)
1x   Aragorn, Heir to the White City (starting)
4x   Boromir, Defender Of Minas Tirith

1x   Bounder
3x   Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad
2x   Galdor, Councilor From The West
2x   Celeborn, Lord Of Lorien
3x   Galadriel, Lady of Light
1x   Orophin, Lorien Bowman
1x   Rumil, Elven Protector
1x   Uruviel, Maid Of Lorien

2x   Horn of Boromir
2x   Vilya
1x   Blade of Gondor
1x   Ranger's Sword
1x   Sting

2x   No Stranger to the Shadows
2x   The Last Alliance of Elves and Men

1x   Might of Numenor
2x   Swan-ship of the Galadhrim
2x   One Whom Men Would Follow

Edit: And in the shadow side I would change Uruk Scout for Uruk Lieutenant...

[FM]

I'd lose the fighting allies theme and keep only the utility ones, and pack in a set of Gondor Bowmen, some equipments for the tanks (you really need a pair of Armor and a pair of Flaming Brand) and probably at least 1 more Ranger's Sword and 1-2 copies of Aragorn's Bow. Possibly The Saga of Elendil, as well, although it might not be necessary.