Knights and Corruption

[uncle_elrond]

Knights/Sauron Corruption (35 per side)

Isilidur, Bearer of Heirlooms
The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles
Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon
Ingold

Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth x3
Derufin x2
Gondor Bow x4
Knight's Mount x3
Narsil, Blade of the Faithful x2
Scroll of Isildur
Catapult x2
Citadel of Minas Tirith x2
Fifth Level
Fourth Level x4
Sixth Level x2
Citadel of the Stars x2
Ithilien Trap
Strong and Old x2
Might of Numenor x2

Grima Wormtongue x2
Desperate Defense of the Ring x4
Enduring Evil x3
Gorgoroth Servitor x4
Gorgoroth Stormer x4
Morgul Hunter x3
Peril x2
The Ring is Mine x2
Wisp of Pale Sheen x4
Dead Marshes
Grishnakh, Orc Captain x3
Grond, Hammer of the Underworld
Thin and Stretched x2


The Free Peoples usually does fairly well, except against condition based shadows.  Catapult just isn't enough.  Pretty standard use of Gondor Bow to kill lots of things.

The shadow is way more inconsistent.  The biggest problems it has are with wounding and well, surviving to pull off the Peril and Wisp of Pale Sheen Combo.  Morgul Hunters help with that, but are fairly expensive.  I'm trying to load up on burdens, but usually doesn't go that way due to some reason or another.  Any suggestions would be really helpful.

[MuadDib85]

I prefer Stone Tower to Fifth Level in such a deck. Also less copies of the knights and more knights would help too. Faramir, Aragorn, Garrison of Gondor etc.. I like Elendil The Tall and Sapling of The White Tree with Knights aswell but that's just preference.

Peril is no good. Swap those for 4x The Ring Is Mine.

2x Dead Marshes would be nice. Maybe only 1x or 2x Enduring Evil would be enough.

I would prefer to see some cheap twilight nazgul with It Wants To Be Found and Morgul Skulker  instead of the Morgul Hunter (strength doesn't matter), Gorgoroth Stormer (only really useful if you have a way to gain init) and Gorgoroth Servitor.

I saw a neat deck with Bill Ferny, SSF being used to make the ringbearer fight and activate 4x DDOTR.

[hrcho]

I think 4x The Ring Is Mine is too much. It requires a bit of luck, otherwise it tends to clog your hand.

Bill Ferny, SSF is a must and I think Orc Slaughterer would be nice. DDOTR and Thin and Stretched both require exertions. I say, keep a few copies of Wisp of Pale Sheen, but toss Peril. There is always a chance Wisp of Pale Sheen will survive or the Free Peoples player would have to go to more trouble to kill it. I've seen it many times, especially with Isenorcs. Isengard Smith in particular. Freeps will even go to the trouble of killing another companion if it means killing Isengard Smith.

[MuadDib85]

Something like this would be cool.

Shadow (33)
1x *Ithil Stone (9R+47)
2x Evil-smelling Fens (5U22)
4x It Wants to be Found (2U78)
4x The Ring is Mine!(10U97)
2x *Gollum, Stinker (5R25)
3x *Grishnakh, Orc Captain (5R100)
1x *Sauron, The Lord of the Rings (9R+48)
1x *Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul (1U231)
1x *Ulaire Enquea, Thrall of the One (10R68)
3x *Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight (2R84)
3x *Ulaire Otsea, Ringwraith In Twilight (3U86)
4x Morgul Skulker (1U258)
4x Wisp of Pale Sheen (6C108)

[ket_the_jet]

More Knights.

Banner of Westernesse instead of Citadel of Minas Tirith.

MuadDib's other suggestions.
-wtk

[Gil-Estel]

But if corsairs are huge in your meta, drop the possessions and go for total condition mania. Use Stone Tower and Citadel of the Stars to finish minions off and use 4x Sixth Level to get some action back.

[uncle_elrond]

I prefer Stone Tower to Fifth Level in such a deck. Also less copies of the knights and more knights would help too. Faramir, Aragorn, Garrison of Gondor etc.. I like Elendil The Tall and Sapling of The White Tree with Knights aswell but that's just preference.

Peril is no good. Swap those for 4x The Ring Is Mine.

2x Dead Marshes would be nice. Maybe only 1x or 2x Enduring Evil would be enough.

I would prefer to see some cheap twilight nazgul with It Wants To Be Found and Morgul Skulker  instead of the Morgul Hunter (strength doesn't matter), Gorgoroth Stormer (only really useful if you have a way to gain init) and Gorgoroth Servitor.

I saw a neat deck with Bill Ferny, SSF being used to make the ringbearer fight and activate 4x DDOTR.

I was trying to stay under 6 companions to not be hurt by Enquea, but I suppose with both Might of Numenor and Catapult I could stretch it a bit.  Probably Aragorn, CoG and Elendil.  Another Dead Marshes for an Enduring Evil would be good.  I'm not sure how I feel about Twilight Nazgul, but I suppose I can try it.  Gorgoroth Servitor has to stay because archery is a problem with all the exertions for the conditions.  I forgot about Bill Ferny, SSF.  He'll definitely make an appearance.

I think 4x The Ring Is Mine is too much. It requires a bit of luck, otherwise it tends to clog your hand.

Bill Ferny, SSF is a must and I think Orc Slaughterer would be nice. DDOTR and Thin and Stretched both require exertions. I say, keep a few copies of Wisp of Pale Sheen, but toss Peril. There is always a chance Wisp of Pale Sheen will survive or the Free Peoples player would have to go to more trouble to kill it. I've seen it many times, especially with Isenorcs. Isengard Smith in particular. Freeps will even go to the trouble of killing another companion if it means killing Isengard Smith.

Hand clog was the reason I wasn't using 4 The Ring is Mine!  I forgot Orc Slaughterer, I'll probably use him instead of Morgul Hunter.  Peril will probably go to some copies of Bill Ferny.  I've seen people go to lengths to kill the Wisp of Pale Sheen.

Something like this would be cool.

Shadow (33)
1x *Ithil Stone (9R+47)
2x Evil-smelling Fens (5U22)
4x It Wants to be Found (2U78)
4x The Ring is Mine!(10U97)
2x *Gollum, Stinker (5R25)
3x *Grishnakh, Orc Captain (5R100)
1x *Sauron, The Lord of the Rings (9R+48)
1x *Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul (1U231)
1x *Ulaire Enquea, Thrall of the One (10R68)
3x *Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight (2R84)
3x *Ulaire Otsea, Ringwraith In Twilight (3U86)
4x Morgul Skulker (1U258)
4x Wisp of Pale Sheen (6C108)

I want to try adding Gollum, Stinker and Ulaire Nelya, RiT and the Morgul Skulkers.  This does look like it has some serious potential to add burdens though. 

More Knights.

Banner of Westernesse instead of Citadel of Minas Tirith.

MuadDib's other suggestions.
-wtk

Probably more useful, this way I could double better by healing on the go, instead of having to end the turn to heal.

But if corsairs are huge in your meta, drop the possessions and go for total condition mania. Use Stone Tower and Citadel of the Stars to finish minions off and use 4x Sixth Level to get some action back.

I've played Corsairs a couple times and it doesn't end well.  Stone Tower is definitely going in and probably another Sixth Level.  Problem is, I've seen multiple copies of Quelled and Discovered in Corsair decks lately, so if they discard Stone Tower or Citadel of the Stars, it's still going to be bad.

[ket_the_jet]

Corsairs wouldn't be a problem if you had Sapling of the White Tree x4 and ran 9 companions.
-wtk

[uncle_elrond]

So this is what I'm running now:

Isilidur, Bearer of Heirlooms
The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles
Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon
Ingold

Aragorn, Captain of Gondor x2
Elendil, The Tall
Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth x2
Gondor Bow x4
Banner of Westernese x3
Narsil, Blade of the Faithful x2
Anduril, Flame of the West
Scroll of Isildur
Catapult x2
Stone Tower
Fourth Level x4
Sixth Level x3
Citadel of the Stars x2
Strong and Old x2
Might of Numenor x2

Grishnakh, Orc Captain x3
Gorgoroth Servitor x3
Orc Pillager x3
Orc Slaughterer x3
Gollum, Stinker
Grima,Wormtongue x2
Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow x4
Evil Smelling Fens x2
Dead Marshes
Thin and Stretched
Desperate Defense of the Ring x4
Captured by the Ring x4
Enduring Evil x2
The Ring is Mine x2


The free peoples definitely run better and are harder to kill.  The shadow needs more tuning, but I'm not sure what to do with it.  I've decided that the best strategy would be to use DDotR on their Ring-Bearer (this works great with alternate ring bearers) and keep assigning Bill Ferny to him to trigger the conditons.  Gollum, Stinker and Evil Smelling Fens are to help keep Ferny being played all the time.  Thin and Stretched is there in case I decide the DDotRs are better on other companions, but I'll probably take that out.  My biggest problem is Sam, SoH and directed archery (like Greenleaf).  Servitor helps some, but still don't have a good solution for Sam.  Probably Ferny himself.  Thoughts?

[Witchkingx5]

hmm, sam... you bring great evil...

[uncle_elrond]

hmm, sam... you bring great evil...

I like this idea.  Thanks

[ket_the_jet]

One of my favorites is Orc Assassin. But then again, he only works if Frodo is the Ring-Bearer.
-wtk

[uncle_elrond]

One of my favorites is Orc Assassin. But then again, he only works if Frodo is the Ring-Bearer.
-wtk

I still may try that out.  Maybe one or two instead of Orc Pillager.  It's better than adding Nazgul and trying to use Helpless.

[MuadDib85]

Running 2x The Ring Is Mine is not worth it, run 4x or drop them. Sam, SOH will always cause problems with such a deck. What I don't like about your shadow is there is no guaranteed way of adding ANY burdens.

The idea of DDOTR and Thin and Stretched I think is to make a discard deck using cards like Band of the Eye, Orc Inquisitor, Tower Lieutenant, Desperate Measures, Dwarven Axe, NTAD etc... and then end the game with The Irresistible Shadow.

Sapling of The White Tree is a must imo.

[uncle_elrond]

Running 2x The Ring Is Mine is not worth it, run 4x or drop them. Sam, SOH will always cause problems with such a deck. What I don't like about your shadow is there is no guaranteed way of adding ANY burdens.

The idea of DDOTR and Thin and Stretched I think is to make a discard deck using cards like Band of the Eye, Orc Inquisitor, Tower Lieutenant, Desperate Measures, Dwarven Axe, NTAD etc... and then end the game with The Irresistible Shadow.

Sapling of The White Tree is a must imo.

The only problem with 4 The Ring is Mine is that can get stuck in your hand.  I used to do that, but I had hand clog problems.  Maybe I'll increase to 3 and see how that goes.  I've always gotten some burdens on, but it is very inconsistent.  But fun to play.

I had an Irresistible Shadow deck in Fellowship block that combined Uruk Rager and Uruk Solider with Uruk-Hai Sword with the Sauron Orcs and Dwarves/White Arrows of Lorien.  The people in my meta at the time never saw it coming.

I'm playing 2 Saplings.  I couldn't find room for more.