Assistance for a newbie's first deck?

[Templar]

Hello folks. I'm very new to the game. I purchased a number of cards years ago and was recently making a deck just for the heck of it.

I want to make a good deck based on the "Knight" keyword and also with Isildur as the ringbearer. Do you folks have any suggestions? My collection is very limited but here's what I have thrown together sofar. Fortifications seem to be the primary mechanic to the "Knight" keyword so I added a few of those. Not sure how workable a mechanic it is with my limited knowledge of gameplay and the metagame. That "add a burden or exert a companion part of Isilur's effect sounds like a tough thing to overcome. Is using him as a starting ringbearer even a valid tactic? Or is he just there as a secondary one in the event frodo dies? I'm not entirely sure how that works. Any suggestions there? Should I add Pippin, Guard of Minas Tirith? Maybe replace Boromir with him or a second Ingold?
 
Ring bearer:
Isildur, Bearer of Heirlooms
The one Ring, The Ruling ring

Good deck:

Aragorn, Captain of Gondor
Faramir, Defender of Osgiliath
Denethor, Wizened Steward
Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith
Ingold
Gondorian Captain X3
Knight of Gondor X2
Gondorian Sword X3
Knight's Mount X2
Might of Numenor X2
Men of Numenor X3
War Must Be
Citadel of the Stars X2
First Level X3
Fourth Level X3
Uruviel, Maid of Lorien

Evil Deck.

Ulaire Otsea, Thrall of The One
Gollum, Nasty Treacherous Creature
Desert Stalker X2
Southron Traveler X2
Desert Sneak X2
Troop of Haradrim X3
Desert Soldier X3
Desert Runner X2
Desert Scout X3
Haradrim Marksman X2
Mumak
Raider Bow X2
New Strength Came Now X2
Great Beasts
Haradwaith X2
Strength in Numbers

Land thingies:

The Riddermark
King's Tent
Rivendell Terrace
Pelennor Plain
Hornburg Courtyard
Minas Tirith Sixth Circle
Anduin Wilderland
Pillars of the Kings
Emyn Muil

And why is the text window scrolling upwards wheneve I type anything? Thats a real inconveinience.

[azogsbane]

I think knights/fortifications are a lot of fun. Here are some suggestions:

First, I'm sorry but Uruviel, Maid of Lorien won't work. Her text only applies to Fellowship of the Ring block site 6.

11 companions (including the ringbearer) is a lot. A you are only allowed to ever play nine, I would take a couple out. Probably Boromir and Denethor as they are not knights.

I would prefer Knight's Spear over Gondorian Sword.

Replace your First Levels with Fifth Level. Do you have any City Wall or Stone Tower? Those are good too.

[azogsbane]

Oh, I forgot to say, Isildur works just fine as the ringbearer, but you may want to add Scroll of Isildur and some other artifacts (e.g. Narsil, Blade of the Faithful and Sapling of the White Tree) to keep him from being too easily corrupted.

[macheteman]

remember: only sam can take the ring when frodo dies. no other ring transfers can happen in the game. only frodo-sam.

[leokula]

Your list is pretty good for being ur first

Here are a few cards that you might like:
Gondor Bow
Sixth Level
Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon

edit: typo

[legolas3333]

Most knight decks revolve around the Fourth Level with Gondor Bow, Stone Tower, Citadel Of The Stars or Men Of Numenor to kill. Add in a few Sixth Level to pull back fortifications, Banner Of Westernesse for healing, Catapult or a Gandy splash for condition/possession discarding and you're good.

[Templar]

Ah darn it. I lost the ebay auction for Isildur. Sooo I guess I'm just back to frodo as the ring bearer. I'm afraid I don't have Fifth Level, City Wall, Knight's Spear, Scroll of Isildur, Narsil, Blade of the Faithfull, Sapling of the White Tree, Gondor Bow, Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon, Sixth Level or Banner of Westernesse. I'd really like those though, Especially that Alcarin guy, he's cool. Um, any of you have that stuff for trade or maybe sale for a reasonable price? I have a couple stone towers. Is that one really all that usefull? I was hesitant to use it cus it requires exerting rather than just spotting like the others. Is Pippin, Guard of Minas Tirith worth using?

[legolas3333]

Just one or two stone tower usually, it's to be used against enduring Nazgul (since they can heal and do nasty things). And pippin, it depends, every deck builder has their own style and ideas; it all depends on which direction you want to go. And put up a trade list in esgroth marketplace or a link to Mahasamatman. I have a few rares I'd be willing to trade, along with a few commons/uncommons yo might want.

[Templar]

Just one or two stone tower usually, it's to be used against enduring Nazgul (since they can heal and do nasty things). And pippin, it depends, every deck builder has their own style and ideas; it all depends on which direction you want to go. And put up a trade list in esgroth marketplace or a link to Mahasamatman. I have a few rares I'd be willing to trade, along with a few commons/uncommons yo might want.

Alrighty. will do. So whats a good number of companions? If 11 is too much, should I only put in 8 + the ringbearer?

[macheteman]

yeah. that way you can either stick to the rule of 5, or drop all nine and make a run for it. or adjust for swarm, and other shadows that have trouble with large fellowships.

[Templar]

Rule of 5?

[leokula]

Rule of 5?

Thing is, a lot of cards have stuff against a fellowship of 6+ companions... so it's wise to keep it under 6 sometimes, just to see if something's coming.

[macheteman]

oh, sorry. its not a RULE as in, rulebook rule. but because of all the cards like ulairie enquea, lom who target fellowships with more than 5 companions, there is an unspoken "rule of thumb" that you shouldn't play more than 5 companions unless you have good reason too.

like ent decks are fine with having many comps in play. some decks have protection like shadowplay, othertimes, you just know pretty well that they aren't playing any enquea, lom's, or maybe you just want to play all your comps and make a run for it. etc...

basically: the RULE is no more than 9. but sometimes it can be best not to play more than 5.

hope this helped.

[Yrael]

If you can, Elendil (either HKoG or The Tall) is a great card with a knight deck, especially if you give him Narsil. Personally, my favority form of knight deck is a Gondor Kings deck with the following fellowship
Starting Fellowship
Isildul, BoH
Aragorn, Thorongil

Companions
Elendil, High King of Gondor x2
Guard of the White Tree x2
Denethor, Wizened Steward

Artifacts
The Shards of Narsil
Narsil, Blade of the Faithful x2
The Ring of Barahir x2
Seeing Stone of Orthanc
Seeing Stone of Minas Anor x2
Scroll of Isildur
Anduril, Kings Blade
Sapling of the White Tree x2

Possesions
Shield of the White Tree
Ranger's Sword, Blade of Aragorn
Gondorian Sword
Gondorian Steed (I will be transfering this card to another deck soon)
Banner of Westernesse
Great Shield
Knife of the Galadhrim
Gondorian Blade x2
Armor of the Citadel
Armor of the White City (to make Aragorn a Knight)

Conditions/Events
Kings Legacy x3 (very important)
No Stranger to the Shadows (only if you are using Thorongil, this card is for a ranger)
Elendil's Valor (to help prevent swampage early game)
Heirs of Gondor x3
Rally the Company x3
Hope Renewed x2 (this card will be gone soon, it was only there to discard Grond, HotU)
Dagger Strike x2
Garrison of Osgiliath
Banners Blowing
Tireless


I do need to thin my deck out a bit, but the basic idea is that I get Aragorn and Elendil massively buff, then use King's Legacy to support each other. Denethor and the guards serve to protect Isildur from skirmishing, and can be given the Banner to provide some additional healing.

The massive numbers of artifacts provide some very powerful effects, in addition to allowing Elendil to max out Narsil's potential and the Scroll of Isildur's potential. There are a few other cards that would be good in this deck, but I don't have access to them right now.

[Elessar's Socks]

I'd skip City Wall and Pippin GoMT. I think Fifth Level essentially replaces City Wall, as it can give a higher strength reduction and also transfer in the maneuver phase (which can help Alcarin or combo with Turgon for maneuver phase wounding). And I just haven't found the need for Pippin. He's also got a hefty discard cost, and while you could set something up with Fifth Level, CotS and Fourth Level can't transfer to a minion he's skirmishing.

It seems this deck is geared for Movie block (format rules here), although the sites would have to be retooled. Movie is limited to King block sites; basically, it's the game as it was before set 11 changed a bunch of things.

Knights IMO can get away with 9 companions--not that you're required to have them all in play at once--and in Movie I'd usually pick from this pool:

Isildur, Bearer of Heirlooms

Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon
Aragorn, Captain of Gondor
Denethor, Lord of Minas Tirith
Faramir, Defender of Osgiliath
Garrison of Gondor
Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth
Ingold
Turgon, Man of Belfalas

...I forget what I did if any was dropped (doubled up, I suppose; Boromir HoO entered the deck post Movie).

Other miscellaneous cards: Drawing His Eye for trolling; Last Throw for triple moving.

[macheteman]

i can only see using pippin if you are running a shadowplay package. otherwise, yeah, i'd leave him out.

[Haszor]

Most knight decks revolve around the Fourth Level with Gondor Bow, Stone Tower, Citadel Of The Stars or Men Of Numenor to kill. Add in a few Sixth Level to pull back fortifications, Banner Of Westernesse for healing, Catapult or a Gandy splash for condition/possession discarding and you're good.

All this is very true and should be used.  I have never seen the use for catapult but to each his own and if it helps with your deck then go for it.  As for the quantity of the forts try something like 3 Sixth level, 4 of Gondor Bow, Banner of Westernesse, Fourth and Fifth Level, and 2 Citadel of the stars.  That can take out basically anything and only come out with a few scratches.  Probably the best companions to run would be: Isildur Alcarin and Ingold to start and then Garrison of Gondor, Imrahil, Aragorn Captain of Gondor, Turgon (could also start him), and Faramir, DoO and then its basically whatever unless Shadows is included in which case use Boromir, Hero of Osgiliath, Elendil, High King of Gondor, and maybe some Guard of the White Tree.  I wouldn't use Pippin or Uruviel as their both very hard/ impossible to make work.  If you need to buy the cards that you want for the deck go here, ccg-singles.com and punch this in at the end of your purchase TLHHFreeShipping

[Templar]

A lot of good info here. thanks folks.

[legolas3333]

Most knight decks revolve around the Fourth Level with Gondor Bow, Stone Tower, Citadel Of The Stars or Men Of Numenor to kill. Add in a few Sixth Level to pull back fortifications, Banner Of Westernesse for healing, Catapult or a Gandy splash for condition/possession discarding and you're good.

All this is very true and should be used.  I have never seen the use for catapult but to each his own and if it helps with your deck then go for it.  As for the quantity of the forts try something like 3 Sixth level, 4 of Gondor Bow, Banner of Westernesse, Fourth and Fifth Level, and 2 Citadel of the stars.  That can take out basically anything and only come out with a few scratches.  Probably the best companions to run would be: Isildur Alcarin and Ingold to start and then Garrison of Gondor, Imrahil, Aragorn Captain of Gondor, Turgon (could also start him), and Faramir, DoO and then its basically whatever unless Shadows is included in which case use Boromir, Hero of Osgiliath, Elendil, High King of Gondor, and maybe some Guard of the White Tree.  I wouldn't use Pippin or Uruviel as their both very hard/ impossible to make work.  If you need to buy the cards that you want for the deck go here, ccg-singles.com and punch this in at the end of your purchase TLHHFreeShipping

One other thing: Stone tower in case you run across enduring nazzies, but that's mostly a meta decision.

A lot of good info here. thanks folks.

Agreed, this should be mandatory reading for whoever needs a knight deck... We should do this more often, each player giving his take on a deck archetype.