Need Help with a deck design.....

[NappyKorn]

I love initiative decks but I have found it is pretty difficult to lose and gain initiative several times in movie block. I was going through cards recently and thought about this combo and was wondering if there was a useful deck to use it in. Here are the cards and the idea just need some advice on building a deck around it.


Sam, Resolute Halfling
A Light in His Mind
Multiple Copies of The Shire Countryside
Birthday Present

Idea is to play cards from hand that you can (down to 3 of course) then add a burden to use Birthday Present draw a card to regain initiative then use use Sam to toss a card (healing if you can if not falls in that cost/effect rule). Repeat until you reach the rule of four and hopefully completely heal up the fellowship if you have a few The Shire Countryside in play. I would assume it would work wonders in an Aragon with his bow deck packing Legolas, Greenleaf. Stack vitality boosters on both Aragorn and Legolas and blast the opponent's minions to bits each fellowship turn.

I was wondering if there are any other Free People's idea's out there that could abuse exerting yourself up fairly bad and surviving to use this combo effectively. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated .

Thanks,

NK

EDIT:

Another idea would be maybe running conditions that have you exert certain companions during the fellowship phase to stack tokens. Some of those conditions that come to mind include Wish For Our Kinfolk, Shake Off the Shadow, Not the First Halfling, A Path Appointed, Doom Drove Them, Song of the Shire, etc.... Idea here would be pretty obvious exert the heck out of your companions to stack tokens then heal them back up and benefit from whichever conditions just loaded up on tokens.

Once again any deck ideas would be appreciated,

NK

[NappyKorn]

Here is what I came up with. Its a take on my Boromerry deck I posted. I took the advice of the people that replied to that post and added 2 other companions as well.

Bearer and Ring
*The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles (4R1)
*Frodo, Son of Drogo (1C290)

Fellowship (33)
1x *Boromir, Son of Denethor (1U97) (start)
1x *Merry, Friend to Sam (1R302) (start)
1x *Smeagol, Slinker (5R29) (start)
2x *Sam, Resolute Halfling (7R327)
1x *Narsil, Blade of the Faithful (9R+34)
2x *A Light in his Mind (10U108)
1x *The Saga of Elendil (1R114)
4x A Promise (2R112)
2x Birthday Present (10R104)
1x Escape (4R300)
4x Shadowplay (10U114)
4x The Shire Countryside (3R113)
3x Nine-fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom (10C112)
3x Power According to His Stature (1R308)
1x *Sting, Baggins Heirloom (5R116)
2x Hobbit Sword (1C299)

Idea is to use Boromir and Merry to pump, heal during skirmish phases with NFFatRoD (grabbed with the Birthday Present/Sam trick). Each turn you should be able to fully heal from all the shadowplay exertions and exertions for strength boosts with the initiative engine. I tested this deck out once on GccG and it won and played really well. I like the use of shadowplay paired with PAtHS . I paired it with a gollum shadow to help cycle once you get a They Stole It in play.

Anyway that is my idea, I'm sure there are better ways to use this combo and would love to see others ideas here.

NK

[noone13]

This is what I came up with using your idea.  It works well or fail in a spectacular fashion.  It takes a while to set up so I bid 2 and make the other person go first.  Its pretty fun to add a bunch of tokens to Not the First Halfing or Shake off the Shadow while healing everyone at the same time.  Obviously Saruman's Power kills the FP and Gandalf kills the Shadow

Ring-bearer   10P121   • Frodo, Resolute Hobbit
The One Ring   4R1   • The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles

Adventure Deck
1   7U331   Isengard Ruined
2   7U337   West Road
3   8U117   The Dimholt
4   8U118   City of the Dead
5   7U344   City Gates
6   7U346   Minas Tirith Fifth Circle
7   7U353   Osgiliath Crossing
8   7U357   Morgul Vale-- wrong site but an obvious fix
9   7U360   Dagorlad
Free Peoples Draw Deck

1x   8R15   • Gandalf, Leader of Men
1x   7R327   • Sam, Resolute Halfling
3x   1R50   • Legolas, Greenleaf
1x   9R+12   • Aiglos
1x   2R22   • Gandalf's Staff
1x   1R75   • Glamdring
3x   10R25   • Aragorn, Elessar Telcontar
1x   9R+34   • Narsil, Blade of the Faithful
2x   1R90   • Aragorn's Bow
3x   10U108   • A Light in his Mind
4x   3R113   The Shire Countryside
3x   10R104   Birthday Present
4x   4U312   Mind Your Own Affairs
3x   8U13   Shake Off the Shadow
3x   8U18   Not the First Halfling
4x   10U114   Shadowplay
2x   1C299   Hobbit Sword
Free Peoples Total   40

Shadow
4x   7C53   Captured by the Ring
1x   10R21   • Gollum, Mad Thing
1x   6C40   • Gollum, Old Villain
4x   10R23   • Shelob, Her Ladyship
2x   5U22   Evil-smelling Fens
1x   6R41   Master Broke His Promise
4x   6R46   They Stole It
2x   10R19   A Dark Shape Sprang
2x   8C30   Web
4x   8R24   • Promise Keeping
2x   6C47   You're a Liar and a Thief
2x   7R57   • Fat One Wants It
2x   7R61   Hobbitses Are Dead
2x   9R+29   Slippery as Fishes
3x   5C30   We Must Have It
2x   1U231   • Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
2x   8C22   Hidden Even From Her
Shadow Total   40

[Not a Zombie]

Nice! I like the combo with ntfh and sots!

[Anautikus]

My problem is trying to find an efficient way to accomplish that in the skirmish phase haha.

[Shelobplayer]

http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,6557.0.html

This is a deck I made to abuse initiative. It is pretty immature, but I love how RBoW works with nffatrod to lose and regain initiative.

[Not a Zombie]

I have an initiative abuse deck as well that focuses on Gandalf, MoW and EoV. Works really well when set up

[Gerontius]

I did pretty much the same thing in this deck, only using Leowyn instead of Sam.
http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,6679.0.html
Works pretty well, but I still can't handle Dunlendings (or any other deck that uses one vitality minions excessively).

[NappyKorn]

Constantly working on this deck cause I really do like playing it. Granted Saruman's Power is gonna crush it, but you can't beat it all in LotRTCG. I do play for fun and to do something outside the box so if I face a deck and get smashed with Saruman's Power, it happens. Anyway Free Peoples side is roughly the same (with a few changes), but I working on a shadow for it as well that can help cycle and set it up and hope to at least stop the opponent from running or be patient enough to exploit a weakness at the right time, Here is what I came up with.

Bearer and Ring
*The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles (4R1)
*Frodo, Son of Drogo (1C290)

Fellowship (35)
1x *Boromir, Son of Denethor (1U97) (start)
1x *Merry, Friend to Sam (1R302) (start)
1x *Smeagol, Slinker (5R29) (start)
1x *Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal (2C101)
1x *Old Noakes, Purveyor Of Wisdoms (3C111)
1x *Narsil, Blade of the Faithful (9R+34)
3x *Sam, Resolute Halfling (7R327)
2x *A Light in his Mind (10U108)
1x *The Saga of Elendil (1R114)
1x *The Tale of the Great Ring (10U116)
4x A Promise (2R112)
2x Birthday Present (10R104)
1x Escape (4R300)
4x Shadowplay (10U114)
4x The Shire Countryside (3R113)
4x Nine-fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom (10C112)
1x *Sting, Baggins Heirloom (5R116)
2x Hobbit Sword (4C306)

Shadow (35)
2x Small Hope (7R159)
4x Vision From Afar (4R259)
3x *Easterling Captain (4R225)
3x Corsair Boatswain (10C37)
3x Easterling Army (6R78)
3x Easterling Guard (4C226)
3x Easterling Infantry (4C227)
3x Easterling Lieutenant (4C228)
2x Easterling Skirmisher (4R229)
3x Easterling Polearm (6U79)
2x Raider Bow (7C155)
4x Ships of Great Draught (8R65)

Idea of the Free Peoples is exactly the same except I dropped the PAtHS (or MYOA depending on what version you've seen). Dropped those to ensure I get those 4x NFFatRoD instead of letting the opponent have a choice. I added a TotGR (for insurance), Old Noakes, Purveyor of Wisdoms (for lame discard discourage), and just to fill the last spot and since I can heal like a champ I added Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal.

Shadow helps you cycle once you get a Ships of Great Draught into play. Basically start tossing cards to get your Free Peoples set up quickly. Once the Free Peoples is set up you can start using those tokens to work on the shadow. Basically get a Small Hope in play (play it instead of discarding it when you draw one) and when you have enough tokens on Ships of Great Draught stack an Easterling (whichever makes the most sense) and 4x Visions From Afar. If facing a wounding deck stack an Easterling Polearm as well. If You Play Captain Crunch and the opponent has no burdens exert him twice to add 2 burdens then for assignment play your 4 copies of Vision From Afar. If it is prevented all for times that gives them 6 burdens which will set you up nicely next turn. Next turn play the same cards on top of your draw deck and repeat until you either get on the opponent's RB or the take the corruption. It doesn't have to be done with Captian Crunch there are other choices you have depending on the situation. Raider bow is here to give you ambush if needed and the Easterling Polearm to prevent them from taking wounds from archery or PAtHS or whatever else comes at you.

Anyway not a completely thought out deck I'm sure there are things that wound completely run the idea like a deck that focuses on beefing up the RB. I've considered adding a copy or 2 of Discovered and might actually do it since it can too be tossed with SoGD for tokens and get rid of annoying conditions such as Shadowplay and anything that can help give strength to the opponent's ring-bearer.

Let me know what you think,

NK

[Not a Zombie]

I like the pairing! Looks really cool and fun! Not sure why you have shadowplay though. I'd personally rather see something like there and back again, a talent for not being seen, and 2x closer and closer he bent to set up your shadow if needed. Up to you I suppose

[NappyKorn]

Shadowplay was there to try and avoid saruman's power (as doubtful as it would be). It can also help to exhaust minions as they are played so when you win with the companions that don't have damage bonuses you can try a double if you need to get ahead. Aside from that it really is just a space filler. If i test it and see the shadowplay isn't all that helpful I will definitely drop it for something more key to the abusing of the sam trick . I really think the shadow will be fun if it can get enough tokens on ships before some freaking Gandalf nukes it, LOL.


EDIT:

@ Not a Zombie:

Decided just for fun to try a Aragorn, Ranger of the North package. I added Aragorn, Ranger of the North and Anduril, Flame of the West instead of the Shadowplay cards. First thought was to use him as swarm Protection, but it proved to be just a little bit more when I tested it out on myself. Basically got all set up and thought what if I exerted Aragorn to get damage bonuses to maybe clear the board and boy was I surprised how strong he could get. The deck can get all 4 copies of NFFatRoD in hand once they are brought into play. Exerting boromir to pump Merry than exerting Merry to pump Aragorn then using NFFatRoD to clean the heals and doing it again can get Aragorn up to an incredible strength 185. So I'm thinking Enquea shouldn't be that horrible a threat since when set up all my companions, but Smeagol and sam have 5 vitality and those 2 still have 4. Just make sure I don't face anything splashing Greed and I can run those 6 companions alright. Even those pesky men that spot to assign won't bother me because Frodo can fight with Merry and Boromir's texts. Basically exert Aragorn to make him as high as Defender +4 give him all the minions pump him up overhwelm everything, reheal up and make a normal double move . At strength 185 he can nearly overwhelm Sauron x4 (total strength without enduring 96). Not only is that ridiculous but he could actually save me if the support area gets wiped later and I lose some other companions by exerting him up and feeding him to the wolves . Anyway that is a long enough edit, just had to share that shocker . Might run this idea over the 4x shadowplay now since those aren't likely to save me from a late game Saruman's power when just moving and site alone can get a fair number of minions out.

NK

[Gil-Estel]

But Chris, you must know that Flaming Brand is banned in movie. Dude! Though it must be the strongest Gorn I have seen in ages, lol. One tip, please stay away from Pep on GCCG. He is notorious for playing Saruman's Power.

[NappyKorn]

not only that, but he can't bear it with that anduril anyway, I edited that part as you were replying it seems . Oh well strength 184 will have to do instead .

NK


Edit:

Also added a somewhat decent way to slowly retrieve key conditions if they get nuked . Amazing I squeezed all this in a 35/35 deck that still has the potential to deck out at site 5 or 6.

[NappyKorn]

Didn't want to remove this thread and affect people gold count or post count but I have reposted the finally finshed deck here.


http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,7413.0.html

Feel free to continue to post you ideas for the combo here as well.

Thanks, NK