Definition of the Multipath format

[-Enola-]

Hello,

Here is the rules of the format Pre-Shadows Multipath.

Official definition of the format Pre-Shadows Multipath

1°) Authorized expansions

The authorized expansions are the included sets 1 - 10 :

- 1 The Fellowship of The Ring
- 2 Mines of Moria
- 3 Realm of The Elf Lords
- 4 Two Towers
- 5 Battle of Helm's Deep
- 6 Ents Of Fangorn
-7 Return of the King
-8 Siege of Gondor
-9 Reflections
-10 Mount Doom

However, the cards of the other editions identical to authorized card are too authorized .

Example 1 : You can play 12U5 because she is identical in 2U3
Example 2 : You can play 0P28 because she is identical in 7R16

Furthermore, the following promo cards are also authorized:

0P56 • Ghân-buri-Ghân, Chieftain of the Woses
0P57 • Radagast's Staff
0P58 • Anárion, Lord of Anórien
0P59 • Erkenbrand, Master of Westfold
0P60 • Tom Bombadil's Hat

2°) X-List

The following cards are forbidden for the format Pre-Shadows Multipath, although appearing in the authorized expansions:

0P2 Bill the Pony
0P5 Horn of Boromir
0P7 • Book of Mazarbul
1R40 Elrond, Lord of Rivendell
1R45 Galadriel, Lady of Light
1R80 Ottar, Man of Laketown
1U108 No Stranger to the Shadows
1C138 Saruman's Snows
1R139 Savagery to Match Their Numbers
1R195 Relics of Moria
1U234 Ulaire Nertea, Messenger of Dol Guldur
1C248 Forces of Mordor
1C311 Sam, Son of Hamfast
1R313 Sting
1U316 A Talent For Not Being Seen
1C331 Ettenmoors
1U338 Ford of Bruinen
1C354 Anduin Wilderland
1U355 Silverlode Banks
1U360 Emyn Muil
2C14 Till Durin Wakes Again
2R32 Flaming Brand
2R75 Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow
3R1 • Book of Mazarbul
3R38 Aragorn, Heir To The White City
3R42 Horn of Boromir
3R67 The Palantir of Orthanc
3R68 Saruman, Keeper of Isengard
3U106 Bill the Pony
3C108 Frying Pan
3R113 The Shire Countryside
4R73 Legolas, Dauntless Hunter
4U338 Golden Hall
4U355 Cavern Entrance
4U357 King's Room
7U49 Steadfast Champion
7C96 Gondorian Captain
7C156 Raider Halberd
7R188 Morgul Brute
8C1 Aggression
8R3 Blood Runs Chill
8R20 Saved From The Fire
10U2 Memories of Darkness
10C91 Mordor Fiend
10R11 Galadriel, Lady Redeemed


There is no R-list and only Decipher's errata are used.


3°) Site Path

Every player can use the sites of blocks FOTR, TTT or ROTK, but his nine sites have to belong to the same block.
In this way, one player can use a site path FOTR, and his opponent a site path ROTK.


Important point 1 : Every site belongs to its original block, and so sites resulting from two different blocks can be placed on the sitepath.

Example 1 : If my opponent has a sitepath of the block ROTK, and I am on his site 5, 4R121 Forests Of Ithilien does not get bonus of site.

Important point 2 :On the expansions 1-3, cards don't carry symbol block (for example: 1C298 Hobbit Stealth), it implies the name of the block FOTR. Only the cards where is clarified "any site X ", as 7R79 · Andúril, Flame of the West, 10C79 · Barren Land and 10U20 Final Strike work in the different blocks.

Example 2 : The first part of 1C298 Hobbit Stealth is valid only on the first 5 sites of the block FOTR.

Important point 3 : Let us remind that the allies can participate during the archery and skirmish phases on their homesite in their block.

Example 3 : At a site 4K, an ally Rohan whose house is site 4T cannot come to the fight.



4°) Zorbec Decklist Builder

Personnalised format for ZDB is available here Multipath.
You can download ZDB here http://eric.minet.free.fr/tcgbuilder/index.htm

[-Enola-]

Explanation of Multipath X-list = Movie X-list and these cards

1C138 Saruman's Snows
NPE (Negative Play Experience) creator : blocking completly Free People player against swarm.
X-listed in Expanded.


1C311 Sam, Son of Hamfast
NPE (Negative Play Experience) creator : destroying all corruption decks -> bad diversity of Shadows.
X-listed in Expanded.


1U316 A Talent For Not Being Seen
Too much denial (this one can be discussed again)
X-listed in Expanded.


1C331 Ettenmoors
Infinite loop with Enduring Nazguls (Enquëa TOTO, etc...)


1U338 Ford of Bruinen
Incredible power on non prepared fellowship.
Banned after many tests.


1U355 Silverlode Banks
High number of exerts after sanctuary. The necessary presence of a ranger could limit the variety of decks.


1U360 Emyn Muil
Too dangerous with Enduring minions.


2C14 Till Durin Wakes Again
Insane healing in a dwarf deck with Follow Smeagol to place your underground sites.
Even if it's only in region 2, Dwarves can easily double/triple moves with BRC+RoG.


2R75 Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow
Very strong against alternative Ring-Bearers. Moreover his power is also very strong in Morcs.
R-listed in Expanded.


3R1 • Book of Mazarbul
Insane drawing in a dwarf deck with Follow Smeagol to place your FOTR sites -> drawing 4 cards at the beginning of each of your fellowship turn.


3R113 The Shire Countryside
Combo card with Birthday Present+SaE.
X-listed in Expanded.


4R73 Legolas, Dauntless Hunter
NPE (Negative Play Experience) creator : denial+Shadows based on conditions/events suffered too much -> bad diversity of Shadows.
X-listed in Expanded.


4U338 Golden Hall
Incredible power on fellowship just setted.


4U355 Cavern Entrance
NPE (Negative Play Experience) creator : blocking completly Free People player against swarm.


4U357 King's Room
High number of exerts after sanctuary. The necessary presence of a companion could limit the variety of decks.


7C156 Raider Halberd
(ref : Haszor comment) 9 pool at site 2 is pretty common actually, assuming 3 companions in the starting fellowship and a king site path, that's an automatic 6 pool, and since a lot tends to be played on site 1, the chances of having enough to play such a powerful combo are relatively high.


7R188 Morgul Brute
French Meta is turned around Gondor Saved/Morcs.
Morcs is the only Shadow in Movie which have no real bad match-up and a very polyvalent Shadow.
Metagame reason.


7U190 Morgul Destroyer
French Meta is turned around Gondor Saved/Morcs.
Morcs is the only Shadow in Movie which have no real bad match-up and a very polyvalent Shadow.
Metagame reason.


8R20 Saved From The Fire
French Meta is turned around Gondor Saved/Morcs.
You can play a small Highlander deck (30/30) which can manage every Shadow + filter very efficiently the deck.
Metagame reason.


10R11 Galadriel, Lady Redeemed
NPE (Negative Play Experience) creator : Shadows based on conditions/possessions suffered too much -> bad diversity of Shadows.
X-listed in Expanded.

[jcb213]

Since you are already banning a bunch of stuff for this format, I'd recommend banning Raider Halberd as well.  Castamir plus Raider Halberd has always been a very undercosted and unbalanced combo, able to totally hose many fellowships at site 2.  With Galadriel banned Corsairs are super good, and banning the Raider Halberd would help out with that a bit without killing anything really crucial to the deck.

[-Enola-]

Castamir+Halberd is a really good combo, but most of Free People decks can manage this.

[jcb213]

Most freeps decks can manage it in the mid game, but it can be very swingy and a huge npe at site 2.  If the shadow can play Castamir + halberd at site 2 and you haven't drawn one of your ways to deal with it you will lose 2 companions, and then there is often no way to recover or catch up.

I just think that if you are banning cards that are perfectly fine in movie block (sam and dauntless hunter were banned when shadows came out because of interactions with shadows cards and mechanics, not because they had caused problems in movie block) and basically banning an entire shadow (morcs, which is very beatable in movie block if you choose the right deck) then you ought to consider the most powerful standalone 2-card shadow combo in the game.

[-Enola-]

Most freeps decks can manage it in the mid game, but it can be very swingy and a huge npe at site 2.  If the shadow can play Castamir + halberd at site 2 and you haven't drawn one of your ways to deal with it you will lose 2 companions, and then there is often no way to recover or catch up.

Yes, we know this. At site 2 you can manage it or you don't give 9 in pool.

Sam and dauntless hunter were banned when shadows came out because of interactions with shadows cards and mechanics, not because they had caused problems in movie block

We know the reasons of the X-list in Expanded, reasons in Movie are different.
All choices have been made after several tournaments and tests.

[Haszor]

Most freeps decks can manage it in the mid game, but it can be very swingy and a huge npe at site 2.  If the shadow can play Castamir + halberd at site 2 and you haven't drawn one of your ways to deal with it you will lose 2 companions, and then there is often no way to recover or catch up.

Yes, we know this. At site 2 you can manage it or you don't give 9 in pool

9 pool at site 2 is pretty common actually, assuming 3 companions in the starting fellowship and a king site path, that's an automatic 6 pool, and since a lot tends to be played on site 1, the chances of having enough to play such a powerful combo are relatively high.

[Ringbearer]

I find it weird that Castamir with Halberd is doable, but the brute and destroyer are banned :S

[Imrahil]

I am glad Shire Countryside is finally gone.  That was a nightmare to play against considering I love Twilight Nazgul.  But I'm not sure about Destroyer/Brute/Hamfast/Snows/Ferny.  I'd want the community to experiment a bit with some of those and perhaps come to a consensus.

[-Enola-]

For Brute and Destroyer, it's a Metagame choice. Btw Morcs are really good even without them.

Halberd is discussed now, thanks for the point .

Hamfast has to be on the X-list, it's automatic if you want to see some competitive corrupt decks.

[-Enola-]

After many discussions and votes, we decide finally to add on the X-list : 7C156 Raider Halberd.
Thanks for all advices.

[-Enola-]

Personnalised format for Zorbec Decklist Builder is available here Multipath.
You can download ZDB here http://eric.minet.free.fr