King Sealed League Strategies on Gemp

[sgtdraino]

What do experienced players think are the best strategies to use when playing the King Block Sealed League on Gemp? I've put this in Valinor (and not King), because the Gemp starter decks are sometimes not quite standard. So, let's pursue a number of questions about this type of league, to hopefully give newer players some insight into it:

1. All things being equal, which starter deck do you think is smartest to pick each series? (see poll at the top) Why?

2. Exactly what is different about the Gemp versions of these starters? Do these differences change each League, or are the Gemp versions of the starters pretty static? Does anyone have an actual starter deck list for the Gemp versions of these Sealed League starters?

ETA: In addition to choosing a starter in Series 1, all players receive the following cards:
Ruined Capitol
Morgulduin
Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul
Ulaire Enquea, Faster Than Winds

ETA: In addition to choosing a starter in Series 2, all players receive the following card:
Osgiliath Channel

ETA: In addition to choosing a starter in Series 3, all players receive the following card:
Sam, Needer of Vittles

The starters are indeed the LOTR Online versions, seen at this link:

http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,9119.0/topicseen.html

3. What are some other useful strategies to heed, when preparing for this meta? For example, I've heard it is smart to open your boosters before you choose your starter, in case you get a great rare that works better with one starter than another. What are some other strategies?

[dmaz]

Thanks for starting this up

I'm really only familiar with Fellowship and Towers Sealed (also that revised Movie one, which is a whole 'nother animal), so I'm looking forward to getting my feet wet with this King Sealed.

So I spent some time mulling it over, and looking at the starter deck lists, and ended up going with Eomer>Merry>Sam. My reasoning for Eomer and Sam is more direct, whereas choosing Merry is more indirect (basically both the fellowship AND shadow match the Eomer deck, so you have some compatibility).

Eomer: The advantage I saw right away was that if you can get horses on your companions, you have eliminated one of the Aragorn Deck's main killing avenues (Red Wrath). On top of that, the southrons don't have any pumps included (given, the sauron pump is kind of crusty in that you have to remove three threats, but it's SOMETHING), so you're generally dealing with high strength elite riders, with pumps, and you can't use your red wraths. Downside to this is flooding the twilight pool quite a bit (it's a lot of possessions), and someone will eventually die. General strategy, I suppose, would be to just use the unmounted companions as cannon fodder/threat-wound-absorbers each site and move on. The Aragorn Deck was really tempting (you have automatic threat control, and a really strong Aragorn), but I still went with my gut for Eomer.

Merry: Didn't really look too deep into this one. It added some flexibility to both the fellowship and shadow strategies that you built in Serie 1, basically.

Sam: For me, this was almost a no-brainer. You get a guaranteed Sam, and this is good for two reasons
1. Sam can take the ring if Frodo dies. Even more useful than in Towers, this allows you to use Frodo as a threat-wound-absorbing pincushion for burdens during the skirmish phase, and once he's around 7 or 8 burdens, just kill him off and start fresh with Sam.
2. When Sam hits the table, he's at least a Strength 5. And if you happen to have Merry out, that's a 6/4 companion for only cost 2. On top of that he benefits from all of the other shire cards, which comes to my third reason.
3. Orc Armor/The Tale of the Great Ring/NFFATROD. These are some very solid Ringbearer-survival support cards, plus a very nice way to deal with threats if things look like they are about to go south(ron) [ ].

On a side note, I did take a decent look at the Frodo one, because it had some things to be considered. The Noble Intentions automatically boosting the Wraiths is very cool, and looks like fun...additionally having a guaranteed Gandalf is pretty sweet too. However, since you have a better chance at pulling a common Gandalf than a foil promo version of this Sam, I still ended up going with Sam

As always, I agree with opening your boosters before deciding. For example: if you end up with two copies of Steadfast Champion, and stuff like Sharpen Your Swords, or Glamdring and you didn't get a Gandalf, it might actually be better for you to pick the Gandalf Deck for set 10, just to give you better double-moving power.

Also for reference - Here's the original physical card deck lists:
http://www.gondorian.com/lotrtcg/starters.php

And here's the one's, which I BELIEVE will be used for the gemp sealed league (basically the LOTR TCG Online ones, if I'm not mistaken):
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/921814-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-trading-card-game/faqs/39070

Looking forward to seeing some other opinions/insights

[Legion]

Yep, those are the starters.  I made a thread showing the differences: http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8563.0.html

Note Eomer does not come with a Gandalf.  I spent all that time on the thread when I was dismayed not to be able to use the Citadel to Gate that I pulled on account of no Gandalf.

[thetimewarptrio]

I wish I had more time to post in-depth, but most of my time on this site is spent killing time in between lulls at work, so I can't go into great detail.

I've never played on Gemp, I prefer being limited to my physical cards and playing with some friends face to face instead of online, so I don't know how the drafts differ from online vs. offline, but I will add to this conversation a point that you've probably all figured out, that being that the Sam deck is infinitely better than the Frodo deck. I found a few Mount Doom starters for $2 at a local Kmart and decided to do an altered version of a draft with a few friends, and those of us (2 of the 4) that got the Sam decks were the ones that survived the longest. Unless you pull some great cards in your rares, the Frodo deck's FreePeeps side is too scatterbrained to form a decent defense. Either you start with Gandalf, or a combo of Dead Man of Dunharrow/Oathbreaker, in which case there are two threats on the board to start the game. And in the case of the Sam deck, you have Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and a strength 7 Sam already out. Although decent Shire pumps are harder to come by in RoTK block, it's way easier to build around that semblance of a defense than the million directions you could go with the Frodo deck, none of which typically form into anything defensible.

[sgtdraino]

Thanks for starting this up

Thanks for participating!

And here's the one's, which I BELIEVE will be used for the gemp sealed league (basically the LOTR TCG Online ones, if I'm not mistaken):
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/921814-the-lord-of-the-rings-online-trading-card-game/faqs/39070

Yep, those are the starters.  I made a thread showing the differences: http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8563.0.html

I don't think that's necessarily correct, as I noticed during Series 1 of The Two Towers Sealed League that both the Aragorn and Theoden decks came with 2x Southron Commander, which is not listed on the LOTR Online deck lists at those links. So, it seems like that must be something specifically added by Gemp?

ETA: The King Sealed League starts tomorrow, perhaps a couple of folks would be kind enough to post the specific deck list for Gemp when they open their starters?

I will add to this conversation a point that you've probably all figured out, that being that the Sam deck is infinitely better than the Frodo deck.

That does seem to be the one thing everybody agrees on. Otherwise it's a total disagreement on which are the better decks to pick in Series 1 and Series 2. I'm guessing it's a split between going with a Gondor strat vs. a Rohan strat.

[Eukalyptus]

Southron Commander is added in TT Sealed by Gemp, as is Enquea LoM in King Sealed.

[thetimewarptrio]

Just out of curiosity, what's the reasoning behind the changes?

[Eukalyptus]

To prevent easy wins by allowing 9 companions without punishment. Sure you could pull a Southron Commander in your packs if you're lucky, but still. Both formats also feature a specific site 7 (Hornburg Causeway for TT, I think Osgiliath Channel for King), to punish such playing as well.

[sgtdraino]

Southron Commander is added in TT Sealed by Gemp, as is Enquea LoM in King Sealed.

Thanks for the information. Is it 2x Enquea LoM, as it was with Southron Commander? Are those the only modifications? Are only the two Series 1 decks modified in this way? Was anything added to the FP side to even them up?

Both formats also feature a specific site 7 (Hornburg Causeway for TT, I think Osgiliath Channel for King), to punish such playing as well.

The stock Eomer deck has Osgiliath Crossing, and the stock Aragorn deck has Pelennor Grassland. Are you saying that in both decks, these two sites have been replaced with Osgiliath Channel?

[Eukalyptus]

I think it was one Enquea only. Could be wrong, though. Legion already pointed out the differences in those starters in his thread. Site 7 is o/c in addition.

[sgtdraino]

I think it was one Enquea only. Could be wrong, though.

Interesting.

Legion already pointed out the differences in those starters in his thread.

Looking at his thread, it looks like he's detailing differences based on the LOTR Online decklists, not the actual lists used by Gemp (he doesn't note the addition of Enquea LoM, for example).

Site 7 is o/c in addition.

So players get the site 7 that is stock to the deck, and then they also get an extra site 7, in the form of Osgiliath Channel?

[hsiale]

IIRC week 3 of King league all players get a Sam so that Sam starter isn't ridiculously overpowered.

[sgtdraino]

IIRC week 3 of King league all players get a Sam so that Sam starter isn't ridiculously overpowered.

Very interesting! Can anyone confirm?

[daisukeman]

Hot dog!
Really cool, thanx Euk.. and great that you perform adjustments based on real play experience and top player's feedback.

I did not play towers sealed cause for me, it's the most lamest format (just as it is), due to poor crowd control (now imagine it in sealed, without proper shadow cards.. just what you get)...

You see, I'm more of a shadow player than a freeps player. I usually prefer to go second, double only if needed, and would rather win by seeing all comps struck dead instead of arriving safely to 9!
This is unlikely in towers and it is basically a 9-companion race to site 9.

RotK is different because of threats (major difference), and has a slightly better crowd control (as an option at site 7 and from minions not only from 1 culture as in towers).
I would have gave it a chance if I knew about the Commander addition...

So, if I understand correctly the upcoming King sealed will feature one U. Enquea from set 1 for both starters?
It's gonna get pretty savage and bloody out there with an Enquea!!






About:

...For example, I've heard it is smart to open your boosters before you choose your starter, in case you get a great rare that works better with one starter than another....

Sure, I always thought everybody did that (you can't trust your rare-draw luck) !
Seems common sense to do it for every choice of starter... unless of course, for the Sam starter.

[hsiale]

So, if I understand correctly the upcoming King sealed will feature one U. Enquea from set 1 for both starters?
It's gonna get pretty savage and bloody out there with an Enquea!!

IIRC it's one Shotgun Enquea and one 7U212, which also gets better with 6 companions out.