The Last Homely House

Middle-Earth => Lothlórien => Fellowship => Topic started by: Legion on June 30, 2013, 08:51:52 AM

Title: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: Legion on June 30, 2013, 08:51:52 AM
This is a fairly new deck that I've been using a lot recently.  After 100 casual games, I have come away with 93 wins, so I feel that I was very wrong when I thought Moria Archery wasn't viable before I made this deck!

Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
The One Ring, Isildur’s Bane

Sites:
1 Shire Lookout Point
2 Midgewater Marshes
3 Rivendell Terrace
4 Great Chasm
5 The Bridge of Khazad-dum
6 Dimrill Dale
7 Anduin Confluence
8 Brown Lands
9 Summit of Amon Hen

Fellowship (46)
1x Gandalf, The Grey Pilgrim (Starting)
3x Aragorn, Heir to the White City
2x Merry, Friend to Sam
2x Sam, Son of Hamfast
2x Legolas, Greenleaf
3x Elrond, Lord of Rivendell
1x Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor
1x Albert Dreary, Entertainer From Bree
1x Ottar, Man of Laketown
1x Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal
1x Bow of the Galadhrim
1x Long Knives of Legolas
1x Gandalf’s Cart
1x Glamdring
1x Gandalf’s Staff
1x Narya
1x Gandalf’s Pipe
2x Aragorn’s Pipe
1x Ranger’s Sword
1x Flaming Brand
1x Aragorn’s Bow
1x Armor
1x Sting
2x Hobbit Sword
1x Frodo’s Pipe
1x The Gaffer’s Pipe
4x Old Toby
2x Longbottom Leaf
3x Servant of the Secret Fire
2x Sleep, Caradhras

Shadow (46)
3x Archer Commander
4x Moria Archer Troop
4x Goblin Bowman
4x Goblin Marksman
3x Goblin Runner
1x Goblin Warrior
1x Goblin Scrabbler
3x Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul
4x Goblin Scimitar
1x Moria Axe
4x Goblin Armory
2x Relics of Moria
2x They Are Coming
1x Goblin Domain
2x Goblin Swarms
4x Host of Thousands
3x Bitter Hatred

Playing this deck is quite straightforward: bid 2 to start then play everything you can each turn.  46/46 may seem huge, but I quite often end up decking myself, especially if the opponent added 9 burdens at Brown Lands and tries to limp to site 9.  The combination of The Grey Pilgrim, Elrond, Ottar and Old Toby means I'll very frequently draw 5 cards every Fellowship Phase, and Goblin Scimitars draw extra cards in the shadow.  The Fellowship side is rather standard, but plays Gandalf's Cart instead of The Prancing Pony.  This helps unclog your hand, and often cripple your opponent if you can get Goblin Domain out before they play Aragorn.  Beatdown Nazgul is the only Shadow side I fear, and then only if I have a terrible starting hand.  Sam is mostly a throwaway companion, which is why I only play 6.  Merry is lethal when given all those opportunities to heal every turn.

Most of my wins come from the shadow (I hardly ever double from site 2 to 3 as pipes are quite weak early game).  It is quite straightforward in that you want to deal as much damage as possible.  Brown Lands is a monster of a site, and almost always kills a Fellowship, or at least maims it for Enquea to clean up at site 9.  No fellowship playing The Ruling Ring has ever survived my site 8.  Pipeweed and cards like Mithril Coat are annoying, but even then I still deal so much damage.  The fact that Moria Archer Troops are so hard to kill is just a bonus.

I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions.  I know that Host of Thousands has received a lot of hate recently, but I'm sticking to all 4.  I need the extra minions and simply refuse to touch Goblin Archer.  I have considered Frenzy, but I'm not sure if it is worth the space.
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: Jens on February 11, 2015, 02:10:31 PM
Been playing with this for quite a bit now, it's pure madness :)
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: Ringbearer on February 12, 2015, 07:29:53 AM
I personally would fit in a Balrog Flame of udun if you can. It helps adding some wounds usually. And if you expect stealth, dont play them.
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: Jens on February 12, 2015, 08:59:12 AM
Never really missed the Balrog, he doesn't cycle very well and most people have armor or indeed stealth. Plus archers do quite a bit of damage anyways and they won't disapear if the opp. decides to walk a second time.
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: Legion on June 27, 2015, 06:37:23 AM
Hi all!  I was asked to put the final iteration of this deck up here before I left Gemp.  It is the same as above, but with one more Aragorn's Bow and one Tower Assassin.  It finished on 329 wins and 28 losses, giving about 30 wins in my 72 game winning streak 2 years ago.  Feel free to use it-I found it the most fun deck to play, but do remember to cycle!
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: dmaz on June 27, 2015, 01:45:10 PM
Hey hey!

Thanks for the update and the "set in stone" version of your tried and true deck.

Just looking through the day 3 worlds decks for FotR in 2002 (http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php?topic=8581.0) only one deck comes a little close to your deck size, but still doesn't quite touch your card count at 92! I'm quite curious as to how much this deck could have broken some of the meta in that tournament, were you present with it.

As I always view decks, while I think there is a large amount of skill and credit that needs to go to the building of the deck, it's not just the deck itself but the player that makes it successful. As everyone has seen your consistent success in a lot of the leagues on GEMP, I have to give a lot of credit to you as a skilled player of the game, as well as a deck designer.

Sorry to see you leave on GEMP, but hoping you will pay a visit now and then! Maybe I could even coax you into playing the first TS Sealed league when we finally get it launched. It would be fun to have you in the mix!
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: matthewb82 on February 27, 2017, 07:12:31 PM
Thanks for the deck!  This was a load of fun to play.  I was able to generate 13 archery at Site 8 (by that point 4 companions were already dead from wounds, he had 2 exhausted companions and 8 burdens moving to the Brown Lands).  The Fellowship was also very sturdy.  This deck was completely insane.
Title: Re: Pipes/Moria Archery
Post by: ArtificerAlf on March 28, 2017, 07:54:46 PM
From a strategy standpoint, do you find that you have enough Twilight to play Moria Archer Troop and some other goblins? I limited my deck to 2 copies of the troop simply because I felt that a 6 twilight cost is too great when trying to play other archers. Just looking for some insight.