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Author Topic: Deck Challenges.  (Read 13733 times)

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August 08, 2018, 06:56:11 PM
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menace64

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Deck Challenges.
« on: August 08, 2018, 06:56:11 PM »
I want to get back into playing shape so I figure maybe we can put together a way of gaming the deck construction process.

This could be as simple as you telling me (or whomever) to use This culture, or That starting companion, or Here, Build a Bill Ferny Deck.

Or we could spice it up with additional rules for requesting/supplying a challenge.

Didn't we use to have something like this?
« Last Edit: August 08, 2018, 07:03:20 PM by menace64 »

August 08, 2018, 07:06:04 PM
Reply #1

Phallen Cassidy

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2018, 07:06:04 PM »
I'm in, whatever we're doing. I have a number of interesting restrictions/strategies in mind for this very thing, but I've built most of them to at least a prototype so I'd be more interested in other people's suggestions. I'd thought of making this a sort of unofficial tournament, but shortly after getting things together we started working on Draft and it became redundant. I figured a round-robin with 3 matches where everyone builds the same deck type, but that was then ;) what do you want this to become?

August 08, 2018, 07:21:06 PM
Reply #2

menace64

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2018, 07:21:06 PM »
I want to be less reliant on what I remember building 12 years ago and more aware of the potentials in front of me now. I'll nod my head and do my best with whatever materializes next.

I think a round robin tournament where everybody is assigned certain requirements (either shared as described or drawn-lot style) could be a lot of fun!


August 09, 2018, 03:36:49 AM
Reply #3

Dictionary

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2018, 03:36:49 AM »
Didn't we use to have something like this?
I remember reading something like that. They'd say something like: "Build a deck around Hastiest of All" and see what people came up with. There was some pretty good stuff.

EDIT: One of these, right? http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,356.15.html
« Last Edit: August 09, 2018, 03:39:04 AM by Dictionary »
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August 09, 2018, 04:26:57 AM
Reply #4

Air Power

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2018, 04:26:57 AM »
Do you want to specify the format?  I'd love to see what people come up with for a Smeagol BoGS deck
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August 09, 2018, 05:27:08 AM
Reply #5

menace64

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2018, 05:27:08 AM »
EDIT: One of these, right? http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,356.15.html

Ten years ago...! And of course it's Dain running the thing. :up:

I'd speculate that running a full-on old-school voting contest for deck construction is likely a bit too much for us to tackle right out of the gate - but that whole thread is gold and it'd be a goal perhaps to shoot for something similar to it down the road.

Do you want to specify the format?  I'd love to see what people come up with for a Smeagol BoGS deck

Do we have any takers? I had a BoGS deck back in the day I could try reassembling!

August 09, 2018, 06:05:04 AM
Reply #6

Dictionary

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2018, 06:05:04 AM »
I'd speculate that running a full-on old-school voting contest for deck construction is likely a bit too much for us to tackle right out of the gate - but that whole thread is gold and it'd be a goal perhaps to shoot for something similar to it down the road.
Things are quieter now. We can probably be a bit more informal, unless this gets super popular.

Do you want to specify the format?  I'd love to see what people come up with for a Smeagol BoGS deck
I'd normally advocate doing any formats of player choice, but BoGS is much harder in Movie than Expanded. Since this is a deck challenge, I'm guessing it'll be just Movie. Some cards are only challenges in certain formats.

EDIT: That being said, Expanded probably allows for more creativity, which is also nice for this kind of challenge. What do you guys think?
« Last Edit: August 09, 2018, 06:14:33 AM by Dictionary »
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August 10, 2018, 03:15:25 AM
Reply #7

RJH777

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2018, 03:15:25 AM »
This sounds like a great idea - good for finding all those old cards you forgot existed too...

August 11, 2018, 05:08:23 AM
Reply #8

Deckhunter

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2018, 05:08:23 AM »
Looks like fun! I'd say expanded, but that's just me since I've never really been able to get the hang of movie for some reason. I guess I just like going a little too mad with experimental decks to find a solid one in that format first.
That being said, in either format I think it'd be fun to pair Smeagol, BogS with rohan companions and allies. I know that in expanded you could use the old gamling + horn to grab rohan stable master and make smeagol mounted for certain allies to spot. But there are lots of other more unique combinations out there. Frenzied Fighter and Where Now the Horse anyone?

August 11, 2018, 03:16:25 PM
Reply #9

Phallen Cassidy

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2018, 03:16:25 PM »
So that's what we're doing? Expanded BoGS? Any other requirements, e.g. unbound companions, no solo smeagol, certain shadow sides, etc.?

August 11, 2018, 05:55:32 PM
Reply #10

menace64

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2018, 05:55:32 PM »
Well I hadn't really had a mind for all of us competing with the same deck restrictions/themes (although that does sound wicked fun and I absolutely want to do that). My primary motivation for starting this thread was to provide all of us a forum for when we want to build a new deck but feel uninspired. Like, I've got my [Sauron] Trollcker deck that I cherish from my physical-card-playing-days, but beyond that I'm sort of out of ideas.

Given the feedback received thus far, I propose two different ways for us to interact in this thread:

Deck Requests
"I want to build a deck but I can't figure out what I want to build."
---
When you make a Deck Request, supply any up-front criteria you wish to abide by: block, format, cultures, etc. You can also make a Deck Request blindly, which may lead to more interesting results. Your post in this thread can be nothing more than "Deck Request: Anything, Any Format". I don't think you'd have to go with whatever is first-suggested, and maybe you'll want to discuss the suggestion with whomever is suggesting it - maybe they know something about this deck that you don't! (Or, in my case, loooooong forgotten.)
In either case, I think it should be mandatory that any Deck Request you make must be played at least ONE time and your deck list shared before you can put in for another Deck Request. This way, we all improve, and spammy posts will be kept to a minimum. (Unless we can get some old CC members in here.)

Deck Contests
"I want to follow a list of restrictions and play against others beholden to identical restrictions."
---
Might be easiest to just use the example we've already got going in this thread: Let's say that this week we have 4 players interested in participating in a Deck Contest, and through some agreed-upon means of negotiating we've determined to build BoGS decks in the Expanded format. And then we'd face-off with our Smeagol decks and have a romp of a slimy time.

---------

Does that sound like what's bouncing around in all your heads? It seems really easy, and the best part is that it isn't reliant on a specific person "running" the show for it to work.

August 12, 2018, 04:42:05 AM
Reply #11

Dictionary

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2018, 04:42:05 AM »
Sounds good. We can always mix and match formats too if we want e.g. one person does Fellow, one does TS, one does Movie, one does Expanded etc. Might be a cool comparison for earlier cards.

Do we want to post replays here as well as decklists? Replays are nice for people to see these cards in action.

I'm rebuilding an old BoGS with [Gandalf] companions deck I used to run a while ago.
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August 12, 2018, 06:46:51 AM
Reply #12

Shelobplayer

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2018, 06:46:51 AM »
This BOGS build did fairly well for me, and I enjoyed it a lot:
http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,9092.0.html

Although it uses New Chapter, so might not be for everyone's taste.

August 17, 2018, 05:33:48 PM
Reply #13

Dictionary

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2018, 05:33:48 PM »
I don't know if this thread is still alive, but I'll go ahead and post my entry in hoping we can rekindle some interest. Shadow was a bit lacklustre, so I won't bother posting. Basically just News of Mordor shenanigans.

Decklist:
Ring-bearer: Smeagol, Bearer of Great Secrets
Ring: The One Ring, The Great Ring

Adventure deck:
Buckland Homestead
Streets of Bree
Cavern Entrance
Doorway to Doom
Mithlond
Caras Galadhon
Dammed Gate-stream
Pinnacle of Zirakzigil
Falls of Rauros

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
1x Farmer Maggot, Hobbit of the Marish (Starting)
1x Merry, In the Bloom of Health (Starting)
1x Pippin, In the Bloom of Health (Starting)
1x Quickbeam, Bregalad (Starting)
1x Skinbark, Fladrif (Starting)
1x Host of Fangorn (Starting)
1x Ent Horde (Starting)
1x Gandalf, Returned
1x Grimbeorn, Beorning Chieftain
1x Radagast, The Brown
1x Treebeard, Enraged Shepherd
4x Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor
2x Beorning Axe
1x Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas
4x A Wizard Is Never Late
1x Grown Suddenly Tall
3x Look to My Coming
1x On Your Doorstep
4x Traveled Leader
1x One Good Turn Deserves Another
4x Release Them
1x Softly Up Behind
2x Long-stemmed Pipe
1x Perspective

Replays:
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=Dictionary$a76za705lt2olzvi
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=Dictionary$0cuq2fuea1mzs0lk
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=Dictionary$n4nu9fdy69w2kugc

Summary:
Start with the classic train of Bloom of Health Hobbits + Ents. Play some region 1 Dwellings for Maggot, then Falls of Rauros 3 times through One Good Turn Deserves Another and Traveled Leader in region 2. Bounce Mithlond in the final region. Try to sacrifice a Wizard to BoGS then revive at Pinnacle of Zirakzigil if possible. This means you can potentially finish a game with 5 companions still alive.

The main perks of this deck are infinite threat removal via BoGS killing people, which is great for GotM, and Smeagol's brutal Regroup ability. It is a very heavy site trickery deck, but it has to be to use Falls properly. I also considered Well Met Indeed (Sacrifice Gandalf every turn) and/or Greyhame (Discard many fodder companions then fetch them when needed), but it'd have to be a different deck for those.

Another possible build is Knocked on the Head + Unquenchable Hobbit -> Bounce and discard him in the same phase to trigger Home and Hearth.

This BOGS build did fairly well for me, and I enjoyed it a lot:
http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,9092.0.html

Although it uses New Chapter, so might not be for everyone's taste.
I think I played vs someone using this deck once. It's a pretty tough one.
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August 18, 2018, 08:14:17 AM
Reply #14

menace64

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Re: Deck Challenges.
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2018, 08:14:17 AM »
(I'm sorry in advance if what follows comes off as overly-complainy. Honestly while there might be some venting here, for the most part I just prefer throwing my thoughts out without feeling tied to them on an emotional level - I'm also confident that with a few more rotations in this style a lot of my hangups will start to dissipate.)

This deck was my first return to the Expanded format and I'd say I did universally poor. Not beyond my own expectations.  ](*,)

I got a few games in over the last week or so, my interest in sticking with the deck likely tempered by both the roughness of my build and my non-applicable playing experience. I feel incredibly rusty, but retrospectively I've always preferred design over competition, which is perhaps reflected in how "basic" my decks tend to be.

And this one is no different. It's too big and non-optimal, so any words of wisdom dealing with those hangups might give me a second shot with this deck.

Smeallum
Ring-bearer: Smeagol, Bearer of Great Secrets
Ring: The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles

Adventure deck:
Doors of Durin
Emyn Muil
Doorway to Doom
Slopes of Orodruin
Caras Galadhon
West Gate of Moria
Caves of Aglarond
Dammed Gate-stream
Imladris

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
2x Fishing Boat
2x Clever Hobbits
4x Naked Waste
4x Nasty
2x Release Them
2x Time for Food
3x Where Shall We Go
4x Follow Smeagol
3x Gladden Homestead
4x Never
4x Nice Fish
4x Poor Wretch
4x There's Another Way

Shadow Draw Deck:
4x Gollum, Mad Thing
4x Shelob, Her Ladyship
4x Spider Poison
3x Web
3x Captured by the Ring
2x Cunningly Hidden
3x Horribly Strong
2x Nasty, Foul Hobbitses
3x Sudden Strike
3x We Must Have It
2x Not Easily Avoided
2x Promise Keeping
3x They Stole It
4x Treacherous Little Toad

This is as bare-bones as [Gollum] gets, and I wanted the whole deck to be nothing-but. All Smeagol cares about is spotting a bunch of his own cards for deep effects like Never and Clever Hobbits. But it's quagmiresomely slow and besides choking-out the Shadow players to death I never accomplished much, even if Smeagol himself walked untroubled along the site path with some crazy base stats.

I wanted Shelob to work but she's a hard strat to perfect and I'm 10 years behind the times. I'll admit that I don't "get" her anymore. I know what Shelob / Promise Keeping used to look like; but Expanded is different than last I played within it and the meta is either tailored against such shenanigans or I might just need to find a more "me" strategy to use to pile on the wins. In either case, Shelob was a consistent misfire.

What, in your opinion, is the best way to optimize for Shelob in an Expanded environment?

---------

By removing a couple cards I could've shifted this into Move block - a much more comfortable format even if I still feel lost the majority of the time - but Horribly Strong Sudden Strike was the linchpin of the deck and without it I saw little sense in the attempt. (I still want to see a Limited-Expanded format, incorporating the X- and R- list and excluding all set 15, 17, and 18 cards. That's probably excessive and extremely self-absorbed but, hey, that's where mah brain is sittin' this morning.)

Replays:
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=Dictionary$a76za705lt2olzvi
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=Dictionary$0cuq2fuea1mzs0lk
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=Dictionary$n4nu9fdy69w2kugc

I'm assuming these replays are achieved with FRAPS or some equivalent software? Or have I missed some kickass gemp-based feature?
« Last Edit: August 18, 2018, 01:12:42 PM by menace64 »