Gandalf's Boys and ... Trolls?

[menace64]

I sat down tonight and put together my first deck in a long time. I opened up my WotR binder with the intent to pick out 2 decktypes that emerged throughout those sets and just run with them. Thus, Men and Trolls.

If I forgot some of the basic needs of each side, let me know. Chances are 50/50 that I don't have any card that "needs" to be in this deck but isn't, since I basically poured whatever I could into it.

Gandalf, Bearer of Obligation (with The One Ring, The Ring of Rings)

Caras Galadhon, Ettenmoors, Fangorn Glade, Imladris, Mithlond, Shores of Nen Hithoel, Sirannon Ruins, Watch-tower of Cirith Ungol, Wold Battlefield

Free Peoples (32)
Companions (5)
Barliman Butterbur, Red-faced Landlord (starting)
Dasron, Merchant From Dorwinion
Erland, Dale Counselor (starting)
Grimbeorn, Beorning Chieftain
Librarian, Keeper of Ancient Texts

Conditions/Events (20)
G for Grand x3
Strange Meeting x4
The Flame of Anor x4
For a While Less Dark x3
Guidance of the Istari x4
Saved From the Fire
A Wizard is Never Late

Followers (4)
Alatar, Final Envoy
Meneldor, Misty Mountain Eagle
Pallando, Far-travelling One
Radagast, Tender of Beasts

Artifacts/Possessions (3)
Gandalf's Staff, Ash-staff
Beorning Axe
Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas

Yes, yes. More Axes. Well too bad. I've only got the one.

Shadow (32)
Minions (25)
Cave Troll of Moria, Savage Menace x2
Mountain-troll x2
Orc Skulker x4
Picket Denizen x4
Pit Troll x3
Porter Troll x3
Prowling Orc x3
Troll of the Deep, Cave Troll x2
Troll's Keyward, Keeper of the Beast x2

Conditions/Events/Possessions (7)
Goblin Hordes x2
Undisciplined x2
Cave Troll's Hammer, Unwieldy Cudgel x3

Obviously, Grimbeorn likes this shadow. The plan is to bid 0 and eventually slow the opponent's fellowship down through wave after wave of trolls. I won't be putting Radagast, The Brown into the deck until I'm more comfortable with the Men... they do seem rather frail.

[TheJord]

A Wizard is Never Late is not legal in standard. I will review fully later

[SomeRandomDude]

Brand, my good fellow, where is Brand?

I'm actually not a fan of the axes. Probably because I don't have any. But anyways. If you're interested in Brand, I may have one for trade.

I'm actually not really a fan of G for Grand, I'd run Last Stand, because with Librarian and Alatar, its pretty easy to trigger.

That would mean with Brand and Librarian, you can make your comps strength +3 right off the bat.

I actually run a set of A Wizard Is Never Late in mine, but I could just run duplicates of important comps, such as Librarian.

I also found that starting Barliman wasn't always the best. 4 strength tends to get run over, but if you start him with Brand, he may be able to cope.

[Thranduil]

With that Shadow side, you ought to be starting Grimbeorn and Pippin, HoSI - allowing you to bid 1 extra burden and have a really easy time early game when there are only 1 or 2 minions out (or Erland and Brand with multiple copies of Grimbeorn - after all, you'll always want to heal him!). Then you obviously need Brand somewhere, and some tokens for Librarian (the best being Last Stand which I would strongly recommend instead of some of those skirmish pumps). I also don't see the point of running only 1 SftF so I would take it out. Also, as TJ correctly pointed out, because of AWiNL this deck is currently expanded. Isn't there a hunters card which plays companions from your draw deck? Or is that only Ents?

Anyway, I love Men. I'd suggest Foe-hammer and Jarnsmid to make sure you're guarding those burdens for G for Grand.

Thranduil

[Elrohir]

Even Jarnsmid and Foe-hammer (which I would not spare) could not let you cope with G for Grand. In my opinion, it is not very helpfull. But do take Jarnsmid!

If you want to hear more:

Play Gimli as ring-bearer! further companions: Jarnsmid, Erland, Grimbeorn, Brand, Gandalf, Returned, Radagast, Durin III, Dain Ironfoot

Pallando
Blood runs chill
Shadowfax
Citadel to gate
Ring of fury
  and the usual other cards (events, artifacts, conditions...)