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February 04, 2009, 12:14:13 PM
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Thranduil

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Now a Gandalf deck!
« on: February 04, 2009, 12:14:13 PM »
This quandary has been troubling me. I want to make an awesome Gandalf deck, but I don't have enough of the right cards: I don't have enough followers to make Strange Meeting/Barliman, not enough tokens for the Librarian (and no Gandalf, Returned) and so on and so forth. All in all, this has left me with a bunch of awesome cards that I want to make a deck out of but I don't know what to do with them. And I was hoping that you could help! ;D

I was thinking down one of 2 avenues:

1) Bearer of Obligation/Bouncing Hobbits
Essentially start Gandalf RB with Erland, Swordthain and WoBaS. 4 Home and Hearth, lots of excess [Gandalf] companions, 4 Inspiration and the rest pretty much writes itself. I was thinking of combining [Gandalf] followers with [Shire] followers, using other Hobbits and Make Haste with Daddy Two-foot if necessary.

2) White Rider Wounding
Start Frodo and Gandalf, the White Rider. Run a wounding engine with Gandalf from Shadowfax, Greatheart, Prolonged Struggle, Ash-Staff, Foe-hammer. Then use Gandalf's ability and Mighty Steed to make Gandalf fight all pesky minions and kill them.

So essentially, I have these cards and I want to make a good, fun deck out of them, but I need some help in focussing the cards:

Gandalf, the White Rider
Gandalf, Bearer of Obligation

The Flame of Anor
Look to My Coming x2
Traveler's Homestead
Pallando
Alatar x2
Radagast, Tender of Beasts
Dasron
Librarian
Erland, Dale Counselor
Gandalf's Staff, Ash-Staff
Greatheart (or Unequaled Steed)
Gandalf's Hat
Foe-hammer
Jarnsmid, Barding Emissary
only 1 Last Stand

Lots of:
Traveled Leader
Prolonged Struggle
The Terror of His Coming
Mysterious Wizard
Inspiration
For a While Less Dark
Strange Meeting
G for Grand

And assume I have some other standard [Gandalf] (and other) utility cards.

Right, now go! ;)
« Last Edit: February 08, 2009, 05:26:01 PM by Thranduil »

February 05, 2009, 04:03:58 PM
Reply #1

Thranduil

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Re: Help with a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2009, 04:03:58 PM »
I can't believe none of you have any good ideas! Surely some of you must have some similar sort of deck build?

Thranduil

February 05, 2009, 04:12:08 PM
Reply #2

Elrohir

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Re: Help with a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2009, 04:12:08 PM »
Gandalf, BoO Pippin, itboh Merry itboh, Quickbeam, thoae
(Pipeweeds, Ents)

Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam
(Gandalf, leader of Company, G for Grand)

Gimli, Bog, Gandalf, lom, Glorfindel, riw
(dwarfen damage, Gandalf spotting, elven threats removing)
You gave away your life's grace. I cannot protect you anymore.

February 05, 2009, 04:28:05 PM
Reply #3

Thranduil

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Re: Help with a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2009, 04:28:05 PM »
Those are great ideas. Unfortunately, I really want to use those Bloodlines rares I picked up, especially the followers... :-k

Thranduil

February 05, 2009, 10:42:52 PM
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Olorin

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Re: Help with a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2009, 10:42:52 PM »
Those are great ideas. Unfortunately, I really want to use those Bloodlines rares I picked up, especially the followers... :-k

Thranduil

Frodo 15C
The One Ring, 19P

Merry, Itboh, 17U (starting)
Quickbeam 15R (starting)

4 x momentous gathering
4 x strange meeting
1 x Pallando
1 x Gwaihir
1 x Alatar
1 x Meneldor
1 x Radagast Tender of Beasts
1 x Treebeard 15R
1 x Leaflock 15R
1 x Skinkbark 15U
1 x Sheperd of the Trees
2 x Gandalf Powerful Guide
2 x Grimbeorn
1 x Beorning Axe
2 x Watch and Wait
1 x Glamdring
1 x Radagast's Herb bag
2 x be gone
2 x Stern Words
2 x The Flame of Anor

...no, I have no idea... 32 cards... but this is not the best... I will be thinking about it...

I thought Grimbeorn with Axe cycle your events or even conditions... especially with Skinkbark... and you might have a strong companion more...
Gandalf PG cycles as well... and with spells you can shoot small swarmer minions or even bigger minions... therefore is the herb bag
your ents get strong... but won't kill (no damage +X)... perhaps Out of high airs? (Treebeard exerts... gwaihir exerts... perhaps they may kill a bit).
But: if you want to get your ents strong... you need to spot at least 5 ents + Ringbearer: you need always to have at least 6 companions...

If you want to use prolonged struggle... (I like this card) you need to play it with Hobbits or grrr... Elves... only they have got enough Resistance... or now also Rohan...
...and please, forget G for Grand... it's to expensive and might even not work!

or try this:

Frodo 15C
Ring of Doom

Merry Itboh, 17U (starting)
Quickbeam, 15R (starting)

Aragorn Thorongil
Gandalf Powerful Guide
Skinkbark
Treebeard
Grimbeorn
Radagast
4x momentous gathering
4x strange meeting
2 x stern words
2 x watch and wait
3 x flame of anor
2 x be gone
1 x Beorning Axe
1 x travelled leader
- Pallando
- Gwaihir
- Meneldor
- Alatar
- The Gaffer 13U (exert twice with sting to remove 2 threats, transfer to heal twice at dweilling site, win skirmish with Watch and wait ;-))

...it very difficult, Thranduil...
you give always a lot of pool
Mithrandir I am known to the Elves, Tharkun to the dwarves; Olorin was the name in my youth in the West which is forgotten, in the South Incanus, in the North Gandalf; into the East I will not go."

February 06, 2009, 01:55:42 AM
Reply #5

Thranduil

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Re: Help with a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2009, 01:55:42 AM »
...it very difficult, Thranduil...
you give always a lot of pool
That's not an issue, that's what Gandalf's Hat is for! ;)

Thanks for your ideas, you two. :gp:

Thranduil

February 08, 2009, 05:25:43 PM
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Thranduil

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Re: Help with a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2009, 05:25:43 PM »
Okay, I've put together a deck. When I first saw it, I thought it was going to be pretty crap, but then I tested it and actually it was pretty good. The only thing it's lacking is efficient healing, but [Gandalf] doesn't really have that (apart from Have Patience, but I think I want more of a blanket effect like Farewell to Lorien). The only possibly solution I thought to that was Traveled Leader and Mithlond, but I thought that actually that might not work very well because there's no way to play next site.

But anyway, here it is. You have any thoughts, tell me! ;)

Frodo, Hope of Free Peoples
The One Ring, Such a Weight to Carry
Gandalf, the White Rider (starting)

Librarian, Keeper of Ancient Texts
Erland, Dale Counselor
Jarnsmid, Barding Emissary
Dasron, Merchant from Dorwinion

Alatar, Final Envoy x2
Pallando, Far-travelling One
Radagast, Tender of Beasts

Gandalf's Staff, Ash-Staff
Narya, Ring of Fire

Gandalf's Hat
Glamdring, Foe-hammer
Shadowfax, Greatheart
Sting, Weapon of Heritage

G for Grand x3
Measure of Comfort x2
Traveler's Homestead
Last Stand

The Flame of Anor
Look to My Coming x2
Prolonged Struggle x3
Mighty Steed x2

It's 30/30 and supported by an [Uruk] resistance strategy using Strange Device and muster to cycle through the deck relatively quickly to make sure the FP side is set up.

So the basic principle of this deck, make Gandalf fight all pesky minions with The White Rider's game text and Mighty Steed and kill them with Greatheart and Prolonged Struggle. Eventually your other companions will be able to fight with G for Grand, the Librarian and various pumps for them (like Look to My Coming). Then because you very likely added a whole load of twilight, use Gandalf's Hat to remove the tokens from the pool, then Foe-hammer and Jarnsmid to remove them.

February 14, 2009, 05:07:01 AM
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Olorin

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Re: Now a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2009, 05:07:01 AM »
Do you really think that this is a competitive deck?
I think that you give far to much pool with G for grand for instance... and Gandalf cannot prevent his conditions from beeing discarded...
and how do you want to use Erland... he has only got 3 vitality... exert him twice... and then? no healing?
Due to the followers there is always a lot of pool left in the regroup... so double? better not I think.

I don't know if you can find space, but here are some suggestions from my side:
Beorning Axe (Erland vitality +1)
Ghan-buri-Ghan instead of Dasron (ghan is a very good character!)
Grimbeorn (with Axe - cycle [Gandalf] cards - much better than dasron...)
...you spot easily 3 [Gandalf] companions? Take Treebeard Enraged Sheperd (he exerts... put in Gwaihir? he exerts to...)
...and change Shadowfax to that shadowfax from bloodlines that wound with tokens...

tell me what you are thinking about my thoughts... it might be a little be different to your current strategy... but... let's see... ;-)
Mithrandir I am known to the Elves, Tharkun to the dwarves; Olorin was the name in my youth in the West which is forgotten, in the South Incanus, in the North Gandalf; into the East I will not go."

February 14, 2009, 01:30:02 PM
Reply #8

Thranduil

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Re: Now a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2009, 01:30:02 PM »
Do you really think that this is a competitive deck?
No, I don't. It wasn't really supposed to be; I was just trying to use some fun cards that I had spare!

I think that you give far to much pool with G for grand for instance... and Gandalf cannot prevent his conditions from beeing discarded...
and how do you want to use Erland... he has only got 3 vitality... exert him twice... and then? no healing?
Due to the followers there is always a lot of pool left in the regroup... so double? better not I think.

I don't know if you can find space, but here are some suggestions from my side:
Beorning Axe (Erland vitality +1)
Ghan-buri-Ghan instead of Dasron (ghan is a very good character!)
Grimbeorn (with Axe - cycle [Gandalf] cards - much better than dasron...)
...you spot easily 3 [Gandalf] companions? Take Treebeard Enraged Sheperd (he exerts... put in Gwaihir? he exerts to...)
...and change Shadowfax to that shadowfax from bloodlines that wound with tokens...

tell me what you are thinking about my thoughts... it might be a little be different to your current strategy... but... let's see... ;-)
Your suggestions are all good, but unfortunately I don't have any of the cards you suggested. Obviously those would make the deck better, but I just don't have them.

Thranduil

February 17, 2009, 01:37:58 PM
Reply #9

GloinTheDark

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Re: Now a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2009, 01:37:58 PM »
Do you have Brand?  A two twilight companion that makes your men str. +1 and can chump block as needed. 

Strength of Spirit for Erland?

4 Mysterious Wizard since Gandalf is the main fighter?

February 17, 2009, 06:13:54 PM
Reply #10

Thranduil

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Re: Now a Gandalf deck!
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2009, 06:13:54 PM »
Do you have Brand?  A two twilight companion that makes your men str. +1 and can chump block as needed. 

Strength of Spirit for Erland?

4 Mysterious Wizard since Gandalf is the main fighter?
Yeah, Brand is an obvious choice. The deck is currently standard though so that rules out Strength of Spirit.

Thanks for your suggestions, guys! :gp:

Thranduil