Ranger and Hobbit choke + Mordor orcs

[denethor]

Need some tips from you...

Since lotr tcg isn't very normal where I live I play against the same person every time. He has Uruk-Hai's and

a fellowship which is a mix of dwarfs, elves, men and hobbits.

Sites:
The prancing pony
Bree Gate
Council courtyard
Moria Stairway
The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
Valley of the Silverlode
Silverlode Banks
Pillars of the Kings
Tol Brandir


Starting Fellowship:
•Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer bearing The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
•Legolas, Son of Thranduil
•Merry, from O'er the Brandywine
•Pippin, Mr. took


Free Peoples (47 cards):
•Sam, Son of Hamfast
•Aragorn, King in Exile
•Boromir, Lord of Gondor
•Arwen, Daughter of Elrond
•Haldir, Elf of the Golden Wood
A Promise
Hobbit Intuition
The Tale of Gil-Galad
Aragorn's Bow
Ranger's Sword
Eregion's Trails
Horn of Boromir
Gift of Boats
Gondor Bowmen
Hobbit Sword x3
No Stranger to the Shadows x2
Old Noakes
Athelas
Gondor's Vengeance
Pursuit Just Behind
Frying Pan
Noble Intentions
Elven Bow
A Talent for Not Being Seen
Elendil's Valor
Meant to be Alone
Sting
Swordsman of the Northern Kingdom x2
Double Shot
Dagger Strike
Halfling Deftness
What Are They? x2
Might of Numenor
We Must Go Warily
•Calaglin
•Elrond, Lord of Rivendell
•Orophin, Silvan Elf
Secret Sentinels
Deft in Their Movements

Shadow (47 cards):
Orc Soldier x3
•Tower Lieutenant x2
Orc Scimitar
Orc Scouting Band x3
Orc Taskmaster x3
Mordor's Strength x2
Orc Inquisitor
Orc Hunters x3
Orc Swordsman x4
Spies of Mordor
Morgul Hunter
Vile Blade x4
Desperate Measures
You Bring Great Evil
Massing in the East
Orc Ambusher x2
Southern Spies
•Lurtz, Servant of Isengard
Uruk Slayer
Orc Assassin
Troop of Uruk-hai
Uruk Rager
Orc Scout x2
•Morgul Warden
Orc Veteran
Morgul Slayer
Hate
Orc Chieftain
Forces of Mordor

Free peoples:
Bid to go first and get Aragorn. Trying to keep the twilight pool low, and moving as much as possible. Also
focusing on killing minions in regroup with pursuit just behind and allies like Elf of Lorien.

Healing myself with athelas, King in Exile 's game text(every companion has the aragon signet) and with might of
numenor. I know that Arwen isn't of much use, but the fact she's a ranger wheigths up for it.

Shadow:
I'm a bit unsure of my tactic here. A bomb( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game#Deck strategies
as Wikipedia describes it) has worked before.

Suggestions:
- Bilbo?
- Gandalf( got The Grey Pilgrim and his staff.)
- Hobbit allies?
- Maybe a more clearly tactic with my minions...


Keep in mind that my collection is only around 500 cards.

EDIT: Finally my real deck and this list match.

[FM]

For now, I'll first fix your post a bit so it's easier to glance at the deck list, then I'll be back with advice when I get a little spare time.

[MR. Lurtzy]

You need the same amount of fellowship and shadow cards.

[Gil-Estel]

And your deck is too big, way too big. I know it is tempting to put everything in your deck that is possibly lethal, but it will turn out to be a dissapointment. You will not get the right cards at the right moment. Most people like decks around the 35 cards per side. Some like them bigger, some like the slimmer
Will add stuff to consider!

[denethor]

For now, I'll first fix your post a bit so it's easier to glance at the deck list, then I'll be back with advice when I get a little spare time.

Ok, thanks for the help!

You need the same amount of fellowship and shadow cards.

Saw that now, I'll fix it.
 

[FM]

For now, a few generic pointers for deckbuilding:

-Pick a strategy. Right now, the deck is all over the place, a little bit of everything tossed in together.
-Maximize the strategy you chose. For instance, you call it a choke deck, but you add twilight like crazy, the deck is too big and you have very few copies of cards that actually DO choke the twilight pool.

With this in mind, I'd start cutting what doesn't fit:

Starting Fellowship:
•Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer bearing The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
•Boromir, Lord of Gondor
•Merry, from O'er the Brandywine

Free Peoples (31 cards):
•Sam, Son of Hamfast
•Aragorn, King in Exile
•Gandalf, the Grey Pilgrim
Hobbit Intuition
The Tale of Gil-Galad
Aragorn's Bow
Ranger's Sword
Hobbit Sword x2
Athelas
Gondor's Vengeance
Pursuit Just Behind
Frying Pan
Noble Intentions
Elendil's Valor
Meant to be Alone
Sting
Swordsman of the Northern Kingdom x2
Dagger Strike
Halfling Deftness
What Are They? x2
Might of Numenor
We Must Go Warily
•Calaglin
•Elrond, Lord of Rivendell
•Orophin, Silvan Elf
Secret Sentinels


Shadow (31 cards):
Orc Soldier x3
•Tower Lieutenant x2
Orc Scimitar
Orc Scouting Band x3
Mordor's Strength x2
Orc Inquisitor
Orc Hunters x3
Orc Swordsman x3
Spies of Mordor
Morgul Hunter
Vile Blade x2
You Bring Great Evil
Orc Ambusher x2
Orc Assassin
Orc Scout x2
Morgul Slayer
Hate
Orc Chieftain

[denethor]

You are right about the deck size. I've just thrown in more and more cards over time.

I mostly agree with your changes (you probably have a lot more experience and knowlegde than me) , but there some things I wonder about. I cant really understand why you've let out No Stranger to the Shadows, which I see as a great card to choke the twilight pool. It's the same for A Talent for Not Being Seen. Gift of Boats , while costing 1 twilight token and one exert, should outrun the opponent at the last 4 sites.

Please tell me the reason for this decision so I can learn

[Malachi]

Gift of Boats, like all move limit modifiers, is a very specific card. You need to kill all or most opponents minions and each site and it is not a feat easy to accomplish.

[denethor]

I'd actually try out the new "choke" deck just hours ago. I won, just barely though, at site 9 all of my companions were nearly exhausted. Luckily my opponent had bad luck with his draw deck.

One thing that was a very weak spot in my deck, was that I've no ability to reduce Aragons and Gandalfs expensive twilight cost. That's why my original deck had Pippin, Mr. Took in the starting fellowship. A big mistake in my original start fellowship though, was the lack of a ranger.

But what about Boromir, Lord of Gondor and Pippin, Mr. Took to start with?

PS: Thanks for all the advice, I really need it 

[FM]

If you play Aragorn via Prancing Pony, you can't use Pippin's text. So you'd waste a slot that could be used for Merry, which is a strong companion, to actually save 2 twilight throughout the whole game, and that IF you drwe Gandalf. Not very good. Which is why I cut No Stranger to the Shadows. 1 less twilight MIGHT make a difference, but it doesn't make THAT much of one, and your deck ALREADY adds quite a bit of twilight, so the "choking" aspect is simply not present. I merely cut what didn't fit right away so you could try a slimmer deck, see how it plays. For now, you need AT LEAST 2 more Athelas, and probably a pair of Armor, and possibly a Ranger's Sword, so you can start winning some skirmishes. I'd cut the hobbit wounding event (doesn't quite fit, as well), and possibly some others like Pursuit Just Behind and even What Are They? (not nearly as useful, since by site 3 you're already fully healed), in favor of also playing some more Hobbit Stealth and Hobbit Intuition. For starters.