Hobbit/Nazgûl

[PaulFerdinand]

Hi guys! I'm new in the forum but I'm also a long fan of LOTR TCG. I've imagined a deck inspired in the Deluxe Starter Deck with Hobbits + Nazgûl.
I'm just building a deck for fun, so let me know your thoughts about it, OK?

Ring-Bearer: Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir
Ring: The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Adventure Deck
Hobbiton Party Field
Bree Streets
Ford of Bruinen
Eregion Hills
The Bridge of Khazad-dûm
Valley of the Silverlode
The Great River
Anduin Banks
Summit of Amon Hen

Free Peoples (36 cards)
Sam, Proper Poet x1
Merry, From O'er the Brandywine x1
Pippin, Friend to Frodo x1
Sting x1
Hobbit Sword x3
Mithril-coat x1
Bounder x2
Bilbo Baggins, Well Spoken Gentlehobbit x1
The Gaffer, Sam's Father x1
Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals x1
Rosie Cotton, Hobbiton Lass x1
Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal x1
Hobbit Party Guest x2
A Talent for not Being Seen x1
Three Monstrous Trolls x2
Consorting With Wizards x2
Thror's Map x1
O Elbereth! Gilthoniel! x2
Bill the Pony x2
Red Book of Westmarch x1
Hobbit Intuition x4
Hobbit Stealth x4

Shadow (36 cards)
Black Breath x4
Blade Tip x4
In the Ringwraith's Wake x2
Úlaire Cantëa, Lieutenant of Dol Guldur x 3
Resistance Becomes Unbearable x2
Wraith-World x3
Úlairë Attëa, the Easterling x2
Drawn to its Power x2
Úlairë Otsëa, Ringwraith in Twilight x3
Úlairë Enquëa, Ringwraith in Twilight x2
Úlairë Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul x2
Úlairë Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight x3
The Witch-King, Lord of the Nazgûl x4

Strategy: I think this is pretty straightforward, actually. Choke As much as you can with hobbit events plus making them survive skirmishes or, in the beginning, cancelling them instead. Later on exert Sam to make him become defender +1 and then healing him with The Gaffer. Hobbit Party Guest, makes a good combo with Frodo. Merry could win skirmishes by himself while Pippin prevents swarming with Three Monstrous Trolls. Bilbo combos with Consorting with Wizards (oh, really?) and helps getting rid of surprise swarms.
In the Shadow side, playing Black Breath and Blade Tip as quick as you can, and drop a Nazgûl at a time, waiting until skirmish resolves and Blade Tip/Black Breath do their nasty thing. While the Ring-bearer is one of the only companions surviving, Nazgûl will fight him and possibly overwhelm him, or, better yet, corrupt him. Resistance Becomes Unbearable is a backup plan if the Ring-bearer is so well protected that he doesn't have to put on the Ring. In that time playing a twilight Nazgûl with Wraith-World would be really really nasty. Úlairë Cantëa, Lieutenant of Dol Guldur and Úlairë Attëa, the Easterling help by getting rid of weapons and allies that could otherwise screw your game.

So, let me know your thoughts, but I only intend to use this deck in casual play, so I don't really care too much about banned or restricted cards  
Thanks guys!

[dethwish07]

Totally did a double-take mistaking you for Menace64 when I saw your avatar... Anyway... For the freeps, you might wanna consider some Power According To His Stature, Bill the Pony, and Filibert Bolger. It also wouldn't hurt to have a singleton Boromir, Son of Denethor.

As far as you shadow, I like why you are going for, but just thirteen minions are probably too few... Add some of the twilight Attea. Maybe some Stricken Dumb if Flaming Brand or The Last Alliance Of Elves and Men is something that concerns you...

You could probably go 32/32 and be okay. Some stuff you could cut would be a copy of the Gaffer and Deft in their Movements (its only good if you opponent is ahead of you on the site path due to the snapshot rule). For shadow, a copy of Wraith world and all the Return to its Master since you are playing Twilight Wikkie. Just my 2 cents. Like the deck idea overall. I especially love any freeps that is pretty much straight hobbits.

[PaulFerdinand]

I guess I'm kind of the fan of Úlairë Cantëa, Lieutenant of Dol Guldur. I'll trade Return to its Master for him, and add couple of copies of Úlairë Attëa, the Easterling. For the Free Peoples I will take out the Deft in Their Movements since you made a good point, plus I totally ignored that's a Regroup action lol.
Instead I guess Bilbo Baggins, Retired Adventurer (x2) and Rosie Cotton, Hobbiton Lass (x1) plus A Promise (x3). But thanks, you made a really good point!!

[Legion]

I really don't like pairing up hobbits with Nazgul.  This is because hobbits are really weak to Nazgul (being unable to remove Black Breath or Blade tip, and requiring 2 stealths to avoid both normal and fierce skirmishes).  This means that whenever your opponent runs Nazgul as their shadow, your hobbits are going to have to walk down the Nazgul sites, which is often a death by site 3.  If you do stick with it, though, maybe consider Bilbo, Well Spoken Gentlehobbit.  Every deck in Fellowship block that doesn't have archery must have at least some condition discard, or else Moria will wreck you every time.  Also, both your hobbits and the Nazgul would prefer Anduin Wilderland as your site 7.  A Thror's Map would also prevent your allies getting discarded if you move to an opponent's Anduin Confluence.

I like the shadow, though.  His Terrible Servants may help your Nazgul reach the skirmish phase with the vitality to exert if they win their fight.  Just remember that Return to it's Master cannot be played with your Witch King.

[PaulFerdinand]

I do like Bilbo, Well Spoken Gentlehobbit! Would be a nice addition instead the Retired Adventurer!
Thror's Map would be very awesome too! I'll edit the deck pretty soon!

[Legion]

I've never really liked Retired Adventurer.  I feel that late game you shouldn't be filling your deck with Fellowship cards when you'll want to be drawing shadow.  There and Back Again is certainly a useful tale to add as well as Consorting With Wizards.  Maybe 1 Stone Trolls if you really fear Uruks.  Loving the use of Three Monstrous Trolls!  I really like that card, but nobody else seems to use it.  This will make your deck get quite large quite fast, though, so feel free to ignore most of my advice if you wish

[PaulFerdinand]

Thanks really! I like Retired Adventurer because of Hobbit Intuition and Hobbit Stealth, actually, or to retrieve some really good cards in the discard pile, like A Talent for not Being Seen or even a companion or two if you face down Shadow cards like Southron Commander (not him, of course, but some of his kind).
Consorting with Wizards is a really cool card choice! I think I would put him instead of A Promise!
Stone Trolls very very fun and useful, but it costs way too high for me and I guess it's kind of limited is scope, but thanks for the compliments I wasn't expecting getting any lol

[Cthulhu]

Here is my Hobbit Hospital, which is pretty basic:

1x Boromir, Son of Denethor
1x Merry, From O'er the Brandywine
1x Pippin, Friend to Frodo
1x Sam, Son of Hamfast
1x Bilbo, Well-spoken Gentlehobbit
2x Bounder
1x Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals
1x Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal
2x Hobbit Party Guest
1x Rosie Cotton, Hobbiton Lass
1x The Gaffer, Sam's Father
2x Frying Pan
1x Hobbit Sword
1x Red Book of Westmarch
1x Sting
1x Thror's Map
4x Hobbit Intuition
4x Hobbit Stealth
3x Practically Everyone Was Invited
1x A Talent for Not Being Seen
1x Consorting With Wizards
1x O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!
1x Stone Trolls
2x There and Back Again

Bid high and start on Hobbiton Party Field to get Bilbo. He is the centerpiece of the deck and one of the most important cards in many matchups.

Uruks are the best shadow in the block, so Stone Trolls is not so limited as you think (and you can always discard it with Bilbo to remove some moria, sauron or nazgul condition).

I was pretty happy with that deck, i pretty much never lost to Moria and Sauron. Like mentioned nazguls can be tough and hobbits are best paired with some killing shadow like Moria, because they cant double that easily.

[Eukalyptus]

Not to mention the annoyance factor Hobbiton Party Field gives you. Most start with Prancing Pony and when something else is site 1, get ready to draw that Aragorn sometimes You can safely bid 6 with this deck.