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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 15
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Two approaches to building a deck based on Grima, Wormtongue.
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As a die-hard fan of Isengard culture I’ve tried many possible decks based on Saruman’s foul servants.
Today I shall present two strategies which use Grima WT x4 and it makes sense!
" Brutal" approach:
Let’s have a look:
Grima Wormtounge x4
Ugluk x3
Mauhur x2
Uruk Seeker x4
Uruk Searcher x4
Weary x4
Rest While You Can x2
Many Riddles x1
Kill Them Now x2
Vengeance x2
Lurtz’s Batlte Cry x1
What Did You Discover? x1
Greed x1
Saruman’s Power x1
At first sight it may look as a normal beatdown Isengard tracker deck, but in fact the strenght of this dark side relies on Grima. Do you see it? All those search conditions count when Grima is looking for three cards to use his great ability. After companions are "stripped off", even single Seeker can pose a lethal danger. Swarms are not going to happen when you play this deck, but it doesn’t matter. One uruk + a few seek cards on companions means danger, two uruks - great danger, three uruks - some dead companions.
There are, of course, fellowships which are difficult to fight with. Some problems may occur when you let elves get their bows. Knights with fortifications are always powerful. On the other hand, Dwarves are in real troubles, Rohan also. Hobbits don’t like fierce minions.
Overall, this dark side makes sense in almost any meta in Expandend format. It doesn’t rely on sites - can be modified in many ways - and - with powerful skirmish events - let you watch your opponent suffering while assigning minions (that’s what I like the most)
"Subtle" approach:
Let’s have a look:
Grima WT x4
Unferth x4
Rohirrim Traitor x4
Agents of Orthanc x2
Desertion x4
Saruman Servant of the Eye x4
Saruman’s Staff x4
Caradhras Has Not Foorgiven Us x2
Orthanc Champion 2
Saruman’s Power x1
Pallando Deceived x1
Alatar Deceived x1
How is it going to win, you may ask. Well...
1) Desetions on companions and Grima works...
2) ... and Traitor is stronger
3) many Isengard Men including one small Unferth = many exerts on companions
4) Saruman + Staff - this combo is my long-time favourite. How many companions died at side two - hard to remember. And if your opponent prevents assignment - there are more and more exerts
5) Othanc Champion - well, there are companions with 4 vitality, but Saruman + Staff + Champion will finish the job
6) Deceived wizards - if we play with Saruman, why not?
7) So we have exhausted companions, now it’s time for the last throw - Caradhras will not forgive them, especially when the companion was in starting fellowship
This deck is very "combo-ish". When you have great hand, a massacre is highly probable. You may be not able to collect all those combos, well... sometimes you don’t win a game:( But you’ve tried! After all, all essential cards are in four copies
This deck is a real fun to play. Saruman can devastate many fp strategies, because he can kill the companion who was not suppose to fight, but to support other companions. But what I like the most is Grima + Desertions. I remember the game in which I’d included in this deck Orthanc Library. Grima was assigned to Durin III with two desertions and (you guess) no other cards. I was able to add +1 str with Library and voila... Grima won a skirmish with Durin
general notes:
1) both dark sides have 33 cards, which means you may switch between strategies and use both decks with different fellowships
2) Grima has much greater impact on play - returning cards (many cards!) clogs your opponent’s hand. I’ve won countless games just because I knew: "my opponent have 8 cards in hand, and six of them are dwarven possesions. I can safely go forward - minions are not going to appear".
That’s it. I hope you enjoyed reading about old-fashioned Grima WT.
Let me know what you think about my ideas and how it would work in your local meta (assuming you are playing in Expanded format)
Next time I shall tell you about site-controlling warg-riders + four Sarumans (each different!) or about very, very, very stupid swarm of uruks with ca. 65 cards on dark side
han_feizi (Poland) |
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