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Total Votes : 8 |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 11:49 am |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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--- description ---
The defender +1 keyword is one of the best protections for a Ring-bearer. Here’s how to make sure you’ve got a fellowship that can make it to site 9... and beyond!
--- end description ---
"An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless."
My first experience with a defender +1 companion was when I got Aragorn, Heir of Elendil in a booster pack. I looked up the keyword in the rulebook, and my first thought was: "That’s so cool! A companion that can take on two guys at once!!" The example in the rulebook pitted a strength 8 Aragorn against two strength 3 orcs. Like that could ever happen. Do they even make strength 3 orcs? I can just imagine them..."We represent the Lollipop Orcs, the Lollipop Orcs..." Where was I?
Seriously speaking, this keyword is a crucial tool to overcoming one of the greatest threats to a fellowship: minions left over from the assignment phase, who go on to gang up on the Ringbearer. Ouch! One solution is to pack your fellowship to the gills, with 9 companions. While this satisfies the famous Rule of 9, it does not take into account the magic Rule of 5 that has become so prevalent in LOTR TCG circles, because of cards that spot 6 companions. What’s a better way? That magic defender +1 keyword provides an excellent solution: if each companion can double up on minions, it’s like having twice as many characters in your fellowship!
This strategy, however, does carry with it some difficulties. Firstly: the non-swarm, high-strength horde that pounces at site 8 or lower. You can’t sacrifice companions, as you might be able to do at site 9, but it seems almost certain that you’ll have at least one that’s overwhelmed. Fortunately, there’s cards like Coat of Mail, which make it nearly impossible for a decent strength companion to get overwhelmed, even facing two powerhouses. The second problem is that of wounds: the very strategy of a defender +1 deck is to absorb blows that would otherwise hit the Ringbearer. This usually means that a fellowship will go down when it can’t heal. So, to overcome this, any successfull deck should include means to heal companions.
So, you’re going to make a defender +1 deck-which culture to use? Out of all the cultures, only four have defender +1 companions or a way to make them: [gondor], [rohan], [gandalf] and [dwarf]. Out of these, only the [gondor] culture has enough defender +1 companions or conditions to make this deck worthwhile. In addition, they happen to be the culture of Coat of Mail, and also of Kingsfoil! Besides this, they have large amounts of conditions and events to make and protect those companions. Another nice side feature of this culture is its access to fortifications, which can take out one of the minions in a skirmish, letting the Free Peoples player win the skirmish! Besides this benefit of fortifications, there is also the advantage of making Garrison of Gondor defender +1.
So, you’ve got a heap of defender +1 companions and supporting cards. Now what? It’s time to send them through the trial of fire! Once you win the bid, you can play Steps of Edoras to get an early buffer against any swarms that might pop up, or to limit the spreading of wounds. You should be well enough to take an early lead, and then you can use sites such as Flats of Rohan and Window on the West to get defender +1 companions, and then boost them. "Wait, CG!" you say. "Isn’t this site about surviving to site 9? If so, how am I going to get these sites played?" That’s another simple matter. You throw in Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith-who, by the way, has nice healing abilities-because he’s a ranger. Then, you can use events like Well-Travelled and Pathfinder to make sure your sites get in. Just keep pounding towards site 9, healing your companions and saving them from being overwhelmed, and eventually you’ll get there! Here’s a sample Free Peoples deck, to give you some food for thought. Happy double duty to you!
Sites
Steps of Edoras (1)
Beacon of Minas Tirith (3)
Minas Tirith Sixth Circle (6)
Ruined Capitol (7)
Pillars of the Kings (8)
Ettenmoors [1]
Flats of Rohan [2]
Helm’s Gate [2]
Window on the West [2]
Starting Fellowship
Frodo, Hope of Free Peoples
The One Ring, Answer to All Riddles
Aragorn, Isildur’s Heir
Companions
Faramir, Prince of Ithilien x2
Garrison of Gondor x3
Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith x2
Possessions
Anduril, King’s Blade x3
Coat of Mail x2
Armor
Kingsfoil x4
Blade of Gondor, Sword of Boromir x2
Conditions
Stone Tower
Second Level
Garrison of Osgiliath
Events
Gondor Still Stands
Swordarm of the White Tower x3
Elendil’s Valor x2
Valiant Man of the West x2
Total Card Count: 32 cards |
| Last edited by CarpeGuitarrem on Tue May 16, 2006 5:45 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 2:27 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 1218
Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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| Hazael |
![]() Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 2:39 pm |
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Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 444
Location: Up North
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 3:24 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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I have other d+1 events, like Valiant Man of the West and Elendil’s Valor, and I have Aragorn, Isildur’s Heir.
Is it allowed to have hybrid adventure decks?
I’m also going to put more copies of the companions in, too...
I will think about putting in a cheap  companion, plus copies of Saved From the Flames, so that I can get Garrison out. |
| Last edited by CarpeGuitarrem on Sat May 06, 2006 6:26 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 3:27 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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bobtheorc wrote: First why Don’t you have the Defender plus one Boromir.
Which Boromir is that? (I do have the d+1 Faramir)
The Boromir I’m using is a ranger-that’s why I’m using him. Why? To spot a ranger for Pathfinder. |
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 8:27 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 1218
Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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CarpeGuitarrem wrote: I have other d+1 events, like Valiant Man of the West and Elendil’s Valor, and I have Aragorn, Isildur’s Heir.
Is it allowed to have hybrid adventure decks?
I’m also going to put more copies of the companions in, too...
I will think about putting in a cheap companion, plus copies of Saved From the Flames, so that I can get Garrison out.
No you cannot have a hybrid adventure deck itsd against the rules.
I was wrong there is no defender +1 boromir.
Why do you have Garrison of Gondor? I felt the article was good but maybe a little to short.  |
 Ban the Overpowered Orcs
"Don't panic, I have paper!" - Taipan 
Is that Grima, Grief Counselor? - legolamb
Bobtheorcs Uruk-Hai Dcs
Bob’s wonderful !! updated !! Trade list |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 1:26 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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I’ll be sure to change the adventure deck then. Somebody poke me if I forget. 
I have GoG because it’s a d+1, and an archer to boot. |
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| han_feizi |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:24 pm |
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 15
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I’m currently working on an idea of using Aragorn IH
This article is good, but I can’t give more than 3 because it’s not "funny".
What is "funny" (for me) goes like that:
ringbearer Boromir BoH + AtaR
starting: Aragorn IH
there is only ONE other companion: Elendli HKoG
how to win (not lose  ):
1) BREGO LS on Boromir + lot of tokens /there is an event which adds tokens for possesions - and Bor. will have lots of them on him/
2) aragorn’s bow
3) Aragorn the Defender (his text, Anduril KB, I will go, Valliant men...)
Strategy is simple: try to shot down minions before skirmishes; those who survived are assigned to Aragorn and Elendil - and our brave kings cannot lose because of tokens and Narsil
This is what I call "funny" deck. Probably it won’t work, but I don’t care |
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| sickofpalantirs |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:27 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 7750
Location: somwhere, over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
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| Ok I liked the article but garrison could be hard to play... you get a 4 |
 Sop's haves/ top wants
(mm)"SoP: you will always be the Official CC Spammer in my heart"
"DáinIronfoot"
Spammers really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month. And yet, after a hundred years, they can still surprise you. |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:48 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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| Mostly my point in making this deck was to demonstrate the defender +1 keyword, not necessarily to make a Regional-beating deck. |
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