I have long tried to get a consistent
BoO deck with an equally consistent Shadow side. So far all my attempts have failed, until I tried something that I thought was only viable in Movie Block: Initiative Southrons.
Ring-bearer:
Gandalf, Bearer of ObligationRing:
The One Ring, The Ring of RingsAdventure deck:
Anduin BanksCavern EntranceNeekerbreekers' BogDoorway to DoomCaras GaladhonMithlondImladrisMount DoomDammed Gate-streamFree Peoples Draw Deck:
1x
Erland, Dale Counselor1x
Forest Guardian1x
Grimbeorn, Beorning Chieftain1x
Jarnsmid, Barding Emissary1x
Radagast, The Brown1x
Treebeard, Enraged Shepherd1x
Smeagol, Poor Creature1x
Gamling, Defender of the Hornburg4x
Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor1x
Hugin, Emissary from Laketown1x
Ottar, Man of Laketown3x
Beorning Axe3x
Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas1x
Brego1x
Erkenbrand's Horn1x
Gandalf's Staff, Walking Stick1x
Narya4x
A Wizard is Never Late2x
Citadel to Gate3x
Deep in Thought4x
Look to My Coming3x
Roll of Thunder4x
Saved From the Fire4x
Servant of the Secret Fire3x Speak \Friend\ and Enter
3x
Traveled Leader4x
Something Slimy1x
Perspective4x
Strange Meeting1x
Traveler's Homestead2x
Watch and Wait1x
Don't Look at Them1x
Follow Smeagol1x
Gladden Homestead1x
Alatar, Final Envoy1x
Gwaihir, The Windlord1x
Meneldor, Misty Mountain Eagle1x
Pallando, Far-travelling OneShadow Draw Deck:
1x
Gollum, Plotting Deceiver1x
Shelob, Her Ladyship1x
Grima, Wormtongue2x
Castamir of Umbar4x
Corsair Boatswain2x
Corsair Lookout4x
Corsair Marauder4x
Corsair Plunderer2x
Corsair Ruffian4x
Desert Runner4x
Desert Scout4x
Desert Sneak4x
Southron Invaders3x
Sauron, Dark Lord of Mordor1x Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
1x
Web4x
Black Sails of Umbar4x
Corsair War Galley4x
Ships of Great Draught4x
Captured by the Ring3x
Sudden Strike2x
Discovered2x
Red Wrath4x
Evil-smelling Fens4x
Under FootThis is one of the most versatile shadows I have made so far. The main goal is a swarm late-game at
Cavern Entrance. However, if you can kill earlier, do it. Basically, spend the first 4 or 5 sites setting up at least 2 War Galleys and
Ships of Great Draught with a bunch of tokens and an
Under Foot. Hopefully you'll have some
Black Sails of Umbar, too, but I've found just 2 will often suffice. After this is finished, grab back a cheap southron and a
Southron Invaders. Then, simply play a few minions to keep your hand moving (or don't if against
Throne of Minas Tirith) and every regroup, use a war galley to add a bunch of tokens and keep your opponent guessing. If he doubles, hopefully play
Cavern entrance, play the Southron in hand and the Invaders, then chain as many invaders as you have in discard and then one southron. Play your hand naturally, then use
Under Foot to reconcile and play even more minions. Other hand extensions are
Sudden Strike and
ESF. Usually you'll pull Shelob, then pull or play Sauron as next priority. In region three, you can play Sauron for free if you have 8 minions on the table! Often between Sauron, Shelob, and Marauders tossing stuff like
Aragorn's Bow, archery is not an issue. Gil-Galad Looping can't hurt your possessions, and Madril is toasted by Ships. The only troubles you'll have is against a) Hobbits with
Sam, GEW and b)
Throne of Minas Tirith. Often Throne is avoided by simply tossing everything except your essentials and never giving them a shot to toss your boats.
The fellowship is designed to tank and run. Bid 0, and play
Dammed Gate-Stream at the first opportunity, and always stop at it. You want to pull
Follow Smeagol, and if you're going first, play
Imladris as site 3 UNLESS you have
SFTF, Jarnsmid, or
Shadowfax. When you draw a
SFTF, burn
Forest Guardian and grab GrimB,
Beorning Axe, and
AWINL, which will gram Jarnsmid. If you have one of these, go for
Watch and Wait. After that, I find myself getting whatever companion fits the opponent's strategy best. Often I find myself running ahead, then simply walking while my opponent debates the safety of doubling. This is why I called this Chicken, as this is sort of a deck to force the opponent into a difficult choice. If his shadow can't kill me, he has to double ahead, and if he doubles, I have a massive swarm set up. If he lets me leisurely stroll to 9, I often can pull out a win, as Gandalf is difficult to kill between the followers and
Look To My Coming to pull out of discard.
Thoughts:
May add Ulaire Nelya to ensure that I have
Cavern Entrance, a must against
The Great RingAlso may try to slim the deck a little, but I usually have no cycling troubles and have decent filtering with
Corsair Boatswain,
SFTF,
AWINL, and
Erkenbrand's Horn.
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