Double the twilight minions, double the fun! (Shadow only)

[DáinIronfoot]

Pulled directly from a thread I made during CC's waning days. The only comments I ever got were from NBarden, so I'm curious to see what others think....


Twilight minions were never a big part of LOTR TCG. In total, there were only eight ever made by Big D. Yet they remain memorable for being one of the best ways to terrorize the Ring-bearer.

Yet most people have only done so with the famous twilight Nazgul of the Fellowship block. I haven't seen any decks using the trio of twilight minions from Ents of Fangorn. Moreso, I can't recall EVER seeing a deck that combined the two, yet there just seems to be so much potential there. Granted, the twilight cards only help your twilight Nazzies. However, there is LOTS of potential going the other direction: the Wraiths work with ANY twilight minion, regardless of culture.

Both focus around the same strategy: wound or burden the Ring-bearer to death. Who cares if there are a bunch of powerful companions in the fellowship? Do things right, and they won't matter as your opponent cries for mercy while wound after wound and burden after burden are laid on the Ring-bearer. This is especially evil if you catch them with a non-[Shire] RB, as alternate Ring-bearers typically have less vitality, less resistance, or both.

So, here's a hastily-constructed / twilight minion deck. Let me know what you think, and what might make it better.


SHADOW (36 cards):

The Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgul x3
Ulaire Enquea, Ringwraith in Twilight x3
Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight x4
Ulaire Otsea, Ringwraith in Twilight x3
Wisp of Pale Sheen x4
Corpse Lights x3
Dead Ones x3

Ithil Stone x3

Blade Tip x4
His Terrible Servants

Resistance Becomes Unbearable x3
Wraith-world x2

Obviously, the minions themselves are the focus here. The twilight Nazzies do what they normally do: use and abuse Blade Tip and the RBU / Wraith-world combo to slam the Ring-bearer with more than they can handle. Otsea makes sure a Blade Tip goes on the Ring-bearer to make things REALLY messy with more burdens. Enquea and Wikkie keep the Ring-bearer near death and perfectly set up Nelya as a nice beat-stick.

The Wraiths each have their own function. Corpse Lights makes minions--especially the Nazzies, who lack other pumps--stronger. Wisp of Pale Sheen piles on more burdens, as it should be alive with another twilight minion often enough (unless facing lots of damage bonuses). And the Dead Ones are pure, unabashed swarmers.

The last card is Ithil Stone, which works nicely here. Not only can you exert any minion in the deck to get it out (aside from the 1-vitality Dead Ones, of course) and allow you to get more Shadow cards each turn, but it can also play any of your Corpse Lights or Wisp of Pale Sheen for free!

So, is this feasible, or just a fuzzy dream in the twilight world?

P.S. - I thought about tossing in a copy or two of Spied From Above to ensure your Wisps of Pale Sheen survive until regroup, or Get Off The Road! just to be mean , but I deemed that the room was better used for the other cards I have here. Do you disagree?

[GarrisonofGondor]

 Lingering Shadow.

[AgentDrake]

My random, rambling thoughts:

Actually, I think Get Off The Road! would work pretty well for FP disruption. If nothing else, should screw around with them in the typical discarding way, and help both your FP and hurt theirs.

There's also In Twilight, as a nice pump (which cycles too), and -- even though they're not twilight (though, IMO, they should be) -- Covetous Wisp should work well in the deck.

Do you really need 3 Otsea? With enough cycling from the Ithil Stone, you should pull him easily enough. Besides. You can only get 1 Blade Tip on the RB anyway.
I'm also wondering if the Dead Ones are worth it. I mean, they're nice for swarming, except that it's not exactly going to be easy to swarm with a bunch of unique Nazgul and a few wraiths. Only real use I can see for them is another strength + with the Corpse lights. Which is nice, I guess.

Here's the version I would probably run. I dunno. Yours might well be better, but this is probably what I would try first:

SHADOW (36 cards):

The Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgul x3
Ulaire Enquea, Ringwraith in Twilight x3
Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight x3
Ulaire Otsea, Ringwraith in Twilight x2
Wisp of Pale Sheen x4
Corpse Lights x4
Dead Ones x3

Ithil Stone x2

Blade Tip x3
In Twilight x2
Lingering Shadow x2

Get Off the Road! x2
Resistance Becomes Unbearable x2
Wraith-world x2

[Elessar's Socks]

Saw it on CC, still having trouble reviewing it here. Seems like Wraiths are just outclassed by the alternatives--for example Morgul Orcs will probably do a better job of wounding the Ring-bearer, adding burdens, and swarming. It Wants to Be Found is more reliable than Wisp of Pale Sheen. Fell Beast and Nazgul Sword are IMO more useful strength pumps than Corpse Lights. Dead Ones is just taking up space.

So next I'm trying to think of anything game-changing with the / combination, and again that seems underdeveloped as well. Get Off the Road! might just have more teeth than all the Wraiths combined.

Props for getting it built, though. Generally I'm not so gloomy, but I think you hit the main cards, and either it works or it doesn't. For what it's worth I'd probably add Spied From Above just to make sure the WoPS can add a burden.

[DáinIronfoot]

Yeah, this was mainly just to see if it could even work. Not supposed to be tournament worthy or anything.

I had toyed with Spied From Above, so I may toss that in. Lingering Shadow is also a good idea. And on second thought, I'll try and find a place for Get Off The Road! as well.

Thanks, boys!

[Pepin The Breve]

   If you think about going  with  you really should try something with Morgul Skulker. He works good on some nazgul deck, especially the small ones 

   A friend of mine has one old twilight nazgul corruption with sauron that works really nice...

   For the Sauron Wraiths i cannot think anything right now