Merry FtS Insanity (inspired by a Cave Troll Counsellor deck)

[DáinIronfoot]

*** inspired directly by a recent Movie Block deck by Cave Troll Counsellor; all credit for this brainstorm goes to him ***

I've always noticed Merry, Friend To Sam, but until I saw CTC's deck, I hadn't seen Merry FtS as being particularly useful.

Then it hit me...what if there was a way to boost Merry's strength before skirmishes ever started, and thus ensure he was at a high strength level in plenty of time to use his ability for ridiculous boosting potential?

Fortunately, Decipher gave us just such an answer beginning with Bloodlines, a new card type that can be transferred to a companion prior to skirmishes and boosts them throughout the rest of that turn. Can you guess what it might be?

FREE PEOPLES (36 cards):

Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir w/ The One Ring, The Great Ring

Merry, Friend To Sam (starting)
Faramir, Wizard's Pupil (starting)
Gandalf, Returned x2

Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals
Hobbit Party Guest

The Gaffer, Master Gardener x2
Hobbiton Brewer, Maker of Fine Ales
Hobbiton Farmer, Lover of Pipeweed
Elendil's Army x2

Frodo's Pipe x2
The Gaffer's Pipe
Bilbo's Pipe
Aragorn's Pipe x2
Gandalf's Pipe
Hobbit Sword x2
Gondorian Blade
Ranger's Cloak
Glamdring, Foe-hammer

Old Toby x4
Longbottom Leaf x2
New Chapter x2
Golden Perch Ale
Good Work
A Light In His Mind

Fireworks

The followers all go on Merry if you can manage it, and with all of them and a sword, he's got 11 strength from the manuever phase forward, and possibly even more from Hobbiton Farmer if there are fierce minions around. Two exertions and he can boost anyone else by that amount as well, which is impressive to say the least. If his 11 strength isn't enough when it comes time for Merry to skirmish, Faramir WP can boost him further with his skirmish ability.

To set all that up, though, we're adding the obvious 2 exertions on Merry, as well as lots of burdens from our followers (4 at a time if we transfer all three of them!). The exertions are easily handled in the fellowship phase by way of Chaser of Rascals (who is himself constantly healed by Old Bilbo's Heir and the Hobbiton Party Guest) or, in a pinch, Frodo's Pipe or Aragorn's Pipe and the pipeweed. Other healing comes from New Chapter whenever one of our followers is played and from one of the followers themselves: Master Gardener provides handy healing when he transfers to Merry, which is why he gets two copies in this deck. :hey:

The burdens are a little more problematic, but a combination of Gandalf's Pipe (which could remove as many as 5 at a time in this deck!), Foe-hammer, A Light In His Mind, Good Work, and Golden Perch Ale will hopefully keep them in check. And each time Gandalf wins, he can reinforce tokens on the latter two conditions as well, essentially meaning Gandalf with Foe-hammer can remove 2 burdens each time he wins a skirmish!

As already mentioned, the pipes can peel wounds (everyone with Aragorn's Pipe but especially Merry and Faramir with Frodo's Pipe) and burdens (Gandalf's Pipe), but The Gaffer's Pipe can also drain some twilight and help choke the Shadow player a bit. And those pipeweeds, when played, also help cycle through the deck, either drawing more cards or discarding unneeded ones (like extra followers or pipes) from our hand.

Fireworks is simply here to grab back a couple pipeweeds if we need them, or if the Shadow player has good possession or condition removal, any other stuff that gets discarded that we want back.

I'd also considered Boromir, Son of Denethor instead of Wizard's Pupil, as Boromir provides an even bigger strength boost to Merry OR Frodo. But I really like how Faramir also pairs so nicely with Gandalf, allowing a simple exertion by the wizard to prevent all wounds to the pupil.

Another idea I've been toying with already is Gamling, Dutiful Marshal and Gamling's Horn. Merry could start with the Horn and use it to discard extra followers, then Gamling could transfer the Horn to himself and do the same, just in case Merry's boosting wasn't enough for him.

Ideas, folks? You've been so helpful to CTC with reviews...how about this cheap knock-off? Help!

[Cave Troll Counsellor]

What about Depart Silently for an extra +3 on Merry/extra Frodo protection? Does that work? I don't really have a clue about Shadows and after, so I'm not really in a position to critique your deck, but I'm glad to have inspired some confidence in an under-used companion ...

[TheJord]

In this format Depart Silently only provides a +3 pump, no assignment denying.

[DáinIronfoot]

Dropped both Home and Hearth in favor of the more effective burden removal of Good Work and Golden Perch Ale.

Depart Silently is a good idea, but with only two copies of Gandalf, I'd be a little worried about drawing it before I was able to use it. If I build a second deck built around Dutiful Marshal, Gamling's Horn, followers, and The White Wizard (which I plan on doing soon), I'll strongly consider Depart Silently, as I should have a better chance of getting Gandalf in that deck.

EDIT: In hindsight, I also dropped a Hobbit Party Guest (plenty of healing already, really) to make room for Foe-hammer, and changed Powerful Guide to Returned. Now Gandalf, when played, can grab Foe-hammer and remove more burdens that way, as well as reinforcing tokens on Good Work or Golden Perch Ale to remove even MORE burdens! I feel much better about the burden removal potential now, personally.

[Elessar's Socks]

It's a chain reaction of inspiration--this could've been something for DBSC! Bet something can be done with Fates Entwined; So Fair, So Desperate; and possibly Bilbo, Aged Ring-bearer for a new kind of Hobbit Hospital.

Looks like the deck might have trouble killing off minions, unless the goal is simply to survive and heal in true Hospital style. Maybe Boromir, Destined Guide (along with Pippin) could knock off a fierce minion before it comes back for another pass. Don't know if he's really needed, but hey, I squeezed out an idea!