The Last Homely House

Middle-Earth => Lothlórien => Fellowship => Topic started by: NappyKorn on April 05, 2013, 08:50:04 AM

Title: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: NappyKorn on April 05, 2013, 08:50:04 AM
Read a few topics on the Ferny Frost decks posted here and wanted to give it a try myself. Wasnt sure what to pair it with because it seems the fellowship neds to be able to draw well and survive long enough to set up. Anyway here is the list let me know what you think.

Frodo and Ring:

Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir
The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Fellowship: (33)

Gandalf, The Grey Pilgrim (starting)
The Gaffer,  Sam's Father
Elrond, Lord of Rivendell x3
Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor x2
Ottar, Man of Laketown x2
Bounder x2
Glamdring x2
Sting x2
Gandalf's Staff x3
Servant of the Secret Fire x4
Sleep Caradhras
Hobbit Intuition x4
Hobbit Stealth x3
Depart Silently x2
O Elbereth Gilthoniel

Idea is to cancel as many skirmish as possible with Gandalf's Staff and the hobbit events and draw cards as much as possile. Servant of the Secret Fire should help to keep you from being overwhelmed or possibly win a few skirmishes. Use Sleep Caradhras to get rid of pesky condition and use Thrarin as needed to keep yourself alive.

Shadow: (33)

Isengard Shaman x4
Isengard Smith x4
Isengard Warrior x4
Isengard Worker x4
Saruman, Servant of the Eye x4
Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow x4
Saruman's Power
A Fell Voice on the Air x3
No Ordinary Storm
Saruman's Frost x2
Saruman's Snows x2

Most people understand the idea here, Get out the weather conditions and assign Ferny to Frodo for the Overwhelm. It has it tricks to deal with things like Greenleaf, Aragorn's Bow, and Dreary. The Site path helps with dealing with Secret Sentinels if that become a problem just takes a bit longer to get to the right site to eliminate that threat.

Sites:

Bag End - to pull the gaffer and get a card out of your deck early.
Bree Gate - who knows why, doesnt hurt me any.
Council Courtyard - helps your fellowship if you get alot to play.
Pass of Caradhras - get a weather condition in your discard pile to later be played with A Fell Voice on the Air.
The Bridge of Khazad-Dum - no other choice.
Caras Galadhon - to keep from getting frodo killed since the hobbit events stop working here.
Anduin Confluence - toss those elf allies to prevent Secret Sentinels.
Gates of Argonath - can't play Secret Sentinels.
Slopes of Amon Hen - Makes the orcs and saruman a bit cheaper.

I'm sure I could cut the deck to 30/30 by removing extra copies of certain things, but I'll leave it as is for now until tested. When I see that the TGP/Elrond/Ottar combo can get me what I need fast enough I will remove 3 cards per side as seen fit.

Any questions and comments are welcome of course.

NK
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: Legion on April 05, 2013, 09:09:51 AM
Have you considered Depart Silently? I find it better in hobbit/Gandalf decks.  At sites 2-5 force all minions onto Gandalf, then cancel the skirmish with his staff.  If any deck could use that card, it would be this one.  It's also better than Hobbit Intuition sites 6-9 as the boost lasts through fierce skirmishes. 

I personally prefer Spies of Saruman and Parry (with Uruk Savage) to using Isengard orcs-if Frodo gets a sword, you'll need to have Isengard Smith survive till regroup and then you can only try Ferny next turn, which will rarely happen.  What does No Ordinary Storm add to the deck?
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: NappyKorn on April 05, 2013, 09:23:11 AM
I do like the idea of Depart Silently , i actually considered it but though what if I drop those early with no staff. its a tough call. I might try to find a way to fit a few in. I havent tried using TGP/Elrond/Ottar combo before so I have no experience as to how fast it allows you to fish through a deck.

It was also a tough decision to choose between Isengard Orcs and Uruks. I decided to go with the Isengard Orcs because the minions have the text to remove the possessions in there text and that is one fewer card to have to try and hold on to until the combo is ready. With Saruman i should be able to assign him to a weak companion (maybe even Sam) or at least a companion without damage bonuses should he lose.

No Ordinary Storm is there for Albert Dreary, Play that then your 2 weather conditions and Dreary is exhausted and can't discard them.

Thanks for your input I'm gonna look into getting a few copies of Deaprt Silently in the deck once I see how the deck draws or I can get so positive input from people that run it alot more than I have.

NK
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: Arcanite on April 06, 2013, 02:02:35 PM
I Like this deck idea, mind if i experiment with it?
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: NappyKorn on April 06, 2013, 04:34:05 PM
I Like this deck idea, mind if i experiment with it?

Have at it, why decks get posted. If you find out anything to make it better let me now.

NK
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: Legion on April 06, 2013, 06:15:53 PM
I had forgotten about Albert Dreary.  Nice!  The reason I don't like using this deck is the fact that there are several match-ups you just cannot deal with.  If you see an all hobbit deck running Pippin, Friend to Frodo and O Elbereth Gilthoniel, you have to pull off 3 swarms to take out Sam, then Pippin, then Frodo! (though you would be unlikely to need the archery protection).  My favourite deck uses Deep in Thought with Shoulder to Shoulder, to which only your site 8 can be the counter.  Also, if their shadow is Sauron discard, those [[Orc Inquisitor]]s and [[Band of the Eye]]s will really get annoying.  Don't even get me started on The White Arrows of Lorien.

I have tried to use this deck a few times before, using Uruks instead of Orcs.  They had no answer to Bow of the Galadhrim, though, which I now realise the Orcs don't mind so much (as you can still kill them off with the archery.  To be honest I don't find it all that fun to play: it's just a case of trying to hang on with your fellowship and hope you get a good draw whilst waiting for enough twilight in the pool.
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: NappyKorn on April 06, 2013, 06:52:10 PM
Mad a few changes dropped a Barliman and Hobbit Stealth for 2 Depart Silently and dropped Thrarin for The Gaffer. Decided Gaffer over Thrarin so i could keep Frodo healed to make Sting a bit more useful and I can get Gaffer out with my site one and have one less card in my deck to help give the shadow a slightly better chance to setup.

@Legion:

You may be able to overwhelm Pippin with Saruman assigning an orc to him, granted he could exert to prevent enough times, but maybe they wont expect the deck unless they know whats coming.

NK
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: Grond on April 06, 2013, 07:25:09 PM
The card that is solely winning the game against you is Secret Sentinels. There are nswers to that, all of which you should play/splash. Tower Assassin, Palantir of orthanc are just 2 of them.
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: NappyKorn on April 06, 2013, 08:43:31 PM
If you are worried about secret sentinels then you wait for site 7 and site 8. Why splash cards when you can let the site path handle it for you.

NK
Title: Re: Wizard's Apprentice / Ferny Frost
Post by: Grond on April 07, 2013, 02:02:05 PM
because if you clog your hand with cards until sites 7/8 your fellowship stands no chance..