Recent Posts

1

Expanded / Support of the Last Homely House [deck - EMHR]

« Last post by Shelobplayer on August 23, 2026, 06:04:29 AM »

Hi everyone!

Haven't been playing a lot for the past year until last weekend of swinging cards at the kitchen table, which reignited my love for this game. So naturally I do what I always do when this happens. Try to build a new deck. And this is a spicy one, although admittedly the concept is yet in its infancy, and also uses Ever My Heart Rises, which is on the short list that even I consider NPE (althogh, I grown to hate playing against less and less).

The deck is a giant toolbox, thanks to all the insane interactions with the dwarf stuff. The aim is to get perfect info on the opponent's threats with Recovered Seeing Stone, then sequence the recusrion engine in a way that negates whatever the opponent has.
I put a lot of focus on the reursion of Support of the Last Homely House, as it negates most of expanded's nastiest threats. Fighting allies are extremely hard to deal with for a lot of strategies (Dark Horseman, Her Ladyship, Gollum wounding, nothing works against allies).
Greyhame can recycle allies vs Anduin Confluence, and against Corsair Lookout, Corsair War Galley has to be hardcore targeted (or just simply rely on GWBT instead of Elrond, corsair eventually fold to Blood Runs Chill spam too).
There is also a line of play that creates an invinceible shield from Thrarin, Dwarven Smith.
Other than that with Great Works Begun There, Dwarven Foresight, Preparations and Defending the Keep can get almost anything that solves the board.
The decision tree of this deck is pretty much endless.

Here is my first draft:

Ring-bearer: Gimli, Bearer of Grudges
Ring: The One Ring, The Binding Ring

Adventure deck:
Buckland Homestead
Woody-End
Cavern Entrance
City Gates
Steward's Tomb
Barazinbar
Mithlond
Dammed Gate-stream
Mount Doom

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
2x Durin III, Dwarven Lord
2x Dáin Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain
1x Celeborn, The Wise
2x Círdan, The Shipwright
4x Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor
2x Glorfindel, Eldarin Lord
1x Orophin, Silvan Elf
1x Dasron, Merchant From Dorwinion
4x Gandalf, Greyhame
1x Sméagol, Slippery Sneak
2x Grimir, Dwarven Elder
3x Thrarin, Dwarven Smith
4x Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad
1x Golradir, Councilor of Imladris
1x Saelbeth, Elven Councilor
4x Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor
1x Ottar, Man of Laketown
2x Axe of Erebor
1x Dwarven Armor
1x Dwarven Axe
1x Gimli's Armor
1x Gimli's Battle Axe, Trusted Weapon
2x Gimli's Helm
2x Hand Axe
1x Asfaloth, Elven Steed
2x Elven Armaments
1x Hadafang
4x Strands of Elven Hair
4x Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas
2x Ring of Fury
2x Ring of Guile
1x Ring of Retribution
1x Aiglos
1x Galadriel's Silver Ewer
1x Vilya
1x Narya
4x The Palantír of Orthanc, Recovered Seeing Stone
3x Blood Runs Chill
1x Counts But One
4x Defending the Keep
2x Dwarf-lords
3x Dwarven Foresight
3x Slaked Thirsts
4x Final Shot
4x Support of the Last Homely House
4x The Council of Elrond
3x A New Light
4x A Wizard Is Never Late
1x Durin's Secret
4x On Your Doorstep
4x Return to Us
1x Roll of Thunder
3x Speak "Friend" and Enter
3x Traveled Leader
1x Something Slimy
4x Beneath the Mountains
2x Courtesy of My Hall
4x Ever My Heart Rises
1x From the Armory
4x Great Works Begun There
3x Preparations
2x Proud and Able
4x Realm of Dwarrowdelf
1x Agility
1x Crashing Cavalry
3x Shoulder to Shoulder
1x Long-stemmed Pipe
3x Celebring, Elven-smith
4x Déagol, Fateful Finder

Shadow Draw Deck:
1x Gollum, Her Sneak
1x Gollum, Hopeless
1x Gollum, Old Villain
1x Gollum, Skulker
3x Shelob, Her Ladyship
2x Gríma, Wormtongue
4x The Balrog, Demon of Might
1x Southron Leader
1x Sauron, Dark Lord of Mordor
1x Sauron, The Lord of the Rings
3x The Mouth of Sauron, Lieutenant of Barad-dûr
1x Tower Assassin
4x Black Rider
4x Morgul Squealer
4x The Witch-king, Morgul King
1x Úlairë Attëa, The Easterling
1x Úlairë Attëa, Wraith on Wings
4x Úlairë Cantëa, Faster Than Winds
3x Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
1x Úlairë Enquëa, Sixth of the Nine Riders
4x Úlairë Lemenya, Dark Enemy
4x Úlairë Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders
4x Úlairë Nertëa, Dark Horseman
4x Úlairë Otsëa, Black Specter
3x Úlairë Toldëa, Black Shadow
1x Úlairë Toldëa, Wraith on Wings
1x Web
1x Ships of Great Draught
2x Black Flail
2x Fell Beast
4x Morgul Blade
4x Nazgûl Sword
4x Shadowy Mount
1x Sword of Dol Guldur
4x Sword of Minas Morgul
2x The Pale Blade
1x The Pale Blade, Sword of Flame
3x The Witch-king's Beast, Fell Creature
4x Winged Mount
3x Ithil Stone
1x Ring of Asperity
1x Ring of Rancor
1x Ring of Savagery
4x Ring of Terror
4x Captured by the Ring
4x Sudden Strike
4x We Must Have It
2x All Life Flees
1x Stricken Dumb
3x There Came a Cry
2x Too Great and Terrible
4x Evil-smelling Fens
1x Not Easily Avoided
1x The Number Must Be Few
3x A Shadow Fell Over Them
4x Blade Tip
3x Held Ground
4x Out of Sight and Shot
1x Stooping to the Kill
4x They Came From Mordor
3x They Feel The Precious
4x Unending Life
3x Saruman, Servant of Sauron

Example gameplay:
https://play.lotrtcgpc.net/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=B0r0m1r$bo2xt07xjr2oxq91
https://play.lotrtcgpc.net/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=B0r0m1r$bk40rc80epn5uzoe

2

Council of Cobra / Re: Anyone still on here that was around when I used to be here?

« Last post by Witchkingx5 on August 22, 2026, 02:40:52 PM »

Even later response from me
I also still check in (and collect) from time to time, although both the collecting world, due to the fact that the facebook group doesn't have safety measures like TLHH, scalpers/scammers run rampant and the mods do nothing, and the playing world, moving away from traditional into PC formats has been pushing me out of this community slowly but surely.
Happy to hear you're still on and enjoying the cards though

3

Esgaroth Marketplace / WTB Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas 17O1 (Masterwork)

« Last post by nicociacco on July 26, 2026, 01:02:13 PM »

Cerco LOTR TCG 17O1 Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas 17O1 (Masterwork).
Acquirente Italiano, serio ed affidabile.
Grazie.

4

Valinor / Re: Bad Gemp Players' List

« Last post by x1x1 on July 19, 2026, 01:28:01 AM »

https://play.lotrtcgpc.net/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=x1x1$g39e79fk9p5561h1


ragequit

5

Council of Cobra / Re: Anyone still on here that was around when I used to be here?

« Last post by macheteman on July 15, 2026, 07:41:41 PM »

7 months late to this post, but i play on GEMP from time to time. Great to hear from you NappyKorn. Rarely swing by this site unless i'm trying to remember a decklist or something.

6

Chamber of Mazarbul / Re: Never-Ending Parody DC Chain!

« Last post by Durin's Heir on July 13, 2026, 04:50:21 PM »

Plot Armor
Condition • Armor
Plays on a companion.
Response: If bearer is about to be killed, place another companion with a higher twilight cost on the dead pile to prevent that and heal bearer.
"'And how did you escape, and yet he did not, so mighty a man as he was, and only orcs to withstand him?'"

7

Expanded / Evil Men Archery - Shadow (Expanded)

« Last post by wrigh516 on April 22, 2026, 01:46:27 PM »

As the physical cards are getting harder to find these days, I gathered a large physical collection of common and nostalgic decks to play with family and friends as a pre-built game.  I'm posting these decks as a reference and for feedback.
The decks are split into free peoples and shadow sides, all interchangeable at 35 (36 as I added more cycling and discard decks) cards each.  There are some obvious drawbacks to doing it this way, but it is 100% worth it to allow mixing/matching.  It allows enough combinations to keep each game unique and interesting.  The idea is to have thematic and fun strategies while maintaining a balance.  These are built with physical cards, so any in the $150+ range are not always going to make it in due to the costs and to maintain balance among the decks.  I follow the Expanded format and rules before errata, but some decks might also fit into other formats.  This is one of those decks:

Evil Men Archery - Shadow (Expanded)
My version of the Men Archery strategy that turns minions into archers instead of using the weak inherent archer minions.

Minions:
Mumak Commander, Giant Among the Swertings x3
Voice of the Desert, Southron Troop x4
Fletcher of Harad x4
Mumak Rider x4
The Mouth of Sauron, Messenger of Mordor x3
Easterling Runner x2

Possessions:
Long Battle Bow x2
Pavise x2

Events:
Elevated Fire x4

Conditions:
Countless Companies x2
Howdah x4
Rapid Reload x2


Strategy:
The Mouth of Sauron, Messenger of Mordor is there to get Countless Companies, Long Battle Bow, and importantly, Pavise out early and on the board.
Mumak Commander with a Pavise is 4 exertions.  Elevated Fire is another 3 to archery, and we are using minions with 2+ vitality to allow the Toil to help us out.
Voice of the Desert is an insanely good minion that can stop fellowships at site 2 or just make every minion an archer at sites 4-6.  Fletcher of Harad with some plains sites can do the same at all regions.  This with Long Battle Bow helps get tokens on Howdah.
Save the Howdah conditions until you can bomb with archery later in the game.  Easterling Runner is great for making the tokens on Howdah conditions more efficiently arranged for the bomb.
Rapid Reload is such a powerful card.  It punishes large twilight pools and gives flexibility to shut down many fellowship strategies.


Some people use the weaker archers (Archer of Harad and Southron Murderer) with Precision Targeting.  I find the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of Elevated Fire is better.  Plus, killing companions with Precision Targeting is great, but you still have to kill the rest of the (presumably the stronger) fellowship now with less twilight and less efficient events.  I don't have a problem piling up tokens on Howdah using promoted archers instead.  On top of all that, these are stronger minions with more vitality to possibly stick around on double-moves.
I never had the cards to make this deck when I was younger.  Now that I do, I see why people didn't like the new sets as much.  The power creep was real.

I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions.

8

Expanded / Gondor Ithilien Blade - Free Peoples (Expanded)

« Last post by wrigh516 on April 22, 2026, 01:00:16 PM »

As the physical cards are getting harder to find these days, I gathered a large physical collection of common and nostalgic decks to play with family and friends as a pre-built game.  I'm posting these decks as a reference and for feedback.
The decks are split into free peoples and shadow sides, all interchangeable at 35 (36 as I added more cycling and discard decks) cards each.  There are some obvious drawbacks to doing it this way, but it is 100% worth it to allow mixing/matching.  It allows enough combinations to keep each game unique and interesting.  The idea is to have thematic and fun strategies while maintaining a balance.  These are built with physical cards, so any in the $150+ range are not always going to make it in due to the costs and to maintain balance among the decks.  I follow the Expanded format and rules before errata, but some decks might also fit into other formats.  This is one of those decks:

Gondor Ithilien Blade - Free Peoples (Expanded)
A modern, post-shadows version of the wounding rangers using the new Madril.

Starting:
The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles
Frodo, Resolute Hobbit
Faramir, Captain of Ithilien
Mablung, Ranger of Ithilien
Madril, Defender of Osgiliath

Companions:
Aragorn, Thorongil (pull with Prancing Pony)
Damrod, Dunadan of Gondor x2
Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith x2
Garrison of Gondor x2

Possessions:
Faramir's Bow
Aragorn's Bow
Ithilien Blade x4
Ranger's Cloak x2
Flaming Brand
Sting, Bane of the Eight Legs
Athelas x2

Events:
What Are They? x4

Support Area:
Stewards' Legacy
Houses of Healing
Invigorated x4
Sapling of the White Tree x4


Strategy:
Aragorn, Thorongil and Ranger's Cloak can add threats for Madril, Defender of Osgiliath to spot to keep everything roaming in the Maneuver phase.  Make sure you keep enough threats for the next move.
Ithilien Blade and What Are They? are what everything is built around.  They take out all the undesirables, leaving you to clean up with archery and fairly strong companions.
This strategy normally has trouble with surprise wounding (Southron, Ninja Gollum, etc.), but the Sapling of the White Tree conditions solve that problem.
There is a massive amount of healing needed to run this engine.  Boromir, Damrod, Houses of Healing, Athelas, and Invigorated all help to keep it going.


Most of the time I see a Smeagol, Always Helps in the starting fellowship with couple Don’t Look at Them conditions.  I find that I don't need it, but I am considering adding it for the theme anyway.
I never had the cards to make this deck when I was younger.  Now that I do, I see why people didn't like the new sets as much.  The power creep was real.


I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions.

9

Expanded / Wraith Morgul Orcs - Shadow (Expanded)

« Last post by wrigh516 on April 22, 2026, 12:10:45 PM »

As the physical cards are getting harder to find these days, I gathered a large physical collection of common and nostalgic decks to play with family and friends as a pre-built game.  I'm posting these decks as a reference and for feedback.
The decks are split into free peoples and shadow sides, all interchangeable at 35 (36 as I added more cycling and discard decks) cards each.  There are some obvious drawbacks to doing it this way, but it is 100% worth it to allow mixing/matching.  It allows enough combinations to keep each game unique and interesting.  The idea is to have thematic and fun strategies while maintaining a balance.  These are built with physical cards, so any in the $150+ range are not always going to make it in due to the costs and to maintain balance among the decks.  I follow the Expanded format and rules before errata, but some decks might also fit into other formats.  This is one of those decks:

Wraith Morgul Orcs - Shadow (Expanded)
It's the basic Morgul Orcs strategy with some newer Nazgul, but it is so deadly with Expanded format sites.

Minions:
Ulaire Cantea, Faster than Winds x2
Ulaire Lemenya, Assailing Minion x2
Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight x2
Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul x2
Ulaire Nertea, Dark Horseman x2
Ulaire Otsea, Seventh of the Nine Riders x2
The Witch-King, Black Lord x2
Gollum, Dark as Darkness
Morgul Brute x4
Morgul Destroyer x4
Morgul Whelp x4
Morgul Squealer x2

Events:
Captured by the Ring x3

Conditions:
Flung into the Fray x2
Out of Sight and Shot x2


Strategy:
Get wounds on the ring-bearer and abuse the threat and burden machine from the Morgul Destroyer and the Morgul Brute.
Captured by the Ring brings out Gollum, Dark as Darkness to get exertions going.
The conditions and Morgul Squealer are there to recur the best Nazgul options.  I use this Otsea, because I find I often want the additional draw, and you'll spot plenty of wounds on the ring-bearer.
The sites that make this strategy deadly are Neekerbreekers' Bog, Crags of Emyn Muil, and City Gates.  Woody-End and The Angle are great too.


I know most people throw in a bunch of Úlairë Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders to recall those sites and focus more on wounding everyone (Ulaire Enquea, Sixth of the Nine Riders).  I don't do that here to try to maintain some old nostalgia and to balance it out for this collection.  It is already too strong.  The true physical version of this deck has Ulaire Nertea, Dark Horseman replaced with Ulaire Nertea, Thrall of the One to tone it down.  It is also one of the few erratas I enforce in this collection, and don't like to have erratas confusing new players

I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions.

10

Expanded / Last Alliance of Elves and Men - Free Peoples (Expanded)

« Last post by wrigh516 on April 22, 2026, 11:37:49 AM »

As the physical cards are getting harder to find these days, I gathered a large physical collection of common and nostalgic decks to play with family and friends as a pre-built game.  I'm posting these decks as a reference and for feedback.
The decks are split into free peoples and shadow sides, all interchangeable at 35 (36 as I added more cycling and discard decks) cards each.  There are some obvious drawbacks to doing it this way, but it is 100% worth it to allow mixing/matching.  It allows enough combinations to keep each game unique and interesting.  The idea is to have thematic and fun strategies while maintaining a balance.  These are built with physical cards, so any in the $150+ range are not always going to make it in due to the costs and to maintain balance among the decks.  I follow the Expanded format and rules before errata, but some decks might also fit into other formats.  This is one of those decks:

Last Alliance of Elves and Men - Free Peoples (Expanded)
There are so many version of Last Alliance decks.  This one abuses the Greenleaf and Aragorn's Bow archery targeting.

Starting:
The One Ring, The Binding Ring
Frodo, Resolute Hobbit
Glorfindel, Revealed in Wrath
Legolas, Greenleaf

Companions:
Aragorn, Ranger of the North (pull with Prancing Pony)
Faramir, Son of Denethor x2
Boromir, Son of Denethor x2
Elendil, The Tall
Gil-Galad, Elven High King

Allies:
Elrond, Herald to Gil-Galad x3

Artifacts:
Narsil, Blade of the Faithful
Aiglos
Anduril, Flame of the West
Vilya
Mithril-Coat
Phial of Galadriel, Star-Glass
The Shards of Narsil

Possessions:
Aragorn's Bow
Legolas' Sword
Sting, Baggins Heirloom
Gondorian Blade
Gondorian Sword
Flaming Brand
Armor
Shield of Boromir

Events:
Seclusion x3

Conditions:
The Last Alliance of Elves and Men x3
Shadow Between
The Saga of Elendil
The Tale of Gil-Galad


Strategy:
Greenleaf and Aragorn's Bow target minions in the archery phase.  Then, use Elrond, Herald to Gil-Galad and Shadow Between to heal up.  Aiglos, The Tale of Gil-Galad, Vilya, and The Saga of Elendil can be spread around and moved to improve this.
The Last Alliance of Elves and Men can spot the 3 elves (including allies) to make the men +3 strength.
Once Elendil or Gil-Galad show up, you should have enough artifacts to move Narsil, Blade of the Faithful or Aiglos to them to make them 14-15 strength (before Last Alliance) with 5-6 vitality.


It's worth considering putting in Galadriel, Bearer of Wisdom instead (changing Boromir with something else), then using Galadriel's Silver Ewer and Nenya, Ring of Adamant instead of Mithril-Coat and The Shards of Narsil.

I would love to hear any feedback/suggestions.