This is my first post. I rarely ever have a deck that I consider good enough to post. This one happens to be 16:1 right now on Gemp and thought I'd post it. Nothing special, but maintains a good amount of strength against most of the meta. Here's my deck list for
Old Bilbo's Heir:
Ring-bearer:
Frodo, Old Bilbo's HeirRing:
The One Ring, Isildur's BaneAdventure deck:
Green Dragon InnTrollshaw ForestCouncil CourtyardMithril MineThe Bridge of Khazad-dumDimrill DaleAnduin WilderlandPillars of the KingsWastes of Emyn MuilFree Peoples Draw Deck:
1x
Gimli, Son of Gloin1x
Arwen, Daughter of Elrond1x
Legolas, Greenleaf1x
Gandalf, Friend of the Shirefolk1x
Aragorn, Ranger of the North1x
Boromir, Son of Denethor (Starting)
1x
Merry, Friend to Sam (Starting)
3x
Sam, Son of Hamfast1x
Thrarin, Dwarven Smith4x
Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad1x
Bounder3x
Hobbit Sword1x
Thror's Map2x
Secret Sentinels1x
Hobbit Intuition4x
Hobbit Stealth4x
A Promise1x
O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!1x
There and Back AgainShadow Draw Deck:
3x
Cave Troll of Moria, Scourge of the Black Pit4x
Goblin Runner3x
Goblin Scavengers1x
Guard Commander4x
Moria Scout1x
The Balrog, Flame of Udun4x
Troll's Keyward4x
Goblin Scimitar3x
Threat of the Unknown4x
Goblin Armory2x
Relics of MoriaBid 4 to go first. 9 times out of 10 that's more than enough to get your site 1. Pull Hamfast and remove 2 Burdens (don't exhaust him for fear of an early
Hate). You have two more copies of Sam in your deck for three reasons. One, to remove more burdens (easily) if needed, two, to play Sam later if your bid wasn't enough (not likely, but its happened), and three, to keep Sam healthy (keeping
A Promise relevant).
Boromir and Merry are a force to be reckoned with. Unless you can kill both, you can't kill either. Their synergism is most useful and hard to wipe out. This becomes even more true when other comps start hitting the field. More often than not, you can double to 3 (because so many ways to handle skirmishes, like stealths, other comps, Elrond fighting at home site, etc).
All comps except for Frodo and Sam are expendable. Just there to lighten the load, soak up wounds and die. Hopefully, with stealths and "strategic loss" you'll end up with Frodo, Sam and a few lasting comps (remnant from 9 total). With all "A Promises" out and hobbit swords, etc. Frodo is 11 strength and Sam is a 9 (assuming they're not exhausted, thanks to Elrond and Sanctuaries. And that's not including a plus 2 strength from
There and Back again and any hobbit pumps you've managed to save in hand (be collecting if possible). Add a
Bounder on top of that and you have one heck of a challenge killing both Frodo AND Sam (back up ring-bearer).
I consider
Filibert Bolger and
Mithril Coat to great additions to the deck. Occasionally I slip them in, but not always.
Obviously, Shot gun Enquea can be quite a destructive force. If you suspect him, go under 6 comps. Kill one off and play another. This is sometimes easier said than done, but not impossible.
Shadow side is really more of a farce than anything else. Even though it doesn't have the optimal power of a true moria swarm deck, it can still present a threat (and give you a shadow kill on occasion). Its main point is to clear out your hand and cycle. The deck is 33/33. So its already pretty small. With this Shadow, you'll likely be drawing most, if not all of your cards...Yay high strength Frodo and Sam! It may be obvious, but between Cavetroll and Balrog at 5, I'd choose Cavetroll. He can chase their fellowship outside of Bridge of Khazad-Dum and deal more damage. He usually forces them to stop at 5.
One last note. You may notice the sites (7, 8, 9) are not your average sites for this kind of deck. This is because, like I said, the Shadow side is more of a farce, to give more value to the Free Peoples. It doesn't really have the power to kill late game (often). This deck is definitely more focused on a Freeps win. Because of this,
Thror's Map is a nifty little possesion (rarely discard-able) and with 4 hobbits (including
Bounder) is often easily playable. Afraid of losing Elrond,
Bounder or Thrarin? Play your site 7. Or...don't want to get auto-stopped site 8 with 5 orcs/murdered by archery (Brownlands), play your site 8 (6 instead of 9 on the Shadow site number). Don't want a monstrous Saruman-Uruk Swarm, 3 extra trackers or opponent drawing cards from burdens? Play your site 9, Isengard wounding Orcs site--usually not a deal breaker.
Thanks for reading. Comments welcome.