Knights and Morcs

[Imrahil]

Hey all,

I've been using this deck for years as my basic standby. Recently I've begun to wonder about some of the choices, especially on the shadow side.

Anybody want to give me some advice? I can't seem to find a more deck template to work from on this site.

Ring-bearer: Isildur, Bearer of Heirlooms
Ring: The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles

Adventure deck:
Steps of Edoras
Rohirrim Camp
Base of Mindolluin
Pelennor Prairie
City Gates
Minas Tirith Sixth Circle
Osgiliath Crossing
Morgulduin
Haunted Pass

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
1x Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon
2x Aragorn, Captain of Gondor
1x Elendil, The Tall
2x Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth
1x Ingold
1x Turgon, Man of Belfalas
1x Sam, Son of Hamfast
2x Banner of Westernesse
2x Catapult
3x Gondor Bow
1x Narsil, Blade of the Faithful
2x Sapling of the White Tree
1x Scroll of Isildur
2x City of Men
1x Might of Numenor
1x Citadel of the Stars
3x Fifth Level
3x Fourth Level
3x Sixth Level
1x Stone Tower

Shadow Draw Deck:
1x Gollum, Dark as Darkness
2x Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow
2x Gorbag, Covetous Captain
4x Morgul Brute
4x Morgul Destroyer
1x Morgul Squealer
4x Morgul Whelp
2x Úlairë Cantëa, Faster Than Winds
1x Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
2x Úlairë Lemenya, Assailing Minion
1x Úlairë Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight
1x Úlairë Toldëa, Messenger of Morgul
4x Captured by the Ring
2x Houses of Lamentation
3x Flung Into the Fray

[-Enola-]

Hello,

I ran a similar deck 12-13 years ago and I went to the final of the French Nationals.

Free Peoples Draw Deck (34 cards)
1x • Alcarin, Warrior of Lamedon (starting)
1x • Turgon, Man of Belfalas (starting)
1x • Aragorn, Captain of Gondor
1x • Ingold
1x • Faramir, Defender of Osgiliath
1x • Garrison of Gondor
1x • Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth
1x • Denethor, Lord of Minas Tirith
2x Sapling of the White Tree
1x • Scroll of Isildur
1x Footman's Armor
2x Banner of Westernesse
3x Gondor Bow
2x • Citadel of the Stars
2x • Stone Tower
4x Fourth Level
3x Sixth Level
3x Fifth Level
3x Drawing His Eye

Denethor is there to search the good card for the match-up (Scroll, Citadel, Banner,....)
Drawing His Eye is probably the most underrated card, it gives me so much wins... you will often have a large number of companions and it allows you to discard the key card of your opponent (Enquea, Easterling Captain, conditions...)
Sam, Son of Hamfast was banned but I would cut one Fourth Level.


Shadow Draw Deck (34 cards)
1x Gollum, Dark as Darkness
1x Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow
4x Morgul Brute
4x Morgul Destroyer
4x Morgul Whelp
2x Úlairë Cantëa, Faster Than Winds
2x Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
2x Úlairë Lemenya, Assailing Minion
2x • Úlairë Otsëa, Thrall of The One
1x • Úlairë Nertëa, Thrall of The One
2x Úlairë Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight
1x Return to Its Master
4x Captured by the Ring
1x • Ithil Stone
1x • Out of Sight and Shot
2x Flung Into the Fray

Return to Its Master will bring you a lot of wins too, but if the card is drawn at the beginning of the game, it must be discarded.

I hope this will help you .

[Imrahil]

Thanks Enola,

That's actually incredibly helpful!  I'd never considered Drawing his Eye, and I've also been fixated on the Elendil/Narsil and Catapult combinations.

I see that the Morc deck doesn't have a Gorbag or any pumps. The Otsea/Nertea combination is also interesting. Is Otsea to help against choke, and Nertea to threaten a site three swarm?

[-Enola-]

Gorbag costs too much, the way I play Morcs is more like a swarm Shadow (main reason of the Ithil Stone).
Since Enquea LoM is always there for crowd control, it's easy to put one or two Nazguls and some Morgul Orcs and make the Ring-bearer skirmish. Pumps are not necessary.
The Otsea/Nertea combination is due to the old meta: many Rohan decks with Eomer 4R. Cheap enduring Nazguls are great then .

[Imrahil]

That makes sense. I really like the Gorbag, but without a Hides/Mauhur/Polearm mechanic to protect him, he is usually turned into a pincushion via direct wounding before the skirmish phase.