Why my favorite format is Pre-Shadows Multipath

[SGollum]

I've noticed that the Multipath format is extremely rare for people to play but for me it is my most played format and I have a few reasons for that. The fact that hardly anyone plays isn't a factor to me since I play with the physical cards.

1. The X-list. The X list makes the game much more fair by axing GLR and SoH that are somehow not on the X-list in Movie. Since the X-list is so much better, it fixes a lot (not all) of the broken combos.

2. The sites. Even though it is unthematic, using any block for your site path allows you to open much more strategies than the bigger X-list removes. It also gives a new flair to allies instead of them just being in the background the entire time. Also, I hate ROTK block sites to the core. They're too similar to each other. All site 3s have to do with threats, all site 4s have to do with removing burdens for Shadow effects, etc. To put that in every single deck annoys me. Pre-Shadows fixes that.

3. No Galadriel, Lady Redeemed period ever the end!

4. It allows some some cool Weta cards from set 0 that fit (mostly) in with sets 1-10.

[menace64]

Could you elaborate on what Multipath even is? In my foggy memory each player chooses which block of sites to build their adventure deck from, and then play progresses as normal? Am I missing something or way off?

I do share your sentiment regarding the vanillaishness of King block sites.

[SGollum]

Your right about how it works. You choose a block of sites and stick to that block for your adventure deck.

[-Enola-]

If you want to know, I created the Pre-Shadows Multipath format in 2010 .
The X-list has changed several times then. The last version of the X-list is not on gempukku now.

[Phallen Cassidy]

Where is the current version? Perhaps it would be better received.

[-Enola-]

This is the current X-list. I explain the differences with the X-list in Movie Block


1C21 Lord of Moria (BRC is too strong with this card)
1R40 Elrond, Lord of Rivendell
1R45 Galadriel, Lady of Light
1R80 Ottar, Man of Laketown
1U108 No Stranger to the Shadows
1C138 Saruman's Snows (banned in Expanded)
1R139 Savagery to Match Their Numbers
1R195 Relics of Moria
1U234 Úlairë Nertëa, Messenger of Dol Guldur
1C248 Forces of Mordor
1C311 Sam, Son of Hamfast (this card makes the corrupt decks unplayable)
1R313 Sting
1U316 A Talent For Not Being Seen (banned in Expanded)
1C331 Ettenmoors (enduring minions)
1U338 Ford of Bruinen (too strong for Nazguls)
1C354 Anduin Wilderland (too good for swarm decks)
1U355 Silverlode Banks (NPE=Negative Play Experience)
1U360 Emyn Muil (Enduring Minions)
2C14 Till Durin Wakes Again (too much underground sites in region 2)
2R32 Flaming Brand
2R75 Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow (banned in Expanded)
3R1 • Book of Mazarbul (too much draw on FOTR sites)
3R38 Aragorn, Heir To The White City
3R42 Horn of Boromir
3R67 The Palantír of Orthanc
3R68 Saruman, Keeper of Isengard
3U106 Bill the Pony
3C108 Frying Pan
3R113 The Shire Countryside (banned in Expanded)
4R73 Legolas, Dauntless Hunter (NPE)
4U338 Golden Hall (NPE)
4U355 Cavern Entrance (NPE)
4U357 King's Room (NPE)
7U49 Steadfast Champion
7C96 Gondorian Captain
7C156 Raider Halberd (for 9, you have a fierce strength 22 minion at site 2...)
7U190 Morgul Destroyer (Morgul Orc ic the best Shadow in Movie Block, so....)
8C1 Aggression
8R20 Saved From The Fire (too strong to set up the FP side)
10U2 Memories of Darkness
10C91 Mordor Fiend
10R11 Galadriel, Lady Redeemed (NPE...)
10C52 • Under Foot ( swarm was in 3 decks of the Top 4 in 2014)




Blood Runs Chill is allowed again. Lord of Moria and Under Foot are banned.

[SGollum]

What do you think of Gamling, Warrior of Rohan and Durin III?

[-Enola-]

Durin III is a bit annoying but Grima, Wormtongue is played against him or Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark.

Gamling, Warrior of Rohan is not often played in Multipath, Hrethel is better.

[Phallen Cassidy]

Ooph, still not a format I'm altogether interested in. Some bans don't make any sense to me, such as Til Durin Wakes Again and Morgul Destroyer. Raider Halberd is trying to curb Corsairs, but hits law-abiding Southrons hard too (and does it really make Corsairs that much worse?). Elves and Besiegers still retain most of their stuff, and for some reason BRC is allowed again?

Then again, I'm already not a Movie Block player. I can see how this would be a better Movie block, maybe a league or two would warm people up to it more.

[SGollum]

Ooph, still not a format I'm altogether interested in. Some bans don't make any sense to me, such as Til Durin Wakes Again and Morgul Destroyer. Raider Halberd is trying to curb Corsairs, but hits law-abiding Southrons hard too (and does it really make Corsairs that much worse?). Elves and Besiegers still retain most of their stuff, and for some reason BRC is allowed again?

Then again, I'm already not a Movie Block player. I can see how this would be a better Movie block, maybe a league or two would warm people up to it more.

I play Pre-Shadows with the Gemp X-list almost exclusively. The only reason I like Till Durin Wakes Again being banned is because that Dwarves are just OP. However, I don't like swapping BRC being banned for Lord of Moria because it makes Gimli, Bearer of Grudges harder to play. I have no opinion about Raider and Ringwraith bans because I am horrible at building Raider decks and Morc decks. Site bans are spot on with the exception of Anduin Wilderland (Elves will win vs Moria anyway) as I cringe every time I'm putting Tons of allies coupled with Moria swarm and it's ruin Frodo or ruin my Shadow on site 7 (What's the point of Moria without Fellowship sites???).

[-Enola-]

Ooph, still not a format I'm altogether interested in. Some bans don't make any sense to me, such as Til Durin Wakes Again and Morgul Destroyer. Raider Halberd is trying to curb Corsairs, but hits law-abiding Southrons hard too (and does it really make Corsairs that much worse?). Elves and Besiegers still retain most of their stuff, and for some reason BRC is allowed again?

Then again, I'm already not a Movie Block player. I can see how this would be a better Movie block, maybe a league or two would warm people up to it more.

Ohh no, this makes a lot of sense. The X-list is changed to change the metagame. This is made in most of the card games still played and it's very important to keep the game alive and interesting.

- Til Durin Wakes Again is too good with Dwarves on the FOTR sites, if Dwarves can heal easily, they can manage almost every Shadow.

- BRC is needed for the Dwarves. Without Lord of Moria, Gimli has resistance 8 (Ring+weapon), this is ok for an alternative Ring-bearer.

- Elves lose Galadriel, LR....

- Besiegers are good but Elendil and condition discard are often played, this makes Besiegers weaker. Moreover, Great Hill Troll is not so powerful with non-ROTK sites.

- Morgul Destroyer: it's already explained. Morcs are too strong and versatile in Movie. If Morgul Destroyer isn't banned, I know exactly what I have to play.

- Raider Hallberd: without this ban, it makes a lot of Free Peoples unplayable. Those who cannot manage a 22 fierce minion at site 2 if they give 9 or more.... Southrons are still played (archery or enduring) with Field of the Fallen for some builds.

- Anduin Wilderland: I easily won a big tournament (20 players) with Moria Swarm and this site . So we banned it... I still won some tournaments with Moria Swarm after this ban, so...