Arwen/Uruk-Hai Deck

[Nicklypuff]

Hello,

I was wondering if I could get some feedback on this deck. It is the first deck I've constructed so feedback is definitely appreciated.

Ring-bearer: Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
Ring: The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Adventure deck:
The Prancing Pony
Trollshaw Forest
House of Elrond
Hollin
The Bridge of Khazad-dum
Caras Galadhon
Silverlode Banks
Gates of Argonath
Slopes of Amon Hen

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
1x Arwen, Daughter of Elrond (Starting Companion)
1x Legolas, Greenleaf (Starting Companion)
2x Gandalf, Friend of the Shirefolk
1x Aragorn, King in Exile
4x Boromir, Lord of Gondor
1x Sam, Son of Hamfast
1x Thrarin, Dwarven Smith
2x Asfaloth
3x Gwemegil
1x Aragorn's Bow
2x Flaming Brand
1x Ranger's Sword
1x Sting
1x Pathfinder
3x Swordsman of the Northern Kingdom
3x Power According to His Stature
2x No Stranger to the Shadows

Shadow Draw Deck:
1x Lurtz, Servant of Isengard
2x Orthanc Assassin
4x Saruman, Keeper of Isengard
4x Troop of Uruk-hai
2x Uruk Captain
2x Uruk Lieutenant
1x Uruk Ravager
3x Uruk Warrior
3x Bred for Battle
4x Savagery To Match Their Numbers
4x Saruman's Ambition

[Phallen Cassidy]

A fine start! This looks way better than the decks I first made, haha. Depending on what ends up giving you trouble there are a few different ways to alter it without changing the heart of it, which is a great place for a draft deck to be. I just have a few things to consider up front:

What happens if you don't go first? You only have two cards that depend on Aragorn, but if you plan on using his healing to get you out of some tough spots then you might consider extra copies. Not only will this bring him in earlier if you can't start at Prancing Pony, but you'll have some healing for him tucked away. You decide if this matters to you.

I think Armor would go a long way against Uruk-hai and The Balrog, especially with your Boromir/Aragorn setup. Your deck is also a perfect candidate for Sleep, Caradhras, which is perhaps Gandalf's greatest strength. What is it you aim to play (or avoid seeing) with Pathfinder? No Stranger to the Shadows is an all-around good card, but with this setup I wonder if that might be a place to cut. Choke is best early in the game, so while it always helps to give your opponent or fewer, later on (generally when you'll draw it) it won't be as critical as some other cards. Betrayal of Isengard is situational so many people don't use it in favor of something more consistent, but it's saved me a few times so I'll throw that out there.

For the Shadow side, Saruman's Power would be great against The Last Alliance of Elves and Men decks. It's often worth losing your own Saruman's Ambition to take Aragorn and Boromir down 3 strength. And, just as I suggested Armor for your FP, I'll suggest Beyond the Height of Men for your Uruks You've got the pumps to win skirmishes, so make sure your opponent feels it. Adding them might mean readjusting the amount of pumps so you have enough minions every turn. If you end up adding cards maybe include 1 or 2 Abandoning Reason for Madness? With a deck this small you could probably pass on it, though it never hurts.

[Nicklypuff]

A fine start! This looks way better than the decks I first made, haha. Depending on what ends up giving you trouble there are a few different ways to alter it without changing the heart of it, which is a great place for a draft deck to be. I just have a few things to consider up front:

What happens if you don't go first? You only have two cards that depend on Aragorn, but if you plan on using his healing to get you out of some tough spots then you might consider extra copies. Not only will this bring him in earlier if you can't start at Prancing Pony, but you'll have some healing for him tucked away. You decide if this matters to you.

I think Armor would go a long way against Uruk-hai and The Balrog, especially with your Boromir/Aragorn setup. Your deck is also a perfect candidate for Sleep, Caradhras, which is perhaps Gandalf's greatest strength. What is it you aim to play (or avoid seeing) with Pathfinder? No Stranger to the Shadows is an all-around good card, but with this setup I wonder if that might be a place to cut. Choke is best early in the game, so while it always helps to give your opponent or fewer, later on (generally when you'll draw it) it won't be as critical as some other cards. Betrayal of Isengard is situational so many people don't use it in favor of something more consistent, but it's saved me a few times so I'll throw that out there.

For the Shadow side, Saruman's Power would be great against The Last Alliance of Elves and Men decks. It's often worth losing your own Saruman's Ambition to take Aragorn and Boromir down 3 strength. And, just as I suggested Armor for your FP, I'll suggest Beyond the Height of Men for your Uruks You've got the pumps to win skirmishes, so make sure your opponent feels it. Adding them might mean readjusting the amount of pumps so you have enough minions every turn. If you end up adding cards maybe include 1 or 2 Abandoning Reason for Madness? With a deck this small you could probably pass on it, though it never hurts.

Thank you very much for the feedback. I've updated the deck with your suggestions in mind. This is what I've been testing with lately.

Ring-bearer: Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
Ring: The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Adventure deck:
The Prancing Pony
Trollshaw Forest
House of Elrond
Hollin
The Bridge of Khazad-dum
Caras Galadhon
Silverlode Banks
Gates of Argonath
Slopes of Amon Hen

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
1x Arwen, Daughter of Elrond
1x Legolas, Greenleaf
2x Gandalf, Friend of the Shirefolk
4x Aragorn, King in Exile
3x Boromir, Lord of Gondor
1x Sam, Son of Hamfast
1x Thrarin, Dwarven Smith
3x Gwemegil
1x Aragorn's Bow
2x Armor
1x Athelas
2x Flaming Brand
1x Ranger's Sword
1x Sting
1x Sleep, Caradhras
2x A Ranger's Versatility
3x Swordsman of the Northern Kingdom
3x Power According to His Stature

Shadow Draw Deck:
1x Lurtz, Servant of Isengard
2x Orthanc Assassin
4x Saruman, Keeper of Isengard
4x Troop of Uruk-hai
2x Uruk Captain
2x Uruk Lieutenant
1x Uruk Ravager
3x Uruk Warrior
2x Beyond the Height of Men
3x Bred for Battle
1x Saruman's Power
4x Savagery To Match Their Numbers
4x Saruman's Ambition

[ket_the_jet]

Shadow looks pretty good. I might consider dropping one Orthanc Assassin for another Uruk Ravager. Maybe even dropping a Bred For Battle for another Uruk Lieutenant...just want to make sure the minion-support balance is on point.

You're also missing one of the most important cards in the support area: Greed! No Business of Ours can be a nice way to divert attention from your hand. If someone peeks at your hand with Sting and sees that you have a bad draw, they might be more likely to double move.

Free Peoples looks like normal Super Friends with Gandalf thrown in. Also, make sure to familiarize yourself with the errata of A Ranger's Versatility. You have to exert the ranger to exhaust one minion. Still okay, but nowhere near the card it was before the errata.
-wtk