Support of the Last Homely House [deck - EMHR]

[Shelobplayer]

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.

I think I found a reliable way to reuse Support of the Last Homely House in expanded. On the surface that may not look like much, but start listing some of expanded's nastiest threats: Gollum wounding, Shelob etc. They all work on companions but not on allies, which is exactly why a fighting ally is potentially bonkers. A fighting Elrond, Herald to Gil-Galad with acces to Vilya (and potentially hadafang) is a massive defensive wall. He can even fight Dark Horseman called on elf.

Now, what is the recursion loop for this?
1.) On your Doorstep
2.) Strands of Elven Hair // Gift of the Evenstar, Blessed Light
-----
For double moves:
1.) Celeborn the Wise
-----
For On Your Doorstep:
1.) Barliman Butterbur, PPP
2.) Master of Healing (potentially)

Then obviously On Your Doorstep can bring back whatever you want.

Here is my first draft:

Format: Expanded
Author: B0r0m1r
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 Dáin Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain
1x Arwen, Elven Rider
3x Arwen, She-Elf
1x Celeborn, The Wise
2x Círdan, The Shipwright
4x Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor
1x Glorfindel, Revealed in Wrath
2x 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 Erestor, Chief Advisor to Elrond
1x Galdor, Councilor From the West
1x Saelbeth, Elven Councilor
4x Barliman Butterbur, Prancing Pony Proprietor
1x Ottar, Man of Laketown
2x Axe of Erebor
2x Gimli's Helm
2x Hand Axe
3x Elven Armaments
1x Hadafang
4x Strands of Elven Hair
4x Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas
2x Ring of Fury
2x Ring of Guile
2x Aiglos
2x Galadriel's Silver Ewer
1x Gift of the Evenstar, Blessed Light
1x Narya
1x Vilya
2x Gandalf's Staff
4x The Palantír of Orthanc, Recovered Seeing Stone
3x Blood Runs Chill
4x Defending the Keep
2x Dwarf-lords
1x Dwarven Foresight
1x Great Day, Great Hour
3x Slaked Thirsts
2x Defiance
3x Final Shot
2x Kindreds Estranged
1x Stand Against Darkness
4x Support of the Last Homely House
4x The Council of Elrond
4x A Wizard Is Never Late
1x Durin's Secret
4x On Your Doorstep
4x Return to Us
3x Roll of Thunder
3x Speak "Friend" and Enter
3x Traveled Leader
1x Something Slimy
4x Beneath the Mountains
4x Ever My Heart Rises
3x Great Works Begun There
3x Preparations
3x Proud and Able
4x Realm of Dwarrowdelf
1x Agility
1x Crashing Cavalry
3x Shoulder to Shoulder
1x Uncertain Future
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 Return to Its Master
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
3x 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

Bid 1, go first if possible to be able to fetch EMHR (so many decks start on Dammed-Gate-Stream, that I just couldn't not include Sméagol), mulligan aggressively, the only goal turn 1 is to get Gandalf out, even better if you can get a Great Works Begun There also. Sméagol is discarded by the end of turn 1, to disable Southron Leader (Déagol is just there to give access to Her Sneak, if you draw it turn 1 , great, free GOTM). There are many ways to get various required pieces, but getting GOTM early is a good idea. Depending on needs turn 2 you can get any character, if you have access to the most important ones you can start triggering GWBT. It can fetch Protecting the Keep, which can fetch Proud and Able, which can fetch Gimli's Helm. Now you triggered it most likely with Thrarin first, who dies a spectacular, but horrible death, but not before you ready Gimli's Helm to get rid of threat wounds (you can fetch rings). There are virtually endless playloops, it is a good idea to try to go for Recovered Seeing Stone early, so you have perfect information on what to counterplay. Elrond is very unlikely to die to ally wounding, and if he gets discarded he comes back right next turn thanks to Greyhame.

Shadow is Nazgul nastiness that wants to utilize Dark Enemy, Black Spectre and Black Shadow to make use of support cards. Morgul Blade + Shadowy Mount combo can be nasty, but it's just your usual toolbox/recursion shadow enlarged to fit with EMHR.

Great Works Begun There really makes this click for me, as it gives access not to just events, but conditions and possessions from the discard pile also. Return to Us is a card I don't really see notorious EMHR players use, but it gives you access to AWINL without spotting Gandalf, so it makes the deck a lot more consistent.

With GWBT, we have easy access to Preparation also, which enables Slaked Thirsts and Dwarven Foresight.

Daston can give you On your Doorstep every turn.

Defending the Keep can draw whatever you used On Your Doorstep in a pinch.

The lines of play are endless.

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