Dwarven Possession Deck

[sharkey]

Okay, so I want to post my main deck for advice on it. It's the same deck I've had since the game started :O (Gimli Mines of Moria), but it has changed a lot. It's Dwarven/Orc (Or men or orc). The idea is possesion based card cycling. The cards are:

Site 1: Trollshaw Forest
Site 3: Council Courtyard
Site 6: Galadriel's Glade
Site 9: Fords of Isen or Helm's Gate Or Tol Brandir
Other Sites: Moria Guardroom, Starkorn, Anduin Banks

FP: 43

Frodo, Little Master (anti-mill)
The One Ring, The Binding Ring (cycle)

Gimli, Opinionated Guide (cycle)
Linnar, DL (muscle)

Durin III, Dwarven Lord (muscle)
Thrarin, Smith of Erebor (muscle)
Gandalf, LotC (support)
Boromir, SoD (support ringbearer)
Aragorn, HoE (anti-swarm)
Legolas, EC (support)

Possessions:

Gimli's Battle Axe, Vicious Weapon (buff/cycle)
Hand Axe x4 (buff/cycle)
Dwarven Bracers x4 (buff/cycle)
Gimli's Helm (buff/cycle)
Gimli's Armor (buff/cycle)
Dwarven Axe x3 (buff/cycle)
Dwarven Armor (buff/cycle)
Belt of Erebor x2 (buff/cycle)
Ring of Guile (buff/cycle/recycle)
Ring of Fury (buff/cycle)
Ring of Accretion (buff/cycle)
Ring of Retribution (buff/cycle)
Horn of Helm (buff/cycle)
Book of Mazarbul (buff/cycle)

Conditions:
Endurance of Dwarves x4 (buff)
Still Twitching (buff)
Proud and Able (buff/recycle)

Events:
No Pauses, No Spills (cycling)
Argument Ready to Hand (useful to the max)
More Yet to Come (useful to the max)
Wealth of Moria (cycling)
Storm of Argument (recycle)

Shadow (43):

Minions:
Ulaire Nertea, MoDG 4x
Gate Trooper x4
Orc Slayer
Orc Ambusher x4
Orc Guard x4
Orc Pursuer x2
Orc Assassin x4
Orc Cutthroat x2
Orc Scout x4
Morgul Skulker

Conditions:
Spies of Mordor 4x
The Dark Lord's Summons x2
Seeking its Master
Southern Spies 2x
Forces of Mordor x4

Here is my final deck in all it's glory!

[sharkey]

Oops, just learned about the rule of four. That new to me... Still works, but not as well.

[Thranduil]

I was looking for something that allows playing possessions outside the fellowship phase so that you're not bound by the rule of 4, but I couldn't find one. I did hit one good card for this deck: Well-Equipped. And all in all, I think you could do with some more Dwarves. Linnar is a fine for 7 Dwarf, if you're playing Dwarven Warrior you could play Thorin III, or Gloin, Son of Groin draws you more cards, and Dáin Ironfoot is simply awesome allowing you to discard superfluous minions in the regroup phase and prevent too much flooding of the twilight pool from companions. You don't need all those little companions, I think. If you're worried about swarm, then play Disquiet of Our People or Sam, Proper Poet (who doubles as swarm protection and a backup Ring-bearer).

I would also suggest more Proud and Able and Still Twitching over Endurance of Dwarves (which is very dangerous), and more NPNS is always good. You also don't need the useless possessions just for strength boosts - because of the rule of 4, the value of them being possessions I'm not sure is quite enough and I think you could do better.

Thranduil

[Gil-Estel]

Something risky but it can be done, start Galadriel ringbearer, Gamling, play his horn, draw 2 followers, the Woodhall Elf and Celebring, and Celebring also brings Silver Ewer, so you have, with the right ring a 5 strength, 7 resistant ring bearer that makes you draw each maneuver 3 cards. Also you can tranfser Celebring, that gives her 2 extra strength.

[sharkey]

I was looking for something that allows playing possessions outside the fellowship phase so that you're not bound by the rule of 4, but I couldn't find one. I did hit one good card for this deck: Well-Equipped. And all in all, I think you could do with some more Dwarves. Linnar is a fine for 7 Dwarf, if you're playing Dwarven Warrior you could play Thorin III, or Gloin, Son of Groin draws you more cards, and Dáin Ironfoot is simply awesome allowing you to discard superfluous minions in the regroup phase and prevent too much flooding of the twilight pool from companions. You don't need all those little companions, I think. If you're worried about swarm, then play Disquiet of Our People or Sam, Proper Poet (who doubles as swarm protection and a backup Ring-bearer).

I would also suggest more Proud and Able and Still Twitching over Endurance of Dwarves (which is very dangerous), and more NPNS is always good. You also don't need the useless possessions just for strength boosts - because of the rule of 4, the value of them being possessions I'm not sure is quite enough and I think you could do better.

Thranduil

Well-Equipped is good, but I tend not to have 5 resistance. The little companions all have their function, Boromir buffs the ringbearer in a tight spot, Aragorn for swarms/big fierce early minions, Gandalf buffs nicely and protects against swarm at site 9, and Legolas is great for preventing surprise events from taking down companions. I may take them all out and see how the deck works. I'm also planning on switching to run a swarm bad side, so I can play ~20 cards each during 2 fellowship and one shadow turn, allowing me to draw all my deck by about site 6 (I love decking out. For me, it means I have all my good cards played).

I don't have 3 more NPNS, as they are rare. I wish I did

Why do you consider Endurance of Dwarves to be risky?

Also, I prefer Reckless Pride over DoOP.

Thanks for the help!

[sharkey]

I realize that condition discarding cards are a problem with EoD, but I'm very careful to make sure that I rarely get to that point... I use those as a last resort, I try not to get my dwarves past their "base" exhausted, but it's Endurance of Dwarves in case of cards like SiaS without Belt of Erebor or Gimli's Helm, or everyone's favorite Balrog, Demon of Might with WoMT and Final Cry.

Also, can you explain to me why Reckless Pride is not a defender plus infinity type thing? I know I'm missing something, I just don't know what.

[Thranduil]

Also, can you explain to me why Reckless Pride is not a defender plus infinity type thing? I know I'm missing something, I just don't know what.

Because there is an overriding rule that you can't use assignment abilities to assign more than 1 character to the same guy. So Eowyn Northwoman can only assign 1 minion to the RB, Saruman, Servant of the Eye can only assign up to 1 minion to each companion and Always Helps can only assign (and therefore exhaust) 1 minion with his ability. The same is true for all the Reckless Pride cycle.

And anyway, even if the Shadow player could assign multiple minions to the bearer of Reckless Pride, the only reason they would do that was if the companion would be killed, not to save the Ring-bearer from swarm.

Thranduil

[sharkey]

Another good card for this I just thought of is HoOF. It would allows for cycling 8 cards out of the game.  Any good ways to make minions muster/play all in your hand? I want the bad side deck to work, but be a good one, and one that helps me draw more cards faster.

[sharkey]

So, what is Reckless pride good for?

[sharkey]

Yeah, agreed with the Reckless Pride judgement. Also, I think HoOF is a good one for this, to trap useless shadow cards as much as needed. Any advice on HoOF?

[sharkey]

Also, anyone think Heavy Axe > Dwarven Axe?

[sharkey]

Too risky with that top card. Not unless I can add another telepathy card there. Which is 4 cards more in this deck.

[sharkey]

Heavy Axe is really nice if you are running tokens.

What about if you are running a deck like this, tank possession based dwarves? Is the 1 extra strength worth the 2-4 extra twilight?

[sharkey]

Okay, here is my deck, fixed and with shadow added!

Advice?

[Witchkingx5]

Well, I was once running something similar to this, but I played Sindri and 4 copies of Loyalty Unshaken. Just Sweetness!
Drop Aragorn to add a couple of DOOP, fits in better actually if you want an anti-swarm.
Also, cards like Troop of Uruk-hai will just destroy you, believe me, so play a couple of Flurry of Blows in combination with Loyalty Unshaken to be make your game safer, maybe drop one or two Dwarven Bracers.
But why aren't you playing Axe of Erebor and Gimli's Battle Axe, Trusted Weapon so that you got 2 strong hand weapons?