IB considerations...

[Yanko Markovic]

I'm making my main deck (expanded), that would be Boromir tokens with Ithilien blade, but mostly Ithilien blade. I heard somewhere that, for example, x4 Citadel of Minas Tirith is essential in this kind of deck. Is this true? And also, what other cards do you think are essential for this deck? This is my main concern, along with which Shadow should I use (I currently use Raider wounding, and I love it).
After I get some recommendations, I will post the deck.

[Yanko Markovic]

Ok, good. And what about possesions? In all, how many hand weapons should this deck have? ( I currently run 3x IB, blade of gondor and elven long knife, but I feel it's too little) and on other possesions, I use horn of boromir, brego, 2x Ranger's cloak and ranger's longbow.

[TheJord]

Ithilien Blade in Expanded

1x *Aragorn, Thorongil (15R55)
1x *Denethor, Lord of Minas Tirith (10R28)
1x *Faramir, Captain of Gondor (4R116)
1x *Madril, Defender of Osgiliath (15R64)
4x Gondorian Prowler (15U61) 

You start with these lot (at The Prancing Pony). Frodo, CH to stop Expanded discard.

4x Citadel of Minas Tirith
4x What Are They
1x Aragorn's Bow, Rangers Longbow
4x Ithilien Blade

The rest is gravy

Sapling's help against any surprise Hate before you discard everything.

[Yanko Markovic]

Wow, that helped a lot! Thanks TJ!

[TheJord]

As a side note, playing Gimli, BoG as RB with Armor of Khazad means if someone does die, you dont lose your threats as the Armor soaks them all back up

[Yanko Markovic]

That's really nice, which makes me wonder if it is better to use this gimli RB combo or something else...

[Elessar's Socks]

I think the more you abuse IB the more it'd shift from Boromir tokens (to the point of dropping him), so I guess the question is how far you want to go. I like to start:

1 Faramir CoI - squeezes out IB discards
1 Gondorian Prowler
1 Pippin WoBaS - great early game in case of bad draws
1 Madril DoO
1 Smeagol PC - along with Moving This Way cycles into FP hands
1 Thorongil (The Prancing Pony)

(Finished off with Eowyn LoI and Radagast TB.)

For healing I like Might of Numenor. Granted it can fizz, but unlike CoMT it can be used on the run, and it also interferes with Enquea. If there isn't a keen interest in racing down the site path (2-3 turns), I might go with CoMT. Moving quickly though can clog your opponent's hand with FP cards, which takes some of the weight off IB.

Ring-bearer is Frodo RH with The Great Ring. If threats blow up, Pippin, Smeagol, and Frodo can act as sinks without impacting the IB guys too much.

[Yanko Markovic]

I think having Boromir tokens as a secondary strategy works very well as a skirmish backup, Boromir searches for cards and sets up the game early. BT also helps a lot with Gondorian Prowler, and ALSO helps to give strength to make COMT work. I don't think IB has to use 100% of the deck. There are a few cards to make something else.

On the RB, I'm using Frodo, Courteous Halfling because of discard stuff Expanded has, but since corruption is a problem, I'll give RH a try.

Of course I know CoI is the best option for Faramir, but this deck is real cards, and CoI is way too much money.

BTW, I posted the deck in Expanded, so please comment on that thread, cause there you can actually see the deck.

[SomeRandomDude]

I've experimented with Gimli RB and Calculated Risk- toss in that axe that makes the archery total increase. Nice combo with Madril.