Durin's Secret Society of Dear Friends

[Kralik]

Sure you can use smeagol gametext, but unfortunately he doesn't get the str-bonus.
First time I played I gave to much twillight, but after that I didn't gave more then 8 for the shadow, but then I still had either Sharku, Warg-captain + Sharku's Warg + Isengard Axe or Foul Horde + Isengard Axe + Warg, against me. Believe me Dear Friends doesn't help on site 2 against a damage +1 fierce minion; it meant that each time on site 2 there were 2 comps dead: Frodo and Smeagol.

Again, Smeagollum, I think you are missing the point. I keep saying this because of responses you made earlier about how losing 20 cards to discard would mess this deck up. The point is that YOU will discard your ENTIRE draw deck at site 1. Therefore, you are relying on Freeps to win unless you get a couple key Shadow cards. Also, you can draw whichever cards you need. I don't see how the Shadow would be useful in other deck types.

IF you can survive site 2--and I admit that it is a challenge--you should be OK vs. Wargs on site 3. The aforementioned combo of two wargs + riders won't happen at site 2 (not enough twilight). Since you have 8-10 cards to ditch from your starting hand if needed, Smeagol can fight at least one because even IF they cancel a bunch of discards, you can still be strong enough. Let's say str 14 rider... cancels 4 of your discards, but you still have enough to make Smeagol str. +6 or 9 vs. 14. Then they have an exhausted, non-fierce rider.

If you kill off Smeagol, you ruin the entire deck! Better to kill Gimli even -- at least there is another dwarf coming! Killing Frodo and Smeagol is basically conceding defeat. Anyway, if I knew I was playing vs. Wargs I'd probably try something like:

Aragorn, Ranger of the North, Aragorn's Bow, Greenleaf, Aiglos, Eowyn LoI, Preparations

For site 2-->3. Risk Enquea and exhaust a warg with archery to kill with Eowyn LoI. For example: two vitality 5 warg riders. Hit one of them four times and the other twice with archery. Exhausted rider on Eowyn, exert for 4 wounds on Shadow. Total 10 wounds = both die. Or maybe Greyhame + Roll of Thunder instead of Aragorn's Bow + Aiglos.

Why would Gandy cards in your hand hurt after mulligan? Discard them all. Also, the potential str+3-ish bonus from Axe of Erebor doesn't make it worth a card slot as Gimli isn't a fighter in this deck. Gandalf's Staff is good for emergencies... Axe of Erebor just gives a mediocre fighting companion. You won't get it in time to face the wargs anyway.

(BTW, lack of a strong starting companion was the reason I wished I could keep using Beneath the Mountains... I would have used Dwarven Axe, though)

[Smeagollum]

Oh I agree with you that site 2 is a problem. So you say I should have let Gimli die instead of Smeagol. I think that might work, but still in my opinion the weakest part is to survive till site 4. After that I agree with you.

Axe of Erebor makes sure you can play EMHR again. Which I think is good.

[Kralik]

Axe of Erebor makes sure you can play EMHR again. Which I think is good.

There is no reason to play EMHR again when you have no draw deck! I give up.

[Smeagollum]

Axe of Erebor makes sure you can play EMHR again. Which I think is good.

There is no reason to play EMHR again when you have no draw deck! I give up.

You create your own drawdeck again with dear friends I might think?

[Kralik]

No, all 6 cards are drawn to hand on reconcile. Even if they stayed there, EMHR would stack them all and then you couldn't get to them since you can't discard the top card of a non-existent deck.

[legolas3333]

so played this deck for the first time today, the guy cussed me out for cheating with birthday present then quit

[Kralik]

so played this deck for the first time today, the guy cussed me out for cheating with birthday present then quit

Should I post a link to the CRD ruling on it?

EDIT: In the CRD_080905.pdf here.

[Gil-Estel]

so played this deck for the first time today, the guy cussed me out for cheating with birthday present then quit

Hilarious!

[Mythdracon]

Where did you meet this angry player? 

[Smeagollum]

Kral, must say you're right about the wargriders. I did play it now with emhr and it was great against it. But then we started again and I was confronted by Moria (2x with different results). First time it just seemed that i got the wrong cards every time. I didn't get a slaked thirst on my conditions. which were there... Second time everything went a bit better and there was no problem. Gandalf's staff is indeed a must, but I certainly would throw in an axe of erenbor. It's great to play emhr a second time on site 6.

[Kralik]

Smeag,

Why no Slaked Thirsts? Since they are all in discard AND you play Preparations on your first use of Birthday Present, you should have it ready for your site 3 triple.

I still don't see the merit of replaying EMHR when you have no draw deck. There are better cards to stack, and since you must triple from 3-6 and then 6-9 to win, there's no time to waste fiddling with Axe of Erebor. You only have four turns, so you'd have to do it this way:

Turn 1) Stack Axe of Erebor.
Turn 2) Use Axe of Erebor to discard EMHR.
Turn 3) Stack EMHR.
Turn 4) Play EMHR.

And by turn 4, you are tripling to 9 and don't need any other cards. All that BESIDES the fact that it is useless. Literally useless. Anyhow, Moria isn't too much of a threat if they play Cave Troll or Balrog. If not, Deep in Thought (kill Goblin Armory, They Are Coming) + directed archery takes them down.

Forgot about EMHR as a chance to get an early Slaked Thirsts... nice. And I typically neglect stacking extra cards on Preparations, but it would be a great whammy at site 9, since I almost always have tons of regroup exerts to spare.

[Smeagollum]

Smeag,

Why no Slaked Thirsts? Since they are all in discard AND you play Preparations on your first use of Birthday Present, you should have it ready for your site 3 triple.

I still don't see the merit of replaying EMHR when you have no draw deck. There are better cards to stack, and since you must triple from 3-6 and then 6-9 to win, there's no time to waste fiddling with Axe of Erebor. You only have four turns, so you'd have to do it this way:

Turn 1) Stack Axe of Erebor.
Turn 2) Use Axe of Erebor to discard EMHR.
Turn 3) Stack EMHR.
Turn 4) Play EMHR.

And by turn 4, you are tripling to 9 and don't need any other cards. All that BESIDES the fact that it is useless. Literally useless. Anyhow, Moria isn't too much of a threat if they play Cave Troll or Balrog. If not, Deep in Thought (kill Goblin Armory, They Are Coming) + directed archery takes them down.

Forgot about EMHR as a chance to get an early Slaked Thirsts... nice. And I typically neglect stacking extra cards on Preparations, but it would be a great whammy at site 9, since I almost always have tons of regroup exerts to spare.

Well that was not how it exactly went.... I wanted to cycle.. Played emhr on site 1 further nothing, so I thought.. yeah cycle with smeagol... wrong.. he didn't play anything so there was no maneuver, archer, skirmish or so ever and I didn't had anyc captured by the ring or smeagol in hand. So for deep in thought I needed Gandalf and that didn't come as well. Emhr on site 1 with ST is a big help, but didn't happen unfortunately as well in that game against Moria. Just a bad draw, because the game after that no problem...

In turn 3 you play all your slaked thirsts. Then in turn 4 you put them beneath your empty drawdeck and then play emhr so for no exertions you've got them all stacked. I know the wounds shouldn't be a problem, but I think it's nicer not to have them so that you can heal Ari, Greenleaf and Eowyn. You can do it without, but then the shadowcards stay stacked on it and it's nicer if sauron is not stacked That's the only reason actually.

Don't shout to hard about healing... because the guy I played did use 4x sarumans power in a different deck.. I got three of them.. turn 1, turn 2 and turn 3.. so that took some more turns...And he isn't even a great player, but you can count on it something you don't expect at all or just 2x in a deck.. he got 4 and he allways to manage to play them fast. With my own decks I normally win 7 out of ten from him and he's a slow walker.. very slow to be honest. against the wargridergames I needed one extra turn to win, not because I couldn't handle the minions, but because of the lack of shire countryside after discarding them because of saruman's power. not nice.

[Mythdracon]

Maybe I'm not seeing it because I'm ignorant, but how would you win skirmishes if many companions are low strength? I didn't see many strength pumps....O_o

I'm supposing archery...but wouldn't there be situations where you don't have enough wounds to place, even with Slaked Thirsts usage?

[Smeagollum]

Maybe I'm not seeing it because I'm ignorant, but how would you win skirmishes if many companions are low strength? I didn't see many strength pumps....O_o

I'm supposing archery...but wouldn't there be situations where you don't have enough wounds to place, even with Slaked Thirsts usage?

You almost don't skirmish. Exhaust minions with Slaked thirst and then kill them with archery or with Eowyns ability. It will leave maybe 4 minions left but then you use smeagol's ability and discard your hand loose innitiative and then you ought to heal  with shire countryside about 4x, because you remove a burden because of losing innitiative. Then you can have the strong minions anytime.

[Kralik]

In turn 3 you play all your slaked thirsts. Then in turn 4 you put them beneath your empty drawdeck and then play emhr so for no exertions you've got them all stacked. I know the wounds shouldn't be a problem, but I think it's nicer not to have them so that you can heal Ari, Greenleaf and Eowyn. You can do it without, but then the shadowcards stay stacked on it and it's nicer if sauron is not stacked That's the only reason actually.

OK, good point -- I hadn't thought of that. However, it seems it would only be helpful if your opponent doesn't RUN -- and I've yet to play a pokey opponent with this deck (after all, if I have no Shadow, why wait?). I always stack Slaked Thirsts on Preparations ASAP. Since I outlined my Dear Friends typical stacks and I only have 4 turns, stacking EMHR and 4x Slaked Thirsts isn't possible for me if I'm going to triple twice.

Saruman's Power is indeed a pain... I've faced it three times and made it, even without healing. I always keep a Birthday Present in hand and usually play The Shire Countryside in stages. Mythdracon, since your healed Fellowship can put out 14 wounds a move besides Eowyn, skirmishes usually don't happen. A few strong minions are actually better than many weak minions, because they usually have a higher vitality. And when you triple, your opponent starts to run out of options because their hand clogs with Freeps. And then there's always Not the First Halfling.

EDIT: Actually, my previous objection on EMHR is still valid. Smeagollum, please answer: How can you use EMHR with Slaked Thirsts if all cards are drawn to your hand for your reconcile?