Morc/Nazgul Ring-bearer Abuse (Shadow only)

[DáinIronfoot]

Modified from a deck I copied from AnxiousChieftain a long while back....

SHADOW (37 cards):

The Witch-king, Captain of the Nine Riders x2
The Witch-king, Black Lord
The Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgul
Ulaire Enquea, Ringwraith In Twilight x2
Ulaire Lemenya, Assailing Minion
Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith In Twilight x2
Ulaire Nertea, Thrall of The One x2
Ulaire Nertea, Dark Horseman
Ulaire Otsea, Seventh of the Nine Riders x2
Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow
Gorbag, Covetous Captain
Morgul Brute x4
Morgul Destroyer x4
Morgul Whelp x4
Sauron, The Lord of the Rings

Ithil Stone

Flung Into The Fray x2
Put Forth His Strength
Bent On Discovery
Black Marshal x2
Swarming Like Beetles

Large, but should cycle pretty well--especially by the time you hit region 2--thanks to Ithil Stone, Bent On Discovery, and Seventh of the Nine Riders. Black Marshal helps make minions cheaper, as do Ulaire Nertea, Thrall of The One and Ferny if you pull them early.

Most of the rest either abuses the Ring-bearer with wounds or exertions, or keys off those wounds to get bigger. Your main wounding/exerting potential comes from Morgul Brute and Morgul Destroyer, who become big if the FP player chooses NOT to exert the Ring-bearer. Dark Horseman and Swarthy Sneering Fellow can go after the Ring-bearer directly if all goes well and lay a wound or two on him or her. Lord of the Nazgul and Enquea are a little more direct, wounding the Ring-bearer whenever they win skirmishes. Black Lord is a little more devious, sitting in your hand and exerting whenever the FP player tries to bring in some reinforcements. If all else fails, Swarming Like Beetles should be able to get a wound on the Ring-bearer when combined with Morgul Destroyer. All you really need is that one wound to make the Morgul Whelp big and swarm like mad, then Covetous Captain can make all the Morcs bigger as well.

If your opponent chooses to go the burden or threat route to nullify the Brutes and Destroyers, you have a nasty little trump card in reserve: The Lord of the Rings himself. You can get him relatively cheaply late in the game if there are a few burdens or threats sitting around, especially if you can dump Ithil Stone to make him even cheaper.

Help me make this better! 37 cards is obviously a little bigger than I'd like, but I'm struggling with what to cut.