Psycho Merry (FP only)

[TheJord]

THROW IN THE BALROG!!

[SomeRandomDude]

NO! He's a hand clogger! The shadow is NOT designed to kill. Its designed to cycle.

[TheJord]

Sorry that was spam. I have been in a spamming mood recently

NBarden is right. Hides is a sweet cycler.

[Braindamagedcarebearsrock]

And They are coming doesn't cycle ? it's three cards from hand, so you get 2more cards than from hides .(after reconcile)  And you can throw your whole hand too.

[SomeRandomDude]

You can throw your whole hand anyways with Moria Swarm, Hides allows you to draw cards, which is more valuable than dumping cards you've got. But if you want dumping, toss in Gollum, Old Villain and some Captured by the Ring. Much better than They Are Coming.

I've never been a big fan of They Are Coming.

[Gillian2]

I like idea with Gimli. It doesn't really matter if Everyone Knows Merry exert combo doesn't work. Gimli, Lockbearer with 2 axes,  Dwarven Bracers, and one "reflections" ring(instead of Endurance of Dwarves) is 13 strength, and Merry, Friend to Sam with escape and hobbit sword can boost him twice in skrimsh for 5.
Because Everyone Knows is tale Pippin, Friend to Frodo is better choice than Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence, and you can play some other usefull shire tales like: O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!, Three Monstrous Trolls,  Red Book of Westmarch...
Basicly this is very solid choke freepeople with nice cycling and condition discard. This freepeople has good potential.
One modification can be with Aragorn, Wingfoot and Anduril, Flame of the West instead of Legolas, Dauntless Hunter and Long Knives of Legolas. Now you get companion with higher strength and vitality with nice addition for double move, but you lose much on choke.

In ent version, you can forget chok, but instead you get excelent cycle, and many strong companions.
I have in mind 2 similar versions with ents. Difference is cycle card.
One is Saved From The Fire and A Wizard Is Never Late.
With  A Wizard Is Never Late it is freepeople for 9 companions.
Starter are:
Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir
Pippin, Friend to Frodo
Quickbeam, Bregalad
and Merry, Horticulturalist
With Escape, Ent Draught and Everyone Knows Pippin and merry have 17 strength potential, and all other companions except Frodo are at least 8 strength, so there is no need for Merry, Friend to Sam, but there is need for Farmer Maggot on first site.
Other companions of my choice are:
Gandalf, Defender of the West (you will spot 3 shire or 3 Gandalf companions)
Skinbark, Fladrif
Ent Horde
Treebeard, Keeper of the Watchwood or Treebeard, Guardian of the Forest. Second doesn't have to spot any ents for playing, Quickbeam and Skinbark alone could be risky.
Radagast, The Brown (many strong companions why not triple move?)
Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul can be threat for 6 or more companions, at least Merry and Pippin can be protected with  Kept Safe.
This freeps is more based on Gandalf, so it doesn't need many Shire cards mentioned like: Three Monstrous Trolls,  Red Book of Westmarch, Mithril Coat, Bill the Pony, Consorting With Wizards,  A Talent for Not Being Seen, Bilbo Baggins, Well-spoken Gentlehobbit, but it need condition removal like Deep in Thought, Glamdring, Ent moot, maybee Enraged...

Saved from the fire version is for not more than 7 companion freepeople, but you can equip your freepeople sooner and better.
You Start with Frodo, Sam and Gandalf Lom. First you burn Sam, and then you burn Gandalf, and sfter 2  SFTF site your fellowship is mostly equiped. This is hobbit-Ent freeps, so Crack Into Rubble is needed for discarding condition.
About shadow cycler. I am not faund with Hides in Moria, or some other non-Dunland shadow. Ithil Stone is excellent for drawing one card, and it work with wraith and sauron culture.  Grishnakh, Orc Captain is also very good for drawing.