Archery/allies FP what to cut? (Shadow to be added later)

[Air Power]

Hi all,

I'm working on an FP archery/allies deck.  Right now I'm at 37 cards, and I don't think it will cycle very fast, so I'd like input on what I should cut.  I'm also planning to pair it with archery/swarm to help it cycle, and I will post the shadow half later.

(One more comment: this is a physical deck, not online.  I don't have a playset of Fellowship block, so comments like "put in three more Double Shot" are not very helpful)

Starting:
Frodo, RA
Arwen DoE
Legolas SoT


Long Knives of Legolas
Bow of the Galadhrim
Asfaloth X2
Galadriel LoL X2
Celeborn LoL
Far-seeing eyes
Elrond LoR
Double Shot
Elven Bow
Orophin LB X2
Rumil EP X2
Hosts of the Last Alliance X2
Calagin Elf of Lorien X2
Nenya
Vilya
The Tale of Gil-galad


Aragorn KiE X2
Aragorn's Bow
Ranger's Sword
Boromir LoG
Blade of Gondor
Horn of Boromir
No Stranger to the Shadows X3
The Saga of Elendil
Flaming Brand
Athelas X2

My guess for cuts is Calagin X1, NSttS X3 (not really trying to choke), Athelas X2 (plenty of healing already, but this means no condition removal), and either TSoE or TToGg

[ket_the_jet]

You could run Secret Sentinels for condition removal. As long as you're building another Fellowship deck, where are the four Gondor Bowmen?

What's the point of just one Double Shot?
-wtk

[Air Power]

I like secret sentinels, I'll have to pick a couple up.

For some reason, I though Gondor Bowmen was Towers Block.  I'll add one now and look for some more.

Re Double Shot: it's there for an extra wound.  It's free (0 shadow, no exertion) and I meet the play conditions with my starting fellowship, so I should be able to use it on (virtually) any turn, which means it will play quickly.

[ket_the_jet]

Re Double Shot: it's there for an extra wound.  It's free (0 shadow, no exertion) and I meet the play conditions with my starting fellowship, so I should be able to use it on (virtually) any turn, which means it will play quickly.

Yeah, my question was why you are running just one. It's kind of one of those cards that you run a flush or none.
-wtk

[Air Power]

That's all I have now.  I'll run more when I get more.  I'm not ready to spend $5 each when a box of fellowship is only $40 (and I don't have a complete set of FoTR)

[FM]

Basically, if you're going for a theme, you should try to capitalize on it and shore up it's weaknesses. This means cutting any "cute" cards that simply won't do much on the long run. Far-Seeing Eyes is not that great for what you're trying to do, for instance, nor is No Stranger to the Shadows (though it helps). Calaglin could be a 1-of, you're not depending on him that much early on anyway, since minions cost more. Same could be said for Rumil and Orophin (though Uruks are tougher, so Orophin might be more useful to have an extra copy around). You should probably play Pathfinder, so you can manipulate the site path and turn on your Legolas for most of the late game. The Splendor of Their Banners is also great in this type of build. You could try to get ahold of a FotR box, see if you pull an extra Double Shot, a Greenleaf and a Splendor (so you can use it on Arwen - btw, you need an extra bow in there, you can cycle it on one of the allies if you draw both quickly, like Galadriel, and even have an extra shooter at site 6). It'd also mean you could get a second Elrond and a Sting (it helps to plan if you know what'll come down next), possibly Power According to its Stature (better as a 1-of than Double-Shot).
You could probably lose the Blade of Gondor for an Armor, as Balrog Protection, and also cut 1 Horn. If you do not want to spring for a box, but rather add in something cheap, I'd say Hobbit Stealth as Balrog protection (the common one screws your archery over sideways) and Swarm protection later on. I'd not lose Athelas, and in fact consider playing a 3rd one (if you're adding in Secret Sentinels, otherwise a 4th one as well).

[Air Power]

Thanks for the help.  The only part that I didn't follow: when you say cut one horn, do you realize that I only have one in the deck? 
If I cut the horn, should I cut Boromir and Blade of Gondor as well?  I know that it weakens Gondor Bowmen, but Boromir is strongest with the horn pulling in Elrond to fight or small elves to chump for things like the Balrog.

[Haszor]

I run an archery deck which tends to kick some serious butt.  Here's what I'd do
+1 Aragorn, KiE
- Everything that has to do with Boromir (He's not much in the way of wounds)
+4 Citadel of Minas Tirith (Trust me on this one, with Aragorn's bow and Gondor bowmen it's a life saver)
-3 NSttS
+3 The Splendor of Their Banners
-2 Celeborn
-2 Galadriel, LoL
+2 Galadriel, LotGW
+1 Armor (Optional)
-2 Asfaloth
+1 Gwemegil
-2 Calagin
-1 Far Seeing Eyes
-1 Elrond
+3 Elrond, HtGG
+1 Elven Bow
+4 Gondor Bowmen
-1 Double Shot
-1 Orophin and Rumil
Do something like that and exert the daylights out of legolas with TSoTB and heal him back with Galadriel, Elrond and Aragorn.  As an emergency you can use Gorn and his bow/Bowmen for some extra power.

[FM]

Thanks for the help.  The only part that I didn't follow: when you say cut one horn, do you realize that I only have one in the deck?  
If I cut the horn, should I cut Boromir and Blade of Gondor as well?  I know that it weakens Gondor Bowmen, but Boromir is strongest with the horn pulling in Elrond to fight or small elves to chump for things like the Balrog.

I thought I saw 2 Horns. One is fine. I'd cut Blade of Gondor, though.

@Haszor: You do realize this is supposed to be a real life deck and he does not have that many rares, right? He said it pretty clearly.